[Travel] What to do after the final whistle?

[Colonel Mustard]

Since retiring and moving back to the south coast a couple of years ago I’ve been to most home matches but for the new season have decided to get a season ticket again. I’m one of those people who tries to get away on the stroke of full time to get the park and ride bus or to try to avoid the lengthy queue at the station. And if we’re two or more goals up, yes, I’m one of those terrible people who sometimes leaves before the end.

For the new season I don’t want to do this. I’d much rather hang around, clap the players off, and not feel the stress of running out to fight for public transport. My question is what are my options? Is there somewhere I can go to relax for 30-60 minutes in the warm (if it’s a cold day), perhaps have a beer and watch some of the 5.30 televised game?

How long does it take for the crowds to die down for the eastbound train towards Eastbourne, so that I can leave the stadium and be pretty much guaranteed being able to get on the next train? When I drive I use the racecourse P and R. How easy is it to wait for the first lot of buses to depart and return? Are there still big crowds for the second wave of buses?

Sorry to ask all these questions but the transport issues at the Amex really stress me out. They’re the one fly in the ointment with supporting Brighton. If I can find a more relaxed way to depart I’d be very grateful. Thanks.

 

[portlock seagull]

You’re retired. Why are you stressing about getting away quickly? Stop fretting, get some headphones and listen to the moan-in on Radio Snooze or enjoy chatting to someone (Miss Scarlet?!) about the game whilst you’re queuing to leave the area. I’d reframe your thinking if you can, we’re all too impatient these days as it is (me included!)

 

[jackalbion]

Since retiring and moving back to the south coast a couple of years ago I’ve been to most home matches but for the new season have decided to get a season ticket again. I’m one of those people who tries to get away on the stroke of full time to get the park and ride bus or to try to avoid the lengthy queue at the station. And if we’re two or more goals up, yes, I’m one of those terrible people who sometimes leaves before the end.

For the new season I don’t want to do this. I’d much rather hang around, clap the players off, and not feel the stress of running out to fight for public transport. My question is what are my options? Is there somewhere I can go to relax for 30-60 minutes in the warm (if it’s a cold day), perhaps have a beer and watch some of the 5.30 televised game?

How long does it take for the crowds to die down for the eastbound train towards Eastbourne, so that I can leave the stadium and be pretty much guaranteed being able to get on the next train? When I drive I use the racecourse P and R. How easy is it to wait for the first lot of buses to depart and return? Are there still big crowds for the second wave of buses?

Sorry to ask all these questions but the transport issues at the Amex really stress me out. They’re the one fly in the ointment with supporting Brighton. If I can find a more relaxed way to depart I’d be very grateful. Thanks.

I always stay and have a few beers in the concourse, watch the first half of the 5.30, once you have two beers or so, the queues are non existent, unless something really bad has happened (like a signal failure or fatality) then you just walk on an empty train, lagered up. Started doing it a few seasons ago and never looked back, good if you can convince a mate to stay.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I always stay and have a few beers in the concourse, watch the first half of the 5.30, once you have two beers or so, the queues are non existent, unless something really bad has happened (like a signal failure or fatality) then you just walk on an empty train, lagered up. Started doing it a few seasons ago and never looked back, good if you can convince a mate to stay.

Ok thanks, so you’ve answered one of my questions, that they do show the 5.30 game in the concourse. I wasn’t sure as I’ve never hung around long enough. I’d prefer somewhere warm and cosy to sit but the concourse is better than queuing on the bridge. Unfortunately I don’t have any mates.

You’re retired. Why are you stressing about getting away quickly? Stop fretting, get some headphones and listen to the moan-in on Radio Snooze or enjoy chatting to someone (Miss Scarlet?!) about the game whilst you’re queuing to leave the area. I’d reframe your thinking if you can, we’re all too impatient these days as it is (me included!)

I’m not particularly impatient, I just don’t like queuing on that bridge on a freezing wintry evening for the best part of an hour which I’ve had to do a couple of times (and why I started driving in).

 

[Icy Gull]

If you can afford it and if you can obtain one, one of the big advantages of 1901 seats is the lounges with seats and tables, in the warmth too on cold and wet days. The only vaguely stressful part is queuing for a drink immediately after the game, but if you wait 10 mins the queues are quite small.

You can watch the highlights of the game on the tvs and depending on the lounge there is a large screen which shows the later PL kick offs,

 

[Colonel Mustard]

If you can afford it and if you can obtain one, one of the big advantages of 1901 seats is the lounges with seats and tables, in the warmth too on cold and wet days. The only vaguely stressful part is queuing for a drink immediately after the game, but if you wait 10 mins the queues are quite small.

