Fortress Reebok?

[hisroyalgingerness]

Home form.

It's a bit poor, is it not?

Last few year:
Year, Win, Draw, Losses, For, Against

2009-2010 6 6 7 26 31
2008-2009 7 5 7 21 21
2007-2008 7 5 7 23 18
2006-2007 9 5 5 26 20
2005-2006 11 5 3 29 13

So what's about? Sulking fans? Opponents coming defending? No fans (because they all seem to have emigrated?) Tea lady?

By way of comparison, in their first season up Stoke won 10 home games, conceding but 15. Dirtburn last year won 10.

[General Mannerheim]

I blame the Drummers!

[truewhite15]

I honestly believe that for the answer, you need only look at attendances. Our fanbase is pish. And then look at the full-blooded roars of the Stoke fans in particular. They create a cauldron of noise that both lifts their own team and intimidates the opposition. We used to be very good at this under Allardyce, when we were flying high; but our fans started leaving before Allardyce did, and I can't for the life of me understand why. For me, if I can go to the match, I will go to the match; I understand that certain people CAN'T attend for whatever reason, but there's a consistent number that refuse to turn up, and it baffles me. We haven't suddenly just LOST 6000 fans. Megson and the Underachievers (good band name, that...) have obviously driven some away, but not to return...? God knows. One thing's for certain, I hate looking at our crowd on MotD. Embarrassing, sometimes...

[officer_dibble]

Nowt to do with attendances

For a bit it was teams working out how to 'play' us - we were far more effective away from home, setting up to defend and hit teams on the counter attack and with set pieces, which psychologically doesn't wash at home. After that its been general turmoil through managers, them that do turn up getting opn the teams back, and the fact we have been one of the shite teams in a league of dwindling quality, but not quite shite enough to go down.

Its the main thing that needs sorting really; that's why I'm umming and ahhhing about our start - how we are trying to play looks (it IS) positive, but its 2 games when you look at the fixtures you fancy your chances of a win....(even though its Fulham..I know!). Work in progress though I guess.

[TKIZ!]

I blame all the fans who blame dwindling attendances myself.

[Lord Kangana]

I blame the fans who blame all the fans who blame dwindling attendances. I think.

[TKIZ!]

I blame the fans who blame the fans who blame the fans who think Van Persie is playing. I think

[Lord Kangana]

Hydroplane. Or something.

[P.O.S.]

I honestly believe that for the answer, you need only look at attendances. Our fanbase is pish. And then look at the full-blooded roars of the Stoke fans in particular. They create a cauldron of noise that both lifts their own team and intimidates the opposition. We used to be very good at this under Allardyce, when we were flying high; but our fans started leaving before Allardyce did, and I can't for the life of me understand why. For me, if I can go to the match, I will go to the match; I understand that certain people CAN'T attend for whatever reason, but there's a consistent number that refuse to turn up, and it baffles me. We haven't suddenly just LOST 6000 fans. Megson and the Underachievers (good band name, that...) have obviously driven some away, but not to return...? God knows. One thing's for certain, I hate looking at our crowd on MotD. Embarrassing, sometimes...

I don't agree that the attendances have much to do with our home form dipping over the last few seasons, there's plenty of teams in plenty of leagues around Europe who are successful but play in front of vast swathes of empty seats - but there's something in your point about how it looks on TV, and not because of how it might spoil an armchair viewer's experience of watching the game but because it seems to show up a fairly obvious problem to do with matchday atmosphere.

I suppose I'm ignoring the practicalities of moving people's seats that they may have had for years, but would the atmposphere be improved by ensuring that at least all of the lower tiers are full or at least well attended by home fans before tickets go on sale for the upper tiers, and exiling the away support to the upper tier? No wonder we prefer to attack towards the North Stand second half if we can!

As I said Im probably ignoring a whole load of practical and safety related issues but its an idea a few of the lads I go with have discussed for a while.

But yeah, do away with the drummers for a start.

[DJBlu]

Meh

[FaninOz]

18,139 says it all I guess. I'm sure that it contributes to the way the players perform. Watching and listening on TV yesterday the crowd seemed very quiet, and when they did make a noise it was echoing around the empty seats, until the Jussi sending off after which the sound seemed to almost raise the roof at times.

So it appears that the sounds fans make that makes the difference not how many are actually present, its just that fans in a full stadium can make a more effective noise than a third empty stadium. Yesterday was a very very poor attendance even though it was an early Sunday afternoon kick off.

[boltonboris]

18,139 says it all I guess. I'm sure that it contributes to the way the players perform. Watching and listening on TV yesterday the crowd seemed very quiet, and when they did make a noise it was echoing around the empty seats, until the Jussi sending off after which the sound seemed to almost raise the roof at times.

So it appears that the sounds fans make that makes the difference not how many are actually present, its just that fans in a full stadium can make a more effective noise than a third empty stadium. Yesterday was a very very poor attendance even though it was an early Sunday afternoon kick off.

