Football Fans of the Forum!

[Guest]

Hello

I am a new first year at St Andrews and want to know the best places to watch sports, mainly football here. I have been to the Raisin and the Rule over the last few days for Premiership and SPL matches but is there anywhere that people (mainly students) meet for games? I want some good atmosphere especially with the internationals coming up soon!

[Fawksie]

Don't mean to suggest the obvious, but the Union generally shows a good range of football games. I'm not sure about other pubs, from a non-fan's point of view it seems that damn near all pubs show the major games. I'd have thought Raisin/Drouthy's/Rule/Criterion would be safe bets. You might also try your hall, I know people often gather in DRA's Nisbet Room to watch football, for example.

[Phantasm]

Who do you support, OP?

[Mr Comedy]

Sorry for being old, but what the jigger is The Rule?

[Haunted]

Sorry for being old, but what the jigger is The Rule?

New Ginhouse

[Cain]

Sorry for being old, but what the jigger is The Rule?

The new Oggstons

[Queeg]

The new old Ogstons.

[amac]

Atmosphere-wise the union is okay for big international games, but generally crap for league games. However, they have an insanely bad streaming system on their TVs which produces a noticable lage between those and the big projector (and wastes screen space with adverts) - so if you go to watch football come early and sit within view of the projector.

The Rule is okay, though with less of student crowd. The Whey Pat might be an outside bet because they have a big TV in the backroom, but again, few students. Same with the west port.

If the games on terrestrial TV then I'd stick to halls; otherwise the raisin or the union.

[Fawksie]

The addition of a TV to the Whey Pat back room is a fucking awful move in my opinion. When there was only the wee TV above the fireplace I liked to have a quiet drink and chat in the back corner, without the threat of 20-odd football fans applauding every favourable move, cursing the ref and bellowing support every fifteen seconds at the tops of their voices. MON THE BLUES! They can't hear you, lads, why don't you drink your pints and yell when they score or save, I don't mind that.

[cannulae]

Raisin mate.

Cheapish booze, decent football food, lots of games, lots of people. Atmosphere for Scotland games is the best i've ever been a part of in a pub (when we're playing well...) Nice mix of students and locals, good chat outside for halftime cigarettes... It's the only place in town really.

I'm a Villa and Forfar Athletic fan.

[Nelson]

Problem with the union is that last year subtv didn't have a Setanta subscription so any games that were on Setanta had to be watched in the Raisin as it was the only pub at the time which a) had a studenty crowd, b) was cheap, and c)had setanta.

I watched all the Rangers UEFA cup run games in the Raisin last year and the atmosphere was brilliant! Especially in the penalties win over Fiorentina!

I am a Rangers fan, and appreciate any premiership game with any promise! (Ie not Bolton.....)

[Phantasm]

Anyone watching Liverpool v PSV tonight and know a pub where it is definately on? I realise Chelsea are playing at the same time so I guess some places will show them instead.

[Si]

The Union is generally alright for most televised games. However, on a Champions League night, they may be showing the Celtic game instead of one of the English teams. Fair enough, as you are in Scotland but it can be a bit frustrating if you get there nice and early, get a good seat and settle down with your pint only to find that they aren't showing your team.

Also, I have found from past experience that the Union isn't always too good for the Saturday lunchtime games. There have been occasions where the bar staff weren't even aware that there is a match on and you may have to ask them to put it on (which they are normally happy to do).

In terms of atmosphere, I would agree with cannulae that the Raisin is the place to go. Although the atmosphere there quite often doesn't come anywhere near that which you would get in a city-centre pub, it's still by far the best in town.

[niall]

anybody heading out for the UEFA cup tomorrow night?

[amac]

The Union is generally alright for most televised games. However, on a Champions League night, they may be showing the Celtic game instead of one of the English teams. Fair enough, as you are in Scotland but it can be a bit frustrating if you get there nice and early, get a good seat and settle down with your pint only to find that they aren't showing your team.

You'd think so (I'd hope so), but not always. I remember the impossibility of trying to watch Inter Milan vs Rangers because everywhere in town was showing Chelsea vs Liverpool. Now you can argue that's a bigger game, but I don't care... you're in Scotland and the only pub showing the Scottish team is the Reiver!!

There have been occasions where the bar staff weren't even aware that there is a match on and you may have to ask them to put it on (which they are normally happy to do).

Depends on the day. Some of the staff will lie to you about the mere possibility of showing a game because they want to listen to music on another channel - it's probably the only place in town where they could afford to put their own self-interest above that of their customers.

[niall]

You'd think so (I'd hope so), but not always. I remember the impossibility of trying to watch Inter Milan vs Rangers because everywhere in town was showing Chelsea vs Liverpool. Now you can argue that's a bigger game, but I don't care... you're in Scotland and the only pub showing the Scottish team is the Reiver!!

back in the day (2003/4), Mossop and I went out to watch scotland play, and the first place we found that was showing it was the cross keys, after trying: gin hosue, union, raisin, vic, which were all showing the england game.

[Guest]

As a member of bar staff we do try and put on as many games as possible and if people come up to the bar to ask for a particular game we will try and accomodate (providing we can find the remote which i couldnt find last night when at work but later found so the end of the chelsea v liverpool match was shown). We will if there is enough demand also show other sports such as golf and cricket.

[cannulae]

anybody heading out for the UEFA cup tomorrow night?

Will be if i'm back in town in time, if not I think i'll stop at the Nether in Dundee so I don't miss it. Couldn't be more excited. Assuming you're talking about the 'Well.

[niall]

Will be if i'm back in town in time, if not I think i'll stop at the Nether in Dundee so I don't miss it. Couldn't be more excited. Assuming you're talking about the 'Well.

yup, i am. Got my ticket for the cooper stand get in!