Our Average Attendance

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,22:38)]I see what people are getting that, but lets face it times change and football is much much more commercial.

If the club performs, people will come along, esp if this is in a new stadium.

You MAY be right, FM. But I think many will see you as being rather presumptious by claiming that "people WILL come along" if Southend play in a new stadium. That certainly hasn't worked for Darlington. They've been playing some decent football this season (including the 4-0 thumping of the Shrimpers) YET they still only manage ON AVERAGE to fill just over 16% of their capacity (4,181)*. The football played between 1990 and 1992 was some of the most spectacular for many years at Roots Hall ... yet the vast majority of the population of Southend-on-Sea simply weren't interested. The demographic of the area has changed even more over the past five years so I really can't see it changing. As I said, you MAY be right. But you also MAY be wrong ...

WS

* By comparison, the Shrimpers current average of 5,143 reflects just over 41% of the capacity of Roots Hall.

 

[TrueBlue]

Quote[/b] ]Do you still have nightmares?

I use to but then the 1997/98 season came round and I aint been the same since!

 

[TrueBlue]

Quote[/b] ]You MAY be right, FM. But I think many will see you as being rather presumptious by claiming that "people WILL come along" if Southend play in a new stadium. That certainly hasn't worked for Darlington. They've been playing some decent football this season (including the 4-0 thumping of the Shrimpers) YET they still only manage ON AVERAGE to fill just over 16% of their capacity (4,181). The football played between 1990 and 1992 was some of the most spectacular for many years at Roots Hall ... yet the vast majority of the population of Southend-on-Sea simply weren't interested. The demographic of the area has changed even more over the past five years so I really can't see it changing. As I said, you MAY be right. But you also MAY be wrong ...

Mike take the club as it is now and throw it in the championship were currenty 4th what are our attendences now?

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (TrueBlue @ Jan. 09 2005,22:49)]Mike take the club as it is now and throw it in the championship were currenty 4th what are our attendences now?

Sorry?

WS

 

[Technician]

It is a shame that the away fans have a choice of over 3000 seats in the north bank to house maybe 10% of that figure typically. Adding to that the sterile areas, it is no surprise that we only got 7000 fans in the Hall for our biggest gate this season. There was hardly a seat available anywhere against Mansfield, yet it was astonishing how many seats were going spare in the away section.

Sacreligious!

 

[Thenewblue]

Why can't we do what Lincoln do and put a cover over a certain amount of seats to cut an area out? Like Kidderminster too? They had a gate seperating the fans. Why can't that be done in the North bank? Or has this been gone over before?

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Thenewblue @ Jan. 09 2005,22:57)]Why can't we do what Lincoln do and put a cover over a certain amount of seats to cut an area out? Like Kidderminster too? They had a gate seperating the fans. Why can't that be done in the North bank? Or has this been gone over before?

ARRARAGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

WS

Ps - yes it has ...

 

[Technician]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,22:58)]

Quote[/b] (Thenewblue @ Jan. 09 2005,22:57)]Why can't we do what Lincoln do and put a cover over a certain amount of seats to cut an area out? Like Kidderminster too? They had a gate seperating the fans. Why can't that be done in the North bank? Or has this been gone over before?

ARRARAGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

WS

Ps - yes it has ...

Oh, no it hasn't!

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Thenewblue @ Jan. 09 2005,22:57)]Why can't we do what Lincoln do and put a cover over a certain amount of seats to cut an area out? Like Kidderminster too? They had a gate seperating the fans. Why can't that be done in the North bank? Or has this been gone over before?

The serious answer is ... forget what other clubs do or have done in the past. The licence is for the individual football stadium and the FLA (along with local and police authorities) have laid down certain requirements for segregation in the North Stand. I spoke to the FLA representative IN PERSON a couple of years ago and she was not confident that there could be any "re-categorisation" of the stand unless a huge amount of work was done to maintain the required segregation. And to the club's credit, they looked into what was required (with the help of the authorities) and it was estimated that it would cost in the region of £50,000. This was a figure that the club was not prepared to fork out, especially as they were seeking to move to a new stadium (and remain so ... we assume).

We can argue until we are blue in the face over how other clubs achieve their required segregation. The FLA simply won't budge unless the requirements are met FOR ROOTS HALL.

WS

 

[Thenewblue]

Ok thanks, I never knew it was individual rules for individual clubs, seems kinda unfair our capacity is reduced when other teams can do what we're not allowed too, with no comebacks.

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,21:46)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,22:38)]I see what people are getting that, but lets face it times change and football is much much more commercial.

If the club performs, people will come along, esp if this is in a new stadium.

You MAY be right, FM. But I think many will see you as being rather presumptious by claiming that "people WILL come along" if Southend play in a new stadium. That certainly hasn't worked for Darlington. They've been playing some decent football this season (including the 4-0 thumping of the Shrimpers) YET they still only manage ON AVERAGE to fill just over 16% of their capacity (4,181)*. The football played between 1990 and 1992 was some of the most spectacular for many years at Roots Hall ... yet the vast majority of the population of Southend-on-Sea simply weren't interested. The demographic of the area has changed even more over the past five years so I really can't see it changing. As I said, you MAY be right. But you also MAY be wrong ...

