I have had two enquiries from friends of this site, both of whom live outside of the UK, both asking for help in terms of their visits. I’m more than happy to pass on the questions.
If you have any thoughts can you put them below in the usual way?
Thanks.
First Jay Javari has written to say,
“I’m going to be visiting London (my first time!) this June & was hoping you’d be able to help me with a few things like budget accommodation (2 couples), Arsenal-friendly pubs, places of interest for an Arsenal supporter (besides the stadiums of course)”.
Anyone want to do any recommendations?
Second, Walter Broeckx (who you will of course know) is coming to the final game of the season on a Sunday (there will be the usual Untold Arsenal editorial meeting after the game) and is thinking of changing his previous approach of driving into London, and instead parking the car somewhere to the south and then taking public transport.
He’s coming into Folkestone – so its the question of what to do at the end of the M20. Drive to Greenwich, under the river, through the Isle of Dogs and turn left at Hackney? Park at Woolwich and get the DLR?
As I live to the north of London, and never lived south of the river, I only know about coming in and parking from the north, but when, way back in the last century, I was a student in Brighton, I used to drive up and park near a Northern Line station and get the tube.
Walter’s GPS system is suggesting coming to Woolwich and taking the Dockland’s Light Railway which seems viable, although a fairly long journey in time.
All thoughts and suggestions welcome, and if I have got any of the details wrong, Jay and Walter will correct them I’m sure.
Tony
PS: Walter, for the summer break how about the story that the bones of Elvis were discovered under the railway track when the Ems was being built, and he was reburied under the centre circle? Or should I just give that one to the Star?)
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I live in America but my family is huge Arsenal fans and we try to get to england one a year to see a game. My dad usually takes me or one of my two brothers each year as a christmas present. Last year i was lucky enough to get to go to Rome to see the Arsenal Roma penalty shoot out win. My suggestion is taking a tour of the stadium. Last time i saw a game at the Emirates we took a tour with Charlie George as our tour guide a day or two before the game and it was awesome! I also know we went to the Arsenal Museum and that was really fun. I don’t know the pricing on the tour but i know it would be a day you would never forget.
PS My family usually spends a lot of time at the arsenal store and we get to the stadium very early. WE usually make a whole day of it and it has gone very well every time.
It there’s a good advice defitnitely appreciated. I went to the emjrates in 2007, got a ripped off ticket buying feom the net, and in the seat position that wasn’t exactly as described, upper deck at the corner, ticket was 3-4times the normal price. I wish i can come once evry year, but afraid got ripped off again, As it’s not cheap at all. Btw, i’m from singapore .
Btw, the experience though….. Priceless. I wish i can be there in every game. Totally surreal, i love the walking from tubes to emirates part.
Re ticket buying – I am not sure of the exact law, but certainly in a lot of situations buying tickets from other than the official source is a criminal offence. Dealing in tickets near the stadium results in a 2 year ban from being within the vicinity of a football ground before, during and after the match.
Every match has some tickets reserved for Red Members, and Red Membership is open to all-comers. Additionally the less fashionable matches (eg v Bolton, v Blackburn, early rounds of the Champs League, League Cup, FA Cup against lesser teams) sell out slowly, and if you apply at the start of the Red member time, you will get tickets.
And even for the top matches there are tickets available on Arsenal.com via ticket exchange.
I would urge everyone not to buy from touts, but to support the club and buy through the Red Membership section on Arsenal.com
Those bones did not belong to Elvis, Tony. You even published my story when I told you we met the on and only Elvis alive in London. 😉
About ticket touting, my first visit to the Emirates I did it that way, got great tickets but I payed a price that is the same as the price for 3 games with my red membership card. Never will do it again but it was the only way to buy 5 tickets at that time for me.
Dany…Have you tried Arsenal Supporters Singapore?
Modesto’s @ The Elizabeth Hotel
24 Mount Elizabeth
Tel : (65) 67362808
Web http://arsenalsingapore.com/
If they’re affiliated I’m sure they would be able to organise tickets.
Btw…the Wigan game to be screened at 8.30PM SGP
Transport for Walter: don’t know the price of Eurostar, but either Ashford or the new bullet from Ebbsfleet might be possible – into St Pancras pretty quick, then either to H&I, Arsenal or Finsbury Park to get to the ground. Maybe check out if North London line from Stratford is open that day – engineering is going on on an ongoing basis for the Olympics etc, but if it’s open it will take you quickish to H&I. There’s also a branch to Dalston, again I don’t know if engineering is ongoing. Try TfL for information……
http://www.wheresbest.co.uk/venue/90898/La-Pasta/ is right by H&I station and is Arsenal-friendly – in fact the staff are kitted out on match day in away strip! Good, cheap food (£10 for main plus a glass of wine) but you usually need to book a table. We go often and like it a lot.
Most pubs on the Holloway road are Arsenal friendly, but get pretty busy on match day.
Old fan from the ’80s now living in the US. I remember a fiver at gate 10 minutes before kick-off would get you into the North Bank. Oh how times have changed…
Anway – an off-topic question: has anyone compiled an actual ‘injury table’ that would statistically show the # of games lost due to injury?
