Alba/Scotland (A)

[ArdeeBhoy]

Realise now the FAI have decided who will get the golden tickets, the scramble for the rest will begin in earnest, whilst accomodation looks severely stretched too for those dates or anyone planning a weekend in sunny Glasgow.

And without being alarmist, please note there will be some pretty hostile natives, potentially in the vicinity.
Whether they show themselves is another matter, but do be careful where you go.

Not every pub or other public establishment in Glasgow, its hinterland or the W.of Scotland will be overly welcoming.
Most should be fine, though expect a post match lockdown after the game, back in the centre would definitely suggest no colours...

Other than that, hope we get a result, everyone has a great time and comes back safe and sound...

[brendy_éire]

Glasgow is horrible at the best of times and this going to be even worse. The potential for the bother with all the Celtic hangers-on is an issue.
I'm staying in Edinburgh for this one. Will go into Glasgow in the afternoon, hang about the city centre, not wearing any colours. Hopefully will avoid any (conspicuous) Irish fans that way.
Straight on the train after the match.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Don't you mean the people who oppose their 'hangers-on'...

[backstothewall]

I've spent a decent amount of time is Glasgow for work and family reasons. I honestly can't see there being any bother with the Jocks at all. I'd be more worried about going to London tbh.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aye, agreed in general...but the point about certain hostile natives (and some naive Irish fans) is a pertinent one...wouldn't want to see the latter suffer because of the former.
Plus a Friday night in Glasgow regardless is potentially a little volatile.

But hopefully, will prove as good a trip as this week's...

[SwanVsDalton]

Are any other regular travellers having a ticket nightmare for the Scotland game? Lads I know who travel to every away game and possess Lansdowne season tickets have been turned down for Glasgow.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Yeah same as. Absolute fuppin joke.

[Junior]

Yeah got a rejection. None of the posters yet on YBIG have been successful. It's odd. Either a technical hitch or JD is sorting out the likes of abbey and other hangers on.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Yeah got a rejection. None of the posters yet on YBIG have been successful. It's odd. Either a technical hitch or JD is sorting out the likes of abbey and other hangers on.

I wonder which one it could possibly be?.......

[Stuttgart88]

My mates got a rejection. I haven't heard anything yet though. Has anyone actually been successful?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yeap, but through the SC, AFAIK.

Looks like my tickets will get shifted now, wonder if any going still via the SFA site...

[IsMiseSean]

My mates got a rejection. I haven't heard anything yet though. Has anyone actually been successful?

I'm in the same boat.

[brendy_éire]

Myself and all others rejected. Ridiculous. Haven't missed a match since Russia away myself, others even further back.
Beginning to doubt it's a mistake. Disgraceful stuff.

[DannyInvincible]

Yeap, but through the SC, AFAIK.

Looks like my tickets will get shifted now, wonder if any going still via the SFA site...

Haven't been any on there for the past few days. There are two sections still colour-coded green - one in the South Stand next to the away section and another in the corner between the North Stand and the Lisbon Lions Stand - but there are no tickets available in either when you click into them.

[ArdeeBhoy]

According to the TA forum link I posted in the game thread? there were tickets to be had yesterday if you phoned up the SFA ticketline, though the Scots fans were accusing the SFA of as spurious practices as the FAI!

[Stuttgart88]

A pal says the FAI said emails would be sent yesterday (Friday) and Tuesday.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Reasonable guide to the ground here.
http://www.footballgroundguide.com/scotland/celtic.htm

Though if going by train from the centre, avoid going via Bridgeton station, as in relatively hostile territory and avoid their local pubs too!

[DannyInvincible]

We've decided we'll go get our tickets first (we get in on train at 3PM) and then head for some pints along the Gallowgate instead of heading the whole way back into the city centre. Where will most be drinking before hand? Any pubs in particular worth keeping an eye out for?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Town a better option before as more pubs (but paradoxically usually have a strict 'no colours' rule), but can see where you're coming from re.logistics...depends on how polis/locals react to 10k, er,foreign visitors, which don't think has ever happened at CP before, besides last year's Scottish Cup Final.

If you're on the Gallowgate, some do on in the Barrowlands ('Barras') so head for there, as that was the highest concentration of pubs, but no way they will cope....unless they let people drink on the street?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Apparently the 'no colours' rule liable to be lifted before the game, but enforced after...

[elroy]

Any Celtic fans who have been to CP got any recommendations about where to go, not to go etc.

[BonnieShels]

ArdeeBhoy is yer only man in this case.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Not really, Junior almost certainly knows more...

The main thing is get in a pub where you can, before and after.
It really depends what you want otherwise, just don't expect to get places fast I reckon.

