Serious question for the Palace fans on here.

[Kent Seagull]

It's a shame so few turned up last night and that you can't sell out for your derby matches against the likes of us and Millwall. I well remember games back in the 70s and early 80s when you easily filled Selhurst against us, so why do you think your fans are staying away in large numbers and if you do get a nice new shiny 30,000 stadium do you think the missing fans would come back?

 

[moggy]

if you do get a nice new shiny 30,000 stadium do you think the missing fans would come back?

I doubt they'll come back, I think they're all enjoying themselves far too much at Sunnyvale caravan park to bother coming back to watch that load of old tosh

 

[Brovion]

It's a shame so few turned up last night and that you can't sell out for your derby matches against the likes of us and Millwall. I well remember games back in the 70s and early 80s when you easily filled Selhurst against us, so why do you think your fans are staying away in large numbers and if you do get a nice new shiny 30,000 stadium do you think the missing fans would come back?

I asked a similar question on another thread. Is there a 'Selhurst factor' like we had a 'Withdean factor'? No answer as yet from any Palace fans.

 

[u'vebeenamexed]

It's a shame so few turned up last night and that you can't sell out for your derby matches against the likes of us and Millwall. I well remember games back in the 70s and early 80s when you easily filled Selhurst against us, so why do you think your fans are staying away in large numbers and if you do get a nice new shiny 30,000 stadium do you think the missing fans would come back?

I think you'll find that Palace would call last night "close on a sell out".

 

[moggy]

Perhaps it might be more financially viable to sell selhurst and ground share with AFC Wimbledon ?

 

[Mackenzie]

Probably Freedmans BORING brand of football and the recession more than Selhurst. Selhurst has always been a tip.

 

[Kent Seagull]

I ask the question because when I first started following the Albion both clubs were fairly well matched on the field, which it could be argued we are now, but we both played in similarly sized stadiums to similar sized crowds. For a decent rivalry I'd actually quite like to see Palace in a half decent ground and selling it out, at least when the Albion come to town!

 

[slimes]

our last year attendance was far worse than crystal palace..
The hype of playing in the championship,new stadium and gus has brought a lot of old and new fans back
tho i wouldnt be suprised if we stay in this division for more than 2-3 years,the attendance will drop...

so why do people keep moaning about attendances?

 

[serial thriller]

Probably Freedmans BORING brand of football and the recession more than Selhurst. Selhurst has always been a tip.

I know this is meant as a slight, but I think you've got it in one there. The football we've been subjected to this season has been effective but dull as hell, I would also say that playing you just after we've had our big semi-final where a lot of our one-game-a-season fans come out didn't help. As a season ticket holder who for genuine reasons out of my control couldn't make it yesterday but gave my ticket to a mate, it depresses me not only that Selhurst is half empty, but so are 80% of the grounds in our league. A lot of our younger fans need to be taught why the game between us and you is bigger than even a cup semi-final.

 

[Red'n'Blue]

Here it goes.

The football: Its boring football. Last night was the first time i have seen us play 4-4-2 this season. We normally play a boring 4-5-1. Just take a look at how many goals we score. Freedman is a legend, a good manager, but the football is boring as we all watched last night. We could learn a few things from Brighton.

Selhurst: Its a shithole. The fans know it, the owners know it. Hence why we want to move. As Brighton fans have said, a shit stadium turns people off going to the game. A Poll done on our forum today shows people would rather go to away games then home games.

The Police: I dont know where to start.

 

[Crenol]

I'm 17 and was there last night as well as down at the AMEX. I said yesterday that it was the second biggest game of our season behind the away game against you but many people, especially people in my age group saw the cup semi final as a much bigger game so if they only go to a few games a year would choose that. I think the main thing is though that Championship football is the norm for us and doesn't have the excitement that is needed to attract higher attendances. If we got promoted then attendances would rise; if we got a nice shiny new stadium then they would rise slightly but not as much as if we got promoted. It's all so easy for kids in London though to decide to take the easy option and support any of Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Fulham, QPR, West Ham or be even worse and become a sofa supporter of Man U, City or Liverpool. Football on tv actually hurts our fan base I think as people prefer to "support" a club that wins from home rather than going to support the local team.

 

[Return of the Rev]

It's a shame so few turned up last night and that you can't sell out for your derby matches against the likes of us and Millwall. I well remember games back in the 70s and early 80s when you easily filled Selhurst against us, so why do you think your fans are staying away in large numbers and if you do get a nice new shiny 30,000 stadium do you think the missing fans would come back?

when was selhurst filled then? biggest crowd i saw there was wimbledon v leeds 45,000
palace have had over 50,000 but not for brighton

 

[Kent Seagull]

I'm not a statto but my memory says 30,000+ in the 70's and early 80s. I could be wrong I am old!!

 

[loz]

our last year attendance was far worse than crystal palace..
The hype of playing in the championship,new stadium and gus has brought a lot of old and new fans back
tho i wouldnt be suprised if we stay in this division for more than 2-3 years,the attendance will drop...

so why do people keep moaning about attendances?