WS

* By comparison, the Shrimpers current average of 5,143 reflects just over 41% of the capacity of Roots Hall.

Indeed but surely a certain amount is proven already, we are getting some higher attendances now than we were whilst playing in Div 1.

I am certainly not saying that a new stadium alone will put thousands on the gate, but if the standard of football is half decent, i.e what it currently is then with FF we really could break into double figures.

The fact is we are getting higher gates now than when we were in higher divisions. I can't see how they can't improve if the football gets better which it is.

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Thenewblue @ Jan. 09 2005,23:10)]Ok thanks, I never knew it was individual rules for individual clubs, seems kinda unfair our capacity is reduced when other teams can do what we're not allowed too, with no comebacks.

I don't think the FLA are particularly targeting Southend United. The North Stand remains the best option for required segregation because (IN THEORY) away fans can be restricted to access the ground from the Fairfax Drive entrance. I KNOW this often doesn't happen! I'm just quoting what the FLA representative told me!

BTW - A few years ago the club was considering handing the South Stand to away fans but adequate segregation could not be assured.

WS

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:12)]... we are getting some higher attendances now than we were whilst playing in Div 1.

Statistically we're not though, Luke. Not quite yet ...

WS

 

[Thenewblue]

I'm not one of those to harp on about the good old days of the north bank! I just feel we deserve to have our maximum capacity for home fans when away support barely take 10% of their allocation only two that spring to mind are Col ewe and Torquay last season.

 

[Beefy]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:12)]

Quote[/b] (Jávea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,21:46)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,22:38)]I see what people are getting that, but lets face it times change and football is much much more commercial.

If the club performs, people will come along, esp if this is in a new stadium.

You MAY be right, FM. But I think many will see you as being rather presumptious by claiming that "people WILL come along" if Southend play in a new stadium. That certainly hasn't worked for Darlington. They've been playing some decent football this season (including the 4-0 thumping of the Shrimpers) YET they still only manage ON AVERAGE to fill just over 16% of their capacity (4,181)*. The football played between 1990 and 1992 was some of the most spectacular for many years at Roots Hall ... yet the vast majority of the population of Southend-on-Sea simply weren't interested. The demographic of the area has changed even more over the past five years so I really can't see it changing. As I said, you MAY be right. But you also MAY be wrong ...

WS

* By comparison, the Shrimpers current average of 5,143 reflects just over 41% of the capacity of Roots Hall.

Indeed but surely a certain amount is proven already, we are getting some higher attendances now than we were whilst playing in Div 1.

I am certainly not saying that a new stadium alone will put thousands on the gate, but if the standard of football is half decent, i.e what it currently is then with FF we really could break into double figures.

The fact is we are getting higher gates now than when we were in higher divisions. I can't see how they can't improve if the football gets better which it is.

We're getting bigger gates than we were in the final season, when we were really, really bad and when the novalty of being in the First Divison had worn off.

I actually think that you are right and that a new ground and higher level football would see gates rise but the big thing is whether that would be a sustainable increase in attendence and this is where I have my doubts. Sooner or later the gates will fall unless we can carry on being relatively successful.

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,22:19)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:12)]... we are getting some higher attendances now than we were whilst playing in Div 1.

Statistically we're not though, Luke. Not quite yet ...

WS

Some though ? and the fact we arn't far off it says it all.

Still we shall see ...

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Beefy @ Jan. 09 2005,23:21)]We're getting bigger gates than we were in the final season, when we were really, really bad and when the novalty of being in the First Divison had worn off.

Only just though ...

1996/97 : 5,072

2004/05 : 5,143

WS

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:24)]Some though ? and the fact we arn't far off it says it all.

Only because we're currently 4th and realistically pushing for promotion and not propping up the table like we were in 1997. Football fans are fickle, especially those in Southend. You can bet that if we were languishing in the bottom half of the table we wouldn't be recording our best average for seven years. It's all about success. Stick us in the Coca-Cola Spud-U-Like Pepsi Challenge Championship in, say, Rotherham United's position and I'm suggesting that we wouldn't be averaging 5,000 a game, no matter WHERE we played ...

WS

 

[Thenewblue]

I'm on Jávea's side, but I think they go hand in hand, I think success breeds crowds and that in return gets the team playing better?!

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,22:30)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:24)]Some though ? and the fact we arn't far off it says it all.

Only because we're currently 4th and realistically pushing for promotion and not propping up the table like we were in 1997. Football fans are fickle, especially those in Southend. You can bet that if we were languishing in the bottom half of the table we wouldn't be recording our best average for seven years. It's all about success. Stick us in the Coca-Cola Spud-U-Like Pepsi Challenge Championship in, say, Rotherham United's position and I'm suggesting that we wouldn't be averaging 5,000 a game, no matter WHERE we played ...

WS

Like you say most fans are fickle, our attendances over the last 3-4 years havent been bad and the football at times has been the pits. I wouldn't wanna say what our attendance would be if we were in Rotherhams position but whilst we are providing entertainment then fans will come. And then we the chance to add to our fanbase that sticks even when times are hard.

FF would help matters, esp if it is marketed right and if we are lucky enough to have a good team the season before we move.