next season's attendance...................

[beightonblade]

Just to play devils advocate, which assets has he stripped to rip the heart out?

How about the two Kyles ?

 

[Foxy]

How about the two Kyles ?

Where did we get them from?

 

[Stafford Blade]

The category A thing has to go. 34 quid to watch second tier football? it's an absolute disgrace. A flat fee of 20 quid on the sides and 15 behind the goal would be a good start. They have to be careful this season as too many offers will piss of the season ticket holders ( quite rightly too ).

I would also make any games that are live on tv at the lane ten quid entry anywhere in the ground. They will already be getting a nice payment from the tv people for screening it and a full ground would look good on tv. Even if the team on the pitch is shite!!

Could some sort of pricing system be introduced where the ticket price is based upon where the team is in the league? With it being far cheaper to watch us if we were in the bottom 4 than if we were in the top 6. That would take some working out but effort needs top be put in to think up something unique and different. Season tickets could be based on the previous seasons finishing position. That might sound like a far fetched idea, but I remember years ago suggesting that the club could introduce sainsbury's style reward points for fans and that is now part of the ticketing policy.

Also sending Ched Evans on a free transfer to Farsley Celtic might bring a few back through the door!!

 

[lenners]

Where did we get them from?

Here's the thing though.
Everyone thought it was so clever to sell them, it had to be done, great price etc, etc, etc.
I wonder how much we've spent in loan fees since, how much money we've lost in falling crowds because the team's quality has nosedived and how much it'll cost if, as looks increasingly likely, we get relegated.
Sell all your best players and you'll eventually end up with a car crash team. Extend the contracts of ageing players and you run a greater risk of them not being arsed or getting injured.
Just about every decision McCabe could have made in the last two years, including sacking the manager two games into a season, has been wrong.
And you don't hear a ferking dicky bird out of him now.
As for those chumps who kept telling us how well run we were and how great it was not to be Southampton, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday etc, etc, perhaps the slightest shaft of light has now entered their minds.

 

[Linz]

Here's the thing though.
Everyone thought it was so clever to sell them, it had to be done, great price etc, etc, etc.
I wonder how much we've spent in loan fees since...

[YOUTUBE]9rmUZQrvF5o[/YOUTUBE]

 

[lenners]

Hindsight my arse, it was pointed out fair and square on here that it was a bloody stupid thing to do.
Not only in terms of talent but in terms of cutting the local heart out of the team, alienating fans and so on.
Instead we're left with a bunch of nomarks, loanees, ageing tryers or not-so-tryers and wonder why there's so little heart and belief out on the pitch.
It's really sad what McCabe has allowed to happen on his watch. His legacy is falling to pieces, week by week.

 

[Eckingtonian]

Here, Here lenners.The pigeons are coming home to roost in spectacular fashion.Let the Chinese,Hungarian,Australian,Brazilian,Hotels,etc dig us out of this one.

Hindsight my arse, it was pointed out fair and square on here that it was a bloody stupid thing to do.
Not only in terms of talent but in terms of cutting the local heart out of the team, alienating fans and so on.
Instead we're left with a bunch of nomarks, loanees, ageing tryers or not-so-tryers and wonder why there's so little heart and belief out on the pitch.
It's really sad what McCabe has allowed to happen on his watch. His legacy is falling to pieces, week by week.

 

[beightonblade]

Where did we get them from?

Some nice Blade gave them to us

 

[MunXy]

How about the two Kyles ?

i had it on very good authority it was the kyles that chose to go to spurs, one of them reasoned £20,000 per week would take him 5-6 years to command at the lane, so he took the decision that 20k now is better than maybe 20k in 5 years time. so im sorry to destoy ppls belief that mccabe sold them from under blackies nose or to strip assets is infact wrong.
btw my source was naughtons dads best mate, hes known kyle all his life.still talks to him i believe.

MunXy

 

[JohnDenver]

i had it on very good authority it was the kyles that chose to go to spurs, one of them reasoned £20,000 per week would take him 5-6 years to command at the lane, so he took the decision that 20k now is better than maybe 20k in 5 years time. so im sorry to destoy ppls belief that mccabe sold them from under blackies nose or to strip assets is infact wrong.
btw my source was naughtons dads best mate, hes known kyle all his life.still talks to him i believe.

