Real Madrid tickets - please queue here!

So the telephone scrap for tickets to probably the biggest ever game in AFCB's history is about to take place from this morning. The club has not said this, but can I suggest that any season ticket holders who can actually get to the ground to buy their ticket actually do that in the next few days.

I'm not repeating the phone number, you all know where to find it.  But the less people that are on that phone queue the better for every body all round, don't you think? There are 6000 season ticket holders now so if you thought it was bad phoning up for a ticket before I hate to think of what it is going to be like today and for the next two days. Mind you I can't promise you that lining up at Dean Court will be any easier regarding queue time, but at least your phone bill will be okay. 

There is no way us exiles can make it down to Dean Court to pick up a ticket unless we can get a day's leave. I would have loved AFCB to have a separate phone line just for exile season ticket holders but like everyone else I'll have to take my chance in the phone system and hang on until I can speak to someone. I'm not looking forward to it. When will there be a quiet period? When can I sneak a call in with my boss not knowing? How much will the phone bill be?

The last question is particularly a sore one with Watford fans who had to book their play-off tickets last season by phone and many of them ended up with £100 phone bills waiting in an endless queue! The club has now launched an enquiry into the phone ticketing system there. I don't fancy paying another £100 on top of the £55 ticket price for Real Madrid. I've been told 0844 numbers are 4p/minute, so let's hope our situation is a lot better than those Hornet fans.

So what can I say that will be positive about the whole process? I'm not really sure. All I can say is that when you do get your ticket you are likely to be mightily relieved and have the prospect of seeing the Cherries take on some of the world's greatest players at Real Madrid this summer.

Don't get too overheated today on the phone, it's going to be a scorcher as it is.

For those going to the Christchurch match tomorrow, enjoy it. If any one want's to tweet me a picture I'll be pleased to post it later.

I've just heard that Darren Anderton and Steve Fletcher will come out of retirement to play in Stephen Purches' testimonial against West Ham on Saturday - how great is that?