Who stewards them these days? Is there much familiarity, friendliness on them?
I haven’t done away coaches for a good 25 years but back when I did them regularly you had Bet, Teresa, Sid, Barry etc stewarding them. On the way back from from one away game Bet or Teresa would go down the coach with a bit of paper and have 46 signed up for the next away game.
Lots of friendships (and relationships) got established on those coaches through the 90s, they’d subtly (and sometimes unsubtly) try and introduce individuals and groups to others etc and following the club away felt very much a community feel.
Would be really interested to hear what it’s like using the coaches these days.
Comments
Have I ever mentioned Fleetwood / Burton away
I do remember though getting a coach on 2nd Jan 2020 to travel to Swansea away in the league when the announcement broke on the website of the ESI takeover being completed was met with a round of applause from everyone on the coach, that's probably about as raucous as i've known it to be in recent years. Still, serves a good useful purpose the coach.
Last one i did was Sheffield United in cup and whole day was miserable.
Edit just been reminded it was man United last season
Doing Northampton as my sons first away on 21st so hopefully will be alright but I imagine a lot more sedate than the old days unfortunately.
PS, pleased that the arthritis in your fingers has got better
The charter trains to Manchester in 1994 were good though.
Eddie Cecil driving the Lewis’ coach with the same crowd each time, made some great friends.
gave them up once I became old enough to have a beer and go with my mates.
had some great away trips on them back in the day though
and his mob. The best thing was when they started using coaches with toilets on board.
It would kill me now going on the coaches and I bemoan them all the time.
For the youngsters though and the less mobile , coaches are a god send.
I should think most of us started our away days on the coaches, and I deem myself fortunate to of been on the coaches in the early 90s.
A good time to be on the coaches, still a bit of leeway, could arrive to some of the grounds quite early and on the way back one of the coaches would normally stop off at a boozer.
So although I'd rather pull my teeth out with a pair of pliers now than get on the coach, the coach nowadays plays a pivotal part in sending these youngsters on a life of misery following us away.
Did Walsall away solo, sat next to a lad and by the time we got home we had a good chat all things Charlton.
I'll never forget the steam coming out of your ears at Fleetwood, priceless.