MunXy

I reckon any player would have taken a move for that money. I would.

The sad part is the lack of worthwhile reinvestment. I'd not want to tell McCabe how to spend his money, but what money we have had hasn't been used well, Britton excepted.

In the words of useless managers everywhere... We are where we are.

 

[bricktop]

And that goes all the way back to Warnock.

After watching Blackpool tonight, they are everything on the pitch we should be.

 

[Revolution]

Could some sort of pricing system be introduced where the ticket price is based upon where the team is in the league? With it being far cheaper to watch us if we were in the bottom 4 than if we were in the top 6. That would take some working out but effort needs top be put in to think up something unique and different. Season tickets could be based on the previous seasons finishing position. That might sound like a far fetched idea, but I remember years ago suggesting that the club could introduce sainsbury's style reward points for fans and that is now part of the ticketing policy.

Cardiff did this in the early 1990's in the old Division 4 and it caused their gates to surge, albeit from an admittedly low base. I suspect it's not practical now given that such a high percentage of the crowd has season tickets.

I wonder how much we've spent in loan fees since, how much money we've lost in falling crowds because the team's quality has nosedived and how much it'll cost if, as looks increasingly likely, we get relegated.

This is what I don't understand about the austerity drive. If we don't invest in the team, we may well go down, and that will lead to greater debt and less chance of investment. McCabe is cutting his nose off to spite his face.

 

[broomhillblade]

Here's the thing though.
Everyone thought it was so clever to sell them, it had to be done, great price etc, etc, etc.
I wonder how much we've spent in loan fees since, how much money we've lost in falling crowds because the team's quality has nosedived and how much it'll cost if, as looks increasingly likely, we get relegated.
Sell all your best players and you'll eventually end up with a car crash team. Extend the contracts of ageing players and you run a greater risk of them not being arsed or getting injured.
Just about every decision McCabe could have made in the last two years, including sacking the manager two games into a season, has been wrong.
And you don't hear a ferking dicky bird out of him now.
As for those chumps who kept telling us how well run we were and how great it was not to be Southampton, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday etc, etc, perhaps the slightest shaft of light has now entered their minds.

Bloody hell! I find myself in agreement with Lenners.


Nurse!!!

 

[SteelCity Blade]

Here's the thing though.
Everyone thought it was so clever to sell them, it had to be done, great price etc, etc, etc.
I wonder how much we've spent in loan fees since, how much money we've lost in falling crowds because the team's quality has nosedived and how much it'll cost if, as looks increasingly likely, we get relegated.
Sell all your best players and you'll eventually end up with a car crash team. Extend the contracts of ageing players and you run a greater risk of them not being arsed or getting injured.
Just about every decision McCabe could have made in the last two years, including sacking the manager two games into a season, has been wrong.
And you don't hear a ferking dicky bird out of him now.
As for those chumps who kept telling us how well run we were and how great it was not to be Southampton, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday etc, etc, perhaps the slightest shaft of light has now entered their minds.

I also agree with lenners. Credit where its due, good post.

If I'm totally honest the so called "moaners" on here are probably the people that have their head screwed on. They dont constantly buy into all the bollocks and spin that we get season in season out. I love my club and up to now have always taken the positive view or looked on the bright side but why should I anymore? A lot of my (and other peoples') hard earned money has gone into that club and all we get is unfulfilled promises and dross. Sad thing is we're not the only club and that's why football fans in general are staying away.

The things that are going off in football and the way we've started this season have been a massive eye opener to me. The likes of lenners, mic and ollesendro get some right stick on here for posting misery (I myself have had a pop before) but half of what they say is bloody spot on.....people just dont like to hear it. You're starting to see fans waking up and smelling the coffee now because other posters are starting to agree with them!

 

[oldblade]

We had a poll over the summer asking those that didn't renew why Poll Result
Style of play and Mr Blackwell where the overwhelming reasons given. So in answer to an earlier comment not getting rid of Mr Blackwell over the summer rather than the cost was the big mistake, if keeping the season ticket holders is any measure.

UTB

In the poll I think people gave the biggest factor in their decision. But with most I think it is a combination of things.

For me it was a combination of seeing ever poorer football and then being expected to pay more (no matter how modest the increase) to watch it. The final straw was probably the price increase, but had there been any prospect of any entertainment I would probably have put up with it.

