Tickets for away matches, harder to come by.

[This Is The Daybreak]

I have noticed this season in particular the away matches selling out at a far quicker rate than any previous seasons. Spurs sold out at 30 credits, Palace about the same and QPR to 45 plus! I have been following Arsenal away now since 2001/02 and have never known tickets so hard to come by. It's not like our team have got dramatically better at any point. I have 20 myself and this is the first year I've missed out on a number of London aways.

I have a feeling people might be abusing the system what with twitter etc and selling on the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland and the less popular games. Even up to and including last season I always found that 20 was usually enough for the North London Derby, even 15. I remember going to the Old Trafford 8-2 and the season after where we lost 2-1 where it went down to zero credits. Not a chance now, even though we're pretty much always chasing for 4th.

Is it the popularity or our people abusing the system?

[Mistical92]

QPR is an outlier, since the allocation is only 1,800 and there are 1,200 Away Ticket Scheme members.

I don't see a realistic way of policing the system, I've bought tickets from season ticket holders for Stoke, Wigan etc. because otherwise I'd not be able to go. When fans do this they accept the system is being played but if it wasn't then how would us non-STHs get away tickets?

[bang goes the 0-0 draw]

I've noticed the same. Have to get spares off people with so many credits but don't want to travel to Stoke, Newcastle etc.

This is my second year with a ST and have 4 points. Only Everton and Sunderland this year have gone down to 0. Not really sure how I'm supposed to build credits if the likes of Stoke away don't even go near 0.

[barnetgooner]

Could it be that people are getting bored of home matches and realise aways are much more fun?

[SPARKSY]

I have noticed this season in particular the away matches selling out at a far quicker rate than any previous seasons. Spurs sold out at 30 credits, Palace about the same and QPR to 45 plus! I have been following Arsenal away now since 2001/02 and have never known tickets so hard to come by. It's not like our team have got dramatically better at any point. I have 20 myself and this is the first year I've missed out on a number of London aways.

I have a feeling people might be abusing the system what with twitter etc and selling on the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland and the less popular games. Even up to and including last season I always found that 20 was usually enough for the North London Derby, even 15. I remember going to the Old Trafford 8-2 and the season after where we lost 2-1 where it went down to zero credits. Not a chance now, even though we're pretty much always chasing for 4th.

Is it the popularity or our people abusing the system?

QPR only gave us 1500 tickets, half of what they used to. Take off the Away ticket scheme members and you're not left with many tickets. Hence the 50+ credits.
Remember to get to 50 credits, you will have to have been going to away games for many many years, so those people have earned their stripes.
The way the club do it is about right to be fair. There are different ways of looking at it depending on your position but they're not far wrong to be honest

[northbank123]

There's no workable system that can't be played. As long as demand outstrips supply people will manipulate the system. If you are that desperate to build up credits then you just have to take those games when they become available. Draw the line at Sunderland fair enough, but why not Everton away? Unless you couldn't make it for personal reasons. I guess if we get an away draw in carling cup this would be a good chance too?

Out of interest how far down does Newcastlr normally go?

[bang goes the 0-0 draw]

There's no workable system that can't be played. As long as demand outstrips supply people will manipulate the system. If you are that desperate to build up credits then you just have to take those games when they become available. Draw the line at Sunderland fair enough, but why not Everton away? Unless you couldn't make it for personal reasons. I guess if we get an away draw in carling cup this would be a good chance too?

Out of interest how far down does Newcastlr normally go?

Normally goes down to 0. Saying that normally Sunderland goes down to reds and that sold out at 0 so who knows!

Not sure if the rest was aimed at me but I went to Sunderland and Everton. Wonder how many other games will go to 0 this year?
Burnley should as they give us 4,000 tickets. Hull?

[northbank123]

There's no workable system that can't be played. As long as demand outstrips supply people will manipulate the system. If you are that desperate to build up credits then you just have to take those games when they become available. Draw the line at Sunderland fair enough, but why not Everton away? Unless you couldn't make it for personal reasons. I guess if we get an away draw in carling cup this would be a good chance too?

Out of interest how far down does Newcastlr normally go?

Normally goes down to 0. Saying that normally Sunderland goes down to reds and that sold out at 0 so who knows!

Not sure if the rest was aimed at me but I went to Sunderland and Everton. Wonder how many other games will go to 0 this year?
Burnley should as they give us 4,000 tickets. Hull?

It was - I assumed that you hadn't gone from the tone of your post. Obviously shit starting off with but as you obviously are you've just got to get your hands on whatever you can. Will getting to five open up (m)any more opportunities?

[Perryashburtongroves]

There's no workable system that can't be played. As long as demand outstrips supply people will manipulate the system. If you are that desperate to build up credits then you just have to take those games when they become available. Draw the line at Sunderland fair enough, but why not Everton away? Unless you couldn't make it for personal reasons. I guess if we get an away draw in carling cup this would be a good chance too?

Out of interest how far down does Newcastlr normally go?

Normally goes down to 0. Saying that normally Sunderland goes down to reds and that sold out at 0 so who knows!

Not sure if the rest was aimed at me but I went to Sunderland and Everton. Wonder how many other games will go to 0 this year?
Burnley should as they give us 4,000 tickets. Hull?

It was - I assumed that you hadn't gone from the tone of your post. Obviously shit starting off with but as you obviously are you've just got to get your hands on whatever you can. Will getting to five open up (m)any more opportunities?

It does a bit but not too much of a difference for big games or those close to London. 10+ starts to make a bigger difference but you have to get there and keep it up.

[jaymitch81]

Could it be that people are getting bored of home matches and realise aways are much more fun?

This is the exact reason for me. I am a ST holder and on the away scheme but over the last 2 seasons I have probably done no more 5/6 home games. Just don't look forward to them and to be fair not enjoyed them since leaving Highbury.

However the away days is a different matter. Much better days out, better pubs, better atmosphere.

[arseofacrow]

Anderlecht was great but the guys at the Irish pub in Brussels were a little strange and the songs were a bit crap. But there was some atmosphere at least so, if that's what it takes, then no problem.

And Frank was there!

[Robin_L]

I've noticed the same. Have to get spares off people with so many credits but don't want to travel to Stoke, Newcastle etc.

This is my second year with a ST and have 4 points. Only Everton and Sunderland this year have gone down to 0. Not really sure how I'm supposed to build credits if the likes of Stoke away don't even go near 0.

What happens to a snowball as it rolls downhill?

I take your point though, if you're starting out from this season then you can only be up to 2 credits. Getting harder to build up as people monopolise the higher end of the credit scale. All you can do is hope for more 3rd round League Cup ties at West Brom basically.

[Robin_L]

I know someone who started out last season and ended the season on +12, so presumably was on about +6 or +7 by this point in the season, so as you say it's quite a marked difference.

[dave75]

Got a season ticket in 11/12 season. Managed to get 9 points i think. Up to 55 now. Still not enough 4 Monaco & Anderlecht tho! It's tough if u not on the away scheme now. But i would have been struggling if i'd got my ticket a year or 2 later i think.

[hugh jardon]

I'm not a regular away match goer but can well believe it's largely down to people abusing the twitter ticket selling sites. I've seen loads of people selling away tickets on there before they are even on sale.

It's so easy now to buy tickets even though you have no intention of going to the game because for away games you are almost guaranteed to sell them on.

Those ticket sites were set up with great intentions of linking genuine spare ticket holders and people who needed spares but is definitely being used/abused as something else entirely eg building up away credits without having to bother going to the games.