first experience of the Emirate Stadium

[SPUDMASHER]

Given your stature, I'd imagine you could drown in a pint

[DB10GOONER]

Given your stature, I'd imagine you could drown in a pint

I recall when we first met, outside the Gunners the night of the 4-4 debacle againt the scum, and Gus/Percy was using the top of your head as a table to rest his pint on. He was moaning that it was killing his back having to stoop over all the time to get his glass.

[Theoperator]

Redaction to improve the atmosphere at Arsenal games, and to give the best possible support to our team

So if the queues post match are horrendous, doesnt Redaction have some say in that (even if nothing happens)? If people leave early to avoid the queues, or inexperienced attenders get put off as they get there late (With their fish and chips ) then that both leaves a worse atmosphere at the ground and less support for the team does it not

I don't know where that quote is from os cannot comment in the context in which it was used.

As I said in my most recent reply, one of the sacrifices that us as supporters have to make, is to have to start our journey home at the same time as the other 60,000 punters who have attended the same match. That's reality. If you don't feel you are able to make that, then perhaps you should think about whether you want to attend. Sporting venues worldwide have the same issues, albeit on sliding scales.

If we had public transport links like Spurs or West Ham do, then you really would have a genuine complaint. Big matches bring big crowds, big crowds take a while to disperse. Fact.

Its the headline/ first line on the Redaction website

My point is that people arrive late thanks to the tube in large part, and I mentioned the match actually having to start 15 mins late- that wouldnt happen if televised live like a CL match. and leave early thanks to the "Horrendous queues" as you rightly mention.

Something can be done about the queues with imagination, timed tickets, alternating new trains on different platforms, better stewarding so nobs dont cause the doors to open and close when they squeeze in, sorting Holloway Road out - basic stuff really, but isnt- if you take the approach that big crowds take a time to disperse and at least its better than Spurs or West Ham then absolutely nil will change.

Personally I disappear off for a pint (Or McDonalds if my lads with me ) and turn up later to get home, or stand and inch foreward..., but the number of people leaving early is a total embarassment dont you agree, I felt really sorry and embarrassed for the team last year trying to applaud a near empty East stand 30 secs after the end of a match. Maybe they dont leave early due to the tube- we dont know as it seems its not looked into.

[northbank123]

For a start that's all reliant on TfL being very keen on playing ball, I'm not sure they'd agree with your idea of "timed tickets" etc as being basic stuff. I can't see them setting a precedent of catering to the demands of sports teams.

Frankly if beating the queues and cutting it as fine as possible every week is more important to people than watching the whole football match, fuck them. If those are their priorities the club shouldn't be footing a massive bill to accommodate this. People in London don't realise how good they have it with public transport.

[Theoperator]

Never suggested that the club should pay, no way, perhaps "crowd safety" is maybe why TFL should look at it- I don't know but I presume that the club pay for the mounted police who have to loiter around longer than they need due to the queues.

Course Londons v lucky, but I maintain that there is a problem in that people are so reliant on the tube to get there or away that its a victim of its own success, hence the queues. In contrast have found it very easy and quick to get a bus from the stadium, or walk.

if people are leaving early due to queues and matches are starting late than surely it needs looking at, if the ground empties before the final whistle it looks embarrassing on the club and its support IMHO. I know other clubs have the same leaving early brigade but seems a lot more at The Grove

[northbank123]

And you think TfL will foot the bill for extra platform staff, running additional trains on new platforms, renovating Holloway Road station to deal with matchday traffic, introducing timed tickets etc on the pretence of some non-existent safety risk?

To be honest I think the number of people leaving the games early is far more of a damning indictment on the commitment and interest of our home support than it is on the public transport network.

[arseofacrow]

I was going to say the club should hold a survey to find out people's reasons for leaving early.

Then I remembered...People lie. All of the time.

