The club announced months ago that the South stand was going to be a family stand, it was all in the renewal form and on the OWS, so you had plenty of warning. We are new to the South stand because of this, and we have children of varying ages with us, from 4yrs to 14 yrs, they are the Tiger Nation of tomorrow!!
To be honest it isn't really a problem that the West is empty if it's just because people have moved to other areas. The West costs way more than the East for exactly the same view and everything so there isn't much point being there any more now the family benefits have been moved. Despite that, I still sit there.
Price rise was a bit much , should have been about half what it was , I know loads of people not getting any pay rise as the cost of everything goes up , football is a luxury you need to pay your rent/mortgage and feed your kids first Lets be honest football is a rich mans game now , or a rich mans plaything if you are talking about owners
I did not expect many more for Brighton actually. Bolton should be a 20,000 plus especially if City get good points from Blackburn and Charlton. imo
Would think there may be more than Brighton but I would be surprised if we got more than 20k. I for one went to the Brighton game but will be in Cyprus for the Bolton match.
We won't get 20k for Bolton, they have a fairly poor away following and last season we only topped 20k against Forest, Leeds, Derby, Leicester, Burnley and West Ham. If we beat Blackburn and Charlton, then the numbers might go up, but I think it's more likely that the Bolton attendance will be around 16-17k.
It's a bit of a coin toss game for me in that respect. I'd not be surprised if it was either side of 20k, but I would if it was a lot one way or the other. Bolton is right after payday, sees one of the favourites coming to town (could be a top of the table kind of game by then) so they should bring a few. It's the last game for two weeks, and it's also the last one before the kids go back to school. (I know it doesn't affect Saturdays much, but the length of the holiday for them to be bored and needing something to do is at its peak for that game.
I don’t 100% buy in to the theory that there are so many people on holiday to contribute to a sub 16K crowd. OLM pointed out that it was the lowest opening attendance since 2003 or something like that so I can’t believe that when the economy is as it is; so many more people have managed to go away at exactly the same time of year. We got near on 19K for the Blackpool game last season which was a Friday night game………there must be more reasons to the missing 3k than just being on holiday! Maybe there are more than expected who have voted against the NB situation with their feet and their wallet?
Holidays will have contributed to an extent but there is only one real reason for that attendance on Saturday and that is the price increase of season passes.
It's almost certainly a combination of increased ticket prices, holidays, Barmby's sacking, spending on the Olympics and a general mood of skintness.
Its a little depressing that this one of our best periods in our history we struggle to get even 16,000. But i'm not calling anyone who hasn't gone for fiancial reasons. The city is hardly awashed with jobs.
if people have stayed away over the barmby thing, i know most people will say its wrong and no man is bigger then the club, should support them whoever etc, and i agree in a way but i would also respect those people as well for sticking to there principles, fans are often called fickle for turning on managers etc, but if people have stuck there views to such an extent to miss games, then fair play, maybe theres hope for the human race after all..
Bolton Sold Out there full allocation of 2,500 @ Burnley on saturday. Yes i know is a local derby but if Bolton win there next 2 home games i can see them bringing over 3000. Bolton is one of our better homes fixtures and who knows it could be a top of the table clash. With Millwall)no attraction) 2 weeks after that the floaters / pickers and choosers may well think Bolton is a good game to attend. imo. TWT. I have heard of some City fans who have said that they will only attend City away games after the Barmby fiasco. Also, Brighton are not a team that people rush to watch either. On such a nice day some families will have gone elsewhere. imo.
Regarding my previous post, i have just thought of a new reason why people may not be at the games, i've seen many people saying that they're going to stop home games/reduce them so they can afford away games due to the better atmosphere etc. Not sure many are going to be at Blackburn though, but i will.
I'll be surprised if they top 1000, Burnley and Blackburn will be by far their biggest away followings this season.
A lot of the football last season was pretty boring and what with the Barmby sacking I think there are a lot of people who are just waiting to see how things go before they spend their cash. We did get season cards because we know if we didn't we would want to go anyway and for a couple thats around £50 per match. I agree with a lot of you on here that if the points are adding up and the football gets attractive we will attract more people. I am not going to slate those people because its their cash and if they want to only attend when its entertaining then so be it. Those people may also be sitting by the radio at home listening to the match and may still want City to do well, just supporting in their own way.
If Bolton dont win the next 2 home games i would agree with you. Bolton live on sky friday night (@ home to Forest) so will take a closer look at them. I just feel that its a game that should attract both home and away fans IF both are doing well. TWT. As a side issue, TWS v. Wolverhampton game on saturday had less than 24,000 (ok ok i know it was live on sky) but that would normally be a 30,000 plus gate. Looking around many clubs had lower gates. Maybe football generally is feeling a public backlash and the pinch from punters.
There's still a lot of people refusing to go to games until Bates has gone, that attendance was above last seasons average, they only got to 30k twice last season, the league game against West Ham and the cup game against Man United.
