'I'll stay at home. Think I'll go for a long weekend in Spain' - Preston North End faithful react to key cost after Chelsea ticket information released

Preston North End fans on social media are threatening to stay at home for the Lilywhites' trip to Chelsea in the FA Cup. That’s after the club announced ticket details ahead of the Saturday, January 6, game at Stamford Bridge (5.30pm kick-off).

Ryan Lowe’s side have been allocated 6,033 tickets for the third-round game which is Preston’s first visit to the Blues in over two decades. Entry to the Bridge’s Shed End is priced at £32 for adults and £16 for seniors (65+) and juniors (under-20s), with tickets going on sale from 9am on Monday morning. 

Founder Member Ambassadors have been given a priority place at the top of the queue, with further windows of opportunity available for supporters with 280+ loyalty points (from Tuesday, December 19), season-ticket card-holders (from Wednesday, December 20), fans with 10+ loyalty points (from Friday, December 22), and those with a history of buying North End tickets (Wednesday, December 27). However, it’s the price of purchasing a coach ticket that is turning many supporters off a trip to the capital in the new year.

According to the club website, travel is priced at £42 per ambassador and £44 per non-ambassador – and that’s despite the Lilywhites insisting on ‘pricing for this fixture being at cost to make the journey as affordable as possible for fans’. But with upcoming games at Swansea and Sunderland costing coach-goers £31-33 and £18-£20 respectively, the price hike for the trip to Chelsea is proving too costly for some.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, @lukeparkerpne simply wrote: ‘£42 coaches??!?’ @jimshuttle commented: ‘Is travel to Swansea subsidised, or is travelling to Chelsea somehow £11 higher price per passenger?’, while @ChristinaLivsy posted: ‘Thought the ticket price would be steep but the price of the coach? I take it we are on the team bus for that then? I’ll sit next to Alan?’

Continuing the debate, @Martin_Ryan23 stated: ‘£138 for me to take my lad on the coach and for a lower tier ticket. No thanks’. @paulyoungy84: added: ‘For those prices I'll stay home and watch it’. @thecaptain1912 quipped: ‘Jesus, think I’ll go for a long weekend in Spain & watch it on TV over there, it’ll be a quicker journey & a cheaper weekend!!!’. @BraydonAyres wrote: ‘Definitely a seat on the sofa 42 POUNDS rip off’. Meanwhiule, @Stephen20621059 said: ‘Well that's me sorted BBC iplayer live’.

Fans who travelled by coach for Preston’s last game in London were charged £28 and £30 respectively for the 2-0 loss at Millwall in April. Coach travel for Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at Huddersfield was priced at £13 per ambassador and £15 per non-ambassador.