"Disappointing" attendances

[mancityvstoke]

There was a car on fire on the slip road from the M60 to the 62 after the match. Horrendous traffic but managed to get round it. But again that's nothing to do with transport links to and from the Etihad. Shit happens every day with Britain's shit transport network

Before the game? I heard reports the M62 and M6 were seriously delayed ?

I do have sympathy for City fans who live a long way from Manchester for some games especially rearranged. Going to aways midweek means taking time off work etc.

 

[BELFAST_BLUE_BOY]

A few reasons why numbers low last night.... cost at £50 plus travel and parking... traffic in and around Manchester is now totally shite....roadworks, new systems pot holes....trains are non existent ...it was also half term so people away with families...weather was really shite...it was a re arranged time for the game....Coronavirus scaremongering....it was on tv...league has gone so nowt to play for....real genuine fans who go for football now priced out, they are not the customers clubs want. From chatting to lads who have been going years alot cheesesd off now and leaving cup scheme as no benefit as cannot get away tickets due to shite allocations.....almost forgot VAR, were a fan at home watching gets to know if a goal before a fan sitting in stadium freezing his nuts off...

I have been in cup scheme 15 years but due to all above thinking seriously about cancelling next season....convince me otherwise?

 

[paulchapo]

Football isn’t about winning trophies, or even winning matches.

Football is about pride in your local club representing where you come from, the camaraderie amongst the fanbase, the day out, the piss-up, the atmosphere, and if you happen to win that’s just a bonus.

We’ve forgotten that that’s what football is about.

It used to be but I think the demographic of football fans has changed and is changing. Years ago football was played on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm, it rarely changed. MOTD used to be one game and when Sunday afternoon football on ITV started that used to be one game from the regional area and a few highlights from another one. No 24/7 sky, no instant internet, no live tv games except for the fa cup final and internationals. People could just go to any ground in the country, queue up, pay and go for in. No memberships, purchase history required. Going to the game was a big event, if you missed it that was it. No streams or watching the goals on YouTube. Around this grew the loyalty and habit of today's fans, many of whom will be 60+ now.

Today's kids have got numerous distractions and can watch loads of games live online and tv. They can't just decide last minute to hop on a bus, queue up, pay in and watch a game. They have to be registered and a member. Today is all about face and image online so lots will veer towards the most successful sides. Clubs are not even calling fans fans anymore but customers. Football has now been sanitised so much from when I started going it is unrecognisable and that sense of belonging, edge,fun, even danger and camaraderie has as good as gone.

Success for ourselves has in some sense changed us too. We still have the absolute hard core who will turn up come what may and with one or two exceptions that was probably our crowd last night. It was a night game, shit weather, rearranged, dead rubber and coming in an expensive period. Many called it would be a bore and that's what it was. West Ham came just to avoid a hammering and we just wanted three points. Once they were assured we went into preserving energy mode. Understandable but boring nonetheless.

Like it or lump it fan's will pick and choose games these days. If we are competing for the title every game is important and will be full or as good as. 22 points behind and with the top four as good as assured people will swerve league games and save their money for cup games we can still win a trophy in. People can stamp their feet all they like but that's the reality.

 

[Gingers Dad]

Before the game? I heard reports the M62 and M6 were seriously delayed ?

I do have sympathy for City fans who live a long way from Manchester for some games especially rearranged. Going to aways midweek means taking time off work etc.

Don't know mate I used the A roads to get there. I have the same sympathys for drivers and I'm glad I don't drive very often to the match. I much prefer using public transport and having a few beers. The way people on here go on about it you'd think the Etihad was in the middle of nowhere when it's a brisk walk into town

 

[OllyMCFC]

I wish people would give there tickets away. If you can’t make it like last night, let someone else go for free you don’t lose anything.
It’s not hard to ring the ticket office and request a printable ticket and then email that to someone’s who can make it.

There’s no shortage of people that’ll take it for nothing.

 

[Bozo]

Did 6 hour round trip to support the club, but the season is in a nothing limbo, it now feels pointless, what exactly are we playing for in the league. It's a big ask to expect people to pay 50 quid for a nothing game. Feel totally cheated to be honest.

Was better when Pearce was in charge, used to love that rush I got fighting for 14th place.

 

[saleblue67]

Normally with you on just about every post you make mate, but not this. I was missing last night, cos I have a 500 mile round trip for home games that always involves me having to take 2 days off work for midweekers, something that I just cannot do at 7 days notice. My eldest lad flew the flag for the family last night. It took him an hour and a half to get from Warrington to Manchester by car, he got to the ground about 10 mins after kick off and then found himself in a 25 minute queue to get in via the totally inadequate one “late” turnstile City had open, despite it being well known by that stage that traffic into Manchester from the South and the West had been so awful that many Blues apparently gave it up as a bad job and went home. Chuck in a daft 19:30hrs kick off and last night’s circumstances were the perfect storm for a low attendance.

Understand that you can't make it from Exeter and others from afar. My experience: Took me 1 hour 15 mins from Sale; arrived outside Stadium at kick-off; no queue to get in (and at no turnstile did I see a queue of more than a few - from N to Z); I was in a large jam on M60 from Cheadle to Denton and then again on Hyde Road to the ground but at no point did I think of giving up and I have to say I don't know anyone who would sack it off (ended up missing only 50 secs as parking off Ashton Old Road was a piece-of-piss due to low turnout); left work early; took daughter (school night); was in pain throughout having sustained a nasty injury on Tuesday evening. All that despite, as some are saying, "season is pointless" now. Point I'm making is that I had many excuses not to go but to me that would be unthinkable. As Pep said last night we've won the last 5 trophies that we've entered and we're going for the sixth - I just want to drink it all in. Can't wait for Wembley. CTID

 

[citymad]

Talking of younger fans, with us being in the headlines for the wrong reasons it will bound to affect the mind of any youngsters decision to become a City fan, which is another why its important to get this ban overturned.

 

[kinky's boots]

Any traffic issues last night were due to general Manchester traffic problems. Not good if people missed the match but shit happens. You're going to get that sort of problem wherever the ground is situated. Road infrastructure around the Etihad is fine

I travelled from Blackpool last night and it was a nightmare- the M61 was horrific, I counted 4 accidents. It took me 2 hours to get there

 

[Mike Brock]

Football isn’t about winning trophies, or even winning matches.

Football is about pride in your local club representing where you come from, the camaraderie amongst the fanbase, the day out, the piss-up, the atmosphere, and if you happen to win that’s just a bonus.

We’ve forgotten that that’s what football is about.

Spot on