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Home travel next season
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Met with a few friends/work colleagues, Ks supporters yesterday evening. Majority are not happy that there is no direct travel link to Imperial Fields given that when we were at Leatherhead we had a direct bus from Kingston/Surbiton, train from Raynes Park and a complimentary coach. Anybody else feel that us supporters have been let down over this!
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Met with a few friends/work colleagues, Ks supporters yesterday evening. Majority are not happy that there is no direct travel link to Imperial Fields given that when we were at Leatherhead we had a direct bus from Kingston/Surbiton, train from Raynes Park and a complimentary coach. Anybody else feel that us supporters have been let down over this!
Ok as someone who doesn’t drive & pays 250 plus a month for a zone 1-5, I can add my view.
Leatherhead wasn’t in the Oyster card zone, so if you traveled by train it was £5+ , the 465 runs twice an hour except Sundays & evenings (after 10) when it’s 1 an hour. You can get a direct bus from Tolworth to Leatherhead, have to change. Tooting it’s by tram which is the same fair as a bus ( I think the bus hopper might include trams.)
To tooting it’s 57/131 to Wimbledon or South western trains to Wimbledon (be at the back. Easy change over) & head from platform 5 to platform 10 a/b for the tram.
I don’t like that we’re going to tooting (sorry Tooting & Mitcham fans) but it’s easier & cheaper then Leatherhead.
While I understand your point, it’s a bit harsh. Any ground move there’s always going to be winners & losers. It’s trying to make the best of the situation.
I live 5 minutes from Kingsmeadow ( until the Cambridge Road Estate is knocked down & rebuilt with “affordable” housing. ) & I’m reminded every time I go past or we have a home game what was home.
Edited by KsOllie at 16:36:02 on 30th June 2022
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Re: Home travel next season
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Agree, if there was a coach to Leatherhead (when there was the 465 anyway) then a coach to Tooting (which I think is much less attractive via public transport) is surely worth consideration.
I'd certainly use it (if there was pickup from somewhere near Surbiton town centre) and would happily pay some kind of contribution too.
Waiting in the cold for a tram from Mitcham to get back from a *home* game just isn't in my vision of what supporting Ks is all about. A Ks bus to/from the game, then frankly I'll just come to more games, simple as that.
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Re: Home travel next season
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The problem here is cost. The coaches to Leatherhead were provided by Anderson Travel for free but we’re paid for out of Mark Anderson’s own pocket - for which he received little thanks. I really can’t imagine that he is in a position to repeat that.
If there is interest in a Mini bus for which there would be a charge perhaps people can let the Supporters club know.
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4 people 10 people
Re: Home travel next season
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I think Mark Anderson has done wonders for the club, and I'll always thank him. But it would be a crazy business-person who'd pay for this out of their own pocket, rather than via their business.
that's like saying when Banquet sponsored Kingstonian it came from my pocket.
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Re: Home travel next season
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MC literally said he’s happy to pay
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6 people
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MC did indeed and explained his view very clearly but I am not clear on how many more would be willing to pay.
The Supporters Club AGM is coming up and this issue will be on the agenda. If there is enough interest, we could potentially start with a mini bus. Unfortunately, a larger coach would be far more expensive. It would therefore be helpful to know many others would be willing to pay and what is the maximum that they would be willing to pay?
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Re: Home travel next season
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"It would therefore be helpful to know many others would be willing to pay and what is the maximum that they would be willing to pay?"
Count me in as someone who is, at this stage, interested & happy to contribute.
For me, like a few I assume, it would be a 131 to Wombleland & a tram out to Mitcham which is 1hr each way & a cost of £1.65 each way so £3.30 in total (providing you dont stop for beers in Wombleland for over an hour & void your hopper fair)... with that in mind I'd be happy to pay up to a fiver per game for a coach, which is probably about the limit before me & the guys I'll be going with decide we might as well pool the cash & chuck it into an uber.
Also I wouldn't be interested in any kind of season ticket for coach travel, I'd want to be able to pay as I go.
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Re: Home travel next season
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I always get confused with whether the trams count as trains or buses when it comes to fares.
Do you know if it's bus? Your costings suggest it might be and in which case it would at least fall under the 'hopper' fare for those who are able to get to Wimbledon easily by bus.
It's going to be a bus/train/tram/walk combo for me personally, so can't say I'm massively looking forward to it week in, week out.
