A couple of thoughts from last night

Does the people of Barnsley want a Championship team to support.The home attendance of 7.700 fans is quite shameful for a team playing in one of the best leagues in Europe.

David Perkins,for all his doubters, the man shows week in week out that he is a Championship player on merit.Absolutely outstanding last night.

 

Not sure Brian but here's a few reason why people might not have been last night : -

1. It's the first of back to back home games which would mean anyone without a ST or membership would be paying approx £48 for both games.

2. It was miserable so anyone without a ticket probably thought 'screw that i'll stay in and put mi feet up'.

3.We were playing Palace and Forest is probably more attractive

4. Most people have Saturday's off so can get to a game more easily.

5. We are in the middle of the worst recession this country's ever seen and for many people Football has become an obsession they have just had to let go ....


I'm not making excuses just guessing. I think the price for the game last night was spot on & therefore attended myself. I won't be going on Saturday as I won't pay that much to watch a game at Oakwell.
Judging by what I saw last night I think Keith Hill is doing a great job considering the lack of support he's getting from the boardrom and the stands for whatever reason.

 

I would add to that, our inability to put a string of wins together that would get people really sitting up and taking notice. That's not a criticism, Its my opinion and one that's often heard from regulars and non attenders alike.

 

to be fair it doesn't just look like it's us according to Look North Leeds also had their lowest crowd of the season.

 

Our home support is embarrassing regardless of what the club does to bring the stay away fans back. I just wish that a few thousand more would invest in the club and help 'our' team to make the next step. Longer term I think it will be one of the reasons why we lose Hill.

 

I called for a pint after the game and this bloke said to me,"have yer been down there" i replied yes and his reply was "tha must be daft,I've watched a game on telly seen Barnsley result and had a good drink".If thats what we're up against lord help us.

 

I've a mate used to be a ST holder,he now seems happier to pay Murdoch 50 odd quid a month because he can watch some other team playing every night of the week............very strange

 

Even stranger I pay Murdoch his 50 odd quid a month and still go to Oakwell. There were times last night I questioned why I was there and then up pops David Perkins with a peach of a goal and I knew that nowt on the box was going to make me feel like that.

 

I think the main factor is simply our results. If we went on a 10 match winning run and were near top of the league, i'm sure people would find the money to go.

The trouble is inconsistency, we beat Birmingham 5-0, then lose afterwards.

People don't want to pay if they are unsure weather its gonna be a good match or not.

 

Someone said last night that we hadn't had back to back wins since December , if true, theres your answer

 

1) Same way you can say no home game for three weeks so three weeks to find 17 quid to go last night.

2) It wasn't miserable. It wasn't cold last night or misty or pouring down. Pretty decent night weather wise.

3) That's true. Due to the miners background it's usually up there with Yorkshire derbies for match atmosphere.

4) That's true. More so people not wanting their kids up until after 10 on a school night.

5) Also true. Football is a luxary and not something that clubs should just expect people to pay out for.

 

Depression, not recession.

 

We're not going to go on a winning run though are we? We've got a sqaud assembled on probably the smallest budget in the league, trying to turn League One players into Championship performers, competing against millions of quid every week. Fans saying 'I'll go when they start doing well etc', well the only way we will do well is if fans turn up in bigger numbers and increase the revenue! I hear all the financial arguments and yes everone's struggling and yes everyone's family comes first and no, maybe the club haven't convinced you personally that your hard earned cash should go on football but hey, we are playing good football at a good standard, so if you want to watch Barnsley in the Championship, now is the time. It was reasonably priced last night, so was Peterborough, but still desperately low crowds. I know of Barnsley fans who haven't attended those two games because of the weather/champions league/standard of opposition/cant be bothered. With THAT attitude, no, we don't deserve a Championship team. Fincancial arguments fair enough. Any excuse under the sun arguments not fair enough.

 

Don't think you can underestimate how many people can't make a night match because of work commitments and kids, or that its the first of two back to back matches and Saturdays are easier.Dreamboys argument that people have had three weeks to save £17 (was it £17 quid on the gate) doesn't hold up as its not just £17 quid is it its £17 plus Saturdays,also for alot of people its not just one person its plus kids.
For me a more worrying thing would be the fact that football is not first and foremost anymore, when I was a kid we lived for football but a lot of that age group now its irrelevent something to take or leave.
Its also very glib to say people don't deserve a club just be grateful that you are one of the lucky ones who can afford it (for arguments sake I can btw) because to a lot of people its an expensive luxury at the moment, doesn't mean that they can't take an interest in or be proud of the club!

 

15 years of mediocrity with a couple of minor happy moments

Despite what the regular attenders see as a "gradual improvement", "fighting above our weight", "playing the best football in ages", the stay away supporters will give us a cursory glance each weekend and simply see that we are still struggling somewhere near the bottom of the championship and havent a cat in hells chance of getting in the Premiership. In reality, nowt much has changed in donkeys years and I guess they are waiting until it does.

Maybe December will change their perception.

 

Re: 15 years of mediocrity with a couple of minor happy moments

I know this is a radical thought but , have you ever thought about the fact you are moaning on here to people that already go to Oakwell(well 99% anyway)?
Tell it to the ones that are not going, you are preaching to the already converted here!

 

That's probably bang on the money