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Post by The Quito Diet on Jan 1, 2019 18:04:42 GMT
Going back a bit Olivier, any tips/advice for a trip similar to the one you did in Spain last year? Figured I'll spend my 30th going round Spain later on in the year and getting to games would be as good an excuse as any. Will be able to get at least two weekends in and therefore hopefully some European games too. Will worry about the schedule later on in the year but just for general things, did you book it all separately yourself? I've not even looked into any package companies who may offer similar but any recommendations are appreciated. Have already seen Madrid and Barcelona play but not against seeing them again. Definitely want to get to Valencia, Sevilla, Betis at least. Wouldn't mind seeing Eibar or even Oviedo too.
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on Jan 1, 2019 19:40:55 GMT
I booked everything myself. Hotels on booking.com and trains on goeuro.com. For Madrid and Barcelona I just booked the cheapest decent hotels near a metro. For Valencia/Seville/Girona I made sure I was either near the ground or preferably near the train station so there was minimal fannying around. The trains I got were comfortable (their normal class is like our first class) and were on time and never busy. Internal flights are dirt cheap - I got Seville to Barcelona for about £30.
All of the tickets were off the club websites and print-at-home/mobile jobs apart from Rayo Vallecano who are still in the 1980's. I went straight to their ground from the airport when I got to Madrid as the game was the next day and they were getting close to selling out. For online sales Real and Barca were fine as they advertised the dates tickets would go on sale for different groups and I just had to wait for the General Sale. The others were all a bit random so I ended up checking their ticket sites each day and eventually they were available - I had already looked and scoped out where I wanted to be sitting.
Main tip would be just to pick one game per weekend you want to see and book refundable hotels around those. The La Liga games don't get confirmed kick off day/times until 3-5 weeks before. It was only then I was able to go into more detail about how many I could squeeze in around the main attractions and change hotel bookings etc. The midweek Champions League & Europa League games midweek helped as UEFA set those dates/times the day of the draw. With the La Liga fixtures you can take an educated guess on the date if you are going the weekend before the Champions League because the teams involved in the CL will play on the Saturday with the rest on Sunday.
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Away Days
Jan 1, 2019 21:09:44 GMT
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Post by The Quito Diet on Jan 1, 2019 21:09:44 GMT
Cheers for that.
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on Jan 12, 2019 19:03:59 GMT
Ticking off another Heelin' League ground today Mosset Park - Forres Mechanics v Formartine United
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Away Days
Jan 13, 2019 16:53:06 GMT
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Post by Maskya Yoshida on Jan 13, 2019 16:53:06 GMT
Do you still manage them ic
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on Mar 15, 2019 15:43:04 GMT
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on Apr 4, 2019 9:05:02 GMT
Vicarage Road
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on Apr 20, 2019 18:14:01 GMT
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on May 5, 2019 19:27:35 GMT
Nobody else go to games anymore?
Was at Brentford v Preston today. Top ground, pity it won't be a round much longer.
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Away Days
May 5, 2019 19:39:56 GMT
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Post by The Quito Diet on May 5, 2019 19:39:56 GMT
Unfortunately I got the bug right at the death of this season after going to a few lower league grounds to see Arsenal ladies and Cobblers ladies, and then to the Amex.
Along with going round Spain next season, time allowing I plan to start ticking off some of the bigger grounds in the country whilst I can. Hillsborough, Anfield, Goodison a priority.
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Post by The Quito Diet on May 5, 2019 22:11:10 GMT
Don't think I've ever done a proper list (unless it's in another thread) so I may whack one in here now for my own reference so I can add to it. Doubling this up as a stadium England Wembley (Community Shield Arsenal vs Chelsea, FA Cup final 2018 Arsenal Women vs Chelsea, England vs Portugal friendly, NFL Falcons vs Lions) Emirates stadium (Highlights include Dortmund, Milan, United, Liverpool, Chelsea Carling Cup Semi - Lowlights include Atletico, Bayern, Watford, Swansea) Elland Road (Leeds vs Brentford / Blackburn) Amex stadium (Arsenal Ladies WSL vs Brighton) London Stadium (2 nights of World Championship athletics (Bolt in 100m) and Foo Fighters) City Ground - Forest (Arsenal Women FA Cup final) Glanford Park - Scunthorpe 6 - 2 Huddersfield with Jon Stead described as a "young prospect". Sixfields (Cobblers ladies) Stadium MK (England Women) Meadow Park (Arsenal Ladies) Corby Town (Cobblers Women) Spain Camp Nou (Barcelona vs Girona) Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid vs Sevilla) Estadio Lluis Companys (Just for a gander inside) Italy San Siro (Milan vs Rijeka in Europa League) Other Lords Cricket Ground Strahov Stadium (Formerly largest stadium in the world, now Sparta Prague's training ground) Wimbledon Centre Court
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on May 6, 2019 7:32:52 GMT
Cricket and tennis grounds! gtf. I've not even counted Wembley even though I've been 5 times for NFL. That'll be sorted out in a few weeks though.
