That's how it is these days mate, back in the day we used to go and watch Stockport County Friday night then City Saturday... Modern football is on a different planet compared to the old days but I can't say the same about the match going experience... :-(Agreed. But when thousands of locals would rather support the Rags or Dippers than a team a few miles away what can you do? I'm on holiday near Stratford and although there's plenty of local clubs all I've seen are Liverpool and the odd Rag shirt.
That's how it is these days mate, back in the day we used to go and watch Stockport County Friday night then City Saturday... Modern football is on a different planet compared to the old days but I can't say the same about the match going experience... :-(
The EFL need to wake up before it's too late. Start the lower league seasons on 1st June and run them to Easter. Get football fans in during the summer evenings, 2 games a week, not everyone wants cricket. In August/September, reorganise and seed the first stages of the League Cup into mini-groups of 4 guaranteeing home legs against a team in the top 2 divisions.The lower clubs have suffered from the saturation of football on tv. Say City were away years ago and you couldn't go, you might take in a local game. Now you can stay at home and watch two live premier league games on tv on a Saturday and two on a Sunday , sometimes more. Even if you don't subscribe to sky you can buy a 24 hour or a weekend pass which will only cost you the same as a lower league game, especially if you add on travelling costs. Lot's of kids too will watch it on tv and want the kudos of being associated with a top team even if it is only wearing the shirt.
I'm not sure how lower clubs can survive on 3,000 gates indefinitely and I fear more clubs may disappear in the future.
I made a point in the “American Sports Teams” thread in Off Topic the other day that if people were loyal to their local team, the team from the town or city that represents you as a person more than anything (more than you’re country does), then it might make them more successful or less likely to go out of business.I live near Bolton, and most of them don't support Bolton, it's mostly utd and Liverpool. They have potentially got a large fan base, I believe it's the biggest town in england, but they're all glory hunters.
Totally agree mate, very good points you make and so true of the modern era ...The lower clubs have suffered from the saturation of football on tv. Say City were away years ago and you couldn't go, you might take in a local game. Now you can stay at home and watch two live premier league games on tv on a Saturday and two on a Sunday , sometimes more. Even if you don't subscribe to sky you can buy a 24 hour or a weekend pass which will only cost you the same as a lower league game, especially if you add on travelling costs. Lot's of kids too will watch it on tv and want the kudos of being associated with a top team even if it is only wearing the shirt.
I'm not sure how lower clubs can survive on 3,000 gates indefinitely and I fear more clubs may disappear in the future.
Maine Road only had a capacity of 34K when we were in the third tier.I made a point in the “American Sports Teams” thread in Off Topic the other day that if people were loyal to their local team, the team from the town or city that represents you as a person more than anything (more than you’re country does), then it might make them more successful or less likely to go out of business.
I’m not saying it wouldn’t happen at all, some clubs are ran terribly no matter what their fan base size is - look at City from the late ’70s, also Leeds Newcastle and Sunderland...
But if all the glory hunters who support United and Liverpool (more United shirts sold in Cardiff than Cardiff one year and more Liverpool shirts sold in Bristol than either Bristol clubs one year) from big towns and cities like Bolton Bristol Plymouth Cardiff Reading etc. then I reckon they would be in much healthier positions as a rule (with maybe the odd anomalies).
Plus the more fans you have the more you can group together and have something like a fan pressure group or even a fan takeover.
In Ireland. If everyone supported their local football teams, Ireland would definitely have a stronger league. There’s absolutely no reason why Dublin or Belfast shouldn’t have a football team that gets into the Champions League group stages like teams from other leagues that aren’t one of the top ones like Czeckia Romania Hungary Scotland etc.
People from Dublin or Bolton don’t support the Brazil or Germany national teams so why don’t they support their town/city’s teams?
People will probably think that is insular or an old fashioned way of thinking, but surely it makes sense in the train of thought of bigger core local fan base will see a club in a better position?
Saying that even clubs from bigger cities with bigger fanbases than Bolton have their fare share of fair weather fans. Look at Sheff Utd - they averaged 19000 in the third tier and now there are 30000 of them turning up now they’re in the Prem. If City and Sunderland and even Norwich can get 26-32000 average attendances in the third tier why didn’t Sheff Utd?
Even City. 54000 go to games now, almost double than what came back when we were in the third tier. The tourists weren’t turning up to be counted on to see Lee Crooks and Neil Heaney and they wouldn’t be here to be counted on if we ever find ourselves struggling again.
yes......building the singing in the rain stands because demand was so high........could have sold many more.Maine Road only had a capacity of 34K when we were in the third tier.
People move from one city or town to another and take their support of their home town team with them. Not many people swap countries.
Also a town like Bolton has a high level of Asian folk living there - are they interested? Have they been excluded?
I live near Bolton, and most of them don't support Bolton, it's mostly utd and Liverpool. They have potentially got a large fan base, I believe it's the biggest town in england, but they're all glory hunters.