Travelling without a ticket

[JackanorySFC]

Specifically Arsenal. When I was younger I would routinely travel to away games without a ticket in the hope I'd somehow get one on the day or jib into the ground. Had some great times doing that, and went in the knowledge that at the very worst, I'd have a great day on the p*** with my mates in a different City.

 

Not sure it happens as much in recent years, certainly don't get young lads coming up and asking for spares in pubs/ trains etc as much. Probably because its more efficient to put a request in on twitter/ forums maybe? Or is it just that with all seater stadia, tighter regulations around ticketing etc people just don't want to take a chance?

 

Main reason I ask is every man and his dog seems to want an Arsenal ticket. Suddenly a load of my mates that havn't been to an away game yet this season are queuing up to go, and to be fair 50% of those are willing to travel without a ticket (Angel/ Upper St/ Essex Road/ Holloway Road area is one of the best areas in London for a day on the p*** so can't blame them at all) which is good to see, wonder how many others are going to chance it?

[Charlie Wayman]

I've never had a problem getting into the Emirates, always tickets available. Saints won't be a sell out even if the away allocation is over subscribed. Plenty of Gooners will sell you their seat for the day.

[Saint_clark]

I've never had a problem getting into the Emirates, always tickets available. Saints won't be a sell out even if the away allocation is over subscribed. Plenty of Gooners will sell you their seat for the day.

 

You're not even hiding it anymore...

[Delboy Dave]

Wouldn't it be near enough impossible to get into the ground without a ticket these days?

[JRM]

From my experience of Arsenal last year, I went down the ground an hour or so before the kick off, getting off the tube at Finsbury Park and cutting through to the ground passing Arsenal tube station, there were loads of touts on that route which implies there are lots of tickets floating around. I’m not sure what price they were asking, but bear in mind face value in large parts of the lower tier is only £25.50 for this game so even if they made a big % cut you could probably get one for £40.

A mate of my Dad’s has missed out on a ticket, but is still going to travel and happy to sit in the home end so will buy off a tout on the day.

 

there looked to be 5 or 6 Saints fans jumping up in the home end behind the goal at Anfield when we scored, so some still do it now days

[oldsarum]

From my experience of Arsenal last year, I went down the ground an hour or so before the kick off, getting off the tube at Finsbury Park and cutting through to the ground passing Arsenal tube station, there were loads of touts on that route which implies there are lots of tickets floating around. I’m not sure what price they were asking, but bear in mind face value in large parts of the lower tier is only £25.50 for this game so even if they made a big % cut you could probably get one for £40.

A mate of my Dad’s has missed out on a ticket, but is still going to travel and happy to sit in the home end so will buy off a tout on the day.

 

there looked to be 5 or 6 Saints fans jumping up in the home end behind the goal at Anfield when we scored, so some still do it now days

 

 

I think you'll find the 5 or 6 jumping up and down were carers for Saints Fans in the disabled section at Anfield

[Fan The Flames]

I agree with the OP, we used to travel without tickets all the time and Ive never failed to get in to a match yet, be it through ticket touts, normal people, complimentary tickets or finding a way in the ground. I've been over the fence at the Goldstone, squeezed in two at a time in the turn styles at Elm Park, got given complimentary tickets in the players wives stand at Dellhurst Park, was in the away end at the recent Coventry promotion game, bought Wayne Bridge comp tickets in a pub at Charlton, got into a FA Caup semi at Old Trafford for a tenner, got a ticket in Brighton for the last game at the Dell.

 

The best was Dellhurst Park, couldn't get in for love or money there just wasn't any spares going at all, I got to the ground four hours early and kept popping up there from the high street to see what was occurring. The word went up that the ticket office had a few more tickets so we all steam around there to find a a huge crowd and the ticket office closed, we tried to buy our way in at the turn styles and exit gates but nothing was happening. Just about to give up when we had one last walk around the ground and five minuets before KO we approached this fit black lad (must have been a player) in the car park with a coat draped over his shoulders and a bird on each arm, he pulled out a book of tickets and gave the three of us tickets. It was a real Wonka moment, brilliant.

[southamptonbairn]

I've been to every away game this season but on the understanding that the ticket wouldn't be available for London games. So I'm travelling down hoping to pick up a ticket in the home end and it's looking promising!!

