It's a sparse crowd here tonight . I'd say 16000 or less through the turnstile .

[8ace]

Far to many flimsy excuses being rolled out in this thread ,why not be up front and say you didn't fancy it due to crap performances, rubbish atmosphere just not interested in the Albion
regards
DR

Good luck get anyway to admit to that even though it's the truth. They'll soon come back once we sack Hyypia and we start to climb the table.

 

[Mackenzie]

It's more than palace will get when they are 21st in the Championship next season, so all's not lost. Still get the revenue of 23000 ticket sales regardless as well.

It's not all doom and gloom.

 

[hitony]

This could swell the crowd and confuse the prerttendance figures. Squeeze a few like this fella through the turnstiles..........

I'm the both side's, i'm the both side's, i'm the both side's Brighton boy..........

(Corrected for you!)

 

[gazfoster]

come and join us in the nwc and have a sing song and get behind the team instead of moaning at them.... we was singing all game Tuesday night

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Good grief! Give it a rest, you're like a cracked record. How many times have you made this point? (and not just on this thread)

See post #153

You know what? I really don't give a shit. Just like everybody else who actually turns up on the day/night, I'm really enjoying the thinned-out queues for every damn thing. Long may it last!

 

[Simster]

Good luck get anyway to admit to that even though it's the truth. They'll soon come back once we sack Hyypia AND NATHAN JONES and we start to climb the table.

Fixed for you.

 

[BBassic]

It's a weird one this. On one hand it was awful to look around and see the ground as empty on 5 minutes as it usually is on 85 minutes and it was godamn embarrassing that 23K was the announced attendance.

On the other we still got the money for 23K worth of season tickets. When that number inevitably drops, likely next season if on-pitch performances don't improve, then it will become a genuine source of concern for the club.

 

[father_and_son]

I think the lost revenue would be minimal. Everyone in your position would know someone who they could bring for free - I suspect the reverse doesn't apply, many Albion fans won't know people with spare kids tickets.

Truth is we are selling very few match tickets for evening games anyway. And the additional stadium spend would probably outweigh that. But the real benefit would be discouraging those with kids who I fear will give up STs next season: if they know they can bring a mate for free (who'll no doubt buy them a beer or 2) then it's a reason to keep it. It's must be a hassle to sort out upgrades and not much cheaper than a full price ticket - at least that's what friends who are in your position tell me?

PG

This. And it's made doubly difficult now that you have to collect paper tickets for a kid's STH upgrade.

It's borderline that I can get back from work (as a London commuter) in time to change and get back out to make kick off at the best of times. Add the extra time to queue and collect paper tickets because the club no longer allow a smart card upgrade and making kick off is doubtful and a pre-match drink is definitely out.

So not only have the club killed the main benefit of a smart card for STHs, produced paper tickets pointlessly, had to employee someone to hand me the paper ticket, they've done themselves out of additional pie/pint cash because I'm wasting time in another queue.

I generally have the greatest respect for PB and his team, but they have really dropped the ball on this one!

 

[Moshe Gariani]

This. And it's made doubly difficult now that you have to collect paper tickets for a kid's STH upgrade.

It's borderline that I can get back from work (as a London commuter) in time to change and get back out to make kick off at the best of times. Add the extra time to queue and collect paper tickets because the club no longer allow a smart card upgrade and making kick off is doubtful and a pre-match drink is definitely out.

So not only have the club killed the main benefit of a smart card for STHs, produced paper tickets pointlessly, had to employee someone to hand me the paper ticket, they've done themselves out of additional pie/pint cash because I'm wasting time in another queue.

I generally have the greatest respect for PB and his team, but they have really dropped the ball on this one!

I upgraded my son's U10 ticket regularly during the first 2 seasons (inc. all night games). Not going to happen at all this year. Too expensive for casual fans. They should do a special offer for the next night game that STHs can bring an adult friend on a spare kid's ticket. Would have zero negative impact on anything - get more people in spending and possibly a few new fans.

 

[Peter Grummit]

I upgraded my son's U10 ticket regularly during the first 2 seasons (inc. all night games). Not going to happen at all this year. Too expensive for casual fans. They should do a special offer for the next night game that STHs can bring an adult friend on a spare kid's ticket. Would have zero negative impact on anything - get more people in spending and possibly a few new fans.

Friday night Millwall on Sky - perfect opportunity.

Are you listening [MENTION=29682]Paulbeirne[/MENTION] ?

PG

 

[8ace]

Friday night Millwall on Sky - perfect opportunity.

Are you listening [MENTION=29682]Paulbeirne[/MENTION] ?

PG

People might be more inclined to bring kids then as the next day's a saturday though

 

[Peter Grummit]

People might be more inclined to bring kids then as the next day's a saturday though

Great, the aim is to get more STs to turn up or their seats filled. But given that it's mid-December, it's Millwall and it's on TV I suspect there will be plenty of kids who won't come.

PG

 

[Husty]

I do hope someone has congratulated [MENTION=1991]hove born&bred[/MENTION] on being near spot-on with his guesstimate of the attendance?

 

[Bry Nylon]

I do hope someone has congratulated [MENTION=1991]hove born&bred[/MENTION] on being near spot-on with his guesstimate of the attendance?

Good observation.

In fact I would like to see a post-matchHove born&bred Attendance Guesstimate become a regular feature on here, to book-end his pre-match weather update

 

[Northstandite]

This. And it's made doubly difficult now that you have to collect paper tickets for a kid's STH upgrade.

