Football

Last time I went to Anfield (the fiorentina game - our last champions league for the season) there were loads of scandinavians there. Loads and loads of Fiorentina fans too...sitting in the pub singing along with the liverpool songs and then singing there own ones after. It was all good fun, very lively but friendly too.

BUT it really isn't a myth, Anfield really is full of cockneys, Norwegians, Indians, Chinese and Japanese. I was surrounded by them. I even started singing Everton songs in their end and shouting(blatantly being a Blue) and absolutley NO interaction or banter back because they simply don't know how to respond, not knowing and being from the area

I don't see whats wrong with having a large fanbase, it means when we got abroad to (lose) play in the world club cub we can pack out the stadium wherever we are. It represents the country we live in too doesn't it? We are racially diverse. I wouldn't want it to change.

They fly over from Norway, they don't live here. Fair play to them though, more commitment than your average kopite!

I think Scandies are bad for the game in general... Apart from the birds, of course...

[/mockracism] [/mocksexism]

Eidur Gudjonsen (apart from his recent foray into darkness), Tore Andre Flo and Ulrika Jonsen would suggest otherwise.

flo???

I think the mix in crowd highlights the trend in football today.
How many half empty stadiums do you see on MOTD, the last two seasons Arsenal has had a few matches where the attendance has dropped to 50,000 - 11,000 short.
Bolton brought about 30 away fans, early kick offs and messing around with the fixture lists for TV fks the games up
Also More and more people would rather sit in front of their Sky HD, with a beer instead of facing the journey to the ground (minus beer)

Chelsea is full of sandwich munching day trippers, as is Fulham (i have attended more active funerals!)
Arsenals ground needs growing into - it needs some big results, silverware and memories to settle in. and Utd fans expect to walk every match (it can be amazing but largely its quiet)

Right now at Arsenal ticket exchange allows people to sell seats with ease, meaning the crowd changes and the new boys don't know the words..

they are pretty simple:

Whats that under wayne bridges bed

is it your arm band..
is it your arm band

They fly over from Norway, they don't live here. Fair play to them though, more commitment than your average kopite!

they have had tv access to the 3pm sat games for years, they watch more of our league then us.

There's a difference between having a large and diverse fanbase, and having your stadium full of footy tourists.

How many half empty stadiums do you see on MOTD, the last two seasons Arsenal has had a few matches where the attendance has dropped to 50,000 - 11,000 short.

Arsenals ground needs growing into - it needs some big results, silverware and memories to settle in. and Utd fans expect to walk every match (it can be amazing but largely its quiet)

I would agree with what you said GS about your statement about the attendances seems to be true the latest statistics available seem to deny this.
http://itv.stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/attend.html
The problem lies with teams like Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn etc. where there are other sports and teams in a relatively small area to compete with football.

As for the need to grow into Arsenals ground, at this rate that will take at least another 50 years, so much for Wenger fielding an understrength side in the FA cup as he had an important run of games coming up (from which they got 1 point)

2 Pence warning.
I simply can not afford to pay £45.00+ for 90 minutes of football, as much as I would like to it just does not make sense. Whereas I used to be able to visit anywhere between 15 and 25 games a season, for the last 4 years it has not been more then 10 a year (mostly League and FA cup games and Champions League matches).

Oh yeah, sorry Wolves fans.

That's surprising
Maybe the football tourists are only drawn to the big clubs and popping out to watch your local football team has been priced out.
You also have on-line sites selling tickets to the big clubs a weekend breaks etc etc.

You are spot on re-Wigan...rugby, cricket, cheese rolling... all these northern sports take the money first. that will stay the same.

I don't mind the fans from all over the world turning up paying £50 for the ticket, £35 for the shirt, £3.50 for the programme.
It's all money into the Arsenal pot to go the board and pay for the stadium!

If Wenger can keep the current crop together for the next 2/3 years and bring in a world class keeper and fit/injury free goal scorerer we will nail it.
We had a great run this season but when put against physical quick sides we fall apart.