Meanwhile, the cops suggest Bridgeton station, but my local contacts say still avoid that station and immediate local area.
http://www.scotland.police.uk/whats-happening/news/2014/november/information-for-fans-attending-upcoming-scotland-matches

[Bosco]

Arriving into Glasgow around 3 on Thursday and was thinking I might head straight to Parkhead to collect my tickets before heading into the hotel in town, is this feasible or is it at the complete other side of town?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Not so much feasible, as necessary I'd say...
If you read that link you'll see it's about 45 minutes out of town...

[Bosco]

Cheers, 45 min walk though it says?Thinking might just get a bus straight out there and then a taxi back into the hotel in town...

[ArdeeBhoy]

Probably the best option...Bus nos' are 2, 61, 240, 255, I think from Argyle Street, just to the west of Central Station.
And go from Parkhead Forge after the game, or down the Gallowgate too?

http://www.footballgroundguide.com/scotland/celtic.htm

[Bosco]

Cheers!

[DeLorean]

Georgia v Poland is live on Sky Sports at 5pm... any ideas of where would be a good place to glance an eye over this? In town or near the stadium?

[Junior]

Non of the pubs on the Gallowgate are that big to be honest, so all should be fairly packed and have a good atmosphere with the football crowd. Do not expect anything too fancy to grab a bite to eat or a comfy seat and table and a bit of space - It just ain't going to happen.

Easiest and advised route if walking is the dotted line below.

Nearer the ground, you have The Oak Bar, The Springfield Vaults and The London Road Tavern (The Real McCoy on the map below) all within in spitting distance of the Lisbon Lions End. There are plenty more pubs near the ground (within 10 mins walk), where the Gallowgate meets Tollcross Road (just out of picture, middle right), such as The Tavern, Anchor Bar, The Fiveways and more...

Nearer The Barras end of the Gallowgate 25-30 minute walk from the ground will be busiest during the day with the majority of boozers Celtic pubs. Bar67, Hoops Bar, Saracens Head etc... as you move towards the ground along the Gallowgate there are still plenty of pubs spread out including The Heilan Jessie, The Wee Mans, The Drover etc...

2191

[ArdeeBhoy]

Are they all still going?

[paul_oshea]

This sounds like every pub is a replica of O'Raffertys in wood green, where you were liable to get mouth ulcers from drinking out of pint glasses that were never washed.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Easiest and advised route if walking is the dotted line below.

2191

Don't take the southern (31 mins) route...

[Junior]

This sounds like every pub is a replica of O'Raffertys in wood green, where you were liable to get mouth ulcers from drinking out of pint glasses that were never washed.

Yeah, I was in it..once Paul - These have less carpet than O'Raffertys though.

No danger Paul, this is for the real fans of football, not for you new brigade looking for some quintessential Sottish bistro experience with haggis and nips...and clean pint glasses. No sireee;)

[ArdeeBhoy]

That's Babbity Bowsers on George Square, or somewhere in the West End, or Merchant City, possibly...

[ArdeeBhoy]

Stay safe everyone, here's to good travels to a great, but sometimes crazy, city...

[Stuttgart88]

Gotta say it was as friendly and hassle free a trip as any other I've been on. Stirrers like Gordon McQueen and JD should be ashamed. Scotland were great hosts, but I'll be glad to get home nonetheless!

[elroy]

Gotta say it was as friendly and hassle free a trip as any other I've been on. Stirrers like Gordon McQueen and JD should be ashamed. Scotland were great hosts, but I'll be glad to get home nonetheless!

Couldn't agree more. The media are a joke the way they report such bull and JD even worse to fuel it. Does the image of the game he is trying to promote no good.

Not the best trip I've ever been on, felt it was a little disjointed and all over the place. Trying to get a drink near the ground in the hours up to kick off was very difficult but as regards safety and welcome hosts, no issues. Did walk through an area on way back to the city centre last night where the pubs looked somewhat unwelcoming to the Irish.

[Stuttgart88]

Just heard a poor Scottish kid died after falling down a stairs in the stadium after the game. We saw an ambulance leaving the stadium.

Pool lad, RIP.

[davey]

Gotta say it was as friendly and hassle free a trip as any other I've been on. Stirrers like Gordon McQueen and JD should be ashamed. Scotland were great hosts, but I'll be glad to get home nonetheless!

I can only presume you were in the official away end as Ireland fans in the home end could certainly not describe the experience as friendly and hassle free. My cousin, a mild mannered sort of guy, was spat upon. I lost count of the number of times I heard the word fenian. It was strange because around the city centre there was generally a nice friendly atmosphere. However it was poisonous in the stadium itself. I was in the Lisbon upper and decided to keep my mouth shut after one of our own got a bloody nose after having the temerity to shout "Come on Aiden". I didn't enjoy the game at all and not just because of our poor performance.

