How To Relax Before Football
I took this picture before the match at Ipswich against Crystal Palace yesterday.
Waiting for the Football
Is there a better way to wait for proceedings to start?
It was a good match too, with Josh Carson scoring his first two goals for Ipswich. When did we last have two good seventeen-year-old strikers, who’d come through the Academy?
I Was Overcharged at Liverpool Street Yesterday
Getting the right ticket to go and see Ipswich from London is quite a problem, even at weekends, when everything is Off Peak. As I have a Freedom Pass, I only need to buy a return from the Zone 6 Boundary (Harold Wood) to Ipswich. I usually upgrade to First for the outward journey. The trouble with doing a full upgrade is that often the first and quickest return train is a slow one and I get off these at Stratford and then take the London Overground to Dalston Kingsland.
This type of ticket is not really complicated, but you can’t buy it on-line, so I had to go to the ticket office at Liverpool Street first.
Yesterday the ticket office at Liverpool Street was very crowded and because Ipswich is a gluten-free desert, I wanted to have lunch in Spitalfields first, so I didn’t have much time available.
I asked for the return from the Zone 6 boundary and the outward First upgrade, but felt that it was a bit expensive. I checked with the clerk and she said that was what I’d got. But as they don’t give you your tickets until you’ve paid, I couldn’t check. It was only when I checked outside the ticket office that she’d sold me an unwanted First Class upgrade for the return journey.
after my lunch, I did think of queuing again, but the ticket offce was still busy, as was the one at Ipswich. I’ve now written to National Express East Anglia. Here’s the main part of what I said.
I have a Freedom Pass and a season ticket at Ipswich Town, so when I go to matches, I use the train, as I have had a stroke. I generally travel buy a Standard Class return ticket from the Zone 6 Boundary (Harold Wood) to Ipswich. On a Saturday, I upgrade to First Class outward, as this means I can lay the paper out properly. Coming back, I usually return to Stratford and then take the Overground home to Dalston Kingsland, as if the train is crowded or it is raining it is quicker and more convenient.
Yesterday, the ticket office was very crowded, so after a long queue, I asked for the Standard return and the outward First Class upgrade. Only when I walked away in a bit of a hurry, as I wanted to have lunch before catching the train, did I realise that I had been sold return First Class upgrade, which I hadn’t asked for. I had queried the price, but the girl in the office had said it was right, but as I didn’t get the tickets until after I had paid, there was no way I could check.
So basically, I was overcharged £7.
I did try to complain at the time, but this would have meant going through the long queue again, which would have meant missing my train.
At Ipswich, the ticket office was very busy too.
How do I claim my seven pounds back?
Incidentally, the train I came back on from Ipswich to Stratford didn’t appear to have any First Class accomodation anyway.
I would prefer to be able to buy these tickets on line, but I don’t think I can. So I suppose the only way to get the right ticket is to make a special visit to Liverpool Street earlier in the week.
It will be interesting what the reply is.
The Gluten-Free Desert That is Ipswich
I support Ipswich Town and have a season ticket at Portman Road, as I’ve probably stated before.
My biggest problem at home matches is eating properly. Today, I shall as usual catch the 13:00 train from Liverpool Street. As too I have a lot to do this morning before I leave, I shall not have time to get to the shops to buy any gluten-free bread to make myself some sandwiches. So I will probably go into Spitalfields by Liverpool Street station to either Leon or Carluccio’s to have lunch before I travel.
I do find Carluccio’s gluten-free full Italian breakfast with a coffee and juice particularly good value at £9.75 and they are usually very prompt with serving it. I’ll probably go to Leon‘s today, after trying it a few days ago.
You might ask, why I don’t travel to Ipswich on an earlier train and have lunch there!
I could go to Pizza Express and have a salad Nicoise, but the last time I tried this they were full. Or I could go to Loch Fyne, but that is quite a walk from both the football ground and the town centre. When I was stuck in Cambridge a few weeks ago, I went to their small Waitrose in the Grafton Centre and bought a four bean salad, some bananas and a couple of EatNakd bars to tide me over. But there is no town centre Waitrose in Ipswich.
On the other hand if I wanted greasy burgers, chips, gassy lager or other rubbish, I have plenty of choice.
I should also leave Ipswich Town out of this, as their restaurants can do gluten-free food. And when I had it once it was good.
Crazy Ticketing
Next week, I’m going to an evening match at Portman Road on Tuesday and the following week it’s the Norwich match on the Thursday.
Unless I want to spend forever in Ipswich before the match because of ticketing restrictions, I can’t use a cheap ticket on any train out of London after 16:30. Which means that I end up in a town with no decent gluten-free restaurant, with nothing to do until kick-off time. There are some nice things to do in Ipswich, but I’ve done them all.
It was suggested to me by the ticket staff at Liverpool Street, that as I indicated I could profitably travel to Cambridge or Bury St. Edmunds, that I could save money by taking a return to Bury St. Edmunds and then breaking my journey on the way back.
How many fans will see the crazy midweek prices and not go by train at all?
An Old-Fashioned Football Match
In some ways yesterday’s match between Burnley and Ipswich reminded me of the 1950s, when football was much more honest and very much a part of the community. I’m not saying things are not better now, but some of the values have gone.
Men would finish their Saturday lunch, kiss the missus and the dog goodbye, put their pipe and tobacco in their pocket, don their flat cap, pick up their rattle and then walk to the match through streets of terraced houses, arriving just before kick off.
