[Albion] 1901 Club - what's it like and is it good value for money?

[Mr Bridger]

I have two seats in the 1901 (ffs lounge) one I inherited from my late father. He purchased a lifetime membership, and when I joined him I’ve got a five year.
The seats just to right ( south stand) of the centre line are great, no issues there. The lounge does get busy, but we get there fairly early to avoid all the faff, so always manage to get a seat. Like others have said and my father moaned all the original spin and perks gradually depleted as the years went on, and he would‘ve blown his crust knowing that we’ve ousted for the Europa games.
The tickets are quite expensive, but having the chance to resell the tickets on the exchange helps as I get back £132 for the two seats per game if I don’t go, which is quite often this year due to the train strikes.

I’m happy to keep them for now while we are riding this wave, so thumbs up from me

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Ah well - since others are chipping in, here's my tuppence worth...

It a very different experience from what was sold and even what it was a few seasons ago - many lounges are smaller (space given over to restaurants/Director's guests overspill area etc); at least one lounge has disappeared entirely meaning that some lounges have more occupants than previously; food quality in the restaurants is poor for the money, but has improved over the years and has now reached the quality where, if I ate it in a restaurant, I'd mark it a 3/10 (I do understand the difficulties - they're serving only c20 times a year and nearly all at the same time - it's sporadic mass catering rather than dining); many perks have been removed: some big (inclusion of European home games) and some small (free tea), some correctly (extra LP for 1901ers, ability to give away tix to whoever you wanted whenever you wanted) - far more benefit has been eroded than has been added.

However, for my mother, continued attendance at games absolutely relies on being in 1901 - parking in Bennett's Field (disabled), step free access to her seat (she uses her buggy from the car to her seat), people she knows that she can chat to, and 8 games a season hospitality in HB's where the likes of Mullers, Gary Chivers, Andy Rollings, Glenn, Bobby etc will stop by the table to chat to her and she beams back to them saying very little (partly because she won't have heard a word they've said).

In three years times, when the current contract expires, I'll have to think very carefully about whether she renews for a further 5-year term (I suspect not, as she'd be 97 at the end of contract, which is older than Milner). If I don't renew for her, I'm currently uncertain whether I'll renew for me. I do like some aspects - in particular the parking (though I'd be shunted to the Uni if I don't take Mum, which would be fine), getting a seat in the lounge (I'm always early enough to do so), getting a cup of Bovril at HT quickly, being warm, having a great view (though I agree that front rows WSU are pretty similar), and remaining with (some of ) my football friends and neighbours. On the other hand, the big downside is cost. We'll see.

One thing I've seen in this thread that I do disagree with is the statement that the management don't care. The middle and senior management I've seen in 1901 (and they are always there) absolutely do care. I do think they're trying to achieve the impossible: maximise the profit (which will come through corporate customers), while at the same time not pissing off a whole swathe of long-term individual fans who wanted a bit of a 'nicer' experience and are members. So, on the one hand they're trying to give an experience that is 'worth' £500 (+VAT) per game (where's my personal hostess?) and allow the normal fan to have a 'concourse pie' out of a bag - yes, there are different lounges, which helps the differentiation, but there's far more variety in members' expectations than there are lounges/restaurants/seating areas available.

Not going to comment on 1901, but just wanted to say fair play to your mum - I hope I'm still watching The Albion in my 90s!

 

[Hovegull]

I’ve been twice as a guest, and tbh couldn’t wait to get back to my normal seat. I’ve declined the invite ever since.

The service in the “lounge” was slow and I kept being given my drink in a dirty glass. Nowhere to actually sit and it was only marginally nicer than standing in the kiosk area of any stand. It was like being in a Pret at a service station. That kind of vibe. People feeling like they were doing a bit better than those who had chosen Greggs instead.

Didn’t have an amazingly better view than my normal view, missed the singing and the lack of atmosphere actually sucked out my enjoyment of the game. People weren’t wearing anything like the dress code, so I felt over dressed the first time.

 

[osgood]

Customer service is bloody awful, no denying, and maybe Papa Lazarou was enjoying watching you struggle to get a coffee, he must have known

They often run out of hot water too, which involves a five minute wait whilst they replenish. They keep moving the coffee station too, last season they excelled and put it in the corner in front of the doors to the stadium, so you were in a queue with people trying to get in and out of the stadium. It’s like someone is having a laugh or is clueless.

Whats the coffee like ?
Nice strong freshly ground ? or Maxwell house ?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Whats the coffee like ?
Nice strong freshly ground ? or Maxwell house ?

One of those, yes. I'm sure you can guess which.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Sad to hear about your Dad.

1901 is what it is and I have no intention of giving it up, even though the initial promises are so diluted. I have been in other areas of the ground and none come close to the view from my seat. At the end of the day it’s the football I go for.

Sad to hear about your Dad.

