Knowing our fans as I do, the loss against Macclesfield will have shaved a few hundred off the attendance on Saturday.
I don’t think your far wrong there tbh.
1 Like
Do people really have that mindset? We pulled in 4000 most weekends last year and lost most games!
I can’t see the Caribao Cup having that much of an impact.
Would like to think we’ll have an attendance of closer to 5000 or plus that - the least the lads deserve
Something the club need to improve is the matchday experience of the “walk-up” fan.
One of the privileges of supporting a club like ours should be that unlike some of our neighbours, if you live close enough you can make a decision to go to the match at two and be there in time for kick-off.
Our four windows plus one for collections ticket office gets overwhelmed on matchdays. And much like the M6 if for whatever reason one lane grinds to a halt, everything becomes ten times slower. Even when the attendance is modest such as that on Tuesday or the Gillingham game, you’ll see a queue for tickets that can be half an hour long. That isn’t great in August. In December it becomes prohibitive.
When I have pointed this out to the club, the stock answer is : people should buy in advance (it’s cheaper don’t you know) and there is a single cash turnstile in the Lower Big End. And that’s it. My arguments that simple and efficient walk up should be a USP, not a lot of folk know about the cash turnstile (and regulars don’t like using it because no proof of attendance could prejudice their chances of a ticket for a big game) and not everyone wants to sit in the lower all fall on deaf ears. Basically, it is if you don’t want to queue buy in advance.
I’ve even made suggestions of how to make it work better. Leads to a bout of “yes, buts”. So in essence if you rock up at two thirty and ticketless in tangerine on Saturday you will be in your seat or the away fans bar for 2:35. If you arrive at the same time an equally ticketless home fan then you definitely won’t get a pint, kick off is touch and go and you could well get wet but it’s your own fault for not organising your life in a way that is convenient- Soz.
Stuff like this isn’t that hard and it does make a difference.
3 Likes
I fancy we might see a few goals again on Saturday so 4-2 to the Saddlers!
I can’t say I’ve ever had problem with the walk up experience. I know I have to be there for two if I want to have a pint and sit in the lounge before a game. That’s pretty true to anything. There aren’t many events with 1000 plus in attendance you can rock up to an half an hour before without a ticket and expect to get in well before the start or even definitely before a start. If you’re that on the fence about going and you’re only deciding to go at 2 O’Clock on a Saturday you are probably not the type of fan that will battle through rain and snow to be there anyway in December. I think where they lose fans is simply the cost involved. If I wasn’t a Walsall fan already there’s no way I’d take my kid. Not when I can get Championship or not that long ago premier league for the same price.
1 Like
Both PT and el-nombre make good points on the matter of the walk up experience, with so many of the away fixtures offering pay at the turnstile facilities, it makes a joke of our frustratingly outdated offering.
If a ‘little’ club like Rochdale can offer a superb trouble free welcome at their own on site club/pub, then 10 minutes before KO walk round the corner and pay (with ‘real’ concession price, not just £2 off) at the gate why can’t we?
Back to the subject, I foresee another win but with a frustrating goal against, with Assomobolonga (or whatever) snatching yet another clean sheet from us (again)! 2-1.
1 Like
Just to add not everyone can get there for 2. Lots of people have variable commitments on a Saturday morning be it work, kids football, milk buying etc. Throw in things like traffic and unreliable public transport and what should be an easy thing, and certainly used to be easy enough back in the 1970’s and 80’s, suddenly becomes a stressful, near impossible blue arsed fly mission. And that’s before you talk about folks that might just want to have the choice to make a late decision to pop down the match (like PT was alluding to), because having a choice to do things is nice! Back in the day I’d be in the pub with a mate or two en-route to Fellows Park, and would actively talk other mates, or even family members who just happened to be there to come with us. You could barely do that now, which has to be to the club’s financial detriment.
Bring back cash turnstiles and football special buses, or for those who havn’t got a clue what I’m on about get an app on your phone to buy an e-ticket like you can on the train! (my son does that for me when we’re last minute 
).
And just to get back on topic, arn’t they the team that havn’t beaten us at home for about 120 years? Although I remember the 3-2 home defeat in the league cup, with Ricky Sbragia on target for them having signed from us.
2 Likes
unfortunately yes 
Agree with all of that , and for me it’s the cost element that drives fans into the hands of other clubs…
When friends ask me what our matchday prices are they find it hard to believe.
They really don’t. Macclesfield in the Carabao cup isn’t going to drive attendances away, particularly after the start we’ve had.
But then again we have a few coming back DON’T WE MATE ? 
1 Like
got the tickets today 
You stalled after all then mate 
you said you’d get them Tuesday , anyone would think you we’re buying the beer !
Then again i thought you we’re a little suspect the other night , you sure it’s not Jeff 
Lol you sure YOU ain’t? i have been working in coventry and droitwich monday and tuesday then back down to earth in rushall and blakenall yesterday but had jobs in pleck and caldmore today, i have to be careful because of the tracker on the van
2-1 Ferrier & Morris, with Chunkster & RedandWhite announcing their engagement in the Stadium Suite at halftime.
3 Likes
I think your fears on this occasion are unfounded, chunkster, as there will be between 4-4,500 Saddlers on Saturday.
My prediction - Saddlers to win 2-1, with Ferrier and Fitzwater on target, in front of 4,737, including 356 from Blackpool.
1 Like
Were you in the Ratcliffe Bar on Saturday, watching the Dingles game, with your back to the wall by the bar?
I was standing nearby and I thought it might have been you but couldn’t remember your real name and I wasn’t going to walk up to someone and say “are you Worsul4eva or Ancient Moaner?” (I’ve done that before and have been met with confused faces 
).
i hope so mate