Some Liverpool fans who’d hoped to be at Selhurst Park this afternoon have had their plans ripped up by transport disruption.
The Reds are in south London to take on Crystal Palace, their second away fixture in less than 72 hours having been in Yorkshire to face Sheffield United on Wednesday night, but the travelling support could be lesser than usual today.
In the Liverpool Echo‘s live matchday blog, Ian Doyle wrote (10:58): “The Reds, of course, can go top – if only for a bit – with a win here at Selhurst Park. However, there will be a fair amount of fans who won’t be able to make it.
“Trains from the north west have been hit by mechanical problems and cancellations, and some fans have given up on getting here and have headed home instead.
“Thank goodness the price of rail tickets is so cheap. Can you imagine how inappropriate it would be for the people in charge to keep ramping up prices, not pay their staff enough and then be surprised when people moan?”
Fellow journalist Paul Gorst also referenced the travel chaos on X, posting: “Sounds like a trainload of Liverpool fans only made it as far as Tamworth this morning due to a problem with the trains. Good of the decision makers to schedule a(nother) 12.30KO 230 miles away. Only the fans who might struggle, isn’t it?”
Sounds like a trainload of Liverpool fans only made it as far as Tamworth this morning due to a problem with the trains. Good of the decision makers to schedule a(nother) 12.30KO 230 miles away. Only the fans who might struggle, isn’t it?
— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) December 9, 2023
It isn’t just the players who are inconvenienced by the scheduling of fixtures for early kick-off times – any football fan who follows their team away as well as at home will be well familiar with pre-dawn road trips taking them the length and breadth of the country.
Travelling to and from London on the third-last Saturday before Christmas is no joke, with public transport packed to the brim amid the frenzy of pre-yuletide activity.
The lower than usual turnout of away support today won’t be lost on Jurgen Klopp, an ardent and vocal detractor of this particular kick-off slot, and he has yet another legitimate reason to oppose the ludicrous scheduling.
Of course the transport disruption isn’t the fault of the Premier League or its TV rights holders, but nor has it been particularly helpful for Liverpool fans to be landed with a sizeable away trip so early in the day.
There are lessons to be learned from what’s happened, but don’t hold your breath for the best interests of the paying match-going supporter to be fast-tracked to the top of the priority list.