Seat Counters 25/26

Obviously it was light years away from our best atmospheres but it was still much better than the Everton game in October. For me, considering that one was a 3pm Saturday game with a far more full stadium than last night, it was an absolute shocker - from both home fans and away fans. Last night, it wasn't too bad in parts and some songs did spread across the ground, plus the Brighton fans were going at it far more than the Everton fans did, despite bringing much smaller numbers
 
I sit halfway up 315 and can concur with this. It’s abysmally designed. Its only saving grace is the price.

Bluemanc100 said:
We're in SS3, 315 near the back and last night I stayed till the end (we usually go at ~87 mins for the following reasons)... It was a proper fucking ballache standing for at least 10 maybe 15 mins on the steps to get down to the exit after movement ground to a halt.. The last stand in the ground to empty yet people moan about early leavers...

Whoever designed SS3 and the expansion is to blame.. One exit at the bottom of blocks that is shared by two blocks just isn't acceptable THEN those who make it to the concourse have to fight to get through a standard sized double door...

Farcical

What I've now decided to do is to move down the stand after 80 mins and sit in a vacant seat till the whistle...

Piss poor planning ruins the experience for some people

I'd hate to think what might happen if there was an atrocity commited up there.. It'd be carnage (and I'm not talking about the concession stand running out of chips)
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Yesterday was a strange one. Wife is Brighton fan and youngest supports Brighton (he is only 6). Eldest is a city fan (aged 10) and bas been since birth really.

We live 20 mins from Brighton and have season tickets at the Amex (hence why I keep banging the drum re van hecke in transfer forum!).

My wife and I previously held season tickets at city prior to the youngest being born. My son’s first game was when he was 18 months v Burnley in the cup. We used to regularly make the trip because we loved it. Even though I have no family connection to Manchester I’ve supported Manchester City for 26 of my 33 years.

Over the past 6 years or so my love for city has been slowly fading. I think it was the super league fiasco or maybe the fact we where unable to get my youngest a season ticket near us three but something in me changed. Rather than force my youngest to follow city I left him to make his own mind and now he has settled on Brighton (understandable really given we watch them a lot).

This brings me to yesterday. Due to cost i reluctantly agreed to watch the match from the away end (I just couldn’t stomach paying the city prices when the away tickets are capped). In total we paid £90 for the four of us to attend. For comparison the last league game we attended at the Etihad was last year against January. Can’t remember exactly what we paid for that but it was around £150 for east stand level 1 and we where surrounded by tourists.

The experience in the away end was miserable. It felt really odd and I didn’t enjoy the game at all. But I will say the atmosphere wasn’t that bad from the city fans within the away section.

The point of this post? After the game my son got a shirt from his fav Brighton player)and now I fear I’ve lost him as a city fan... This made me feel really sad tbh but I can’t blame him. After all this isn’t the same Manchester City I fell in love with.

My first game was with my dad at 10 against Chelsea. We lost 5- 0 but I waited by the coach and met some of the players and got my programme signed. In previous away games with my son we wait by the coach (he insists and I reluctantly agree) and they just ignore all the kids. Don’t even acknowledge them. Breaks my heart. They are kids ffs. When did they become this desensitised or arrogant?

Game that really sticks out was ironically Brighton away (was in away end that day!)few years back. It was a weeknight and city had won the league. Players came out in drabs which meant many players where just sat on a coach for a good 30 mins waiting for their team mates. I just don’t get how they haven’t got it in them to sign a few programmes or have a photo etc. a lot of people waiting where kids from Manchester. Long long trip and the players couldn’t give a toss nor understand the commitment these fans have made. For comparison Brighton players often stop and sign. I know they aren’t “superstars” but if they can I don’t see why the city players can’t.

The difference between communication and community spirit at Brighton and Manchester City is stark. The kids are regularly invited to player signings and you can feel Brighton heavily in the community throughout Sussex. It’s how football should be. At city signing events seem limited to international fans during pre season. These fans seem to get a lot more exposure to city players than the local fans!

