[Albion] AEK Post Game Leaving

[Husty]

People have different circumstances. We went to two home games after recovering from my stroke and planned to leave early as it’s not pleasant being vulnerable and jostled by selfish people when leaving the Amex. Doesn’t generally happen at away grounds because people aren’t in such a rush. Having said that I was almost knocked over by two teenagers at the top of the stairs leaving the away end at Old Trafford last week. Shows there are dickheads everywhere. We are coming down for the Marseille game and I am in two minds about leaving time. Having not been to a home game in two years I would like to savour it but I’m not sure staying to the end would be pleasant.

Why not just stay behind for 10 minutes after the final whistle to allow the sprinters to have got to whatever queue they're going to stand in, surely would be fine at that point?

 

[WhingForPresident]

I drive down from Reading for every home game, usually dropping into see my 89 year old mother in Dragons Green. Therefore coming from the North/North West it has always made sense to use Mill Road. Since the demise of the bendy buses there appears to have been a material deterioration of the efficiency of the venue with increasingly long and slow queues to and particularly from the Amex. Due to the lack of traffic control at the top of the hill/roundabout it can also take up to 20 to 30 mins just to get out. As an experiment we used the Racecourse on Thursday. We stayed to the end in the Upper West and then went down to the Lower West for 20 minutes or so to catch up with some pals and to wait for the rain and queues to die down. Well, that didn’t work as we still had to queue in the biblical downpour and ‘river’ for 1/2 an hour…despite the extra driving across Brighton to get to the racecourse overall it was just about a better experience. As Mill Road fills up quickly it
also means I don’t have to get down so early to get a space before it fills up. We used to use Mithras House which was much better but now that is no longer an option the club really needs to find another venue to take some pressure off the other two. We got home at 1.20am after dropping our friend off, arriving as wet as several games at Withdean and even the infamous Barnet away…
I’m trying Pycombe on Sunday perhaps this could be an answer if it becomes a regular option.
Either way the club needs to take this seriously as the combination of a completely dysfunctional rail system and increasingly problematic P&Rs will affect attendances. This is particularly true with the increase of midweek and later kick off times…

I'm trying Pyecombe tomorrow as well, coming from 20 miles to the west of you down the M4. Don't ever want to see Mill Road again after Thurs

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Why not just stay behind for 10 minutes after the final whistle to allow the sprinters to have got to whatever queue they're going to stand in, surely would be fine at that point?

Yes, that’s definitely a good option.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Why not just stay behind for 10 minutes after the final whistle to allow the sprinters to have got to whatever queue they're going to stand in, surely would be fine at that point?

If you wait 10 minutes you put yourself way back in any queue you need to join, whether that’s for the train or the park and rides. That 10 minutes can easily become 45-60 minutes. Not so terrible if you’re a young guy having a laugh with your mates but can be very uncomfortable if you’re older or in poor health, especially in cold or rainy weather.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Why not just stay behind for 10 minutes after the final whistle to allow the sprinters to have got to whatever queue they're going to stand in, surely would be fine at that point?

Are you driving back up north straight after the game? If you’re staying in Brighton/E Sussex, think about getting a Seagull Travel coach. You pay extra but have less hassle before and after.

 

[Husty]

I'm trying Pyecombe tomorrow as well, coming from 20 miles to the west of you down the M4. Don't ever want to see Mill Road again after Thurs

Pyecombe works very well, I'm also using it tomorrow to allow a speedy getaway to Bristol after the match. Unfortunately doesn't seem to be an option every week.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Are you driving back up north straight after the game? If you’re staying in Brighton/E Sussex, think about getting a Seagull Travel coach. You pay extra but have less hassle before and after.

I think you may have intended to quote me rather than Husty. We are staying in Surrey for a couple of nights, mainly because we have stayed there before and they do dog sitting. I will look into Seagull Travel, thank you.

 

[Carlos BC]

And if anything interesting happens stopping and watching it unfold.Thoughtless pricks

I have had that happen a few times. I am not subtle though, I help them along their way !

 

[Change at Barnham]

A bit wet after the final whistle on Thursday....

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I think you may have intended to quote me rather than Husty. We are staying in Surrey for a couple of nights, mainly because we have stayed there before and they do dog sitting. I will look into Seagull Travel, thank you.

Sorry yes, that was directed at you, @NB.

 

[AstroSloth]

Why not just stay behind for 10 minutes after the final whistle to allow the sprinters to have got to whatever queue they're going to stand in, surely would be fine at that point?

Because the last train that could get to Chichester was around 10.40 so I didn't have the luxury of waiting around. Even running down as soon as the final whistle went I only got on the train at about 10.45.

 

[Mackenzie]

Got home at 2.30, not too bad for an evening game.

 

[Weststander]

I think

I've changed my routine this season. My nephew only comes and parks at mine when good weather and we're planning to spend 1hr+ after the final whistle. I still continue to walk to Mill Road every game on way to the Amex (queued from 6.50 till 7.10 on Thursday).

But if it's an evening game, or wet weather predicted, my nephew drives to Race Hill, and then we come back via Race Hill P&R and he drops me off at home, round the corner from Mill Road P&R. Generally reckon it saves 45 mins coming home. The queue for Race Hill was still there 45 mins after on Thursday, but that's unusual and maybe down to the Woodingdean accident ?

I'm sure that the Mill Road queue used to clear in 40 mins coming home (bendy bus days), but now always seems to be queued for way over an hour after the final whistle.

i think you’ve hit the nail on the head about the lack of bendy buses. Not just capacity, in addition now the stewards meticulously and slowly head count. In addition after AEK, the stewards were only allowing one coach to fill at a time, instead of the usual two. I heard some aggressive yelling from punters in the queues, someone posted that that escalated later on.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I think you may have intended to quote me rather than Husty. We are staying in Surrey for a couple of nights, mainly because we have stayed there before and they do dog sitting. I will look into Seagull Travel, thank you.

I think Seagull travel may be the answer if you can get it. Otherwise the only real options are either leave 10 mins early or hang around the concourse for over an hour. If you have to use P&R, the Race Hill queues clear far earlier. Good luck

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Sitting in the blistering sun in my garden doing a few cold ones that match and getting home seems a lifetime away now. (Uncertain Smile by The The has just come on to make a great afternoon better)
Anyhoo nothing on here is new to us, it was all about the rain, without it most of us would have just “put up” again.

Edit: and as I type the it’s now Roscoe by Midlake/Groove Armada

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

It’s banger after banger at the moment, it’s now Do The Do by A Certain Ratio

 

[LANGDON SEAGULL]

It’s banger after banger at the moment, it’s now Do The Do by A Certain Ratio

Wasn’t that by Betty Boo?

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Wasn’t that by Betty Boo?

I’ll Betty Boo you in a minute.
(Just noticed it’s Do The DU)

 

[tigertim68]

Why not just stay behind for 10 minutes after the final whistle to allow the sprinters to have got to whatever queue they're going to stand in, surely would be fine at that point?

My brother and I waited for over an hour for the rain to stop , the queue was the same length an hour later

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

My brother and I waited for over an hour for the rain to stop , the queue was the same length an hour later

Yeah, the normal rules certainly didn’t apply on Thursday