To keep mine up to date:
Pittodrie(Aberdeen) Celtic Park(Celtic) Tynecastle(Hearts) Easter Road(Hibs) Tannadice(Dundee Utd) Rugby Park(Kilmarnock) Ibrox(The Rangers) Fir Park(Motherwell) Love Street (St. Mirren's old stadium) St Mirren Park (St Mirren's new stadium) New Douglas Park (Hamilton) McDiarmid Park (St Johnstone) Hampden(Scottish National Stadium) Bellsea(Fraserburgh) Dens Park(Dundee) City Stadium(Livingston) Gayfield(Arbroath) Falkirk Stadium(Falkirk) Stair Park(Stranraer) Glebe Park(Brechin) Links Park(Montrose) East End Park(Dunfermline)(To watch and played there) Recreation Park (Alloa) Caledonian Stadium(Inverness CT) Balmoor Stadium (Peterhead) Stark's Park (Raith Rovers) Somerset Park (Ayr United) Harlaw Park (Inverurie Locos) Station Park (Forfar) Victoria Park (Ross County) Firhill (Partick Thistle) North Lodge Park (Formartine United) Crombie Park (Culter) Victoria Park (Buckie Thistle) Davidson Park (Longside) Clark Commercial Park (Stoneywood Parkvale) Murrayfield (Hearts) Central Park (Cowdenbeath) Ian Mair Park (Dyce Juniors) Mackessack Park (Rothes) The Haughs (Turriff United) Princess Royal Park (Deveronvale) Ainslie Park (Edinburgh City/Spartans) Spain Park (Banks O' Dee) New Advocates Park (East End) Keith Park (Aberdeen University) Pleasure Park (Maud) Ochilview (Stenhousemuir) Balmoral Stadium (Cove Rangers) Kynoch Park (Keith) Denmore Park (Hall Russell United) Mosset Park (Forres Mechanics) Hethryfold Park (Sunnybank)
Other:
Olympiysky Stadium, Kiev (Ukraine national stadium, for Dynamo Kiev vs Sporting Lisbon CL match) Stadium Meteor, Dnipropetrovsk (FC Dnipropetrovsk vs Aberdeen, Uefa Cup) Vicente Calderón Stadium (Atletico Madrid vs Aberdeen, Uefa Cup) Allianz Arena, Munich (Bayern Munich vs Aberdeen, Uefa Cup) Olympiastadion, Munich (just a tour) Harleem Stadium (FC Harleem vs FC Omniworld) Amsterdam ArenA (Holland vs Scotland) Andruv Stadion (Sigma Olomouc vs Aberdeen, Europa League) KC Stadium (Hull vs Aberdeen, Windass Testimonial) Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo (Norway vs Scotland, WC 2010 Qualifier) Cardiff City Stadium (Wales vs Scotland Friendly) S. Dariaus ir S. Gireno Stadium, Kaunas (Lithuania v Scotland Euro 2012 qualifier) Synot Tip Arena, Prague (Czech Republic v Scotland Euro 2012 Qualifier) Aviva Stadium, Dublin (Scotland v Northern Ireland Carling Nations Cup 2011) Daugava Stadium, Riga (Daugava Riga v Aberdeen Europa League 2014) Euroborg Stadium, Groningen (FC Groningen v Aberdeen Europa League 2014) Anoeta Stadium, San Sebastian (Real Sociedad v Aberdeen Europa League 2014) Philip II Arena, Skopje (FC Shkendija v Aberdeen Europa League 2015) Stadion Kantrida, Rijeka (HNK Rijeka v Aberdeen Europa League 2015) The Hive (Barnet v Exeter 2015) Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille (Italy v Ireland & Germany v Slokavia Euro 2016) Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens (Turkey v Czech Republic & Croatia v Portugal Euro 2016) Craven Cottage, London (Fulham v QPR English Championship) Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach (Borussia Mönchengladbach v Frankfurt - Bundesliga 2016) Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund (Borussia Dortmund v Schalke - Bundesliga 2016) RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne (FC Koln v Hamburg - Bundesliga 2016) Macron Stadium, Bolton (Bolton v Wycombe - League One 2017) Stadion Pecara, Siroki Brijeg (Siroki Brijeg v Aberdeen, Europa League 2017) Allianz Stadium, Juventus (Juventus v Lazio, Serie A 2017) San Siro, Inter Milan (Inter Milan v AC Milan, Serie A 2017) Old Trafford (Man Utd v Benfica, Champions League 2017) Turf Moor (Burnley v Aberdeen, Europa League 2018) Estadio Municipal de Butarque (Leganes v Atletico Madrid, La Liga 2018) Santiago Bernabeu (Real Madrid v Real Valladolid, La Liga 2018) Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas (Rayo Vallecano v Barcelona, La Liga 2018) Estadio Municipal de Santo Domingo (Alcorcon v Rayo Majadahonda, Segunda Division 