Just trying to highlight what appears to be a decline in crowds per se. You only have to look at the empty seats at Old Trafford today (unheard of), and decline generally noticed by everyone - we also only got a 'disappointing' 16k again today. Maybe a bit of constructive debate might have been asking a bit too much ! A constructive answer definitely was ! Classy.
We were a little way behind you ponders h aving come down the M11 and were on the slip onto the eastbound 406. Didnt manage to creep through but watched the air ambulance land. Eventually turned round and sent the wrong way up the carriageway to go onto the westbound 406. Apparently their were two coaches of Hull supporters trapped further up the motorway and a coach with the Hartlepool team trapped in there somewhere. We made it to the Valley in time for the matchdue largely to half forgotten back routes towhipps cross. The site of the air ambulance and three road ambulances struggling through the traffic put the match into a different perspective.
Agree Aluko looked agood player today and think we did a good job in containing him. I dont think SCP has a reluctance to use subs but realises that in the lottery of weather conditions we had today nobody was going to be a game changer and decided to leave the responsibility with the starting 11. The match was much more for michael phelps than usain bolt and our passing play suffered more tha theirs did on a sodden pitch. Will be an interesting return if the game is dry.
Yeah, it was a real mood changer, SVC. The game didn't really matter after that. We were sat in the front ranks of the traffic and had a clear view of the horrors unfolding. After a short while, we were pushed through and allowed to turn off at the Redbridge/A12 junction before the emergency vehicles came in numbers. I found out a little while ago that the biker was killed. Two young kids and their parents are in a stable condition. A really horrible thing to see and my thoughts go out to all those involved.
A2 was closed for a long time - a distressed woman was being talked down from jumping from the bridge in Wilmington - fortunately, the situation had a good outcome.
I was more than happy with that display its a step up for us you don't concede you don't lose we fought and got a decent draw they had chances we had chances for a 0 0 i was entertained.I also thought hollands and stephens did well and hamers double save top notch.
Forgot to say - excellent choice of music yesterday, Paul. 'The Passenger' - don't think I've ever heard that at a match before, one of my all-time favourites. Loved the remark about the Wednesday game, too - "massive result"
Yeah very good choices Glovepup yesterday - I got there ridiculously early because there was suprisingly no traffic - was nice to hear Pulp and The Jam as well as The Skids. Did they call your name on the Tannoy too at one point?
I enjoyed Aint No Stoppin by M & W best, good to hear more soul music. As for the game, the passing was slick in the first half, better than last season and more use of the wings and thoughtful placement, good movement on and off the ball. The conditions affected both teams 2nd half and Hull made the best use of them but both teams did well in the circumstances to make it an entertaining 0 - 0 draw. Good crowd in NL and plenty of seats to move back to when the heavens opened, got higher up to avoid a drenching and enjoyed the view there, am usually nearer the front. Yes Hollands had an excellent game.
Spent the weekend down in London, just back up now. Won't be desperately searching out the highlights. First half was decent, thought we should've been ahead at half time, then the heavens opened and Hull did have the best of things. That Aluko lad looks decent, sign him up Powell. Hollands had a good first half, but felt all our players suffered in the conditions. Hamer my MOTM.
Hello If you thought your post had more substance than 'hey look Bolton haven't sold out tonight', that's your problem, not mine. The Reebok rarely sold out in the Premier League, so using it as an example of a general trend is strange to say the least. 16,202 for Charlton v Hull in the second tier. Disappointing, you say, and that's a fair enough opinion to have. Some things to bear in mind though. With all respect to the tigers, Hull are not in any way an attractive option for fans who have to pick and choose home matches. Also, the Valley is not an attractive away venue for them (more novelty at Hudds or Pboro, more rivalry with Leeds or Boro), so there were not many away fans there. Bank holiday weekend, people on summer holidays, schools still closed (so no freebie tickets handed out). Plus the general downturn in the economy and fans not being able to go to as many matches as they'd like. The wider point you're trying to make is that the Olympics have captured the imagination of the public at the expense of football. Meaning that people are stopping going to football and might instead go to events that they had watched in the Olympics. So how about the Diamond League athletics meet in Birmingham? In what was described as a "bumper crowd", 12,800 turned up to cheer on the likes of Mo Farah, Usain Bolt, Christine Ohuruogo, Yohan Blake etc. I know that's its capacity, but somehow I doubt they turned away 3000+ people. Maybe come back to this point when the Charlton-Palace game sells around 18k tickets. Interesting that you didn't respond to Ryan-R
I've been saying this for several years now, that the economy is responsible for declining attendances. Premiership Clubs such as Wigan, QPR and I believe Fulham are failing to fill their stadiums. A lot of people cannot afford to spend £30 on tickets (not including travel, food, drinks, etc). Olympics aside due to a one off, once in a lifetime, event. Come the Charlton vs. Palace match I do not expect much more than the 17,000 mark (18,000 at a push) due to television. That usually keeps the crowds away. I think that we are pulling in more than Millwall and Palace, so we got that to be thankful for.
I would be bitterly disappointed if we got less than 20,000 for Palace. In the last game against them on a Friday night, it was just shy of capacity. Taking in to consideration whats happened to us since then and issues with the economy - I'd still be surprised if we didn't get 20,000 Addicks and 3,000 CP fans.
Just back home from London. Stayed with kids for a mini Holiday after the game at your place. Just thought I'd say, despite it being a 0-0 draw, both sides played some fantastic football. It was as predicted, a physical, scrappy affair but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The final result could have been 3-3. Powell seems to have made you an organised outfit, solid and dangerous in attack. I have no complaints about the service or Hospitality in which the Valley had to offer either. A very enjoyable away day. City played the best football I've ever seen them play in the last 15/20 mins. Good luck for the rest of the Season boys apart from the reverse fixture at the Circle obviously
Cheers ST. Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry we couldn't arrange better weather. I might try to get tot he away fixture. I've had a bit of a soft spot for Hull the last few years with the premiership adventures and Phil Permatan who was always entertaining. Your new(ish) stadium always looks good on the telly.
