The BBC website has an article about the published attendances discrepancy with actual attendances, which were are included in. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45158878 Most matches there are number of no shows in the SEJ stand, I sit opposite it so it looks obviously under-used. It seems that when Brighton came in August last year that the true attendance was 16,613
I was in the first 6 rows and it was pretty grim until I realised it was Knockaert. The ticket situation is ridiculous - but not sure how to solve it. Obviously people buy a ST and only go to the big games. I live near Bristol and get to as many as I can but find it nearly impossible to get two seats (as I want to bring my daughter) in a decent spot to make the trip worthwhile. Looking at empty seats on MOTD winds me right up....
It's not ideal - but there are usually quite a few "twins" available in the family stand - THEY DO NOT ADVERTISE THESE AND YOU HAVE TO ORDER BY PHONE.
That's good to know... but it does mean talking to a (near as dammit) human? Ewwwww. I'll give it a go.
Wigan v BC tonight is virtually empty. Upper mid table clash in the championship and it looks less than third full. TV is no excuse. That is just embarrassing.
Football is god-awful too. I've watched some cracking champ games this year. This tripe is division 2 standard.
Apart from the years that Wigan were in the Premier league the football club has never had serious support from the locals given that the town is staunchly a rugby league town.
I remember getting soaked and windswept at the dump that was Springfield Park in April 1998 when we lost 3-2 during the run in to the third tier title (a contrast with celebrating in the sunshine at Craven Cottage a few weeks later). According to the record books 4,262 attended and a fair percentage must have been WFC fans. Also noticed that we only lost 3 away games that season - PNE, Burnley and Wigan Athletic - was that the start of the Lancashire jinx?
I was there that day too. We were 3-0 down at half time and Paul Robinson was having mare so GT took him off and we played them off the park in the second half, I think we had an equaliser disallowed right at the end.
I think we did ... drew 1-1 with Darren Bazeley scoring . We won the home game 4-1 with Rocket Ronny scoring a great solo goal.
Sky have turned their sights to the Championship as the next league they want to rip the soul out of. You can watch any midweek game on their "red button", which is going to send away attendances through the floor and probably knock a significant number off the home attendance too.
My mate Dave had a 'conversation' with the Old Bill about his show of displeasure at the decisions made by the ref. I think they described his verbal language as a little too colourful and his body language as a little too expressive. Or something like that.
I remember that one, alright. I'm not sure I've ever got wetter at a football match: It was as if someone was pouring a bucket of cold water down my neck. Plus a thunderstorm came through and we were standing right next to one of those old-fashioned metal floodlight towers - whoa! Plus we'd conceded three in double-quick time. My 16-year-old and I were going to go walking in the Lake District afterwards, but she was so cold I abandoned that and we went for a slap-up meal in Deansgate, Manchester, instead. & Otter is right - it's really a rugby league town.