Not sure how many people use these people but I have to give them a very big plug and say how excellent the service is.

I had tried for a couple of weeks to order on line without success. Eventually I managed it but on my order form mentioned the problem.

I subsequently recieved an email with a follow up call apologising for the problems and a complimentary book.

Now I am not plugging this company because of the freebie (which was nice) but for the level of customer service which is excellent.

I would point out their website does not have everything on there so I would suggest giving them a call as well.

One very pleased customer!!

Nick

Nick,

Please be so kind to give points of contact for your recommendation...

I can't find them when I trawl the internet!

Many thanks in anticipation,

Bill

Hi there Bill,

You seem like you're going to be a lively addition to this forum - welcome!

The site can be found here:

http://www.thailandcentre.co.uk/

They used to be a sponsor here, but that doesn't appear the case anymore? But they can still be found on the link to "advertisers" on the home page.

And should you get settled in Guildford and seek to take your better half to the Bridge, please let me know, it might persuade mine to attend as well! I'm just two stops from Kingston.

Caller,

Phorn, like most Thais, preferred a nasty team that play in red (only because of the colour red...) However, after seeing me and my expat friends put a higher priority on watching Chelsea in the BKK bars on a Saturday night rather than the girlies, found it curious.

After a lot of insisting, I finally capitulated and took her out on a Saturday night to a bar in Sukhumvit where she saw the passion with which the Chelsea boys were engaged with the big screen, she couldn't believe it. Then, after having to put up with me setting the alarm clock on to wake up at an unholy hour to watch Champion's League games she started to get interested. Now, I am delighted to say, she watches the games with me on SKY (we used to get 100% coverage in Thailand with UBC) thesedays.

I will take her to the 'new look' Bridge. My father first took me to watch Chelsea vs Preston NE League Cup replay back in 1968. We then had season tickets in the old North Stand. I did take my children to Stamford Bridge in 2001 on a visit from Minnesota... So, I've seen the new Stamford Bridge once!

Looking forward to having the ladies yap yap and watching Chelsea in the flesh



Bill & Phorn

Well, well, well!

I was at the the abandoned game - we were winning 2-0 when the floodlights crashed! But wasn't it the FA cup and the replay was on the following Monday afternoon?

I wanted to go, but my Dad said, "son, if I have to go to work, you have to go to school"! I got back from school minutes before he got back from "work", desperate to know the result.

He then threw the programme at me and let me know that we got lucky, 0-1 down with a minute or so to go and then got two late goals.

I vaguely recollect that I tried to physically attack him!!! I still have the programmes somewhere (actually, I have hundreds).

I was at the replay only. I'm sure it was the old 'League Cup' and it was certainly a school afternoon/early evening because my dad took me out of school in Park Barn, Guildford. I dropped him in it the following day as I was so excited and couldn't keep my mouth shut!

Small world... You might be surprised at the amount of Chelsea supporters of our vintage in Thailand. Pattaya has many of the former 'North Stand' who were advised to leave the country after beating the Met Police force in a court case. They took their compensation and opened the small 'Dog's *******s' bar in Pattaya!

Were either or both of you at the Milk Cup semi when Clive Walker came back to the Bridge and destroyed Chelsea, and the fans (and Speedie!) got a little bit vexed? One in particular who was eventually tackled by your keeper, I think, turned out to be an off-duty PC!!

I have an abiding memory of Walker having to chip the ball over two coppers in the penalty box, onto West's head, for the final goal. Sadly that one was NEVER shown on the TV as Bates took out some sort of injunction though Tyne Tees showed some of it anyway which I still have.

This was when he was calling for electrified fences at the Bridge, though I don't think that would have deterred the Headhunters!!

Hi Gordie,

No... Not there! ...and to be truthful, I can't recall it (Probably too painful by the sounds of it!)

Clive Walker, or 'Flasher' was in my opinion, an underachiever. I greatly admired him! He's as bald as a coot now and a regular contributor on ChelseaTV.

Bates... Hmmm... There's a human paradox, eh! Was he the saviour or destroyer? Another one of yesterday's football 'characters'. There used to be so many 'characters' didn't there? The whole Chelsea team of 1970 was a 'character' when sober or under the influence. Every 1st Division team seemed to have their share of 'characters'. Doesn't seem to be the case thesedays... Maybe too much money at take?

The Pattaya bar, "The Dog's B****cks" I refer to is needlessly to say owned by a couple of ancestral 'Headhunters' (who published a book many years ago about their 'experiences') and an accepted Arsenal supporter... I suppose with time everyone mellows!!! The bar is decorated with great autographed photographs of many 'characters' of all teams, photographs of the Headhunters away saluting 'German 1939 style', fighting and occupying at away grounds. It's amazing at the relatively little press coverage given to the viciousness and amount of hoolganism in the 60's & 70's... Can you imagine the sensationalism that would be made today?

