Shrewsbury Preview - Opposing View - Betting preview

[Benzel]

Tell them to go to any other game this season then. Plenty of tickets for those.

[Reg Smeeton]

Tell them to go to any other game this season then. Plenty of tickets for those.

Personally I don't give a shit what people do...but Reading didn't suddenly find an extra 10,000 fans down the back of the sofa.

These are people who've become new fans....fathers with young kids etc, who've enjoy football at the Madejski, and have a bit of disposable income.

Our crowds are embarrasingly poor...because we've been left behind on the ground front, and can't attract this new breed of fan....doesn't bother me because I'm old sckool, but it has to concern the people who now run the club.

[kerry red]

I'm glad you've said that Reg, as I too think the crowds are poor considering how high profile and successful the club has been for 18 months.

I realise that there are only a small handful of sides in League 1 that will bump up the attendances with away support - but the core home support of about 8000 is pitiful really.

Our away support is fantastic but I cant see what else the team on the pitch can do to attract more support at home.

Perhaps it is down to infrastructure, or lack of, that is keeping the crowds low, but historically when the team have been doing well more than 8000 have been turning up - so why not now?

Times are hard, tickets dont come cheap - may have a fair bit to do with it I suppose

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

It's the last bit Kerry. People can't afford it anymore. 8,000 is pretty good to be quite honest. Yes maybe if we were back in 1993 we'd get bigger crowds as the economy was on the up and tickets were cheaper. Look at other club's attendances in relation to ours and you'll see that ours are actually quite good.

[herthab]

Our crowds aren't embarrassingly poor, are they? Look at the average league one attendence, that will tell you we average higher attendence than most.
If we get into the Championship crowds will increase, due to the opposition, but I agree that to take full advantage we need to develop the ground.

[Reg Smeeton]

It's the last bit Kerry. People can't afford it anymore. 8,000 is pretty good to be quite honest. Yes maybe if we were back in 1993 we'd get bigger crowds as the economy was on the up and tickets were cheaper. Look at other club's attendances in relation to ours and you'll see that ours are actually quite good.

Certainly the walk up price is ludicrous...and our crowds stand up for present day Div 3, but they're poor in terms of making the next step, which is what the Board want.  The price for the Burnley game was reasonable, yet the crowd was less than Dongs.

[kerry red]

The reason we are towards the top of the attendances in League 1 is because, apart from Sheff Utd and Pompey, there are no 'big' clubs as there has been in the last few seasons.

Do we really think that if the ticket prices as reduced by a fiver there would be that many more takers?

Things could hardly be any better as regards the feelgood factor at STFC these days

[Reg Smeeton]

The reason we are towards the top of the attendances in League 1 is because, apart from Sheff Utd and Pompey, there are no 'big' clubs as there has been in the last few seasons.

Do we really think that if the ticket prices as reduced by a fiver there would be that many more takers?

Things could hardly be any better as regards the feelgood factor at STFC these days

Pompey's biggish crowds are a relatively recent thing in many ways...take a look at season in Div 2 like 96/97, the year we were back in the second tier and there ws still a bit of feelgood about the CG, our average of 9,917 was better than Reading's average...considerably better than the Scum who came up with us but no surprise in that...and 1100 more than Pompey.

If you look at the average attendances for that season...those clubs with < 10,000 have mostly fallen away...namelyGrimsby, Oldham, Oxford, Port Vale, Southend, Tranmere and ourselves.  The exception being Reading and Pompey, although the latter are now paying for it.

Those with > 10,000 have mostly hung about or gone onto better things namely Barnsley, Brum, Bolton, Charlton, Palace, Udders, Ipswich, Man City, Norwich, QPR, Sheff U, Stoke, WBA and Wolves.

 

[kerry red]

Interesting stats. Just goes to reinforce the belief that the vast majority of clubs have a natural place in the scheme of things and how difficult it is for someone to force themselves up the pyramid and stay there.

Suppose you've got to say well done Reading

[4D]

Probably down to money for most people these days, and the fact that some of the buzz has gone from attending live matches. Don't get me wrong, football is more family orientated these days and I am older and a family man, but the buzz of the old days isn't there. Coupled with the extra cost I can see why attendances are down. I remember the days when we played the likes of Barnsley and get 11,000, and that was in the lower leagues. It's not just the £25 to get in, it's the fuel, parking, food and drink. If two of you go it is an £80 day out. I rmember getting into the Town End against Oxford in 1989/90 and paying £3.50.

[stfcinbmth]

Pompey's biggish crowds are a relatively recent thing in many ways...take a look at season in Div 2 like 96/97, the year we were back in the second tier and there ws still a bit of feelgood about the CG, our average of 9,917 was better than Reading's average...considerably better than the Scum who came up with us but no surprise in that...and 1100 more than Pompey.

If you look at the average attendances for that season...those clubs with < 10,000 have mostly fallen away...namelyGrimsby, Oldham, Oxford, Port Vale, Southend, Tranmere and ourselves.  The exception being Reading and Pompey, although the latter are now paying for it.

Those with > 10,000 have mostly hung about or gone onto better things namely Barnsley, Brum, Bolton, Charlton, Palace, Udders, Ipswich, Man City, Norwich, QPR, Sheff U, Stoke, WBA and Wolves.

 

So the board need to be analysing what Reading have done right and Pompey have done wrong

I'll add Bournemouth into the mix here. There is shit loads of money down here, but the football club has always struggled financially, and tbh thay have spent shed loads this season but it can't be sustainable. Is it because the south is not generally considered a football hotbed, or do the residents have better things to do?

[Flashheart]

So the board need to be analysing what Reading have done right and Pompey have done wrong

I'll add Bournemouth into the mix here. There is shit loads of money down here, but the football club has always struggled financially, and tbh thay have spent shed loads this season but it can't be sustainable. Is it because the south is not generally considered a football hotbed, or do the residents have better things to do?

Was reading considered a football hotbed a decade ago?

[kerry red]

Even easier for Reading locals to head into London for a game

So they have done brilliantly to establish themselves in the PL/Championship.

So where did the extra 15000 or so Reading fans come from - and why

[Reg Smeeton]

So the board need to be analysing what Reading have done right and Pompey have done wrong

I'll add Bournemouth into the mix here. There is shit loads of money down here, but the football club has always struggled financially, and tbh thay have spent shed loads this season but it can't be sustainable. Is it because the south is not generally considered a football hotbed, or do the residents have better things to do?

Pretty easy analysis....Reading got a nice shiny stadium, with add on extras, like hotel and rugby club, + Academy status for youth football from a benevolent owner keen on doing something for his locality....Pompey failed on the new ground, and got a string of dodgy owners, out to make a few bob for themselves.

Historically, Swindon and Bormuff have been pretty evenly matched, although we've been more of a football town, due to an industrial heritage that Bormuff has never really had....that industry has now mostly gone from Swindon.

[THE FLASH]

Remember City won the title on goal difference....a win and two draws above you is huge in comparison.