The Skins in London - Q&A/Advice Thread & SATURDAY OFFICIAL PUB FAN RALLY

[zoony]

20 hours ago, UK Skins said:

I've been to a fair number of different games over the years (soccer, NFL, rugby) although not at the new Wembley to be fair, but the difference between the Bengals fans and ours was like night and day. Things like on third down or the touchdowns the cheering for the Bengals was intense, but for us it sounded like a handful of fans in an empty stadium. Interesting point about fake noise though, because visually I saw as many Skins fan as Bengals.

There were a couple of loud Redskins sections but we were well-outnumbered in ours. Cheered with the handful of Skins when we could of course!

Does the NFL pump fake noise into Wembley?  I couldn't tell

[UK Skins]

That was something an earlier poster mentioned. I'm trying to equate the massive cheer whenever anything Bengals-related was on the screen or field to the number of actual fans in the stadium and it is one explanation.

[London Kev]

I've been to Wembley many times and never noticed any fake noise. Some games have even been a bit quiet with the loudest cheers only coming when a crowd wave was going on.

I was a bit surprised by the number of Bengals fans in the crowd, they were easily the most vocal early on. I thought that by the 4th quarter, both sets of fans made about the same level of noise, although I never heard Hail to the Redskins being sung at all.

We were in block 527 (right on the 50 yard line ), surrounded mainly by Redskins fans and neutrals. I was jumping up and down, shouting and screaming from the off, but a few around me took a while to warm up.

I don't believe that they would pump in fake noise. I think that we just have to accept that the Bengals fans made a lot of noise, especially early on.

[Morrison J]

Definitely no fake crowd noise. 

The only reason the Bengals fans were more vocal when we had the ball was because the big screen told them to make noise. Obviously this led to the neutrals making noise for the Bengals too. There was nothing to entice the neutral fan to cheer for us at all. 

Pre-game before there was any flashy screens encouraging fans who to cheer for, the Bengals got booed coming on to the field to practice while the Skins didn't get booed at all.

Think there was definitely a bigger Skins presence there tbh. Just when 50%+ of fans present are neutrals they are prone to cheer for the home team. Being a big market team in the NFC East also goes against us in that situation with so many Giants and Cowboys fans there cheering against us. 

 

 

[Poman]

6 hours ago, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

Be very interesting to read accounts of your trips over to the UK when you got back and how it all went for you guys. Both at the game and your stay in general. 

Hail. 

We had a great time.  Wasn't really feeling it the first night as we stayed near Wembley, but after getting into London proper and meeting many other awesome Skins fans it was great.  Seeing a bunch of the history in London was amazing.  We met up with many UK fans that were just shaking with excitement because they finally got to see the Redskins after 30+ years of being fans.   It got to the point where we wanted the Redskins to win more for them than for ourselves.  We spent a lot of time with a father and son from Scotland, who were just giddy about seeing the Redskins.  I gave the father one of my Redskins hats, and he cried for nearly 10 minutes.  It was awesome.  My favorite story from the trip has to be about the son from Scotland, his name was Tom.  He has a Clinton Portis tattoo on his shoulder, and his first piece of Redskins memorabilia was a Portis jersey his little brother gave him right after we traded for him.  He had been interacting with Portis on Instagram, and Portis promised to sign his jersey in London.  Unfortunately Tom and his fater couldn't get into the rally to see Portis.  Tom was very disappointed.  The next day pregame he got a notification that Portis would be signing autographs at the autograph tent.  Tom ran full speed back to the hotel to get his Portis jersey and we went to go get in line for him.  Unfortunately the line was closed when we got there.  Tom got there and was really disappointed that he was looking at Portis and couldn't go see him.  So, Tom pulled off his shirt in the middle of the crowd and got Portis's attention.

 

Portis saw him and called him up, and they talked for awhile.  Tom got his jersey signed, plus a signed picture, plus Portis took a photo of the two of them on his phone and posted it to his instagram.  Tom was a mess when he gotback,  shaking and completely star struck.  It was awesome to see:

 

We also ran into Pez and Huly and several of the ESers we've seen over the years.  Truly a great trip, regardless of the tie.

 

Hail.

[Synergist]

Have to say this was probably one of my best trips I've taken,  Besides the damn Tie... 

 

I aggressively saw london.. lol... 

 

1st Day :  From Plane to Hotel --> To Brittish Museum.   Saw the Rosetta Stone and all the Egyptian Artifacts and Greek and Roman items.  Also there was special exhibit that covered two Egyptian Cities that sank into the river BC.   

