Know Your Neighbour

[The Big Shrimp]

Before I bought my Season Ticket, somebody said to me be careful, as you don't know how you will sit next to, they may be a pain in the @rse.

How true that has turned out! I sit with a friend & his 10 year old son, who wears his SUFC shirt all the time & loves his trips to The Hall. Today with combined with the excitement, moving about to avoid a post so that he could see & busting for a pee (the last 10 minutes of the half), his Dad was asked to move his Son away from him, because he was moving too much!!! I know the coffin dodger concerned was getting on a bit, bit the kid is tiny, his Dad says he's transparent when held against the light, but how can a well behaved 10 year old spoil somebody's enjoyment? Did he expect everybody to sit there & politely clap & say jolly good show?!

I was gobsmacked & fortunately the old boy didn't ask me, otherwise he would got a two word reply & a justified reason for a face like a smacked @rse!!

Anyway, as you can tell, I've got the ache over this old git, but what I would like to know is what are your neighbours like at The Hall? Have any of you had similar experiences or have you got good neighbours, other than your mates?

Off for a drink & a lay down in a darkened room!!

 

[EastStandBlue]

Last year i was labelled a fickle fan for going to the bar at half time 30 seconds before the Half time whistle... That was after said person tried to push me down some stairs for daring to clap the team off the pitch in front of him. Bearing in mind i nearly fell into a group of kids, it was not the wisest of moves...

Sometimes i do despair at some people.

 

[Firestorm]

I sit next to Mrs FS.............Nuff said

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

When I made a trip back to the UK last December, I was lucky enough to be able to attend a game (the MK Dons FA Cup match; not so lucky after all) and, as I took my seat in the East Greens, this middle-aged chap next to me uttered to his mate "here come more glory-fans" and then turned to me and questioned where I was when the team were struggling in the basement division. Unfortunately he picked the wrong moment to question my allegience (I was drunk and tired) and I exploded into a flurry of four-letter expletives that would have stood well in a Nick Love film ... he sat in silence for the first-half of the game and I'm sure was relieved when I decided to join the usual suspects at the back of East Blacks for the second-half (in order to wave our huge Spanish Shrimpers flag whilst standing up in a defiant gesture to the suspect steward who appeared to take a fancy to one of our lads and stared at us for the whole half). What fun! What a hangover!

Cue some half-witted comment from the man with the donkey

 

[shrimperman]

I don't think this counts but this Tuesday I will be sitting with a Norwich fan which could be potentially really annoying or really good depending on the result

 

[Bluesmanager]

They guy next to me and my brother against Sunderland was alright. Of course, being in Row A block V meant we were right next to a steward which made him think he had to censor some of the chants, but he was a good laugh.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

When I used to be a regular in the East Greens, I was lucky enough to have some great people surrounding my seat (even Harry Barris).

 

[sufcintheprem]

I seem to have different people next to me each week in spite of the assertion that the East stand is sold out to seasos.

Most of them are ok

 

[* ORM *]

Me, Leeboy, Beaver and a great crowd immediately below, above and beside us. Two rows back are a complete nightmare. Last year they were on Juppy's case week in week out. This week they were calling for JCR to be substituted.

 

[Bielzibubz]

I sit next to a really quiet one. Don't hear a peep all game. Don't know his name but i think it's 'aisle'.

The guy on the other side is an old chap who's an absolute diamond geezer who's been watching the blues for near on 50 years now and never fails to tell a story or two of days gone by.

 

[GNH]

The misus............which is of course delightful

 

[The Big Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ Sep. 10 2006,20:35)]Me, Leeboy, Beaver and a great crowd immediately below, above and beside us. Two rows back are a complete nightmare. Last year they were on Juppy's case week in week out. This week they were calling for JCR to be substituted.

This was the main reason I go my season ticket as I was fed up of my friend "mate" continually call Southend players, & it didn't matter who, w@nkers. Just because they made a mistake or didn't score a 1 on 1 with the keeper, it was always, you f***ing useless ******! I'm usually a calm person, but I came close to lumping him a few times!

