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The away day experience is one of the very best parts of following your own football team. Although your alarm may be set for times of the day that, frankly, should never be seen, before you cram onto coaches or overpriced trains, the whole experience, regardless of result, is still one you’ll always remember.

Luckily with the Britain being of modest size, no trip (except for Carlisle to Plymouth, maybe) is too great, allowing fans to get a real feel for the beautiful game in all areas. Scotts Menswear have published results of a survey on the very best ‘away days’ around, assessing all of the characteristics and important factors in the whole experience…

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BEST PIE

With the results of the BBC’s recent Price of Football study, the importance of the often-overlooked pie has really been brought to the fore. On a cold winter afternoon, the crumbling pastry and piping hot filling make for the ideal snack in the stands, with a burger or, dare I say it, hot dog, not even close to matching the age old football fans’ friend.

1. Wigan

2. Kilmarnock

3. Kidderminster

4. Brighton

Wigan top the pile when it comes to pies, although Kidderminster, pricey as they are, are also known for their gourmet efforts.

BEST PINT

So long as trains and busses are on time, the pre-match pint around the ground is a vital part of the whole match day experience. It may be tough to find a pub without hostile home fans, but it’s always possible to duck into a nice little ‘boozer’ for a bevvy before kick-off.

1. Derby

2. Newcastle

3. Brighton

4. Barnsley

The northern half of the country tends to dominate the list, with the cost lower and selection of lagers and ales available greater. Perfect. Brighton get a mention, with the seaside setting good for a cheeky tipple.

BEST STAND

While much of the ‘away day’ experience takes place out of the stadium, the ground itself always plays a big part. The days of old in which away fans were in roof-less terraces being battered by the elements are becoming a distant memory – albeit they are still a problem at some settings – with modern stadia now spacious and comfortable.

1. Arsenal

2. Man U

3. Newcastle

4. Bolton

It’s little surprise that the county’s most expensive stadium come out on top, with Arsenal’s Emirates effort possessing padded seats, leg room and spectacular views. Manchester United’s Old Trafford also gets a mention, while the North East caters well for travellers at St James’ Park.

BEST ATMOSPHERE

While legendary ground such as Anfield and Old Trafford are often famed for atmosphere, it’s actually some of the smaller and intimate stadia that dominate this category.

1. Crystal Palace

2. Rangers

3. Stoke City

4. Newcastle

Crystal Palace come out on top with the Holmsdale Fanatics having brought an almost continental feel to South London with drums, flags and flares building a great atmosphere at Selhurst Park. Stoke’s Britannia Stadium with it’s open corners also gets a mention, while north or the border Rangers are known for building a good feel on match day.

WORST DRESSED FANS

It may be a bit cliché to suggest that all scousers are shell suit-wearing, permed, 80s throwbacks, but they have topped this list for the worst dressed footy followers.

1. Liverpool

2. Celtic

3. Newcastle

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4. Wigan

Scotts Menswear also asked which brands and styles were the best around, and Fred Perry came out on top as the kit to be seen in with a nice pair of Adidas Originals.

BEST OVERALL ‘AWAY DAY’

And finally, all things considered, Wembley comes out as the overall best ‘away day’. The national stadium has the added advantage of the romance of cup and play-offs games, which can be the very building blocks for some of the best football trips around. The towers may be no more, but the new ground’s iconic arch and top-notch atmosphere make it the king.

1. Wembley

2. Man U

3. Tottenham

4. Rangers

5. Liverpool

6. Leeds

7. Man City

Manchester United come in a respectable second, while Tottenham’s White Hart Lane sneaks in at third.

Southampton winger Steve De Ridder has revealed his disappointment at being left out of manager Nigel Adkins’ squad for their Boxing Day clash with Fulham.

Having made his Premier League debut against Sunderland just a few days before the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage, the Belgian was believed to be in line for at least a spot on the bench.

The 25-year-old, who signed from De Graafschap in Holland in 2011, believes that he did enough to deserve a place in the squad and claims that he was “disappointed” to be overlooked:

“I was extremely pleased that I could make my debut, but I wasn’t unhappy with my performance so I was very disappointed I was not there on Wednesday against Fulham. I have received good feedback as well, which is strange.” He told Belgian magazine Sporza.

“I believe that I am still on a good path and I have proven that I can deliver something others don’t have.

“I was surprised with my non-selection and will ask for an explanation from the coach.”

It is believed that a number of clubs from Holland, Belgium and the Championship are interested in De Ridder, who hinted that he would be willing to move on unless he is given first-team football:

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“Of course I am thinking about my future. I am really aware that at a certain point I really have to start playing.