And what really sums it all up? As someone who supported city during that period I was really upset the club didn’t do something in regards to Kevin keegan. Just a message and a photo on the board. How hard could that be? (Apologies if I missed something but I was waiting for it and didn’t hear or see anything - I know city did a tweet but that isn’t enough imo)

I hope this doesn’t come across as me saying how great Brighton are and city are shit etc because I don’t mean or want it to. I’m just putting across my experience and how I personally feel right now. I feel the club don’t care about fans like me. But as yesterday shows fans like me will stop going, their kids will never get the city bug and when that happens and the tourists stop the seats will be empty.

The club has lost itself in all its success imo. I will always follow city but I’m not sure I support them anymore (I think that makes sense).

Apologies for long post. It’s been a very reflective period for me and just trying to word it best I can.
 
Bluemanc100 said:
We're in SS3, 315 near the back and last night I stayed till the end (we usually go at ~87 mins for the following reasons)... It was a proper fucking ballache standing for at least 10 maybe 15 mins on the steps to get down to the exit after movement ground to a halt.. The last stand in the ground to empty yet people moan about early leavers...

Whoever designed SS3 and the expansion is to blame.. One exit at the bottom of blocks that is shared by two blocks just isn't acceptable THEN those who make it to the concourse have to fight to get through a standard sized double door...

Farcical

What I've now decided to do is to move down the stand after 80 mins and sit in a vacant seat till the whistle...

Piss poor planning ruins the experience for some people

I'd hate to think what might happen if there was an atrocity commited up there.. It'd be carnage (and I'm not talking about the concession stand running out of chips)
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Always said this.
I also sit at the back of 315 and how it passed H&S is beyond me.
 
chesterbells said:
Agreed. My thoughts in random order are:

1. So what if we don’t sell out every game?
2. Lots of grounds will not have been at capacity for this round of fixtures, so what’s the big deal?
3. The new rules on ticket sharing arrangements from the club haven’t helped.
4. So many games in quick succession straight after Xmas.
5. And for me personally it’s more about the utter lack of well functioning infrastructure in the area. The complaints about trams are on here after every match - and it never gets better and there’s no sign of anything changing at all. Even if you don’t use it you can see the evidence before and after the game with your own eyes when you walk past. On a Saturday I’d generally walk to game but a 7.30 KO makes that tight for people.
6. The ridiculous amount of time it takes to get out of one of the official car parks beyond the Co-op arena.
7. The lack of parking nearby in general.
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Hasn't the club just put on 17 match day bus routes though to help out?
 
DMA's said:
Yesterday was a strange one. Wife is Brighton fan and youngest supports Brighton (he is only 6). Eldest is a city fan (aged 10) and bas been since birth really.

We live 20 mins from Brighton and have season tickets at the Amex (hence why I keep banging the drum re van hecke in transfer forum!).

My wife and I previously held season tickets at city prior to the youngest being born. My son’s first game was when he was 18 months v Burnley in the cup. We used to regularly make the trip because we loved it. Even though I have no family connection to Manchester I’ve supported Manchester City for 26 of my 33 years.

Over the past 6 years or so my love for city has been slowly fading. I think it was the super league fiasco or maybe the fact we where unable to get my youngest a season ticket near us three but something in me changed. Rather than force my youngest to follow city I left him to make his own mind and now he has settled on Brighton (understandable really given we watch them a lot).

This brings me to yesterday. Due to cost i reluctantly agreed to watch the match from the away end (I just couldn’t stomach paying the city prices when the away tickets are capped). In total we paid £90 for the four of us to attend. For comparison the last league game we attended at the Etihad was last year against January. Can’t remember exactly what we paid for that but it was around £150 for east stand level 1 and we where surrounded by tourists.

The experience in the away end was miserable. It felt really odd and I didn’t enjoy the game at all. But I will say the atmosphere wasn’t that bad from the city fans within the away section.

