5 Things You Need to Enjoy a Football Match

From purchasing the historical match day programme to cramming into a packed pub with your mates.

From finding the perfect samosa or curry and chips, to donning your clubs crest with pride.

The buzz surrounding a match day is as old as football itself, so it’s vitally important to make the most of it.

To those British Asians football fanatics who regularly enjoy going to games, here’s how to get the most from your experience.

Match Day Programme

The match day programme for many is a ritual. Starting out as a just a scorecard, fans have been collecting the souvenir since its inception in the late 1880’s.

It was Aston Villa, a club with a large Asian fan base, which first printed the match day programme.

As content becomes increasingly digitalised and stats more and more essential in understanding the game, programmes are mainly found through apps now, although this doesn’t offer the souvenir cherished by fans of all sorts.

Family and Friends

Going to watch the football with the ones you love is simply the best way to enjoy the game.

Getting your pre-match banter on, with a tipple of your choice is a fantastic way to get you up for the big kick-off.

Whether it’s a father and son tradition or you just love watching the football with your mates, it will complete our match day experience, even if you happen to be supporting opposite teams.

Joining fan clubs has become increasingly popular over the last few years, with more for and more Asians showing their support.

The Punjabi Wolves have been making waves in the Midlands and highlight the importance of community within the game.

Punjabi Wolf, Jas Baines believes supporters groups are vital: “We’re saying football is a place where every section of the community is welcome.”

Kit and Scarf

Being a supporter is simple, it’s about joining the collective, the sea of fans all there to support one common interest, your club.

Donning your teams replica shirt and proudly waving your clubs scarf is a vital part of the match day experience and important in keeping the terraces alive.

The Kop end at Liverpool’s Anfield is the best example of the atmosphere that the Premier League has to offer.

Thousands holding their scarves aloft, singing with pride for their club.

However, having to buy the latest replica shirts every season is not for the tight fisted, but it ensures an authentic connection to your team and to the players.

Food and Drink

The right food and drink is one of the most important factors when planning your day out.

Getting it right will leave you oozing with satisfaction, getting it wrong and the diva in you will threaten to ruin your match day experience.

Be aware, it’s easy to get frustrated waiting in long, arduous queues and only compounded by the fact that you’ve just heard the ref blow his whistle for the second half.

So be as prompt as you can and avoid the rush when looking for a heartwarming bite.

Each ground is offers a diverse array of foods; go for the traditional cup o’ Bovril with a steak and ale pie or, a guilty pleasure for some, chips with curry sauce, a favorite at Villa Park.

Mobile Phone

Whether it’s taking selfies to post online, recording videos of potential goals or consuming as much pre-match content as possible, love it or loathe it, the mobile phone has become a staple of the match day experience.

Fans crawl to various social media outlets as clubs are producing more online match day content than ever before.

Manchester City have been leading innovators of the match day experience for a while, introducing the mobile app CityMatchday, giving you access to the hustle and bustle of the tunnel before the game.

With clubs making an increasing effort to attract a diverse fan group globally, we’ve seen them using technology to make huge strides in improving the experience for fans.

There is so much to get out of your match day experience.

With the right food, the right company, a lifelong souvenir and a video of your team scoring the winner against Chelsea, you won’t be going home unhappy.