The Sorry State of Football Ground Beer (Mad Stad)

[maffff]

by Bob Lethaby

I had three pints of the ironically named ‘Best bitter’ at the Madjeski Stadium on Saturday, an experience that left me with an obligatory dull ache in my left eye and a nauseous feeling for the rest of the evening, restricting me to a social life that included a hot bath in between slipping in and out of consciousness. The aftermath of three pints of Madjeski stadium beer always reminds of a bad reaction I once got after a typhoid injection, as soon as it hits my lips and I get a taste of detergent and battery acid. I know I shouldn’t be doing it to myself but the captive marketplace at Reading football club leaves me with no other choice.

It was not until yesterday morning that I felt normal again and I began to realise that having three pints of bitter should not make you feel that bad, it really shouldn’t. I go out for a few pints with friends on most Fridays, I would say between five and six is about normal; however, I don’t spend the evening with the palm of my hand protecting my throbbing head as I choke back the vomit after pint number three, in fact after six pints, I feel pleasantly happy and at peace with the world, so It all begs this question. What the oxf*rd do they put in this stuff?

Is there some kind of liquid agent that is surreptitiously added behind the scenes that attempts to make us believe that a draw against Norwich (who kept a first away clean sheet in 39 Premiership games dating back to 2004) is significant progress? If this is the case Brian McDermott must be drinking gallons of the stuff. However, this conspiracy theory is a weak one and the real truth is this. Football supporters are proletarians and are treated accordingly, ripped off at any given opportunity with food and alcohol that would have a vagrant retching in to a bin. Not that a vagrant would ever have the financial clout to cope with the fiscal demands of having a pie and a pint that costs the average punter his children’s inheritance.

“So why do you do it to yourself every week Bob, you bloody idiot” I hear you cry. Well, the reason is this and Reading FC and nearly every other football club know what I am going to say. We proletarians have no choice; part of our creature habit is to go to the football and stand with our mates and have a drink before the game. Every week my own little group of fellow proles and I stand with our pungent beer and fiercely protect our own little bit of concourse territory, not moving out of our self-claimed area of about ten square feet and not letting any strangers in it (there are strangers aplenty at Reading). John Madjeski could stand behind the bar pissing in to plastic pint glasses and we would still pay £3.80 a for it; actually John Madjeski’s urine could well taste better.

Why on earth do we do this? Why don’t we save our money and walk straight in, watch the game, and walk straight out? The answer is pretty simplistic and that is the fact that we all go to football to yes, watch the game but also to enjoy that one hour building up to it by gossiping, moaning, putting the football world to rights and making use of this rare little window of opportunity to be male chauvinist bastards. Like many other supporters up and down the land, we have known each other for decades but because of family commitments and the varying places where we live, we would not see each other hardly at all if it wasn’t for football. To spend this hour together without alcohol would render it a wasted journey, in fact with that part of day removed, I would not remain a season ticket holder.

Football clubs have got a market like no other; it is a unique selling opportunity where 99.9% of their customers are never going to take their business elsewhere. If you go to Sainsbury’s and the food is poor quality, you can take your business elsewhere by trying Morrison’s, Tesco’s or, if you want a black eye, ASDA in Brighton Hill. If you get a bad pint of bitter at Reading Football Club you don’t say: “Right, that’s it…sod this, next week I’m going to Oxford”because that is footballing blasphemy. Football clubs know this is the way we think and the consequence is that football supporters, or should I say football customers, get fleeced for their loyalty.

Except perhaps, at Brighton & Hove Albion and their wonderful new stadium the Amex Arena. Brighton’s caterer’s, sports stadia division Azure, has partnered with the real ale campaign group to ensure a local brew from each away team playing at the new stadium is available for supporters during their matches. For home fans, various Real Ales are made available from the local Sussex brewery, Harvey’s. Listen to this from the Brighton catering manager: “Quality food and drink is key to our offer so as well as our focus on local ales, we’re working in partnership with local baker Joanna Philips from Piglet’s Pantry to create our own Albion Pies, which will be baked on-site and presented in an attractive Albion-branded box.”

How naïve can these people be? This is football you fools, you can serve and charge what you want! Take me for example; I have been drinking flat keg beer and spot welding radioactive pies to my lips at the Madjeski since it opened in 1998. I hate myself for it but back I come very week to get abused and poisoned as Mr Madjeski quaffs his Don Perignon upstairs; it’s all part of being a football supporter. I can’t blame him, I’d do the same, the stumbling block is that I haven’t got a car magazine to sell for 300 million quid.