[A11M11]

And you think TfL will foot the bill for extra platform staff, running additional trains on new platforms, renovating Holloway Road station to deal with matchday traffic, introducing timed tickets etc on the pretence of some non-existent safety risk?


I am sure at the time I read that money did go from the club to TFL for upgrades at Holloway road but that the money got spent elsewhere . The mural at Arsenal stadium was one of the things mentioned.

[Chippy]

In the planning permission conditions Arsenal were forced to provide £5m for upgrades to Holloway Road. When TfL did the study they realised thqy would need over £50m to make it worth doing, so nothing happened.

What I don't understand is why they don't run a shuttle on match days from Drayton Park to Moorgate. Would shift probably another few thousand people.

[Swifty]

hey all

new to the forum and new in the area... just moved here from Sydney Australia.
had my first experience of the emirates stadium over the weekend.. went to the emirates cup with some mates

great stadium to watch a game at... we had good seats on the 2nd level near the halfway line
shame about the result but it was a pleasure to watch arsenal live for the first time in my life... hopefully ill have a chance to check out some EPL games this season..


ive become a red member with arsenal so hopefully i can pick up some tickets from the arsenal shop or here

see you all around

Welcome mate - what part of Sydney? I'm form Redhead near Newcastle. Great to get over there hey! I watched my first game at the Grove in the 7-3 win over Newcastle couple of seasons ago. Welcome again. PS Some of these numptys are a little bit negative so don't let them knock your Aussie optimism out of you......

[Swifty]

last season the hardcore fans walked out at half time and started chanting outside the stadium that we want the coach sacked.

aaahh Sydney FC man - did you join the group after Farina's head?

[TheCook]

It takes a while to leave the area when an event attended by 60,000 has finished ; I cannot see how that will ever change. As I keep saying, one of the sacrifices that we as supporters make to support our team will be those extra 20/30 minutes or so that it takes for us to get on a train / bus. Those supporters who leave 5/10 minutes before the end are not willing to make that sacrifice, and I agree that it is an embarrassing problem with our fanbase. If those people don’t want to queue, then they will always leave early as it is not realistic to expect no queuing in the stations around the ground.

[Theoperator]

Cook, I think we agree on all except that theres "no solution". My solution to getting to the ground on time is to leave earlier!

Have to say I was mightily impressed that 71,000 left Wembley yesterday without much of a queue at all, granted some left early as they knew they didnt have a chance but still the queue was minimal compared to round us, even with the Grove emptying early...

if theres a way to avoid a sacrifice then its worth trying, and if it means a fuller stadium to the end than thats surely a better outcome than the present?

If theres "no solution" then nothing will ever change.

If nothing happened at Holloway Rd then I assume the £5m didnt go to TFL, so theres a starter for change- maybe they could set some Scum fans onto digging an extra platform (Which it seems maybe at least some help) or theyve been used to digging themselves a hole for years. maybe shuttle buses anything extra surely can help?

Please can you have a word with some of your mates and see if something can be done from the clubs end?

[RoscommonGooner]

I don't get the leaving early to get the train home thing, with the exception of evening games where you might be under pressure to get the last train. Why not wait until the end, walk to one of the many pubs around the ground and have a pint/mineral if you have to drive later and get a later train. What's the fucking rush home? It's not going anywhere, are they that scared of their other halfs? FFS, you have a ready made excuse if you are, "massive queue for the tube love"

[DB10GOONER]

I don't get the leaving early to get the train home thing, with the exception of evening games where you might be under pressure to get the last train. Why not wait until the end, walk to one of the many pubs around the ground and have a pint/mineral if you have to drive later and get a later train. What's the fucking rush home? It's not going anywhere, are they that scared of their other halfs? FFS, you have a ready made excuse if you are, "massive queue for the tube love"

I should translate CulchieSpeak for our Ingerlish friends. "Mineral" is what our Culchie friends call "soft drink", "soda", "Coca-Cola", "Fanta", "Sprite" - you know, anything that doesn't get them drunk enough to go home and make love to their uncle.