1901 is what it is and I have no intention of giving it up, even though the initial promises are so diluted. I have been in other areas of the ground and none come close to the view from my seat. At the end of the day it’s the football I go for.

Me neither for similar reasons.

 

[bobbysmith01]

Positives are the seats, wonderful view just left of the half way line, and the people around us, been there since the start of the Amex. The lounge is nice, but ruined by Sodexo appalling service, how they keep their license is beyond me. Will I renew, yes as it’s worth having the seats next to friends of over 45 years.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

The seats and view are great, although as I am fortunate to have a front-row WSU seat, it's not dramatically different.

And I'm sure the company around you in WSU is better.

 

[jcdenton08]

I don’t remember what the one I got invited to was called, but they gave you unlimited booze and a gorgeous beef dinner. I’m quite poor so I wouldn’t have paid for it, but if I had the disposable income I absolutely would. Was a top notch experience. Very quiet during the match though, made me long to be back in the North.

 

[timbha]

Positives are the seats, wonderful view just left of the half way line, and the people around us, been there since the start of the Amex. The lounge is nice, but ruined by Sodexo appalling service, how they keep their license is beyond me. Will I renew, yes as it’s worth having the seats next to friends of over 45 years.

Have you complained about Sodexo’s service?

To lose their license (do you mean breach of contract/agree service standards?) would be very serious, but the club needs to know specific examples of the poor service so they can investigate and escalate. I’m not accusing you of this but small groups standing around grumbling remains as just that.

 

[Live by the sea]

Have you complained about Sodexo’s service?

To lose their license (do you mean breach of contract/agree service standards?) would be very serious, but the club needs to know specific examples of the poor service so they can investigate and escalate. I’m not accusing you of this but small groups standing around grumbling remains as just that.

It’s a real pain getting another supplier in though . Also proving it when they have probably signed a time contract is difficult .

 

[trueblue]

I joined when the stadium first opened but lasted a single year. Simply not for me unfortunately. The warm lounge and the good view were the positives but couldn't be doing with the dress code and lack of atmosphere. Horses for courses. I know some people love it - but very happy in the WSU, which gives me what I want from a day at the football.

 

[trueblue]

This. It's a bit like going to a gig in a shirt and tie. Just feels wrong

Or a football match in a collar and smart shoes.

 

[BN9 BHA]

If I was rolling in money I would still take my seat first row of the north I like to smell the grass and be close to the action. A random cup game I went to the West upper and it reminded me of watching a game on the telly. Not atmospheric at all it didn’t help I suppose with a freezing wind blowing in my face all game Christ it was cold.

The WSU isn’t for soft sparkies, us plumbers can handle the cold wind up there.

 

[AK74]

Or a football match in a collar and smart shoes.

No requirement for a collared shirt in 1901 anymore. And clean training shoes are accepted too. #progression

 

[Hovegull]

No requirement for a collared shirt in 1901 anymore. And clean training shoes are accepted too. #progression

I didn’t think there was a dress code at all. Ripped jeans, tracksuits, socks and sliders….

 

[Commander]

I have seen a of comments on different threads about changes to 1901, pros and cons but thought it was time we had a new thread on the subject.

Full disclosure, for the first ten years I had 1901 seats, but moved away to a normal STH shortly after signing up for the third five year period. Fortunately I managed to transfer my existing seats to someone else.

So what is it now like?

I think it’s fantastic. Thank you!

 

[The Grockle]

Interesting to read comments on the different areas of 1901.

I would like to take my partner and daughter to a game, my daughter doesn't like big crowds so I think I'd go down the 1901 route for her furst game. What's the cheapest option on pay by game basis? Not fussed about which lounge

 

[Weststander]

Where i sit in 1901 in WS is a mixture of people who've been there right from the start, and corporate tickets held by plumbers merchants etc and distributed on a match by match basis to whoever...

Before last season, Every game against a big 6 club (or the likes of WHU) would be occupied by gobby plastic pricks vocally supporting the oppo and often doing down the albion...Liverpool being easily the worst on the twatometer.

Happy to report that in the last couple of seasons the worm has turned. FAR more albion supporters in those seats now. They may be plastics, but they're OUR plastics

Or did a succession of Amex Albion results against the high spenders mean that they had nothing to shout about?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Interesting to read comments on the different areas of 1901.

I would like to take my partner and daughter to a game, my daughter doesn't like big crowds so I think I'd go down the 1901 route for her furst game. What's the cheapest option on pay by game basis? Not fussed about which lounge

From the club, you’d have to buy a hospitality package that included a meal in one of the restaurants. They don’t sell just a seat with lounge access on a game by game basis.

Your best bet for just three seats (no hospitality) is to look on the exchange for sold out games. The cheaper seats are at the North and South ends of the 1901 areas.

You might be quite lucky to find 3 seats together going the exchange route, whereas the club (hospitality) route would be pretty much guaranteed to get 3 together.