Tuesday, October 31, 2006
I don't belong anymore
Many years ago I was a regular. Home and away I followed the Arse up and down the country when we were shite. All ticket games were a rarity in those days, sell outs were unusual and the food available within the grounds was usually Bovril and Wagon Wheels...
But it was fun. We never expected to win much, with players like Chris Whyte and Brian McDermott you soon learnt not to be too optimistic but there was still the sense of being part of The Arsenal and we were special. We were boring, crap but special.
I left in 1987. My last game as a regular fan was Norwich at home when we lost 2-1. A young lad called Paul Merson scored for us that day but as I stood on the Clock End I looked round the stadium thinking it was the end of an era. My era. So many memories tied up in the small area of North London, the concrete terracing, the fish and chip shops, the pubs. Badger on the North Bank, roasted peanuts, queuing for the programme, I'd been there and done that. In my mind I'd lived Fever Pitch a thousand times in those narrow streets.
That same season Luton Town, a club I despise, introduced a membership scheme and everyone tut tutted. Well, everyone except Thatcher but we could never see the Arsenal doing that could we? Members only at the Arse?
I've just looked on the Arsenal web site regarding tickets for upcoming fixtures. We have Platinum / Gold Members, Silver Members and Red Members.
Of course you can't just join the Gold Members. You must start at the bottom and they don't mean being among the 200 who went to Goodison for a League Cup tie in 83. Oh no, nothing like that counts. To prove your loyalty to the club you're going to have to start with the Red Members. Remember, this won't guarantee you match day tickets. Season ticket holders, the Platinum/Gold, then Silver then what's left over. Of course you can join the Season Ticket Waiting List for which of course you show your loyalty by paying another fee.
If you want your voice heard by the club... forget it. You can only post on their message board if you're a member. Remember your loyalty is expressed by how much you blindly hand over to your club.
But what happens if you can somehow get hold of those elusive tickets? How much do they cost?
2006/07 Match Day ticket prices
Emirates Upper/Lower Tier
Category A
Category B
Centre Upper
£94
£66
Centre Upper Back
£70
£49
Next To Centre Upper
£70
£49
Next To Centre Upper Back
£61
£43
Wing Upper
£60
£42
Wing Upper Back
£55
£38
Corner Upper
£60
£42
Goal Upper
£66
£46
Goal Upper Back
£55
£38
Centre Lower
£51
£35
Wing Lower
£46
£32
Corner Lower
£46
£32
Goal Lower
£46
£32
Family Enclosure
Adult
£46
£32
Senior Citizen/Cannon Club
£20
£14
Junior Gunner
£18
£13
!!!???
Of course watching some of the football played by players of the quality of Fabregas and Henry ain't gonna come cheap but when the cheapest tickest against the so called big teams are 46 bloody quid...
Fans I know who still go regularly complain about the new breed of supporter the club has attracted. A type willing and able to pay these high end prices but a type who doesn't want to be surrounded by people who stand and shout for their team. The atmosphere is being sanitised and the club, despite all it's talk about how they wanna improve the atmosphere just don't care. They're happy for the Hornbies to pay top whack and act like they're at the theatre, it's the market they're striving for. But one day Monseuir Wenger will be gone. There'll be years when we struggle and when we click on the tickets page of the web site we'll see tickets on general sale but I for one won't bite. My club, the club I grew up with left me years back...
But it was fun. We never expected to win much, with players like Chris Whyte and Brian McDermott you soon learnt not to be too optimistic but there was still the sense of being part of The Arsenal and we were special. We were boring, crap but special.
I left in 1987. My last game as a regular fan was Norwich at home when we lost 2-1. A young lad called Paul Merson scored for us that day but as I stood on the Clock End I looked round the stadium thinking it was the end of an era. My era. So many memories tied up in the small area of North London, the concrete terracing, the fish and chip shops, the pubs. Badger on the North Bank, roasted peanuts, queuing for the programme, I'd been there and done that. In my mind I'd lived Fever Pitch a thousand times in those narrow streets.
That same season Luton Town, a club I despise, introduced a membership scheme and everyone tut tutted. Well, everyone except Thatcher but we could never see the Arsenal doing that could we? Members only at the Arse?
I've just looked on the Arsenal web site regarding tickets for upcoming fixtures. We have Platinum / Gold Members, Silver Members and Red Members.
Of course you can't just join the Gold Members. You must start at the bottom and they don't mean being among the 200 who went to Goodison for a League Cup tie in 83. Oh no, nothing like that counts. To prove your loyalty to the club you're going to have to start with the Red Members. Remember, this won't guarantee you match day tickets. Season ticket holders, the Platinum/Gold, then Silver then what's left over. Of course you can join the Season Ticket Waiting List for which of course you show your loyalty by paying another fee.
If you want your voice heard by the club... forget it. You can only post on their message board if you're a member. Remember your loyalty is expressed by how much you blindly hand over to your club.
But what happens if you can somehow get hold of those elusive tickets? How much do they cost?
2006/07 Match Day ticket prices
Emirates Upper/Lower Tier
Category A
Category B
Centre Upper
£94
£66
Centre Upper Back
£70
£49
Next To Centre Upper
£70
£49
Next To Centre Upper Back
£61
£43
Wing Upper
£60
£42
Wing Upper Back
£55
£38
Corner Upper
£60
£42
Goal Upper
£66
£46
Goal Upper Back
£55
£38
Centre Lower
£51
£35
Wing Lower
£46
£32
Corner Lower
£46
£32
Goal Lower
£46
£32
Family Enclosure
Adult
£46
£32
Senior Citizen/Cannon Club
£20
£14
Junior Gunner
£18
£13
!!!???
Of course watching some of the football played by players of the quality of Fabregas and Henry ain't gonna come cheap but when the cheapest tickest against the so called big teams are 46 bloody quid...
Fans I know who still go regularly complain about the new breed of supporter the club has attracted. A type willing and able to pay these high end prices but a type who doesn't want to be surrounded by people who stand and shout for their team. The atmosphere is being sanitised and the club, despite all it's talk about how they wanna improve the atmosphere just don't care. They're happy for the Hornbies to pay top whack and act like they're at the theatre, it's the market they're striving for. But one day Monseuir Wenger will be gone. There'll be years when we struggle and when we click on the tickets page of the web site we'll see tickets on general sale but I for one won't bite. My club, the club I grew up with left me years back...
# posted by Me @ 8:28 AM 
