I think our fan base has grown

[Almosthuman]

I know one cares, but the pricing of tickets at Wednesday is such a short term strategy
The damage it is doing to them long term by alienating supporters and kids who can’t go will have long term implications on their future fan base
The area of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire is a massive catchment area for us
Definitely our fan base is increasing and hopefully will continue to

Yeah completely agree, most of my mates support pigs and a lot of them simply can’t afford to go anymore. It’s sad really (despite being pigs) that dads can’t afford to take their kids to games anymore.

Was a crucial part of my childhood and bonding with my dad and so many will be missing out on that due to the prices.

That being said, it’s great for blades who will capitalise by gaining a lot of the neutrals or undecided fans.

 

[Bladesman]

Yeah completely agree, most of my mates support pigs and a lot of them simply can’t afford to go anymore. It’s sad really (despite being pigs) that dads can’t afford to take their kids to games anymore.

Was a crucial part of my childhood and bonding with my dad and so many will be missing out on that due to the prices.

That being said, it’s great for blades who will capitalise by gaining a lot of the neutrals or undecided fans.

My mate hasn't been able to go for two seasons to watch them. He has been completely priced out of match day and season tickets.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Keep growing the fan base and we might get the South Stand and KOP rebuilt.

Would you get a free pair of binoculars for the ones at the back of the kop

UTB

 

[hidesbehindapseudonym]

Yup
Not many were arsed to go to Swindon 2nd leg of PO either

I was there. Shame we fucked up at BDTBL first

 

[Bayingblade]

Someone produced some graphical data a while ago, might have have grafikhaus ? that showed that our average attendances starting going up around 2003-04. No doubt this was due to the 'triple assault' season and then followed not long after by our promotion. Older fans will remember that we thought a crowd of 15,000 was good during the 80's.

I think as FATTYFOULKE says, decent pricing and I'd also say a more welcoming environment, it was crumbling terrace and mesh fences before that, must have helped. Although we still have our fair share of nobheads, the general decline in violence and hooliganism, even if perceived, must also be a factor.

Even in the dark days of Madkins, we were still averaging 19-20,000 gates. In the McEwen era in the 80's, it went under 10,000 and one game at home to Palace in 1987 in what would now be the Championship, the gate was about 7,600.

That Palace game was under 7,000. About 6,692 if memory serves.

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

Amazing how many cant afford to watch us all the time like myself. These comments do wind me up to be honest. I can't afford to go frequently but I go when I can but certainly can't afford a season ticket. I have family and kids I need to put first but if that makes me a plastic so be it.

Even if you were going to the odd match when we were shit then you can’t be classed as a plastic.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Sadly, that is how muhc footie has changed in the last 10 years.

A better Burnley (or Bournemouth) would be a real achievement.

Not just us, but plenty of other 'big' clubs in our current league (Wendy/DirtyLeeds/Forrest etc) who've been out of the Prem for a few years will have a massive shock if they ever get back there.

Agree - for me we have to target being better than those two clubs.

The big plus point is that we all agree CW and his management team are very good - just like B'Mouth and Burnley have, and I appreciate we need a bit of good fortune, I doubt next season we would be as poor as Fulham have been.

As for "old fashioned" big clubs - masses of fans doesn't count as much as they did and B'mouth prove that conclusively - it's how well both backroom and playing management handle the oodles of cash SKY throw at you.

We have to trust CW et al is up for the challenge.

All we can do is support the club just like yesterday at Hull - if we get up the next few years could define our future for a decade or two. The Tevez affair rocked us to the bone - CW can, if given the opportunity and support, could repair all of that and build on top of it.

UTB

 

[BusheyBlade]

Hopefully prices stay reasonable. They reckons ticket income amounts for such a small proportion of PL club's overall revenue that clubs could virtually give tickets away for free and not see a large drop in revenue. That may be for the more established clubs but it should definitely be taken into account.

 

[GymClassHero]

I don't see the fuss about plastic fans. Loyal fans will have accumulated loyalty points and will therefore have priority over plastics. The fact we are even referring to them is that is ridiculous, we're hardly at Man City standard. (yet ) are we?