I recommend any football fan to visit "The Dog's B****cks" when in Pattaya - a trip down memory lane for all!

Ah! Memories, eh?

I recall there was a lot of coverage given to the hooliganism at the time!

I was probably at that Sunderland game. I think its the one where lots of coverage was given to a fan running to the Sunderland end along the side of the pitch with a chair
(think of the old Bridge) and everyone calling it a riot. What they didn't show was the solitary Police Officer who put up an arm up to stop him and the kid, which is what he was, then put the chair down and ran back. Another "riot" I somehow survived.

You can never really support the old problems, but there have been times when I was glad of the "protection" from the Chelsea "crew", there wasn't a lot from the Police when visiting certain away grounds.

Au contraire, Caller, this was full on, fans coming on from 3 sides of the ground, St John's crew being bombarded with chairs as they tried to treat people hit by the first wave! Players taken off, police horses charging at fans and trampling them, it's stirring stuff, I still have the footage! I was there with me girlfriend de jour (who I later married) at the back of the terrace with basically a sheer drop behind, the official exit being through the back of a Chelsea section. As the Chelsea fans started scaling the (massive) fences into our end I was really scared, had visions of a stampede back up the slope. At the end the players sprinted off, no celebrations despite reaching Wembley (where we lost when Walker missed a penalty and West, who had scored 3 against Chelsea, was 'rested'!).

We had another cracking FA cup tie against you in 1992 when we drew at the Bridge and beat you in the replay with a stupendous header from Gordon Armstrong. The year Johnny Byrne scored in every round - except the Final where we got tonked by the 'Pool. I've seen Sunderland 3 times at Wembley, but never seen them score - missed 1973!

More recent Chelsea memories - watching in the Hare & Hounds in Cowboy when Phillips and Quinn had us 4-0 up by half-time; less pleasant watching in G-Spot when you did us 6-2 - our worst defeat in the last 25 years ....... until last Saturday!!

...and now Chelsea are probably the best behaved and most respectable bunch... Maybe second only to Millwall?

Must be the influence of the prawn sandwich brigade, eh?

Hi GTG, then it wasn't the same game.

My mistake.

The exit you are talking about was a seperated one from Chelsea fans at the end of the old West Stand.

Still, could have been worse. I recall Old Trafford having "us & them" loo's only seperated by wire fencing - just imagine it!

Were you ever in the away end at Ipswich, where I think home and away were separated by a net which hung down? Just right for gobbing through! I enjoyed the delights of Aldershot during our spell in the old 3rd division where you entered through the park and the segregation relied on you being able to read the <-Home:Away-> sign!

I spent a very uncomfortable night sleeping in my car on an away trip to Ipswich...

Worst grounds visited include 'The Dell' (I could never see anything due to the columns!). I never got to Maine Road. Charlton's old 'The Valley', like the old Stamford Bridge was not exactly Wembley either...

Maybe all seating is a good thing? However, it seems to have constrained small group co-hesion (I wonder if that was a major design criteria?). Still seems a bit strange to me... All seaters...

quote:

Originally posted by ChelseaBill:
...and now Chelsea are probably the best behaved and most respectable bunch... Maybe second only to Millwall?

Must be the influence of the prawn sandwich brigade, eh?

Yes the prawn sandwich brigade, and the high prices for admission.

Prenders,

Are you by any chance the Chelsea supporting 'Prendegras' (spelling?) that lived in Gloucester circa 1975-1980s?

Bill

What a fine goal by Phil Hoadley Oh happy days

Orient 3 Chelsea 2

Bill,

No that's not me. My family are from Fulham and Battersea.
Never lived in Gloucester.

Good result tonight!

Well, Drogba's double has helped me to the top of the UCL Fantasy League (Along with Crouch and RVN!)!

As you can imagine we are REALLY looking forward to visiting your lot in 10 days time. If we haven't stuffed Derby on Saturday, we could well be bottom by then, if 'new manager syndrome' has kicked in for them and Wigan .......

Gordy,

It was the 'Special One' who dragged Drogba's big 'brack ass' to Chelsea and who kept faith with him for the first two seasons. Drogba was a disappointment (Just like Shevchenko is today - but Morinho didn't want or buy Shevchenko - Abromovich did all that and soured the relationship between himself and Morinho by meddling).

Hopefully the anticipated and needed return of 'The Special One' to British football as England's manager will give us something all to cheer about... ...and if the FA do not approach and offer Jose the job then we should sack the FA! Love him or hate him, I think Morinho's track record says it all!

Thanks in advance for the 3 points - we need 'em as Manure and Le Arse seem to be on fire this year! (and credit to them, playing good entertaining futbon!)