10 matchday mistakes first-time stadium visitors should avoid

Visiting a football stadium for the first time can be a daunting experience, but also hugely rewarding if you have your head screwed on.

With that in mind, here are ten matchday mistakes you should avoid when making your first visit to a football stadium.

Sitting in the wrong end

Given that football is renowned for its tribalism, heading into the wrong area of the stadium on your first visit should be avoided.

That point is particularly pertinent if you are wearing the other team’s colours, especially in stadiums where the home fans have a reputation for trouble.

If you are a ‘neutral fan’, ask the ticket office staff to advise on the best place to sit before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Wearing the wrong gear

Wearing the right clothing is not consigned to donning the right team colours. Many stadiums are unforgiving places during the winter.

Unless you are a British postman, wearing shorts in a football stadium is not advised. By contrast, thick layers of warm clothing work well.

If you are a female football fan, ditch the heels. With endless steps and terraces to contend with, your feet will not thank you if you head down the heels route.

Turning up late

In an age when all-seater stadiums have become commonplace, it is imperative to ensure you are in your seat well before kick-off.

Arriving early allows you to become immersed in the build-up of warm-ups, chants and the growing hum inside the stadium as the seats fill.

Don’t be the fan who rocks up five minutes after kick off and disrupts everyone else so you can get to your seat in the middle of a row.

Filming everything

Live in the moment. This is a mantra that many modern-day fans do not understand. They live their lives behind a smartphone.

The best parts of football are the things cameras miss – the off-the-ball runs, the tension in the crowd or the noise when a tackle flies in.

If you watch a game through a smartphone, you are diminishing your own experience. You are also a pain in the neck for true football fans.

Overdoing the pre-match drinks

Many fans enjoy a pint or two in the pub before the game. Some have no concept of limits and think that ten pints is an appropriate number.

However, football deserves your focus. The swings in momentum, the tactical tweaks and the crowd reactions – they pass quickly.

Not checking the view from your seat

When you buy tickets to a stadium for the first time, make sure to check your view before confirming the purchase.

Many stadiums have restricted views in some areas of the ground. Others have seats where the view is so bad, you may as well be wearing a blindfold.

A little pre-planning makes a significant difference to how the game unfolds in front of you.

Ignoring basic etiquette

Stand when others stand. Sit when asked to sit. Don’t block aisles. Simple things which make a massive difference to everyone’s enjoyment of the game.

Football crowds are communal spaces – everyone has paid to be there, so be respectful of their right to enjoy what they are watching.

Disrupt the flow, and you will soon feel the pushback. Respect the ground and the people in it, and they will respect you.

Embrace the occasion

Every stadium has a rhythm. Pay attention to the atmosphere and join in where appropriate. In simple terms, embrace the culture you’ve stepped into.

Football is tribal but welcoming if you respect the sport. Sit there blankly while everyone else belts out songs, and you will feel detached.

If you don’t know the words, clap along. Silence is not a good thing in a football stadium.

Understand what’s at stake

A matchday isn’t like other popular entertainment activities. Many first-time visitors to a stadium fail to recognise what is at stake in games.

For example, a derby match between Blackburn Rovers and Burnley is not just a football fixture. People in the two Lancashire towns despise each other.

Read up on the fixture and know what’s at stake before you attend. When you understand the context, the game sharpens and the chants make sense.

Leaving early to beat the traffic

Regular fans will understand how this one works. Football has a habit of changing course in the latter stages. Leave early, and you may miss out.

It may be tempting to leave early when your team is trailing by a couple of goals, but what if they perform a miraculous turnaround?

You will have missed the joy this generates, all to ensure that you can beat the traffic.