The second part of what you're saying, I kind of agree. I can see where you're coming from.
The first part though - it is possible to get away tickets. You need to build up your credits - not every game sells out before it reaches just STH. A lot do, but quite a few don't. The likes of Southampton away and Newcastle away, QPR away, ones like that.
Burnley away is a prime example - it is currently on sale to STH+2 aways. On Wednesday this week it goes to STH only, with no credits. There's your chance, your ideal opportunity to buy a ticket for a relatively local away AND get a credit.
Exactly. My dad used to do them all with me, then he cut right back about 3 years ago. Come last season, he couldnt get tickets. He got tickets through his own customer number for 2 last season, missed out on about 5/6 more that he would have done, and managed to get to 2 others via spares. I asked him yesterday did he want me to get him a Burnley ticket, and he ummed and aahed over it for about half an hour. Then he'll moan at me in a few weeks when he's nowhere near getting a Wolfsburg ticket!
Away games definitely sell out a lot quicker than they used to, and will do even more this season now we've got more season ticket holders. So you have to take your chances and get one when they're available, or rely on spares.
As for those complaining about people always having spares available so dont buy them, thats just the joys of supporting a Premier League club. With tickets going on sale usually about 3 weeks before a game, half the time people have to buy tickets without even knowing if they can go and just dealing with it later. I work shifts so have to book my time off like a month in advance. Been in this job 3 and a half years and not missed a game because of work yet, but especially when it comes to short notice games, like that Sunderland replay, I have to wait and see and try to get the day off once the dates have been confirmed. But Id still buy a ticket, because if I dont buy it before I know, they'll be gone.
Some people can't get more than a day off work. I know a few who are going on the flight and are specifically doing so because even though it's expensive, it's one day off work and because they live in Liverpool, they'll be back in their own bed by probably 1am Friday morning at the very latest, and could still go to work the following day if they had to (probably knackered like!).
It's not as simple as people just being stupid or lazy or gullible.
Yeah I had to do the same for Liege. Got the club coach, because it was the cheapest possible way of doing it and I couldnt get the day off before the game. Originally for Lille too, I could only get the day off of the game itself, but managed to get 3 days off after it including Burnley so cant complain! Not always that easy though, and if we get to the knockout stages, it'll be a lot harder for me to get the time off for aways, so might end up having to use the convenience of the club and one day trips.