I think this is the case, playing the same (all bar 3 or 4 a season) teams for all but 1 season in ten must get dull, "Oh tuesday night in Dec cant wait for the Coventry game" I will make a bet attendances will drop.

Here it goes.

The football: Its boring football. Last night was the first time i have seen us play 4-4-2 this season. We normally play a boring 4-5-1. Just take a look at how many goals we score. Freedman is a legend, a good manager, but the football is boring as we all watched last night. We could learn a few things from Brighton.

Selhurst: Its a shithole. The fans know it, the owners know it. Hence why we want to move. As Brighton fans have said, a shit stadium turns people off going to the game. A Poll done on our forum today shows people would rather go to away games then home games.

The Police: I dont know where to start.

The police are too heavy handed, but why I ask...Palace have never really been that sort of club.

Another reason that Palace have trouble with crowds are that the traditional local fans have moved, if you look around south london, not a Palace / Millwall shirt to be seen, not only have the kids gone and supported a north london team but (and this is not racist its a fact) traditionaly Muslims/somilains and a lot of imagrants do not support football or football teams and why should they?? a lot of Palace support now lives in surrey and Sussex now. ( I hope that read alright as it is not a racist coment)

 

[Kent Seagull]

I'm 17 and was there last night as well as down at the AMEX. I said yesterday that it was the second biggest game of our season behind the away game against you but many people, especially people in my age group saw the cup semi final as a much bigger game so if they only go to a few games a year would choose that. I think the main thing is though that Championship football is the norm for us and doesn't have the excitement that is needed to attract higher attendances. If we got promoted then attendances would rise; if we got a nice shiny new stadium then they would rise slightly but not as much as if we got promoted. It's all so easy for kids in London though to decide to take the easy option and support any of Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Fulham, QPR, West Ham or be even worse and become a sofa supporter of Man U, City or Liverpool. Football on tv actually hurts our fan base I think as people prefer to "support" a club that wins from home rather than going to support the local team.

good post. To a point I admire the loyalty of Palace fans who, if they chose too, could easily follow any one of a number of big London clubs. I'd rather talk football to someone who genuinely supports his local club. Wall to wall football on tv and the Premiership have all but destroyed a lot of local clubs. I'd like to see Palace survive at a good level, not sure they can without a new ground and a lot more support though.

 

[00snook]

It's all so easy for kids in London though to decide to take the easy option and support any of Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Fulham, QPR, West Ham or be even worse and become a sofa supporter of Man U, City or Liverpool. Football.

This is not unique to Palace though sadly.

I grew up 12 miles north of Brighton and would say the vast majority of people I grew up with are either sofa supporters or Chelsea fans.

It's the modern way unfortunately.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

The football: Its boring football. Last night was the first time i have seen us play 4-4-2 this season. We normally play a boring 4-5-1. Just take a look at how many goals we score. Freedman is a legend, a good manager, but the football is boring as we all watched last night. We could learn a few things from Brighton.

Interesting and informative answer. How long do you think the owners will put up with that style of football at home when it is impacting on the attendance ? Or do you think they will stick with Freedman regardless ?

 

[Red'n'Blue]

Interesting and informative answer. How long do you think the owners will put up with that style of football at home when it is impacting on the attendance ? Or do you think they will stick with Freedman regardless ?

They will stick with Freedman regardless. He saved us last year, but i think some fans wonder if he is the man to take us to the next level.

 

[TheMajor]

Here it goes.

The football: Its boring football. Last night was the first time i have seen us play 4-4-2 this season. We normally play a boring 4-5-1. Just take a look at how many goals we score. Freedman is a legend, a good manager, but the football is boring as we all watched last night. We could learn a few things from Brighton.

Selhurst: Its a shithole. The fans know it, the owners know it. Hence why we want to move. As Brighton fans have said, a shit stadium turns people off going to the game. A Poll done on our forum today shows people would rather go to away games then home games.

The Police: I dont know where to start.

I thought the Police were good last night - I know for me it was a one off but they handled it well. Letting the away fans clear the ground and getting them to the station asap seems the right thing to do. Let the home crowd out first and you get trouble makers hanging around waiting for the away. I wouldn't mind them doing the same at Amex - but half an hour locked in the delights of the Amex is a bit different than being locked in Selhurst.

 

[The Grockle]

Here it goes.

The football: Its boring football. Last night was the first time i have seen us play 4-4-2 this season. We normally play a boring 4-5-1. Just take a look at how many goals we score. Freedman is a legend, a good manager, but the football is boring as we all watched last night. We could learn a few things from Brighton.

Selhurst: Its a shithole. The fans know it, the owners know it. Hence why we want to move. As Brighton fans have said, a shit stadium turns people off going to the game. A Poll done on our forum today shows people would rather go to away games then home games.

The Police: I dont know where to start.

All fair points, do you think ticket pricing might play its part too. I know a hell of a lot of people in the area that would consider themselves Palace fans but are discouraged by the relatively high ticket prices.