Why is the Costa bus so expensive?

[patchamalbion]

Liz Costa is a legend. So what if she inadvertantly ends up with surplus from the coaches? It'll all go back to the supporters club anyway.

I suggest you all go and ask her about the prices to her face. She's tougher than Kuipers after you've hit him round the face with a flannel. Love the Liz. I probably wouldn't have been an Albion fan if it wasn't for her - my mum wouldn't let me go on my own, so Liz looked after me on the coach. We had some checkered times in the years that followed - relentlessly taking the piss out of the lads from Burgess Hill and sitting on someone's birthday cake which was on one of the seats coming back from an away game drunk spring to mind - but she saved my life a few times when I had no other way of getting back from away games as a teenager. Unfortunately the round trip to Hartlepool a few years back was the final straw in boredom for me, but she is an Albion hero.

agreed she is a bit of a legend,and she didnt take much shit either. my first ever away game was lincoln when we won 3-1 and it kicked off in our end after some lincoln celebrated their goal,swear i saw get involved,lol..and she described it after to my mum as all part of the fun. also kept an eye on us as young'uns and think i remember getting free coach and ticket for by birthday.......macclesfield away,0-0,freezing etc

 

[dougdeep]

The supporters club buses made a loss last year by the way.

 

[Robot Chicken]

The supporters club buses made a loss last year by the way.

Shhh, people don't want to hear about that, do they

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

The supporters club buses made a loss last year by the way.

Fair enough.

I would argue that that's probably because they send half empty coaches up to Carlisle as people can't afford £50 in the credit crunch but i will only get shot down having not seen the accounts!

Good on them for still running I suppose if they are making a loss.

 

[Paxton Dazo]

But I might decide the day before to go?

Well then, you pay £60 for the Grand Central and £15 for the train to London, and it costs you £75. Serves you right for being indesicive.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

They probably budget on 30 people being on the coach each match, and sometimes make a profit, which covers the losses on other matches where there is poor takeup.

Haven't used the bus for years but used them a fair few times in the late 80's / early 90's for long midweek away trips that you couldn't get back from by train. I was never part of the 'gang' - me and my mate would sit with our walkmans on for most of the journey rather than play bingo - but they always made us welcome.

I remember asking Liz about this back then and she used to budget on 35 people being on the coach. In those days our away support wasn't always as strong as it is now so this was sometimes a gamble for her so if one game had a full coach it would cover the others where numbers were less than break even.

As for cost, usually a coach will cost a set amount for the initial hire but the price of fuel for the coaches isn't cheap and for longer trips you often need to pay for two drivers due to regulations on the amount of time one person is allowed to drive a coach for. This all adds to the cost.

As many have said, this is a service run by the supporters club and not for profit. In the Bellotti era I know that there were issues with unpaid bills from the club when they made the bookings and the supporters club often had to pay the bills to ensure we had fans at away games.

For those who mock, the people who travel regularly on these coaches may not be ones you would have in your social circle - they like the easy life and aren't necessarily fussed about turning up at a game half cut - but they are hardcore Albion fans just like the rest of us. As noted above, many people on here have used the coaches over the years and for some, they wouldn't be Albion fans without being able to have such a safe way or travelling when younger. We would be a much sadder club without the efforts of Liz and her band of merry followers.

 

[timbha]

i understand part of the SC Charter is to run transport to all Albion away matches ensuring even on a Tuesday night at Swansea in the LDV Albion fans are present. Don't knock the SC - they are supporters like the rest of us, they don't "pick" their matches nor do they conduct their fights on a keyboard.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

this whole thread makes me cringe, anoraks and bobble hats abound

 

[London Pompous]

i understand part of the SC Charter is to run transport to all Albion away matches ensuring even on a Tuesday night at Swansea in the LDV Albion fans are present. Don't knock the SC - they are supporters like the rest of us, they don't "pick" their matches nor do they conduct their fights on a keyboard.

I think the work that Liz does is easy to mock, but she is there rain and shine at all the matches and should be given credit for taking the risk, and investing the time, in organising the coaches.

I only travelled once on the coach, as I was slightly disturbed by the behaviour of one somewhat large female fan, who spent the whole journey sitting next to what only can be described as a black inflatable male doll, wearing a Phoenix Brewery shirt and shorts, and constantly saying to him "Come on Terry, you know you want to, and if you are a good boy I will let you too".

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

is liz costa married

 

[London Pompous]

is liz costa married

I believe she once dated John Lees, the former SCR commentator and Olympic walker. Rumour was she broke it off because " He was hung like Jeremy Beadle's thumb", but I have not had this confirmed.

 

[Beach Hut]

?
Why do people pay extortionate prices for a "day out" stuck in a cramped coach with no alcohol?

And where does the money go? Surely the coach/driver hire and fuel is covered by a full coach to Leyton Orient, for example?

£30 to Walsall! Liz Costa probably makes more on a Saturday afternoon than Bill Gates!

I appreciate it has its use as a 'last resort', but generally speaking, why do people do it?

Trying talking to JMC or whatever his name was who ran buses to games not always full and not everyone paid for.

Not seen him for while.................

 

[pishhead]

Trying talking to JMC or whatever his name was who ran buses to games not always full and not everyone paid for.

Not seen him for while.................

James was a top bloke, but as you say ask him how easy it was running coaches. Personally I wouldn't use them I have on a few occasions QPR boxing day, Rochdale midweek and Hull away on a friday night, best may to make the journey interesting is to bring your own special cola.

 

[Djmiles]

I went on the coach to Northampton in the Paint Pot this season, couldn't have been more than 15 of us on there, and we were charged the going rate of £25.

 

[Captain Haddock]

I think the work that Liz does is easy to mock, but she is there rain and shine at all the matches and should be given credit for taking the risk, and investing the time, in organising the coaches.

I only travelled once on the coach, as I was slightly disturbed by the behaviour of one somewhat large female fan, who spent the whole journey sitting next to what only can be described as a black inflatable male doll, wearing a Phoenix Brewery shirt and shorts, and constantly saying to him "Come on Terry, you know you want to, and if you are a good boy I will let you too".

Mr Connor, I presume?!