Our Story


The story of Groundhopper Soccer Guides started when Paul Gerald was visiting friends in London and they took him to a game. He had played soccer as a kid and always admired the passion of the English game, but he always considered it some far-off dream, like normal Americans visiting England couldn’t just go to a game.

Once he figured out how easy it really was, and how incredibly fun, and once he saw fans celebrating goals in person …

Well, he was hooked. And since he was already the author of several guidebooks, and a professional writer going on 30 years, he thought, “Hey, I’ll write a book about this!” And so he did, publishing The Groundhopper’s Guide to Soccer in England in 2018. (We now update it every summer for the new English season.)

Next, he started hearing from folks like you, seeking their own adventure, so he set up a consulting service to answer all your questions. Then it turned out what many of you really want is tickets, especially to the big clubs, so Paul got signed up with a broker so he can (yes, 100% legally) resell tickets and hospitality packages to English and European games.

What he really likes is taking people to games, so he is available for personal guiding services as well as public “Groundhop” tours!

Groundhopper Soccer Guides: Expertise, Experience, Understanding

We exist to help you and other groundhoppers have the best soccer experience you can.

We want you to not just go to a game, but to have the perspective, history and knowledge to connect with the experience, and with other people having it. Our motto is “Meet the clubs; see them play; eat, drink and sing with the locals.”

We believe that sports aren’t just about watching a game — although that can be tons of fun. We think it’s really about connecting with people and communities, expanding your horizons, and just maybe experiencing a moment that they’ll talk about for generations.

Oh, and we wish a lot more people would get past the “big six” Premier League clubs and get out on the terraces of the lower leagues.

groundhopper english soccer fans

You love watching soccer, and you dream of seeing it live.

You want to watch the great players in person, hear the singing of the fans, and be in the stadium when something magical happens.

But you don’t know how to get tickets. Maybe you don’t even know which games are happening, or you’re looking at the schedule and aren’t sure which one to attend.

Or maybe you have that part figured out, but how do you get to the stadium? Which pubs should you hit before the game? What else should you do while you’re in the town or area?

Even with all that, there’s more. Who are these clubs? What are their stories? Who are their rivals? And what are their fans singing?

In short, you want to be a proper groundhopper: one who comfortably hops from one football ground to another, seeking adventure and community.

We can help!

Folks Whom We’ve Helped

Hundreds of groundhoppers have come to our site, read and learned, asked us a bunch of questions, bought our book, purchased tickets & hospitality from us, gone on “Groundhop” tours — maybe all of it! Here’s what one had to say:

We discovered Groundhopper Guides on the internet and they were terrific. They explained the process for buying EPL tickets, brokered the transaction for us, and directed us to the stadium in a foreign city where we’d never been. They were quick to respond to every question, providing excellent customer service even after the deal was done. This was our first adventure with the EPL and Groundhopper Guides made it smooth and easy.

— Michael in a Google Review.

groundhopper soccer guides customers happy couple

Other folks just bought the book, which is available here, and also on Amazon and other online retailers. Check out some of the Amazon reviews of the 2021-22 edition.

Let’s Get Started, Groundhopper!

So if you, too, want to experience English soccer in person, you have found the right place. Here at Groundhopper Guides, we are all about putting you in just the right soccer environment … for you. Want to see Premier League titans going at it? We’ve got the tickets. Want to catch a fiery local rivalry? We know when and where they are. Want to mix in some local footy with your tourist adventures? We’ve been to more than 100 clubs all over the UK and Europe!

Just pick one of these places to get started:

smiling man at soccer field

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