You can watch the highlights of the game on the tvs and depending on the lounge there is a large screen which shows the later PL kick offs,

Thanks, that’s the sort of thing I was hoping to hear except that I’m not quite affluent enough to become a 1901 member or to shell out for the Amex Lounge. It would be good to have a pub-style lounge or bar in the Amex where ordinary punters could have a pint in modest comfort and watch the 5.30 game. Unless someone else is paying for it, I don’t want luxury at a football match or a 3-course meal or introductions to Albion legends. Looks like I’ll have to settle for the concourse, and leaning against a wall with a pint in my hand. Oh well. First World problems and all that.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

How about Dick's Bar after the game? You don't say where in the ground you are, but if you show a clean pair of heels you might be able to get in there without queueing

Personally I miss being able to use the big lounge in the East stand post-match that was open to all-comers in the early seasons at the Amex. Comfy seats, proper glasses, tellies, minimal queues

 

[Justice]

Stinks of Palace, ST’s for the coming season sold out way before the end of last season plenty of time to test out the transport after the final whistle for yourself.

 

[sparkie]

Stinks of Palace, ST’s for the coming season sold out way before the end of last season plenty of time to test out the transport after the final whistle for yourself.

I thought the same

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Stinks of Palace, ST’s for the coming season sold out way before the end of last season plenty of time to test out the transport after the final whistle for yourself.

What do you mean? What's ST sales got to with anything? What’s Palace got to do with asking about options for killing time after the game to avoid the crowds? I know all about transport after the games and I’m heartily sick of it, hence trying to plan things better.

 

[Klaas]

I always stay and have a few beers in the concourse, watch the first half of the 5.30, once you have two beers or so, the queues are non existent, unless something really bad has happened (like a signal failure or fatality) then you just walk on an empty train, lagered up. Started doing it a few seasons ago and never looked back, good if you can convince a mate to stay.

What kind of time are you talking about for the queues to have died down? Hoping to take my son for his first ever game this season and would much prefer to hang around for a bit to avoid all of that.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

How about Dick's Bar after the game? You don't say where in the ground you are, but if you show a clean pair of heels you might be able to get in there without queueing

Personally I miss being able to use the big lounge in the East stand post-match that was open to all-comers in the early seasons at the Amex. Comfy seats, proper glasses, tellies, minimal queues

I've usually gone for a seat in WU last couple of seasons when I’ve been buying match by match. ST next year is E3F. Never tried getting into Dicks, as it were, but will investigate if the concourse is too gloomy. Cheers.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The P&R buses run for an hour & a half after the final whistle.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

What do you mean? What's ST sales got to with anything? What’s Palace got to do with asking about options for killing time after the game to avoid the crowds? I know all about transport after the games and I’m heartily sick of it, hence trying to plan things better.

When we used to go to home matches we stayed on the concourse for a few drinks after the game whenever we could. It’s great coming out of the ground without crowds and not having to do that half run to the platform. There is an added advantage of access to toilets which is not insignificant when you reach retirement age.

 

[Icy Gull]

Stinks of Palace, ST’s for the coming season sold out way before the end of last season plenty of time to test out the transport after the final whistle for yourself.

As if a Palace fan would offer up the having no mates at the football whilst on a wind up!

I also reckon getting a single season ticket would still be possible

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I've usually gone for a seat in WU last couple of seasons when I’ve been buying match by match. ST next year is E3F. Never tried getting into Dicks, as it were, but will investigate if the concourse is too gloomy. Cheers.

You’ll be fine getting into Dick’s after the game. There’s normally a big queue to get your first drink and you’re not necessarily guaranteed a seat or table, but they will have the highlights and the late kick off on

 

[Super Steve Earle]

You'll need to do a bit of training to jump up and down pumping the air to 'Freed From Desire' and hopefully you aren't epileptic to enjoy the light show. Then amble round to Dick's Bar, enjoy a pint near someone your own age and join in with their conversation. Then wander back to train or P & R and home. Rinse and repeat two or three times and you'll probably find you have a couple of mates each match in the bar.

 

[Justice]

What do you mean? What's ST sales got to with anything? What’s Palace got to do with asking about options for killing time after the game to avoid the crowds? I know all about transport after the games and I’m heartily sick of it, hence trying to plan things better.

As if a Palace fan would offer up the having no mates at the football whilst on a wind up!

I also reckon getting a single season ticket would still be possible

ST’s sold out last April. There was plenty of time for the OP to try out things after the final whistle. I would also add the race course P&R is a relatively fast service with the amount of double deckers running, we leave after the final whistle and don’t have much of an issue.
Park at the Bridge, get the train or P&R you will always have to queue somewhere it’s a football match with 30k people attending.

 

[jackalbion]

What kind of time are you talking about for the queues to have died down? Hoping to take my son for his first ever game this season and would much prefer to hang around for a bit to avoid all of that.

End of first half of the 5.30 so about 6 ish

 

[Sue1983]

We sit in the EU and always stay to clap the players off. We then stay until we get kicked off the concourse, having a coffee and using the facilities.

We then walk to the station to get the train to Lewes and normally we can get on the next one without queueing.

If it is a night game, or the trains aren't running we try to get a space at the Bridge. If we do. we just stay to clap the players off and head off to the car for a coffee from a flask and we listen to the radio in the warm, until the car park clears.