[elroy]

From reading YBIG it seems the lads in the LL had a rough time of it. We were in the jock stein stand and more or less had no problems.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Sorry to hear.
Some people are just ignorant pigs.

[Bottle of Tonic]

Wasn't all rosy in the Jock Stein either. I got a belt and a mate was hit with coins. 'Irish cants GTF' and all that sort of stuff. But 99% of the Scots we mixed with before the game were bang on.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Tbf 95%+ of Alba fans are fine, but there is an endemic anti-Irish current through certain strands of their society, sadly, dating back to days of empire.

[DannyInvincible]

We were in the Lisbon Lions Lower with Scottish fans on all sides and didn't have any hassle at all despite loudly joining in with every Irish chant going. The rivalry was pretty good-natured, from my own experience anyway. One Scottish lad was overheard dishing out some hateful stuff towards McClean in relation to the poppy matter, but he was promptly told to give it a rest by a compatriot nearby. Whilst the Scots I spoke to before the game seemed resentful towards McGeady and the "granny rule", they were still happy enough to converse, engage and wish us all the best as we went our separate ways.

We moved further left from where we were standing in the second half, but it was only to get a bit closer to the main body of Irish support as opposed to us having any problems with the Scots around us. A few Scotland fans were forcibly begging us to stay such was the jovial nature of the exchanges!

After we had picked up our tickets from the ground earlier in the evening, we hopped into a taxi for a pub. It was an interesting journey. Our driver was what you would call a character; a fairly intense Ireland-supporting Glaswegian with proud Achill roots and a near-constant deranged gaze back at us in the front mirror. I think he might have looked at the road in front of him once. Or maybe twice... Nevertheless, he was very eager to impress the Irish visitors and he gave us a rich (expletive-ridden) running commentary of the journey as he took us through the heart of Bridgeton on the way. I didn't think such sights existed outside of the north, but the pubs, shops and take-aways there were decked out with Union flags and other loyalist symbolism. I don't know if that's how it always is or if it was just that way for the weekend. The driver pointed out a particularly notorious drinking establishment called Walkers; it was outside there, we were told, that a lone by-passing Celtic fan had his throat slit years ago. Every by-stander in the vicinity - he pointed to each and every one as we were stopped at a red light, pet dogs included - was, unmistakably, a "f*ckin' hun". We were glad for a pint after getting through that! :)

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aye, ended up going past there on the bus myself, sounds like you had an ideal guide...

[brendy_éire]

Can't say I enjoyed the game, but little hassle to be had in the stand.

Was drinking in Drygate before the match, chatting away to the Scots. Decent enough banter in the crowd during the game too. Did notice the coins being thrown, but it didn't appear to be at any particular target.

Handshakes all round at FT, and meet a decent amount of Scottish fans back in Edinburgh after.

Dreadful game though. Very disappointed with our standard. They weren't much better, but their goal was really well worked.

[IsMiseSean]

Terrible night. Crap performance, sh*te view in the away end & got a £40 fine for taking a p**s.... :mad:

[paul_oshea]

Haha Good man IsMiseSean, the police approached me walking up from Lynches, i quickly tried to knock back the pint, the two lads laughing as they grabbed it "I didnt rush over here so you would drink quicker". I thought he would let me finish it but he didnt the ****** :D

The good old "freeeee.....eh hold on no" response worked well against the Scots. They can take the win, but they'll never take their freedom.

In the LL too, and a couple of lads in front of us were shouting some bad stuff and gesturing to all the irish but we were ok, maybe because i was with the missus but I was chanting and ddin't have too much of a problem, it seems because i was in amongst them i wasnt seen as a "proper" irish fan and hence hte vitriol was kept for the corner. Having said that not sure if we had scored and I celebrated how it would have gone down.

Overall not really impressed with the place, queuing for an hour to get a taxi from the train station. Queuing for an hour at a rank to get home after the game(well the end of the night) and Black taxis just dont stop there, having to walk home most of the way in the end and pubs and the walk from the stadium taking an age as well. Not setup for big crowds really, in Dublin ye can get in and out easily from landsdowne and get taxis too. I suppose the fact that I had to be up early and drive down to Mayo/Sligo for a wedding from Dublin Saturday morning didnt help the fact.

Had a lovely indian though that night when we got back into town. Lovely. That was the highlight of the trip for me :rolleyes:

[Stuttgart88]

Terrible night. Crap performance, sh*te view in the away end & got a £40 fine for taking a p**s.... :mad:
AB told me to be very careful when I did the same. I knew he was right but still needed to go. It was near the chippy in that wasteland between Gallowgate and the stadium.