Non-Attending Play-Off Blades

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Do you want to take this one? Ball_Sup (Phil)

I have good reason to believe that United did try this £15 thing. I have good reason to believe that their hands are a bit tied if other clubs won't agree. I know and accept that stories are fed to journalists by the club, so that the journalist can write - "it is my understanding that...". There is also a New Gang in town, the Fans Advisory Board, to whom stories can also be fed.

It could be the case that someone from United has said to the Journalists/FAB something along the lines of .... We can't officially say we tried for £15, and criticise the other clubs officially, but can you tell the story and make it look like it's not our fault.

I know all that, and of course it happens, but it's still fucking shit all the same.

No official statement on pricing from the Club, what look like leaks to journalists and FAB, the Club trying to control the narrative via back channels. Gets on my fucking nerves.

 

[Isar]

I will be at Wembley for our play-off final. My last visit was the Man City game, still waiting for a win there.

 

[Ned the Donkey]

I just don't want us to be in the "Premier" League, so it's hard to get worked up about a prize I don't want us to win. It'd be ridiculous to turn up hoping we lose so I'll be at home playing tiddlywinks instead, because that's more meaningful.

 

[YES Blade]

There is a lack of excitement and a lot of it is because getting promoted isn't new anymore. Call it entitlement or whatever but the other 3 teams will be buzzing as 2 of them haven't ever been promoted to The Premier League and the other hasn't been there for years. We on the other hand are going "here we go again.....".

It's totally unfair on the current team and manager but it's the way it is. Man City didn't sell out the Fa Cup semi final. It's nothing new to them anymore. They've done it. Obviously we've never won the play-offs but we have been promoted twice very recently and we've been to Wembley 4 times in the last 15 years. Add that with the lack of appetite for promotion and it's not a surprise ticket sales are slow. We're fighting for something we've experienced twice very recently and
nobody is looking forward to the reward.

Doesn’t the new ownership change things? There has surely got to be a glimmer of optimism that should we be promoted we’ll be in a better position to at least have a chance to stay up?

 

[Roygbiv]

Doesn’t the new ownership change things? There has surely got to be a glimmer of optimism that should we be promoted we’ll be in a better position to at least have a chance to stay up?

I think when you look at the money Ipswich spent and the wage bill Leicester have, it shows how hard it is to even be competitive now. Obviously we don't know how the new board would approach it but the scars of last season and the previous Prem campaign is naturally going to a while to heal

 

[YES Blade]

I think when you look at the money Ipswich spent and the wage bill Leicester have, it shows how hard it is to even be competitive now. Obviously we don't know how the new board would approach it but the scars of last season and the previous Prem campaign is naturally going to a while to heal

I agree, the magic of promotion to the Premier League isn’t there anymore and if the Prince was still in charge I’d give us no chance whatsoever.

But should we get promoted, we don’t know, COH might “do a Forest”.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I’m 5,000 miles away so I’ll watch it on tv.

 

[Pedro Verde]

We say all this about play off fatigue, lack of enthusiasm etc but we had near to 30k for our last match of the regular season. Why wouldnt most of them want to come to a match that has some meaning (hopefully) rather than a dead rubber (for SUFC). Some of it must be down to pricing

 

[reedy63]

If the Blades win or draw at Bristol City, around 30k will attend the second leg at Bramall Lane next Monday.

 

[ThatJa]

I put this in the chat box earlier as an example

If you are a family of 4 you are looking at 120 for match tickets alone. Then you factor in that in 12 days time there may be a trip to Wembley of the back of it - which anyone attending the semi finals would absolutely be wanting to go to. That adds another 200 quid on top for the same family of 4.

That's without travel and food whilst out. Your genuinely looking at half a grand to attend two football matches should we end up getting to Wembley

Its costly.

 

[ThatJa]

We say all this about play off fatigue, lack of enthusiasm etc but we had near to 30k for our last match of the regular season. Why wouldnt most of them want to come to a match that has some meaning (hopefully) rather than a dead rubber (for SUFC). Some of it must be down to pricing

23k of them had already paid for that game many many months ago. Kind of skews your point a little.

 

[s20Blade]

I think the main feeling of defeat looms large. A major highlight before was keeping Leeds from going up but now all that's gone only thing we can do is stumble into the premier league party late while everybody turns round and goes "oh so you made it then"

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

Everyone is different and everyone has United at a different prioroty level in there life.

When i was late teens early 20's, United were a big priority and i travelled well to watch them, now im 50 (nearly) with a family, priorities change.

Ive only bought tickets for Monday because my lad hasnt experienced play offs yet (lucky b##ger) and we cant do the final IF we get there, as we are away.

For those obsessing about the home leg ticket sales, they are what they are, but lets see what they are like on Monday morning before having meltdowns.

If the game goes well in the 1st leg, i'm sure sales will pick up.
If it doesn't go well, people will probably keep there money in there pockets and i dont blame them.

I think a lot of people are a bit 'meh' at the moment.
The league position is great from what many of us thought it would have been after last season and the clear out, but it could have been better if we didnt have the poor results towards the end of the season.

The games have been 'meh' quality and entertainment wise, but hopefully tomorrow night will get some fire back in the bellys of most of us.

This is spot on.

Irrelevant for me now as I'm in the US, but I agree priorities often change for many people as you age.

Almost never missed a home game from being 13 up to my early 30s, since then my attendance was sporadic due to work and family commitments, that's before I came out to the US of course.

