In my tee total moments I tend to get there about 20 mins before kick off and watch warm ups, and people arriving etc etc. In my non-tee total moments, end up arriving at 2.55, but then still think it's a good idea to have a beer before kick-off on the concourse!
At the end I always go after the last player goes into the tunnel. I like to watch them all applaud us and see the pain/sheer devastation on their faces if we lose or the unbridled joy if we've won!! ;-)
I normally get into the ground at about 2.15pm. I like to watch the players go through their warm-up routines (or when that prat Dowie was in charge, their burn-out routines). I may also get the honour of listening to 'Large' give his words of wisdom on the concourse or help him shout down 'golfie' for predicting a defeat.
All in all I don't get to spend enough time there so I try to drag it out. The senior members of our family do a toilet inspection after the game so there's no point hurrying back to the car anyway.
interesting question...interesting responses. my take on it is does it really matter how much time you spend in the ground as long as you're there from 2.55-5.50 (amend for evening fixtures if you must)?? with regards to lager...london prices for lager is steep nowadays anyway as we all know...but my main feelings are that i'm not a big fan of fosters...3.10 is overpriced...whenver i get it i queue for ages (i cant go and get 1 whilst the match is in progress i always miss something important), the lager tastes pretty awful...clearly dont clean the pipes properly....its NEVER what i call cold....you cant have a fag anymore.....and you dont even get the luxury of a pint GLASS....or at least one of these newly-fashioned heavy duty plastic glasses! they are my main reasons for not spending more time in the gorund. as for watching the warm-ups....loved it when i was younger...now i just get pissed off mainly for reasons already cited by afka!
i think the club are missing out big time here...they've got a loyal customer base and yet they seem to do little to encourage it...ok, the design of the stands probably reflect the money available to build them so they're are basically stuffed on that front...however, they've got a fcking great car park in the ground that could be put to better use...for starters, why they think it should be for cars when most grounds havent got a car park gawd knows...they could open up half of it to the fans...get in food stalls, bar b q's, merchandising stalls, beer stalls, tea/coffee stalls and make it a meeting place/socialising point for fans (winter time they could set up marquees)...on the concourses they could set up tea/coffee/chocolate/crisps stalls so that the queues for beer are smaller...after the match, they could open legends to season ticket holders and make more use of that...the way forward is to make the valley a match day venue...
Normally arrive early, watch the warm up and have a read of the programme.
As others have said Club prices are very uncompetitive compared to elsewhere in the locality and I am not rich enough to ignore that fact! It is therefore rare for us to buy food and drink through the Club outlets.
After the game we see the players off (applauding where deserved)and watch the highlights if there are any.
[cite]Posted By: ltgtr[/cite]Posted By: Chris_from_Sidcup[/cite]You have some good ideas mate but why don't you write/email Varney or make sure Henry reads this
LTGTR, it's easy to come up with ideas if you never have to follow them thru or doing any sort of cost/benefit analysis, risk assessment (how many people can you get in a bar?), opportuntiy costing (did you think it's a free car park or that people don't pay to get into legends?), check customer demand (Do you want to stand around in a marquee put up over a car park on a cold night in Febraury a) yes b) no )
nearly all the things you are talking about are provided by dedicated all year round providers in close proximity to the ground with cover and heating. They are called public houses. They have a big advantage that they open every day and so can spread their fixed costs over 365 days of trading rather than about 25 matchdays.
I mean a car park. Who would arrange any sort of event in the Valley Car Park :-((((
I used to get down the Valley early on a match day as it was quite nice to have a beer out the back of the old Covered End. The concrete concourse is no contest for a pre match pub which to me feels like part of the whole set up now anyway. More choice of drinks, meeting people who don't just sit in my stand/section and back there/on to another place afterwards gives me the variety and surroundings I want from my matchday experience. I have pint at half time, but it often feels like for the sake of it rather than enjoyment. I doubt bottled beer is the answer to the latter point.
"I used to get down the Valley early on a match day as it was quite nice to have a beer out the back of the old Covered End. The concrete concourse is no contest for a pre match pub which to me feels like part of the whole set up now anyway. More choice of drinks, meeting people who don't just sit in my stand/section and back there/on to another place afterwards gives me the variety and surroundings I want from my matchday experience. I have pint at half time, but it often feels like for the sake of it rather than enjoyment. I doubt bottled beer is the answer to the latter point."
Couldn't agree more Sco. To me, going to the pub before the game is part of the day out. How many of us actually sit in the same area as all our friends/family?
To be honest, I can't ever remember drinking in any ground before a game and thinking "this is better than a pub." Purely from a cost point of view, they'll never be able to stock the variety of drinks on offer in any pub.
[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]
LTGTR, it's easy to come up with ideas if you never have to follow them thru or doing any sort of cost/benefit analysis, risk assessment (how many people can you get in a bar?), opportuntiy costing (did you think it's a free car park or that people don't pay to get into legends?), check customer demand (Do you want to stand around in a marquee put up over a car park on a cold night in Febraury a) yes b) no )
they are exactly that, ideas.
Its not his job to do cost analysis, risk assessments etc.
