' PREMIER LEAGUE NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE FANS '

Thursday April 24th 2014

Written by Haydn Gleed

http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/24/cardiff-c ... e-4707528/?

Cardiff City’s trips to Sunderland and Newcastle on consecutive weekends show why the Premier League need consider travelling fans more


Peter Whittingham and his Cardiff side will visit the North East on consecutive weekends (Picture: AP Photo/PA Wire)
Over the course of the next nine days, myself and about a 1,000 other people wearing blue, would have travelled roughly 1,300 miles to watch two matches.

No you didn’t misread that.

And no, it’s not a charity event for some great cause, it’s for two Premier League matches involving Cardiff City.

When the league fixtures were announced, as any promoted team would do, you look for the big matches first, Swansea, Liverpool, Manchester United etc, then you sit back and study what’s going to be the tricky trips to justify to the better half and work holidays.

The two games that jumped out at me the most was April 26th Sunderland away, followed the Saturday after, May 3rd Newcastle away.

After all the calculations had been done by the Premier League super computer like Swansea and Cardiff not playing at home the same day, Manchester City and United not playing the same day etc, it came up with the brilliant move of making Cardiff fans travel to the two furthest destinations on consecutive weekends.

I know these things happen, I even joked about it in the week leading up the fixtures being announced that this would happen, but coupled with the fact that within 10 days in January, myself and my mates went back and for to Manchester three times in that space of time, I feel like I’m part of a practical joke that isn’t really funny (One of the games was an unforeseen FA Cup match against Bolton, so I’ll let the Premier League off on that one).


Two visits to the North East in a fortnight is too much for travelling fans (Picture: andrewcoswayphotography)
As a well known bank says in their advertisements, the Premier League is made by the fans, but if you are forcing supporters to travel a lot of miles in a short space of time, they won’t turn up.

At the moment, I have a very understanding girlfriend who knows it’s been my dream for longer than I can remember to watch Cardiff City in the Premier League, but I know if we manage to stay up, the arguments we will have if these scenarios happen again is not even worth thinking about.

At the end of the campaign, I will be writing a blog highlighting how much I have actually spent this season on tickets, travel, programs etc, but as a small preview, on Boxing Day 2013, I had to shell out £127.50 for three tickets, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Yes I could have just not gone, but if you are reading this, I hope you understand that wasn’t an option as a long-term fan.

The Premier League need to use common sense when it comes to the fixtures and ticket prices. If they want fans to keep coming back, they need to think more about the supporters and not force us to choose between our club and real life, otherwise the magic that is the Premier League will only feel magical to people sitting watching at home.

Not to mention letting Sky move our 2nd furthest game of the season to a midday kick off!

BITD it was home one week, away the next, home again, then away again.......Made sense, and worked perfectly well for decades.

Now the fixtures are farcical. The PL and SKY couldn't care less about fans.

They have done a bit with the dosh to subside the tickets of away games.

BITD it was home one week, away the next, home again, then away again.......Made sense, and worked perfectly well for decades.

Now the fixtures are farcical. The PL and SKY couldn't care less about fans.

That's it in a nutshell...

BITD it was home one week, away the next, home again, then away again.......Made sense, and worked perfectly well for decades.

Now the fixtures are farcical. The PL and SKY couldn't care less about fans.

That's it in a nutshell...

Yup. Nail. Head.

This is an interesting thread, obviously from a loyal fan. I have every sympathy with your plight, but can't see anything changing for punters who spend hard-earned cash and time on a fortnightly basis to support their club away.

To play devil's advocate though for a minute, all teams and supporters are to an extent in the same boat. Even big clubs have to travel substantial distances. London clubs have to travel up North and now to Wales. Northern clubs have to travel south. Let's not forget that the really big clubs are involved in Champions League of Europa

If it's any consolation, I bet these clubs from big cities hate coming all the way over the bridge and this year, 10% of PL games have been in God's country. Lol.



I take my hat off to supporters who sacrifice in all sorts of ways to follow their club to away fixtures. I, fir one, am unable to do this most of the time due to work commitments. For this reason, I never take part in criticising the size of the away crowd.


Good on you son!!

Lol bless.
Your firsts season in the prem and u already want change.
Just a heads up for u, the prem now has been going for a few years and fans from all over have had to do the same, so stop crying about it and get on with it ffs.

Lol bless.
Your firsts season in the prem and u already want change.
Just a heads up for u, the prem now has been going for a few years and fans from all over have had to do the same, so stop crying about it and get on with it ffs.

There was obviously too many big words for you to read it all wasnt there?

Lol bless.
Your firsts season in the prem and u already want change.
Just a heads up for u, the prem now has been going for a few years and fans from all over have had to do the same, so stop crying about it and get on with it ffs.

obviously it doesn't effect a big club like Swansea, because you take thousands away regardless

We aint a big club, and allso we dont make out to be.
But we dont cry about the travelling and so on.
You lot are so full of shit its unreal.

We aint a big club, and allso we dont make out to be.
But we dont cry about the travelling and so on.
You lot are so full of shit its unreal.

Still take more away than you, and we will in the championship, and league 1 and league 2 if it comes to that,

come on admit were twice the size of you what ever league your in

We aint a big club, and allso we dont make out to be.
But we dont cry about the travelling and so on.
You lot are so full of shit its unreal.

Still take more away than you, and we will in the championship, and league 1 and league 2 if it comes to that,

come on admit were twice the size of you what ever league your in

Bigger is not always better. Check out the league table