Now wives and family will more as likely be going and thankfully all stadia are now smoke free. But at Burnley the ground is still surrounded by houses.
Turf Moor Behind the Terraced Houses
And as the picture, which was taken an hour before kick-off, shows, they don’t get there early.
I also got a lot of good old-fashioned courtesy from the stewards, police and the staff in the ticket office, where I was able to buy a senior ticket for the away end for just £15. Now that is an old-fashioned price for a Championship football match!
I also sat on a proper wooden seat.
A Comfortable Wooden Seat at Turf Moor
It was comfortable too, just as the one I’d sat on at Fulham.
I also took this picture of the rows and rows of wooden seats.
Rows and Rows of Wooden Seats
Sadly, they are to be replaced with anonymous plastic. But is that progress?
In some ways not really! I seem to have heard that supporters prefer them and that if you have someone who knows what they are doing, keeping them in good nick is cheaper than with plastic ones. I’m not for the return of standing at grounds, but proper wooden seats are another matter.
I took this picture less than an hour before kick-off.
Turf Moor an Hour Before Kick-Off
Note only a handfull of the crowd have arrived, the pillar supporting the roof and even more wooden seats in the Bob Lord stand to the right. But some things have improved. Just look at the state of the pitch after our awful winter and a very dry March. It is a real credit to the groundsman and his staff.
The match too was strangely old-fashioned in that although the players showed passion, there was little or no aggro, either from them or the crowd, which was very good humoured.
I was happy with the result and Ipswich perhaps could have had another giving a bit of luck. But then so could Burnley!
And after the match we all walked away in an amicable fashion, shepherded by a few policemen, who’d not been required to help out at Blackburn. The only trouble, I had in walking to the station was the long uphill climb and the difficulty in crossing the roads, with cars flashing impatiently everywhere.
As the station was being well-used by supporters of both sides, surely a shuttle bus between the station and Turf Moor might even be profitable at say a few pound for the return.
Carrots on the Train North
Yesterday, I went to see Ipswich play at Burnley and took the 7:30 Virgin train from Euston, changing at Preston.
I was surprised to see a large police presence on the station at Preston and as I had arrived there on time at the early time for football fans of 9:38, it seemed rather odd, unless Preston were playing one of the usual suspects in a lunchtime derby.
On asking one of the many police on the station, I was told it was members or should that be carrots of the English Defence League going to a protest in Blackburn.
There was no trouble on the train and they all got off at Blackburn and the carriage was rather empty as we crossed to Burnley.
I don’t like those who hate others and I’m rather glad that the EDL protest passed without any serious trouble. But that protest was rather put in proportion by the murder of a Catholic policeman by probable Republican terrorists in Northern Ireland.
A Day in Leeds
Yesterday, I went to Leeds to see Ipswich play at Elland Road. I took the train from King’s Cross at 8:10 and arrived in the city on time just after 10:30, three cups of free coffee later.
In my view Leeds is a much superior city to Manchester, as like Liverpool, it is fairly compact and you can get most places on foot from the train station.
The station now has improved and is now near to what I would call a destination station.
The last time I came, the roof was going up and now it is complete.
The New Roof at Leeds Station
Is this roof the only complete modern station covering to match the great Victorian structures at St. Pancras, King’s Cross, Raddington and Lime Street in Liverpool?
I met an old Metier colleague and her daughter in the city and after lunch, we went to the ground to see the match.
Leeds United have a reputaion for being unwelcoming, but this was the firast away seating that had a proper Welcome Sign.
Welcome Sign at Elland Road
It should also be said that they were very accommodating in adjusting the tickets, so that I could sit with my friends.
The match wasn’t the most exciting but Town deserved their point and it was good to see Kieron Dyer in an Ipswich shirt again.
I Made a Mistake Not To Go
I looked at the weather forecast for Cardiff today, yesterday and it was supposed to be cold. So I chickened out of going to see Ipswich play in the city.
What a mistake to make, especially as Town fully deserved their victory, described by the BBC as a Jimmy Bullard masterclass.
Ticket Madness?
I add the question mark because sometimes I end up with train tickets that surprise me. But if they benefit me financially, why should I bother?
When I travel to Ipswich to see the football, I generally go First Class, as I can be guaranteed a comfortable seat and a table, where I can spread myself out. If I don’t deserve some of life’s hedonistic pleasures then who does?
The Standard Class Off-Peak Return to Ipswich from Liverpool Street is £22.60, if I use my Senior Railcard. And I can upgrade it to First for £14.00. So effectively a First Class Off-Peak Return is 36.60.
Yesterday though, was my first trip after receiving my Freedom Pass and after a few questions when I bought the ticket at Liverpool Street I ended up with a Standard Class return from Harold Wood to Ipswich and a First Class Upgrade for the whole journey. The total cost was £33.45.
So you can see why Which has reported that people don’t always get sold the cheapest tickets on trains. The staff must ask all the right questions and the passengers must bring all the correct documentation.
I would assume in this example, that Harold Wood must be the limit of travel with a Freedom Pass. But who’d want to travel there anyway?
QPR Tonight!
I’m off to see Ipswich at QPR tonight. I think more in hope than anything else, but a draw would be nice.
I checked the QPR web site for directions and they said not to go to Queens Park station, as it is nowhere near the ground. It obviously happens though, otherwise they wouldn’t have put it up. I shall be going to White City, although I could walk to Canonbury and get a direct train to Shepherds Bush, if the North London Line was working.
The Anonymous Widower 