@boonkoh
That is so helpful. THank you v much.

I should say I have never used viagogo so cant advise you how the points work in relation to that.

But no, it's not at all a waste. All I am saying is that you should make a start with the supposedly less attractive games. Ok, you may not succeed by putting tickets in the stocking but membership is a nice gift, not just symbolic, includes lots of goodies in the post and a regular newslettermy son devours (both his Kids one and mine).

That said, I have just been to the Chelsea website and they still have tickets available to members for the Champs Lg match on Wed 11th Dec. Early present? Should be a cracking match because Chelsea will be playing for a win to top their group.

Also as a heads-up, tickets go on sale several weeks ahead. You will get an email early, usually on a monday mornig, and you need to act swiftly and patiently online. It seems confusing at first, but do it once, and it will make complete sense. Like I said, it's fair.

The hassle free way is to go with a hospitality package either direct from Chelsea or from Thomas Cook. Its probably around £100 per adult ticket down this route, but much more hassle free.

To clarify - only the popular games have a points requirement for members to buy. Most games do not. So even if you have zero points, you can still buy from Chelseafc.com website.

On Viagogo, there is no points requirement, even for big games like Man Utd. You should try this route - however, bear in mind that Viagogo has very limited quantities, depending on the number of returns from season ticket holders. So you will want to be there first thing that midnight or 7am (I don't know when they go on sale on Viagogo) to snap them up.

Oh. That is really difficult for us as we aren't around at weekends very much. Thanks for the detailed reply - it is all very confusing.
So, to clarify, are you saying the £15+£25 I have just spent making my husband and my son members will be money down the drain as I won't be able to buy any tickets as a member until they have been to more matches? It looks like on Viagogo the members can buy tickets for the Man U game from 9 Dec - I guess from what you are saying, I would apply to buy them then and be denied as they hadn't got enough points? Frankly I don't really care who Chelsea are playing - I was just looking at what match I could get tickets for in time to give them as a Christmas gift.
I suspected this would not be easy, and it isn't. And I am frustrated to have just wasted £40.
Any ideas of where I go from here to get something in time for Christmas - any NVN Season ticket holders want to help me out?

nvmof3

short answers if buying tx via club is, yes, your husband has to have separate membership.

CFC operate a meritocractic system for buying tickets directly and qualifying for season tix.

Members build up membership points by attending matches throughout the season. Less attractive matches generate more points (e.g. cups up to 5, although curiously this includes the Champs Lg games against the big european teams), the big draws fewer (so Prem matchs vs City, Man U, Arsenal etc = 1 point only). You then have to have so many points to buy tickets for certain/most games (for early season big matches, last season's points are taken into account).

Even if your husband joins and he and your son went to every match between now and Man U tix going on sale just before Christmas (23rd I think), you have no hope of getting the 30 or so points they would probably need EACH to be eligible to buy tickets as a member.

This may seem harsh, but I think it's fair and works really well. By starting in August, my son and I get to go to most matches we want as members by not eschewing cup games and lower division oppos, and to be honest we enjoy games like yesterday's vs Southampton (or last Christmas's 8-0 vs Villa) The games against the bigger teams can be quite sterile (Man City at home last season).

So if you want to go down the club route, your husband will need membership and start building up points by going to matches. My son's first match was vs Sunderland a few seasons back, and it lives strong in his memory. It doesnt matter for him that it wasnt Man U.

As boonkoh says it is expensive, but it all has to be funded. it is one of the best shows in town, and how much do you pay for, say, Charlie and the Choc Factory etc? Mind you, Harlequins rugby "kids for a quid" shoots that argument out of the water!

Football, especially Premier League, is expensive unfortunately!

Its great that you've been able to find Chelsea vs Man Utd tickets on Viagogo. And they will be sold at the face value - if you bought them through a tout, they would cost hundreds per ticket.

On Viagogo, the tickets there are returns from season ticket holders or other members. And they're only available if you have a membership - so your husband will have to get one too. You can go for the cheapest membership - £25 a year?

If you can wait and get tickets later in December, I would monitor this Ticket News page on the Chelsea website (http://www.chelseafc.com/tickets). They don't have January games there yet, but they will very soon. You can monitor as they release tickets to season ticket holders, members, and then the general public - and snap them up when they do.

You won't get Chelsea vs Man Utd this way, but you can get premier league games against the less popular teams, as well as potentially Capital One Cup and FA Cup games too (these cup games will be cheaper, at £25 for an adult ticket).

In terms of seating, go for the East Stand Lower as I think this is a special area reserved for only children & parents. While Chelsea fans are normally very well behaved, you sometimes get the odd angry person in the other stands swearing for the entire match.

Thank you everyone for helpful advice. I have another question. So since we are away at Christmas, the next match my son could attend would be Chelsea vs Man Utd on Jan 19th. On Viagogo I saw that you have to have True Blue membership to apply for a ticket. So I have done that for my son. Do I have to do it separately for my husband as well? The cost of the membership, plus the cost of my husband's membership, plus the cost of the ticket - how do ordinary people afford all this? Or am I missing something - can you somehow buy tickets without being a member? Or are child members allowed to buy tickets for themselves and an escort?

Be careful of unauthorised football touts online! For Chelsea, the only official channels are via their own website or viagogo.

Its difficult to get tickets available to the general public, as season ticket holders and members get priority.

You can find out the dates that ticketa go on sale to the general public, and be at your computer at 7am as that is the time of day they are released.

Chelsea have home games over Christmas against Swansea and Liverpool (both sold out)
Tryinig to get a ticket for a Chelsea home game is nigh on impossible (unless of course you know a season ticket holder or a member) for league games; it's generally a little easier for the cup though.

Unless you know a season ticket holder who can't make a Christmas game (and that's a possibility), you could try calling the box office but I suspect even if there are returns these may be snapped up quickly, or use one of the online ticket agencies such as:
https://www.viagogo.co.uk/chelseafc

Good luck and if you manage to get tickets he'll love it.

Simply go to http://www.chelseafc.com/tickets

Also a great present for him would be the junior Chelsea member ship, it includes a magazine, a Chelsea bag etc. and isn't too highly priced.
I get it for my younger cousin every year an used to get it myself

I know next to nothing about football but my son is keen as mustard and especially into Chelsea. I would love to get him tickets for a match for Christmas but have no idea how to go about it. Can anyone advise me where to buy them? Thanks