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Re: Home travel next season
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Trams are part of the hopper fair. I was a skeptical about that but I did a bit of googling before making my post & it turns out it is included.
To be fair Google reckons getting the 213 Sutton then a 280 to Tooting is about the same in terms of travel time... so it's just a question of if you'd want to go there via Wimbledon or Sutton. Hobson's choice.
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Re: Home travel next season
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The problem with arranging travel to home matches is where to pick supporters up. Kingsmeadow is used at the current time and a few trips from M&S at Tolworth. I personally feel that a least three pick up / drop off points should be considered. Tolworth M&S, Surbiton Station & Central Kingston (bus station). Cost must cover the hire and makes sense that Supporters's club members should have priority.
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Re: Home travel next season
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I dunno if I agree that SC members should have priority... discounted rates maybe (if it works out a discount can be afforded) but the whole point of the coach would surely be to encourage the causal K's fan over to Tooting as opposed to those more committed that will be more likely travel to Tooting regardless?
Having said that, if membership of the SC is a prerequisite & it all works out cost effective to what I'm willing to part with, then I'd likely join the SC for that purpose.
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The reason I said this was that we get fans asking to reserve seats on the mini-bus as non SC members promising to pay on the day then not turning up. If you are a SC member then you are accountable for the fare.
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Re: Home travel next season
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Ah that's fair.
Maybe for non SC members it can be a pay in full upfront to reserve the seat kind of deal? As a non SC member I'd have absolutely no problems with that. It's what you expect from all coach companies & long distance travel operators so it shouldn't be a shock to people.
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why wouldnt anyone join the SC its a fiver for a year - data protection?
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Fair point I guess. I can only speak for myself, although I'd imagine others might think similarly to me here, but I'm not particularly afluent. A fiver to me might mean more then it does to others (hey it might mean less than it does to others also, I'm not suggesting to get the violins out!) when there are no tangible benefits that are applicable to me of giving up that fiver.
Bi-weekly cost effective coach travel to Tooting would be a tangible benefit.
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Re: Home travel next season
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I hear you Paddy - and as Jon has said I am lucky ( more comfortable than I used to be at earlier stages of life) so i try to apply an empathy filter - espcially big outlays like a ST etc - I just thought a fiver was a nominal way to support the club and have a say - the more involvement, the the more they would do etc.
Maybe some are anti or indiifernt for other reasons - too pro-board - just a travel thing?
But if it has to pay for itself this could be a great opportunity for the SC to be more relevant.
Less than 10p per week
Sussex Ks
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Re: Home travel next season
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It totally is a great way to help the club, can't knock that. I guess because of it having no benefit to me personally I sort of see it as a VIP package kind of thing. Like for example a music festival in the way that I'm already paying to go there, this is an additional cost for additional benefits, but not having those additional benefits does not detract from my enjoyment.
As I said, if we introduce some kind of travel arrangements for Tooting & that then falls under the guise of the SC then I'd have a case in my mind to become a member because having to slog it out on public transport probably will detract from my enjoyment. Especially when the first half of the journey will be boring as hell for me as it's my daily commute for work!
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Re: Home travel next season
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Just to narrow down the issue. Kingston to Leatherhead bus is 38-41 minutes. Surbiton to Leatherhead train is 38 minutes . This compares to 38 minutes Surbiton to Imperial Fields including tram and walk. Anyone living in Raynes Park is a shorter time difference to both Leatherhead and Imperial Fields. So removing all that the only thing missing is the complimentary coach.
I expect you could raise this at the supporters club agm or if unable to attend request it’s added to the agenda for discussion. Maybe a car share scheme could be set up with a meeting point at one or two stations. If not enough car spaces available people could still get the train.
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Re: Home travel next season
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After years of having the tough end of the stick - i will be only a short 280 bus ride away or a train to East Coydon and a tram.
I'd be interested to canvass where our fanbase live - it has certainly changed from 1985 when i first started and certainly different from the 30s-60s when our fans poured out of Hawkers etc and 99% lived in Kingston I would guess.
It may not be as big an issue or it might.
Sussex Ks
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Re: Home travel next season
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Yep.
I wouldn’t be surprised if after half a decade of not playing in Kingston, less of our fanbase is from Kingston
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Politely disagree - the 287 faces look the same to me -5 years or minus 10 years - nomadic life isnt my point - lets say 90% of our 300 fans who go regularly are the same as 10 years ago - where do they live?