The point of this post? After the game my son got a shirt from his fav Brighton player)and now I fear I’ve lost him as a city fan... This made me feel really sad tbh but I can’t blame him. After all this isn’t the same Manchester City I fell in love with.

My first game was with my dad at 10 against Chelsea. We lost 5- 0 but I waited by the coach and met some of the players and got my programme signed. In previous away games with my son we wait by the coach (he insists and I reluctantly agree) and they just ignore all the kids. Don’t even acknowledge them. Breaks my heart. They are kids ffs. When did they become this desensitised or arrogant?

Game that really sticks out was ironically Brighton away (was in away end that day!)few years back. It was a weeknight and city had won the league. Players came out in drabs which meant many players where just sat on a coach for a good 30 mins waiting for their team mates. I just don’t get how they haven’t got it in them to sign a few programmes or have a photo etc. a lot of people waiting where kids from Manchester. Long long trip and the players couldn’t give a toss nor understand the commitment these fans have made. For comparison Brighton players often stop and sign. I know they aren’t “superstars” but if they can I don’t see why the city players can’t.

The difference between communication and community spirit at Brighton and Manchester City is stark. The kids are regularly invited to player signings and you can feel Brighton heavily in the community throughout Sussex. It’s how football should be. At city signing events seem limited to international fans during pre season. These fans seem to get a lot more exposure to city players than the local fans!

And what really sums it all up? As someone who supported city during that period I was really upset the club didn’t do something in regards to Kevin keegan. Just a message and a photo on the board. How hard could that be? (Apologies if I missed something but I was waiting for it and didn’t hear or see anything - I know city did a tweet but that isn’t enough imo)

I hope this doesn’t come across as me saying how great Brighton are and city are shit etc because I don’t mean or want it to. I’m just putting across my experience and how I personally feel right now. I feel the club don’t care about fans like me. But as yesterday shows fans like me will stop going, their kids will never get the city bug and when that happens and the tourists stop the seats will be empty.

The club has lost itself in all its success imo. I will always follow city but I’m not sure I support them anymore (I think that makes sense).

Apologies for long post. It’s been a very reflective period for me and just trying to word it best I can.
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I'm sorry to hear this mate, unfortunately you're far from the only one who's feels this way.

To add to this, when my lad was in school roughly 15 years ago, his class had 12 City Season ticket holders and 0 Rag season ticket holders.

My mates lad is in school now, he's the only City Season Ticket holder in his whole class. However there are many young lads, who's parents are blues, that go and watch Stockport or Oldham.

We've been arguably the most successful club in the world over the past decade, the fact that we're actively losing our core support is unforgivable.
 
I haven't been since the treble winning season - where I did 6 home games plus Wembley for the semi. I live in Middlesbrough and at the time, didn't drive so was a mad expensive and long day out - especially having to stand on trains for 2.5 hours. Back then, I was already at a tipping point with the pricing and I don't think the club understand (or they take it for granted) the financial and time commitment people have to make to watch the club they love. I've since had a daughter so haven't been since 2023, but to be honest, even if I still lived in Manchester and didn't have a kid, I wouldn't part with the money as it's nowhere near worth the outlay any more - regardless of whether we are winning or not. Sad really as my first game was 1992 vs Spurs with my old Man. He'd hate what it's become.
 
I keep reading about all these European cities with fantastic 24 hours a day transport systems, but I don't think I've been to one of them yet. Where are they all because I've been to most major cities in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal?
 
Stephen230 said:
I keep reading about all these European cities with fantastic 24 hours a day transport systems, but I don't think I've been to one of them yet. Where are they all because I've been to most major cities in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal?
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Munich (Most German cities I expect with a local sports team) include travel on public transport e.g. U Bahn and S Bahn in the price of the match day ticket... it's not rocket science... Their trains etc are light years ahead of ours in terms of frequency and reliability from my experience
 
EastMidlandsBlue said:
I'm sorry to hear this mate, unfortunately you're far from the only one who's feels this way.

