Hospitality at Football - What have been your experiences?

[Alba Badger]

I have been lucky enough to have experienced Old Trafford twice this season with work and found it to be pleasant enough but not amazing. It was a bit like a ride at an amusement park rather a football match. Might be different if I was a Man U Fan, I did thought did get to speak to Frank Stapelton about his short time at Brighton, lovely bloke.

I was also lucky enough to do the 1901 full meal in HB’s with customers for the Sheffield Wednesday game this season and it was outstanding. Got to meet Knocky as he was man of the match and I was giggling like a school girl, yep, I’m a hairy arsed 36 year old man, I know. Also did Huddersfield v Rotherham hospitality this season and I can defiantly say who's hospitality is the more “Premier League” ready out of us and them! I have to say though that the Huddersfield one was great fun and I enjoyed it way more that Man U as has a more down to earth feel to it. Met Huddersfield Captain as he was suspended and the Captain of the Yorkshire Cricket team did a Q and A.

Enough of my showing off and to the point of the thread, have you ever done Hospitality at a football match and what was it like, good, bad, ugly and who’s was the best?

 

[bhanutz]

Never done it and never would!

Corporate hospitality is the death of football!

 

[Bozza]

Only a few...

Palace for the play-off game. Box behind the goal above Palace fans. Nothing special, really. Tensions got quite high on a couple of occasions and [MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION] luzzed an inflatable seagull down onto the Palace fans below.

Villa a couple of weeks ago. In their version of 1901, I guess. Nice lounge area for pre-, mid- and post-game, with our seats just behind Messrs Bloom, Perry, Barber et al. Quite an atypical experience, I suspect, due to the number of Albion fans, often united in full voice, in there on that day.

Barnsley a few seasons ago on a lads' BDO, including many chaps from NSC. Good fun, particularly when one of our lot dry humped their mascot, Toby Tyke, who reciprocated. We had to make our excuses and leave when a Yorkshire lad got a bit upset at how friendly one of our group were getting with his lass.
[MENTION=159]Stumpy Tim[/MENTION] will have more tales from similar BDOs to Barnsley above.

 

[Bozza]

Oh, and a box (ie not 1901) at the Amex as a guest of [MENTION=17322]Lenny Rider[/MENTION]. Really enjoyed it - decent food and I like the view from the boxes - the shallower viewing angle, compared to front row WSU, was more to my liking.

I've never been in 1901.

 

[Gwylan]

Done it once (at the Mad when the Albion won and Kitson scored) and found the whole experience rather deadening: there was no atmosphere at all. I'm glad I've seen what's it like but I'm no hurry to do it again.

On the other hand, I've done hospitality at cricket and rugby matches and that's great: you generally take your pint to your seat and go back when you want a top-up

 

[Alba Badger]

Never done it and never would!

Corporate hospitality is the death of football!

Big revenue stream for clubs. I know where you are coming from though but I think it has it's place.

 

[El Presidente]

I have been in 1901 with [MENTION=5001]The Merry Prankster[/MENTION] . It was good company, the food was adequate, great seats.

My wife's ex is quite senior at Old Trafford, and she used to be a Red (thankfully meeting Inigo Calderon cured her of that). He's arranged hospitality for us a few times. The food is pretty decent there, and a chance to have a chat with players such as ex Albion Andy Ritchie and Mickey Thomas, as well as Dennis Irwin and Andy Cole.

Was invited into the director's box at Brentford this season after giving someone there a helping hand. It was more of a shed than a box, food was rudimentary but pleasant enough. The view was restricted, but I managed to behave myself and not too much noise until Tomer equalised in the 97th minute and I went postal. Had an altercation with one of their training staff and my wife disowned me and refused to talk to me all the way home to Manchester, which is a long time to be in the **** book.

 

[BBassic]

Manage to snaggle a couple of 1901 tickets a few years back.

Got really drunk.
Offended a bunch of people.
Fell asleep at the table.
Don't remember the game.

Would not recommend.

 

[Springal]

First season at the Amex I was a guest of Ken Brown our former CEO in the chairmans lounge. I thought the hospitality was great, met Brendan Rodgers who was in there with Anton. Met most of the Albion directors, Dick Knight, Des Lynam etc. Food was very good and drinks were certainly free flowing. Saw CMS nearly get run over by a Harveys barrel before the game too. Even then we had a very slick operation.

Done Birmingham City 2015/2016 season which was good, enjoyable entertainment, Marcos Painter as the guest speaker, food was good and easy to get a drink.

Wembley for an England game was very good but it is a big lounge so feels quite informal.

 

[British Bulldog]

Nearest I ever got to that was an old work mate gave me tickets he'd won to the directors box at the Goldstone, Cracking view and at half time there were trays of sandwiches and tea going around. Unfortunately it was that packed that by the time I got to the trays they were all empty and the second half was kicking off. At least I saw us come from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 that day.

 

[ThePolishJig]

Forest Away 2014 - was scenes when Ulloa scored.

 

[WhingForPresident]

I did Old Trafford when they played Chelsea in the FA Cup a few years back and thought it was outstanding. Food, service and seats were top notch.

Still not as good as a mucky away day on a terrace in some shithole up North, mind.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Don't think I'd ever chose to go hospitality for an Albion game.. Much rather be in the stands.

 

[portlock seagull]

Like anything, too much of a good thing and it's just boringly normal so prefer to keep real and do only on occasion. I then quite like it!

 

[Gazwag]

Must admit for me it would be the absolute last resort, seeing our fans behind us in the boxes at Villa, stuck behind the glass with zero interaction with the rest of our fans looked hideous. It would be different I suppose it you can go outside and probably quite good for a neutral game.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Plumbase took me and my dad to 1901 a few years ago, basically about 10 managers and us two plumbers, rinsed the company card..

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

[Postman Pat]

Enjoyed the lounge, didn't enjoy the box at south end vs Villa. Felt too sterile.

I agree about hospitality at Sussex 20/20....awesome experience!

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

Bobby Moore Club at Wembley, yes those seats next to the tunnel that are always empty 10 minutes into the second half. Can totally understand why when watching England play. The food, drink and service before, at HT and after was just superb. Plenty of "legends" milling around. My son ignored the queues for Les Ferdinand, Luther Blissett and Darren Anderton, and had his photo taken with a very appreciative Alan Mullery. Had hospitality in some of the Club Wembley boxes a few times as well, but this was something else.

Did Chelsea a few years back. Don't remember much of the hospitality other than meeting Kerry Dixon.

It's all pretty good as a neutral, but not sure I'd like it for a Brighton game.

 

[Superphil]

Never done it and never would!

Corporate hospitality is the death of football!

Must have died many, many years ago then.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

As [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] says, I've done a few. Man Utd was a great experience, Liverpool was ok but not that good.

In terms of Albion, I've organised a few with friends - including the Barnsley one Bozza mentioned. Blackburn was a bit average (they kicked us out), Forest was rubbish (largely due to the 3-0 defeat), and Preston was good. I have to say, the Villa one was absolutely brilliant