Pep: 'The players deserve a full stadium, we need our fans!'

[philiph20]

It is weird our fanbase at the moment. I do think a certain level of apathy has developed as fans are now so used to success. Strange example but last year we couldn't fill the academy stadium for the youth cup final yet 10 years about 20k turned up for when we beat chelsea. You then look at games like Hamburg and Newcastle in 2004 when where the Etihad was filled to the brim and extremely hostile. You don't see that anymore.

Cost is certainly a major reason and probably why I wont be going to the Barce game.

Also while the club has tried to improve the 'match day experience' it has certainly sanitised the experience which i'm sure has put of a lot of the old hard core. Probably the biggest reason why the crowds are so poor in cups imo

The home gates in the FA cup are actually really impressive and have been in the last 4 or 5 years sell outs or very close.

 

[Georgian Maestro]

Weird!

Bournemouth at home on Saturday, and it will sell out. 54,000+. Especially after tonight's performance.

Expect the odd remaining seats in each block to go over the coming days.

Does that include ticket exchange?

 

[Metalartin]

I don't think he was talking about tonight, nor was he criticising he was appealing, he wants a full crowd and he wants everyone to enjoy the Champions League... it comes from a good place.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Set the price right and the fans will come. Keep playing like that and the fans will come.
As to Booing - nah the changes being proposed by UEFA need to be condemned so it will continue a bit longer.

 

[dubblue]

Very good point about our weird fan base and the example of the youth cup final. I do actually think City fans generally are very individualistic and very cynical, we don't lap everything up like other fan bases, we question a lot, we are quite bleak and fatalistic and a million miles from lemmings at other clubs, we are not mawkish or flamboyant, we don't strut around or give it the big one, we are different whether that is a good thing or a bad thing I don't know.

I like this post and it's a good thing City fans are like this.

 

[philiph20]

He's right. Our Champions League support isn't good enough, however those who did make the effort tonight were superb 2nd half.

For those saying that it was priced fairly, it's worth considering that although it was, a lot of fans will prefer to overpay for Barcelona tickets and therefore not be able to afford tonight.

It stings a bit as fans when you're told your not good enough, and there's a case to be made that Pep shouldn't be calling fans out. But he's right, the support isn't good enough in the Champions League.

A lot of blues just don't like this competition, I bet at least a third if not more of season ticket holders don't attend CL games.

 

[Cobwebcat]

The only thing left that needs improving is us. Face it.

It's only a guess but I think what made us great is costing us now. Hard core of loyal support in the dark days now in their fifties and sixties won't give up their season tickets but moan when they go and can't be bothered half the time.

Club realise they must attract the youngsters and it is working slowly, much to the annoyance of some fogies who see the efforts as blatant commercialism or cheesey.

I still believe that some fans are annoyed there is so little to moan about as that's what attracted them to us in the first place.

The away support is fine. Home support is crap. We need new blood and in the meantime Pep is right to put a rocket up the rest of us. It's time to stop congratulating ourselves on our past loyalty when we were crap and start to back the team now the future has never been brighter.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

It is weird our fanbase at the moment. I do think a certain level of apathy has developed as fans are now so used to success. Strange example but last year we couldn't fill the academy stadium for the youth cup final yet 10 years about 20k turned up for when we beat chelsea. You then look at games like Hamburg and Newcastle in 2004 when where the Etihad was filled to the brim and extremely hostile. You don't see that anymore.

Cost is certainly a major reason and probably why I wont be going to the Barce game.

Also while the club has tried to improve the 'match day experience' it has certainly sanitised the experience which i'm sure has put of a lot of the old hard core. Probably the biggest reason why the crowds are so poor in cups imo

to a certain level i agree, especially with the youth cup final. then again the youth team now is full of international players, perhaps fans dont feel the same connection with the team ? the hamburg game was cheap, thats why it was amazing, large groups of fans going together and singing. i literally think its just cost, I went tonight and I'm going against celtic, but the barca game is to expensive for me. make it really cheap and wed sell out no problem imo. the sanitized experience is an excuse imo, its up to the fans to make it good and get behind the team, we managed it tonight.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Is anyone else as anxious as me at what the rags at work are going to say about this tomorrow?

 

[goalmole]

To be honest I think evyone wants a solution, the fans, Pep, the players, the club. Nothing's impossible to solve and it needs a solution but that's only possible if the problem is evident and then discussed at all levels. There's so many varying points on here that there's no one singular cause that jumps out. If it's solely down to cost then that's the negotiation required with the club. Negotiate to lower the prices or offer other incentives as no doubt the club would prefer every seat filled and spending at the stadium but somehow I can't see it being that simple.

I don't think one below par attendance is going to cause major ripples because our Prem matches are usually sold out. The club, or any business for that matter, will charge the maximum they feel people are willing to pay. If people pay it every match of every season then they can't complain if the clubs don't drop their ticket prices. I can't and I won't. I'll go as often as I feel I can but other priorities must come first. Perhaps it will get to that stage where a lot more people will be thinking like that. Only then will it change. I'm not talking about just City by the way. All league football clubs are as bad when it comes to fleecing their fans.