[Football] I am the exemplar of a JCL and plastic glory hunter...

[Goldstone1976]

...and I should feel ashamed of myself.

Today, Cambridge United, a club whose home games I could easily walk to, play Gateshead in the Conference playoff final and I'm going.

I know next to nothing about my now local team, even though I went to maybe 5 home games about 10 years ago, when last I lived in Cambridge. I know the name and location of their home ground, the fact that they finished 2nd in the Conference and won the playoff semi (though against whom and by what score eludes me), their home strip colours, and the name of only one of their players. That's it.

I'll be honest; I fancied a trip to Wembley and thought "why not?". There's not much more to the decision than that. I bought the ticket (£39) and booked myself a seat on a fans' coach (£15), both on Friday afternoon.

I shall cheer on the team and will be pleased if they win. But I won't really care if they lose. It's just a (pretty poor) excuse to enjoy a day out, watching some footie at Wembley, with precisely none of the angst that comes with actually supporting one of the teams in any meaningful way. I am really looking forward to it.

I do feel sorry for the fan who will be sitting next to me on the coach down. No doubt, s/he'll know a great deal about the club, its history, the likely team and their chances of winning today. They may well be looking forward to chatting about all things Cambridge United to their travelling companion. Imagine how disappointed they will be when they find they're sitting next to me.

I apologise in advance to you, gentle U's fan. But what can I say? You lucked out and got to sit next to a bloody plastic, JCL glory hunter. It happens to us all. Suck it up.

C'mon you U's (or whatever they sing)!

 

[Fungus]

Enjoy the day out, most of them with be JCLs!

 

[TonyW]

Sounds like the FA Cup Final to be fair.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

You and Max Rushden will be the only ones on the coach.

 

[Goldstone1976]

You and Max Rushden will be the only ones on the coach.

Oh God. If that turns out to be true, I will get off the bus before it leaves.

I think there are about 20-25 buses arranged from pick up points all around the city and surrounding areas; I was quite impressed.

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

You will not be alone and the real fans will appreciate the fact that some of the JCLs may starts to come and watch on a more regular basis

It was similar a few years ago when Bromley got gillingham in the FA Cup. Suddenly there were thousands of fans desperate for a ticket despite the average home attendance being really low. A group of my mates all went and they knew about 3 players and that was it

 

[Thunder Bolt]

You will not be alone and the real fans will appreciate the fact that some of the JCLs may starts to come and watch on a more regular basis

It was similar a few years ago when Bromley got gillingham in the FA Cup. Suddenly there were thousands of fans desperate for a ticket despite the average home attendance being really low. A group of my mates all went and they knew about 3 players and that was it

We took over 29K to Cardiff in 2004 although only 6K or 7K came regularly to Withdean. I would say that a lot of our Amex fans were amongst that lot.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Did a similar thing when Exeter got to a play off final in the first New Wembley season and I fancied seeing it. I had the good grace to travel independently, and had a good day out though I believe "The Grecians" didn't. Now I get "Dear Loyal Supporter" emails from them on a regular basis.

 

[GreersElbow]

We took over 29K to Cardiff in 2004 although only 6K or 7K came regularly to Withdean. I would say that a lot of our Amex fans were amongst that lot.

How do you get 29k or so fans in to a 8k max stadium?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Did a similar thing when Exeter got to a play off final in the first New Wembley season and I fancied seeing it. I had the good grace to travel independently, and had a good day out though I believe "The Grecians" didn't. Now I get "Dear Loyal Supporter" emails from them on a regular basis.

Yes, I'm starting to think I should have done this. It's not too late to do so. Hmmm.

 

[MissGull]

Something similar is highly possible should Whitehawk get that far, I reckon.

 

[Mackenzie]

I can't help but think back to the film ID when Trev and John are questioned about one of Shadwell Town's players.

Good luck.

 

[Husty]

Just make the point that you actually do follow a league team and go to their games, you're not some armchair Man U fan. I saw you at Burnley away earlier in the season. How many on your coach today would make that commitment? Probably none of them.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

We took over 29K to Cardiff in 2004 although only 6K or 7K came regularly to Withdean. I would say that a lot of our Amex fans were amongst that lot.

Loads of us either didn't have season tickets, lived far away, had work commitments etc, so went only a few times a year. I would suggest the actual number of different fans who visited Withdean was far higher than you suggest.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Loads of us either didn't have season tickets, lived far away, had work commitments etc, so went only a few times a year. I would suggest the actual number of different fans who visited Withdean was far higher than you suggest.

I didn't mention season tickets, as there were only 4K of them. Two or three times a season is regular, isn't it?

 

[Brian Fantana]

Have a good day. As I lived in Cambridge for many years, I've got a lot of mates going to Wembley today.

Hoping Cambridge do it.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I didn't mention season tickets. Two or three times a season is regular, isn't it?

Since when did 'few' mean two?

The point was and is, that due to circumstances, very many fans can't make loads of the games but that the number of unique fans each year would be considerably higher than the average attendance. And being pedantic, regular actually can mean once or twice. If a fan goes once a year each year, it's regular.

 

[MissGull]

Exactly, we couldn't fit 29k in the Withdean. There were more fans around, just couldn't all go at once. I went to the Goldstone a fair bit, but the Withdean a lot less. A lot of people remained fans, but skipped the Withdean years in terms of regular attendance, I suspect because, they had to - we wouldn't all have fitted in.

 

[Giraffe]

Hmmm, I got roped into going with a Luton fan to their losing play off final against York at Wembley. Tried to get into it, even bought a flag, but frankly it isn't right is it.

If you support club, anything else is just rubbish. It was Wembley, it was a big game to most there, but I just thought it was a shower of shit. Kept looking for any Brighton connection I could find, which Stuart Fleetwood provided.

 

[Giraffe]

Exactly, we couldn't fit 29k in the Withdean. There were more fans around, just couldn't all go at once. I went to the Goldstone a fair bit, but the Withdean a lot less. A lot of people remained fans, but skipped the Withdean years in terms of regular attendance, I suspect because, they had to - we wouldn't all have fitted in.

I am sure the club were very grateful to you for allowing others to fit in, particularly when attendances fell 2,000 below capacity. I imagine Dick Knight would give you a pat on the back and a cheeky wink.