TBH I simply can't afford to go that often...going on Thursday and went to the Liverpool game but not sure when I'll have money for a league game. That's a problem for a lot of fans. My Arsenal mate in work was telling me how expensive their tickets are so he's in the same position.
I totally get where you are coming from. The new stadium is amazing and I know we had to build it from a business point of view. But I enjoyed going to white hart lane a lot more, just was a far better experience. It always feels a bit soulless these days and I don’t feel such a connection with the team as I used to.
"I am absolutely 100 per cent confident that we are in a better place as a football club today than when I started.” Glad you are, Ange!
Stadium is a soulless bowl and will continue to be, the prices have forced out about 60-70% of the working class who helped produce a great atmosphere. WHL was also special, all old grounds are/ were brilliant for atmosphere due to the compactness of them. Everton fans will likely feel similar after a few years at Bramley Moore. Agree on the team/ players too. Son is the only player I’d die on a hill for out of this bunch. There’s others I like and some may change my view in time but I don’t have the same buzz for them as I did when I watched the majority of Poch’s, Arry’s or Jol’s groups. Even lesser calibre ones like Chimbonda, Zokora, Tainio… they just had a way of really playing for the badge (Tainio being a Spurs fan probably helped) and they knew how to connect to the crowd too, Zokora would always come over and dance to the fans after a win, Chimbonda done so at times too.
A very happy birthday They've never let me down on my birthday...probably because of it being 21st June. There were games 2 days before/after it during Covid...and we drew against United, then beat West Ham, so...yeah, never let me down.
Winks and Skipp would probably both be starters for us currently.... Just sayin'.... Well, actually they'd probably be injured, but you get my drift!
It's the story for so many families. Mine has never lived more than half an hour from the stadium. We've always had enough to live a comfortable life, but not enough to afford 'luxuries' more than very infrequently. You could plot my family's experience on a graph and it would probably echo that of thousands others. My great grandpa and grandpa went every single week. My dad went to all home games and lots of away games. I went maybe once a month, mainly to home games and sometimes away. I take my boys maybe twice a year and only to home games as travel just adds another £100+ to the cost. I'd be amazed if they take their kids more than once a year. And that's the graph.
RIP Gary Brooke. The first game I saw him play, possibly his debut, was home against Liverpool. He hit a shot from at least 35 yards. It was like it came out of a Howitzer and was heading in the top corner. Somehow, Clemence got a hand to it. Incredible agility, but he was laughing at how ****ing incredible a hit it was.
