... and a 12 hour round trip for our support, close to 2000 going down.
The new ground is decent enough but out of town and few decent pubs within walking distance, a retail park Harvester is the nearest from memory. There are plenty of pubs in town but a good thirty minutes walk to the ground. The away section has a nice big concourse and the bar was open which helped.
Still, it's better than the old days at the Vetch Field down by the docks, wedged in between terraced houses and a dodgy place to go in the 70s and 80s.
I remember one occassion when we'd arrived on an early train and found ourselves in the so called 'Swansea Supporters Club' near the ground. They were great with us until we were outnumbered then the anti-English cracks started. We were starting to worry when a coachload from Peterlee arrived and marched in past the doorman.
One of them was at the bar ordering a round and stuttering as he spoke. A Swansea hard man, who'd been getting lippy with us, thought it would be hilarious to mimic him ...
... we thought it was equally hilarious when he was punched so hard he almost did a full backwards somersault along the bar
The place started emptying, of Swansea, and we eventually had the place to ourselves, happy days.
So Ballard is playing, Rusyn will be in again and we have players like Cirkin, Pritchard and Dack available. Bobby Madley, who sent Collocini off in an SOL derby, is the ref and hopefully better than those we've recently had.
I definitely can't make this one, work issues, but hope all the travellers have a cracking day out and come home singing.
The new ground is decent enough but out of town and few decent pubs within walking distance, a retail park Harvester is the nearest from memory. There are plenty of pubs in town but a good thirty minutes walk to the ground. The away section has a nice big concourse and the bar was open which helped.
Still, it's better than the old days at the Vetch Field down by the docks, wedged in between terraced houses and a dodgy place to go in the 70s and 80s.
I remember one occassion when we'd arrived on an early train and found ourselves in the so called 'Swansea Supporters Club' near the ground. They were great with us until we were outnumbered then the anti-English cracks started. We were starting to worry when a coachload from Peterlee arrived and marched in past the doorman.
One of them was at the bar ordering a round and stuttering as he spoke. A Swansea hard man, who'd been getting lippy with us, thought it would be hilarious to mimic him ...
... we thought it was equally hilarious when he was punched so hard he almost did a full backwards somersault along the bar
The place started emptying, of Swansea, and we eventually had the place to ourselves, happy days.
So Ballard is playing, Rusyn will be in again and we have players like Cirkin, Pritchard and Dack available. Bobby Madley, who sent Collocini off in an SOL derby, is the ref and hopefully better than those we've recently had.
I definitely can't make this one, work issues, but hope all the travellers have a cracking day out and come home singing.
.....while the youngest said "get in dad"
) thread is here 