[Archived] Fa Cup 2015/16

[arbitro]

The general opinion I get from season ticket holders who sit near me. is they now really only go out of routine. They renew their season tickets because they go with mates or family and cant quite decide to stop. Then when games like the cup appear they simply dont bother. That seems to be the general lack of enthusiasm that spread through the fan base in recent years

Thanks for your reply. I could understand if we were playing Shrewsbury in the Capital One cup in August but this is an FA Cup fifth round match against one of the best sides in the country. Out of interest did they go to the Liverpool game(s) last season?

This is not a go at you by the way.

[JHRover]

That's a good point.

Rovers have a limited match going fanbase, the 10000 ST holders are a big chunk of that, I would estimate that at least half of those 10k won't be there on Sunday.

Add that to the missing 10000, some of which may re-appear for Liverpool or Man U, but no one else, plus the fact your Rovers-ish fans who may come out the woodwork for Liverpool, just won't for West Ham, plus TV coverage and we are looking at a dreadful gate.

I think people are underestimating just how much support (from a limited fanbase to begin with) we have lost, potentially for good.

How do we re-engage the missing 10,000 if they won't pay £20 to watch us play West Ham though? Because if Sunday won't get floating supporters down to Ewood there aren't many games that will.

It seems the attitude at Rovers is almost unique in English football. Any other club that only averages 12,000 a week would undoubtedly get a bumper crowd for a game like we have on Sunday, yet bizarrely the opposite effect seems to take place at Ewood, with thousands of regulars and season ticket holders opting not to go, despite it in all probability being a better game against a better side. Its as though the cup is an irritating inconvenience, despite our outstanding recent record against top flight sides in the competition. Beating Arsenal at Emirates, holding City to a draw at Ewood, hammering Stoke and Swansea, holding Liverpool at Anfield, all whilst we've been a mediocre Championship side, yet that still doesn't generate any sort of interest or anticipation among any section of Rovers support.

[Mattyblue]

How do we re-engage the missing 10,000 if they won't pay £20 to watch us play West Ham though? Because if Sunday won't get floating supporters down to Ewood there aren't many games that will.

It seems the attitude at Rovers is almost unique in English football. Any other club that only averages 12,000 a week would undoubtedly get a bumper crowd for a game like we have on Sunday, yet bizarrely the opposite effect seems to take place at Ewood, with thousands of regulars and season ticket holders opting not to go, despite it in all probability being a better game against a better side. Its as though the cup is an irritating inconvenience, despite our outstanding recent record against top flight sides in the competition. Beating Arsenal at Emirates, holding City to a draw at Ewood, hammering Stoke and Swansea, holding Liverpool at Anfield, all whilst we've been a mediocre Championship side, yet that still doesn't generate any sort of interest or anticipation among any section of Rovers support.

I've thought about this before,

For me, I still believe that there is a view that we are still a recently relegated club and playing the likes of West Ham, Swansea, even Man City is 'no big deal', so if half our regular match goers think that and don't bother, considering our low base to start with, you aint attracting a good crowd.

Do I understand it? No, but it's the reality of the situation.

[sambo]

How do we re-engage the missing 10,000 if they won't pay £20 to watch us play West Ham though? Because if Sunday won't get floating supporters down to Ewood there aren't many games that will.

It seems the attitude at Rovers is almost unique in English football. Any other club that only averages 12,000 a week would undoubtedly get a bumper crowd for a game like we have on Sunday, yet bizarrely the opposite effect seems to take place at Ewood, with thousands of regulars and season ticket holders opting not to go, despite it in all probability being a better game against a better side. Its as though the cup is an irritating inconvenience, despite our outstanding recent record against top flight sides in the competition. Beating Arsenal at Emirates, holding City to a draw at Ewood, hammering Stoke and Swansea, holding Liverpool at Anfield, all whilst we've been a mediocre Championship side, yet that still doesn't generate any sort of interest or anticipation among any section of Rovers support.

Agreed. It's really bizarre, and sums up the mentality of some of our support really.

To a worrying amount of Rovers fans, the FA Cup is an irritant, but those same fans will be back if we somehow get to Wembley (in spite of a complete lack of support/encouragement).

[adsfortheblues]

As soon as Lambert said "I'm looking forward to a bumper crowd at Ewood" I think most of us cringed, as we all knew it wouldn't be.

[AllRoverAsia]

Home game tomorrow evening - surely a lot of FA Cup match tickets will be bought then?

[FGS5635]

Thanks for your reply. I could understand if we were playing Shrewsbury in the Capital One cup in August but this is an FA Cup fifth round match against one of the best sides in the country. Out of interest did they go to the Liverpool game(s) last season?

This is not a go at you by the way.

Some did and some didnt. I think some saw that Liverpool game and some of the others like city etc as a bit of a bright spot and return to something like the big time after a few years of dross.