Right then.....I arrive at the valley 12 hours before kick off..., lick all seats clean in block E of the east stand starting from row W until tongue turns the same colour as the home kit. Followed by a fart on all the seats to ensure they are all dry by the time gates are opened and the east stand possie arrives. (If Im lucky I'm sometimes allowed to peel 500 bags of onions by hand and mince the cat meat for the burgers). I look forward to sitting down during the match but cant wait for the full time whistle so that I can do another 5 hours cleaning out the bogs before heading t'pub for last knockings ;o)
If there was a decent bar/club at the ground that sold decent beer in a glass, with proper bar staff and plenty of them, whilst showing the 12.30 match on big screens like you get in the Oak or the Doom and Gloom then I would utilise it.
Somewhere like the North-East corner would be perfect.
I know its a much smaller scale but Southend have a cracking little boozer in their main stand. Big screen, comfy seats, decent beer at pub prices and a big screen that shows SKY sports news and the Southend match.
Problem is you go for a pint at half time and end up staying for another couple while watching the match on the telly.
In years gone by I would arrive at the Ground at 1.00pm & watch the early Prem game in Bartrams on my own with a few beers.
Since Charlton Life started up I meet up with a few people off here & do not arrive at ground till about 2.55pm. Always stay till end to argue with anyone who try's to boo the team off :-)
[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]
LTGTR, it's easy to come up with ideas if you never have to follow them thru or doing any sort of cost/benefit analysis, risk assessment (how many people can you get in a bar?), opportuntiy costing (did you think it's a free car park or that people don't pay to get into legends?), check customer demand (Do you want to stand around in a marquee put up over a car park on a cold night in Febraury a) yes b) no )
they are exactly that, ideas.
Its not his job to do cost analysis, risk assessments etc.
Fine if they are floated as ideas or suggestions but not if it's statements like "the clubs is missing out big time" when there is no back or thought to how the ideas can be made to work or what the problems might be.
[cite]Posted By: Ketman[/cite]In years gone by I would arrive at the Ground at 1.00pm & watch the early Prem game in Bartrams on my own with a few beers.
Since Charlton Life started up I meet up with a few people off here & do not arrive at ground till about 2.55pm. Always stay till end to argue with anyone who try's to boo the team off :-)
Oi Henry - the club is missing out big time on Ketman's beer money here!!!
I usually get there an hour before kick off, have a beer, watch the end of the match then take my seat. Usually quick out to catch my train but never leave before final whistle.
The chap who sits next to me leaves 5 minutes from the end and missed half of our goals last year!!!
Bloke and his son next to me last season regularly used to leave about 20 minutes before the end, and one match got up and left their seats before half-time and didn't come back!
As it turned out, I think they had the right idea most games...
Comments
In my non-tee total moments, end up arriving at 2.55, but then still think it's a good idea to have a beer before kick-off on the concourse!
At the end I always go after the last player goes into the tunnel. I like to watch them all applaud us and see the pain/sheer devastation on their faces if we lose or the unbridled joy if we've won!! ;-)
All in all I don't get to spend enough time there so I try to drag it out. The senior members of our family do a toilet inspection after the game so there's no point hurrying back to the car anyway.
luke's injured and henry's still struggling with plastic bottles of beer...
As others have said Club prices are very uncompetitive compared to elsewhere in the locality and I am not rich enough to ignore that fact! It is therefore rare for us to buy food and drink through the Club outlets.
After the game we see the players off (applauding where deserved)and watch the highlights if there are any.
LTGTR, it's easy to come up with ideas if you never have to follow them thru or doing any sort of cost/benefit analysis, risk assessment (how many people can you get in a bar?), opportuntiy costing (did you think it's a free car park or that people don't pay to get into legends?), check customer demand (Do you want to stand around in a marquee put up over a car park on a cold night in Febraury a) yes b) no )
nearly all the things you are talking about are provided by dedicated all year round providers in close proximity to the ground with cover and heating. They are called public houses. They have a big advantage that they open every day and so can spread their fixed costs over 365 days of trading rather than about 25 matchdays.
I mean a car park. Who would arrange any sort of event in the Valley Car Park :-((((
Couldn't agree more Sco. To me, going to the pub before the game is part of the day out. How many of us actually sit in the same area as all our friends/family?
To be honest, I can't ever remember drinking in any ground before a game and thinking "this is better than a pub." Purely from a cost point of view, they'll never be able to stock the variety of drinks on offer in any pub.
they are exactly that, ideas.
Its not his job to do cost analysis, risk assessments etc.
Somewhere like the North-East corner would be perfect.
I know its a much smaller scale but Southend have a cracking little boozer in their main stand. Big screen, comfy seats, decent beer at pub prices and a big screen that shows SKY sports news and the Southend match.
Problem is you go for a pint at half time and end up staying for another couple while watching the match on the telly.
Since Charlton Life started up I meet up with a few people off here & do not arrive at ground till about 2.55pm. Always stay till end to argue with anyone who try's to boo the team off :-)
Fine if they are floated as ideas or suggestions but not if it's statements like "the clubs is missing out big time" when there is no back or thought to how the ideas can be made to work or what the problems might be.
Oi Henry - the club is missing out big time on Ketman's beer money here!!!
The chap who sits next to me leaves 5 minutes from the end and missed half of our goals last year!!!
As it turned out, I think they had the right idea most games...