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why are the SMS crowds low...poll


lordswoodsaints

Why are the SMS crowds so low this season?  

250 members have voted

  1. 1. Why are the SMS crowds so low this season?

    • Lowe and Wilde
      58
    • Bad start to the season
      70
    • Being in the Championship
      23
    • The Manager
      8
    • Ticket prices / cost of attending
      53
    • Work committments
      14
    • Too many youngsters in the squad
      10
    • Other
      14


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after reading a few of the threads about low crowds at sms can we have a poll as to why this is.

there are many different reasons that have been stated in the other threads so it would be nice to find out what the most popular reason is.

remember it is only for the people who dont go anymore or dont go as much as they used to.

honest answers only please.

 

a) lowe & wilde

b) bad start to the season

c) the division we are in

d) the manager

e) lack of money/ticket prices

f) work commitments

g) too many youngsters in squad.

h) other

Edited by lordswoodsaints
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I didn't realise you'd stopped going nickh.
No im still stupid enough to go.Although in the main I still really enjoy it.To meet with people I only know by a handshake a nod of recogniion, a chat with other like minded people and a smile and a joke with others, and of course having some time with my daughter who doesnt live at home any more....oh and the football.
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Still go as much as normal, but it's becoming more of a chore. Cost of tickets, lack of star quality (effectively £25 to watch former reserve players no matter how promising is a lot) and bad start to the season.
yeah I remeber thinking the same thing when Frannie played...kidding although
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The whole sorry saga begins and ends with the golden duo.

The consortium otherwise known as the motley crew made a big mistake in the choice of leader of the pack. Not my cup of tea and yes many others could have led the group through a similar transformation and would have received a lot more sympathy and support.

My opinion of course supported by the non travelling Saints Honiton supporters group who tend to go shopping more these days.

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The reason I don't go is because I live abroad, but I feel whilst many of the reasons above are valid the primary is the results on the pitch.

 

I seriously believe that if we had won every game and were sat at the top of the table the crowds would be much better than they are right now. I even expect many of those who state Lowe and Wilde for their reasons of non-attendance would be back if we were storming the league/reached a cup final.

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There just seems a lack of interest? I really find it enjoyable watching the youth playing but there is no doubt it is a big ask. I am finding it difficult to get some to go along for free. Nothing to do with the boardroom in this case, just apathy towards football in general. I don't know if it has anything to do with failure to qualify for the Euro's or what ever, but I am at the point now where I shall only bother about myself in future. One thing that has started dawning on me is that our chances of getting back into the Premier and about as remote as a Champions League spot now.

This may have something to do with the first time for a long while, I knew at the start of the season just staying up would be highlight.

 

I believe in the next few years there will be clubs that once graced the Premier going to the wall and if the lack of interest extends to Sky coverage, there will be big adjustments to be made to the Premier.

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Generally i think the main reason is simply mental fatigue with the whole club. We have been in the CCC for what 4 seasons now? For one year we looked like we might go back up but the other 3 have been nothing but a disaster and this one looks set to be the worst of them all. There has been very little to cheer about for many seasons and at the end of the day people have to remember people will not part with hard earned cash in the current climate to watch what we have been dishing up. If the team had talent and had a few big name players to draw the crowds things would be different. But effectivley your paying £30 to watch the reserves. The fans have been treated like mugs for to long and this is why the numbers are dwindling. I really feel we are down to the die hards almost and that does not bode well for Lowe. So while i agree people are not going because of him i doubt they are like 15000 a game. Maybe 5000 max. If we continue in our path i have no doubt those numbers will decrease further and the anger that is boiling under the surface will appear again. This is why i like the away games this year as that whole atmosphere is not there and it seems more about the football.

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I think there should be a choice for 'hangover from last season' or something along those lines. After all, we finished two places above the drop zone and played some dire football for much of last season; this is sure to have had an impact on gates this time around I'd have thought.

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Other:

 

A minority of class conscious fans, who can't see the wood from their bile and spittle covered lair, have taken it upon themselves to punish the club because they don't care for the chairman.

 

Be it on their heads if we go down or go into administration.

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Other:

 

A minority of class conscious fans, who can't see the wood from their bile and spittle covered lair, have taken it upon themselves to punish the club because they don't care for the chairman.

 

Be it on their heads if we go down or go into administration.

 

That and the mythical 10,000 strong Lowe army seem to not be able to find the stadium :rolleyes:

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Guest Hacienda
Other:

 

A minority of class conscious fans, who can't see the wood from their bile and spittle covered lair, have taken it upon themselves to punish the club because they don't care for the chairman.

 

Be it on their heads if we go down or go into administration.

 

But doesn't "Lowe's army, 10,000 strong" make up for them? :rolleyes:

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From personal experience it's the following:

 

Cost - Some friends can no longer justify the overall cost.

