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Turning up six hours before kick off is something usually reserved for club staff, tourists and middle aged mothers who ‘want a little extra time to get there, just in case’. Despite being none of the above, that is exactly what I did last Thursday, as I stepped off the underground to face Wembley at 2pm for the England against San Marino game. I did this to attend a pre match event, hosted just over the road from Wembley at Carlsberg’s The Eternal Optimist pub, hosted by Soccer Saturday’s Jeff Stelling and featuring a host of former professionals, including Ian Wright, Matthew Le Tissier, and Chris Waddle as well as comedian Paddy McGuinness.
The day had a host of activities for the various competition winners and people lucky enough to be given tickets such as myself. A pre-match panel discussed England’s national side and the game in the evening, with questions posed from people selected by a prowling Geoff Shreeves who made his way around the room. Either side of this were DJ sets as the fans and guests could talk with the legends and enjoy a quality pub experience, packed with bar games, pool, table football and a number of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/08/09/new-features-in-fifa-15-enhance-gaming-experience-video/">FIFA 15</a> loaded Xbox Ones scattered across the premise. All backed by unlimited complementary beer, TV sets playing highlights of the England national side and overflowing platters of snacks, there was never really a dull moment. I couldn’t get enough, I drank too much, ate my weight in onion bhajis and talked with fans and players about everything from 3G pitches in non-league football to Scottish Independence to why my accumulator for the day was a terrible bet (it won though, didn’t it, Chris Waddle?). High end suits met with men clad in England shirts and memorabilia to form a melting pot of English fandom as various competition winners arrived from all walks of life – their common joy uniting them. Capped off by a set from The Lightning Seeds, most known for their hit single Three Lions (which was belted out from everyone in the room), it was hard to leave the building to head towards the game without feeling mightily patriotic.
The game itself was a foregone conclusion. England put five past San Marino after a slow start, but buoyed by the atmosphere, much created by those at the Carlsberg promo event, the game was a great experience. Despite only selling 55,000 tickets (Wembley seats 90,000), the bottom tier was close to full so the atmosphere was jovial and entertaining. Even Wembley’s terrible excuse for chips in curry sauce couldn’t dampen my spirits. After the game drinks were had once more at The Eternal Optimist as everyone else bustled towards the train home and we headed up to the balcony to overlook the national stadium and take photos in the cold London air.
In a way, the night ended on a melancholic note. As I left, I mentioned in passing to my girlfriend that ‘that is how all matches should be watched’, before instantly realising that this wasn’t going to be the case. I feel I should complain to Carlsberg, because the next few games I attend will pale in comparison to the experience that surrounded the England against San Marino game.
Ian Wright, Paddy McGuinness, Jeff Stelling and the Carlsberg Fan Squad put on the Ultimate England Experience for 1,000 fans at Wembley. The Carlsberg Fan Squad aims to make football BETTER for fans by listening to real fans, celebrating what is great about football and improving the experience of being a fan. Follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/CarlsbergUK" target="_blank">@CarlsbergUK</a> for weekly Premier League ticket giveaways. That calls for a Carlsberg!

Carlsberg Presents: England vs. San Marino &#8211; An Inside Look at the Carlsberg Fan Squad

Carlsberg Presents: England vs. San Marino - An Inside Look at the Carlsberg Fan Squad - World Soccer Talk

Carlsberg Presents: England vs. San Marino – An Inside Look at the Carlsberg Fan Squad

When did it come to this?
As I watch Bolton’s Reebok Hunt slide tackle Liverpool’s Xabi Carlsberg at Carlsberg Lite Stadium in Liverpool on an overcast Saturday in April, I am filled with an unbearable nostalgia for the past.
As Fly Emirates Bennett holds the red card aloft in Hunt’s face who begins his long walk of shame, (brought to you by Reebok), I can’t help but long for the days before players, refs and stadia started adopting the names of massive corporate sponsors. 
Liverpool supporters were griping in 2009 when Carlsberg first sealed the deal to change the name of Anfield, Liverpool FC’s historic venue, to Carlsberg Stadium, even changing the name of Anfield Road to Carslberg Road. But the precident had already been set in the Premier League with Bolton’s Reebok Stadium, Wigan’s JJB Stadium and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium replacing the traditional venues of Burnden Ground, Springfield Park and Highbury.
The strangest turn in the history of sport sponsorship was when players began taking the names of the sponsors. This began with Newcastle’s Obafemi Northern Rock in early 2010. Many players quickly followed suit. Samsung Lampard, Gareth Acorns, OKI Crouch, Nationwide Rooney and Shaun Wright-Thomas Cook all became household names of English Football.
Liverpool were hesitant to go along with this trend, since the stadium name change was still a point of bitter contention amongst supporters. But when intense pressure from Carlsberg combined with Liverpool’s inability to compete with the increased spending of the other clubs, the Merseyside giants relented.
Xabi Carlsberg, Steven Carlsberg, Pepe Carslberg and Carlsberg Lite Leiva were the first to legally change their names for increased corporate funding.
When the players filed out with ‘Carlsberg’ written across the backs of their shirts in place of Alonso, Gerrard, Reina and Lucas, supporters wondered if they were watching football or a Ramones cover band. But with the extra funding, Liverpool were soon able to secure the transfers of Bastien Carlsberg, Daniel Alves da Carlsberg and Arjen Carlsberg. These were all pivotal players in the campaign that saw Liverpool win their 19th Premier League Title in 2011, the year before the trophy became simply known as The Barclay. 
As victory came, the groans of supporters subsided.
And while manager Rafael Adidas led Liverpool to win three more titles in a row, Manchester United, Liverpool’s traditional rivals, plummeted into financial trouble due to their increased involvement with the doomed investment firm, AIG. United had to sell off many top players like Nationwide Rooney and Cristiano International Group, Inc. just to stay afloat. The club narrowly avoided relegation to The Diet Coke Championship last season.
But United’s fortunes may be turning as they complete a renewed deal with an old sponsor. Now, Sir Alex Vodafone feels confident his side will be able to climb back to the top of the League next season after a fruitful transfer window.
Back at the brand new Carlsberg Lite Stadium in Liverpool, I watch Fernando Carlsberg hit a hat-trick against a ten-man Bolton side. The young kids around me, who probably couldn’t tell you El Niño’s birth name, start to sing:
His armband said he was a Red! (Carlsberg! Carlsberg!)
‘You’ll Never Walk Alone,’ it said! (Carlsberg! Carlsberg!)
The older supporter sitting between them and me shakes his head and rolls his eyes. He had corrected the lads in the first half when they began to sing: Around the Fields of Carlsberg Road… But now you can see he just doesn’t have the energy. Neither do I, as I long for the days of Anfield, Highbury and St James Park. The days when tradition and history won out over sponsorship and the corporate agenda.
Do any of us have the energy to fight the changing times? I decide not to think about it as I ponder what to drink when I visit the pub after the match.

Will Liverpool Play At Carlsberg Stadium?

Will Liverpool Play At Carlsberg Stadium? - World Soccer Talk

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Carlsberg Presents: England vs. San Marino – An Inside Look at the Carlsberg Fan Squad

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Will Liverpool Play At Carlsberg Stadium?