Still…I’ll be back next Saturday; it’s my birthday that day too…I might even treat myself to a bag of crisps if I can afford it.

http://www.thedaisycutter.co.uk/2012/11 ... ound-beer/?

[Maguire]

Except perhaps, at Brighton & Hove Albion and their wonderful new stadium the Amex Arena. Brighton’s caterer’s, sports stadia division Azure, has partnered with the real ale campaign group to ensure a local brew from each away team playing at the new stadium is available for supporters during their matches.

Saw this last season when they had a large sign advertising the local ale for the Reading match...London Pride.

Oh well, I thought, the gesture is there even if the geography isn't and at least it's an okay pint if you're in a spot. "Pint of Pride please", I asked, as I loomed over the counter. "Err, we don't have any on today" came the sullen reply.

"But there's a massive sign taking up half your counter advertising Reading's "local ale"", I pointed out. "Yeah but we don't have any on", repeated the staff member, the not so hidden nuance of my statement apparently flying past his ears. I guessed I'd have to say it out loud.

"Do you think perhaps you should take the sign down, then?" I perservered. A bewildered look followed by a question of his own: "Why?"

Oh don't fucking worry about it you gormless twat. "Pint of lager".

And that, folks, is a cool story.

[soggy biscuit]

Sad thing is it really should take little effort and relatively little money to make a few changes to the Madejski experience to gr8ly improve it, RFC even employ people to work on ideas to make match day more enjoyable yet they struggle to come up with the basics.

[No Fixed Abode]

Sad thing is it really should take little effort and relatively little money to make a few changes to the Madejski experience to gr8ly improve it, RFC even employ people to work on ideas to make match day more enjoyable yet they struggle to come up with the basics.

Simple solution is to stay in town as long as possible and get a taxi or bus up to the ground last minute. The only way the club will improve things is if you boycott their beer. They have a monopoly on it as there is nowhere else to drink around the ground, so hit them where it hurts, in the pocket......

[soggy biscuit]

Sad thing is it really should take little effort and relatively little money to make a few changes to the Madejski experience to gr8ly improve it, RFC even employ people to work on ideas to make match day more enjoyable yet they struggle to come up with the basics.

Simple solution is to stay in town as long as possible and get a taxi or bus up to the ground last minute. The only way the club will improve things is if you boycott their beer. They have a monopoly on it as there is nowhere else to drink around the ground, so hit them where it hurts, in the pocket......

Agree with the point you are making but it is just stupid that it should ever reach that point, the club should be in touch with fans enough to know what they like and dislike and Be willing to make minor changes like BHA to enhance the matchday experience. Sadly this is the club of songsheets and rumblesticks.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

I'd like to even be able to get a beer, let alone worry about how bad it is...... bloody half time is impossible since the bars changed around

[Terminal Boardom]

Even at Windsor we manage to provide real ale for supporters and what we get more often than not sells out. It can be done.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Sad thing is it really should take little effort and relatively little money to make a few changes to the Madejski experience to gr8ly improve it, RFC even employ people to work on ideas to make match day more enjoyable yet they struggle to come up with the basics.

Simple solution is to stay in town as long as possible and get a taxi or bus up to the ground last minute. The only way the club will improve things is if you boycott their beer. They have a monopoly on it as there is nowhere else to drink around the ground, so hit them where it hurts, in the pocket......

Agreeing with Kes

[soggy biscuit]

Someone far less lazy than me should start a thread on here to find out the changes people would like, the things they are unhappy with and then send it to the club. No major changes or it won't be taken seriously, just some small requests citing examples elsewhere in football where it works and as long as it is well written and puts the points across well then who knows.

State that it is a collective view of many fans. Bypass that STAR lot. Maybe send them a copy of the letter out of courtesy. Nothing may well come of it but you don't get if you don't ask.

If no one can be bothered then I might volunteer myself to write it but this website has enough gimptons who revel in that sort if stuff.

Democracy in action. Power to the people. Viva la revolution.

[Wax Jacket]

Even at Windsor we manage to provide real ale for supporters and what we get more often than not sells out. It can be done.

a single 40-pint polypin is rather different than trying to work out where in your 10+ bars real ale is going to be sold quickly enough so as not to be thrown out before the next game

[Whore Jackie]

Stick a 40-pint polypin behind every of the 10+ bars and I guarantee they wouldn't be chucking any out.

Went to the Jizz Club straight after Saturday game, for the first time in aeons, and their beer selection is just as dreadful.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Someone far less lazy than me should start a thread on here to find out the changes people would like, the things they are unhappy with and then send it to the club. No major changes or it won't be taken seriously, just some small requests citing examples elsewhere in football where it works and as long as it is well written and puts the points across well then who knows.

