Sour Mash

What people writing West Ham don't realise is that you might think they can't afford to keep a strong squad together, but what is even more pressing for them is they cannot afford to be out of the Prem for more than a year and for that reason I'd expect them to keep together a strong, fairly expensive side together and be a real threat next season.

No-one has at once said that they were going to completely do away with season tickets. There has been a genuine discussion as to what the club's policy is towards promoting and encouranging the take up of season tickets as oppossed to pay per game. Good to hear about an announcement this eve, looking forward to seeing the details.

Where did you hear this?

But that's the thing so, I think Saints are realisng that they'd potentially make more money out of you if you paid per game, even if you miss 3 or 4 matches per season.

Well that's sort of the problem isn't it - we'll never know how big our crowds would have been with more season tickets having been sold, we can only speculate. Also, it was a fairly easy to know, especially towards the end of the season they'd be a big pay per game as there always will be with a winning team - it would only only become an issue if the side is struggling which should hopefully not be the case this coming season, but isn't entirely out of the question.

Agreed. On the basis they're not priced completley stupidly I think we'll sell a load. Just think we could sell a fair few more on top if the club approached things differently. Oh well, we'll just have to wait and see..................

Yes, Brighton certainly had a much smoother season than us, they had a bit of luck on their side in that regard. We could be here all day debating the effects of various things that may or may not have had an effect on our season, but the fact remains that Brighton did win the league comfortably last season, there are no two ways about it. Not many teams clinch promotion that early and they got a massive amount of points. They'll be in a new ground next season playing in front of decent full houses, they've got a good if somewhat annoying manager and whichever way we spin it they were above us for the WHOLE of last season. I actually agree, I expect to finish above them next year, but to write them off as a team that will not be challenging us is naive at best.

Well yes, I seem to have clearly missed your point. You said that they didn't comfortably win the league and get promoted, I said they did do it comfortably. We both have specific knowledge of the season. We are not speaking in the context of 50 years in the future. I don't like Brighton and I don't particularly like Poyet, but to say they didn't win the league relatively easily and early is just simply false.

Ha ha, it was ridiculously comfortable. Tell me - at what point in the season were they promoted? And at what point were they declared Champions? Taking their foot off the gas is an understatement, they walked the league.

Some of us look at more than just whether we happen to get our own individual ticket or not, but if that's all that concerns you, your contribution is minimal on here you "mong".

If it's gone over your head that much Ginge I think you should leave these posts alone. You don't understand the posts, don't comment on them.

Whether we see that as comparable to what the skates have done or not it doesn't matter - a large percentage of their support clearly enjoyed their success and unfortunately a large percentage of the footballing world seems fairly oblivious to their misdemeanours......

No-one on here is saying that they have a clean slate and a sustainable long-term future. As you very correctly point out, there are a lot more questions than answers, so why pretend we know what's happening when we really don't have a clue. I'm sure there are a fair few twists to come, but we really don't know what's going to happen now.

It's not really relevant on any of the threads you post it on to be honest.

You are quite possibly the thickest person on this thread if you think that to be the case. And every one of Nick's posts have gone right over your head.

Wouldn't reflect to well on the club, especially with the media etc. Far easier just to let the issue drift.

Exactly - its impossible to really know - I'd rather they'd been snapped up as season ticket holders. As I've said on here before I think the club know that there is a hardcore that will want to renew their season tickets pretty much no matter what, but ideally they would have most on a PAYG as that makes more money for a club that is on a successful run winning games and heading for promotion. Its a gamble that I reckoned probably paid off the season just gone, but will fail if we're stuck in lower mid-table Championship towards the end of this coming season and they expect significant numbers to pay £26+ to see us play Doncaster.

Congratulations. I am sure plenty others have as well. Equally plenty of others haven't and have drifted away after the end of the season and spent their money elsewhere. Would you agree though that no effort has been made by the club to maximise season ticket sales this year?

Reading? Brum? Cardiff? West Ham? Blackpool? The team that comfortably finished above us last season - Brighton?

All outweighed by them enjoying trips to Wembley, cup win, years in the Prem and European appearances and a 4-1 wins at St Marys, largely paid for by you and I the taxpayer. As the Mockneys would say, "mugged right off".

That probably applies one way or another to the majority of football club owners throughout the top four divisions in this country.

Oh bore off and post about your life in Italy as that's so f*****g interesting.

Well maybe it makes no difference to you, but it would be handy to know if I'm going to be paying £390/£490/£590. How much notice we'll have to pay it? How wide the window to pay it will be? How many people just have £500 sat in a separate account waiting to pay for their season ticket? Only maybe one or two out of loads of Saints fans I know. Most other people will pay for it by juggling the overdraft, credit card, other expenditure, depending on when your pay day is etc. As much as anything, its common courtesy to your long-term supporters who are coughing up a large percentage of their disposable income to at least give them a "heads up" with a decent bit of prior notice. And that doesn't even get started on the point of being pro-active and pulling in those who waver between getting a season ticket or not and would have been caught up in the buzz of the end of last season.......

Hate to say it, but that does sum up certain people on this thread far too well.

You're a genius. Why hadn't someone suggested that earlier?