---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------

[YOUTUBE]9rmUZQrvF5o[/YOUTUBE]

I think you'll find Len was making his opinions known quite clearly at the time and not with the benefit of hindight.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

In the poll I think people gave the biggest factor in their decision. But with most I think it is a combination of things.

For me it was a combination of seeing ever poorer football and then being expected to pay more (no matter how modest the increase) to watch it. The final straw was probably the price increase, but had there been any prospect of any entertainment I would probably have put up with it.

---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------




I think you'll find Len was making his opinions known quite clearly at the time and not with the benefit of hindight.

To be fair to Linz, Len's opinions were posted (pretty strongly) on BU, not here.

 

[Revolution]

To be fair to Linz, Len's opinions were posted (pretty strongly) on BU, not here.

Len has made his opinion on those transfers crystal clear on this site many times, from August 2009 onwards.

 

[lenners]

Just on a point of clarity, I did not and would not particularly have quibbled with the sale of Naughton - bar wondering why with £20m from Tevez we weren't in a stronger overall position
But Walker was bonkers.
And we did have the alleged first call on Spurs youngsters bullshit punted out just to rub it in.
They wonder why longstanding season ticket holders walk. Much of it is down to being fed up of being treated like complete idiots.

 

[SteelCity Blade]

They wonder why longstanding season ticket holders walk. Much of it is down to being fed up of being treated like complete idiots.

:hello: myself being one.

 

[Wards]

I have to agree with Len, even as someone who usually backs McCabe.

You generally don't get very far by selling your best players. It really is that simple. Yes it was good money. Yes they probably wanted to leave.

Beattie was a similar one. Yes he was over 30. Yes he was on however much money. Do I think we'd have a better chance of promotion with a proven goalscorer in the team? Damn right I do.

Harping back to a previous thread, it's scandalous that this city doesn't have a team in the top half of the Premier League. We can defend McCabe and his prudency all we want, but the opportunity is there to take the mantle and put the Club and City back on the map and we are (even 'have') bottled it big time. All it takes is for one person to take either of the cities two clubs by the scruff of the neck and it has a decent sized club with European potential within a few years (IMO of course).

Instead we're pissing away time in the shitty division, bottling every chance we have to get out of it, realying on loanees, hoping the manager can somehow work a fucking miracle with the worst bunch of players we've had for donkeys years and hoping we can fund ourselves by selling a player or two every year. The Club is only going one way at the moment and it pains me to say it. If he's not careful, old Kev will have marched us down into division 3 before we know it.

Time to stick your neck above the parapit Mr Chairman and show us what you're made of.

 

[Micalijo]

Page 12 of the 2009 accounts -

'Kyle Walker has returned to Bramall Lane for a further season on loan.'

'we have maintained a salary budget of over £12m...........this is being funded mainly with the proceeds from the sale of Naughton and Walker.'

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

The category A thing has to go. 34 quid to watch second tier football? it's an absolute disgrace. A flat fee of 20 quid on the sides and 15 behind the goal would be a good start. They have to be careful this season as too many offers will piss of the season ticket holders ( quite rightly too ).
I'd settle for this and they could always give ST holders a rebate

I would also make any games that are live on tv at the lane ten quid entry anywhere in the ground. They will already be getting a nice payment from the tv people for screening it and a full ground would look good on tv. Even if the team on the pitch is shite!!

Could some sort of pricing system be introduced where the ticket price is based upon where the team is in the league? With it being far cheaper to watch us if we were in the bottom 4 than if we were in the top 6. That would take some working out but effort needs top be put in to think up something unique and different. Season tickets could be based on the previous seasons finishing position. That might sound like a far fetched idea, but I remember years ago suggesting that the club could introduce sainsbury's style reward points for fans and that is now part of the ticketing policy.

Also sending Ched Evans on a free transfer to Farsley Celtic might bring a few back through the door!!Probably pissed-off Farsley Celtic fans coming to complain!!!

:hello: :thumbup:

 

[frechyblade]

In the poll I think people gave the biggest factor in their decision. But with most I think it is a combination of things.

For me it was a combination of seeing ever poorer football and then being expected to pay more (no matter how modest the increase) to watch it. The final straw was probably the price increase, but had there been any prospect of any entertainment I would probably have put up with it.

