Opening Day Crowd Says It All

What an amazing effort by Leeds United supporters, over 30,000 tickets sold for the first home game against Brighton. Bloody marvellous. I was watching a highlights thingy of the Prem in 1993/94 season, Bates era at Chelsea. The one end was demolished as the stand was being rebuilt, so only three sides were open. They were home to Spurs, big London derby, yet the main stand wasn't even three quarters full.

My point is this, Leeds will have a big crowd and amazing atmosphere on Saturday that few clubs can match. When Chelsea drop out of the Prem (as they surely will once the oil money disappears), I am willing to bet all I have their stands will have plenty of empty seats once again as their plastics jump ship and support Scum instead.

Not many clubs have the massive, loyal support that Leeds have. We are entering a new era, the dark days of Kenneth "the cnut" Bates are behind us, and the only way is up!!

 

Lets us hope that this gives a message to GFH to back the manager with the addition of his remaining targets.

 

I think the help of GFH making it a Cat C game rather than being a Cat A game which the first game of the season has always been under Bates.

I think its a good move from GFH to get more in the door and create a greater atmosphere, I still claim that Bates' biggest downfall was his ticket prices.

 

I partly agree with you Josh. But I think the combination of good football and good results also helps.

 

it was the bates factor that kept the fans away as simple as that!

 

He was definitely a factor alright.
TBF long before bates was at the club there have been times that attendances were low. Even when Sir Don was here there weren't full houses.(this I was told by older fans)

 

It's looking like 33,000 for Saturday, but the real acid test will be the second home league game, especially if we've not started the season too well, and with it being Cat A as well.

 

yea ofcourse, but people are less likely to pay more money to watch crap football

 

Bates aside, the biggest two reasons why attendances slumped were poor footy leading to poor results. If we were top of the league and playing decent footy, we would have had far bigger crowds last season, regardless of the cost.

Heyho, a new era. Let's hope for a good performance and 3pts. In BMD we trust. MOT

 

Bates' biggest downfall was & still is, that he draws breath & wastes valuable oxygen that decent folk could have!