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London – home to 13 football clubs from the top four leagues in England, six of which ply their trade in the Premier League, three in the Championship and two each in League One and League Two.
So, definitely, London is a place to be for a football fan, irrespective of which club he/she supports.
Make no mistake, no other club can recreate the magic one feels when he/she sits in stands and watches his/her team perform with thousands of other faithful by their side.
However, London comes close.
Imagine a Saturday afternoon, when you have your much deserved off day, and are lazing on the couch in your mid-sized flat in Central London.
Suddenly, your phone rings and your friend tells you that he/she is bored out of his/her guts and would like to watch some live football in order to pass some time.
In any other ‘footballing’ city in the world, this would have been too much to ask for, considering the tickets are all sold out due to pre-booking. And the ones that are available are way too costly for a ‘time pass’ game.
Another issue could have been the distance to the stadium as many of the stadiums in these so called ‘footballing’ cities lie on the outskirts of the city.
With London, things are a bit different.
If you live in North London, you have the magnificent option of visiting Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium; however, getting the tickets might be too much to ask. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the atmosphere around and maybe grab a drink at a local pub while soaking in the tremendous atmosphere.
Further up North, you can pay a visit to Arsenal’s arch rivals Tottenham. Their stadium, White Hart Lane, holds about 38,000 spectators, so finding a ticket might be a bit tougher than one actually thinks. In fact, Tottenham tickets are sold out much before Arsenal fill their stadium, but again, it may be down to the stadium capacities.
However, if you are too adamant on watching a football match, you will need to travel a bit towards East London.
East London boasts of just one football club in the Premier League, that being West Ham United. On a matchday, some of the tickets might be available at the box office, considering the fact that it was only thrice in the past season when the stadium was sold out.
Also, in East London, you will be able to watch teams such as Leyton Orient and Dagenham & Redbridge. Tickets are not an issue when it comes to lower leagues; in fact, some of the clubs offer discounted tickets.
South London, however, is a different story altogether. Except Crystal Palace, none of the clubs in this area are in the Premier League. This area is for people who enjoy their football and everything that comes along with it. Be it the controversy, racism or hooliganism (case in point, Millwall).
If you plan on watching a football match in South London, first and foremost, plan your escape. Just kidding! The supporters in South London are very passionate, even outside the stadiums. Finding tickets is no problem at all. Also, if you are planning to watch Crystal Palace, you might have to shed a few extra bucks in order to get to the stadium.
Fans of lower league football and Cinderella stories need to travel to the edge of South-West London, to AFC Wimbledon. A club formed by the supporters, for the supporters. Passion and love takes the center stage at this club, no matter the result of the match.
Tickets are easily available as well. Plus, there is the added attraction of taking a long walk to the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Being a lazy cookie, if you decide not to travel so far out in search of football, then you could just go to the nearest tube station and make your way to West London.
West London offers some of the top Premier League and Championship attractions. The likes of Chelsea, Fulham and QPR form the crux of West London and are a huge part of the culture. At least of what’s left of it.
If you decide to watch a match at Stamford Bridge, then you are going to be disappointed, simply because the tickets are all sold out prior to the match; unless, of course, you consider ticket touting a reliable source for buying tickets.
If you want to follow Premier League action, cheap and reliable, then your best bet is Fulham. A small and cozy stadium which always welcomes spectators from around the world. Fulham deserve a lot more credit than they actually get for international integration. Their spectators consist of people from all the corners of the world and the club is, arguably, the most diverse club in London.
And then there is QPR. A club with overflowing supporters and still, their comparatively tiny stadium is never sold out. You can enjoy some top class Championship football and Harry Redknapp’s antics at Loftus Road.
Brentford, on the outskirts of London, is a cheaper alternative for lower league football. However, what you save in ticket cost is more than made up for in travelling costs. Therefore, one would be better off without making a trip to far West.
With so many football clubs at his/her peril, a football fan will be spoilt for choice in London.
London has truly become the football capital of the world. And that, is a good thing!