“There is interest from The Netherlands, Belgium and top sides from the Championship in England.”

Sunderland fans are absolutely loving their latest signing, as Reece James has joined from Wigan on a one-year deal.

Not too long ago, Sunderland fans were worried about not even having enough players in their squad.

The Black Cats are expected to lose a whole host of first team players this summer, with the likes of Didier Ndong, Lamine Kone, Wahbi Khazri and Papy Djilobodji all expected to leave Wearside.

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After a few weeks of doom and gloom to start the summer though, fans are now looking realistically at promotion, as young left back James has become their sixth signing so far.

The 24 year-old joins Alim Ozturk, Jon McLaughlin, Chris Maguire, Tom Flanagan and Dylan McGeouch at the Stadium of Light, and will slot nicely into the left side of Jack Ross’s defence.

He made nearly 50 league appearances at Wigan, and Sunderland fans are really excited to have the former Manchester United youth player on Wearside.

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James was extremely highly rated as a youngster, but injuries have derailed his career slightly.

Nonetheless, the signing has got fans feeling optimistic about the season, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

As reported by The Daily Mail, Arsenal are preparing to sell midfielder Aaron Ramsey this summer in order to avoid the player leaving the club for free when his contract expires in 2019.

What’s the story?

The Welsh international has made over 300 appearances for the Gunners, having spent almost 10 years at the club, but it appears his time as an Arsenal man could be coming to an end.

The Daily Mail report that Arsenal fear a situation similar to Alexis Sanchez’s and Mesut Ozil’s recent contract dramas and in order to avoid that have made the decision to let him leave the club at the end of the season.

The paper say that the club have already begun to identify replacements for the 27 year old.

Rated at £36m, according to Transfermarkt, the Gunners are unlikely to let him leave on the cheap given their strategy, so could he be a hit at one of the other big clubs in England?

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Still an elite player?

Like most players at Arsenal right now, Ramsey is having his difficulties, lacking confidence and failing to reach the heights that supporters expect from their first team stars.

Despite those problems, and injury issues, the fact remains that Ramsey has been one of the Gunners’ more effective players this season, scoring six goals and creating eight assists in 19 Premier League appearances.

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The move of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool last summer was an eye opener for many who had previously written of his ability to be a stand-out player for a top-four chasing side and perhaps Ramsey could find similar joy if one of England’s big clubs come in for him in the summer.

He has the experience, football education and creative skills to enhance most squads in the division and if Arsenal are willing to let him go, he’s likely to have plenty of suitors.

“The times, they are a-changing,” once quipped Bob Dylan, in a song that  would be equally as fitting around Upton Park as club anthem ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’ when West Ham take on Manchester City in two-weekends’ time.

Indeed, there’s something remarkably different about West Ham this season; only one clean sheet in seven Premier League fixtures, a current average of 1.7 goals scored per match and the Boleyn boo-boys that targeted Sam Allardyce so militantly towards the end of last term silenced by their club’s impressive standing of seventh place.

Statistically speaking however, West Ham’s style hasn’t changed all that much from last year.

Last season for example, the Irons played a higher percentage of long-passes, 17%, than any Premier League side. This term,  their long-ball bias remains has dropped slightly to 15%.

In 2013/14, they recorded the joint-longest average pass length in the English top flight at 21 metres; this season, they’re in joint-second with 20 meters. Last year their average possession was 46%, now it’s up to 47%. And in classic Allardyce style, five of his side’s twelve goals this season have come from set pieces – the highest return in the division.

The real change has been in personnel; Aaron Cresswell, sourced from Ipswich during the summer, found twelve assists in the Championship last season from left-back – a far cry from the more conservative styles of Joey O’Brien and Guy Demel. Likewise, Alex Song brings Champions League-standard quality to West Ham’s midfield, whilst Mauro Zarate adds more variety to the attack through his ability to find space between the lines. New-look strike-force Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho have already bagged five league goals, one shy of Carlton Cole’s entire output from last term.

In terms of transfers, it’s been a revolutionary summer in East London, impressively enough at a budget of just £30million. The evolution of Allardyce’s philosophy however, is much subtler.

But another change in personnel could lead to a more seismic shift in Allardyce’s ethos, namely Andy Carroll. According to the tabloids, and certainly linked to David Sullivan describing West Ham’s £15million investment in the striker as a ‘mistake’ back in July, he’s emerged as a transfer target for former club Newcastle United – a potential saviour amid another relegation-threatened campaign at St.James’s.

