I was at the game on Saturday, i had bought my season ticket seat, unfortunately the people who normally sit with me didn't, so there were a lot of new faces, most of whom moaned throughout the game, and seemed to be there for Pies, Hot Dogs and Hot Chocolate drinks! I know the tickets were cheap, so people who can't afford to pay premiership match tickets get a chance to see the team play, and I defend their right to do that, BUT, for gods sake, we were playing one of the best teams in the world with some of the best players in the world, and all these people seem to be bothered about was the food. the bloke sitting next to me ate 2 pies, 2 hot dogs a hot chocolate drink and a bottle of coke, he was needless to say fat, so I spent most of the game with his arm in my chest, plus he and I presume his son got up and went off at around the 35 minute mark of the first half and came back 10 minutes into the second half armed with more food. Then proceeded to shove this stuff into their faces while moaning about the game, and elbowing me in the chest. A person sitting behind me said he was leaving as he wanted to miss the traffic, this was after 70 minutes! I don't know about the rest of you but I go to watch the football, these people obviously didn't. I guess most of them phoned Canary call after the game. I don't think I'll be going to anymore of these cheap ticket games, it spoils it for me!
I agree with what you say ILD and certainly won't bother for Cup games next season. I was more fortunate than you, in that a few of the regular season ticket holders in the N&P were there, so we were able to admire the skill of the opposition. I was also fortunate in that all those sitting around me only had a bottle of coke or similar and a bag of popcorn - no pies/hot chocolate etc. A few sitting nearby did leave at around 85 minutes.
I went to the game also and we were as quiet as a mouse!.............................A mute mouse! I enjoyed the game to an extent, as much is possible seeing your team lose in a morgue like atmosphere anyway. Watching Citeh and in particular Aguero was a real pleasure at times Though a perverse one given it was our defense that he was schooling!). Aguero surely is the best striker in the PL! We had plenty of early leavers around us too which is always strange to me. The first left when the 3rd goal went in and several others followed not long after. It made a change to be in the riverend and not a great one to be honest. Not enough staff at the bar and no atmosphere (although that is not too unusual). I'll stick to the Barclay in future although they were very subdued too. I wonder if everyones CC bills had arrived that morning! Bah!
I imagine the only way to address this is to include cup games on season ticket admission, which in itself is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you'd get some passion and noise (though unlikely when we're being carved open by one of the best sides on the planet!) but to counter that, the club would miss out on a revenue stream and casual punters would most likely never get the chance to visit the fortress? Difficult one to juggle.
I think you have to look at why the season ticket holders in part stay away. It's not cause they've been looking forward to a weekend off from football so they can go sale shopping with the Mrs. It's continued failure and lack of passion or priority for the cup games. We've been so bad at cups for so long I think most of us role our eyes at the thought of the next cup exit to go and see. I think as a club you want the additional revenue stream of extra money, 24,500 thousand at ~£20 a head is valuable income. And at £20 quid for a game it is hardly over priced. To get everyone interested again you need to really send the lads out there griting their teeth and fired up to win the blooming thing. Not sure that often appears to be the case. That said I didn't think we were that bad on Saturday, Citeh are just very good and have those £50M players who make all the difference. Bah!
I too have vowed never to attend cup games,but decided to attend on Sat,mainly to watch Man City. I agree 100% that "the casual" supporters are a fing pain in the arse. We had a family of 4 in front of us,who turned up 10 mins late,devoured bottles of coke,bags of sweets,hot dogs and hot chocolate drinks all before half time. The 2 kids were permanantly standing up,or wanted a cuddle from mummy or daddy. Defo not attending any more cup games.
I think the lack of atmosphere was partly due to the fact we were absolutely outplayed by a slick Citeh (I agree with the notion that Aguero is the one of best strikers playing currently) and the fact that many regulars stayed away and were replaced by casual fans (who are still fans after all). The Snakepit was half empty and that's where most of our home vocal support emanates from so it's no wonder the ground was quiet and the atmosphere ghostly.
Another issue as I see it is that if many regulars stayed away for a home tie against one of the best teams in the land at a reasonable cost of £20, what will happen in the third round next year if we are drawn at home to say Mansfield, Hartlepool or Carlisle ? I remember Rodent's last game in charge which was a home replay against Charlton and only 13k fans turned out for that one - could we see similar happening again if we draw lower league opposition next season and regular fans decide to boycott ?
I can't see it getting that bad myself, as long as it is tough to get 2 or 3 tickets together for a league game there will be demand irrespective of the opposition. I would have attended who ever the oppo was on Saturday as long as there were tickets available and as was the case I was available. At £20 it also left me with more beer tokens for the pub after. Footy fans are generally an optomistic breed and hope springs each season that it maybe time at last for a decent run. Bah!
What surprises me is the way we played against Everton in the League Cup tie at Goodison, we attacked Everton from the start, dominated the first half and although there was about 1000 of us, totally out sang and out shouted the home support. Grabban played up front, it was the best I had seen him play, basically because Jarvis supplied loads of crosses, Grabban should have had a hat trick, their goalie "Robles" was outstanding and made two brilliant saves from Grabban. The second half was a repeat of the first for the first 25 minutes then Everton got into the game, we were very unlucky to lose on penalties in the end. All the Everton fans I spoke to afterwards said how well we played and were unlucky to lose. Something changed that night in the way we approach any game, not sure what or why but we haven't been the same since. I have always supported my team home and away, and its not the football that is making me re-think my attitude but these bloody people who turn up and spend most of their time at the bar or food outlets and complain all through the what small part of the game they see! And why oh why do people bring 3/4 year olds, they have the attention span of a fried egg, and once they've been taken to the loo or the food outlet realise that they can get mummy or daddy to take them every 5 minutes or they kick up a storm and make everyone else's lives miserable!!
The away crowd is always a bit more lively and Everton would have been suffering the same loss of normal singing fans, couple that with the fact we were for the main the better side and it's the home morgue scenario again. Rotherham were utterly silent! Bah!
Changing topic slightly. I see tickets for casual fans to see Spurs starts at £50!!!! Edit - I see tickets for our trip to Villa are only £25. When I went the first season we were in the PL, they were £40!!!
