Portuguese going to Celtic Park

Hi.

I'm a portuguese who would like to experience in first hand the Celtic Park experience during a game. For professional and academic reasons, I will be in Newcastle (UK) for a week, allowing me to have the 5th of December free to visit Glasgow, which allows me to attend the game against Aberdeen.

Before really buying the ticket, there are some things that I would like to ask to you, Celtic fans:

- What is the lowest price available? I do not seem to be able to find anything less than £25£, and that is for restricted view seats. I'm a PhD student with a 3 year old son and money is indeed a factor. Given that all around the stadium the seats appear to have the same price, is there a sector/stand where normally there is more vocal support?

- Regarding transportation, I'm possibly using train. Going there is not a problem but I am a bit concerned with the return. The last affordable return by train (<£50) seems to be at 18:00 at GLQ (Glasgow Queen Street). Is it safe in terms of being sure to be there at that time? Since the game starts at 15:00, assuming I could get out of the stadium by 17:00, which would be my best option to reach GLQ? And how much time does it take?

- Any other advices you would give? I'm a big football fan and would be glad to experience a friendly atmosphere near the stadium in a traditional pub or other kind of place where I could get in touch with fans.

Just by curiosity, my club, from which I am a devoted fan, is Vitória de Guimarães, by far the 4th club with more fans in Portugal (more than 32000 associates, more 16000 annual seats sold). I could show you some photos or talk about my club, but I do not want to flood your forum with pictures from "other colors". We played against Celtic in 98/99 UEFA Cup, and Celtic won that tie (you won both games by 2-1, with 3 goals from Larsson on total).

 

Section 445 and 111 are the most vocal areas of the stadium, I would recommend 445 personally although I'm sure others would recommend 111, both areas try to create a good atmosphere so really it's just down to personal choice.

As for getting to the train station for 6, the quickest way is to walk, there is information for first time travellers to Celtic Park in the stickies in this forum:

http://www.talkceltic.net/forum/celtic-supporters-info/71086-travelling-celtic-park.html

As for pubs, right next to the stadium is the London Road Tavern, also your walk from the train station will take you along the Gallowgate where almost every pub is considered a Celtic pub, so you won’t be stuck in finding fans to mingle with.

If you want to discuss your own team then start a thread in the world football forum

Enjoy the match

 

Ok, thanks DanniGhirl.

Indeed the best option seem to be... walking. Judging by the other topic prediction of taking "little over half an hour to walk from the city centre to Parkhead", I should be able to make it on time.

 

I usually get the train from Dalmarnock or Bridgeton back to Glasgow Central (about 5 mins from Queen Street). The train takes about 8 minutes.
Both stations are about a 10-15minute walk from Celtic Park.
You should probably make the train either way.
Although walking would probably be a safer bet if it's the last possible train you need to get.

Most of the pubs in the Gallowgate are Celtic Pubs. Baird's bar is probably the best one I reckon.
Other ones are The Emerald Isle, Bar 67, Cabin Bar, The Tolbooth Bar (further down the road), Wee Man's (further up the road). And another one I can't remember the name of.

The tickets are quite expensive, so for best atmosphere, go to one of the sections DanniGhirl mentioned. "Restricted View" applies to a lot of the seats, but I wouldn't be put off by it. My ticket is allegedly RV, but the only thing I can think of that makes it so is that I can't see about an inch the bottom right corner!

PS: Wear a scarf and a couple of layers. I've been in Scotland 17 years and still find it effing cold, so I'd imagine it'll be even worse I've you're used to Portugese weather!

 

Please be careful NOT to go into any PUBS in the Bridgeton area- they are full of Glasgow Rangers fans- NASTY ONES AT THAT.
I am not trying to scare you off but Glasgow is like any other big City it has good points and bad points.
Your English looks good- when you arrive at Queen St , do ss the guy says above walk 5 mins to Glasgow Central Train Staion then go down the elavator to find the Glasgow Central to Bridgeton Train.
Good luck!

 

I'd say on the way to the game walk along Argyle Street and up the Gallowgate.
Only people he'll bump into will be Celtic fans and means he can't have a good pre match drink in the pubs and have a singalong.

 

You should try out thetrainline.com for your train tickets if you haven't already booked them!

I just looked for you and found a return from Newcastle to Glasgow and back for £50 total on the 5th. (leaving 08:45 to glasgow and the same train that you mentioned back 18:00)

Me and a few of the bhoys usually go for a few beers before the games so we'll keep an eye out for you! Feel free to come along with us.

Good luck! :icon_mrgreen:

 

If I was you I'd walk up argyle street and down the gallowgate. Their will be lots of other Celtic fans walking down to the stadium and in pubs so just find one that you think looks good. Just wear a Celtic scarf and it will all be fine!
Good luck, and keep us updated on how it went. Here's hoping for a good result.

 

He could go from Central to Dalmarnock ?