Nobody can doubt the significance of his nine goals over the last two campaigns in keeping the Hammers in the top flight, or his contribution of work-rate as a lone, isolated front-man in an incredibly direct system. But Carroll’s effectiveness in that role, when fit, and West Ham’s dependency on it, encapsulates much of what the fans have grown to hate about their club under Allardyce’s leadership.

A player like Carroll can only thrive under one kind of service, and in turn, a team can only be successful if they’re supplying their spearhead in a manner that suits his natural qualities. Indeed, as Jamie Carragher remarked in his Daily Mail column last April; “It quickly became apparent he wasn’t the right fit for the club. In training, he’d complain if the ball wasn’t flung into the box – and I don’t mean from out wide. He wanted the ball to come into him from close to the half-way line, but at Liverpool that was never going to happen.”

It remains to be seen if the former Newcastle star can adapt to West Ham’s more varied style of play upon his return from injury – currently planned for the end of November. They say a tiger can’t change it’s stripes; perhaps a Carroll can’t change it’s tune.

Equally, and with that thought in mind, one can only ponder whether a fully fit Andy Carroll will convince Allardyce to revert back to his more attritional roots, likely bringing Kevin Nolan, a more debated figure than his captaincy might suggest, with it.

But that option would only further damage Allardyce’s already frosty reputation with the supporters; they’re now witnessing what West Ham are truly capable of under the former Bolton boss, a successful compromise between his requisites and their own demands, and will only expect the positive, more progressive performances to continue.

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Carroll’s departure, on the other hand, would demonstrate Allardyce’s commitment to leaving the ’19th century football’ of the last two years behind him. Carroll is not only the pinnacle, but furthermore the most effective vehicle, of the Hammers’ attritional style – one of the manager’s last remaining motivations to play in that kind of way. Selling him, at least in the short-term, would safeguard the club against a philosophy that caused such divisions between the fans, the management and the board.

Perhaps that was a little drastic – after all, transfer gossip nowadays should be taken as seriously as a Harry Enfield sketch show. But the sheer fact the papers claim West Ham could be selling Carroll speaks volumes about how committed already Allardyce appears to change this season. The times at West Ham, truly are a-changing.

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Andre Villas-Boas celebrated the performance of his team’s attacking players, following Tottenham’s 3-1 Europa League victory over Panathinaikos.

Spurs lost their 1-0 lead in the 54th minute, but were able to come back to take all three points with two goals in the final quarter-of-an-hour.

The Portuguese coach was happy with the resilience his team showed once the scores were levelled:

“The problem was 1-0 wasn’t enough. They had the determination and motivation to get a result. But we played really well and had opportunities.” He is quoted by BBC Sport.

“We felt a little bit of anxiety but managed to get the result which was fair.

“We’ve been scoring a lot of goals and I think the team is the second-best attacking team in the Premier League. We create chances and we took our chances.”

The three points were not enough to take top spot in Group J, with Italian outfit Lazio securing the position.

Tottenham’s runners up finish may see them face one of the teams eliminated from the Champions League.

Villas-Boas believes that clubs dropping out of the top European competition should not be allowed into the Europa League:

“(It is) Extremely unfair,

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“You can’t give a bonus to teams who’ve failed. I’ve raised it in UEFA meetings but it is for them to decide.”

Emmanuel Adebayor gave the Londoners the lead after 29 minutes, but Panathinaikos levelled the score through Zeca just before the hour mark.

An own goal from Orestis Karnezis and a Jermain Defoe effort secure the win for Tottenham.

Newcastle United have been told they will have to stump up £30million to re-sign Andros Townsend from Crystal Palace according to The Times.

What’s the story?

26-year-old Townsend was loaned to a number of clubs while he was on the books of Tottenham Hotspur before he signed for Newcastle in 2016.

He only played for the club for six months before they were relegated to the Championship, but he impressed during his short spell and then moved south to Crystal Palace.

How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Since then, the winger has nailed down a place for the Eagles, playing 72 times in the Premier League, scoring five goals and assisting 11, and is valued on Transfermarkt at £13.5million.

According to the report in The Times, Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has been told he has to raise transfer funds through selling players, and they are hoping to cash in on Newcastle’s interest at Townsend who they value at £30million.

Is he worth it?

Townsend is one of those frustrating players who clearly has a wealth of talent but struggles with consistency.

His pace and direct running are always a threat but his decision-making and end-product often lack the quality that you might expect from a £30million player.

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With the inflated market, perhaps his valuation isn’t as outlandish as it first may seem and Townsend does have that rare quality of being a match-winner when he does turn up.