[Giordano]

I agree with the OP, we used to travel without tickets all the time and Ive never failed to get in to a match yet, be it through ticket touts, normal people, complimentary tickets or finding a way in the ground. I've been over the fence at the Goldstone, squeezed in two at a time in the turn styles at Elm Park, got given complimentary tickets in the players wives stand at Dellhurst Park, was in the away end at the recent Coventry promotion game, bought Wayne Bridge comp tickets in a pub at Charlton, got into a FA Caup semi at Old Trafford for a tenner, got a ticket in Brighton for the last game at the Dell.

 

The best was Dellhurst Park, couldn't get in for love or money there just wasn't any spares going at all, I got to the ground four hours early and kept popping up there from the high street to see what was occurring. The word went up that the ticket office had a few more tickets so we all steam around there to find a a huge crowd and the ticket office closed, we tried to buy our way in at the turn styles and exit gates but nothing was happening. Just about to give up when we had one last walk around the ground and five minuets before KO we approached this fit black lad (must have been a player) in the car park with a coat draped over his shoulders and a bird on each arm, he pulled out a book of tickets and gave the three of us tickets. It was a real Wonka moment, brilliant.

 

Some cracking anecdotes in there. Ive had some very similar experiences as well travelling away without tickets....Ive been to a few grounds without tickets and it almost became my favourite because it was more of a challenge and often i was too lazy to get tickets the proper way ie queue at dell or elsewhere.... and got in one way or another. You got to have a bit of the eyes open about you to suss out whats possible, which guy on a gate might be the one lets you in for a tenner, which time its good to get in the home end incognito anyway, you have to ask ask ask every saints fan you see around the ground if they got a spare...get to the saints pub early and do same...one of my favourite stories was when i went to our fa cup semi at white hart lane v liverpool (wright broke his leg rush scored- i think the match is a blur i was probably you know what )..anyway I had two tickets but my mate was nowhere to be seen and it was getting dead close to kick off so i thought - " i'll flog his ticket" ....anyways a bloke asks me if i got an tickets for sale (seeing as i decided to advertise a ticket for sale out loud but not in front of OB) so he asks how much were they ( i think they were £12.50 each! ) and i blurted out £25 as that's what id paid for them ....so he goes I'll have two then please....so i was stunned as i never sold a ticket above face value before but this bloke thought i was asking double- and he wanted two! I'm having that i thought....so i ended up selling my two tickets to this guy for £50 which was a fair amount them days but the problem was it was virtually kick off and i have not only sold my mates ticket but mine too!....so who should then turn up but my mate! Bit of a dodgy situation but at least he hadnt paid for the tickets- i had - but Panic ! So i'm running around now trying to look cool but not really when i see touty looking geezers and I had enough nous to know that they know after kick off tickets are worth diddly....so i "negotiated " two tickets with them, still with Saints, for £15....result! Got us in plus £30 extra back ie more than what i originally paid! And i only charged my late arriving hence his fault mate £7.50 for his ticket and that was my brucey extra bonus for drinks too :-)....i got a few more stories but they can wait....ps he was happy- he saved £5 on his ticket so everyone happy. Capitalism. Marvelous isn't it!

Edited 5 November, 2013 by Giordano

[JackanorySFC]

I agree with the OP, we used to travel without tickets all the time and Ive never failed to get in to a match yet, be it through ticket touts, normal people, complimentary tickets or finding a way in the ground. I've been over the fence at the Goldstone, squeezed in two at a time in the turn styles at Elm Park, got given complimentary tickets in the players wives stand at Dellhurst Park, was in the away end at the recent Coventry promotion game, bought Wayne Bridge comp tickets in a pub at Charlton, got into a FA Caup semi at Old Trafford for a tenner, got a ticket in Brighton for the last game at the Dell.

 

The best was Dellhurst Park, couldn't get in for love or money there just wasn't any spares going at all, I got to the ground four hours early and kept popping up there from the high street to see what was occurring. The word went up that the ticket office had a few more tickets so we all steam around there to find a a huge crowd and the ticket office closed, we tried to buy our way in at the turn styles and exit gates but nothing was happening. Just about to give up when we had one last walk around the ground and five minuets before KO we approached this fit black lad (must have been a player) in the car park with a coat draped over his shoulders and a bird on each arm, he pulled out a book of tickets and gave the three of us tickets. It was a real Wonka moment, brilliant.

