Can’t be the only one who hasn’t been to a premier league game since Tottenham at home in 2007. Always get offered tickets to go and watch Brighton or Spurs. Couldn’t pay me to go and watch it.
The Premier League is so far removed from League One nowadays that they are basically completely different sports/experiences.
I 100% get that. This club had load of different food and beer stores with a DJ to liven up the atmosphere. I don’t expect or ask Charlton to do exactly the same but at least get the food and beers right.
Why are you so purposefully avoiding naming the club that you went to see?!
Not sure how this is relevant as I'm trying to make the point of how poor our catering is.
But as because you seem so eager to know for some reason, it was West Ham and Everton I went to yesterday.
“For some reason” - chill out, it’s just a bit weird to compare to compare the experience you had at Charlton and another club without naming that other club. No issues, I love going to watch football and would go and watch it pretty much anywhere (Millwall & Palace excluded).
Can’t be the only one who hasn’t been to a premier league game since Tottenham at home in 2007. Always get offered tickets to go and watch Brighton or Spurs. Couldn’t pay me to go and watch it.
Not been to a premier league game since Charlton were relegated from it.
I occasionally go to Leicester when they play a 'top team' .. tickets around £40/£45 .. catering inside and outside the stadium is first class and not too expensive .. usually a few decent quality bands playing outside the ground or very nearby..
excuse the analogy .. the difference between Prem and L1 is like comparing the local rep company with the Royal Shakespeare Company, you get what you pay for I am a lifelong Addick, BUT I can see that to get us anywhere near Prem status is going to take a LOOOOOONG time and MILLIONS and MILLIONS of someone's money .. My Addicktion is a serious Addiction .. it's nice to break the habit now and then
Not a Prem game but went to Spurs new stadium when they played some pub side in the Europa League. Atmosphere was understandably shite, but the ground itself is a work of art. Beer and food were decent as well.
Not a Prem game but went to Spurs new stadium when they played some pub side in the Europa League. Atmosphere was understandably shite, but the ground itself is a work of art. Beer and food were decent as well.
The Premier League is so far removed from League One nowadays that they are basically completely different sports/experiences.
I 100% get that. This club had load of different food and beer stores with a DJ to liven up the atmosphere. I don’t expect or ask Charlton to do exactly the same but at least get the food and beers right.
Why are you so purposefully avoiding naming the club that you went to see?!
Not sure how this is relevant as I'm trying to make the point of how poor our catering is.
But as because you seem so eager to know for some reason, it was West Ham and Everton I went to yesterday.
Can’t be the only one who hasn’t been to a premier league game since Tottenham at home in 2007. Always get offered tickets to go and watch Brighton or Spurs. Couldn’t pay me to go and watch it.
Not been to a premier league game since Charlton were relegated from it.
This.
I cant think of anything worse than going to watch 2 teams I don't support. I've not even watched MOTD since before covid.
Can’t be the only one who hasn’t been to a premier league game since Tottenham at home in 2007. Always get offered tickets to go and watch Brighton or Spurs. Couldn’t pay me to go and watch it.
Not been to a premier league game since Charlton were relegated from it.
This.
I cant think of anything worse than going to watch 2 teams I don't support. I've not even watched MOTD since before covid.
I record and watch MOTD 2 on a Sunday night. Longish hi-lights of the Sunday games which is normally only two and then they just show the goals for all the other games. Fast forward all the manager and pundit talk and you are left with 30 minutes of action.
I just find watching two teams I don't care about boring, Charlton or very occasionally Rushden and that's it for me.
I love it, just enjoying football for the football, none of the emotional drain (and frequent soul crushing disappointment!) from watching my team.
The guy I travel with to Charlton will go to any game, I'm guessing that like you he just loves football, regular viewing for him is corby town, although over the last ten years he now views Charlton as 'his ' team and we'll be at rotherham Saturday.
I went to Spurs vs RB Leipzig just before 1st lockdown in Feb 2020 - client took me - incredible ground - had evening meal in one of the restaurants, which was first class food - Spurs were dreadful
As an experience, enjoyable
But for me, entering a football ground and getting a lift or an escalator up to my seat inside the stand, and the interior of the stand being like a posh hotel, wasn’t my scene - I couldn’t do it every week
Alternatively, I’m way behind the times and out of touch (on reflection, it’s probably this !!)
I've always found there seems to be quite a heavy emphasis on what food/beer is like inside a stadium. Read any football ground review and it is always a big topic.
Personally, I've never really been that fussed. A football stadium is for the football. If you're looking for top quality beer and food then a restaurant/pub is where you go.
Only thing I do expect to see an improvement on at The Valley catering wise is the attitude of some of the staff. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is, but it feels like its the first day on the job for most of them. You can ask for something, and then they'll be in a trance trying to figure out what to do.
I went to Spurs vs RB Leipzig just before 1st lockdown in Feb 2020 - client took me - incredible ground - had evening meal in one of the restaurants, which was first class food - Spurs were dreadful
As an experience, enjoyable
But for me, entering a football ground and getting a lift or an escalator up to my seat inside the stand, and the interior of the stand being like a posh hotel, wasn’t my scene - I couldn’t do it every week
Alternatively, I’m way behind the times and out of touch (on reflection, it’s probably this !!)
