Michelle

All I'm gonna ask is that you get the hell over youself GM. We've got shot of all the ego's from the club, we could do with yours taking a back seat too.

Bring on the vodka. Me thinks I'm going to find it a bit difficult to stick to the 10:00 rule on this one... oh dear.

Sounds like a plan. I'm about to book them now. Thinking if I book the 4 for 2, and you book the single one, and we'll split it 5 ways? How much is that gonna be? You then send me the payment I need, I'm gonna get them in the post so as soon as I've got them I'll send the two over to you? How's that sound?

Well it's looking like I've got the Tuesday and Wednesday off work now, so I'm seriously considering driving it - cheapest option by far for us (even more so if anyone else wants to tag along!) and we've got the flexibility to stay where we want overnight and use one of our Reward Nights with Holiday Inn which will make our stay FOC. Total cost (if I end up using two complete tanks of petrol) circa £80 total. £40 each (if it is just the two of us) is a bargain compared to £60 each for flights plus hotel plus transport between Newcy and Hartlepool. Job done, me thinks.

Problem is, there's only the two of us travelling!

That's exactly what I've got, £28 return for the London to Carlisle leg, and then £20.35 return for So'ton to London, all on Network Railcard. Suppose I'd better go renew mine now!

Don't panic, picked it up after just searching for that part. Flights are no-go, nearly £100 a pop now, and why bother driving when it'll take about the same time as the train, and cost about the same. This is gonna be carnage. I like it. I like it a lot.

OK, no 17:52 option showing to return - have you buggers all filled it up already!?

This could be rather tempting... just checking out options from my sickbed now, certainly cheaper than flying, which is very attractive atm.

Mmm. Jaffa Cakes.

As far as I'm lead to believe, yes. They changed their criteria several months ago (not sure exactly when the cut-off point was) that the commission free/charge free offer was for existing customers only - anyone opening a new account/credit card from that point would not benefit from it.

I was in the West Quay store last Monday, and they were putting out loads of stock of home shirts. If you get stuck trying to get one I'm sure you'll find a helpful soul on here who wouldn't mind getting one for you and posting it out. (Yes, that is an offer. btw )

It was pay on the gate last time. Gutted I can't go, blasted swine flu. Could've been worse I guess, could've missed the start of the league campaign!

If the away team takes their full allocation, that only leaves us with the first four columns of seats in Block 43. I was on the end of Block 42 for several years, and know that this has always been the case. They only open 43 if away team don't sell out, or confirm the smaller allocation early on.

If you're not being charged commission on that, very well done.

I get the comparisons through all the time at work. Unless you're an old Nationwide customer you'll get hit, as they're the only ones that don't charge on debit cards - they have stopped offering this to new customers though. The banks will even charge you for purchases you make in shops. The best credit cards to have are either old Nationwide, or Post Office, as the only fees charged are for ATM withdrawals, none for purchases and no cross border/ commission charges. Same goes for the pre-paid Travel Money Card that the Post Office offer.

Until you get completely stung for ATM and cross border fees. Not so simples.

Just checked out Paddy Power, it's currently 18/1 for the title, and 6/1 for promotion. Sky have got best odds for both atm, 25/1 and 8/1 respectively.

Wouldn't read anything into Eastleigh and Totton at all. They were clearly fitness games than tactical tests - if they were supposed to mean anything we wouldn't have completely changed the team at half time!

That'll do me nicely.

Depending on how much you want, the Post Office are currently offering a tiered rate system, so the more you spend the better the rate will be. Rates on Traveller's Cheques and Travel Money Cards are slightly higher again, so it may be worth spending a few extra quid to get the better deal in the long run. Anyone would think I run one...

I was going... but I've come down ill overnight. Gutted. :'-(

Would you if you were closer to 20 than 40?

I was down there around 1pm, and was told around 700 sold. I assume online bookings are back on for that to have jumped to 1,400 by tonight!? All in all, a good start. Well done to the ticket office too, lots of new staff and all seems to be running well. Thanks guys and gals.

Most definitely, bloody rip-off that! If we have to have it not on tap, get the Strongbow back, or sell us the full pink bottles of Magners at the proper price. Alternatively, as someone else suggested, something a bit less mass-produced on tap would go down a treat.