Matthew Le God

So why in 1995/96 when they won the 2nd tier did they average 17,504 in a 22,000 stadium? So then why do many of the teams I listed offer many away teams more than 3,000? It is inevitable a larger stadium leads to more away fans for some games and more "plastic" home fans. Ah...the petty insults return.

Waiting lists Sunderland had 10k season ticket holder and no waiting list before moving to a 42k (later expanded to 49k) Stadium of Light. They were also struggling in the years leading up to the move from selling out a 22k Roker Park. Waiting lists as a condition is a nonsense. Fans complaining they cant get in We had that last time in the Premier League. Even had it in League One against Walsall (yes was a promotion party but essentially was still a 3rd tier fixture). Will possibly even have it later this season vs Pompey and if a promotion campaign heats up. Match tickets selling out quick Happened last time Saints were in the Premier League for a large number of fixtures. Upturn in economic conditions Stadium improvements are exempt from new financial regulations and now in some ways is a good time to expand if the Liebherr's have the capital, as construction is cheaper then when the world economy recovers. Away teams wanting more tickets Do you not think Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Man City, Newcastle, Man Utd, Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa etc would love to bring more than 3,000 fans to St Mary's and could quite easily do that.

As I asked Egg, what evidence would you want if you were Cortese in order to justify an expansion?

So what evidence would you want if you were Cortese in order to justify an expansion?

So you think the difference in attractiveness of a fixture between one against Bolton and one against the current (at the time) Champions of the country Arsenal is possibly just 100 people? Does common sense not tell you that is unlikely?

I think you can apply that to more than just me in this thread.

So if it is a sell out of 32,151 like it was against Arsenal in 2003, you think not a single other person in the world wanted to go to that fixture if a larger capacity meant more tickets were available? Similar numbers were going to games at St Mary's that season against Norwich, Birmingham and Bolton, do you not think a tie against the Premier League Champions (at the time) Arsenal is not vastly more attractive as a fixture?

- Segregation leads to varying reduced capacities on a game by game basis. - Not all games sold out, but many did. Indicating there is a demand for more seats.

Saints are currently averaging 23,941 in the Championship, which is very good and is currently only behind West Ham and Derby County. It is likely to climb higher than that after boxing day and New Years home games, last home game, Pompey, Brighton, West Ham etc fixtures. Saints are currently averaging more than Leeds United, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest. All of which are big clubs, Leeds have a 40k stadium themselves. Once in the Premier League the season ticket holders are likely to return to similar levels and a 7k leap and the demand will also increase.

Why is four years of 30k+ averages and many sellouts in the last decade in a 32k stadium, not evidence in your eyes?

Yes, but if we knew the team had a good chance of being in the top half then more would want to go. Plus as the season went on and the fanbase could see it was going to be a struggle a lot of the "glory supporters" would not turn up as often. Yet the walkups still led the club with roughly 21k season ticket holders to average over 30k.

For a large part of the season (if not all of it) you had a good indication it wasn't going to end well. People still turned up though and the average was 30k+. Even the season ticket holders when buying in the summer would have known the prospects weren't great going into that season.

I didn't at any point say it would be large numbers coming from Devon and Cornwall. You are just putting words in my mouth now.

So you are suggesting that a Saints match in a relegation season like 2004/05, is just as attractive to the non hardcore Saints fans as those matches in the 2002/03 season when we came 8th?

And you need a reading lesson, because at no point did I say there would be significant numbers of Janners filling up a 50k stadium.

Four years in the Premier League at a 32k St Mary's saw four years of 30k+ average attendances and numerous sellouts. Why does that not count as evidence?

Games were selling out (and getting close to sell outs) when Saints were in the relegation zone. A team with investment competing towards the top of the league will see interest increase significantly.

That doesn't answer it at all. Once a game has sold out why would you try and buy tickets? Yes, some may not be aware it has sold out, but the majority will especially once they get used to sell outs on a regular basis. Hence why we had games sell out in a matter of hours/days after going on sale.

And you failed to give an answer.

Games were selling out in the year Saints finished 20th in the Premier League. If Saints were to get to 6th regularly as you say, the demand would much higher than 32k. I don't see why you think this is such a strange conclusion to make.

So you think there was the same level of demand for a game against Charlton in the Premier League as was against Man Utd in the Premier League? Both games sold out in the past. You are suggesting that Saints level of support maxes out dead on 32k and a fixture against Man Utd wouldn't attract more fans than one against a smaller team like Charlton.

At no point have I put a figure on it in terms of numbers, of course it wouldn't be huge. As I child I went with my Plymouth based youth team to a number of Premier League games at the Dell over the years. I doubt they would have bothered with Siants whilst the club was in the 2nd and 3rd tiers in recent years given Argyle were playing similar teams. I know a few clubs and schools that did similar, this type of thing would return once Saints are in the top flight.

And how often are Liverpool or Man Utd etc etc likely to play Plymouth, Exeter or Torquay in the foreseeable future? Sitting in the home end at St Mary's is their next best option. Plus Devon/Cornwall Schools and local youth teams can have trips to the local big league team as treats, especially if St Mary's is made bigger and allows more flexibility for group deals.

From personal experience, a lot of those in the West Country don't support their three local clubs, in any case even Plymouth, Exeter and Torquay fans might fancy watching the odd live Premier League game. St Mary's would be there best option even if they only have a passing interest in Saints, they may want to see Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal etc and can;t do that at Home Park, St James Park or Plainmoor.

You could even go into Devon and Cornwall, if anyone from there wanted to watch some Premier League football even if just a couple of games a year, St Mary's (if Saints were promoted) would be their best option.