 

[SwissBlade]

Doesn’t the new ownership change things? There has surely got to be a glimmer of optimism that should we be promoted we’ll be in a better position to at least have a chance to stay up?

I don't think its even that for me, i just haven't had enthusiasm for the play offs, or Wembley for that matter, since 2009... It's not even the disappointment of losing in the play offs as i expect that. It's more that the season is 46 games and thats enough.

 

[Keen Blade]

I need an “other” box, I’m in Kuwait as my daughter is having her first child and our first grandson tonight and we promised we would be here for them

This happened for us in January in Philadelphia - becoming grandparents is just about the most joyful transformative experience you can have. Enjoy !

 

[NotTheSharpest]

Business review week in Sydney, Australia and flights don't line up with meetings......

 

[finlaytheblade]

I think when you look at the money Ipswich spent and the wage bill Leicester have, it shows how hard it is to even be competitive now. Obviously we don't know how the new board would approach it but the scars of last season and the previous Prem campaign is naturally going to a while to heal

Football is all about winning and although championship is a good 2nd ! Premiership always has to be the goal.
A club of our size with the running costs will always lose money in the championship ! The owners won't like the idea of running at a loss year after year so Premiership always has to be the goal with cementing a place there getting harder every year! As Wilder said the door is open we have to at least try to go through it.
The negativity is pathetic ! OK our last two premiership seasons have been dire that's no reason to want failure.
The Americans bought us with eyes wide open ! they must feel they can make a fist of it!. Without Premiership money we will join the also rans at 2nd rate level do we want that ! No fan enjoys losing matches and yes we win more in the championship! there has to be a goal end of !!
Come on Blades shake off that negative attitude! Positivity has to win through! Glass half full not half empty!!.

 

[O Fletch]

Supergrass on same neyt

+1 for Supergrass.

 

[Super Furry Blades]

Wife is away in Barcelona...
So I'm home alone with 11 year old daughter who is doing her sats ...
Needs a good night's sleep & we are just slightly too far away from Lane to get back at a reasonable hour .
If she Flunks them ..Woe betide
Will unfortunately miss the final if we get there.
It just doesn't mean as much to me as it did years ago ...
Its been ruined by the wankers in suits .

 

[Swinton Blade]

All the play off semi final first leg games should be played this Saturday & Sunday with the 2nd legs next Saturday & Sunday.

 

[YES Blade]

All the play off semi final first leg games should be played this Saturday & Sunday with the 2nd legs next Saturday & Sunday.

It’s never been like that, even going back to the 90s. It was always first leg on the Saturday then the second leg Tuesday or Wednesday night.

 

[General Jase]

A couple of reasons really. Monday night isn't great due to work, and work the next day, and also just a little downbeat on chances.
Having said that if it was on a weekend day/night I would probably go

 

[MTBlade]

All the play off semi final first leg games should be played this Saturday & Sunday with the 2nd legs next Saturday & Sunday.

I was about to like/praise this post as a great idea.

Then i remembered the ticket office would only have a week to sell the Wembley tickets (if we got there) and changed my mind

Superb idea in theory, its just a shame our ticket office couldn't handle selling that many tickets in a week.

Get those queues back in the car park and down shoreham street.

 

[Montymagic]

I’ve fought our corner all season when my piggy mates have tried to take the piss out of our fanbase…. but I’m waving the white flag if the numbers turn out to be as poor as predicted

Why?

How many times do the pigs ever get to Wembley ?

It once in a generation for them, of course they will go balls deep as would we if we were as shit as them.

 

[LudlamBlade]

Working at sea...in Ajaccio today, Livorno on Monday. Both days are early sails so I'm unable to watch either SF...but in Palma all day on the 24th, where I'll be watching the final if/when we make it

 

[Large Mendonca]

Sounds like loads of away tickets for the semi have been returned too. I think people bought them maybe thinking they could make a profit but it's not happened so there will be a fair few empty seats in the away end tomorrow.

There doesn't feel much buzz at all about the play-offs this time and not much appetite for promotion. I think last season still hugely hangs over the club. Hopefully things change after tomorrow but it's really low key at the moment

I'm actually looking forward to them!

I think this is it, in a nutshell. Bristol City will be well up for it, as the haven't yet played in the Prem. We have recently and we know what to expect (bag of shite etc).

 

[Gin&Juice]

See what happens after toneyt. If we play well a few will appear out the woodwork, probably me included, and optimism will grow.

Let’s be honest though:

Footballs been largely one dimensional and dull this season

We’re shit at the playoffs, historically

Wilder will probably pick Jack Robinson over Holding

There is a genuine cost of living crisis, life is expensive now. Less people have the power to spontaneously drop 50 quid on a match.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

See what happens after toneyt. If we play well a few will appear out the woodwork, probably me included, and optimism will grow.

Let’s be honest though:

Footballs been largely one dimensional and dull this season

We’re shit at the playoffs, historically

Wilder will probably pick Jack Robinson over Holding

There is a genuine cost of living crisis, life is expensive now. Less people have the power to spontaneously drop 50 quid on a match.

Pigs and Leeds would sell out.

 

[Super Furry Blades]

It’s never been like that, even going back to the 90s. It was always first leg on the Saturday then the second leg Tuesday or Wednesday night.

Ipswich Away in 1997 ......one of my greatest games following United

 

[Pegster]

Bit of a trek from Lanzarote!

Didn't stop me making the reverse trip a few weeks back - bloody part-timer