 

Last Season - Some wrapped their hand in after the abortion of last season.

 

Shutting the wings - Since being evicted only two chose to move seats, the rest took refunds.

 

Lowe - At least three won't set foot back in SMS with him there and that will remain in any league.

 

They all still care but all believe that the club they grew up loving has gone but I've yet to hear one say a bad thing about the manager or players.

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I think all of the above has an affect on a good number of our supporters.

 

Living away, I can no longer justify coming down for all home games (ticket prices/petrol prices etc.) But I think the main reason is battle weariness of the last 4/5 years. Crap upper management (Lowe; Wilde; Crouch and McMenemy; Hone and Hoos; Lowe and Wilde), crap team management (Wigley; Sturrock; Redknapp; Wise and Bassett; Burley; Dodd and Gorman), crap players (too many to list) and crap football.

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a little of all those

 

Agreed.

 

Though I said I wouldnt go to protest against and certainly not support Lowe's Southampton Leisure Holdings plc Youth FC team... I have been going, and attending away matches... can't resist it....

 

But, I am afraid after the last game I thought... I can spend £26 on better things than this failing Cloggy youth crap... so I suspect I wont be going for a while not just because of Lowe/Wilde but now because of cost and value for money.

 

God we need a takeover soon.

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I go as much as i as my finances allow nowadays.

I do not have the same enthusiasm as i did,but that is nothing to do with what league we are in.

I have finally reached a point where i think SFC has turned into a farce imo.

Never have i seen,in the 32 years i have been watching Saints,the amount of spin and bull come from within the club.

The last couple of regimes in charge,which include the current incumbants, at SFC have systematically turned this once great club into a mere shell of what it once was.

THEY ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED.

Scoring points of each other and protecting assets have been vastly more important it seems.

Hence apathy rules.

We need a big fookin broom to sweep all the sh17e out of the club,only then will we see an upturn in willingness to part with hard earned cash,couple that with some favourable results,ar5es will return on the seats.IMO.

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Other:

 

A minority of class conscious fans, who can't see the wood from their bile and spittle covered lair, have taken it upon themselves to punish the club because they don't care for the chairman.

 

Be it on their heads if we go down or go into administration.

That is their prerogative. The same thing happens at a general election and it's called 'democracy'

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I reckon it's because we're slowly falling off the footballing map. Asked my kid 'who supports Saints in your class?' the reply i got 'no one apart from me'. I got mocked by Pompey supporting lads for wearing my red & white stripes - no one wants that!

 

The Saints no longer have the draw of a 'big club' so all the floating johnny come latelys stay away. Saints have always had 15,000 or so hardcore who will show rain or shine hence the attendances we're pulling at the moment.

 

I believe Saints need a new hero, someone who will die for cause like some fans would. Someone we can call our own. The problem with modern day football is if a player has a handful of decent games he is sold in the following window.

 

The last game of last season showed they're out there somewhere, but the product needs to improve if Saints want the crowds back in.

 

Win a couple of games and people will start returning.

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Other:

 

A minority of class conscious fans, who can't see the wood from their bile and spittle covered lair, have taken it upon themselves to punish the club because they don't care for the chairman.

 

Be it on their heads if we go down or go into administration.

 

Scooby - the fact that you seem indicate that whatever reason these fans do not go is linked to Lowe(and you're talking ******** about class reasons) has to tell even you something.

 

I think Soccermon is right - there is also weariness. Weariness at the constrant beating fans have had over time with poor results, failure of the boardroom, failure on the pitch, no manager wanting to stay for years.

 

SAINTS FANS ARE PUNCHDRUNK WITH FAILURE ... failure associated that started with the establishment of the plc and introduction of Lowe (and now Wilde) being at the club, whether its entirely their fault or not. Whether the odd success or not can be sighted by people in the last 12 years is irrelevant as there has been constrant falling down the league... the league tables never lie.

 

So, given that evidence alone it's hardly a suprise fans are voting with their feet. What amazes me is that we have not yet seen Branfoot-style tactics from lesser minded fans... but I suppose that'll happen eventually if Lowe and Wilde refuse to sell to the next takeover offer.

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A bit of a few of those really.

 

It costs far too much money for a couple of hours worth of 'entertainment'. So when you have no confidence of a good afternoon out, it's money that could better be used elsewhere. If we were winning games and performances were good, many people would find the money or would be happier to spend it at least... but while we're not doing so well, you start to question the merits in spending the best part of £40 per person all-in.

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Other:

 

A minority of class conscious fans, who can't see the wood from their bile and spittle covered lair, have taken it upon themselves to punish the club because they don't care for the chairman.

 

Be it on their heads if we go down or go into administration.

 

You don't even go Scooby (other than your one trip on Boxing Day if we're playing at home), so how can you even comment?

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