From a relegation fight to Champions League football, Eddie Howe’s black and white army created excitement that the days of Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson were back. The difference between before and after the takeover could not have been starker. The lid on this football city had been lifted.
So, what does this mean for University students in Newcastle? The outlook is not great, sadly. Before the takeover you could quite easily get a ticket a week in advance by phoning the box office. The attendance at St James’ Park has often hovered around the sell-out 52,000 mark – and that’s even when they were in the Championship – but now it has become almost an impossibility. The demand for a ticket has skyrocketed.
The demand for a ticket has skyrocketed.
If you are one of the fortunate season ticket holders you can nonchalantly stroll into the ground (like me). But if you want to attend at least one match in the cathedral on the hill, that every University student should try to do at least once, then a tricky task is ahead of you. A membership will cost you £37 for the season. Once purchased you will have to enter a ballot for each match – this usually happens a few weeks before the game; an email should be sent into your inbox by the box office. Having applied for all the 19 Premier League games throughout the season, it is likely you may get a handful of tickets. Depending on which area of the ground you wish to sit, with the Platinum Club being the most expensive (which has the least availability and therefore lowest chance), you are looking at ordinarily paying around £40 for a game.
Sounds simple, right? One more caveat: you would want to sit next to a good mate when attending. To sit by yourself around tens of thousands of Geordies is awesome – I can strongly testify to that, having been to around one hundred games at St James’ Park. However, before the game it is vital to soak up the pre-match atmosphere in town: the walk from Harry’s Bar (let’s say), up along Grey’s Street towards the Gallowgate, and into the stadium, with zebralike things criss-crossing the streets, chanting Blaydon Races. A couple of drinks in town with a mate makes this possible. It’s an absolute prerequisite.
To go with a mate, they would need to get a membership too. Each member has a supporter number (ID) online, and you can connect your accounts on the Newcastle United ticketing page. When applying for each game through the balloting system, your hitched accounts allow you to sit together. Tip: it is possible to apply with several mates, with hitched accounts, but the chances of you getting a ticket all sat together is almost zero. The fewer the people sat next to each other, the higher the chance of success.
To get a ticket at St James’ Park is becoming harder. Perhaps a new stadium in Leazes park that would increase the capacity to 75,000+ may help university students get a ticket more easily. Due to the buildings behind the East Stand being listed, and limited room to expand on its existing site, an alternative location looks increasingly likely. The best alternative would be to attend a women’s football or U21s match, where there is less demand. Despite its costs, the membership route is your best option to watch the Newcastle United first team. University students are yet to enjoy the fruits of Saudi’s oil money.