Let’s say Wenger’s undisputed 1st choice team is
– Alumnia –
Sagna – Verm – Gallas – Clichy
Song – Denilson
Cesc
Rosicky – VP – Arshavin
How many games were lost due to injury? The maximum would be 418 games (38 games x 11).
Very curious if anyone has done the maths and see how Arsenal’s stats this season would compare against Chelsea and Man U….
I haven’t checked, but Toby, isn’t that the team we put out for the first match when we smashed Everton 6-1 away?
Billy the Dog predicted 7-1 I recall
Ah – I see what is confusing in my question Tony. When I say “How many games were lost due to injury?” – I don’t mean “did we actually lose the game?”
For example, if of the 1st choice starting XI only 8 of the team made the 2nd match, then that would be 3 matches lost.
Curious what the tally would be after 38 games and how that compares vs. Man U and Chelsea….
Off topic but will come back with suggestions in a mo.
You couldn’t make this up.
http://shop.tottenhamhotspur.com/spurs08/detail.php?productid=ST44441&proddesc=Tottenham+Hotspur+2+-+1+Arsenal+(14/04/10)&supercategory=0030BRN00067~0030CAT00264&branch=&wcategory=CAT00264&catdesc=&super=0030BRN00067~0030CAT00264&treecode=TRE00017
That is fantastic. One can feel owt but sympathy for celebrations of such pathetic, tiny pinnacles of triumph.
Walter I would suggest you continue on the A20 to Eltham. You can then catch an overland train into London Bridge or Charing Cross and continue on the Northern Line or even get straight on the Victoria line by getting a train to Victoria (this is lightly longer but you would then not have to change as you could go straight to (Highbury & Islington).
As for places to go of interest don’t forget to go to Arsenal tube station and visit what has become of Highbury stadium.
I’m a Canadian gooner coming to London in about a week, and this is probably the best place to ask this out of any. Where would be a good place to watch the Man City game? I’m probably being far too ambitious, but is there any way I could still get tickets (somewhere apart from Arsenal.com, where it’s sold out!). Any help would be much appreciated.
Sorry, in my haste I forgot to read the comments (especially Tony’s, re: Tickets). I’ve got the free membership with the Arsenal website, though (from my admittely poor) website navagation skills, there doesn’t appear to be any tickets up for exchange for that game. If tickets aren’t avaliable, me and my friends would probably be looking for a good atmosphere and relatively cheap pints, as we’re university students on pretty small budgets. Thanks for any help.
I am coming to watch the arsenal for the first time (arsenal-fulham). i think it will be the best day of my life, i`have had 5 trips planned but all have been canceled in the last minute, even missing one of the last games at highbury. So hopefully it will work out this time if the icelandic volcano thingy doesnt f##k it for me.
To Gf60…. thanks for the reference, i am aware of it, but it just i have to split my time with my gf or hang out with other friends. One day would love to hang around there though.
Can you believe the help? This is so fantastical…. Boys I will be coming soon(next year for sure) to EMS with my boy and hopefully I will not only see a match but will have the priveledge to meet Sir Tony and Sir Walter as part of y trip! I hope you will oblidge?
Hey Tony! Thanks so much for putting up the questions Walter & me had!
As of now, I’m definitely taking the Stadium Tour. I haven’t decided whether to go for the Standard or Legends Tour yet though. The Legends tour is obviously more attractive, but they don’t mention if a visit to the Director’s Box & Press Conference Area are included in it, while both those areas are included in the Standard Tour! Anyone know more about this?
Another must-do in my plans is to go to Arsenal Station! A trip to London would also be incomplete without visiting Highbury for me!
Rhys – thanks for the suggesting La Pasta – will try & check it out! Hopefully I don’t need to book too much in advance!
Now my main worry is the accommodation. Need to get that sorted at the earliest! Any suggestions for either a B&B or apartment with 2 bedrooms?
Jay,
I have done a legend tour with Perry Groves and the directors box and press conference area are included in that tour. Which was great to do.
But I must warn you : when you do an Emirates Legend tour your love for the Arsenal will only grow and grow. Once you have said foot inside the heart of Arsenal you even feel more a Gooner than ever. During that tour you can close your eyes and even pretend being a Gunner.
Must say that the love Perry Groves expressed for The Arsenal (not that he was in total agreement with everything and everyone in the club) gave a warm feeling. You felt part of the familie.
Don’t think Perry wil read this blog, but if he does : it was great Perry, thanks.
Think this might have been posted earlier after the Liverpool game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8oGGm13qWo&feature=player_embedded
That was a cold day!
I’d recommend the film-makers route.
Down Gillespie road Road, past he old stalls etc., Highbury and Arsenal Tube, along with the crowds, and then into the new ground.
< Down Gillespie Road, past the old stalls etc., Highbury and Arsenal Tube, along with the crowds, and then into the new ground.
Walter thanks for that! Really helped 🙂
And yes, that would be one of the main reasons for doing the Ems Tour! Really can’t wait!
Finsbury – thanks for the link. I had seen the video two months ago and forgotten about it! Time I re-visit!
Hey all!
Finally booked myself a room at the Grand Plaza Serviced Apartments in Central London. Anybody know how good/bad they are?
Any info at all would be appreciated!