TOPIC: Golden Gamble

Anyone still buy this at a match?

I buy one if anyone asks me to, sometimes get one from Barbara on Warwick Road if I'm out on the front but other than that it's rare I'm asked. I'm often asked to buy a programme, which I refuse (photographers get one) but rare I see anyone selling golden gamble, maybe because I'm usually in the ground early though.

The bloke that won last Saturday goes to all the matches home and away, nice to see a regular get it.

Never bought one - wouldn't know where to get them. Is it the same kids who sell the programmes?

Not sure, I think some sell both but not all of them. You can definitely get them from Barbara who stands the other side of the opening near the Hughie Mac statue. You can also get them from Brian in the little window underneath Legends bar. Not sure where they are in other areas of the ground.

Bumble wrote: Are his tickets cheaper to subsidise the less frequent supporters, or just the same,?

Always by three for two off the lass by the wee house. Won the £100 once and was one number away from the main prize and the second prize - 'in the same draw'!!!
Hundred squid in over five years, I reckon I'm out of pocket.

melbourneblues wrote:
I haven't a clue, I tend to buy things on the premise its good value for me, and not get uptight if some one else is getting it cheaper. For example this morning, after various things cropping up in the week, I find I can get to the game today. It means I'll be paying £3 extra compared to those who got there tickets earlier and those pesky season ticket holders will get it cheaper still. Good on them says I, was far more worried about missing the match than having to pay a few pound extra.

Bumble wrote:
I'm surprised you are paying for tickets Bumble. No press gratis?

Mouldy wrote:
you can get them once inside the east stand. there's a little stall type thing opposite the bookies shed but a bit further along.

or there was last season, wouldn't know about this season.

Whatever happened to the bookies?

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I'm surprised you are paying for tickets Bumble. No press gratis?


It depends what I'm doing. Away games I am nearly always working for the paper so get a press ticket. Home games it's rare I am actually covering the match as club and local papers have their own staff. Sometimes I do some bits and pieces for the club, I actually enjoy doing the fans shots at BP now and again. Gives me a chance to wander round and talk with everyone and gets some different pics. Do find it really really difficult though, to focus on the crowd and not the pitch, particularly when there is a goal type moment.

Sometimes I work for the away papers or club if they can't send anyone up to Brunton Park. Carlisle should actually pay me to do this as Carlisle have never lost when I snap for the other side. The nearest to losing was the Hartlepool game at end of last season, really thought they were going to throw it away that day.

So such as today, I'll go through about midday and if there are mascots who would like some pics I may go on the tour with them, always great to see kids reactions to meeting their heros. Then unless anyone wants pics from the match I will have bought my ticket and pop up to my place in the paddock and enjoy a really good moan, something I'm rather restricted in doing when I'm pitchside.

No point having a season ticket if you can get the odd freebie i suppose.

melbourneblues wrote:
Not sure where you get the idea I'd take a freebie Melbourne, actually find that pretty insulting?

TopDog74 wrote:
Most people realised the odds they gave were SH1TE.

Bumble wrote:
Didn't know that Bumble, always thought you were working in an "official" capacity for club or paper so to speak. Never knew you sometimes joined the stands for the match!

So when you're walking round the pitch all game (home) you're usually snapping for the away team?

I won £305 at the York game last season, which sort of made up for the result.

Bit of a fluke as I wasn't going to buy one until i saw the lad next to the Paddock entrance.

Only downside was i lost my place in the queue for a pie and by the time i got back they'd sold out.

We were in one of the boxes for the Derby game last season and a club official came in selling Golden Gambles. All 10 of us bought a few each, so about £25-£30 worth, the bloke said someone would come in at the end of half time with the winning numbers. We watched the draw being made on the pitch but couldn't hear the numbers as the boxes are soundproofed. Nobody came through with the winning numbers so one of us asked the bar staff at the start of the second half, she phoned the bloke who was in the sponsors lounge and he said he'd come through with the results. We never did see him again or find out the numbers! Typical of the club, we've got your money now sod off.

DeckchairBlue wrote:
what downside? you won £300 and avoided a manky pie. win win in my book.

Mouldy wrote:
Always official, I've got a dataco license and insurance

At home games the club has an excellent match photographer and the local papers usually send their own snappers. For a couple of years I hardly saw a home game as I worked for an agency and was sent all over the place (favourite Man City, least favourite Leeds) Great fun but a lot of driving and hard work.

If I am working for another club, unless they have asked for pics of a specific player I'm siting still behind the touchline. I'm using two cameras and its easier to sit still and let the lenses do the work, only moving at half time.

When you see me wandering round a lot, usually with a fairly short lens on, I'm doing fans shots for the official facebook page. Something Amy suggested a while ago, and has become quite popular with fans. I was going to watch from the paddock today, even bought me ticket but quite a few fans asked me for pics so got started taking them and ended up doing them for most of the match.

Bumble wrote: I'm not bothered if you do to be honest, stop being so precious, i dare say most folk on here have been given a freebie at some time.

That's fine

Maybe I misread your post as saying I was cheating the club.in some way, or maybe it was just banter and I bit. I can't ever remember taking a freebie but whatever, certainly not going to lose sleep over it.

Bumble wrote:
What made city a good one and Leeds the worst bumble? The way you were looked after or the pitch side experience?

"What made city a good one and Leeds the worst bumble? The way you were looked after or the pitch side experience? "

The way you were looked after at Man City, good parking relatively near the snappers entrance no steps. Efficient check in and a lift down to pitch level (makes a huge difference when carting all your stuff. Good photographers room, which although a tight fit everyone could get into. Good food and really fast wifi. good floodlights. No problem being allowed in front of the dug outs before the game to get manager shots. Not always easy to find a space to snap, but always well looked after there.

Leeds. The people in the media department are lovely, helpful and try their best to accommodate you but its not a nice ground to work. Parking is over the road unless you are very lucky. There are endless steps to the media room, you are not allowed down to the dugouts before the game starts so struggle to get manager shots. Worst of all though you have to sit on the floor. A quirk of the ground is the top end has wheelchairs at the front of the stand so photographers must sit on the floor and still get shouted out for blocking the view. Balancing a heavy camera/lens on a monopod sitting cross legged kills my back. Things may have improved there as I haven't been for a few years. It was a shame as I always enjoyed the atmosphere there but just found it very hard work.