The atmosphere did pick up in the second half as we were attacking the 'home' end. It also helped we played a little better.
You're right. It has been discussed many times before but the club said before construction started that the Northam was the away end because it was nearer to station and exits for coaches going to the motorways.. That's why they built the stadium with CCTV control room, police cells and solid walls at that end separating the concourses from the rest of the stadium. Also a partition half way across to contain away fans even more on normal games where you're not 'obliged' by FA rules to give away fans 15% of capacity. But fans love to be right next to the away fans for the banter. You could rebuild the stadium with the Chapel as the away end and you're still have all the vocal homes fans moving down there.
It's really not the clubs fault. FA rules dictate that away fans must be given 15% of capacity for FA cup games. Edit: works in our favour for away games
This is nonsense though as they were given more than 15%. If it was as simple as that then we'd have seen the whole Northam given away for every FA Cup tie with big support since we moved to SMS which we simply haven't. As I said yesterday, go look at footage from the Pompey and United ties in the two league one seasons. Or how about Chelsea in 2012? Arsenal in 2017? Even Millwall in 2003 - there's literally loads of examples. None of these teams were given over 5k because the rules don't state we have to. The simple fact is that this increase in away allocation offered for cup ties is a conscious decision made by the club in recent years (was Spurs the first?) So yes, it absolutely is the clubs fault.
According the to FA Cup rules and in particular section 21. (a) the distribution of tickets should be as follows: “In all matches preceding the Semi-Finals, the Visiting Club shall have the right to claim up to 15% of all accommodation for which tickets are issued providing these tickets are in a fully segregated area” 32,505 x 15% = 4,876. I suspect the rules have changed once or twice since the birth of football
Exactly my point - we're obliged to give them 15% yet decided to give them extra. Therefore, it's a club decision to empty the Northam of Saints fans. They could easily have avoided it by giving Cov less tickets.
https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2022/ja...pton-tickets-available-at-7pm-tonight-online/ "With 325 additionals tickets available, located in the Northam Stand, the Sky Blues total allocation is now just over 5,100 for the game."
I am trying to back this up, but I remember reading that the kingsland has a capacity of about 11,000 the Itchen 11,000, the Chapel 6000 and the Northam 5,000
I'm guesstimating really if I'm honest. But I'd have thought there were at least 1000 remaining in Northam in past cup games when we've given 4800. Thinking Skates match when Rickie scored.
Draw this morning apparently. Next match is midweek on 2nd March which is between the Norwich and Villa games. The Norwich one being the Friday is a nice touch though.
Two points occur to me: Is the 15% allocation 15% of the total capacity (all seats) or the available capacity (so subtracting the section between the Northam and the Itchen corner, that was empty, as well as the seats covered by those netting strips) There were many (over 200?) Coventry fans who had probably purchased hospitality, as there was a large section of cheering fans in the Itchen when Coventry scored. They were all in one block, so it probably wasn't individual supporters buying hospitality separately, which indicates that Saints sold hospitality to Coventry. Would these have formed part of the 15%? Anyway, we WON, so looking forwards to the draw, in about an hour!
Enjoyed yesterday but have to say we are a bit of a joke of a club in the way we let away fans dominate the atmosphere. I know it has been discussed and the reasons are due to safety etc. but we need to give the Northam a full end rather than let away fans in. Ruins the atmosphere and doesn't help the team at all. Also, anyone getting their phone torch out in the fa cup 4th round whilst drawing 1-1 with Cov - please don't come to st marys again until Take That do a gig. Embarrassing.
No the 15% has to be 'fully' segregated (seats and concourse) so hospitality is different. Hospitality is always a problem because generally tickets are picked up by corporates so you never know who their guests are going to be. Alstom, BMW and Peugeot for example are national companies but major players in Coventry. The club have occasionally had a problem with the behaviour of fans in corporate seating - as I suspect most clubs do - can only be solved by stewarding. Adam Blackmore suggested there was a problem yesterday and not enough stewards dealing with it. He was critical of the behaviour of both Coventry fans and Saints fans responding. Nobody likes the large away presence but those are the breaks. We won. Let's look forward to the next win.
Interesting discussion, which raises quite a few issues. With the new ownership, I wonder if stadium redesign/expansion is on the long term agenda?
