The cab driver looked in the rearview mirror, with one eyebrow raised …
“Did you boys enjoy the match?”
Indeed, we had. Even though it was a Thursday night Europa League snoozer between Arsenal and some team only known to the FIFA faithful … the Emirates is one of the many grounds to behold.
“So, how long are you staying in London,” she asked .. “And what else are you up to…”
My buddy A leans in … “Actually, we’re headed to more football…”
Now both eyebrows are up.
“You boys came all the way to London to just watch the football? Why on earth …”
Why on earth indeed. I mean, if you are going to fly across the pond, why not catch as much football as humanly possible, and make those Premier League scenes come to life?
That’s the aim of our London weekends. And maybe yours too?
The second time was even better
This was the second such trip we’d endeavored to make with the same simple goal — to fit in as many matches as we could squeeze into a short vacation time with a reasonable plane ticket.
The strategy usually means finding an accessible match for a team you like and follow, and then trying to see how many other places you get, to explore those scenes you’d usually consume from your couch on Sundays with your friends Rebecca, the two Robbies and sometimes Kyle.
It’s a ton of fun — but a totally foreign idea to the average football fan (and our bewildered cab driver…) There’s a little art, a little science and a lot of logistics … but if you’re interested in all aspects of this worldwide circus, there’s a ton to explore.
And that’s where this blog comes in. Over the past 5 years of following the Premier League, I’ve always had one extra eye on the table, fixtures, and updates flowing from the teams during the season. The goal? Figure out a way to get out and see a favorite match in person, and then maximize the time by exploring my PL curiosity.
Things might get complicated
Planning a football trip abroad can be complicated to execute. Planes, trains, match tickets, and hotels. Endless logistics. And the need to find a pint and a pie along the way.
The planning, though? The planning can be a blast — if you’re into that sort of thing. And since my day job generally runs me city to city over the course of most of the year, plotting a football adventure is way more fun than mid-week meeting logistics.
On the contrary, there’s attempting to visit your favorite ground without any planning at all. That, my zealous and spontaneous friend, is a recipe for disaster. Seeing soccer abroad — and especially in England — is a much different prospect than deciding to hit up your favorite US sporting event on a whim after prowling a ticket site. You must plan. At least a little.
Alas, there’s no way for me to make the trip across the pond every weekend. You know, life and stuff. So, this blog exists to scratch my trip-planning itch, and as a way to refine my annual planning for my crew’s match hopping experience.
Where will you go on an adventure?
Maybe you want to take a parent/child trip to see your favorite team in action? Or sponsor said trip for your loved ones. Maybe it’s a multi-match, small group barnstorming weekend that you’ve got in mind. Something that spans a Champions League group stage week, or dips into the winter mid-week fixtures. Or, maybe you’re going to have to convince your family to give you just one Saturday afternoon to get your fix while on a vacation enjoying the rest of what London (and England) has to offer?
If you’ve got any of those scenarios in mind, I’ve got a few tips and tricks for you. That opening story was from 2018. In 2019, I doubled-down. With a little extra time to spare — I tried to do as much exploring as I could. That made for three trips of various types — and lots more practice in trying to execute the perfect football weekend.
And that’s the goal of these many blog pages to come — to help any potential football traveler figure out the best way to have that adventure of a lifetime.
Let’s get going!