Then we went to a play and Saw Woman in Black which was very cool.  

 

2nd Day :  Took The train out to Windsor and toured Windsor Castle,  The Queen was actually there and this is the oldest working castle around.  It was so massive and so over the top it was crazy..  Then we took a train from Windsor to Bath and toured the Ancient Roman Bath house which was very cool.  They are fed from a natural hot spring from the core of the earth.  Did the town and eat dinner and partied in Bath...  Took a Midnight Train back to london 

 

3rd Day :   Got up a little late,  but then headed to the Portabella Road Market.  This place was crazy,  the food,  the street merchants and items for sale was very cool.  I got this one picture of this Paella that was being made ,  it's insane.. and it was soo damn good.  Walked around that for a couple hours drinking Mull Wine..  Then off to lunch at a famous indian place called Varasammy .. It was So good.  Then we headed to the Redskins Rally ,  we couldn't get in     So we then did London Tower and London Bridge.  Then we were off for the London Eye.. I had booked a 530PM Champagne Experience which was cool.  We Drank Champagne with about 5 other couples  and did the Eye and got killer pictures of London. 

That night we went to dinner at a Gordon Rasmey Restaurant,  it was crazy good and CRAZY expensive but worth it. 

 

4th Day : (GAME DAY)  Woke up and got in our Redskins Gear and went and did Buckingham Palace as it opened.  I got some killer Pics of me in my Jordan Reed Jersey standing in front of the palace.   We took off from there and right to Wembly where we tailgated and watched a Tie..   From there we  just pub hopped the rest of the night around London and our last dinner was a traditional Fish and Chips... 

 

Without a doubt.. It really was one of the best road trips I've taken...    No matter what the outcome of the game was. 

 

 

[UK Skins]

Synergist, just reading your schedule makes me tired! Glad you got to see so much (and for a change the weather was pretty decent for you too).

[Synergist]

Yup the Weather was fat guy weather..  and thats perfect for me.. lol

 

[Huly]

We had so much fun in London! 

Day 1- We landed at 6 am so yawn so tired! We spent the first night in Kensington on two hours of sleep.  We saw Kensington Palace, Gardens, Elfin Oak, Embassy Row, etc.  Went to Castle Pub for a pint of Camden Hells and Fish and Chips.

Day 2- We moved to Hilton Green Park.  We had an amazing English Breakfast then watched Changing of the Guards, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Margret's Church, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Horse Guard, Gordon Ramsey Savoy Grill, then off to a pub to meet up other knuckleheads and try a pint of London Pride. 

Day 3- We ventured to Borough Market, was at the rally, then met up at a pub with a few other ESers

Day 4- GAME DAY Walked around talking to fans, had awesome Fish and Chips and Hot Tea in the stadium, it was crazy seeing all NFL teams represented in one place, Wembley Stadium is beautiful, and had an amazing time but I refused to wave that orange flag lol.  We were in Section 110.  After the game it was hysterical, Brits were good with the tie but Americans from both teams were in shock.  LOL It was so funny but I guess when in London do like the UK Football and tie LOL.  We then went to a horrible dinner at a Imperial Garden Grovesnor Hotel.  2 hour dinner and still no fried rice LOL

Day 5-  Had an awesome muffin and cappuccino then off to Tower Bridge & Tower of London.  Both were AWESOME!  Then went back to Borough Market then a pub to try Toffee Pudding and have a pint.  We then made our way over to the Jack the Ripper Tour and since we had extra time we decided to get another pint LOL.  The tour was awesome (Video on my youtube Skinshuly).  We then took off to see Buckingham, Big Ben, London eye etc at night.  Pez and Skinsfan1311 also posed for an American Wherewolf in London pose in front of Buckingham.

Day 6- Quick cappuccino and grabbed a few snacks then headed to meet up the English Bus tour.  We traveled to Stonehenge and Bath.  Bother were amazing.  We ate lunch in Bath at a restaurant that started serving bread in 1600.  I had the Salted Beef which was delicious.  We stopped in La**** a Tudor style village from 1300 for a pint.  We then headed to Albert a pub from 1845.  I had an amazing Steak and Ale meat pie. 

Day 7- Fly home  

[Suffolk_Skins]

Glad you all had fun in my home country!

 

Feels strange being English and not being able to make it now that I reside over here but my dad and brother had a blast.