I've lived in Putney, Chessington, Lower Mordern, Surbs, Chertsey, Epsom, Sutton, Brighton etc - Never Kingston - the 65 and 71 buses used to be the hooped express.
May be a moot point with Toots our new home - just interested.
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Re: Home travel next season
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When I lived in Chessington, there were at least a dozen folks I knew of at the time that lived in the area.
Chessington, at the time, was a hotbed of K's support.
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Re: Home travel next season
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Isn't this the problem though - we're serving the same 287 faces rather than attracting new ones. Worse that that, we're losing faces. Kingston is the future of Kingstonian, only mugs like us will continue to follow outside of Kingston. And as we've seen on the terraces and this forum, even the enthusiasm of the mugs is dwindling.
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Re: Home travel next season
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It's pretty difficult to get new fans when we weren't the only show in town though. Now that they've buggered off to Wimbledon we should be fighting tooth and nail to get back. We have lost a potential generation of new fans and need to get back into the forefront of the people of Kingston's minds. The people of the town need to know that we are here and that we want their support. Giving up the town, especially now that Wimbledon have gone would be a catastrophic error.
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related, we’re going on behaving like someone else won’t fill the void left.
if a new club at step 6 started playing in Kingston, I would probably go and watch them.
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Re: Home travel next season
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Possibly me also
Although there’s something to be said about groundhopping occasionally
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Re: Home travel next season
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Blimey Jon - I wouldnt , Id walk 1/2 mile and watch whitehawk - could never watch a Ks replacement - but you truly are a Kingstonian
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Re: Home travel next season
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look, we're not all lucky enough to walk half a mile to Whitehawk while also being one bus ride away from Tooting.
all i'm saying is there's often times when you go to a local game when you can't find the time for the one further away, or on days K's aren't playing. Groundhopper tells me in '22 I went to Walton, Hampton, Raynes Park, Leatherhead, Casuals, Sutton, Wimbledon, Met Police to games that didn't involve K's
it's not about changing allegiance. it's recognising that if there's a vacuum, another club will fill it. People will want to go, businesses will want to sponsor and I don't agree that leaving Kingston was ever in Kingstonian's best interest.
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Re: Home travel next season
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No ! You look! - I ve been travelling up to 15 plus home games from Brighton for 12 years. Very Lucky...
You're missing the point AGAIN! I'm a Kingstonian fan NOT a fan of football in Kingston - I meant you are a true Kingstonian - Live there - represent there
You be you - I'll be me - if its Not Ks I aint having it.
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Re: Home travel next season
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Not wishing to butt in,but prehaps you both have valid opinions. First and foremost I enjoy football as a game and for me nothing comes close to playing it.
Starting watch Ks 55 years ago as nearest team and couldn't afford Football League games.
Always gone along to watch other games as well
Moved away and starting watching local county league side,as 100 mile round triip is not my idea of a good use of time.
Suppose this means my like of football as a sport is greater than tribal allegiance to any one club.
Support your local team (as long as they're reputable)when and if Ks folds
Ksuals
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Re: Home travel next season
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I'll probably just go to see Spurs.
All this is supposition. Is the end of the club imminent ? Or a slow painful death?
It's clear even diehards like us are tired.
Switching from Surrey to the Sharks was easy as I don't find cricket that tribal or sectarian.
NL footy is far further ingrained.
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Re: Home travel next season
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^ this right here.
I support Kingstonian because I am from Kingston upon Thames & have a lot of pride in my local area. I mean damn I spent around 5 years away in the idealic North Devon countryside just wishing those sheep in the field across the street was a couple of drunk chavs having a punch up at a bus stop instead so I'd feel more at home.
Currently Kingstonian are still the closest thing metaphorically to being Kingston upon Thames' football team (Wombles & Casuals not counting because they were never established to represent this area). If a new entity formed with the intention of representing the town of Kingston upon Thames, on the continued basis of the existing entity having no interest in returning to the town, I certainly would want to be one of the first in line to check them out.
I'd then be asking myself the existential crisis inducing question of am I a Kingstonian supporter or am I a supporter of Kingston upon Thames football. I've never had to think about that one before because both options have always & currently do equate to the same answer: Kingstonian.
Edited by Paddy1 at 13:36:48 on 30th June 2022
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Surely the likelihood of a new team in Kingston even at step 6 is practically zero. Even at that level you’d need an enclosed area, floodlights etc and there are very few to zero options in or near Kingston as we are all painfully aware. Also, why bother? There are plenty of league and non- league options one bus ride away.
