City Fans Leaving Early/Empty seats

[Bert Trautmanns Helemet]

A group of 3 in block 306 left at 82 minutes yesterday and I shouted over to fuck off and not come back if that’s their attitude. I just don’t get the attitude of fans these days and it is completely at odds with the title of Don Price’s new book

And just what gives you the right to tell other match going blues to 'fuck of and not come back'?
Just who do you think you are?

 

[oakiecokie]

A group of 3 in block 306 left at 82 minutes yesterday and I shouted over to fuck off and not come back if that’s their attitude. I just don’t get the attitude of fans these days and it is completely at odds with the title of Don Price’s new book

There`s only one with an attitude !!!!
Who the fuck do you think you are shouting abuse at three total strangers.You have no idea as to why they are leaving early,nor the circumstances.They`ve paid their money and its fuck all to do with you.

 

[cyberblue]

Yes I agree, if it was back to the old 3pm on Saturday I would stay to the end.

Trouble is we do not get many of the old regular kick off times and getting away from the Stadium is like being in a third world country.

But what is the rush to get home

 

[oakiecokie]

But what is the rush to get home

To read your book. ;)

 

[cyberblue]

A group of 3 in block 306 left at 82 minutes yesterday and I shouted over to fuck off and not come back if that’s their attitude. I just don’t get the attitude of fans these days and it is completely at odds with the title of Don Price’s new book

Why bring the title of a book up .with the fact people leave early .it up to them what they do

 

[cyberblue]

To read your book. ;)

Love it lol .thats brilliant for this time in the morning ha ha

 

[Bert Trautmanns Helemet]

I really do believe that the constantly changing kick off times has a huge influence on the empty seats situation.
The 5.30 kick off time is a nightmare if you have a family or plans to go out in the evening. A lot of season ticket
holders (including myself) just choose to watch the game on TV. Going to football games is a habit. Not going to
football games is also a habit and it is very easy to do. The changing kick off times from 12.30pm, 4.00pm, 5.30pm
3.00pm (very occasionally) prevents people from having a routine and making concrete plans. As does the constantly
changing days on which the games are played. Saturday, Sunday, Monday also Fridays it prevents people from making plans.
So they decide that the inconvenience to them and their families is just not worth it so give the game a miss and just watch it on TV.
Same with early leavers. If you are going out on a Saturday night you may need to get back home at a certain time. The only way to
guarantee that you do is to leave early rather than run the risk of being trapped in the car park or traffic for ages.
It's not just at City that this happens. It happens at every other single Premier league ground - bar none.
Football is now designed and organised around TV schedules and not for the match going fan.
The fallout of this is the above. You reap what you sow.

 

[hammocity]

But what is the rush to get home

Exactly, anyone working Saturday night would have an excuse but other than that I just don't understand the rush to get home .I watched the Birmingham derby yesterday and after the final whistle the Villa fans stayed behind and celebrated singing don't look back in anger, it was brilliant to see and hardly anyone ducked off early .

 

[hammocity]

I really do believe that the constantly changing kick off times has a huge influence on the empty seats situation.
The 5.30 kick off time is a nightmare if you have a family or plans to go out in the evening. A lot of season ticket
holders (including myself) just choose to watch the game on TV. Going to football games is a habit. Not going to
football games is also a habit and it is very easy to do. The changing kick off times from 12.30pm, 4.00pm, 5.30pm
3.00pm (very occasionally) prevents people from having a routine and making concrete plans. As does the constantly
changing days on which the games are played. Saturday, Sunday, Monday also Fridays it prevents people from making plans.
So they decide that the inconvenience to them and their families is just not worth it so give the game a miss and just watch it on TV.
Same with early leavers. If you are going out on a Saturday night you may need to get back home at a certain time. The only way to
guarantee that you do is to leave early rather than run the risk of being trapped in the car park or traffic for ages.
It's not just at City that this happens. It happens at every other single Premier league ground - bar none.
Football is now designed and organised around TV schedules and not for the match going fan.
The fallout of this is the above. You reap what you sow.

Depends on your priorities, I make going to the game my priority, I work all my other social activities around the match . It's not difficult but if you don't grow a pair and let the the other half dictate then I can see where you are coming from .

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I really do believe that the constantly changing kick off times has a huge influence on the empty seats situation.
The 5.30 kick off time is a nightmare if you have a family or plans to go out in the evening. A lot of season ticket
holders (including myself) just choose to watch the game on TV. Going to football games is a habit. Not going to
football games is also a habit and it is very easy to do. The changing kick off times from 12.30pm, 4.00pm, 5.30pm
3.00pm (very occasionally) prevents people from having a routine and making concrete plans. As does the constantly
changing days on which the games are played. Saturday, Sunday, Monday also Fridays it prevents people from making plans.
So they decide that the inconvenience to them and their families is just not worth it so give the game a miss and just watch it on TV.
Same with early leavers. If you are going out on a Saturday night you may need to get back home at a certain time. The only way to
guarantee that you do is to leave early rather than run the risk of being trapped in the car park or traffic for ages.
It's not just at City that this happens. It happens at every other single Premier league ground - bar none.
Football is now designed and organised around TV schedules and not for the match going fan.
The fallout of this is the above. You reap what you sow.

When the fixtures come out in June I highlight, in blue of course, the entire weekend - Friday evening to Monday evening, not knowing what fixture will be on which day, or what time. I turned up for a 3pm on Saturday!