We take to long pushing forward - Cesc hasn't got a hit man to pick out
We can't score from set pieces - we have no physical presence
There isn't a tackle in the team - we are scared!

Both Utd and Chelsea didn't break sweat - they let us pass it around 30/40 yards out with a bank of 8 players squeezing the space. if we start to find space they fly in with a hard tackles. then punt it long

Watching both games Utd are a level above Chelsea - bar two disgusting pieces of defending by Clichy (our best performer season after season!) Chelsea didn't do a great deal bar clear their lines

2 Pence warning.
I simply can not afford to pay £45.00+ for 90 minutes of football, as much as I would like to it just does not make sense. Whereas I used to be able to visit anywhere between 15 and 25 games a season, for the last 4 years it has not been more then 10 a year (mostly League and FA cup games and Champions League matches).

45.00 +
Travel £80-ish for away games/£120 europe
Beer - £20 (conservative)
pie and programme - £8

That's surprising
I don't mind the fans from all over the world turning up paying £50 for the ticket, £35 for the shirt, £3.50 for the programme.
It's all money into the Chelsea pot to go the board and pay for the £125K+ a week wages!

If Wenger can keep the current crop together for the next 2/3 years and bring in a world class keeper and fit/injury free goal scorerer we will nail it.
We had a great run this season but when put against physical quick sides we fall apart.

I am with you on most of that post.
The Arsenal part is of course a big IF, for Wenger not to buy a striker during the transfer window is pretty close to suicide, if there's money why doesn't he go and spend it?

It'll be pretty close between Man U and Chelsea for the title, I do think that Chelsea will win it though, less injuries and more experience should see us through I think.

As for teams like Blackburn, Wigan, Bolton, Birmingham etc. It would be better to give tickets that they do not sell out to local football clubs, schools etc so in order to generate interest (future fan base etc.) Surely that would make sense.

As for teams like Blackburn, Wigan, Bolton, Birmingham etc. It would be better to give tickets that they do not sell out to local football clubs, schools etc so in order to generate interest (future fan base etc.) Surely that would make sense.

West Ham do this, As i believe Stoke do. but it's the way to go.. if the kids love it they might encourage their parents

Chelsea are good value but my money is on Utd. I also want them to win as AF has put together a good mix of players and a lot of them were free!

Chelsea is full of sandwich munching day trippers,

Sadly one cannot buy sandwiches at Stamford Bridge, more's the pity. Pies, hot dogs and other crap but no sandwiches.

Chelsea' capacity is 42,000. In the Bates era there were around 23,000 season tickets. Bates needed the money in early for cqash flow. We once had to renew season tickets and pay for them in January.

Since financial strength has returned, the need for such cash flow is not so urgent. Seasoin ticket prices have been frozen for the past four or five years but season tickets are harder to come by. A non renewed season ticket is not allocated to someone on a waiting list but only allocated to members with sufficient loyalty points. To get a season ticket you have to have been to every home game and some away games for a few seasons.

Reducing the numbers of season tickets means that more people can buy tickets as members and increases the number of people passing through the ground and, no doubt, buying tat. Cup games including knock out stages of the CL are only £25 a pop. These matches bring more families and children with a view to a future fan base.

That said, the vast preponderance of the Chelsea crowd and almost all the away support, are the same people who I saw at football matches 25 or 30 years ago. In those days most supporters appeared to be my age; today, sadly, they still are. Ticket prices have something to do with this. Mind you, these are the people who watched Chelsea play when times were hard and, as a result of financial mismanagement, Chelsea dropped almost down to Div 3.

