Next Season: Anyone positive

[SoccerHQ]

Call it ridiculous logic but I think attendances may actually improve next season. Think about it, we would be the biggest scalp and its one of the best grounds for away fans transport wise so wouldnt see too much changing there. From a home point of view, I dont think we get too many day trippers, most fans are quite commited. From a personal point of view, I will often forego the match and the £30 odd ticket as ive had the stuffing knocked out of me over the last 5 years. Instead ill go down my local and watch it on dodgy tv with my mates. If we were winning more games than not, were scoring goals again and there wasnt the option to stream the match I would be attending more than I currently am

Certainly if we play a lot of the midland teams on a Saturday at 3pm (obviously likes of SHA and Wolves will be those kick offs if not earlier) we'll get 35k crowds no problem.

Trouble is there's a lot of midweek games down there and they're obviously not as attractive as weekend games. You see that in the premier league, even when we were doing well and near the top in the MON years I'd imagine our lowest home attendances of the season were the midweek games.

[PeterWithesShin]

If I were the club i'd freeze ST prices next year despite the extra home games. And i'd reduce the single match price as well. Do everything possible to get VP as full as possible next season to help drive us straight back up.

[cdbearsfan]

Not if AFC Bournemouth come down with us.

*shrugs*

Every table at the start of this season was concentrating on the B rather than the A.

Bet you it will be the same next season.

I was sad enough to check. We were above Bournemouth in the league but, bizarrely, Wimbledon were placed top of League Two even though "AFC" comes after "Accrington" alphabetically.

The FA consider us to come after Bournemouth as we've been ball number three in the FA Cup Third Round draw since they've been entering at that stage.

[Dave]

Not if AFC Bournemouth come down with us.

*shrugs*

Every table at the start of this season was concentrating on the B rather than the A.

Bet you it will be the same next season.

I was sad enough to check. We were above Bournemouth in the league but, bizarrely, Wimbledon were placed top of League Two even though "AFC" comes after "Accrington" alphabetically.

Yup, I both being mentioned in the summer, might even have been your good self who did so.

[Dave]

Almost word-for-word!

The stupid BBC can't make their mind up. They have Bournemouth listed third in the Premier League despite the fact that AFC Bournemouth are ahead of Arsenal and ourselves alphabetically (or between us if you choose to list them as "Association Football Club Bournemouth").

However, they have Wimbledon listed top of League Two despite the fact that AFC Wimbledon comes after Accrington Stanley.

I'm happy to allow Bournemouth to be above us for now, so long as we're above them after the first game. I can't see how they wouldn't consider that perfectly fair.

[Dave Cooper please]

Not if AFC Bournemouth come down with us.

They don't count. All "AFC" prefixes shouldn't count.

[Dave Cooper please]

In fact any club with an AFC or FC prefix should be immediately banned from football until they ruddy well stop it.

[LeeS]

In fact any club with an AFC or FC prefix should be immediately banned from football until they ruddy well stop it.

And Manchester prefixes. They should be banned too.

[pauliewalnuts]

If I were the club i'd freeze ST prices next year despite the extra home games. And i'd reduce the single match price as well. Do everything possible to get VP as full as possible next season to help drive us straight back up.

I think the way relegated clubs increase ST prices on the basis of more games is pretty outrageous.

Yes, there are more games. Against the likes of Small Fucking Heath, Rotherham and MK Shitting Dons.

[tomd2103]

If I were the club i'd freeze ST prices next year despite the extra home games. And i'd reduce the single match price as well. Do everything possible to get VP as full as possible next season to help drive us straight back up.

A freeze would be a good gesture.

[Mellin]

It's just another form of taking the piss, something clubs have been doing for years, which has led to £60 tickets. Unfortunately people still pay the money, so I don't blame them. Supply and demand and all that.

A stand should've been made in the form of boycotts years ago.

[tomd2103]

Bored on a course earlier I came up with a list of what I would do in the summer to the playing staff no matter what league we are in.  Came up with:

Guzan - lost all confidence in him - sell and replace
Bunn - fine as a number 2 
Steer - might be worth selling if offer comes in and promote a younger keeper to no. 3
Richards - seems to be trouble - sell and replace
Hutton - I would say sell but we're stuck with him
Okore - keep
Lescott - keep - though may need changing if he can't play twice in a week
Clark - keep
Baker - sell if there is interest
Senderos - will go on a free but not sure what has happened to him, would be good back up
Amavi - keep
Cissokho - keep though may not be able to keep both him and Amavi
Kinsella - keep
Sanchez - sell as I think there would be buyers - replace with more attacking option
Westwood - keep - OK in Championship
Bacuna - keep - as above
Lyden - keep
Gardner - keep
Gana - keep
Veretout - keep
Richardson - go on a free
N'Zogbia - go on a free - preferably to Winson Green for fraud
Cole - already gone?
Gil - keep
Grealish - keep
Sinclair - sell if offer comes in
Ayew - keep but realistically can see there being interest in him and if will be tough
Traore - keep if wages aren't an issue
Gestede - keep - only to be used in 15-20 mins cameos
Kozak - keep - could be good at Championship level if we go down
Agbonlahor - sell but going to be difficult to shift - needs replacing - could be good in C'ship if he puts his mind to it

Have I missed anyone?  As we have seen before, selling players isn't always that easy,so I have only put sell by ones that I think we would have a realistic chance of shifting.  From that list I think we're probably looking at needing a keeper (hopefully this window), a right-back if Richards goes, a back up CB, a central midfielder and a striker.  Obviously the quality of player we get in depends on the league we are in. 

If we go down, we will have to make a decision on Lescott.  Having a settled back four is vital, so if he can't play two games in a week we might have to look at other options.

Edit - just seen Senderos has gone.

[tomd2103]

It's just another form of taking the piss, something clubs have been doing for years, which has led to £60 tickets. Unfortunately people still pay the money, so I don't blame them. Supply and demand and all that.

A stand should've been made in the form of boycotts years ago.

We're hardly in that situation though.  To be fair, you can still go and watch most games at Villa Park for less than £25 which isn't bad at all really.

[exiled on the wirral!]

It's just another form of taking the piss, something clubs have been doing for years, which has led to £60 tickets. Unfortunately people still pay the money, so I don't blame them. Supply and demand and all that.

A stand should've been made in the form of boycotts years ago.

We're hardly in that situation though.  To be fair, you can still go and watch most games at Villa Park for less than £25 which isn't bad at all really.

I agree, if you use the early bird offers especially, you can get a great seat for a reasonable price...at the same time, it costs £20 to watch Chester in the Conference.

I didn't have a ST this year due to having a child, but if we go down, I'll definetly be getting one if it's at this season's prices.

[brentastonb6]

It's nice to see in the midst of the gloom a person who we seem to be taking to our hearts- Remi Garde, none of us wanted him on appointment
but there appears to be a growing groundswell of support for what he is trying to achieve, any balcony banner designers out there ?
In Remi We trust !