[Archived] West Ham United - Fa Cup 5Th Round

[all you need is duff]

[quote name="Leonard Venkhater" post="1619625" timestamp="1455970123

I seem to remember repeated research has shown that when fans break the regular match going habit, the break is all too often permanent. I know I am often on my high horse about the fan blame thing, but even amongst my own family and friends I can name 24 people, who used to go regularly and have all been lost to this club.

That was mentioned in Paul Hunt's leaked letter to Venky's back in 2011:

"We are losing fans/customers at an alarming rate. I am very concerned that fans are voting with their feet and not attending, not purchasing and not engaging with the club.

Research shows that only 5% of ex season ticket holders will ever return. We are losing sponsors and suppliers"

[Riverside67]

I can think of thousands of reasons not to go.............................

[Hasta]

Circumstances not too dissimilar to the Liverpool match when it was sold out. It would be interesting if we did get to Wembley how many tickets we could sell.

Well we had won 4 out of 6 games prior to the Liverpool game rather than 1 in 9.

We were also free scoring rather than ranked 68 out of the 72 football league teams for home league goals.

The winner of that game also progressed to a semi final at wembley, something which still holds a novelty value for Rovers.

If tomorrow was against Liverpool we probably would have had a slightly bigger crowd but not by much.

If tomorrow was a quarter final, or if we had just won 4 of our last 6 games, we would without doubt have a bigger attendance of home fans.

[Doug]

Weather looks poor for tomorrow. Got our tickets yesterday and looking forward to the game.

Really hope we have a decent home crowd on, West ham have done their bit.

Prices are very good so come on, get down to Ewood tomorrow and support the boys!

[yoda]

Yeah I feel sorry for Jack having a son like your mate Howard.

Allardyce very complimentary of Bilic too.

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/02/02/sam-allardyce-praises-slaven-bilics-signings-at-west-ham-united/

You obviously know jack sh1t about the Walker family

[Davenport Nice]

I hope there's a decent crowd on too. Anything above 20,000 would be a bonus at the moment.

I sometimes wonder if since 1960 it's been bread into people to hate (or be cynical) towards the club at any available opportuntiy. I think most people who go now aren't going for the entertainment but just to support the club they support.

I hear a lot of people saying 'why should I go and support that lot' or 'I've got better things to do than support that cr@p'. Why be so scathing and enjoy being so? Just admit that you don't want to go and support your team.

[ABBEY]

I hope there's a decent crowd on too. Anything above 20,000 would be a bonus at the moment.

I sometimes wonder if since 1960 it's been bread into people to hate (or be cynical) towards the club at any available opportuntiy. I think most people who go now aren't going for the entertainment but just to support the club they support.

I hear a lot of people saying 'why should I go and support that lot' or 'I've got better things to do than support that cr@p'. Why be so scathing and enjoy being so? Just admit that you don't want to go and support your team.

One word venkyscum

[Stuart]

The was "an independent trader" purloining an armful of "West Ham v Blackburn" scarves in the town centre this morning. Presumably these are quick and easy to produce but I'm baffled that anybody thinks that this is a such a big match to warrant an historic commemoration. It does seem as though we have been confirmed as football league minnows now, never again to darken the PL doors, and we should be grateful not only for our league share but that a mighty club from the Big Smoke deem us worthy to send a team up for a kick about in' th'effay cup. Crap scarves for goalposts anyone?

That said, I'm not really expecting anything but a PL-biased referee, first-naming the Queen's finest, and a second claret-and-blue win of the season at Ewood. I just hope we give a good account of ourselves, reinvigorate our Mark Hughes era (if one-man version) Bully Boys tag, maybe even get the first goal to remind the watching armchair fans (including the Rovers stayaways who can't do without their "Bierre" bottles and £20 eBay digiboxes for an afternoon to actually contribute) that there is still a football team alive-and-kicking at the bottom of Livesey Branch Road.

[Davenport Nice]

One word venkyscum

I'm sure you're right, Abbey, for some people. I know plenty in that boat, but I also know plenty who will use any excuse to sl@g off the institution that is BRFC. Plenty I know used to use the Bowyer card but are using new 'cards' now.

These are lads who used to go in the 80s but it seems that even a half decent spectacle tomorrow at a half decent price can't tempt them. Had we never had our Prem years they would def be there tomorrow.

It's all weird and frustrating.

[JAL]

There really is no excuse for Rovers fans not to turn out tomorrow.

Unfortunately the track record of support at Ewood since the early 1960's bar the Walker era has been very poor.

Even Oxford are likely to have had more home supporters v Rovers than we will get watching WHU tomorrow.

A poor show and a lack of commitment if we get anything less than 20000 home fans.

West Ham are playing some great football and have there best team in years.

The empty seats have a great excuse why pay to watch a centre forward that cant fulfill his role properly ?

[K-Hod]

The empty seats have a great excuse why pay to watch a centre forward that cant fulfill his role properly ?

