Marlton and Hove Albion
Active member
I found myself with a free Saturday tacked onto a quick business trip in London. Quick look at the fixtures and onto the clubs website to look for tickets vs. Fulham about a week out. I thought it would be a nightmare but found a single in W3H for 36 quid. I don't have an overseas membership and was expecting having to spunk up for that too, but to my surprise, it wasn't necessary.
Traveling from Saltdean, I figured the best way to get to the stadium would be via bus, but the trek seemed long and arduous, so I booked a cheap roundtrip from BTN to FMR on Southern and would park up on the day and train it. 2 days out, I checked parking options at the stadium expecting none to be available. To my surprise, The Bridge was available for 15 pounds and so I reserved.
Having never been to the Amex and wanting to be sure of a pie and pint, I left the house with 90 mins to spare before KO. Finding The Bridge wasn't easy based on the map and directions on the website. Finally there and parked up, I enjoyed the 15 min stroll down the footpath and smiled at the place where I attended High School many moons ago. Now a 21C looking building, it was unrecognizable to me.
Mingling in with my tribe after so long, felt very very special. Up to the entrance, short lines, easy mobile ticket entry. Surprised at the ascent of Everest experience up to the West Stand Upper but that's what age will do. I was surprised at the narrowness and busyness of the hospitality area. Everyone congregated watching AV - ARS game, but short lines and gratefully able to get the pie and pint so important to me.
Nice seat, nice view and tears in both eyes as I belted out GOSBTS for the first time in 25 years. Friendly and multinational participants all around, Japanese and Ireland within a few seats. No Mitrovic - how lovely. Now looking very much forward to the game and inevitable win. Nothing additionally useful to add about Referee, Fulham, Atmosphere. It was a two hour pantomime really. The GG used to shake with songs no longer sung or lost to a newer generation. A few dreary "Albion, Albion" renditions, not making hairs stand up.
Easy chilly walk back to The Bridge and a 40 minute going nowhere wait until the cars could move again. Passing FMR station and the lines, felt that I'd made the right decision in terms of getting out despite the long wait to exit.
Thank you Tony Bloom, Thank you Roberto De Zerbi and hope to be back at some point in the not too distant future. Perhaps a Thursday night home game against an obscure Slovenian side next season.
Until then, I count up to my 51st year of my amazing relationship with the Albion. In many ways and entirely unfathomable experience to that day vs. Colchester United in the chicken run. But in some ways, very little really changed. Still magical half a century later.
Traveling from Saltdean, I figured the best way to get to the stadium would be via bus, but the trek seemed long and arduous, so I booked a cheap roundtrip from BTN to FMR on Southern and would park up on the day and train it. 2 days out, I checked parking options at the stadium expecting none to be available. To my surprise, The Bridge was available for 15 pounds and so I reserved.
Having never been to the Amex and wanting to be sure of a pie and pint, I left the house with 90 mins to spare before KO. Finding The Bridge wasn't easy based on the map and directions on the website. Finally there and parked up, I enjoyed the 15 min stroll down the footpath and smiled at the place where I attended High School many moons ago. Now a 21C looking building, it was unrecognizable to me.
Mingling in with my tribe after so long, felt very very special. Up to the entrance, short lines, easy mobile ticket entry. Surprised at the ascent of Everest experience up to the West Stand Upper but that's what age will do. I was surprised at the narrowness and busyness of the hospitality area. Everyone congregated watching AV - ARS game, but short lines and gratefully able to get the pie and pint so important to me.
Nice seat, nice view and tears in both eyes as I belted out GOSBTS for the first time in 25 years. Friendly and multinational participants all around, Japanese and Ireland within a few seats. No Mitrovic - how lovely. Now looking very much forward to the game and inevitable win. Nothing additionally useful to add about Referee, Fulham, Atmosphere. It was a two hour pantomime really. The GG used to shake with songs no longer sung or lost to a newer generation. A few dreary "Albion, Albion" renditions, not making hairs stand up.
Easy chilly walk back to The Bridge and a 40 minute going nowhere wait until the cars could move again. Passing FMR station and the lines, felt that I'd made the right decision in terms of getting out despite the long wait to exit.
Thank you Tony Bloom, Thank you Roberto De Zerbi and hope to be back at some point in the not too distant future. Perhaps a Thursday night home game against an obscure Slovenian side next season.
Until then, I count up to my 51st year of my amazing relationship with the Albion. In many ways and entirely unfathomable experience to that day vs. Colchester United in the chicken run. But in some ways, very little really changed. Still magical half a century later.
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