|
1.
Why you were looking forward to going to
the ground (or not as the case may be):
This was QPR’s first away day back in the
Premier League since 1996. An entire
generation of QPR fans including myself
have not attended a Premier League away
game for a very long time so it was a
great feeling to be there on merit and not
via a cup draw. I have travelled to over
55 league clubs following QPR and this was
also a new one for me after enduring the
same Championship grounds year after year.
This was an old-fashioned proper football
ground and we were all excited to be doing
Everton for the first time.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the
ground/car parking?
We set off from West Ruislip area
(Middlesex) at 8.30am after collecting my
cousin Mark and his (Evertonian friend
Dan) and big Chris from the station,
stocked up on supplies from a Tesco (this
included 8 fosters for Chris which he
drank all by himself!). We arrived in
Liverpool at 12.15pm which we laughed at
being there so early. The M6 toll proved
to work its wonders again! We parked up in
a lovely place called the Isla Gladstone
Foundation which looked like a very plush
building at one end of Stanley Park. This
cost £8 and we were the first to
park up and had no worries about the car
whatsoever. The ground was literally a
short walk through the park and you could
see it so probably 250 yards from where we
had parked.
3. What you did before the game
pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
We decided to walk down to the stadium to
buy a few programmes so we could flick
through them when we found a pub. We took
the advice of the guide and walked up to
the Walton Road and had the choice of the
Wetherspoons or Bradleys Wine Bar. We
opted for Bradleys (which is not a wine
bar) but a very friendly old-fashioned
pub. As it was very early, there was about
5 locals in there but we decided to
stay. 4 beers were under £10 and
they were lovely freezing cold San Miguel
and Fosters. We sat down and chilled out
for an hour until the Arsenal v Liverpool
game started. We got chatting to lots of
friendly Everton fans who made us feel
very welcome and even got given some cake
(designed as a football pitch) by one of
the local ladies. They cooked burgers,
pies and chips all for £1 each – and
they incredibly were really nice. After a
great time in the pub we left just before
the end of the tv game, Liverpool got
their second and sealed the points (to the
delight of 2 very odd and angry looking
Liverpool fans) in amongst the Evertonians
and we made our way to the ground at half
two. One thing we did think was very odd
was we didn’t see 1 other QPR fan anywhere
until we got to outside away end (no idea
where our fans were drinking!!). We went
one way and our Evertonian friend went the
other.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground,
first impressions of away end then other
sides of the ground?
The Main Stand towers above the rest of
the ground and was easily visible in the
surrounding area. We went straight into
the away section and it wasn’t overly
impressive. It looked very cramped and
dated as you enter the turnstiles with
very little room to move around. I didn’t
actually queue for any food or drink in
the stadium but the other guys didn’t seem
to be waiting too long although we didn’t
try the Scouse Pie!. The away seating is
on wooden blue seats that are all
connected in a row and in good condition
for wooden seats. Ideally if you’re in the
lower tier you need to be in front of the
columns which we weren’t. This did
slightly restrict our view at the Gwladys
end. The Main Stand opposite did look
impressive either, although it makes the
stadium seem bigger than it probably is.
The Park End looked tidy and we had a good
view of the scoreboards. I liked the sign
at the Gwladys End – ‘Evertonians are born
not manufactured’.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere,
stewards, pies, toilets etc..
To the surprise of many, QPR won 1-0 and
it was a fantastic result. Everton had the
better of the chances in the first half.
Tim Cahill should have scored from close
range but headed wide from 4 yards out.
Leighton Baines hit the bar with a great
free-kick which Paddy Kenny didn’t even
move for. QPR took the look in the 32nd
minute with a lovely turn and strike from
Tommy Smith sending the Rs faithful into
delirium and there was plenty of jumping
around. This goal made the Everton fans go
very quiet and the QPR fans louder. As the
game went on the home fans got
increasingly frustrated and booed their
side off at the full-time whistle. It was
a strange day really with QPR announcing a
new takeover 2 days before and Everton
owner announcing no money would be spent
on new players. The stewarding was fine no
hassle between rival fans too. I didn’t
venture into the toilets or concourse area
so I have no comment on those! I think the
official attendance was 35,000 with 1500
being the QPR support.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground
after the game:
We left Liverpool at half 5 and were back
on the motorway very easily. Only a small
delay getting onto the main roads for ten
minutes tops. We did look at all the other
scores in the country via the internet and
listening out for England V India 4th test
updates to hear how England were getting
closer to a 4-0 series win. Big Chris had
backed 5 home wins earlier in the day and
all but 1 team (Sheffield United) let him
down. So we were winding him up as we went
through the scores which was good fun.
Took 3 ½ hours to get Mark to
Ickenham and Chris to Shepherds Bush – and
4 hours for me back to West Drayton after
dropping everyone off first.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day
out
One of the best away days I have done in a
long time. Everton fans were friendly and
let us mix with them in the pub. The beers
were freezing and very cheap. QPR won 1-0
their first game in premier league since
1996 and the journeys both way only took 3
½ hours with stops. It was a new
club to visit and a decent sized stadium
that had a proper feel about the place.
The fans (although a bit quiet and fed up)
were genuine and not a ‘prawn sandwich’
brigade which also was good to see. Will
definitely want to come back to Goodison
Park and would recommend it to any
visiting fan if you haven’t been!
..
|