 

Thanks for all the answers.

Regarding the scarf, I'm used to do some "groundhopping" wearing my Vitoria scarf. Do you think it could lead me to some problems? Since Aberdeen is mainly red, and Vitoria is black and white, I don't think I would be taken as a "rival" fan, but I do not want to run into any kind of trouble. But I do love my club and always want to show that passion wherever I am :icon_mrgreen:

Anyway, if before or during the match you do see someone with a black and white flag (or scarf) with a crest saying Vitoria dominated by a medieval king (D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal), that should be me. I would be glad to say hello to any Talk Celtic member, so don't be shy! :bbpd:

If I do make it to the game, I will gladly post my take on how it went.

Cheers.

 

There should be no problem at all!
I see people wearing different scarfs and football tops all the time.
Celtic fans aren't like Rangers fans, they don't kick the * out of people for no reason, we're better than that.

In fact, at the start of the season, I was getting the train from Glasgow to Bridgeton (if anyone's been on this they'll know what it's like and how full it is) and a boy (17-19yo) walked on wearing a Rangers top. All he got was a bit of a bamming up, which was inevitable but none of it was aggressive or anything like that.
It just made me think, imagine that was a Celtic fan on a train of Rangers fans. He'd almost definitely get a pasting, probably stabbed.

 

Mondea'

Hi mate if your in newcastle there is a bus running from the tynside irish centre,the Gallogate across from st james park,it will take you direct to celtic park or the Gallowgate parkhead

you will have to contact the club controlers at least a week before and book a seat, if you PM me i can give you contacts and details
it will cost you maximum £25.00 for non members and £20.00 for members
no drinking on the bus mind, i will be on the bus myself
a good sing song on the way back ................its up to you

cheers pal

 

mikibhoy1888, thanks for the info. I've sent you a PM

 

Hi again.

I did not have the chance to buy the ticket in advance since I'm still not sure if I'm going to make it to Glasgow.

Is it possible to buy a ticket on the match day in Parkhead. Is it more expensive? (some clubs in Portugal impose a fee for buying the ticket on the match day).

And presently, is there any possible chance of having a sold out stadium, or do you believe that I can comfortably assume that there will be free seats somewhere in the stadium?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

You'll get a ticket no problem on match day as it's not sold out and tickets are the same price

 

Tickets will be the same mate, and youll get one no bother, be lucky f the stadium will be 3/4 full. I reccommend section 111 or as close to that as possible for you mate if you want a good atmosphere !!

 

Thanks for the answers. And I'll be able to make it, so if you see anyone with a black and white scarf and flag and with the following crest ... it should be me!

 

ill look for it

 

So how was it then?

 

I was able to arrive in Glasgow in the morning (around 9.00) and therefore seen a lot of Glasgow city itself (the center, with Argyle Street, Buchanan Street, Cathedral, etc; the West End with the university, the "science part" with Clyde Auditorium and many more places, including Ibrox Stadium - sorry for that, but, as a football fan, I also had to see it ).

After seeing Glasgow, iw was time to see the game and really enjoyed the experience. Going by the suggestions, I went to Parkhead following Gallowgate. It's a good thing that I arrived with some spare time (around 50m before kickoff) since the queues for the tickets were not small. The main stadium entrance is brilliant but, as you know, the rest is not to "luxurious". However, the inside is really great, with a sense of grandeur, and it certainly provides a very good football atmosphere - couldn't stop imagining a packed Parkhead with all scarfs in the air singing You'll never Walk Alone).

Regarding the game itself, it was never in doubt. Aberdeen almost did not trouble you keeper, and it was a matter of time to have the first goal which would "solve" the game. After the red card, it was a complete "one way traffic" and it could easily have been something like 6-0 (I can remember at least 3 times where I thought the goal was certain and then a player in the lone or the post saved Aberdeen). Regarding your players, I enjoyed N'Guemo's power in the middle and McGeady velocity. Georgios Samaras is funny striker. Sometimes it seems to slow and rather clumsy with the ball, but he certainly did the "trick", scoring two goals and being important in many more chances.

Regarding the game atmosphere, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed. Singing was not at all very present from Celtic fans, even when the game was clearly going your way. To scarce and just by small stadium sections. I would have enjoyed seeing more chants and more participation from the entire stadium, as it normally happens in my club (although I should note that we are considered an exception in Portugal). I was at the top tier of Lisbon Lions stand and it was the case that I much more often heard Aberdeen's fans that Celtic ones.

Finalizing, it was certainly an experience to remember and I hope that we meet again in the future, in Europa or Champions League, so that I can revisit Parkhead. Good luck for the rest of the Scottish Premier League, since Rangers are very close and with one less game.

Here are some pictures:

My "first" view of Celtic Park, coming from Gallowgate:



The beautiful main entrance:



The view from my seat:





Goal!



Some proof I was there





Cheers!