Clearly Sunderland will be on the list but any other teams people fancy seeing next season? Northern elite will have Rochdale, Barnsley and the delights of Accrington, oh and not forgetting Burton. Still potential of Coventry, Lincoln or Notts County. More South, Luton & Wycombe and i'm sure @alwaysright will be over joyed if Exeter get promoted
Rochdale - good company - great chippie outside the ground Barnsley - particularly thick Hi - viz brigade Accrington - what a dump ! Burton - ok - but the stewards didn't appreciate me sitting - quietly drinking a can of cold Pepsi ( whilst others had boiling hot tea / coffee - from a metal flask ) Coventry - good travel links - with a train stop outside the ground Lincoln - no-nonsense ground & a chance to meet up with family living in Hull Notts County - I don't appreciate the very long hike ( to Forest's ground to get to the coach park ) Luton - full of hundreds of small greengrocers - I've never seen so many onions for sale Wycombe - a nightmare of a place to exit -- best to park at least a mile from the ground. Exeter - the Accrington of the southwest.
I'm hoping the Sunderland fixtures are Saturdays, if they end up mid-week games I'm not going to be happy. Burton was that the place you was waving a 20 and couldn't get the barman to serve us Obviously Rochdale, goes without saying. I also enjoyed Notts County, seemed a friendly bunch (if they come up). Wycombe, hopefully they don't send us down again. Two minds about Luton, interested, but not sure if they have grown up.
brb - had forgotten about the Burton pub 'experience' - the bar staff must have thought I was too old to drink. I may have seemed a little unkind to the Barnsley Hi- Viz brigade -- Normally 'Northern' hospitality is hardly ever beaten - which makes it a little disappointing that usually, it is stewards at ' northern ' grounds who are intent on being the least helpful to 'away ' fans - in fact - I am sure that they actually try to make their lives difficult if it can serve to bugger us up. As for Sunderland being on a weekend - - don't bet on it ! - AND - there'll be plenty of other long distance venues that will want to compete with Champions League games on a wet, cold Tuesday night. I watched the El Classico on Sunday - reminded me of the 'passion' I would like to see from every Gills player ( 46 times a season )
Just like with Portsmouth this year, think myself a few mates will be venturing to the Stadium of Light this season to see Sunderland and then the bright drinking lights of the North East afterwards. Now I've broken my away win duck, may also fit in Charlton again and also Exeter due to family links for there.
Bradford, Blackpool and Fleetwood all accessible for me, all with the most important facility - a really good pub close to the ground where you can actually have a decent chat to the home supporters. Although Rochdale is obviously the easiest for me my favourite away game in the North is Bradford. Always a good day out.