The fan offer is still absolutely ****e. Bruce needs to get on that. Same garbage getting served. Same service standards and no entertainment. Until that changes people will feel they can get away and get a better, cheaper experience elsewhere.
Aye fair play I probably class myself as one of those, I’m always down between 40-43 mins for a pint and been plenty of times we’ve been terrible in L1/champ I’ve left early and gone back to the pub. Just didn’t realise the extent of how many do it but saying that even when we go for a half time pint we’re normally back of the queue there’s people heading down about 10 minutes before us
It's good to get a little more understanding of the reasons. I mistakenly thought it was mostly people trying to beat the traffic.
Neither reason makes a scrap of sense to me mate. We only had one Saturday 3pm kick off in October. Are people really so desperate for an extra pint on that particular day. And what is so important that they absolutely must be home at 5.30 rather than 6pm ... ... they're either unable to have a pint for the rest of the month, alcoholics or terrified to be away from the wife too long. Or perhaps there's a Bake Off episode they're desperate to watch and they can't work out how to record The match is only 90 minutes long, deliberately missing five or ten minutes is just weird imo.
I live approx 30 miles away and am generally home by 6 15 and stay till the end. Granted I don't travel back the same way as you so didn't realise certain routes were as backed up as that. Personally I think it dates back to the Premiership days when we were generally 3 goals down with 10 mins to go so people left early and kinda got stuck in the habit.
Ironically not as many as usual left early on Saturday. From what I could see anyway and the result was done and dusted. Maybe folk learned from Leeds where I'd say about half the crowd were gone by the time we got our goal of the season equaliser. Not having a dig at anyone as folk can do as they please for me but personally I wouldn't bother going if I knew I was gonna leave early and miss the crucial stuff.
Also not saying I've never left early as I have. I'm not holier than thou so to speak. Middlesbrough and Blackburn last season i was gone as soon as we went 4 down and in Poyets Iast game I was gone around 43 minutes when Benteke made it 4-0
I know what you're saying mate. It's just personal choice at the end of the day. For some people, the match (and the moments after it) is the 100% most important thing but for others the day out drinking with mates is the event and the match is part of that.
When I first started going to games with the old man in the 80’s we always left a bit early in order to get to the Wheatsheaf to catch the bus home to South Hetton. If we missed it it would be another 40 minutes or so until the next bus. I always stay to the end now I can understand if we’re having a poor season that people will leave early if we’re getting beat but seasons like this and the feel good factor that we have I cant understand why so many people leave early. I just want to soak it all in and applaud the team
Always stay to the end, our bus can't leave until the barriers come up anyway. 30 minutes to get there and usually an hour to an hour 15 to get home. The queue for the park and ride is always huge when we drive past it.
I walk past the park and ride queue on my way back to the car and often think folk would be quicker just walking back to ther cars than waiting for their bus to just crawl along in the traffic. No idea how far away the car park actually is mind as I've never used it.
I've no idea where it is either, doesn't help the supporters coaches that they have to all go as soon as the barriers are up so it's like wacky races pulling out
I'm not having ago at people who do it, like I said I've done it myself plenty. I don't understand why people don't just admit it though. I'm sure the people who leave due to traffic/transport are leaving due to that, but I'd say the vast majority were leaving to get back on it.
I commend the club for asking how they can keep people until the end, but unless they can improve public transport and the traffic they are fighting a losing battle. I do think the footbridge might keep a few longer though.
Whilst I agree with you on this, unfortunately the societal culture around alcohol means people want to be on the piss for as long as they can be. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but imo that's the reason most leave early.
It wouldn't be so bad if people would just get up and f*ck off ... ... but they go through a ridiculous slow walk, hesitating every time we attack and stand on the walkways if we get a corner. If your pint, or Strictly, is so important get off ffs.
