I've just spoken to the ticket office, as I have a SC in CBL3 328 and although I was originally relocated to EL3, you can switch back to your usual seat if that block is now open. CBL3 is only open as far as 327, but the lad I spoke to said if I call back in about an hour, 328 will probably be open too.
I've just looked at that Mark Ogden piece - so negative. Normally, I hold back and don't criticise journalists because I know the pressures some of them are on and that some are pushed in certain directions by the editors/directors, but Ogden's often been negative about City. Banning journalists doesn't normally work as, let's face it, if they're being negative when they're getting your free food and drink what are they going to be like when they're outside. But spinning negatives on a night when the attendance - if it's over 48,000 - will be a huge positive and record breaker is unbelievable. I've not gone back before 2008 but only 2 clubs have had League Cup semi finals with higher attendances since then - Arsenal (1) and Utd (including a game where we had lots of fans in 'home' sections).
I posted this earlier on my facebook. Those journalists spreading the negatives should take time, while they're sat in City's excellent press facilities eating the food, drinking the drink and watching the game for free, what fans have to face:
Looking forward to tonight #mcfc v #efc - the attendance is likely to be City's best in the competition since 1975; City's 3rd highest LC crowd of all time (might even be the 2nd highest); the highest cup crowd in the Etihad stadium; highest City home cup crowd since 1981; higher than any League Cup attendance at many clubs, including Chelsea.... I could go on. The point is that considering City are in four major competitions with European trips eating in to already tight post-Christmas budgets and away trips in the FAC; that it's the end of a miserable month that's always difficult to find spare cash in ; that traffic chaos at recent midweek games at both City and United has caused some very real issues for those travelling to games (as stated at MUFC and evidenced at the last City-Everton midweek match) etc. I think it's a brilliant response from fans. Manchester is not the richest city in England and some analysis a few years back showed that City fans are amongst the poorest in the country. So, all in all I think tonight's crowd (if indications that it'll be 48,000 or more are correct) is a positive. I wish the media would recognise what efforts some fans have to go through to be able to afford games, travel, car parking and so on. Sadly, some - who let's remember get to go to these games for free and are given food and drink by the club - make their money by focusing on the negatives.
Where's the "like" button? Great post, Gary.
You can always like it on my facebook where I originally posted it CheersWhere's the "like" button? Great post, Gary.
Brilliant contribution as always Dr James.I've just looked at that Mark Ogden piece - so negative. Normally, I hold back and don't criticise journalists because I know the pressures some of them are on and that some are pushed in certain directions by the editors/directors, but Ogden's often been negative about City. Banning journalists doesn't normally work as, let's face it, if they're being negative when they're getting your free food and drink what are they going to be like when they're outside. But spinning negatives on a night when the attendance - if it's over 48,000 - will be a huge positive and record breaker is unbelievable. I've not gone back before 2008 but only 2 clubs have had League Cup semi finals with higher attendances since then - Arsenal (1) and Utd (including a game where we had lots of fans in 'home' sections).
I posted this earlier on my facebook. Those journalists spreading the negatives should take time, while they're sat in City's excellent press facilities eating the food, drinking the drink and watching the game for free, what fans have to face:
Looking forward to tonight #mcfc v #efc - the attendance is likely to be City's best in the competition since 1975; City's 3rd highest LC crowd of all time (might even be the 2nd highest); the highest cup crowd in the Etihad stadium; highest City home cup crowd since 1981; higher than any League Cup attendance at many clubs, including Chelsea.... I could go on. The point is that considering City are in four major competitions with European trips eating in to already tight post-Christmas budgets and away trips in the FAC; that it's the end of a miserable month that's always difficult to find spare cash in ; that traffic chaos at recent midweek games at both City and United has caused some very real issues for those travelling to games (as stated at MUFC and evidenced at the last City-Everton midweek match) etc. I think it's a brilliant response from fans. Manchester is not the richest city in England and some analysis a few years back showed that City fans are amongst the poorest in the country. So, all in all I think tonight's crowd (if indications that it'll be 48,000 or more are correct) is a positive. I wish the media would recognise what efforts some fans have to go through to be able to afford games, travel, car parking and so on. Sadly, some - who let's remember get to go to these games for free and are given food and drink by the club - make their money by focusing on the negatives.
Well, that's enough seat counting for today. Setting off now for my trip to God's Country to see the mighty Blues, with 3 others in tow.
Let's have it large tonight, sing the Scousers out of town and show 'em that City fight to the fucking end.
Never felt more like singing the Blues..
X
Cheers mate. By bizarre coincidence I'm a season ticket holder in 328 too! Row F. I was relocated to the East but relocated myself to the back of the family stand because I'm taking my lads, and they've been begging to go on the lower tier since they started going. Maybe I'm understimating how many are selling at the stadium right now. I wonder how many a fully staffed ticket office can shift in 5 hours?
It's just mind games
Brilliant contribution as always Dr James.
I'd also say that the people mostly criticising are those like Ogden and his ilk, who get paid to attend games, and those "fans" of other clubs who rarely, if ever, go to games. Real fans, the ones who know about the issues of juggling finances to afford tickets, taking time off work (if they can) and fighting their way through rush-hour traffic, tend to understand the issues that other fans face.
Do you have a link for the Ogden piece. I cant find it.