Wurzel

Forgot the link http://www.soccerstats.com/attendance.asp?league=england

I find it hard to fathom why some of your answers can be so sensible (even when it's clear they are just trolling) and others so ridiculously childish. Why include Wales, Warwickshire, Kent and Cornwall in a feeble attempt to make a point?. The rest, yes maybe, all within driving distance, and where else can they go if they want to watch Premier League football? Last years average attendance based on % of capacity Arsenal 99.5% Chelsea 99.1% Fulham 98.4% QPR 94.2% I would guess Reading and WestHam likely to be around those sort of figures again in the top flight. So where can the casual fan from Hampshire, Dorset, W.Sussex, Somerset, Wiltshire, Eastern Devon, Surrey, happy to drive say 1 to 11/2 hours go to watch PL football ? They can forget those clubs, they'll struggle to get tickets. Hence we have a huge catchment area. No surprise that Spurs, Fulham and Chelsea are all looking to extend and/or move to bigger grounds - they know those people are out there and want to see PL football

Not read the whole thread thanks to the usual childish squabbling but from what I have , that is the most relevant comment. The argument that we averaged around 30K last time in the PL so it's big enough seems to be based on the assumption that it was the same 30K turning up every week. It wasn't. A 30K average probably consists of 20K hardcore turning up regardless and, I'd hazard a guess here, but anything up to another 40K , for whatever reason, attend only 3 or 4 games a season. They're not, and never would be ALL at the same match on the same day, but certainly there will be games that will be attractive to them than others. A bigger stadium wouldn't necessarily be aimed at trying to increase that 20K hardcore, but a combination of increasing that 40k of casuals to say 60/70K (just look at our catchment area for top flight football) and/or increase their attendance from 3 to 4 games to maybe 7 or 8 through a better facilities, more attractive product and tickets being easier to obtain. If some of those end up adding to the hardcore even better. I think those "casual" numbers are the ones the club are far more interested in. Their database will tell them how many attended 1 game, 2 games, 3 games etc and they are the ones future plans will be aimed at.

Love the press conference given by Pierluigi Collina in the video at the bottom of this page.http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18520916 He says it was a goal, that's good enough for me. Who the hell is going to argue with him ?

That relates to ownership, not the person using it. Joe Bloggs can not decide he no longer wants his season ticket and transfer it to John Smith, and then when renewal comes round have John Smith renewing it.. It's a standard clause in any season issue, the clubs contract would be with Joe Bloggs so they wouldn't be able to enforce any Ts & Cs on John Smith if it wasn't them that sold it to him. Also it stops queue jumping when there's a waiting list. Nothing to stop Joe Bloggs letting John Smith use it for the odd game though - plenty of companies buy STs and let clients/employees use them. Bear in mind though the owner is responsible for whoever uses it and can have the ticket taken away for some elses bad behaviour.

Now we are back the Northam are going to have to up their game a bit. This is the standard expected next season (and not one banged backboard to be heard ) [video=youtube_share;Gyt-71DkVM4]

So the lesson learned is if you're going to be accused of such behaviour anyway, may as well make the suffering worthwhile and do what you're accused of.

Stick the 2 Manchesters on top, swap round Villa & Spurs and Fulham & Newcastle, and that wouldn't look too unrealistic as the end of season table

It is a difficult one. Initial reaction is that it has to be decided on what's happened during the game. Idealy first on number of corners , then maybe attempts on goal, and so on. BUT would a team 1-0 up and 5 corners ahead defend for the last 20 mins knowing they have to let in 2 goals (or 1 plus 5 more corners) ? My favourite would be play on till someone scores but with NO keepers on the pitch. Should make for some exciting scrambles and long range shots.

I have highlighted the operative word for you. OFFER . Not necessarily the same as PAY in that neck of the woods

Ours was Dusty Springfields Look of Love. No particular meaning just the first one we actually agreed on after loads of suggestions. Has grown to become a favourite because of that (I know, it's meant to be the other way round) Went to a friends wedding in 2004 who actually had first dance to , I kid you not ....... [video=youtube_share;NbJCBi9MVIw]

3 votes from my various Facebook accounts Edit: Just remembered a 4th one I can use

Put it this way. How would you feel if you had the winning lottery ticket but to claim your prize had to wait 3 weeks, then go up to London and take a 50/50 chance of the prize with another ticket holder in front of millions of viewers. Give me the quiet, here is your cheque, go and change your life straight away option anytime

Took THIS in Newlyn, Cornwall. Imagine viagra sells well there.

