insidethefall

I'm trying to get to a london match (charlton) in august, but supposedly non-members (or non- season ticket holders)cannot purchase tickets online and by the time I get there it'll probably be sold out (it's the home opener.) I don't know if this is true for all of the london teams, if so how hard is it to get tickets to a match? I would like to see a match, if not premiership than something lower...any advice would be helpful.

vervid

You are aware that Charlton are no longer in the premiership. The first home match is against the newly promoted Scunthorpe United. I would doubt that this would be a sellout, but should be an interesting game with both sides new to the Championship and out to prove something. I have had a quick look at Charlton's website and can't see where tickets are restricted to members. It was showing open for general sale. Good Luck

hetismij

If you go to http://tinyurl.com/2zp3hp you can buy them now online - no need to be a member.

audere_est_facere

I'd be amazed if the game was a sell out. Charlton were relegated at the end of last season and have just sold their best player to Spurs (where else?).

Charlton's a bit of a pig to get to as well. Is this a game you have your heart set on?

insidethefall

vervid and hetismij - when I go to the website to buy I get a form where I fill out my information there's a box titled verification - when I click on it it takes me to a message that says

"Only Season Ticket Holders and Members can buy Tickets On-Line
To ensure that away fans do not purchase tickets in the home stands during matches at The Valley, we only sell tickets to fans who are either Season Ticket holders or Club Members.

If you do not provide a valid/current Season Ticket number or Membership number we will not process your ticket order. If the number proves to be false we will not process your order, even if your order appears to be accepted by the club web site.

Any Season Ticket holder or Member who purchases tickets for others who later are deemed to be away fans will have their ticket purchasing rights revoked."

Which I think is kind of odd, but anyways, I hope It's not sold out...I guess i'll take my chances

Audere - This really isn't the game I had my heart set on - since I don't follow football much and have seen previous charlton games in the tele, I kind of picked em as "my team." of course I would have no problem seeing another team's match around the same time (aug 11th), any suggestions?

PalenQ

Oh i thought your post was talking about real football like the one to be played this fall at Wembley - a real NFL season opening game, to which tickets supposedly were snapped up before they were put on sale.

audere_est_facere

Bob; only a fool would watch those jessies.

Back in the real world your fixtures for that time are:

Aston Villa v Liverpool, 17:15
Bolton v Newcastle, 15:00
Derby v Portsmouth, 15:00
Everton v Wigan, 15:00
Middlesbro' v Blackburn, 15:00
Sunderland v Tottenham, 12:45
West Ham v Man City, 15:00

You might just get tickets for the West Ham game - which would be beter than Charlton (although there would be a high possibility of trouble for WHUFC v MCFC).

Charlton are a bit of a family club - rather than a hot bed of fanaticism.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, 12 August 2007
Arsenal v Fulham, 12:00
Chelsea v Birmingham, 13:30
Man Utd v Reading, 16:00

PatrickLondon

You could always try telephoning them to explain the situation and ask for their advice?

Once they realise you're not a ticket tout or a potential troublemaker from Scunthorpe they might be quite helpful.

audere_est_facere

That's good advice. Another possibility would be to log onto the various CAFC message boards and ask the fans for help.

The THFC boards I read often have this sort of thing on them and the fans are helpful.

willit

Echoing - write or Email direct to the club (CAFC) and see if they can help. I know other clubs can keep tickets for overseas fans.

I have met up with several members of the Scandanavian branch of the Portsmouth supporters club, and they have always said that the club were very understanding in relation to foreign travelling fans. Many other clubs are equally accomodating.

AR

The reason that you are not allowed to sell tickets to away fans is due to UK legislation which applies only to football.

There are laws on segregation of fans due to the minority of "supporters" that have, over the years, tarnished the reputation of the rest of the supporters. This was highlighted when English teams were banned from European competitions in the 1980s after serious trouble in Brussels when Liverpool met Juventus in the European Cup Final.

Many of the laws don't apply to other sports such as Rugby (Union and League), Cricket etc. All top division football stadia have to be all-seater and no alcohol is allowed to be consumed within view of the pitch. To be fair, football in England has mostly cleaned up its act (wish I could say the same for us in Wales with Cardiff City), but then again - many fans can't afford to watch Premier league games week in week out. Prawn sandwich anyone?

PalenQ

Wow - the ACLU would have that law declared un-Constitution in minutes in the Land of the Free.

hetismij

Ok, it seems Arsenal and Charlton have a members only policy for online ticket sales, and Arsenal have a members only policy for certain matches - you can see which on their website.
Chelsea also only sell to members online. Tickets go on sale to nonmembers in person the day before the match if there are any left.
So i think you will have to try to get to the stadium the day before your chosen match to have any chance of a ticket. It will not be a good one though.
I suspect this rule applies to all English premiership and Championship clubs.

libuse

I'm fairly sure I've read on this board about some clubs reserving a few tickets specifically for overseas tourists, so I think, as others have said, talking directly to the clubs would be a good starting point.

heh, its probably the most effort anyone's ever gone to to see a Charlton match

PatrickLondon

>.heh, its probably the most effort anyone's ever gone to to see a Charlton match<<

I should play that card. You might get all sorts of concessions from them, or something!

insidethefall

Thanks for all of the help everyone. If i'm going through this much trouble, I might as well try and see if I can see a quality match (since everyone is dissing Charlton)I'll ask some of my more knowledable friends to see which matches they think are the best and then proceed to email the club.

However, I'm pretty shocked and dissapointed to hear there is no beer sold in the stadiums, But I guess you can't have everything (quality sport and english ale)

audere_est_facere

Beer is sold in stadiums, lager usually. You just can't take it to your seat.

In london you can pretty much forget about getting tickets for Spurs, The plumsted pikeys or chlescum. The other teams are easy enough if you plan ahead.

West Ham have a good atmosphere, Fulham are another charlton. Outside the premiership Palace (palace, who the *&£! are Palace?) are worth a trip.

AR

Yes, quite right - you can't take a beer to your seat. As I said earlier, you can't consume alcohol within view of the pitch. You can drink in your executive box as long as you close the curtains - and the "freebie hangers-on" certainly do that at the Millennium Stadium (don't know about elsewhere!).

Just to give an example of the difference between the football supporter and those of other sports - When I went to see the Rugby Union European Cup final at the City Ground in Nottingham in 2001, it was the first rugby game at this famous football stadium. The stewards couldn't believe that we Llanelli fans were mixing and drinking with the Leicester Tiger fans (the same happened in Leicester earlier this year). They just wouldn't allow both sets of fans to mix in football, sad though it is.

AR

Sorry, that should be European semi-final. We're not that good!

AAFrequentFlyer

If all else fails, touts will be selling tickets in front of the stadium on the day of the match. I never, ever had a problem getting a ticket to any match, including but not limited to ManU, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, etc.

In fact I bought a GREAT ticket to a ManU home match sitting right next to ManU bench for ~10BPs over face value. Had the match program signed by Sir Alex, Beckham and Giggs.