To add to this, when my lad was in school roughly 15 years ago, his class had 12 City Season ticket holders and 0 Rag season ticket holders.

My mates lad is in school now, he's the only City Season Ticket holder in his whole class. However there are many young lads, who's parents are blues, that go and watch Stockport or Oldham.

We've been arguably the most successful club in the world over the past decade, the fact that we're actively losing our core support is unforgivable.
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I took a mate last night as my lad couldn't make it.. we both said the same thing... We're falling out of love with the game

Football clubs are partly to blame (especially ours with ticketing and fan support) but the majority of the blame for me lies with the powers that be and the blatant bias, ineptitude or both

The clubs and the people running game do not give a fuck about match going fans as long as their piggy banks are full
 
Wirral Blue8 said:
In terms of people there, it was about 45,000 with about 1000 of those from Brighton. In terms of tickets sold, it will be 51,000
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It just says N/A when I've tried to check. My guess was around 48k. I couldn't see all the stadium from where I was but it wasn't really sparse in my opinion. 5 mins before kick off it was almost empty though, I was a bit nervous then. I've just read that West Ham put 62k as attendance the other night even though only 38'000 passed through the turnstiles.
 
unicorn said:
Spot on.

Two decent teams, Brighton pushed for a winner, missed chances, Academy lad debut, City under lights.

Two good pints of cask before the game in new Head of Steam and Port Street, good chat to fellow Sheffield Blue on train back.

Nothing beats being there. And I had to get the train from Rye in Sussex yesterday morning.
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Same here. Two pints in the Lower Turk's Head listening to Northern Soul classics with lots of other Blues; some scran in Mayor Mackie. A great way to spend a freezing January night. The football could have been better but it was better than staying in listening to build up to World War 3 on the TV.
 
Bluemanc100 said:
Munich (Most German cities I expect with a local sports team) include travel on public transport e.g. U Bahn and S Bahn in the price of the match day ticket... it's not rocket science... Their trains etc are light years ahead of ours in terms of frequency and reliability from my experience
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Local u-bahn and trams can be ok but Deutsche Bahn are a national embarrassment, they’re pretty much seen as one of the, if not the, worst in Europe. Ancient rolling stock, 50% + of intercity trains run late and a huge backlog of infrastructure work not being done.

The uk can’t talk obviously (and we’ve pretty much abandoned using trains for games down from Edinburgh ourselves) but Germany is in an even worse state for a national rail service.
 
Stephen230 said:
I keep reading about all these European cities with fantastic 24 hours a day transport systems, but I don't think I've been to one of them yet. Where are they all because I've been to most major cities in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal?
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You need to get out a bit more. I have travelled extensively on trains across Europe and other countres. The UK is a disgrace, even compared to former Soviet Bloc countries. I have used high speed rail in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Hungary, and more.There are multiple overnight trains, travel times are lower, and so are the fares. Most European football stadia have special buses, late trains, etc after matches. I would say Italy was the worst but still has much later trains than this country. Even Switzerland, which mostly shuts down at 9pm is better than here. I went via Geneva to Berne for our match, The transport was fantastic
 
leithblue said:
Local u-bahn and trams can be ok but Deutsche Bahn are a national embarrassment, they’re pretty much seen as one of the, if not the, worst in Europe. Ancient rolling stock, 50% + of intercity trains run late and a huge backlog of infrastructure work not being done.

The uk can’t talk obviously (and we’ve pretty much abandoned using trains for games down from Edinburgh ourselves) but Germany is in an even worse state for a national rail service.
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Totally disagree about German Railways. They are not as good as they used to be but they are light years better than the UK in every area. Their local, regional, and ICE trains are all better than here for rolling stock. The bigger stations stay open all night with plenty of food and drink. Multiple cities have great U-bahn and -Bahn services.
 
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