Which Premier League team should you follow?
There’s nothing quite like sitting down to watch a game of football. It’s one of the most British things to do on a Saturday afternoon or, given that times have changed, Sundays as well. Middlesex lies in a rare area of London without a Premier League team within a walkable distance of the town.
AFC Wimbledon is the closest professional club in the top four leagues of English football after Wimbledon was moved away to Milton Keynes. However, The Cherry Red Records Stadium is still three miles away and would not the best standard of football in League One, boasting only a capacity of 4,850 and only 2,265 of those are seated.
Although the lower leagues can provide an old school version of the sport that the sanitised Premier League fails to satisfy, especially in recent seasons, the prospect of watching the best in the world cannot be matched. Therefore, a trip to see Chelsea at Stamford Bridge or Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park could be in the offing – with both stadiums being with a commutable distance. There is always a debate about which team to follow. The lineage of support passes down within families and does not tend to stray. However, if you’re looking to pick a club for the first time there are always reasons to back or not to. In this case, Chelsea are the more successful team, winning the Premier League five times since Roman Abramovich became their owner in 2003. No team has won the title more during that time span. And although they’re unlikely to win this season, Frank Lampard’s men are backed in the latest Premier League betting odds to finish in the top four at odds 4/7 and qualify for a place in the Champions League next term.
They’re an interesting team with a good young manager on the rise. Stamford Bridge holds over 40,000, although tickets can be quite expensive with an adult ticket costing up to £95, while juniors range just below £30. The atmosphere in the ground is also up and down – quite typical of a fanbase that have been spoiled by the success of their team in the modern era.
Palace is the opposite of the Blues. They have not had the success of their London rivals, failing to win the top-flight crown in their 114-year history. The Eagles have failed to win any major honors – notably losing in the final of the FA Cup in the 2015/16 season to Manchester United despite taking a late lead in the contest. They have filled the role of plucky underdogs in the Premier League – battling to remain in the division for the last six seasons. The club has managed to punch above their weight while boasting a few exciting players such as Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend in their ranks – producing memorable moments on the field.
Selhurst Park can be one of the most raucous grounds in the country due to its tightly-packed capacity of 25,456. Tickets can still be a tad expensive due to the nature of the Premier League, although they are a tad cheaper than Chelsea’s, ranging between £58 and £40 for adults. There are options for students, 18-21-year-olds and over 65s in the region of £32, while junior tickets cost £20. It can be an expensive day out, but for a trip to watch a game once a month, it can be a great experience for the family that becomes a ritual.
