Groundhopping - A Tiddler’s Travels

To clarify, I consider 'All weather' tracks to be dirt tracks, I went to Lingfield for one of their All Weather meetings... didn't like it!

 

May have had something to do with the jumps... being an animal lover I don't enjoy watching horses being shot!

but I do love Cheltenham … bizarre or what!

 

I see Thamesmead Town have sadly folded, after a last distch attempt to stay afloat by groundsharing with Dartford. I was looking at the pictures of the Potton v Wembley match pics and wondering how a lot of these clubs survive.

 

A big problem these small, non league clubs have Ken is that they desperately rely on gate money to survive.

And certain people turn up to the games determined to get in without paying

 

I was just listening to talksport when a guy rang in who runs a sunday league club with three teams... he says that they don't get a penny from the FA but pitches cost them £4,500 per season but the affiliation fee to the FA costs them £19,000 per year!!!

Utter madness!!!... the FA are ripping off clubs like these.

 

It’s not only the FA

 

The money I save at the turnstile paying the concession goes back in at the bar, as I repeatedly say.

 

But why not pay the full rate at the gate rather than hanging back until their one 94 year steward has dozed off ....before slipping in for free

 

Since when is a concession free?

**Potton got the full price**

 

Why get a concession

The only health problem you have got is verbal diarrhoea...

 

That's a bit like saying that Richard Branson is not a git for avoiding paying any UK taxes himself because his staff pay their taxes....

Other people would pay their entrance fee AND buy a pint at the bar at HT ….. I wonder if Ponders claims to be unemployed to get a concessionary rate when he goes to games? OK he doesn't buy a beer at HT but the Club probably make as much from his burger/pie/sausage & tea at HT as your beer!

 

Oh ffs, first pinky and now perky getting involved.

I always make a point of spending £25 at each game I attend.

 

And to think we called Katrien Meire "Pinocchio"

 

£20 maximum then

 

3 pints = £8

A badge = £3

A programme = £3

Equals £14 you tight robbing git

 

I mostly attend Canvey Island and AFC Sudbury.

Entry £10
50/50 tickets £3
Programme £2
Coffees £3
Chips and Kit Kat £3
Minimum spend = £21

Sometimes an extra £5 if one of the nippers attends with me. And I'll always stick a few bob in the charity buckets if present.

 

Imagine trying to pay that off with gates hovering around 85 per match. A nice cup run into the third or fourth qualifying round would just about cover that FA payment (but it would be a big ask for the likes of Potton, Haywards Heath or Whitstable to get to the 2nd qualifying round let alone the 3rd. Then there are the other bits and bobs, assuming the club own their own ground and aren't paying rent.

 

Okay, I'll break it down as this.

Admission normally £6 or £7, concession rate normally £4
Programme with admission or £1
Badge £4
3 pints £11

Total outlay between £20-£23

Either way it is more money than pinky and perky put in the kitty for non-league clubs.

 

Lingfield are producing a programme tomorrow, costing £2.

It is their 125th anniversary so I imagine they are pushing the boat out this season to celebrate it.

A shame that there will only be about 70 people there in attendance.

 

69 and a half.