Carol&John

Hi,
Do people support their hometown's football team (Ayamonte, El Decano (is this the same as Recreativo Huelva? Sorry for my ignorance )? Or, do they travel only to support the big matches (Cadiz, Betis, RM, Barca etc.)? Where would one buy tickets for any match (I've seen online a site called miapuesta), and is there such a thing as a season ticket?
Many questions, but positive answers please (not a "my team's better than yours" attitude )Thanks,
Carol

jdr

Dont know about your area, but Malaga season tickets cost only about as much as they charge for 2 or 3 of the big matches.

Michaelh

Carol
Mi apuesta is my bet in English. The site you were on maybe had a pop up for you to place a bet. Season tickets are usually sold from the end of the season. Recreativo are in 2nd division but will more than likely go up to the 1st/preimership next season.
Betis & Sevilla are two first division teams in Sevilla and some people had the chance to drive up to Sevilla and watch Betis beat Chelsea 1 0.

Nige

Football in Spain started in Huelva. According to a book MORBO the Story of Spanish football, written by Phil Ball (suitable name don't you think) and published by www.wsc.co.uk the game was introduced to this part of Spain by the workers at Rio Tinto Zinc as well as the Brits who had the contract to repair Seville's sewers ! This was back in 1880s. Recreativo was 'founded' in 1889.
The first officially recorded football match in Spain was between the lads at Huelva and the boys in Seville. It was an away game.The newspaper LOS SPORTS reported that there was a large (but unspecified) number of spectators:

Foot-ball - es un juego de pelota muy distraido y a la vez higiénico por el mucho que requiere. La particularidad de este juego consiste en que, en vez de botar la pelota con las manos y con las paletas, se bota con la pies, y, en casos apurados, con los hombros o con la cabeza

Translated (according to Phil Ball) ;

Football is a very enjoyable and healthy ball game since it demands a lot of physical effort. The peculiarity of this game resides in the fact that instead of striking the ball with the hands or with bats it is struck instead by the feet and , in extreme cases, using the shoulders of the head.

Carol&John

Hi,
Thanks jdr, Michaelh, and Nige for your posts. I can't wait to see the jaws dropping from the male members of the family when I casually mention this information in passing!
Do you buy your tickets at the turnstile, then? Or, can you buy them in advance from any specialist shops in town (ie. any town in Spain)?
The book sounds like a good gift idea. Thanks again.
Regards,
Carol

big wheels

You can usually buy tickets at all the stadiums from around 4-5 days before the match, right up to kick off.
For some of the bigger teams, tickets are also sold from such outlets as El Corte Ingles.

regards
BW.

Carol&John

[QUOTE=big wheels]...tickets are also sold from such outlets as El Corte Ingles.QUOTE]
Thanks big wheels,
That's one of my favourite shops, so I'll just tell the menfolk that half of the message!
Regards,
Carol

Nige

I went to watch Seville Betis play RM in January. Stadium must hold over 50k and it was 85% full. Ticket bought just a couple of hours before the game at the stadium. Would advise not to sit in the front row as the crowd do like throwing things down from the heights towards the end of the game. Didn't fancy a cold burger down the back of my neck.

jdr

Thats why they take the tops off the bottles when you buy a drink ( it sprays out on the way down so its not such a clunk on the head)

big wheels

That's nothing compared to the good?? old days in the uk of 10,000 standing on the kop and only four or five toilets

BW

EsuriJohn

Hi big wheels,

Have you been the victim of the "footie Echo" then laa!

Regards,

John