50p in 1971 bought 5 pints. So £20 today is not outrageously more. The sad fact is as one poster said, if it was Chelsea, Man City or one of the big clubs it would be rammed. In time gone by people would have been there because it was the sixth round of the cup. Now they would go to watch the opposition. Unfortunately we do not have as many people who pit City first as some of us thought we would if we ever did well. I wonder if the Blunts will have as much trouble shifting tickets?
The Hull Daily Mail will bring out a special souvenir edition whilst City will dither about and as usual miss the boat. Perhaps a special 'club' train will be laid on at £60 a go with instructions to get to London as late as possible to keep the fans out of the pubs and of course an alcohol ban rigidly enforced by police on the platform searching peoples bags and stewards on every coach. Don't you just love those special occasions?
I remember that Thos Cook one to Wembley- a bizarre experience. Hi viz busybodies in each compartment, sit where you're told. No congaing in the aisles to celebrate promotion on the way back. I can only compare it to getting off with Raquel Welch and having enforced coitus interruptus with Anne Widdicombe throwing a pail of ice cold water on you. Should we get past SAFC, this time we'll get it right.
update on ticket sales can you believe but got my daughter to count the seats sold in each stand (good maths practice i said) and this is what she came up with North Stand Sunderland fans 3750, East stand 4928, south stand 2171,Lower west 5056, upper west 1853 Total sold-17758 thats at 21.04pm Tuesday night. If anyone wants an update later in the week let me know but looking at her i am not to hope full of her starting all over again
50p might well have bought five pints in 1971 but you are forgetting that most people actually had 50p. Today the choice for those who are not as committed as some is 20 notes to get in or sit in the pub and watch the game in comfort with £20 to spend on ale or buy your supermarket booze and watch the match from your armchair. And there are plenty of others who just have not got £20 spare to spend on anything. I don't think the ground would have been rammed if were playing Chelsea or Man City either. Man Utd and Liverpool perhaps because they have a huge chav following. I would doubt that there would be the clamour for tickets that we saw for the Play-Off Final either if we do reach the Semi Final. People have been, seen it, done it and sadly today that is a box ticked for the day tripper glory seekers. Personally Sunday has cost me £120 already because most of my family WANT to be there. I honestly believe that we would fill the ground if the walk-up support was easier and people could sit with friends. That could have been marketed by the club if half of the East Stand was left as unreserved seating and for cash only customers. There is still ample time for the club to really push this match and drum up some interest. We are only 90 mins from a Wembley appearance after all but I have yet to hear the 'W' word mentioned in the local media.
If that's true then nearly 18,000 sold is excellent for a Tuesday. If it is true then the game is going to sell out. Perhaps if the media got onto this story there might actually be a rush for tickets?
Just go on the ticket site - when you go to pick a seat, it shows you which ones are already taken. You can make a pretty decent guess of how many have been sold so far from it (although you can only look at the seats by block).
Agree there should be more media hype but it'll be close to a sell out, those City that go in North Stand will fill up the gaps elsewhere. Watch out for mackems in home stands and make the stewards enforce the rules if they show themselves. Heard someone on the radio excuse Pardew's headbutt because of pressure on him fronting up the entire Newcastle club since Kinnear left as Chief Exec and the Chairman dosn't speak to the media and immediately thought thats what Bruce has to do here, no Chief Exec or Chairman talking up the club going in to these next massive games, no Wembley plan for tickets/vouchers or transport or a well prepared club shop.
That was Steve Dimbo Claridge. Gentlemen, I put it to you that AA or his son and heir have little or no idea about the Owd Tin Pot, the Matthews final, the White Horse final, Abide With Me etc And half of our 'customers' don't, either.
Few things from me A. A weakened side is NOT an excuse not to go to the game. B. It will hardly be a "weakened side." It'll be basically a 1st team squad game - with players we've seen this season in the Premier League, just without Long and Jelavic. C. I couldn't wait - I've bought my ticket!
Hull City vs Sheffield United would be a FANTASTIC semi-final. The chance for two Northern teams with passionate fans who have suffered hard times in the past (and in their case, now) who wouldn't expect to be anywhere near an FA Cup final to have the chance at being Champions. Who wouldn't want that? At least its something different.