They were allowed multiple options.

UTB

 

[Linz]

My comment about hindsight was due to the fact that he mentioned the amount spent on loans, which was mainly down to the mass of injuries we had.

No one could account for that and the sale of two players is not the sole reason for the fact we had 14 loans.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

I'm just glad I now qualify for Senior Citizen rates and 30% of rail travel!!!



The downside is that my ST says "OAP Season Card" and I'm only 60....

 

[raul]

I'm just glad I now qualify for Senior Citizen rates and 30% of rail travel!!!

Does this mean they throw you at at Fitzwilliam?

 

[oldblade]

My comment about hindsight was due to the fact that he mentioned the amount spent on loans, which was mainly down to the mass of injuries we had.

No one could account for that and the sale of two players is not the sole reason for the fact we had 14 loans.

We did have a lot of injuries during the course of the season, but the game against Sheffield Wednesday was only 8 games into the season and yet we started the game with 5 loanees in the side. Almost half the side!

That shows me the squad was pretty thin and there were obviously going to be difficulties if and when we got any injuries. The squad on the back page of the programme for that game lists only 20 players of whom 4 were loans and one (Naysmith) had a long term injury that we'd known about for months. In particular I rememeber the paucity of cover in certain positions being discussed by Len and others at the start of the season - notably the centre of defence, where we started the season having just sold Bromby who was just about the only central defensive cover we had.

I accept that we had more than our fair share of injuries, but the squad was thin anyway and it seemed to me to be a calculated risk (that back fired) to try and get by on such a thin squad.

 

[Bramley]

Not like you to be critical of what's gone on in S6 len.

Anyway, AGM coming up, will you be there pointing out to our board that they're clueless, because they're so clueless, they probably don't even realise it?

We're short of visionaries in S2, it's your duty!

We both know the answer to that Trig.

 

[alcoblade]

Beattie was a similar one. Yes he was over 30. Yes he was on however much money. Do I think we'd have a better chance of promotion with a proven goalscorer in the team? Damn right I do.

I disagree here though, but I'm sure I'm in a minority. Before the protestors jump in, make sure you're not one of the ones who aren't prepared to pay £300 for a season ticket.

We should never have entered trhe realms of paying £2m+ per year to one player. If we'd planned the windfall's we'd had effectively we would have been in a much stronger position now. Robson, Naysmith, Beattie, Speed, Orange wanker - these are the reasons we now have to watch the likes of Taylor, keeping "Ryan France"* out of the team.

UTB

Insert name of several 8th rate footballers

 

[cooperblade]

I disagree here though, but I'm sure I'm in a minority. Before the protestors jump in, make sure you're not one of the ones who aren't prepared to pay £300 for a season ticket.

We should never have entered trhe realms of paying £2m+ per year to one player. If we'd planned the windfall's we'd had effectively we would have been in a much stronger position now. Robson, Naysmith, Beattie, Speed, Orange wanker - these are the reasons we now have to watch the likes of Taylor, keeping "Ryan France"* out of the team.

UTB

Insert name of several 8th rate footballers

Completely agree with that.

Quite an interesting thread despite the bizarre origins of someone who doesn't care at all being motivated to start a thread about next season.

I honestly think we outperform a hell of a lot of other clubs when it comes to pricing, offers, listening to the fans and (although there are so many 'quick wins' that could be implemented) marketing. Micalijo and I were debating support etc with a wednesday supporting friend the other day. One of his emails said "Your home support has been good, but I think a lot of that is to do with your marketing strategy as much as retention of ‘hardcore’ support.". I'd question the matchday pricing at the club but there are a hell of a lot of offers to take advantage of and, to be honest, would knocking a fiver off make any difference? Probably not, I'm not even convinced knocking a tenner off would.

I'm amazed that len holds Strafford up as being someone who got it right. wednesday have got it horribly, horribly wrong on nearly every level. John Ryan's another one, he moans about the support Donny get and then charges £28 for a game on the beeb.

Declining crowds will become a huge problem for almost all clubs over the next few years - we'll be no different in that regard. I think the game is on a slippery slope and it'll get worse before it gets better. Hopefully we might be a bit better placed to ride it out on the back of some of our initiatives and getting young fans in (£10 season tickets etc).