“It is not about the football, it is about the memories and it is about the scrapes you get into…football was a vehicle to achieve those memories” – Kieran Maguire (Football finance expert and Brighton fan)
Walking to work I hear those words and could not agree more.
The only problem is that football feels like it is being taken away from us.
On Wednesday at eleven o’clock the “unfortunately” email arrives from Newcastle United to tell me no tickets in the ballot for the Arsenal match.
No journey from Kings Cross, no banter with Gooners clad in Paul Smith and Prada.
Forty years ago myself and my big brothers bought tickets in the Arsenal away seats in the East Stand, tickets that Arsenal couldn’t sell.
The quest for Newcastle United tickets is time consuming and technology dependent.
This season me and my lad have managed one game at home, West Brom in the Carabao cup. Thanks to friends we winged a couple of tickets for Millwall away.
So what is happening?
We are struggling to get Newcastle United tickets for matches at St James’ Park and have no chance of an away game unless you have someone “in the know”…
The game at Craven Cottage is on the horizon and my Fulham mate Dave says he can get me tickets in their end.
All great until he tries to buy them.
Fulham FC now require full names, date of birth, gender and address, before they will allow purchase of tickets.
There is a lag in the timeline here as I wait for Fulham to respond to Dave’s attempts to get us tickets. At this point I recall Simon Ritter telling his tale of having his Fulham tickets rescinded by the West London club. They refused him his ticket after purchase because he is a known writer on The Mag.
Oh dear, is this my comeuppance? Worrying times for me as I have never shied from using my real name.
After a series of emails between me Dave and Fulham Football Club, where they were assured that me and my lad were “strong” friends with Dave and Albert, they actually allowed us to purchase tickets in the Putney End.
Safely in the digital wallet. we now have our first Premier League game of the season to look forward to. Seats right next to the Newcastle supporters.
Here is the sting though. Seventy-three quid for an adult ticket and thirty six for an under sixteen. The pricing is obviously geared towards tourists and the one-off Premier League experience, but where does that leave me, my kid and all the other supporters who just want to see their team live?
Football is not a one day experience to be flaunted on Instagram. How do you create memories if you are not allowed in, and even when you are, the price is extortionate?