I dont know whether its another 12 months of disappointment, but this west ham game doesn't have that feel about it for some reason. Not for me anyway

Still, I'll be there, but a part of me thinks I only go now to get away from the wife

[toooldforthis]

I'm a season ticket holder for over 40 years - for many years holding 5 tickets in the Family Stand. Cut me open and I bleed blue&white. I budget for my season ticket but simply cannot afford to go to cup games anymore - regardless of how "reasonable" people may think of the ticket pricing or the calibre of the opposition. I can't afford Sky or BT and so will listen to Radio Lancs commentary. Should a miracle occur and we ultimately get to Wembley I will need to gamble on a choice between going to the semi or the final - simply could not financially justify both. This view is echoed by the 3 people I now go to games with and also the other half-dozen or so people who sit around me in the BBE Lower. Doesn't mean any of us love the club any less than those who can afford to buy every ticket for every game.

[tomphil]

As soon as Lambert said "I'm looking forward to a bumper crowd at Ewood" I think most of us cringed, as we all knew it wouldn't be.

He was a bit wide of the mark which is a bit worryingly out of touch with what he's taken on and how big the divide now is between club and town.

Mind you some players interviewed before we played Swansea last season seemed to be expecting a full house for that one. Some seem to be labouring under this illusion we are a massive club and get winning and fans will flock back en masse. History shows that just doesn't happen in Lancashire towns.

For years we were a very similar club to Norwich City in fanbase terms but over the past few seasons we are beginning to have more in common with Wigan Athletic on that score.

[arbitro]

I'm a season ticket holder for over 40 years - for many years holding 5 tickets in the Family Stand. Cut me open and I bleed blue&white. I budget for my season ticket but simply cannot afford to go to cup games anymore - regardless of how "reasonable" people may think of the ticket pricing or the calibre of the opposition. I can't afford Sky or BT and so will listen to Radio Lancs commentary. Should a miracle occur and we ultimately get to Wembley I will need to gamble on a choice between going to the semi or the final - simply could not financially justify both. This view is echoed by the 3 people I now go to games with and also the other half-dozen or so people who sit around me in the BBE Lower. Doesn't mean any of us love the club any less than those who can afford to buy every ticket for every game.

I appreciate that it is difficult for some. Thanks for your honesty.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

How do we re-engage the missing 10,000 if they won't pay £20 to watch us play West Ham though? Because if Sunday won't get floating supporters down to Ewood there aren't many games that will.

The harsh truth is that the product on offer at Ewood is @#/? poor...three home wins all season is it?

Potentially THE worst Rovers side in over 25 years?.A pretty damn tragic summation of our situation.

We very rarely sold out home areas in the Premiership,now we are fighting for our Championship lives with average Joe loanees...just what the hell are people expecting?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

http://kumb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=162463&start=0

[tomphil]

Interesting how they view us pretty much as we view ourselves, very poor.

Sounds like they are still selling tickets in Lower tier so I won't have to run for President just yet

For any Whammers looking in I think the days of marques in the Fernhurst car park are long gone.

[47er]

The harsh truth is that the product on offer at Ewood is @#/? poor...three home wins all season is it?

Potentially THE worst Rovers side in over 25 years?.A pretty damn tragic summation of our situation.

We very rarely sold out home areas in the Premiership,now we are fighting for our Championship lives with average Joe loanees...just what the hell are people expecting?

Yes,absolutely. We are now a club struggling to stay in the second tier and crowds and interest are quickly returning to the 1970's/80's

doldrums of under 10000 or worse. The football is dire, the players are poor, the "Ewood Experience" is nothing like it was and people have voted with their feet, thousands of them.

What we thought would be a lasting legacy from Jack Walker has been frittered away in 5 years.

Who or what is to blame? The fans apparently!

[VinjayV4]

Agreed. It's really bizarre, and sums up the mentality of some of our support really.

To a worrying amount of Rovers fans, the FA Cup is an irritant, but those same fans will be back if we somehow get to Wembley (in spite of a complete lack of support/encouragement).

Especially regarding the week of the Millwall home QF in 2013.

Speaking of ticket prices I'm sure Ipswich away will sell very well! Announced earlier today...

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/ipswich-town-blackburn-rovers-tickets-travel-2956123.aspx

[garnersfags]

We need to accept that the majority of our fans at every cup game are season ticket holders and others who attend 90% of home games.

Trust me, these regulars have had to stomach so much mediocrity this season that having to make the effort to buy a ticket to see even more excruciating, huff and puff, painful 'football' is just the straw that breaks the camel's back.

These are our true fans but the optimism that the new managerial era may bring any improvement has long gone.

The 1st 3rd of the season wasn't brilliant but there were enough positive performances to keep us hoping for an improvement in results. Since October that hope has been extinguished by a string of home performances that have been as dire as anything we saw under Kean, Ince and Kidd. Possibly worse.

I know there are many underlying reasons for this but the average season ticket holder needs the occasional 'on-pitch' glimmer that it might be worth paying out for a cup ticket.

