Walsall vs Swindon Town Official Matchday Thread

[Peter Venkman]

The impact on crowd is a bit of an imponderable...I'm sure I'm not the only one who knows previous long term season ticket holders who are not bothering this year

There is no doubt our crowds will go down and yes we all know several fans that are season ticket holders that will not be bothering if we do indeed get relegated (or even stay up) but I still think that we have a core home support much higher than most teams at that level and IF we started to win a few games our crowd would go up as happens, although the opposite is also true, obviously.

Not sure what our average crowds have been over the last 25 years but I would guess that they have been way higher than the 4,500 suggested by Nigel Grays a postie.

[nigel grays a postie]

http://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/eng-league-one-2016-2017/1/

We are 11th best supported with an average of 70001. We only make it over 7k courtesy of 10500 v Pox. Apart from 9k v Coventry on opening day we haven't exceeded 8k this season.

Yes of course we will sign a few players and loan in several more but the cupboard is pretty bare player wise. Power seems pretty disinterested. If Williams stays which ridiculously seems far from impossible apathy is going to grow and grow. My point was whoever we open against in Division 4 is going to struggle to raise much enthusiasm amongst a severely de-motivated fan base.

We have sleepwalked to imminent relegation - the players aren't great but Williams has failed badly to get the best out of them - no way should we be where we are as we have had chance after chance to pull ourselves out of trouble but failed miserably to get goals to win points we probably deserved v Shrewsbury, Oldham, Chesterfield, Wimbledon, Walsall. Never mind folding when leading v Pox and Bradford and truly dire performances from winnable games at Bury, Port Vale and Northampton.

Power is never to going to appoint the Wise or Di Canio type manager we need to generate some  passion and interest again so yes 4500 may be low but with fewer away supporters and much reduced season ticket sales I think we are in for lots and lots more empty red seats next season

[chalkies_shorts]

I'm with Nigel. I think a lot of people are committed for this season via season tickets but when they expire they're gone. A bad start could see gates under 4k. Alternatively power learns pragmatism, has a charm offensive, invests vigs money wisely, appoints a decent manager, does something with pricing, we wins couple and we're back up to 6k plus.

[horlock07]

http://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/eng-league-one-2016-2017/1/

We are 11th best supported with an average of 70001. We only make it over 7k courtesy of 10500 v Pox. Apart from 9k v Coventry on opening day we haven't exceeded 8k this season.

Got to be proud averaging just over 70k crowds in the 3rd division?  

[Panda Paws]

I'm with Nigel. I think a lot of people are committed for this season via season tickets but when they expire they're gone. A bad start could see gates under 4k. Alternatively power learns pragmatism, has a charm offensive, invests vigs money wisely, appoints a decent manager, does something with pricing, we wins couple and we're back up to 6k plus.

Exactly - relegation happens, but it's the way we respond which will be the telling factor in what Power wants with this club.

The last two times we've gone down, we've come straight back up having invested off and on the pitch. We're not going to match the shit show of Di Canio, nor should we ever replicate that, but this summer will be very interesting.

[Batch]

But what is his 'model'?

Yes we have a lot of loan players. This can be a good thing, but unfortunately this season we have recruited poorly. Take ince, he's been an excellent loan as has ajose. It's a shame we couldn't get them in sooner.

fuck off don't you know.

cheap and young and hope to sell, hope they are good enough.

[Sippo]

fuck off don't you know.

cheap and young and hope to sell, hope they are good enough.

But is that such a bad model if it works? Pays the bills....

[Don Rogers Sock]

But is that such a bad model if it works? Pays the bills....

If we go down it hasn't worked

[Sippo]

Is a good model when it works though. We have just recruited badly pre season. January transfer window was better with Ajose and Ince. If we got those players in July/August, maybe we would have had a better season.

If's, buts and maybes. All too late now.

[Peter Venkman]

But is that such a bad model if it works? Pays the bills....

If it works then it is the same model that almost every club in the bottom 2 divisions would have.

If it doesn't work then we are pretty fucked on the pitch and Powers coffers are fucked off the pitch.

This season it obviously hasn't worked and IF we get relegated then any future fees for players will be significantly less than they would be in L1.

Currently we have 1 player under contract that is worth any fee at all and he will be sold in the Summer if we stay up or not so it is whether Power invests the Vigs money on replacements or not as to how the squad will shape up before next season.

For me the bigger issue is to replace Williams & Embleton who are neither motivators or master tactitians as to get the best out of whatever players we have/will have next season.

I still think that with better tactics and motivation that this squad would have stayed up in what is a very poor league, with a PdC, Wise or Macari style manager motivating them, getting them fit and playing for each other and the team - then that can often mask any deficiencies in ability.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Exactly what has happened in the past that suggests we won't recruit in the summer? Recruit well? Who knows.... but everyone's just guessing based on fuck all.

Not based on fuck all, though, is it? It's based on the last 3 or 4 shite transfer windows. What makes anyone think the summer window will be any better?

[Reg Smeeton]

Is a good model when it works though. We have just recruited badly pre season. January transfer window was better with Ajose and Ince. If we got those players in July/August, maybe we would have had a better season.

If's, buts and maybes. All too late now.

Although the summer recruitment was poor Vigs aside... arguably more destructive has been the way players all ready at the club, have more or less stalled in development or become completely unplayable.

So the likes of Yaser, Hylton, BOO, Barry, Iandolo, Rodgers, Stewart have all bombed. These are our own players... of the other few in that category, only really Branco, Nathan to extent, can hold their hand up. Even NSSJO, has been below par when he has got on the pitch. JSW is of course excused.

[Tails]

I've been thinking about our recruitment this season...

Goddard, Murray, Delfouneso, Vigoroux, Doughty, Thomas, Furlong, Jones... Potentially all pretty good signings, there's a decent argument for all of them in there. Then in January, Ince, Conroy, Ajose, Gladwin, Colkett... Again, on the face of it, not really bad players (some of them luxury we didn't need). The only thing we missed was recruiting some experience alongside them. And that was a big miss.

Our main problem this season was the management / coaching / players from last season getting worse. The players have been unfit & poorly disciplined since August. The head coach, whilst he may be a decent coach, is not a manager and god knows what he says to 'inspire' his teams because the shit he comes out with post match worries me.

Ultimately, the FIRST thing that needs to happen in the summer (regardless of whether we go down or not) is that Williams has to go, or get some form of demotion.

[RedRag]

http://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/eng-league-one-2016-2017/1/
We are 11th best supported with an average of 70001. We only make it over 7k courtesy of 10500 v Pox. Apart from 9k v Coventry on opening day we haven't exceeded 8k this season.

Last time we were in League 2, we only had one home League game which fell (just) short of 7,000 and 10 that exceeded 8,000.  Oh and some 140,000 people attended our cup games.

[Panda Paws]

Not based on fuck all, though, is it? It's based on the last 3 or 4 shite transfer windows. What makes anyone think the summer window will be any better?

Did you read what I said? The post I quoted suggested we wouldn't bring anyone in. Obviously we will. I completely acknowledged we have no clue if we will recruit well, but nice to see you agree with me that we will recruit and that it's ridiculous to think we won't.