 

[bartman]

I think a balance has to be drawn - I hope the owner(s) remember who were there through the thick and thin in their quest to capitalise on the potential fanbase.

A full Bramall Lane is a good thing. But no jonny-come-lately should be jumping the queue for tickets to (hopefully) Premiership grounds.



Christ... Bury away. I'd almost managed to forget that one.

I'll add Southend away and Crewe away to that one. Calling the team inept on those days would be too much of a compliment

 

[metalblade]

Building a fan base takes a long time how many born in Sheffield get to choose who to support you are born either a Blade or a scruffy pig. The only real floating support is people who move to Sheffield to work or people from families with little interest in either team who unlike their parents take to liking the game. Other floating support might come from the kids you see around Sheffield wearing Man U, Chelsea, Man C shirts who learn their football on the Playstation or X-box. For years now there has not been a Premiership team within 35 miles of Sheffield until Huddersfield made it, there is a huge potential fan base out there waiting to attach themselves to a local team. If we get there and remain for any length of time we really will need every seat we can cram into the lane otherwise I fear sell outs every week will mean higher prices and our long standing fans on lower incomes will be priced out.

 

[DifferentClass]

I've got summat else growing

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

I thought it was Oldham away that set the BigaBladeBarometer®

Maybe because it always includes surviving hypothermia no matter what time of year you go

 

[Keen Blade]

Yeah completely agree, most of my mates support pigs and a lot of them simply can’t afford to go anymore. It’s sad really (despite being pigs) that dads can’t afford to take their kids to games anymore.

Was a crucial part of my childhood and bonding with my dad and so many will be missing out on that due to the prices.

That being said, it’s great for blades who will capitalise by gaining a lot of the neutrals or undecided fans.

So why haven't the attendances at the Sty fallen by very much ?
Genuinely curious

 

[Ricky]

Soon we'll be one of those clubs you see with 10 Asian people on the front row all taking a photo of Matt Ritchie taking a corner.

 

[bricktop]

So why haven't the attendances at the Sty fallen by very much ?
Genuinely curious

They have all been promised Jam tomorrow by the Dolphin Killer

 

[Keen Blade]

Agree - for me we have to target being better than those two clubs.

The big plus point is that we all agree CW and his management team are very good - just like B'Mouth and Burnley have, and I appreciate we need a bit of good fortune, I doubt next season we would be as poor as Fulham have been.

As for "old fashioned" big clubs - masses of fans doesn't count as much as they did and B'mouth prove that conclusively - it's how well both backroom and playing management handle the oodles of cash SKY throw at you.

We have to trust CW et al is up for the challenge.

All we can do is support the club just like yesterday at Hull - if we get up the next few years could define our future for a decade or two. The Tevez affair rocked us to the bone - CW can, if given the opportunity and support, could repair all of that and build on top of it.
UNLESS the Prince wins and immediately sacks CW or undermines him with a DoF
UTB

 

[Houston_Blade]

My Tottenham supporting boss has just bought a season ticket for him and his 2 boys who will both now become Blades.

The existing glory supporters can fuck off. The new fans are a more than welcome addition.

He’ll make the mistake of telling this to a pig fan and it will be “2,000 fans at Bramall Lane are Spurs fans”.

 

[Keen Blade]

Agree - for me we have to target being better than those two clubs.

The big plus point is that we all agree CW and his management team are very good - just like B'Mouth and Burnley have, and I appreciate we need a bit of good fortune, I doubt next season we would be as poor as Fulham have been.

As for "old fashioned" big clubs - masses of fans doesn't count as much as they did and B'mouth prove that conclusively - it's how well both backroom and playing management handle the oodles of cash SKY throw at you.

We have to trust CW et al is up for the challenge.

All we can do is support the club just like yesterday at Hull - if we get up the next few years could define our future for a decade or two. The Tevez affair rocked us to the bone - CW can, if given the opportunity and support, could repair all of that and build on top of it.

