It’s a big gate that they shut, hardly a “steel wall”!
It looks like the walk to the station is no longer the other way anyway, so no real dramas unless you’ve driven and parked in that direction.
From the football ground guide:
"The Hawthorns has its own Railway and Metro Station which are about a five minute walk from the Hawthorns ground. They can be reached from Birmingham New Street, either by first taking a train to Smethwick Galton Bridge and changing there for the Hawthorns, or...
Google maps is telling me 3 hours from Hurstpierpoint to the Hawthorns if I left now. With a stop and allowing a bit extra for starting in Brighton plus time to find parking, it’s going to be a 4 hour journey. (I know it’s pointless going now but as a Saturday morning comparison it’s as good as...
Looks like it.
Showing 152 still available plus 41 ambulant and 10 wheelchair. But this is with blocks A1, A4 and A6 showing as none available, but above it's suggested they may not all have been released yet.
There weren’t that many sold in tier 2 for Spurs and Chelsea, so I think it won’t sell out today.
Also, your last sentence suggests more to be released yet, so definitely no sell out today.
I’m all booked with trains at a reasonable price, too. Looking forward to this one as another new ground...