Brum only brought about 500 fans though.. So there were 'only' 5 or so thousand empty seats in the home ends. When Newcastle buried Villa last week, there were 11 thousand empty seats in the home end. This is a club famed for it's 'legendary' support and they're the only club within a 20 mile radius. One of only 2 clubs in a 35 mile radus

[TKIZ!]

18,139 says it all I guess. I'm sure that it contributes to the way the players perform. Watching and listening on TV yesterday the crowd seemed very quiet, and when they did make a noise it was echoing around the empty seats, until the Jussi sending off after which the sound seemed to almost raise the roof at times.

So it appears that the sounds fans make that makes the difference not how many are actually present, its just that fans in a full stadium can make a more effective noise than a third empty stadium. Yesterday was a very very poor attendance even though it was an early Sunday afternoon kick off.

Brum only brought about 500 fans though.. So there were 'only' 5 or so thousand empty seats in the home ends. When Newcastle buried Villa last week, there were 11 thousand empty seats in the home end. This is a club famed for it's 'legendary' support and they're the only club within a 20 mile radius. One of only 2 clubs in a 35 mile radus

Exactly, if you check the 'empty seats', upper tier of the South stand, that's the away end. They sold about 500 tickets which on a Sunday is only fair. The rest of the South stand designated for 'home support' sometimes gets given away to the away fans depending who it is. I would suggest this will not be the case against the likes of Newcastle, Liverpool, Stoke, Man Utd etc.

[boltonboris]

Exactly, if you check the 'empty seats', upper tier of the South stand, that's the away end. They sold about 500 tickets which on a Sunday is only fair. The rest of the South stand designated for 'home support' sometimes gets given away to the away fans depending who it is. I would suggest this will not be the case against the likes of Newcastle, Liverpool, Stoke, Man Utd etc.

Indeed. It wasn't a criticism. They were quite vocal until we scored the penalty, then I think they became understandably nervous. Perhaps they've experienced the squandering of a two goal lead before. I know we have!

[CAPSLOCK]

Asda give fcuking 400 away every week

BET 365 have more than they know what to do with

The Bolton Bury Jnr football League can't get shut of theirs

Corporates v United are 3 for 2

But hey, why go to the match when you can be a supporter on t'internet

[boltonboris]

Asda give fcuking 400 away every week

BET 365 have more than they know what to do with

The Bolton Bury Jnr football League can't get shut of theirs

Corporates v United are 3 for 2

But hey, why go to the match when you can be a supporter on t'internet

Do you not think that this is a problem, that's endemic throughout football rather than focused on our club?

[CAPSLOCK]

It is

Course it is

Not sure us agreeing on this gets us very far

[truewhite15]

Asda give fcuking 400 away every week

BET 365 have more than they know what to do with

The Bolton Bury Jnr football League can't get shut of theirs

Corporates v United are 3 for 2

But hey, why go to the match when you can be a supporter on t'internet

Do you not think that this is a problem, that's endemic throughout football rather than focused on our club?

Well, yeah, I'm sure that falling attendances aren't just confined to our club. Apart from at the Big Teams, most stadia have quite a few empty seats. And yes, it's true that the away fans bringing less and not filling their allocations is a hidden factor behind our poor attendances for the first 2 games. But historically, unless it's the DMB's, the south stand has never been filled with away fans, so home fans have usually, in the past, occupied either the upper tier, or part of the lower tier, or both. But those fans seem to have gone away now.
Anyway, I wasn't trying to get at the stayawayers. The question posed was why our stadium is no longer the fortress it used to be. And I simply pointed out the correlation between declining attendances and falling results.

[boltonboris]

Exactly. People can't be arsed anymore. It's natural. The Premier League is approaching the end of it's cycle of being a massive spectator sport. Results driven, overpaid players who have no common ground with the fans in the 'cheap' seats. In our case a decade in the top fligh.. It's getting a bit same old, same old.

Feck all anybody can do about it, it's just more convenient to stay at home. And a damn sight cheaper.

[Bigzippy]

Exactly. People can't be arsed anymore. It's natural. The Premier League is approaching the end of it's cycle of being a massive spectator sport. Results driven, overpaid players who have no common ground with the fans in the 'cheap' seats. In our case a decade in the top fligh.. It's getting a bit same old, same old.

Feck all anybody can do about it, it's just more convenient to stay at home. And a damn sight cheaper.

Got to agree with this.

I went to the first game this season £26 for a ticket I can cope with. The problems start with all the other costs involved, Costs me £20 in fuel to get there, £6 in to park. £3 for a programme' beer was reasonable at the Mega bowl 4 pints for a £10 but it still cost (half that cost as I shared it with a mate) Subway lunch was £4 then add £10 for a bet and £2 for a half time drink and a £1 for the golden gamble and thats the day up to over £70 might not sound a lot but do that twice a month and thats £140. I watched in the legion yesterday and beer cost me £20 and that was all I had to pay out.

I hate to say it but for me £20 vs £70 wins everytime and the atmosphere at the Bok for the first game was the worst I have experienced since we lost at home to Bury! I didnt mind sitting on a room on my own shouting at the tv screen compared to that!