UTB

UNLESS the Prince wins and immediately sacks CW to replace him with a foreign coach OR undermines him by appointing a DoF

 

[Tony]

The support has grown since Bramall Lane started becoming an up to date stadium. From being 3 sided joke, to a 4 sided ground with no filled in corners. These have now been filled in and apart from the Kop it's as good as anything. It was always said that The Sty was worth 5/6000 more fanscompared to the Lane. All changed. We can now be proud of our ground just like the Pigs were in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Always told that we were Sheffield's club and are now proving it.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

UNLESS the Prince wins and immediately sacks CW to replace him with a foreign coach OR undermines him by appointing a DoF

Yes, it's a possibility that could happen.

It all depends on if the Prince and his advisers look at the Prem management of other clubs during the past decade. There are plenty of examples of how not to do it - Fulham is the latest - Villa under Randy Learner another prime example. Birmingham under the control of various idiots.

Successful examples are B'mouth who have foreign ownership, but they have an exceptional manager.

Some of us believe that CW has that potential - his long standing record at all levels suggests this. The past of course does not dictate the future, but he has the right credentials to succeed in the Premier league and for me, any backroom management structure would be bonkers if they couldn't see where our immediate playing management strength is.

The Prince might be secretive - but I very much doubt he is daft and can't see the bigger picture.

If he wins and wants to "make" a bit of cash being in the Prem - you have to stay there to make that cash. We're not Villa/Leeds etc - we are Sheff U and we have to do it differently.

UTB

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

I was there. Shame we fucked up at BDTBL first

So you were that other Blade next to me !

Although we 'fucked up' in 1st leg ,were performing poorly (& had lost Brayford in that game I recall?) there was still a (reasonable) chance of getting to the final
Mid - week / TV also contributed but the turn out was woeful

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Christ... Bury away. I'd almost managed to forget that one.

Lucky you. Please send contact details for your therapist.

Don’t forget Port Vale away under Adkins

No! Please do forget it! (shudder, hives, open-grave tremble).

I'd aim the barometer at Carlisle away under Weirdo with Joey Ironside ploughing a lone and forlorn furrow up front.

Oh God. FFS forget that one, too ...

I thought it was Oldham away that set the BigaBladeBarometer®

*^"$£+)_!"£$@:?<< !!!

I don't know why some people feel threatened by new fans coming. It's everyone's first game at some point - some will become die hard fans, some won't. That's how it goes and always has.

Absolutely. Well said.

What an incredible load of bollocks, the more the merrier. Always be glory hunters but brings extra revenue, allows us to justify the ground extensions rumoured for a while, means future generations be brought up blades.

Again, well said. But please park somewhere else

 

[Linz]

Lucky you. Please send contact details for your therapist!

Messrs. Thornbridge, Kelham Island and Abbeydale.

Well said. But please park drink somewhere else

Don't want to have to queue for a pre-match pint, thank you.

 

[hidesbehindapseudonym]

So you were that other Blade next to me !

Although we 'fucked up' in 1st leg ,were performing poorly (& had lost Brayford in that game I recall?) there was still a (reasonable) chance of getting to the final
Mid - week / TV also contributed but the turn out was woeful

With Clough on the touchline head in hands after 17 mins at 0-3

 

[blade62]

I was that soldier!

The best thing I can say about the Bury game is that the Steak and Beer was nice in the Wetherspoons before the game.

Quite liked Oldham, Rochdale and Bury, but killer for me was Crewe away. Front row in the Ice Cream Van stand twice in pouring rain

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Messrs. Thornbridge, Kelham Island and Abbeydale.

Prescription: Jaipur. Dosage: on demand.

 

[PTBlade]

Darlington..... that is all.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Quite liked Oldham, Rochdale and Bury, but killer for me was Crewe away. Front row in the Ice Cream Van stand twice in pouring rain

For those that were there, it was more about the dire performance by the Blades than the location itself, although as it was a re-arranged game on a horrible wet Tuesday night in January, it all added to the overall misery.

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

I was that soldier!

The best thing I can say about the Bury game is that the Steak and Beer was nice in the Wetherspoons before the game.

I’m a little pissed off I’ll never go to Rochdale for a while every time I tell people about going to Rochdale I always get the same response. “Did you go to the chippy”
Well I didn’t and I’m pretty pissed off about it, by all accounts it’s a very nice chippy