OUR barmaid has worked for a top Premier League football club for seven years – and in that time she’s seen it all.
She’s met countless footballers, broken up fights, seen colleagues have sex in a storeroom mid-game and been snubbed by stuck-up Wags.
But the 31-year-old loves the job and says the club workers are like a family.
Here, she reveals the best place to work and the easiest way to bag yourself a football star lover… if you really want one.
‘Terrible’ sex with star
I wouldn’t touch a footballer with a barge pole.
They’re so arrogant and rude and seem to think they’re better than anyone else – I’m yet to meet a nice one.
Mind you, I should have known that from the start.
Before I worked here I met a footballer in a bar and ended up having sex with him down an alleyway.
It was not an impressive experience…..it was terrible sex, as if he was doing me a favour.
The Wags are even ruder than their boyfriends.
They sit there with their handbags and perfectly manicured nails and treat everyone who works at the club as if they’re something disgusting that they’ve trodden in.
But it’s weird because as soon as footballers have retired they turn back into decent people.
The ex-footballers often come to the bar where I work – the posh one – and they’re really friendly to all the fans.
They never mind doing selfies and having a chat – I think they come for a bit of an ego boost as they’re still hero-worshipped by the supporters.
And though I rarely saw a current player drinking, the retired ones often drink like fish!
One of them gave me a Christmas card with £100 worth of vouchers.
He wasn’t after sex – he was just being generous.
But some of the bar staff working here are still desperate to bag a footballer and spend hours getting ready before work.
I’ve known a couple of girls get with players but it never lasts… and honestly if that’s what you really want to do, you’re better off in a city centre night club.
Looking to score
When I saw the job advertised for match day staff I leapt at the chance – firstly because I’m a huge football fan and also because I thought it would be the perfect place to find a man.
It’s easy to give favoured customers a free pint – you’re serving so many customers, it’s really hard for anyone to keep track.
I ended up having a year-long relationship with one man and several flings both with customers and other bar staff.
There’s a storage room with tables and chairs in it, deep under one of the stands, it’s a well-known venue to have a quickie in. We put a team scarf on the door to show it’s occupied!
A lot of bar staff end up having relationships with each other, after all it’s mostly young people working here – at 31, I’m one of the oldest.
There’s a storage room with tables and chairs in it, deep under one of the stands, it’s a well-known venue to have a quickie in.
We put a team scarf on the door to show it’s occupied!
I’m married now so there’s none of that any more.
I actually met my husband on Plenty of Fish, but he’s a huge football fan and enjoys coming along to matches and propping up the bar while I sneak him a few free pints.
Home or away?
I’d advise anyone looking for a job at a football stadium to firmly state you’d rather work in the “home stands”.
You get to know people as they’re often season ticket holders and come to every match.
But in the “away” team side people are mostly there for a “day out” in a different city, so they will start drinking on the journey to the stadium and are rowdier.
In general, facilities for away team fans are poor and the stewards and police are more heavy-handed.
I think it’s a mistake, it sets up an aggressive atmosphere – if they feel they aren’t being treated well then they’re more likely to behave badly.
I think being nice and appreciating all the fans would lead to better behaviour.
I have noticed recently that clubs are doing more, like giving away fans free cakes and coffee – it’s a good idea.
Red card for rude customers
I don’t get riled by much. When I was at university in Glasgow I worked in a pub and I’d get men refusing to be served by an English woman.
It didn’t annoy me, I’d just think they were the ones losing out as it would take longer to get served.
I’m local to the football club, so my accent here isn’t an issue – but I have had men refusing to be served by a woman.
I find it crazy that men are so chauvinistic, but if they want to wait it’s no skin off my nose.
It does get incredibly busy at half time and people get really impatient, particularly if you need to change the barrel.
The one thing that bothers me above all else is when someone starts clicking their fingers at you.
If someone does then I completely ignore them – it’s the worst way to try to get served quickly.
At the end of the day I’ve got what they want, so they should be polite.
If someone is I remember them and “notice” them waiting in line and serve them quickly.
If I’m honest, if the bloke is good looking I’m quick to serve them too, even though I’m a happily-married woman with a three-year-old daughter!
Full time at the bar
I’ve refused to serve people on a regular basis – you can always tell when you need to call time on someone.
I’ve grown up around football so I don’t get very intimidated by the men I see and I’m more than happy to tell them they’ve had enough.
As soon as someone’s slurring heavily, aggressive or struggling to stay standing I stop serving.
I’ve also been known to quietly give someone alcohol-free beer – they never notice!
We’re lucky that our stewards are very co-operative and will always defend the bar staff, they’re very protective of us female staff.
And I always smile – it’s much harder to be rude to someone who’s being polite to you.
Drug cheats
Having said I’m not intimidated, there has been a noticeable increase in young men – under 25 – taking cocaine at the football.
It’s rife at our club, and worrying. It makes them far more aggressive and out of control. You can tell by their eyes if they’ve been indulging.
It worries me as it makes them more unpredictable than just being drunk – they get worked up very quickly.
I do love seeing the famous faces too – we get loads of reality TV stars, but also the odd pop star and actor, which still causes a ripple of excitement in the stands
They seem to be looking for fights and people to pick on – it’s a shame, it makes it a different atmosphere.
I’ve seen fights break out between them, on occasion I’ve just spoken sharply and told them to pack it in, but other times the stewards have had to step in.
We do have the odd drink when we’re serving – it’s thirsty work – but I’ve never seen any of the bar staff get actually drunk or take drugs.
Here for the beer
There’s a ban on drinking at your seats which has been in place for years and I agree with, because people used to chuck beer at each other and no one wants to leave a match soaking wet.
Generally speaking you have a steady trickle of customers at the beginning of the match, then at half time it goes absolutely bonkers.
What I find weird is when people come to the football and then spend the whole time by the bar, watching it on the screens.
It’s not as though the beer is cheap or it’s particularly comfortable. I guess they’re soaking up the atmosphere, but it seems like such a waste of money.
Family games
Generally speaking, the bar staff get on really well with each other and we go out partying after some of the matches.
There’s three generations of one family all working at our club – the granny works in catering – pies are the fan’s favourite – the mum is a bar supervisor and her son works in the bar.
You get to know each other and some of the fans really well and it’s friendly – like being in your local pub and enjoying seeing the regulars.
But I do love seeing the famous faces too – we get loads of reality TV stars, but also the odd pop star and actor, which still causes a ripple of excitement in the stands!
