Dear Diary...
This is my diary. How things are. Or something. Please note that the diary is archived month by month, so feel free to click the links for the archives (which now will go back five years maximum):
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2020 |
Monday 2nd June – Back to the Etihad
In all the years of being a Manchester City fan, I’ve been a season ticket holder for a fair number of them – and most recently, having one with one of my good friends until he passed away a couple of years ago. He was a wheelchair user and a friend I’d known since 1995, so when he first touted the idea of getting a season ticket, it worked out that I could go as his helper, and therefore it was a win-win situation for us both, meaning we could get to the games, see the Blues in many historic moments to come (a certain Sergio Aguero one in 2012 for one) and it also meant that we would be able to enjoy it with less stress.
When my friend passed away, it was a very sad time and naturally that did mean that the season ticket was given up (the helper cannot then get one of their own as there would be no wheelchair user to go with), and so for me I’d have to use my Cityzens Matchday membership (I still had one because of discounts for things like trains back in the day) and then try and get to the games I could do when they went on sale for members. I figured that if I was able to attend enough games in the next season or two, there may be an outside chance of me being eligible for one in future, and so restart my season ticket holding as such. That of course will mean much less stress for getting tickets for say Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal at home, and starting to amass more loyalty points too.
I worked out that I had attended last season 19 home games over the competitions that counted (Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League) so this put me in the over 18 purchases bracket for the sales window, which would be 1pm today for me. I was a little concerned that the earlier window for those over 20 home games may take some options out, but they did say beforehand in the email almost everything was going to be East or Colin Bell Stand, levels 1 or 3, so knew that anyway. I did a chunk of work in the morning sorting out a few things about decommissioning some of our existing infrastructure, so that worked nicely and timed it so I would be on lunch during the sales window to see what would happen.
In fact, it was a relatively straightforward process. The sales window opened, I could click the button, see a map of the ground and choose where I would like to sit, and spotted a good spot in one of the stands to be able to get a good view. So with that in mind, selected that, added the FA Cup scheme as well (as they are more likely to be weekend instead of League Cup and Champions League) as if you are on a cup scheme, it is cheaper still. I then made sure the card details were all correct for payments being taken, went into the payment scheme accordingly, and within a few minutes, all done, and confirmation email sent. I am now once again a season ticket holder at the Etihad! Happy times indeed, and possibly for 2026-27 I may relocate to the new North Stand second tier once it’s open…
But still, that all makes me very happy indeed. Not least because I know now I have some certainty about games, and the Flexi-Gold season ticket is the first rung on the step. Effectively, you pay a membership fee, which is over 10 instalments if you need, and for each home game, the ticket is discounted by £7.50, so 16 games means that the membership is repaid back in full. In addition, if you do all 19 home league ganes, you pay the same equivalent as a Gold season ticket holder. You get the same seat each time too, with an exclusive sales window via email a few weeks before, so effectively pay as you go, but with discounts and the same seat, and the next year, you can then remain as is if you like, or go Gold. I do miss the old Value Gold option from previous years which cost just £299 and you got a random seat chosen for you (and was the same seat each game) but still, it’s a definite win for me and one I’m pleased to have sorted out. Needless to say, Supra’s version of Blue Moon is tune of the day, and safe in the knowledge that I’ll be singing that a plenty next season!
Sunday 1st June – Carvery and Cross Country Calamity
The Sunday morning presented The Love In My Heart with a long lie in opportunity, and she was going to take that understandably. Brian the cat was of course snuggled up with his Mummy as ever, and he only got briefly when I woke up and went to the loo, as he then was waiting outside the bathroom for treats – which I gave in to and provided before getting changed. The weather was a bit more icky today with constant rain showers in between the sunshine, so was a contrast to say the least. As it was, we did decide to rest and relax with some episodes of Escape to the Country followed then by The Love switching over to ITV3 for some Downton Abbey. I do remember some of the series they were showing, especially the drama around one of the childbirths and what happened to the mother afterwards. I did ask The Love what her favourite character was, and she said Lady Edith (and one of our friends does like the Dowager Duchess, played by the late Dame Maggie Smith.)
We decided that for Sunday lunch we would do either a roast or a carvery, as we had not had one in a while, although I was going to keep off the Yorkshire pudding and try and have more vegetables instead, so make it a little less weighty. In the end it was easy enough to book a table for later for the Sheldon Arms, not far from the Snipe Retail Park near Ashton-under-Lyne, and then we headed off there. It was good to have booked because that meant we got a good table in the area close to the carvery but also meant we had lovely table service from some friendly staff when it came to drinks and orders. We both decided that the carvery was the choice for us both, and with a JW Lees Light lager for me, it was all good.
The one great thing about the carvery here is that you are not limited to one choice of meat, if you want two, all good. The Love went first, and I went after she got back, and so we both ended up having the turkey and gammon (they had beef and pork too) with some roast potatoes, mash, broccoli, sweetcorn and some really nice honey roasted carrots, which to be honest I should have had more of because they were lovely, and all with a meat gravy too. The Love isn’t a fan of sweetcorn and went for the red cabbage instead which she enjoyed, but all was well and it was just nice to be out and enjoying a good lunch together.
We then headed back to Manchester city centre to be close to the station for my train home later on, but the plan to go Track’s tap room was thwarted because of no parking spaces nearby. However, we did get to Ancoats and get a space there (free on Sundays too incidentally) and the Makers Market had been on and was coming to a close – which we had been to a few times. It was Seven Bro7ers Beerhouse for us and I had the Schofferhofer tropical fruit Radler, which was very refreshing and hit the spot well without being too strong, as much as they did have a guest stout that looked gorgeous to drink. The Love had the Seven Beo7ers pilsner as it always a good one to have, and we chattered away for ages and just felt relaxed and happy together.
The time went by far too quickly, and it was off to Manchester Piccadilly station to say my fond farewell and get the first of two trains – I was going via Birmingham to try and avoid some of the engineering works. Unfortunately, CrossCountry’s train was late into Piccadilly and kept being later as it left other stations, arriving in Birmingham just as the train to London was leaving, despite me leaving 27 minutes for a connection. I was able to chat with the staff at New Street and get my ticket validated for the next train to London instead, which was all fine and quiet, and I had some tunes on the iPod to mellow out with (tune of the day being Please Don’t by She Makes War which I always end up listening to when travelling), but still, a stress I could have done without. The worst thing of all is that CrossCountry only do Delay Repay after 30 minutes’ delay (most do 15) so wasn’t even getting anything back either for the inconvenience. Meh.