Football Away games.......

[hitony]

I was just thinking about our home game against Bournemouth and was wondering, at this festive time of year, and I appreciate most games are kept as close as possible around this time of year, but, do the away teams actually stay away in hotels or travel in the morning? my guess is they do stay away, but I honestly don't know, I am sure someone on here will know more.

I am not just relating to our game by the way, and I do appreciate that if we were playing Burnley it would be a "Stay Away" scenario, but as I say most games are reasonably close, so I wonder if the Managers trust the players enough to not drink, go to bed at a reasonable time etc.

Your knowledge would be appreciated

 

[Muzzy]

Our side stay in a hotel for a night whoever we play but not sure about other teams.
I guess the lower down the pyramid the teams are the more likely it is that they travel on the day.
I was in a hotel last year when mboro played Hull, which is kind of local so I know that they overnight as well.

Ps. I wouldn't have described our fixture at Blackpool as keeping games local at this time of year. Which seemed harsh on our travelling supporters, so fair play to all those that went.

 

[Foul Play Rocks]

Pretty sure they travel the day before a match and stay over

 

[hitony]

Our side stay in a hotel for a night whoever we play but not sure about other teams.
I guess the lower down the pyramid the teams are the more likely it is that they travel on the day.
I was in a hotel last year when mboro played Hull, which is kind of local so I know that they overnight as well.

Ps. I wouldn't have described our fixture at Blackpool as keeping games local at this time of year. Which seemed harsh on our travelling supporters, so fair play to all those that went.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info, and yes, you are right Blackpool is not exactly local

 

[The Optimist]

Even if the game is fairly local is it considered bad preparation to sit on a coach for an hour or two on the morning of a game? If so this could be the reason rather than not trusting the players to not drink and go to bed early.

 

[Superphil]

I was reading one players description of the build up to the Charlton game which included the trip to SE London on Xmas day with the team to the hotel, can't remember which player, Calde perhaps?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I believe that in some countries (Italy?) it is common practice for the top teams to overnight in a hotel before HOME games, too.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

It's not just travelling time that is reduced on the day of the game but control of diet and timing of eating, tactics and setup session and opponent review in the hotel conference room, a leg losener that morning and a late morning lite carb meal, massage and rub down etc...these are all reasons to keep the team in one place before a game and is standard practice.

 

[Muzzy]

I believe that in some countries (Italy?) it is common practice for the top teams to overnight in a hotel before HOME games, too.

Fairly sure this is the case in our game too on occasion.

It's partly to do with mental focus and keeping players dietary requirements spot on as well.

 

[Diego Napier]

It's not just travelling time that is reduced on the day of the game but control of diet and timing of eating, tactics and setup session and opponent review in the hotel conference room, a leg losener that morning and a late morning lite carb meal, massage and rub down etc...these are all reasons to keep the team in one place before a game and is standard practice.

Things have changed a bit then since Stan Bowles used to down a few pints in the pub before nipping into Loftus Road in time for the kick off!

 

[withdeanwombat]

You can't trust players on a coach on matchday, what with the crate of Guiness under the back seat and all.

 

[atfc village]

One New Years day mid 80s Aldershot played at Blackpool Players and fans made a 6am start ,money was tight a 6 0 thumping and getting soaked on the famous Blackpool kop was not such a perfect day.

 

[MissGull]

For Charlton on Boxing Day the team stayed in a hotel on Christmas Day night. Lewis Dunk tweeted as much.

 

[ali jenkins]

I know that when we played Palace away on a Tuesday night the season before last the team stayed overnight.

If they do that for an evening game 60mins up the road then I'd imagine they do it for all games.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Things have changed a bit then since Stan Bowles used to down a few pints in the pub before nipping into Loftus Road in time for the kick off!

And our very own Frank Worthington ... others too l'm sure.

 

[hitony]

Thanks, thought maybe it was a case that most would stay in hotels but wasn't sure and had a feeling a few of you would have fist hand experiences of knowing their movements