support the team (4 Viewers)

[skyblue.boycie]

After all the musical chairs in the boardroom of late and the international break it seems ages since we last had a chance to watch the sky blues in action. It would be great to see a good turnout on saturday. Not because David Dickinson (Ken Dulieu) or SISU or Leonard Brody (the yank that can communicate on twitter,to a degree) but because the team need us and thats where our focus must be over the next few days. Bring your anti SISU banners but above all support the lads wearing OUR shirt. PUSB.

 

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[TheSnoz]

Boycie, dead right. One very astute poster (I can't be bothered to look through the piles of threads for it) made a big point- if 22,000 fans turned up every game we wouldn't be in this mess. I agree with that 100%.
But they don't. Instead they throw their toys out of the pram at every turn. I read a lot on here about 'fans' turning their back on the club, not renewing/not going to games etc etc. Don't those missing fans realise that without them the club are nothing? That if they invest in the club the team will get better. I hear plenty of moans about SISU don't invest, (and I'm not defending them) what about you stay aways investing on a Saturday afternoon?
We have a loyal band of hardcore fans and I salute them. A bloke near to me travels from Wales each game, he's 84. Yet some of the biggest moaners here don't or rarely go anymore. It ain't rocket science.

 

[hackneyfox]

One very astute poster (I can't be bothered to look through the piles of threads for it) made a big point- if 22,000 fans turned up every game we wouldn't be in this mess. I agree with that 100%.

That was me, that was.

Says it all really.

 

[CovLis86]

You do realise that even if we had 22,000 every game, we still would be losing money right?
23 home games a season, 8,000 extra fans per game makes 184,000. 184,000 x £20 = 3.68 million.
An apparent loss of anywhere between 4 - 8 million. Not to mention the fact that we probably dont get £20 of each ticket sold.

Dont get me wrong, I know it would be a massive help. But it isnt the only issue here by any stretch.

 

[sky_blue_up_north]

Thing is success on the field leads to higher gates, we have been starved of success for 25 years, not a sausage, not even close to anything, what do expect. I can remember Old Trafford having 25K for home game during their period in the second division. Get a winning side and the gates will improve

 

[coundonskyblue]

05/06 21301
06/07 20342
07/08 19123

The extra fans made a massive difference those seasons!

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

Biggest gate of season against Leeds. City flying high at top of table, thousands flock to watch. City blow it!! Don't get me wrong it was good for the neutral and the team were unlucky but I think that was a major turning point for the season...

Remember that massive shirt?

 

[coundonskyblue]

Biggest gate of season against Leeds. City flying high at top of table, thousands flock to watch. City blow it!! Don't get me wrong it was good for the neutral and the team were unlucky but I think that was a major turning point for the season...

Remember that massive shirt?

Exactly, we never win when we get big crowds. I'm pretty sure there was a stat that showed the 10 biggest crowds at the Ricoh, and we had only won 1. We stand more chance of staying up with 15k up there for the rest of the season.

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

Exactly, we never win when we get big crowds. I'm pretty sure there was a stat that showed the 10 biggest crowds at the Ricoh, and we had only won 1. We stand more chance of staying up with 15k up there for the rest of the season.

I think there's a danger of misinterpretation here.

Our bigger gates tend to come against the bigger, more successful teams. Are we saying that we lost in the cup against Chelsea because the crowd was 31,000 or because they were better than us????

I'll be there for all the remaining games. I'm 100% sure that the bigger the crowds, the better our chances of staying up.

 

[coundonskyblue]

I know what your saying about the better clubs attracting the bigger crowds, but I honestly think the slow start against Leeds was due to the big crowd. The players seemed to be affected by it.

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

I think there's a danger of misinterpretation here.

Our bigger gates tend to come against the bigger, more successful teams. Are we saying that we lost in the cup against Chelsea because the crowd was 31,000 or because they were better than us????

I'll be there for all the remaining games. I'm 100% sure that the bigger the crowds, the better our chances of staying up.

A wise man, I share your opinion on both poth points.

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

I think you have a point with the Leeds game, but I think that was more due to 6k noisey Leeds fans.

I can't see any of our remaining opponents bringing serious numbers this season so I think bigger crowds would help - with the proviso of course that we actually support the team.

 

[coundonskyblue]

I don't disagree with what your saying on individual games, my original point was just that the first three years the Ricoh was there we did get good crowds. During that time nothing changed at the club so its a little unfair to blame the fans. I think a lot of the lost fans saw the Ricoh opening as a new start for the club and were willing to give the club a second chance, but they blew it.

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

I'd agree with that.

I think that one of the problems with the Ricoh is that we have few "special memories" of games there.

If I think of Highfield Road, I think of Tommy Hutch's debut (obviously), Ferguson 4 Ipswich 1, 5-4 against Norwich, beating Liverpool with 10 men etc etc.

Not too many of those at the Ricoh.

 

[TheSnoz]

Fans seem to think that the team will somehow get better without them being there. The 'I'll go when they get better' mode of thinking. A sort of arms crossed entertain me approach. But how on earth does a club bring in better players without the finance that better crowds bring? Sure we've had many years of let downs, but for a city the size of Coventry our crowds are pretty pathetic - since about 1975. Those missing fans have let the club down over those years
I've read the posts here and they seem indifferent to the club's plight in the main - let 'them' sort it out kind of thinking. Not them - the stay away supporters.
People keep saying in the past few days that the club has no assets - isn't it about time we saw ourselves - us/you & me - as assets. We're the biggest assets. Time to back the club with a show of solidarity, it might just help them and our team.

 

[rob9872]

ALL clubs see an upturn in crowds when they relocate to a new stadium. That's when you require success to sustain it. Not only do you have the honeymoon period, but it will also be a popular choice for away fans to travel to and another to 'tick off' their visited grounds list. I don't attend every away game and its when time/finance permits, but I do like to try and visit as many grounds that I've not been to before so only natural.

We have to remember that it's the ground size and not the fans really as we were never well supported at HR, it just felt fuller and generated a better atmosphere.

Whoever further up said that 8k extra per game, calculated at £20 per ticket, but it's not that much as many are concessions. However, we shouldn't need that many now as the wage bill with some high earners off the list should now be more in line with our budget and less revenue required for a breakeven position

 

[Nick]

I wish they would do something like Derby with their phone contract and season ticket.

They still get the money but it masks it and I think would sell a lot more.

 

[hackneyfox]

However, we shouldn't need that many now as the wage bill with some high earners off the list should now be more in line with our budget and less revenue required for a breakeven position

Perhaps rather than slashing wages (buying poorer players) to hit the breakeven position you should ensure that your breakeven position matches having a decent squad and work towards that by attracting more fans in.
This idea that everything will be rosy when you are no longer losing money is bollocks.
Well it is if it means that you have a squad with everyone on £750 a week.

 

[rob9872]

If it takes a relegation and having everyone on £750 per week so that we can hold onto the Connor Thomas's and Keiren Westwoods in future then I would take it over this parenial struggle of everytime we build something it is knocked over.

And we can forget filling the ground without Premier League football. We have to face the reality that we are not a well supported club.

Even your Leicester Hackers are averaging 23k in a 32k stadium. I agree its way above ours but when you think of the investment and the players that you have not to mention better results and higher league position, then I think we know how many of you would be up there in our position. I'm sure a great investment in the side and the stadium would help but chicken and egg so unless there are some mega rich fools who want to buy in, then we're stuck with little choice.

 

[hackneyfox]

Our stadium is a millstone around our necks apparently.