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

[squirtyflower]

Two years ago an audit of season ticket holders highlighted that 70.6 percent of season ticket holders were from Greater Manchester.

That leaves 11k of the 36,500 travelling a significant distance, into manchester on night matches to be able to attend the match. It must be extremely difficult for the vast majority of those to attend (this includes myself) and as yet we do not have vast numbers of infrequent to fill the gaps. Usually we have around 90k different fans attending over the course of a year.

I completely agree even those outside Mcr are predominantly Mancunian. We have not gained large numbers of supporters from further afield as the choice of a team is a childhood choice and based on 4/5 years of success those who do follow us will not be old enough to travel themselves.

interestingly, statistically Tameside has the highest proportion, per head of population of city season ticket holders than anywhere else in the world, 1 in 53.

That was down to me working in Tameside for 13 years mate

But fair play to you and everyone else who travels half of England to watch City

 

[Chris in London]

Two years ago an audit of season ticket holders highlighted that 70.6 percent of season ticket holders were from Greater Manchester.

That leaves 11k of the 36,500 travelling a significant distance, into manchester on night matches to be able to attend the match. It must be extremely difficult for the vast majority of those to attend (this includes myself) and as yet we do not have vast numbers of infrequent to fill the gaps. Usually we have around 90k different fans attending over the course of a year.

I completely agree even those outside Mcr are predominantly Mancunian. We have not gained large numbers of supporters from further afield as the choice of a team is a childhood choice and based on 4/5 years of success those who do follow us will not be old enough to travel themselves.

interestingly, statistically Tameside has the higyhest proportion, per head of population of city season ticket holders than anywhere else in the world, 1 in 53.

Stockport, surely?

 

[Stevieatlasblue]

I don't understand why fans go early..pay to watch the match then leave 10 mins to go..pointless.

 

[arfurclue]

Besides the fact that the whole statement tells a different story...it would seem that Pep speaking of City fans letting go of an anti champions league sentiment, is pretty much the same as someone suggesting to the dippers that they should let go of their candles and victim mentality...great idea, but probably not going to happen.

 

[philiph20]

Two years ago an audit of season ticket holders highlighted that 70.6 percent of season ticket holders were from Greater Manchester.

That leaves 11k of the 36,500 travelling a significant distance, into manchester on night matches to be able to attend the match. It must be extremely difficult for the vast majority of those to attend (this includes myself) and as yet we do not have vast numbers of infrequent to fill the gaps. Usually we have around 90k different fans attending over the course of a year.

I completely agree even those outside Mcr are predominantly Mancunian. We have not gained large numbers of supporters from further afield as the choice of a team is a childhood choice and based on 4/5 years of success those who do follow us will not be old enough to travel themselves.

interestingly, statistically Tameside has the highest proportion, per head of population of city season ticket holders than anywhere else in the world, 1 in 53.

Interesting information thanks, I bet there are plenty of season ticket holders just outside Greater Manchester in places like High Peak, Lancashire, Cheshire so the percentage of season ticket holders living in say a 30 mile radius of the Etihad would be over 80%.

I rarely see any City shirts in towns across the UK outside GM and as you suggested most are probably Manc exiles, some clubs do have large pockets of fans in strange areas usually because it is the home town of a famous ex player i.e. The filth in Barnsley possibly because of Tommy Taylor, Wrexham is full of them possibly because of Les, lots of Evertonians in North Wales possibly due to the proximity to Liverpool and Neville Southall and Kevin Ratcliffe, Leeds used too and still might have strong support in South Wales almost certainly because of John Charles and to a lesser extent Garry Sprake and Terry Yorath, we tend not too although there has always been a small but loyal following from Cheltenham and Gloucester and the East Midlands for some reason.

 

[franksinatra]

Funnily enough, fella, I posted something very similar a while after. SKy made football an armchair sport. Legions of young glory hunters around the country (and the world) have been attaching themselves to United, Arsenal and Liverpool for the reflected canned glory for 25 years. Those clubs will have exactly the same percentage of non-attendees for midweek cup games as we have, but these plastic fans will do one or two games a season and increase their attendances in the less appealing games. We are gaining these fans but haven't gained enough yet to add 20k to the gate in a low-demand televised game. It will happen, and Pep will make it happen.

It really is at at all scientific, but my 8 year old casually announced tonight that his best friend has changed from Liverpool to City this week. And I don't live in Manchester anymore. The Pep effect...

Its acorns and oak trees mate. This club has been absolutely propelled over the past 7 years and although we have grown substantially in every facet as a club growing a fanbase takes a little bit longer.

We have started from a great base having a loyal and large fanbase but we need the next generation of blues to come through. Unless you had family reasons it would be difficult to think of why any kid would choose City in the late 90/00s. Being a quirky club, which regularly messes up, and grabs defeat from the jaws of victory hardly resonates with a 6 year old whos mates are off to the latest United trophy parade.

It is changing. Being down south the sports shops all sell City stuff now and its not that unique to see a City shirt in a park. Just going to take a bit of time.

 

[franksinatra]

Stockport, surely?

Its close mate but could never match Tameside. 1 in 55 based on the 2011 census

 

[franksinatra]

That was down to me working in Tameside for 13 years mate

But fair play to you and everyone else who travels half of England to watch City

Come on mate everybody wants to say there from Tameside but just working there does not count.

Ive done the hard yards so not missing out now or letting a bit of travel stop me. Im also lucky as my enployer (local authority) is pretty flexible. It must be horrendois for those with limited holidays. Hats off to them

 

[meltonblue]

I live in Nottinghamshire and know a few st holders over here, including my sons teacher at the village primary school (he's her favourite pupil as a consequence!).

In terms of the booing of the anthem, I'm of the mindset of if our board is over it, and see Europe as a big deal, then considering everything they've done for the club, I don't see it as much of a sacrifice to make the effort for the CL as much as the PL.

As much as I'm not a fan of some aspects of the competition, there's a lot about UEFA that could be equally levelled at the premier league - implementing that did just as much, if not more, to create disparity in the game.

Cost and travel, absolutely are valid reasons and ones that apply to me too. Dislike of uefa or the competition though, I think we are in danger of having our cake and eating it...

 

[Blue Coop]

I'm down in Essex now with my ST but don't get back for every single game and left the cup schemes for midweek games.