Arsenal supporters, of course, cannot say whether they would still go to watch Arsenal in the second or third tier. Given their fickle nature, it is reasonable to suppose that most would not. Their ground is largely given over to expensive season tickets for which there is a waiting list. The bulk of their core support are lawyers or bankers, a core that was added to when Islington residents were given priority for season tickets at the new stadium. Only local lawyers or bankers could afford the prices. The residents of the council estates in the UK's sixth poorest borough did not get a look in. Arsenal need to season ticket cash flow to feed their debt burden. The only passing trade that they get is from the various clients that the lawyers and bankers bring to matches. What was an atmosphere-lacking ground at Highbury has become a morgue at the Emirates as the supporters sit in their plush cushhioned seats wondering what the rugby score might be.

Sadly one cannot buy sandwiches at Stamford Bridge, more's the pity. Pies, hot dogs and other crap but no sandwiches.

Chelsea' capacity is 42,000. In the Bates era there were around 23,000 season tickets. Bates needed the money in early for cqash flow. We once had to renew season tickets and pay for them in January.

Since financial strength has returned, the need for such cash flow is not so urgent. Seasoin ticket prices have been frozen for the past four or five years but season tickets are harder to come by. A non renewed season ticket is not allocated to someone on a waiting list but only allocated to members with sufficient loyalty points. To get a season ticket you have to have been to every home game and some away games for a few seasons.

Reducing the numbers of season tickets means that more people can buy tickets as members and increases the number of people passing through the ground and, no doubt, buying tat. Cup games including knock out stages of the CL are only £25 a pop. These matches bring more families and children with a view to a future fan base.

That said, the vast preponderance of the Chelsea crowd and almost all the away support, are the same people who I saw at football matches 25 or 30 years ago. In those days most supporters appeared to be my age; today, sadly, they still are. Ticket prices have something to do with this. Mind you, these are the people who watched Chelsea play when times were hard and, as a result of financial mismanagement, Chelsea dropped almost down to Div 3.

Arsenal supporters, of course, cannot say whether they would still go to watch Arsenal in the second or third tier. Given their fickle nature, it is reasonable to suppose that most would not. Their ground is largely given over to expensive season tickets for which there is a waiting list. The bulk of their core support are tossers, a core that was added to when Islington residents were given priority for season tickets at the new stadium. Only local lawyers or bankers could afford the prices. The residents of the council estates in the UK's sixth poorest borough did not get a look in. Arsenal need to season ticket cash flow to feed their debt burden. The only passing trade that they get is from the various clients that the lawyers and bankers bring to matches. What was an atmosphere-lacking ground at Highbury has become a morgue at the Emirates as the supporters sit in their plush cushhioned seats wondering what the rugby score might be.

Fixed.

Cliveo, repped for continuing excellent contributions to lfgss.com
What do you think is the average age these days at Stamford Bridge?

Thanks Jaw. You are too kind.

Looking around the West Lower yesterday - one of the cheapest sections which is probably 50/50 between Season Tickets and members, I would guess the average ag to be 40 or so. This takes into account kids.

Clive aren't you a lawyer?

Touché as they say.

2 Pence warning.
I simply can not afford to pay £45.00+ for 90 minutes of football, as much as I would like to it just does not make sense.

+1

The £48 per ticket I paid to watch Sunderland get arse fucked at Stamford Bridge a couple of weeks ago was the last straw.

Sky Sports beckons for the remainder of the season.

It seems that the football crowd seems to get older and older. Like you say, hardly any new faces apart from the tourist day trippers. Surely that's a worrying trend. Why no football team has done what some of the RFU teams have done (Saracens, Wasps etc.), move a high demand game to a larger venue at reduced prices, beats me.
I for on think that it would be great to see Chelsea vs. Inter at Wembley for £25.00 a ticket.
Surely this is something that's feasible and should be encouraged.

Arsenal did that at the old Wembley when they moved Champions League games there a few seasons back.

the nfl is doing it why shouldn't football

i watched arse play at wembley in the champions league when they were having their stadium built

good atmosphere big crowd it made sense then why not now for chelsea obvously arse have a big stadium now so no need to do it for chelsea it would be a money spinner ?

if they could draw in 50,000+ ?