The OP's friend might have been one of the thousands of people who had already signed up to the sharing scheme or they might have already been a A+ member.
Horses for courses.
Anyway doesn't matter for me and i'm pretty certain for you ...as we're both going. Makes a welcome change from threads...
Its currently £15 to join Albion + for the rest of the season.
PS: not sure why people regularly come on threads about getting tickets to the Albion to just make the point they're not going to the Albion and you'd be better off going somewhere else but there you go..