State that it is a collective view of many fans. Bypass that STAR lot. Maybe send them a copy of the letter out of courtesy. Nothing may well come of it but you don't get if you don't ask.

If no one can be bothered then I might volunteer myself to write it but this website has enough gimptons who revel in that sort if stuff.

Democracy in action. Power to the people. Viva la revolution.

The answer you'd no doubt get is that Compass (who run the bars) do everything they can to be a customer focussed organisation who respond to the needs of their customers.

The reality is that their contract is to stack it high and sell it as cheaply as possible - and it seems to work from their point of view, because people keep on buying it.

If you don't like the product, don't buy it, because impacting the bottom line is the only thing that makes any difference to the likes of Compass. Perhaps have one match where people don't buy beer - but the sad thing is although 95% of supporters will agree with you, very few will actually be arsed enough about it to go without a beer for one game to make a point.

When it comes to supporter protests, apathy and acceptance of the status quo rule for the vast majority.

[Wax Jacket]

Stick a 40-pint polypin behind every of the 10+ bars and I guarantee they wouldn't be chucking any out.

Went to the Jizz Club straight after Saturday game, for the first time in aeons, and their beer selection is just as dreadful.

400 pints - not sure why they'd bother with it

[Terminal Boardom]

Stick a 40-pint polypin behind every of the 10+ bars and I guarantee they wouldn't be chucking any out.

Went to the Jizz Club straight after Saturday game, for the first time in aeons, and their beer selection is just as dreadful.

Precisely. Windsor shifted 3 of them when refreshing the 800 plus at the Egham game last Christmas. It's not rocket science but way too customer friendly for the suits to consider it.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

I always find it amazing they don't start pouring beer on 40 minutes. The tills there are electric and should be able to monitor the amount of beer sold per game. A average attendance per Tuesday and Saturday and pour a 1/3 of the numbers sold last time. They legally have 20 minutes to sell it. It just annoys me that they are so disorganised. It really is simple.

[Ian Royal]

I always find it amazing they don't start pouring beer on 40 minutes. The tills there are electric and should be able to monitor the amount of beer sold per game. A average attendance per Tuesday and Saturday and pour a 1/3 of the numbers sold last time. They legally have 20 minutes to sell it. It just annoys me that they are so disorganised. It really is simple.

The fans don't help from what I saw the last time I went to a bar at HT. Don't have the money ready, don't have the right change, haven't made their mind up what they want, take extra orders from friends whilst at the bar... all these things add to the delay and confusion.

But the whole set up at the Mad is terrible. They clearly don't have many people who know how to run a bar, if any. I doubt they flush or clean their pipes properly. As you say they certainly don't prepare for their rush periods well.

[Wax Jacket]

[They clearly don't have many people who know how to run a bar, if any. I doubt they flush or clean their pipes properly. As you say they certainly don't prepare for their rush periods well.

dunno if it's escaped everyone's attention but the bars are only open for 3 hours once a week - not sure what kind of expertise you can expect to have on call for that meagre amount of time, and at 10 or however many bars it is

[Ian Royal]

[They clearly don't have many people who know how to run a bar, if any. I doubt they flush or clean their pipes properly. As you say they certainly don't prepare for their rush periods well.

dunno if it's escaped everyone's attention but the bars are only open for 3 hours once a week - not sure what kind of expertise you can expect to have on call for that meagre amount of time, and at 10 or however many bars it is

Compass must do more than just the Madejski. It's not like its the only thing they'll do. There are plenty of people out there at temp agencies with decent bar experience. They just hire the cheapest possible staff. And they get what they pay for.

Last season I ordered three pints at one match when the till was down, and I had to tell the girl behind the bar how much to charge me ffs.

[REMTARDROYAL]

[They clearly don't have many people who know how to run a bar, if any. I doubt they flush or clean their pipes properly. As you say they certainly don't prepare for their rush periods well.

dunno if it's escaped everyone's attention but the bars are only open for 3 hours once a week - not sure what kind of expertise you can expect to have on call for that meagre amount of time, and at 10 or however many bars it is

I would expect someone to be able to clean the pipes or supervise the cleaning of the pipes if they're serving alcohol.

That's just basics.

I always find it amazing they don't start pouring beer on 40 minutes. The tills there are electric and should be able to monitor the amount of beer sold per game. A average attendance per Tuesday and Saturday and pour a 1/3 of the numbers sold last time. They legally have 20 minutes to sell it. It just annoys me that they are so disorganised. It really is simple.

Yes.