2018) Wanda Metropolitano (Atletico Madrid v Borussia Dortmund, Champions League 2018) Mestalla (Valencia v Young Boys Bern, Champions League 2018) Benito Villamarin (Real Betis v AC Milan, Europa League 2018) Estadi Montilivi (Girona v Leganes, La Liga 2018) Camp Nou (Barcelona v Real Betis, La Liga 2018) Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground (Sunderland U23's v Middlesbrough U23's, PL2 2018) The Valley (Charlton v AFC Wimbledon, League One 2018) Brunton Park (Carlisle v Cheltenham Town, League Two 2019) Broadhurst Park (FC United of Manchester v Stockport County, National League North 2019) Arsenal Stadium (Arsenal v Rennes, Europa League 2019) Vicarage Road (Watford v Fulham, Premier League, 2019) SkyEx Community Stadium (Hayes & Yeading v Waltham Abbey, Bostik League South Central 2019) Stamford Bridge (Chelsea v Slavia Prague, Europa League 2019) Loftus Road (QPR v Blackburn Rovers, Championship 2019) London Stadium (West Ham v Leicester City, Premier League 2019) Champion Hill (Dulwich Hamlet v Woking, National League South 2019) Mill Farm Stadium (AFC Fylde v Halifax Town, Conference Premier 2019) Griffin Park (Brentford v Preston, Championship 2019)
Been to 85 games this season. Had been targeting 100 but it looks like I might fall short with much of the domestic seasons being done now. Only have a couple more planned in May. Technically I have June to reach it as the first was in July but there won't be much on. Maybe some youth internationals kicking around.
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Post by The Quito Diet on May 31, 2019 21:44:31 GMT
Bending your ear again Olivier - Do you have a rough ballpark figure for how much your Spain adventure set you back? Starting to think about booking at least the first flight out (aiming to set up base in Madrid, 4 La Liga teams in the city so should be guaranteed getting to a game on the first few days) whilst they're cheap and sorting car parking out etc..., but i'm feeling like an 8/9 day trip may prove far more expensive than I anticipated.
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Olivier
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Post by Olivier on Jun 1, 2019 14:33:24 GMT
I must have spent about £2000 for the 10 nights but it can be done much cheaper. You'd get much cheaper flights than I did from Aberdeen. I'd been to Madrid before and stayed in a hostel and hated the place so I wanted to be in a decent hotel this time and see if it was Madrid I hated or getting 2 hours sleep in 3 days. Enjoyed it much more this time. Went for medium-good categories of tickets too since most of those grounds will be a one-off, didn't want to be sitting up in the gods. Valencia & Rayo Vallecano were over £100 a ticket cause they were being dicks. Think I was about £60 for Barca and Real Madrid. Rest were 30-40.
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Post by The Quito Diet on Jun 2, 2019 8:18:44 GMT
I must have spent about £2000 for the 10 nights but it can be done much cheaper. You'd get much cheaper flights than I did from Aberdeen. I'd been to Madrid before and stayed in a hostel and hated the place so I wanted to be in a decent hotel this time and see if it was Madrid I hated or getting 2 hours sleep in 3 days. Enjoyed it much more this time. Went for medium-good categories of tickets too since most of those grounds will be a one-off, didn't want to be sitting up in the gods. Valencia & Rayo Vallecano were over £100 a ticket cause they were being dicks. Think I was about £60 for Barca and Real Madrid. Rest were 30-40. Cheers for that - Think I greatly underestimated how much it would cost. Forgot just how expensive tickets can be at some of the 'smaller' teams - I know TSFP guys have said a few times about how ridiculous tickets at the likes of Espanyol and Rayo can get even with the stadium half empty. May have a re-think and look to book something later in the year for mid-week and cover European games
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