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Re: Home travel next season
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don't know on the proabability, but the point is how something can and might fill that vacuum, and even until it does, we can no longer assume we're the natural team for Kingston.
this was mooted. ran out of steam, but I'd be surprised if something like this doesn't happen again soon /www.surreycomet.co.uk/sport/15509412.new-football-club-in-kingston-cavaliers-afc-to-play-at-kingsmeadow-athletics-stadium/
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Re: Home travel next season
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Think of what you'd miss out on though...
Where Kazemi goes, I follow
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I'll be where I need to be when I need to be there.
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Exactly this. Our biggest asset is being the team of Kingston and we should be doing everything possible to getting back there. By surrendering the town we stand to lose even more future generations that might have been stolen by the wombles and Chelsea etc.
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3 people
Re: Home travel next season
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it’s a real conversation that needs to be had. are we
a step 3 football club hoping to be in Kingston
or
a Kingston football club hoping to be step 3 ?
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4 people
Re: Home travel next season
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Kingston club for me. The longer we're out of town the bigger the terminal decline will be I fear. Maybe the interview (whenever it happens) with Anderson will shed some light on what is being planned, but the answer is staring everyone in the face and the sooner it's seriously explored the better.
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2 people
Re: Home travel next season
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No trains from Surbiton to Leatherhead.
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Re: Home travel next season
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Change at Raynes Park.
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1 person
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Not that anyone asked but...
Home to Cor-Cas
By car: 2hr 48 mins (149 miles)
By public transport: 4hr 29 mins
Home to Levred:
By car: 2hr 39 mins (146 miles)
By public transport: 4hr 28 mins
Home to Tintong:
By car: 3hr 2 mins (153 miles)
By public transport: 4hr 18 mins
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1 person 1 person
Re: Home travel next season
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This is how it looks for me:
Home to Cor-Cas
By car: 4hr 47 mins (281 miles)
Home to Levred:
By car: 4hr 46 mins (279 miles)
Home to Tooting:
By car: 4hr 54 mins (270 miles)
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1 person 2 people
Re: Home travel next season
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1 hour - 11 mins by PT from B town
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1 person
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Airplane Perth to London..........
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4 people
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But what should really matter is:
Richmond Road (the ground we sold to fund the building of two new stadiums in Kingston, both of which still exist) to Jack Goodchild Way (see bold above): 1.6 miles, 7 min drive, 33 min walk, two buses, or one bus and smaller walk.
The Market Place (home of the traditional Shrove Tuesday matches that some claim were of the first instances of football invention) to Jack Goodchild Way: 1.3 miles, drive - N/A - the town centre is famously pedestrianised, 27 min walk, or one bus.
Beaufort Road / Grove Lane (our first 'ground' in Kingston) to Jack Goodchild Way: 1.3 miles, 5 min drive, 26 min walk, or one bus and a smaller walk, or a two bus option.
Union Street (home to the YMCA where we were formed) to Jack Goodchild Way: 1.2 miles, 5 min drive, 25 min walk, or one bus.
Kingston Station to Jack Goodchild Way: 1.1 miles, 5 min drive, 23 min walk, or one bus, or train and walk.
Fairfield (our ground when the original amalgamation of 1893 took place and we became Kingston's premier club) to Jack Goodchild Way: 0.9 miles, 4 min drive, 17 min walk.
Norbiton Station to Jack Goodchild Way: 0.6 miles, 3 min drive, 12 min walk.
Norbiton Sports Ground (long time home to pre-reunification Old Kingstonians) to Jack Goodchild Way: 0 miles.
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Great history/geography combo - both should be factored in strongly when it comes to our future surely.
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Re: Home travel next season
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I live in Tolworth so a bus to Surbiton, then train to Wimbledon, tram to Mitcham then another bus or a walk. Or Bus to New Malden, another bus to Merton Park. then tram / bus /walk. Timewise about an hour each way!
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1 person
Re: Home travel next season
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No home travel for me.
Unless Ks away in cup nearby the only travel for me - 2 hrs walk along beach to Bognor if tide is out ,or a slow cycle if not.
Ksuals
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Ks are massive in Sussex
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Looking at the crowds the 3 Sussex teams were pulling by Isthmian standards they're massive clubs.
Went to see Littlehampton's final at Horsham now that's an out of the way ground to get to
Imagine the fury if Ks ended up likewise.
As for the town is the only option the athletic track in nearby Norbiton?
Ksuals
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