There hasn't been that glimmer yet, quite the opposite in fact, and that is one reason why thousands of regulars will not be there on Sunday.

I'll be there, praying that Watt or Jackson or Graham can do a Josh King and take my breath away again....

[RevidgeBlue]

We need to accept that the majority of our fans at every cup game are season ticket holders and others who attend 90% of home games.

Trust me, these regulars have had to stomach so much mediocrity this season that having to make the effort to buy a ticket to see even more excruciating, huff and puff, painful 'football' is just the straw that breaks the camel's back.

These are our true fans but the optimism that the new managerial era may bring any improvement has long gone.

The 1st 3rd of the season wasn't brilliant but there were enough positive performances to keep us hoping for an improvement in results. Since October that hope has been extinguished by a string of home performances that have been as dire as anything we saw under Kean, Ince and Kidd. Possibly worse.

I know there are many underlying reasons for this but the average season ticket holder needs the occasional 'on-pitch' glimmer that it might be worth paying out for a cup ticket.

There hasn't been that glimmer yet, quite the opposite in fact, and that is one reason why thousands of regulars will not be there on Sunday.

I'll be there, praying that Watt or Jackson or Graham can do a Josh King and take my breath away again....

Absolutely spot on.

I haven't bought my ticket yet and am not looking forward to the game at all because at present I have absolutely zero expectation of us winning, and I'm not even sure we'll play well or make a decent fist of it.

That may change a bit if we can put in a rousing performance tonight. Even if we don't sheer blind hope will probably temporarily overtake reality later in the week and I've no doubt I'll purchase a ticket either way.

[philipl]

Massively looking forwards to this one.

Want to see a full strength team and a full strength crowd.

[Lancaster Rover]

I'm sure I am in the same boat as many that I prioritise league games over cup, I have a season ticket yet probably only attend 75% of games. I'm 31 with a little boy and a wife who I want to spend time with at a weekend when I'm not working. After giving up time with them on a number of Saturday's through the season I don't want to add further games in to the mix so stay away for weekend cup games, I imagine there are a number of young fathers who do similar.

[garnersfags]

Absolutely spot on.

I haven't bought my ticket yet and am not looking forward to the game at all because at present I have absolutely zero expectation of us winning, and I'm not even sure we'll play well or make a decent fist of it.

That may change a bit if we can put in a rousing performance tonight. Even if we don't sheer blind hope will probably temporarily overtake reality later in the week and I've no doubt I'll purchase a ticket either way.

Despite my post about why I don't think many regulars will attend, I am looking forward to seeing Gomez, Watt, and Graham combine at home for the 1st time (I'm assuming they won't all be fit tonight) if they're not cup-tied. And hopefully a cameo from Grimes.

Every player will have to be at their best (ok, I know, another underdog FA cup cliche), but this is another game where the players self-motivate, so we are not reliant on the manager to inspire them, thank god.

Our general acceptance that Lambert may be unable to get the best from our mediocre squad until he has been at the club for 12 months frustrates the life out of me, but I do have faith that he will turn the corner by the end of the season and most reasonable fans will resist a serious judgement until christmas.

The boos that will continue to ring in his ears until we dish up a string of at least acceptable performances show that the Ewood regulars are more interested in green shoots peeping thro before that.

If we have a full strength team, we'll win or draw. If not, we'll lose. Simple.

COYB.

[rigger]

Despite my post about why I don't think many regulars will attend, I am looking forward to seeing Gomez, Watt, and Graham combine at home for the 1st time (I'm assuming they won't all be fit tonight) if they're not cup-tied. And hopefully a cameo from Grimes.

Every player will have to be at their best (ok, I know, another underdog FA cup cliche), but this is another game where the players self-motivate, so we are not reliant on the manager to inspire them, thank god.

Our general acceptance that Lambert may be unable to get the best from our mediocre squad until he has been at the club for 12 months frustrates the life out of me, but I do have faith that he will turn the corner by the end of the season and most reasonable fans will resist a serious judgement until christmas.

The boos that will continue to ring in his ears until we dish up a string of at least acceptable performances show that the Ewood regulars are more interested in green shoots peeping thro before that.

If we have a full strength team, we'll win or draw. If not, we'll lose. Simple.

COYB.

If only football was that simple.

[VinjayV4]

Shrewsbury not installing extra seating after United hooligans caused substantial damage at the iPro Stadium,

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/feb/16/manchester-united-repairs-bill-after-300-seats-damaged-fans-derby

[tomphil]

Hell fire they've sold it out !!!!

Fantastic effort from them, I'm sure someone on here was saying they aren't a big club

At least we'll be guaranteed 14k now ! They should give them some more in the Riverside I'm sure it could be segregated easy enough.

[Mattyblue]

Good job you're only running for President, instead of volunteering to show your arse on the town hall steps

[tomphil]

Good job you're only running for President and you didn't volunteer to show your arse on the town hall steps

Aye but going up against Trump & co there is a real chance I could win ! I might take the town hall option instead