Fair weather supporters take note ...

[andy-hughes]

As regulars will know from posts on other sections, the present Mrs Hughes is a dyed-in-the-wool Stoke fanatic - season ticket holder, Arsenal hater, former Golden Goal girl, participant on the recording of the iconic club song 'We'll be With You' ...

and now she is distraught to find that the weekend the mighty Potters travel to Wembley, she will be working away in Abu Dhabi!!!

However, she is examining the logistics of flying home for the game, and flying back out again, provided the game is on a Saturday (Sunday is a working day over there) so we wait to see what the FA can salvage from the typical cock-up of a weekend that coincides with the London Marathon.

Now that's what I call supporting your team!

[Davethedog]

"so we wait to see what the FA can salvage from the typical cock-up of a weekend that coincides with the London Marathon"

What cock up Andy?

[joggerjayne]

Talk Sport think it's a c0ck up, as well.

[rowanwitch]

the fact that london comes to a standstill on marathon sunday, that you can't get across the city unless it is via Dover or Cambridge... Half the major roads are filled with brave souls in fancy dress and the tubes are packed with people trying to get home at about the time everyone will be trying to get from Euston to Wembley so just hope the match is on Saturday

[andy-hughes]

Manchester, Liverpool. Bolton and Stoke supporters all have to negotiate the nightmare of travelling to London on the same weekend, when they will be met by their great friends the Arsenal supporters, together with any other London club hoolies who fancy a day out and a tear-up (Milwall, West Ham etc. - all on the weekend when the city is jammed to the rafters with Marathon supporters.

Yep - I'd call that scheduling by the FA a cock-up - wouldn't you Dave?

[mccfluff]

charter a private 'copter Andy :-)

[joggerjayne]

Well, I don't travel to watch my team (once, to Bristol, 2 years ago), but I have been to watch them when it's been ... freezing, pouring, etc ...

I've sat there, shivering away, screaming at the top of my voice, while the rain bucketed down on me.

And the time I went to Bristol, we were struggling against relegation, and I thought they needed all the support we could give them.

So I think I'm not just a fair weather supporter.

However ... flying home from Abu Dhabi ??

Now THAT takes "support" to a whole new level !

[Davethedog]

The Marathon is run completly East of Westminster Bridge, through Greenwich and the Isle of dogs finishing in the Mall thats eleven miles from Wembley.

The course doesn't go anywhere near the major Northern terminus of Euston or Kings Cross.

London doesn't come anywhere near to a standsill on Marathon Sunday many roads are closed but gettin north to south is easy and most roads that are closed are open again after 4/5 hours. If you don't live on the route you wouldn't even know it was happening.

[redman41]

London Public Transport will be Gridlocked ! I for one would much prefer to see Semi-Finals played at neutral Grounds away from London.
Wembley should be for the finalists only as was the case Years ago.
Hope your Mrs gets her wish and obtains Tickets because she is obviously a loyal Supporter and not a Fair Weather one.

[chelle7272]

I agree redman, it takes so much away from the experience of the final if the semis are played at Wembley.

Andy - fair play to Mrs Hughes, indeed a loyal fan, let's hope the dates work in her favour.

[rowanwitch]

its the congestion on the tubes that is the biggest problem as people filter back to the major termini to go home...

Anyway I'm with those who believe the semis should not be played at Wembly it destroys the magic of the final

[Davethedog]

I agree that Semis should be out of London however most of the Marathon people will be on thier way out well before the KO

If TFL are doing thier normal thing there could be trouble but if theres a normal service there will be less people on the underground than in any rush hour

[andy-hughes]

Yep - I'm in full agreement about playing the Semis at neutral grounds which was always the way in the past - gave some clubs a chance to make some money, and not everyone had to travel the length of the country to satisfy the London-centric FA.

As advised Dave, it's not the locations of the events that is the issue - it's the sheer numbers of people travelling to them from all over the UK and converging on central London that's going to cause the havoc.

Part of me hopes the Stoke game is on the Sunday, so my lovely wife is not subjected to all that chaos getting in and out of the city - she will be staying with her sistrer in Amersham if it goes ahead.

[campbellking]

Difficult, but not impossible, speaking as someone who ran the London Marathon last year, then journeyed on the Tube to go and watch Chelsea, and only missed the first couple of minutes. Coincidentally, we beat Stoke 7-0 that day, was a good day all round.

[andy-hughes]

campbellking - fortunately, the present Mrs Hughes is not a visitor to the AB - a reminder of such a trauma would have her confined to bed for the day with an attack of the vapours!