It's borderline that I can get back from work (as a London commuter) in time to change and get back out to make kick off at the best of times. Add the extra time to queue and collect paper tickets because the club no longer allow a smart card upgrade and making kick off is doubtful and a pre-match drink is definitely out.

So not only have the club killed the main benefit of a smart card for STHs, produced paper tickets pointlessly, had to employee someone to hand me the paper ticket, they've done themselves out of additional pie/pint cash because I'm wasting time in another queue.

I generally have the greatest respect for PB and his team, but they have really dropped the ball on this one!

Agree with you. I often upgrade my son's to an adult card, doing the honest thing. One good point, the separate queue on the left of the ticket booths for this type of collection is always tiny, taking 5 minutes max. Unlike the poor buggers is the always long snaking queue to the right, attempting to deal with all other ticket transactions.

 

[Northstandite]

Good observation.

In fact I would like to see a post-matchHove born&bred Attendance Guesstimate become a regular feature on here, to book-end his pre-match weather update

It was fantastic judgement. Unless he had inside info.

 

[Husty]

It was fantastic judgement. Unless he had inside info.

It's HB&B, of course he doesn't

 

[Let's Have A Winner!]

It seems we're not the only ones with this problem, found this old article from last year from the Manchester Evening News...

Crowds at Old Trafford are much lower than the official attendance announced by United on matchdays, according to new police data.

Figures from Greater Manchester Police revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show the club did not have a crowd over 70,000 for a Premier League match this season, until last week’s derby with City. But United regularly announce attendances in excess of 75,000.

The police data shows the average Old Trafford attendance is 10,000 fewer than the figures announced.

The FOI request was lodged with Greater Manchester Police by Reds Away, which runs a travel and news website and blog for United fans. Reds Away said that – in common with most other clubs – United under FA rules must publish an ‘official attendance’, which includes those who bought a ticket whether or not they actually went to the game. Greater Manchester Police, however, keeps a record of actual numbers who pass through the turnstiles. The figures reveal a startling number of ticket-holders who do not show up.

The figures show that 66,005 fans watched the first Premier League home game against Fulham this season, but the club said the attendance was 75,352.

United announced the attendance at January’s clash with Southampton as 75,600, but the police figures show the actual crowd was 59,766 – a difference of 15,834.

Barring the recent derby, the largest actual crowd for a league game inside Old Trafford was 69,933 for the Liverpool game in January. United recorded an attendance of 75,501.

The data covers all competitions, including the Champions League.

The police figures reveal just 33,409 watched the Capital One cup game against Newcastle in September, with the club claiming a gate of 46,358.

The largest disparity was revealed at United’s Champion’s League game with Cluj in December. The GMP figures recorded a crowd of just 46,894, with the club claiming an attendance of 71,521.

This year’s record crowd came at the ill-fated Real Madrid Champions League tie last month, where the police figures reveal 72,299 fans attended. The club’s figure was 74,959, 2,660 higher.

 

[dazzer6666]

All clubs do it don't they ? Would be interesting too see a full set of claimed vs actual across the leagues. Maybe all clubs need to start quoting both. Also no surprise MU figures are down - high relative proportion of 'plastics' and long distance travellers not attending if they aren't winning (would have to be a 25 year + supporter to have experienced this, unlike us)

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It seems we're not the only ones with this problem, found this old article from last year from the Manchester Evening News...

Crowds at Old Trafford are much lower than the official attendance announced by United on matchdays, according to new police data.

Figures from Greater Manchester Police revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show the club did not have a crowd over 70,000 for a Premier League match this season, until last week’s derby with City. But United regularly announce attendances in excess of 75,000.

The police data shows the average Old Trafford attendance is 10,000 fewer than the figures announced.

The FOI request was lodged with Greater Manchester Police by Reds Away, which runs a travel and news website and blog for United fans. Reds Away said that – in common with most other clubs – United under FA rules must publish an ‘official attendance’, which includes those who bought a ticket whether or not they actually went to the game. Greater Manchester Police, however, keeps a record of actual numbers who pass through the turnstiles. The figures reveal a startling number of ticket-holders who do not show up.

The figures show that 66,005 fans watched the first Premier League home game against Fulham this season, but the club said the attendance was 75,352.

United announced the attendance at January’s clash with Southampton as 75,600, but the police figures show the actual crowd was 59,766 – a difference of 15,834.

Barring the recent derby, the largest actual crowd for a league game inside Old Trafford was 69,933 for the Liverpool game in January. United recorded an attendance of 75,501.

The data covers all competitions, including the Champions League.

The police figures reveal just 33,409 watched the Capital One cup game against Newcastle in September, with the club claiming a gate of 46,358.

The largest disparity was revealed at United’s Champion’s League game with Cluj in December. The GMP figures recorded a crowd of just 46,894, with the club claiming an attendance of 71,521.

This year’s record crowd came at the ill-fated Real Madrid Champions League tie last month, where the police figures reveal 72,299 fans attended. The club’s figure was 74,959, 2,660 higher.

Not sure if it's an urban myth but I read a few years back that there was such a long waiting list for ManU season tickets that when an STH died, the family would often not inform the club but would keep the season ticket running for use by the family. If true, not only was the STH sometimes not present, they sometimes weren't even alive!