If Chien Lee and Ganaye want to know what we are up against - see Sheffield derby

No that’s just an example, that it can work the other way.

 

Half of the problem with Barnsley, is a good number of our own fans don't stay with us when things aren't great. They all want a piece of it when things are good. (Things are pretty good at the moment, but many won't come until we really look like we're going to be promoted)

We laugh at Leeds and Wendys "massive" mentality, but they are proud of their numbers and being in a decent crowd is part of the matchday experience. Maybe we need a bit of that, rather than waiting until we're doing well.

 

I think there are a number of factors to consider.

Firstly obviously a city the size of Leeds or Sheffield is going to be able to reasonably fill a stadium compared to Barnsley's population.

Secondly you have to consider the disposable income at play... you only have to look at housing prices in Barnsley - you get much more for your money there than you do in Leeds or HD8 where I'm from. I've had to move to Wakefield as I couldnt afford to buy there. I can barely afford to pay my bills let alone fork out for a season ticket and all the associated match day costs to boot.

Thirdly, you have to consider the strategy of the club over the years- people get very irritated when players are sold for a profit and then replaced by younger players who will take 1-2 seasons to come good... only for them themselves to get sold on time and time again. I understand why they have done this, but not everyone will tolerate it.

 

I'm not talking filling the ground mate, just a portion of those that go to Wembley etc. If we could regularly get another few thousand on the gates, I'm sure it would be more attractive to the younger fans and make them want to come back.

 

Yeah I agree... i think decent season ticket deals are the way forward. Get people hooked then steadily increase to the point where it's more profitable again. If you can combine that with someone such as what success Hudds have had over past couple of years then you're laughing.

 

Its not a defeatist statement at all , its factual , Leeds & Sheffield are big cities on our doorstep & villages border between our town & their cities & these villages will have split support , if you want to attract fans , the best way is on the pitch, as have Huddersfield for example .
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Some very valid points and statistical numbers being thrown around but I think one of the major stumbling blocks is the fact that about 5 miles north is a city which hasn't got a football team Wakefield, however trying to get fans crossing the border and supporting a South Yorkshire team when you live in west Yorkshire is a struggle because all the kids etc etc are or want to be Leeds fans. Transport links between the two places isn't the best and as I live in royston I know plenty who follow Leeds but not so many for Sheffield.

 

It's pretty simple in my mind. The things that will attract more fans are:-
A winning team playing fairly attractive football.
Promotion to the Premier League
A pricing structure designed to attract and not deter casual supporters.

 

Couldn't have put it better myself.

 

I live in Featherstone, 15 miles to Elland Rd and 13.7 miles to Oakwell and its far easier to travel to Oakwell and a better ground.

 

I don't agree with this. Our average attendance this season is over eleven and a half thousand. Considering just how bad we've been for the previous 18 months, coupled with us seeing our entire team sold during that period, I think we've retained our support really well. The season ticket renewal process was a mess, many didn't get reminders and the early bird prices ended a month earlier than in previous seasons, we didn't know what division we'd be in before the prices increased and we had a manager who, for many, was the worst appointment we've ever made. He was then sacked, there was an extended period with us having no manager at all, then the announcement of a someone no one had ever heard of. Signings that many believed were necessary were never made, we sold more than we signed, but people have backed the club.

I think we have got a loyal fan-base and that the support has been excellent this season, home and away. For the most part that support has been repaid with good results. Long may that continue.

 

I don’t know the exact numbers - no one does.
But I do know that when I’m in Leeds and Sheffield I don’t see Barnsley shirts.
The reverse of that can’t be said when I’m driving around the Barnsley District.
And that’s my point - before we can achieve the potential of attendances at Barnsley then we have to compete with these clubs.

 

You can see Barnsley Hospital from Denby Dale.
The people that I know from there travel to Barnsley when they go out at night.

My mother is from the Rotherham area - when her family shopped and went our for a drink they went to Barnsley.
Rotherham Council may have emptied their dust bins but they saw Barnsley as their local town.
And this is evident around the edges of the Barnsley District.
During the Premeir promotion year I was spending a lot of time in Hemsworth, Kingsley and Fitzwilliam.
It was surprising to see how many Barnsley flags etc were in people’s front windows.

 

You make a good point about the “glory supporters” long as I’ve been supporting Barnsley, this has been the case. I often heard from people who weren’t true supporters during the premier league season say they only liked going to watch the opposition. We had packed attendances then compared to now

The lower down you go and the less support you get, but this is also the case with bigger clubs like Leeds. I’ve worked there for years and all their supporters say the same when they dropped out of the prem. they’ve only just started filling the ground cause of how well they’re doing

I do believe we have a big core of loyal supporters and to have an average attendance of 11k is impressive considering the size of the town and league were currently in, not to mention our away support which is something to be proud of

 

........ ‘12 coaches this, train full that’

I’m guessing from your post that you are young and you live in or near the centre of Barnsley.

 

Well don't quote numbers then. Simple.

We all want Oakwell to be full every week. All of us without exception.

In terms of this debate, it's just going round in circles.

You will NEVER stop Barnsley people supporting other clubs. Even when we were in the Premier league I had a spare ticket and took a Wednesday fan from from Worsborough.

If we were competing against leeds and Wednesday, don't you think their fans living in Barnsley would enjoy it even more?

You might as well have this debate with Conan. You want all Barnsley people supporting the reds. He want to lessen the crowds by only encouraging labour voters.

Argue it out between yourselves

 

You can see Emley Moor from my house. Should I support Huddersfield?

You saw the flags because we were doing well. When we're not, people don't go. They don't swap clubs, they just find other stuff to do.

 

‘Size of the town’ !?!?!

Again this is being mentioned.
Why !!!

As I and others have said - we have a population of c240,000 with another c100,000 that perceive Barnsley as their local town.

We are NOT a town stuck in the middle of farm fields like most towns are - we are generally surrounded by other conurbations.

Barnsley and the surrounding areas is a hotbed of football support.
There are thousands upon thousands of football fans in that area.

There are about 4 Million people living in this corner of Yorkshire.

So 11,000 gates are relatively poor when you consider this.

As people have said - get success on the field and break the circle of support going to Leeds and Sheffield and there are the ingredients there to make Barnsley a real force in football.

 

I thought support stopped going to Leeds in the 70s, its the pillocks from that era you need to target.

 

I'm not just talking about now. I'm referring to my 40 years as reds fan.

Last time we were in league one we weren't getting these numbers, and we're unbeaten at home and high up the table. Do you think these crowds would have held up if we were struggling?

Our alltime average is around 11k btw. When we've been doing well it's been more, when we've fallen away it's been noticeably less.