Fortunately, my friend thought the same & bought a season ticket with me. Shame about the coffin dodger next to us though. One week I will make sure I've had a very hot curry & several Newcastle Browns & see if he asks for my friends son to sit in the seat next to him!!

 

[Kent Shrimper]

I have a friend one side and last season napster which wasnt to bad, However it really went down hill on Saturday as MrB was sat next to me and all he ever does is turn up late or leave for the Bar about 5 mins before the end of the first half only to then come back late again. He is an absolute nightmare

 

[The Big Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Kent Shrimper @ Sep. 10 2006,21:56)]I have a friend one side and last season napster which wasnt to bad, However it really went down hill on Saturday as MrB was sat next to me and all he ever does is turn up late or leave for the Bar about 5 mins before the end of the  first half only to then come back late again. He is an absolute nightmare

Maybe they should introduce the theatre procedure for half-time. If you're not back in time, you can't go back to your seat!!

 

[TITSUP]

Quote[/b] ]Maybe they should introduce the theatre procedure for half-time. If you're not back in time, you can't go back to your seat!!

and maybe they could introduce something called speedy service in the teabars at half-time.  

The amount of revenue that must be lost to the club due to the poxy service in the tea bars must be frightening!! Serving half a dozen kids with a hotdog each takes over ten minutes so those just wanting a coffee and a mars bar give up in disgust!!

 

[* ORM *]

Quote[/b] (Kent Shrimper @ Sep. 10 2006,21:56)]I have a friend one side and last season napster which wasnt to bad, However it really went down hill on Saturday as MrB was sat next to me and all he ever does is turn up late or leave for the Bar about 5 mins before the end of the  first half only to then come back late again. He is an absolute nightmare

Mr B ? Late ?

That I and EVERY member of SZFC can believe

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (TITSUP @ Sep. 11 2006,01:08)]The amount of revenue that must be lost to the club due to the poxy service in the tea bars must be frightening!! Serving half a dozen kids with a hotdog each takes over ten minutes so those just wanting a coffee and a mars bar give up in disgust!!

I once went down to Torrevieja to watch their team play Saguntino in a promotion play-off match. There were over 6,000 in attendance (unheard of at this level of the game in Spain), most of whom, it is fair to say, were British ex-pats. Inside the turnstiles there was a hamburger stand, much like those you see at car-boot sales and fairs. I was impressed with the efficiency of the service which meant that waiting time at the most was around five minutes and they did very brisk (and profitable) trade both before the game, at half-time AND after the game. Why? Because the people running the stand KNOW what they are doing! It is their job and I was reminded about a suggestion we made to the club about five years ago that there is space around the ground (which could be leased) to have two or three or these outlets. The fact is that the "catering division" at Roots Hall couldn't cope with 3,000 people in the ground; I dread to think what it is like with three times that number in attendance! It's all about customer service; more and more people have been going to The Fish House because the standard of service and food has been awful at Roots Hall. I know the position of outside caterers doesn't make the club much money short-term but it must surely be an option. And maybe a separate tea-point for those who just want a hot drink?

 

[TITSUP]

Quote[/b] ]And maybe a separate tea-point for those who just want a hot drink?

wow,radical thinking!

 

[Stats]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ Sep. 11 2006,01:28)]

Quote[/b] (Kent Shrimper @ Sep. 10 2006,21:56)]I have a friend one side and last season napster which wasnt to bad, However it really went down hill on Saturday as MrB was sat next to me and all he ever does is turn up late or leave for the Bar about 5 mins before the end of the  first half only to then come back late again. He is an absolute nightmare

Mr B ? Late ?

That I and EVERY member of SZFC can believe  

 

Mr B would be late for his own funeral

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (TITSUP @ Sep. 11 2006,09:47)]

Quote[/b] ]And maybe a separate tea-point for those who just want a hot drink?

wow,radical thinking!  

Indeed!

But, seriously for a moment, surely the club should looking at ways to MAXIMISE revenue on matchday. If people are eating before the game or bringing in their own food into the ground (and, by all accounts of the Shrimpers Bar, beginning to drift off to drink elsewhere) then the football club has a problem that it needs to begin to address sooner rather than later?