Exactly that. I got tickets to Arsenal once (v Lincoln in the cup) and because the away end was sold out all we could get were seats in the middle tier bit (£120 each!).
Escalator up to the concourse, plenty of room in the bars/restaurants - a bit of a Frankie and Bennies vibe going on - spotless khazis with match commentary piped in so you didn't miss anything, "free" beers at half time, cushioned seats with loads of legroom and absolutely no atmosphere from the complete helmets all around us that clearly sit there every week.
Alright as a one off experience, but it's not really football for me.
I've always found there seems to be quite a heavy emphasis on what food/beer is like inside a stadium. Read any football ground review and it is always a big topic.
Personally, I've never really been that fussed. A football stadium is for the football. If you're looking for top quality beer and food then a restaurant/pub is where you go.
Only thing I do expect to see an improvement on at The Valley catering wise is the attitude of some of the staff. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is, but it feels like its the first day on the job for most of them. You can ask for something, and then they'll be in a trance trying to figure out what to do.
I think that is because it is.
That's one of the issues with outsourcing and also paying minimum wage. The agency sends different staff every game so they often just don't know. It's not an "attitude" they just haven't been trained.
I agree with you about not being fussed about food at grounds but for others it is important.
And if we are selling a product it should be decent.
But the food in the fans bar is far better and they have real ale, the mobile vans outside the main entrance and the museum are good (but expensive) and the Upbeats burgers are meant to be very good.
So it can be done.
I'll still be drinking in the Radical, all the same.
I went to Hayes and Yeading v Tiverton Town a couple of weeks ago. One small stand, catering was a burger van, the 300 fans knew the players, and Tiverton’s second goal was a belter that would grace any league in the world. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Won’t be going to any premier league matches unless we’re in it.
I went to Hayes and Yeading v Tiverton Town a couple of weeks ago. One small stand, catering was a burger van, the 300 fans knew the players, and Tiverton’s second goal was a belter that would grace any league in the world. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Won’t be going to any premier league matches unless we’re in it.
Catering at non-league football is generally a step above what many would expect.
Clubs at that level will often make more money from the clubhouse than the ticket sales themselves, so they’ll go out of their way to give everything a personal touch.
I went to Spurs vs RB Leipzig just before 1st lockdown in Feb 2020 - client took me - incredible ground - had evening meal in one of the restaurants, which was first class food - Spurs were dreadful
As an experience, enjoyable
But for me, entering a football ground and getting a lift or an escalator up to my seat inside the stand, and the interior of the stand being like a posh hotel, wasn’t my scene - I couldn’t do it every week
Alternatively, I’m way behind the times and out of touch (on reflection, it’s probably this !!)
Exactly that. I got tickets to Arsenal once (v Lincoln in the cup) and because the away end was sold out all we could get were seats in the middle tier bit (£120 each!).
Escalator up to the concourse, plenty of room in the bars/restaurants - a bit of a Frankie and Bennies vibe going on - spotless khazis with match commentary piped in so you didn't miss anything, "free" beers at half time, cushioned seats with loads of legroom and absolutely no atmosphere from the complete helmets all around us that clearly sit there every week.
Alright as a one off experience, but it's not really football for me.
Comments
As I said, lazy comparison
excuse the analogy .. the difference between Prem and L1 is like comparing the local rep company with the Royal Shakespeare Company, you get what you pay for
I am a lifelong Addick, BUT I can see that to get us anywhere near Prem status is going to take a LOOOOOONG time and MILLIONS and MILLIONS of someone's money .. My Addicktion is a serious Addiction .. it's nice to break the habit now and then
I cant think of anything worse than going to watch 2 teams I don't support. I've not even watched MOTD since before covid.
As an experience, enjoyable
But for me, entering a football ground and getting a lift or an escalator up to my seat inside the stand, and the interior of the stand being like a posh hotel, wasn’t my scene - I couldn’t do it every week
Alternatively, I’m way behind the times and out of touch (on reflection, it’s probably this !!)
Personally, I've never really been that fussed. A football stadium is for the football. If you're looking for top quality beer and food then a restaurant/pub is where you go.
Only thing I do expect to see an improvement on at The Valley catering wise is the attitude of some of the staff. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is, but it feels like its the first day on the job for most of them. You can ask for something, and then they'll be in a trance trying to figure out what to do.
Escalator up to the concourse, plenty of room in the bars/restaurants - a bit of a Frankie and Bennies vibe going on - spotless khazis with match commentary piped in so you didn't miss anything, "free" beers at half time, cushioned seats with loads of legroom and absolutely no atmosphere from the complete helmets all around us that clearly sit there every week.
Alright as a one off experience, but it's not really football for me.
That's one of the issues with outsourcing and also paying minimum wage. The agency sends different staff every game so they often just don't know. It's not an "attitude" they just haven't been trained.
I agree with you about not being fussed about food at grounds but for others it is important.
And if we are selling a product it should be decent.
But the food in the fans bar is far better and they have real ale, the mobile vans outside the main entrance and the museum are good (but expensive) and the Upbeats burgers are meant to be very good.
So it can be done.
I'll still be drinking in the Radical, all the same.
Clubs at that level will often make more money from the clubhouse than the ticket sales themselves, so they’ll go out of their way to give everything a personal touch.