Newcastle would be blowing a lot of their budget on one player but if he could perform for the Magpies on a consistent basis then it would be money well spent.

Manchester United are seeking to capitalise on the contract instability of Barcelona’s French international defender Samuel Umtiti, according to the Daily Record. 

The former Lyon defender has a 60 million euro release clause and the Red Devils have sounded him out to gauge his interest in a switch to Old Trafford.

That is because the Catalan giants are stalling over his wage demands, as he looks for a contract that better reflects his status as a key part of the first team.

This season has seen him mature and become a reliable partner for Gerard Pique but the report, by Duncan Castles, who is a close ally of United boss Jose Mourinho, suggests he could move to Old Trafford.

United fans have taken to Twitter and their reactions seem to be in two distinct categories; those who are suspicious that Umtiti is using the Red Devils to engineer an increased wages – Sergio Ramos has done similar in recent years – and those who are genuinely excited.

We’ve taken a look at a selection of the online reaction…

You’d think the first thing I have to do when I wake up is brush my teeth then indulge in my Honey Nut Cornflakes, but not as an Arsenal fan.

The first thing I do is stay in bed for an extra ten minutes on Twitter checking out the latest injury news. As I do that I play a game… Who will it be this time? I almost never get it right but it’s still entertaining.

Every week it’s someone new. Currently Arsenal has seven first team players sidelined to injuries according to Arsenal Report. Many have claim that this is due to the strenuous training regimes Arsene Wenger has in place. It has been reported that Wenger’s intense training methods are specifically for improving stamina in the last the minutes of games. We’ve seen it somewhat beneficial this season already with the last minute point earned in the 2-2 draw with Everton.

Yet it is also detrimental to the players, leaving them fatigued in the long run. This fatigue is what inevitably lands so many of Arsenal players in the physic room and out for long periods of time.

One player who is no longer on the treatment table is Abou Diaby after recently managing to get through 45 minutes in a reserves game against West Brom.

With the assistance of Shad Forsythe, Diaby should be able to bounce back better than ever. Hopefully he can restore the fans’ faith by making up for Arsenal’s failure to sign a holding midfielder and slot neatly into the role. He’s even stated himself that every season he’s like a new signing, so maybe he is finally prepared to take on the challenge of a full Premier League campaign.

To be honest, I was hoping that we wouldn’t have so many players sidelined so early. As much as I have faith in Mr Forsythe I am still a tiny bit concerned that there are seven players out. For me the real barometer of improvement in fitness this season will be Abou Diaby. If he can sustain a full season with less time on the bench through injury then we can safely say the ‘Forsythe Era’ is underway.

Some tell me I am too quick to judge. As the famous saying goes: ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ so perhaps my expectations are a tad premature. But football is so fast these days and waits for no one. To wait one season feels like almost an eternity these days.

I’m willing to give it time but not without the Gunners winning some silverware to prove the doubters wrong. Arsenal need to be amongst the top of the table again this season and pushing harder towards the end. Whilst at the summit they will need the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all to stay 100% fit. If that happens then Arsenal are sure to capitalise on where they failed last season.

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And if you put Shad Forsythe’s wealth of experience alongside stalwart Tony Colbert then that is sure to be a formula for success for many a season to come, especially considering Forsythe spent a decade with the German’s up until their World Cup triumph, which gives me a slight feeling of optimism.

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Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong has joined Championship club Charlton Athletic on loan until January.

The Ghanaian midfielder has recently returned to full fitness after recovering from a cruciate knee ligament injury that he picked up last season while on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 20-year-old has been restricted to just the two first team appearances for the Gunners this season, both coming in Capital One Cup victories against Coventry and Reading.

“We’re really happy that he’s coming in to join our squad, and we welcome him to the club,” Charlton manager Chris Powell told the club’s official website.

“We’ve had our eye on him for a while, and with the busy Christmas period to come, I felt it was right to make sure that we are covered in all areas. We hope that he does very well for us in the red or black of Charlton.”

Frimpong joins a side who are on the back of a three match winning streak and the signing is somewhat of a coup for Charlton who have struggled in the transfer market this season when pursuing ‘big name’ targets.

The midfielder was rumoured to be heading back to Wolves where he spent time last season but will now stay in the capital in his quest for first team football.

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Arsenal and Charlton fans alike won’t forget the last time a player headed to the Valley from the Gunners, as former Addicks loanee Alex Song returned from his time in South London to became an integral part of Arsene Wenger’s midfield before leaving for Barcelona in the summer.

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