Affordable football? Don’t be fooled…

When I read the findings of the BBC study into football being affordable I have to say it rang true for me as someone who took advantage of the cheap season tickets available when we moved to the Olympic Stadium. I used to be a season ticket holder in the Bobby Moore Stand during the Redknapp / Roeder era and used to pay £435 for my seat in the corner near the Chicken Run.

I gave up my seat after the 2002-3 season as things were growing increasingly tight at the time and something had to give so I resigned myself to a handful of friendlies, Carling Cup games against the minnows, (yes Millwall, that would include you), and a spare ticket on the off chance for a league game.

So when Gold, Sullivan and Karren Brady promised me the world for £289 I was really interested, what’s more, I now had children, including a 12 year old who was getting the West Ham bug and when the family on her mother’s side supported Arsenal and Spurs, I knew the time had come to act. So, I threw my hat into the ring, chucked down my £10 quid deposit and had my fingers crossed I would win the lottery before the cheap seats ran out. So to cut a long story short, my numbers came up, I bought my ticket and one for my daughter too (£100) and settled down to look forward to the new Premier League season after the emotions of the final game at the Boleyn Ground, which remember, with no ticket I had to watch in the Queens after a last pilgrimage to Upton Park.

BBC Sport: Being a West Ham season ticket holder is almost £100 cheaper than any other London club in the Premier League, including buying a pie, a tea and a programme per game.

Arsenal £1458.10
Chelsea: £1262.96
Tottenham: £1219
Crystal Palace: £950.49
West Ham United: £854.20

— David Gold (@davidgold) November 16, 2017

When I first took my seat for the NK Domzale game, in spite of what felt like endless jibes about binoculars and telescopes from opposition supporters all summer, I was really impressed with the view….. yes, honestly.

Maybe this is because I wasn’t regularly at the Boleyn so it wasn’t as apparent to me as others. So, do I still feel it gives value for money? In my opinion and most importantly for my circumstances, it definitely does. For me and my daughter to attend Premier League football costs me roughly £20 per game for tickets, usually a tenner on a big soft drink and crisps and sweets to share and generally that is about it other than the odd trip to the club shop.

It’s also given me the chance of upgrading when she can’t make it and getting to go with a mate where of course the refreshments can get a bit more grown-up and expensive. If the club decided to raise the prices of the Band 5 tickets significantly, I would obviously have to reconsider renewing but as things stand, even with the poor performances and results, I’ve really found it great value and best of all its afforded me quality time with my daughter which let’s be honest is priceless. Important to stress that this is for my set of circumstances ONLY and others will see things differently I’m sure.

COYI!

By David Yems

@DJYems