Thetownend.com

A bit pathetic today, I thought.

I sit in the Don Rogers Stand and the only time I heard them was when they were whistling to deride our fans for making a few chants.  Ironic.   They also tried to take the piss out of our attendance when 500 from them was truly pathetic for a club in the play offs.  We would certainly have taken more up there if we'd been in the same position.

As for the team, a woeful performance from them countered by a solid and, at times, very good performance by us.  After 25 years of not playing Preston until last season, I look forward to meeting them again in 2014/15 because, one thing's for sure, they ain't going up, the useless northern cunts.

Thought they might of brought a few more and fucked my guess the gate sweep that fat cunt jutty mopped up.

and ours were no better. The TE looked empty.

  Ours were largely silent, but we are mid table with no prospect of achieving anything this season.  They, allegedly, are promotion contenders.  But they won't go up.

People staying away in their droves. Not surprising, the shit we've had to face.
Arkells had huge gaps in places.

7.5k is respectable though to be fair under the circumstances.

  How are people staying away?  7.5k is the norm for us over the last 10 years or so.

And there was me thinking it was always full.

He probably means the away end.

they surely count season ticket holders regardless of whether they turn up or not.

Te looked empty. Big gaps in Arkells plus gaps around us in drs. Can't believe real attendance have not dropped in recent weeks.

n it's  noticeably quieter in the last few home games. You can see it visually.

Same with the town end, though that's always fluctuated a bit.

Anyone defending our attendances are wearing blinkers. 7.5K is poor for a club of our size and especially when playoffs were a possibility and to a certain degree still are. The fact remains that we as a club charge far to much especially when you consider the poor facilities The County Ground offer. Bristol City prices were spot on and until the powers that be rectify this it will never change. Look at all the club's around us all with better stadiums. Will be even worse when the Bristol clubs have new stadiums and we continue to play at a decrepit County Ground. The only way this club will ever see gates 12K plus on a regular basis is when we can give Swindon the stadium it deserves.

That works both ways though - many would argue given the poor turnout Swindon has exactly the stadium it deserves. When the town get behind the club, then maybe that will change.

(I don't disagree with much of what you say btw, just playing devil's avocado to some extent)

Stevenage, Carlisle, Crewe, Colchester, Gillingham, Crawley, Walsall, Vale, Brentford, Orient, Rotherham.

Off the top of my head, all of these clubs in L1 all have miles shitter grounds than us. The CG isn't that bad.

Colchester's is especially bad as it's a new build so they're stuck with that for at least another generation. At least we can still aspire to better

Improve the CG by all means, even re-build it, but don't move to some soul-less concrete crap hole on the edge of town, 2 miles from the nearest pub.

My father in law is a season ticket holder at Colchester, and he absolutely hates the new ground in comparison to the old one - and he admits that one was shit !

On their forum their fans think they have no chance in the play offs cos they aren't tough enough!!

I presume they must be better than they appeared yesterday cos they were absolute dog shite for a team with the best away record in the league.

Agree 100%. To be honest with The County Ground I'd like to see it stay put and just replace The Town End and Stratton Bank making sure the corners all filled in. Keeps the wind out! Then concentrate on match day facilities.

We must never leave the County Ground, even if nothing can be done with it I'd rather keep it as it is than move somewhere else

Rovrums is brand new and not that bad and Brentford have permission for a new one

The others yeah - for now
Ours will soon be the worst/oldest for miles around once the 2 Brizzles rebuild/build theirs

We don't need a new ground to attract more spectators,  being successful on the pitch will do that. The CG, as it is, is more than adequate for match days. The problem is that it's not a money maker the rest of the time.

Yeah sure success on the pitch would drag in more fans
Attracting new fans is the thing
The DRS is the only stand thats decent.
Town end is a shit hole with very little in the way of facilities and for those that havent been before and only watch on tv why the fuck would they go in there more than once ?

Realistically how long can The County Ground survive as it is. Surely only a matter of time before Stratton Bank and The Town End condemned.

We've done this one before...and simply, the other 2 stands will be the only ones open. Easily enough capacity for most games still.

Power has said he's not interested in the ground....SBC in their present incarnation won't do anything to help.

By that logic, it's only a matter of time until Wembley is condemned. Have you ever been to any away days? There are stands that are falling apart. Exeter's away end has a fucking tree growing through it. The County Ground is a palace compared to most other teams at our level.

Whilst they lack luxury the 2 end stands are hardly crumbling to pieces, they both have at least 20 odd years left in them if needed.

The only thing wrong with the Town End is that it has got seats in it.

Agreed, plus it hasn't got a bar.

Rip out the seats, put in 'safe standing', and extend to include a bar at the back, a proper big one not something Jeds mate with a Scouts woodwork badge knocks up.

Charge adults a tenner to go in, kids six quid.

You'd make the money back in beer receipts/ increased attendances and hopefully an improved atmosphere would benefit the rest of the crowd.

Town end needs to be made steeper, too shallow

The Townend was woeful Saturday. Nothing short of embarrassing... The worst I've ever heard our home support.

Or not heard

The TE is the worst it's been for years...ref atmosphere..

My first game in over 2 years, can't be arsed with that again - I'll stick to away games. Real fans who care.

Haha. So people who only go to home games don't care? Don't be such a twat.

Well done Reg, you managed not to blame the Tories or the Americans

After re-reading I understand where you're coming from, and I'll take it back as it was harsh and wasn't what I intended to get at and rephrase - I'll stick to away games... 'better' atmospheres.

I'll agree that away games are usually better in terms of atmosphere. Especially when we're rammed in a terrace behind the goal.

Spose the best away day left would be Coventry at Northampton - for numbers anyway

Giving money to all our competition and none to STFC doesn't really help.

Could just buy a season ticket and not bother to go to home games, get the be sty of both worlds then :D

Really...who runs SBC?

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20 years my arse. The way football is headed it won't be long before uncovered stands are made obsolete. And Stratton Bank is showing lots of decay especially at the back down by the toilets. My view on The Town End is that sooner or later the authorities are going to clamp down hard on standing at football stands. If this was heavily enforced in The Town End I think a lot of people would not sit in it. Whatever plans Power has sooner or later someone, whoever owns this club will have to address the issue regarding the ground. It might just about hold its own in League One at the moment but if Power truly has a vision for us in The Championship then that should include the stadium. The County Ground would easily be one of the worst in the championship if not the worst for home and away fans.

See you on Saturday mate  ;)

Jeez, you really have got a downer on our ground, haven't you? Personally I like it the way it is. The DRS is fine for the ardent 'match analyst', it's still reasonably modern. The Arkells is what it is, but still ok if you don't mind the pillars. The TE is ace as far as I am concerned - who gives a shit about facilities? It has character and is not in that bad shape. As for the Bank, please let me be on it on a sunny day in the spring or early summer, there is no better place to watch our team.

Actually, the bank is where I bought my first season ticket (prem season). Great atmosphere, sandwiched between the away fans.

Good view too.

That wasn't the worst it's been this season, not by a long way.

I'm working! Only games I'll probably be able to make this season now are Brentford at home, Coventry away and Bradford at home...

I'm toying with going to Tranmere tonight.. I finish at 2, it's possible!

See you at Brentford then if not before!