As the temperature changes so does the price!

Finally autumn is here! The leaves are falling and the temperature is down to a cool 15 degrees I. The mornings. However a crisp autumn morning in Scotland is would be beautiful right now, Barcelona's trees just don't provide that colour!

This Paella and Bovril comes from the home win 2-1 against Morton. This was my big game in a double header of games, the wee game being that little old el Clasico!

Enjoy!


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More often than not it seems that the only club in town is FC Barcelona and not only in town but all over Catalunya. From the Pyrenees in then North to the Delta de L'Ebre in the South you will see the colours of Barça being proudly worn. Although over the past few weeks I have thought that the number of Partick Thistle fans in the Catalan capital had erupted as Barcelona's third strip is uncannily like the traditional Jags home strip. The Catalans are proud to wear their club on their sleeves,T-shirts, underwear, anything you can think of, so to see a headline Barcelona unpopular amongst fans is a rarity. 

For some us supporting a club is something you choose at a point in your life, the first team you are taken to see, the team in your town, the one that your family support. New fans are the future of a game. Of course a club the size of FC Barcelona doesn't have a struggle getting fans thru the doors, although the attendances have been going down, but just like any club it wants the future generations to get into the habit of going to the game on a Saturday. For many  years it has been club policy that under 7s could get in to the ground for free, accompanied by an adult, even for the big games. Last season at a game with Getafe over 10,000under 7s were inside Camp Nou. On that occasion there were plenty empty seats that the kids could occupy. This game kicked off at midday, an unusual time for a kick off in la Liga but a perfect time to take the wee ones to the game. 

On Saturday the 26th October the enemy comes to town; el clasico is the game of the weekend. However, this game has what the club calls aspecial kick off, six in the evening. Normal kick off times are 9/10pm so to have at this time is unusual. This family-friendly time was going to be popular, and this got somebody somewhere worried.  On the 15th of October the club took the brave decision to abolish the rule, no more kids under 7 in free with no ticket. Understandably the board were worried about the safety concerns of having 10,000+ than the capacity. Unlike other games this one was going to be a sell out. The boardsecretary  Toni Freixa announced  in a statement "it's  an unpopular decision, but we’re taking this decision as an exercise in responsibility. We prefer to take pre-emptive measures before regretting anymisfortune". The safety of the future generations of fans was important only children with a paid-for seat could now enter the stadium. A family-friendly day at the football suddenly got a lot more expensive. 

The days of being perched on the shoulders of your parents watching the game from the terraces have long gone and with the cost of a ticket to game at Nou Camp not giving much change from €80 this is a massive change to young fans of the Catalan club. If only Stark's Park was closer for them to enjoy!