 

Good post that. Dellhurst was a superb day, seemed to be Saints all over the ground, I know the first pitch invader at the end of the game was a long haired lad that ran from completely the opposite side of the ground to us in the away section! My mates and I have bought tickets off touts at Old Trafford, WHL, and Everton, snuck in at Upton Park and Selhurst, bribed a steward at Dean Court, personally convinced a skate turnstile operator that I had given him a ticket when I hadn't (well not really convinced but the angry mob behind me having been delayed on the train for over 2hrs and 15mins late for KO going through a bottleneck of 2 turnstiles meant they had no choice but to let me through), got spares at Villa and given up at Ipswich.

 

Every journey worth it!

[Dan]

Can't understand why more people dont go ticketless to away games when it's sold out, there's always a few circulating on the day.

 

Bournemouth away a few years ago I know of a few people that snuck behind their mates through the turnstiles and managed to get in. But the best jib for that game was the 2 lads that managed to blag there way in with the mascot and were escorted by a steward around the pitch into the saints end.

 

Last year at Arsenal a mates mate managed to get in by passing his ticket behind him. Obviously it didn't work for the second lad as it had already been scanned, steward just let him through though as he claimed there was a problem with the ticket.

 

Having followed england away and meeting lads from all over the country you get to hear some top jibbing stories.

 

Only bit of jibbing I've ever done was at a saints pre season game in Switzerland, just strolled in and could hear the bloke selling tickets shouting at us. Carried on walking, ignored what he had to say and after about 30 seconds he just gave up.

[View From The Top]

I've never failed to get into a game, either Saints or England, when I've travelled without a ticket.

[Baldbarbarian]

Some cracking anecdotes in there. Ive had some very similar experiences as well travelling away without tickets....Ive been to a few grounds without tickets and it almost became my favourite because it was more of a challenge and often i was too lazy to get tickets the proper way ie queue at dell or elsewhere.... and got in one way or another. You got to have a bit of the eyes open about you to suss out whats possible, which guy on a gate might be the one lets you in for a tenner, which time its good to get in the home end incognito anyway, you have to ask ask ask every saints fan you see around the ground if they got a spare...get to the saints pub early and do same...one of my favourite stories was when i went to our fa cup semi at white hart lane v liverpool (wright broke his leg rush scored- i think the match is a blur i was probably you know what )..anyway I had two tickets but my mate was nowhere to be seen and it was getting dead close to kick off so i thought - " i'll flog his ticket" ....anyways a bloke asks me if i got an tickets for sale (seeing as i decided to advertise a ticket for sale out loud but not in front of OB) so he asks how much were they ( i think they were £12.50 each! ) and i blurted out £25 as that's what id paid for them ....so he goes I'll have two then please....so i was stunned as i never sold a ticket above face value before but this bloke thought i was asking double- and he wanted two! I'm having that i thought....so i ended up selling my two tickets to this guy for £50 which was a fair amount them days but the problem was it was virtually kick off and i have not only sold my mates ticket but mine too!....so who should then turn up but my mate! Bit of a dodgy situation but at least he hadnt paid for the tickets- i had - but Panic ! So i'm running around now trying to look cool but not really when i see touty looking geezers and I had enough nous to know that they know after kick off tickets are worth diddly....so i "negotiated " two tickets with them, still with Saints, for £15....result! Got us in plus £30 extra back ie more than what i originally paid! And i only charged my late arriving hence his fault mate £7.50 for his ticket and that was my brucey extra bonus for drinks too :-)....i got a few more stories but they can wait....ps he was happy- he saved £5 on his ticket so everyone happy. Capitalism. Marvelous isn't it!

 

Great story that!

[The9]

Think the last time I went to an away game without a ticket for a match which was all-ticket was against Luton in the Championship in 2005/6.

 

Having arrived early and tried the Luton ticket office, I hung around the Saints fans' coaches and after a quick chat with one of the organisers was able to procure a "spare" from the leftover allocation which came off the coach when people didn't turn up. I had to wait for them to hand it over to the Luton Ticket Office first, but that wasn't too much of a problem.

 

Was in the Watford section for the FA Cup semi though, and once paid £80 (in 1993) for a ticket in the Romania section for the Wales v Romania game when they very nearly qualified for the World Cup.

[Essruu]

Try the 'Travelling without a ticket' thread. You always get in ;-)

 

I've never failed to get into a game, either Saints or England, when I've travelled without a ticket.

[Charlie Wayman]

You're not even hiding it anymore...

 

It is possible, you know, to watch football as a neutral and enjoy it. But don't get me wrong, one of my lads lives almost next door to the place so we end up there a couple of times a year spending "quality time". He was and is a Saint through and through.