I hope this comes true. My whole business borrowing/repayment planning is based on it.

Wish twitter had been around in the 70s and 80s. @BrianClough would have been worth a follow

Excellent piece. The hurt of those few years will never go away, although the memory of a few of the names mentioned already has. Another thing I had forgotten about. Did we ever discover why?

Probably because, in a stereotyping , sweeping generalisation kind of way, poorer people are poor because of their mentality that everything should be done for them, whilst more affluent people have become that way because they are of the "prepared to get off their arses and do whats needed to better themselves" type of attitude. (with the odd exception on both sides, obviously) And in answer to the original post, scrawny dogs (four legged variety) roaming the streets, broken bus shelters, overgrown front gardens

I heard Lee Childs in a radio interview a wild back trying to be very diplomatic and not say that Tom Cruise was a crap choice. Clearly he didn't want to upset the film makers who no doubt pay him a small fortune for the story(ies) but his feelings were clear. For anyone who hasn't read any of the (excellent) Jack Reacher stories , the author visualises him - exactly as I did - as a Lawrence Dellaglio type appearance. I'm sure Tom Cruise can carry off playing his left leg but who is going to play the rest of him. IMO possibly the most shocking casting decision ever . Incidentally was surprised to learn Lee Childs is English, his characters and locations sure come across as written from experience by an American

Switch or no switch, why can't you buy left handed ones ?

This.

Surely that's an advantage when posting on here My first job after leaving school was in a bank. The only customer guaranteed to be greeted by name with a cheery but loud Good morning/afternoon by every cashier was Mr W A N K M O R E

This is exactly what I've been thinking too for a couple of weeks now, and for pretty much the same reasons. And to be fair (although when it comes to them "fair" isn't a word I like to use) it's probably the best option left open too them.

If I break the law and drive too fast I face a fine and points on my licence. If I break the law and murder someone I face a lifetime in prison. So what happens if the country breaks the law, ignores the ECHR and deports him anyway. Can't lock up a whole country. Is there a fine? Will the rest of the EU simply not talk to us anymore? Just do it, sod the consequences.

You totally misunderstand or ignore my point (although i am sure that is no accident ) The Dell held and sold out approx 15K. There was a waiting list for STs but it wasn't very big, possibly around 2k. There were no massive queues for the few general sale tickets available for the majority of games. Why? Because many simply accepted that they couldn't get tickets so didn't even try. SMS built. Suddenly all those that would have liked to go to the odd game at The Dell but didn't try to get tickets could go to pretty much any game they liked. In no time they became regulars and several, by no means all, games sold out (talking PL days obviously). It got to the stage where casual fans found it difficult - not impossible - to get tickets, or were unable to sit with mates/family etc. Bear in mind if a ground is 80% full that's not one big empty section, it's lots of ones and twos dotted around all over the place. Anything showing a regular (not EVERY game) attendance above that level should seriously consider expanding. By making it easier for casual fans to attend and get in the habit of attending you will increase the hardcore regular support. (this is of course on the assumption that you don't continuously play ****, get relegated etc). I don't think anyone thinks we would sell out a 40k+ ground for a league game against Fulham, but there's plenty of games that we would do. Simply building to cater for your smallest likely crowd is no different than building a team on the pitch to simply keep ourselves up but not challenge for anything. As for your point that we don't sell out now in this div, ManUre did not sell out OT every game when they were in Old Div 2 (not even close). Did they stop and think the ground was big enough when they were in the top flight ? No they expanded again and again and again and every time more people came. Has any team not increased their attendance after promotion? Bear in mind most will have played attractive football to be in that position. Its a (sad) fact of life that the PL is a bigger crowd puller than other leagues. I do agree there's nothing worse than seeing empty seats but is there any club that has expanded their ground and not seen an increase in attendance? 3rd post, over and out