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

I arrived 45 minutes before the kick-off and did not leave my seat until after the Aguero 4th goal.

I only went then to try and get the Gods awful Metrolink before the queue got too long, spectacular failure that turned out to be (see Metrolink thread).

The infrastructure around the stadium and the public transport system is a big reason for so many early leavers.

It’s no different anywhere else though. They kept us in the Swamp for 20 minutes after the final whistle and we still had to queue for 30 minutes for a tram at the cricket ground, when I went to Watford earlier this season it took 30 minutes to get off the ring road by that shopping centre afterwards, and it took me 45 minutes to get out of one of the industrial estate car parks at the back of Ashton Gate last month. Spurs and West Ham (when they were at Upton Park) always had big queues for public transport, the Liberty Stadium is a pain in the arse to get away from, as is the Amex, and the times I’ve had to walk nearly all the way back to Lime Street after a trip to Klanfield is nobody’s business. It’s par for the course these days. One way systems, fascist traffic wardens, residents only parking schemes, expanded grounds in old residential areas, they all contribute to increased travel time, yet at none of those places does the weekly massed exodus come close to matching ours. For sure City need to review our transport infrastructure, but in my opinion many fans have just got into the habit of leaving early. Some people aren’t bothered by it, but personally it irritates the life out of me. Unless there are health and safety issues, just factor the extra time in, stay and watch your team to the end, applaud them off, and then leave!

 

[BlueAnorak]

Yes I agree, if it was back to the old 3pm on Saturday I would stay to the end.

Trouble is we do not get many of the old regular kick off times and getting away from the Stadium is like being in a third world country.

A bit disrespectful. I've been to games in third world countries with better public transport and road traffic managemnt than at the Etihad.
Road traffic management and metro services at the Etihad are simply not fit for purpose.

 

[Bert Trautmanns Helemet]

Depends on your priorities, I make going to the game my priority, I work all my other social activities around the match . It's not difficult but if you don't grow a pair and let the the other half dictate then I can see where you are coming from .

I guess I just need to 'grow a pair' and not worry about seeing or looking after my disabled daughter before she goes to bed then?
Thanks for the advice - much appreciated.

 

[hammocity]

A bit disrespectful. I've been to games in third world countries with better public transport and road traffic managemnt than at the Etihad.
Road traffic management and metro services at the Etihad are simply not fit for purpose.

Which game in Scotland did you go to?

 

[BlueAnorak]

Which game in Scotland did you go to?

:-)

 

[hammocity]

I guess I just need to 'grow a pair' and not worry about seeing or looking after my disabled daughter before she goes to bed then?
Thanks for the advice - much appreciated.

I respect anyone who looks after the infirm and disabled either personal or professional but you must be in a tiny minority that has that responsibility.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Have you forgotten how many left Wembley early in '99? I can also remember lots of fans leaving almost like clockwork at about 85 mins at Maine Rd back in the Mercer/Allison days.

People put blame onto all sorts of things: the weather, the transport, the traffic, getting home in time for Strictly, having kids...; but in reality it is a culture in this country and most strikingly at City Arsenal and Sunderland (and United one day in 2011) that fans just leave early. The culture has been going for decades and probably started as far back as any matchgoing fans can ever remember.

But that doesn't make it okay.

I think that culture needs to change.

 

[M18CTID]

I guess I just need to 'grow a pair' and not worry about seeing or looking after my disabled daughter before she goes to bed then?
Thanks for the advice - much appreciated.

He's not psychic and had no way of knowing that - I'm sure if you'd mentioned it in that huge post he quoted then he wouldn't have called you out on it.

I'm not being funny but your long post smacked of someone who was making any excuse to leave early.

Just on a general note, and not aimed at you and your situation, I always find it amusing that pretty much everyone can attend the home derby regardless of date and kick-off time and if we happen to win the league against that lot this season, I bet there won't be an early leaver or empty seat in sight.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Depends on your priorities, I make going to the game my priority, I work all my other social activities around the match . It's not difficult but if you don't grow a pair and let the the other half dictate then I can see where you are coming from .

:D

 

[Metalartin]

Probably get some flack for this but personally I think fans in general make excuses too many these days(it's not just at City like the press would have us believe), they'd have been the same back in them days and found another excuse for the same thing regardless of kickoff time.

I agree it's time the club took action(for the no shows... if they are missing that many can they really argue they need a season card?) like some of the big clubs around Europe have if we want to be the best on and off the pitch, notably in Germany which is very well regarded for attendances. Maybe there is also a cultural difference that Germans in general are better fans in some respects(no expert on this but from what I gather about Germans in general), rather than always looking for what the club can do for them they see they have responsibilities as a fan and frown on those who don't do their bit instead of making excuses("my money, my seat.. blah blah").

With your season card comes great responsibility Peter Parker. There's also no point those being super defensive berating those who don't have season cards not showing up as they aren't part of the problem, their seats are easily filled. As a season card holder, if you can't go make sure you either let the club know or sell it on to a mate for the game... key word responsibility, no getting round it.

Also has anyone worked out the minimum amount of games you'd need to go to before a season card starts saving you money on average? It's not like anyone is saying they are bad fans or shouldn't be allowed to go to games and if they save money by paying for a ticket per game they do attend(maybe even discounts offered by the club for long time blues) I don't see why the club couldn't try and encourage a bit of change.