AFC Wimbledon - Directions for Away Fans

[mfc: webmaster]

Travelling fans are to use the Away Tunstiles located off of Tivoli Park Road, and should park in the Arlington House Car Park. Please see the directions and map below, or go to http://www.margate-fc.com/directions.php

 

Directions to Hartsdown Park:

> By Train: The nearest railway station is Margate. To get from the railway station either take a taxi from the Taxi Rank outside or take the short 15 minute walk. Leave the railway station and turn right onto All Saints Avenue. Follow this road up the hill and turn left at the brow into Tivoli Park Avenue. Follow the road along until you see the ground on the right hand side. Take the concrete path through the park to the Away Turnstiles. (map below)

 

> By Car: Follow the M2 in the direction of Ramsgate. The M2 will end and will become the A299 Thanet Way. After 16.2 miles on the A299 take the 2nd Exit off the roundabout into the A28. Continue straight into A28 (Canterbury Road Birchington). Follow the signs and road for Margate. Carry on on the A28 which becomes Canterbury Road. Follow the road until the Roundabout by the Nayland Rock Hotel on the sea front. Take the second exit from the roundabout onto All Saints Avenue. Turn left into the car park by the Arlington House tower block. Park your car and walk up All Saints Avenue. Turn left at the brow into Tivoli Park Avenue. Follow the road along until you see the ground on the right hand side. Take the concrete path through the park to the Away Turnstiles.

[seasidesteve]

and if its raining bring an umbrella

[Gate Watcher]

Its more like a 5min brisk walk from the station/Arlington House car park.

[Boney Crisp]

I feel sorry for the Afc fans, i think we should get a rented stand for them

[Cookie]

Hear hear. Bearing in mind the drastically reduced numbers that will be coming down I feel,for this game, that it will do more harm than good to segregate.Had it been a Saturday with double the numbers I would have agreed but not in this case. Another own goal and another not well thought out plan.As Alex says its bad enough having to be down that end with no cover whatsoever.We all know just how cold it can be down there.And what if it starts to rain heavily or snow or whatever.Are the club just going to let them stand there getting frozen or soaked through. I would presume the club would then allow accesss to all other parts of the ground,thats if they have a heart that is. Having seen the advert for parking and directions to the ground etc etc,if those away supporters have noted all this then the amount of away supporters(already short of what a Saturday game would produce) will be even further less likely to attend.I wouldnt blame them for not coming either. All this is lost revenue for the club and its a crying shame that the club see fit to lose out on this in more ways than one. I thought we were supposed to be a family,friendly club.Well this isnt the way to show that i.m.view.

Mind you,though this has been intimated it hasnt been confirmed as yet has it that this game indeed WILL be segregated.If it ends up that way then I am sorry for the away supporters & the club will rue the loss of revenue from such a game that is only coming about just the once in a season.

[margateshot]

Well if anything was going to stop the AFC fans coming to Hartsdown, that piece of depressing news will certainly stop them Cookie!!! lol

 

Unfortunately thats what we have to offer at the moment. It also happens elswhere in football. Look at when we travelled to Aldershot, it was an uncovered terrace in the corner, and still is. There are a number of clubs who do not have covered stands. If we were playing at Ashford there would still be a problem with cover as the stands there would are not be big enough. Personally I think the attendance will also be affected by the fact that AFC are not doing particularly well and are outside the playoff place. I know they are still in a good position but it is not the walkover some of them expected. What is the answer Cookie, everybody down at the Hartsdown Rd end? It will be large loss of revenue however if they can't use the bar. I presume we will be supplying catering at the other end of the ground for them however.

[Cookie]

It should be only right that know beforehand what they are coming down here to & where they will be put.Should I have lied and given false expectations.Maybe thats what you would do,get their money then wait for the problems that could arise from it,but that is not the way I work,sorry.At least now they KNOW what to expect so they cant complain afterwards. If the boot was on the other foot wouldnt you like to know what you were letting yourself in for BEFORE the time so that you could decide for yourself whether to venture or not? I know I would be more than happy to know the true details rather than have the wool pulled over my eyes.

[David Holden]

Quote:

Hear hear. Bearing in mind the drastically reduced numbers that will be coming down I feel,for this game, that it will do more harm than good to segregate.