Maybe for fair weather fans. Don't forget, you support Blackburn Rovers, not Barcelona.

[chaddyrovers]

Just admit that you don't want to go and support your team.

Exactly

Its time ppl got behind the team or just dont bother.

I'm in York this weekend but catching an earlier Train back so myself and Family can make the game.

Maybe for fair weather fans. Don't forget, you support Blackburn Rovers, not Barcelona.

Exactly but not for Rovers fans who support the club through the good and bad times

[DE.]

Thought I'd gone back in time five years, watching Soccer Saturday and hearing Charlie Nicholas defending Steve Kean and attacking Rovers fans for protesting against him. Some things never change. As far as I could tell their general consensus was we're a club on the decline and Lambert is crazy to have come here. Oh, and Merson says our ticket prices are why fans aren't coming to the matches, showing he has his finger on the pulse as always.

[JAL]

Maybe for fair weather fans. Don't forget, you support Blackburn Rovers, not Barcelona.

True.

[Hasta]

Exactly

Its time ppl got behind the team or just dont bother.

Good attitude there Chaddy. Either attend every game including cup games or **** off.

That almost makes it sound like your telling some fans to 'crawl under their stones'

Good job you're not employed by the club. You make Myers seem like a PR genius.

[4000Holes]

Thought I'd gone back in time five years, watching Soccer Saturday and hearing Charlie Nicholas defending Steve Kean and attacking Rovers fans for protesting against him. Some things never change. As far as I could tell their general consensus was we're a club on the decline and Lambert is crazy to have come here. Oh, and Merson says our ticket prices are why fans aren't coming to the matches, showing he has his finger on the pulse as always.

You have just beaten me to it. No mention that his mate Anderson was the major catalyst in the clubs demise. Pratt!

[G Somerset Rover]

Nicholas is an absolute snake and always has been, while as for Merson, the guy can't even string a sentance together. God knows how's he's still got the gig he has with Sky. Jobs for the boys I guess.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Thought I'd gone back in time five years, watching Soccer Saturday and hearing Charlie Nicholas defending Steve Kean and attacking Rovers fans for protesting against him. Some things never change. As far as I could tell their general consensus was we're a club on the decline and Lambert is crazy to have come here. Oh, and Merson says our ticket prices are why fans aren't coming to the matches, showing he has his finger on the pulse as always.

Your boys on Soccer Saturday are still spouting your lies

With fake tan and low I.Q.

Nobody in our town is even surprised,

For they're part of the Anderson crew.

SEM/Kentaro, well you poisoned our dream

And it's a dirty, rotten shame.

Your pigs in suits still scoffing all the loot

And we know all their names!

[Riverside67]

if you can't be positive and excited about going to watch top class opposition then you will never go. No point coming on here anymore and pretending otherwise.

Let's be honest for some as the comments show there is more comfort in having a pop at the club and feeling that justifies a no show. That is unforgivable if you are a real fan.

Don't get me wrong I am gutted that we have gone backwards continuously since the Indian arrival but surely tomorrow is a day for making an effort.

It tells the Indians that incompetence will have consequences and the cost to the family finances must be huge. But in their culture the loss of reputation means a hell of a lot more. In that respect Venky's have effectively been publicly humiliated as their brand stands for value destruction in the whole of Europe and broadcast to the world as such by Sky.

I just hope the fans get behind the team on the day as the negative misery card has been well played by those who want to use it.

I for one want to back Lambert and give him and his staff a chance. Irvine and Kelly have the club's interests at heart and the same applies to Damien Johnson and hopefully to be joined soon by Dunny.

Time to move on from all that miserable negative nonsense that means you feel better NOT bothering to support your team.

[Hasta]

Let's be honest for some as the comments show there is more comfort in having a pop at the club and feeling that justifies a no show. That is unforgivable if you are a real fan.

Time to move on from all that miserable negative nonsense that means you feel better NOT bothering to support your team.

Sorry but I just don't see those comments. Please quote them to me.

I see far more comments from 'fans' criticising the stayaways than I do seeing the stayaways 'having a pop at the club'

[BlueMonday]

Looking at the weather today and for tomorrow doesn't look good. How is the pitch holding up? Any chance this could be called off?

[BlueMonday]

Picked my tickets up this afternoon, ticket office say gate approaching 17,000.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Picked my tickets up this afternoon, ticket office say gate approaching 17,000.

More fans than empty seats. That's a start at least. Hoped it'd be slightly higher by now.

[cesus]

Looking at the weather today and for tomorrow doesn't look good. How is the pitch holding up? Any chance this could be called off?

The pitch is currently covered and I believe has been for the last 24hrs.

[arbitro]

Looking at the weather today and for tomorrow doesn't look good. How is the pitch holding up? Any chance this could be called off?

The weather in the late morning and afternoon doesn't look too bad now.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gcw1rygm5#?fcTime=1456012800