according to ITV attendance 37,500 - FA Cup Third round at home with 15,000 EMPTY seats

Well there you go Freddie - he MUST be a tad concerened.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Answers

Pete, Why are you blaming Freddie??

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

That was the highest attendance for the 3rd round. Which begs the question how many did the mackems have in their ground?

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

I might be wrong, but if it was live on TV, then many of the ST holders would just stay at home, maybe as many as 15000. So perhaps Freddie and the boys could do better and drop the prices considerably for kids and allow 15000 the chance to see a live game. Fifteen thousand kids in seats at a fiver is more than 15000 empty for nowt. Just a thought.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

The mackems amassed 30,000 for their (non-televised) game yesterday - they were only playing fabled mackem-slayers, Crystal Palace, mind.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

The factor your obviously overlooking, Pete-i-C, is that your marketing strategy requires a full nano-second of careful consideration for the punters.
'No-go' area that one!

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Aye Clarky, you're right. Just what was I thinking??

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Not bad under the circumstances, tho' it wuda been nice to flog 'em cheap to the bairns. Now, why didn't Sunlung think of that against Palace?

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Screacher,

Do we always have to measure our incompetence against SAFC?
On this kind of issue they get it right far more often than we do - in fact getting it right just once would comfortably achieve that objective!

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

I'm afraid your generosity is misguided this time. a)The rules of the FA cup are that you share gate receipts with the visitors, you can't give the tickets away. If there were no empty seats yesterday & we sold Doug Ellis that we sold just 35000 tickets he wouldn't believe you. b)we enjoy slagging off for there desperate attempts to fill their ground, we can't act like a Micky Mouse club. c) Imagine you are sat at the match with your kids & get chatting to the bloke next to you. You explain that it's hard to afford £60 for the match but the kids love it so you worked hard & earned the extra. The bloke next to you says no it's OK, he's on the dole & was given free tickets for the kids & got his for a couple of quid. He throws up in your lap after spending his handouts at the boozer while his charver kids rob your wallet. He tells you he’ll wake up in subsidised house with a raging hang-over & may have to miss Richard & Judy on the Telly. All is forgiven though as he starts a rousing chorus of “sack the board” – “It’s aboot bloody time they put their hand in their pockets for wor Bobby” he tells you.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

Highest attendance of any third round tie AND televised live. Pretty damned impressive I'd say. 30,000 at Stade de merde, pathetic, absolutely pathetic.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

Do they count the free tickets given to Season ticket holders who were moved. I went F.O.C using the pink sheet from my season ticket allocation, there certainly didnt look like 14000 empty seats.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

I'd have estimated more than 37,500, even if I had a ticket go to waste - I couldn't give it away.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

My two lads both wouldn't have minded going. But it would have cost £52 for me and the lads to go plus transprt, food stc, probably looking at £70. If I had only taken one there would have been fights, and if I'd gone on my own I would end up spending another £20 on booze and kebabs. A week after xmas, I like many was skint. If thew seats had been reduced to say £15 Adult and a fiver for kids, I would have gone. But £52 for three tickets along with all the burgers, and drinks. It's just too much too soon after xmas.

sorry....

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

I was very tempted to not go along. Getting loads of wrong for going to a Cup game (thanks for letting the cat out of the bag ITV bastards!) when I did promise before the nipper was born etc etc etc. In hindsight - wish I hadn't bothered. Would have been 1 voice quieter.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

Aye Softie, but then I've have had to travel hyem on that dangerous Metro all on my own! Glad you turned out.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

You're always safe with me on the Metro - all the dodgy characters reckon I'm dead hard because I usually nod off which they mistake as supreme self-confidence, whereas "Tennants Super" would be closer to the mark ;-)

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001