 

At the end of the day Cookie it's not the club's decision they have to act on Police advice. If Kent Police say the match should be segregated and the club doesn't then the police will send down a couple of vanloads of constables and charge Margate FC for their time. This would come to far more than any lost revenue caused by segregation.

[Cookie]

Whoever says it, whoever makes the decision, it should still be thought out better before taking action.It may well turn out that there will be no problems & that segregation will prove beneficial. My point is that those that come are human beings and their comfort as best can be should be taken into consideration when these decisions are made.I dont think they really & truly are.

[ray]

As a Dons supporter I'd like to thank you all for your concern (and for the directions above)about the game at Hartsdown. Personally, the supposed lack of cover/facilities won't bother me too much - not after two season in the Combined Counties League anyway! I think it's true to say that the midweek slot and events at Ramsgate will affect the AFCW turnout, but I'm still looking forward to it and hopefully we'll extend a similar warm welcome when you visit Kingsmeadow in a fortnight's time.

[Margate Football Club]

Further to the above speculation and conspiracy theories, Margate Football Club has yet to decide on the arrangements for this match. A meeting will be held at Hartsdown Park with the local Police, our Safety Officer and Head Steward and also the Safety Officer of AFC Wimbledon. After this meeting a decision will be announced, which will be based on the best interests and safety of the home supporters and any visiting guests. The above directions were produced, purely to aid fans in arranging their travel details.

[margateshot]

Thanks very much for the clarification. I'm sure whatever the outcome it will be the correct decision.

[BlueGate Alan]

Thank U Margate for update

[MargateFan]

Crumbs, margateshot, you reminded me of standing in the unrelenting drizzle at Aldershot with about 25 other people and a huge mass of Aldershot fans on all sides. Couple of seasons ago. But it mattered not because we watched a great game and we won.

It was similarly unhospitable at Sevenage - we were plonked in a stand, and once we were in there we were not allowed out again, and there were again only a few of us there. We did not win that one.

Some of the grounds we have been to this year have not been entirely state-of-the-art either, but those of us that are lucky, (or stupid), or anything else, go.

Perhaps comfort is not the prime directive for fans who want and like to follow their club about all over the place.

But ensuring that when they do, everything that can be done for the safety and security of everyone, is the least we can expect from any responsible football club.

And it seems to me that our football club, in being mindful of this, is doing at least, and probably more, than they could do to ensure it.

[Herne Bay Dons]

Thanks for the info cookie, I was at your place last Sat against Harrow and it was bloody freezing then. I imagine it will be just as cold during the evening of the match, but at least Sat I watched from the bar. Segregation will I think deprive your club of revenue due to bar takings and talking to some of your supporters they dont want segregation as people tend to change ends at half time. Even one of your stewards was sceptical. no probs at Folkestone or Worthing in recent games so not all seaside games attract the yob element. If the weather forecast is bad i will visit your bar again and socialise with Margate lads and watch the game in comfort. Again to reiterate I had no problems Saturday standing with AFC Wimbledon badges on my jacket, only a couple of bemused looks.

[Cookie]

I would like to know where the club thought conspiracy theories came into it or was mentioned but then I know was just a sarcastic dig but a childish one nevertheless.

In my post above I did say that nothing had been clarified yet as to segregation though the directions given(1st time this season) were inferring it,so I dont think anyone was really under the impression that segregation HAD been finalised.I was just commenting on certain issues that could be prevented and which could avoid both loss of revenue and save embarrassement by segregating. Of course safety comes first but sometimes being too safe can make things worse.

Whether it will be segregated or not is something that will have to be accepted. Either way it will,I am sure have been thought out well enough to cover many points that have been raised.Real fans will travel anyway & put up with anything no matter what.

It would be nice especially to prove to those in the red part of Thanet that a civilised game with the Dons in attendance(no disrespect intended to the AFC fans) can be achieved as they and other clubs also believe they are always responsible for trouble when and where it happens. I honestly think that is vastly exaggerated but we will have to see on the day.It is up to us to make them welcome and I am positive we will do just that.Lets just hope that the day goes off well,everyone ends up happy(does that mean a draw?) and that no problems arise,segregated or not.

[michael]

10 out of 10 for the nice pretty map though !!

 

Those away turnstyles will need a bit of oiling and a test though-when were they last in commission ?