Disappointing attendance at walkers

[Nationwider]

Maybe that's why I campaign so strongly for attacking football. The costs are bloody hurtful to most ordinary folk - the least they can do is try to entertain, try and give us something to lift our spirits.

For all that Leicester City is a bit of a drug. if if wasn't my passion I'd NEVER put up with some of the dross they serve up anywhere else.

It just that things like the Steve Claridge goal, the Arsenal draw, the cheek and good humour of Derek Dougan, the unparalleled brilliance of Frank Worthington and Stan Collymore, the matchless skill of Davie Gibson are memories that make up the most marvellous moments of my life.

I guess that means I'll forgive them anything. They are as much part of my life as oxygen is to my lungs and my wife and sons are to the whole purpose of my life.

7 starts for City. A hat-trick, some zany off-field antics, but really in the Elvis category?

A touch of the Simon Grayson's there. It's these long international weeks - they play tricks with the mind.

[Michael Doyle]

The stadium came about because of a string of successful seasons which put a lot of cash, desire and passion back into our club. It was a well managed successful club on and off the field.

Today we are suffering from the results of very poorly appointed managers who in T@#$%rs case near on destroyed the club. (We have put to much faith in people professing to be professionals at what they do)

We are survivors and we will be back. When is the only question. From my perspective I watched early games in the new stadium and found it to be a great atmosphere and this season I watched four games and found the atmosphere to be very quite indeed. I agree with the previous comments in regard to people not going because they are watching a team either lose or produce boring football. I also think the mighty LCFC are recovering from this and slowly moving forward with a good young squad.

Don't under estimate the cost of tickets as an issue for falling attendances. In simple terms if the squad is playing poorly and players are being paid thousands of quid a week , the average supporter who paid (at least) 20 quid to watch a game is bound to question the value if they have competing family priorities.

Look at it this way. Paid TV used to be in most homes throughout Leicester. Most of my friends have gotten rid of it because they are down the pub watching the football with their mates. They don't need it at home anymore. Paid TV have the Sky Premier (I think that's what they call it) which cost you more to watch the top games. What a joke. Talk about holding you to ransom. Especially when the majority of the money generated stays in the Premiership.

Its all supply and demand. If you can afford a Rolls go get it. If you can afford a Ford Focus go get it. I would lay a bet their are more focus on the streets of Leicester than Rolls and I would go further by saying that the opportunity of going to watch the football with the family has long long gone and its gotten to the stage where the costs outweigh the benefit. Don't just blame the club for this have a look at the FA who have edged their bets both ways.

MadMick

[Hullfox]

I'm as close now to not going to the games as I've ever been.

Having watched England in Geneva at the weekend it makes me realise just how much passion we have lost as a club.

I don't like people not turning up for games but I don't blame them. Levein may have steadied the ship but he's not injected any sparkle for me.

[Guest]

Hmm ticket prices.....

That may be the answer

To be honest, they could offer tickets at rock bottom prices, and we still wouldn't sell out at the moment.

[Ajax Treesdown]

I'm as close now to not going to the games as I've ever been.

Having watched England in Geneva at the weekend it makes me realise just how much passion we have lost as a club.

I don't like people not turning up for games but I don't blame them. Levein may have steadied the ship but he's not injected any sparkle for me.

No spark, thats hit the nail on the head. We need passion and excitement when we watch our team at home. For home games now, I wake in the morning and don't even look forward to going to the Walkers. I hate it. It's a shame I know but thats how I feel. BIG Stadiums for lower league teams kill atmosphere.

[Manwell Pablo]

No spark, thats hit the nail on the head. We need passion and excitement when we watch our team at home. For home games now, I wake in the morning and don't even look forward to going to the Walkers. I hate it. It's a shame I know but thats how I feel. BIG Stadiums for lower league teams kill atmosphere.

Well its not about to get much better until the team do is it. So we should stop moaning and at least try and get behind the team, im a fine one to talk I do nothing but moan about it but I do nothing to help it I dont stand up and sing by myslef. I dont even really sing unless the crowd gets going. I'll be doing my bests to change my ways for the Watford match though. Its never going to be as good as it was until we are flying high, but im sure we can make it bareable. I hope

[DJhinckley]

erm, would this be a good time to mention that at Hinckley United it's £8 adults, £5 old boys, £3 kids?

no?

ok then

[Gené and Tonic]

Hinckley need a new manager. Thomas has taken them as far as he can take them

[Thracian]

I'm certainly not less inclined to watch City cos they're in the Championship rather than the Premiership.

Indeed City over the years have generally provided more excitement by challenging for honours at the top of the second tier than they have fighting nervous, nail-biting and dogged battles at the bottom of the top tier.

We also get top tier crowds for second tier matches when we are challenging for promotion so the atmosphere's no worse.

What I don't like now is the "what we have we hold" attitude of so many football managers which prevents them chasing more goals when they get ahead, the disregard for the principal of providing entertainment, referees who really should have been bandsmen and the endless time-wasting and flow-disturbing substitutions.

Combine the substitutions with the sort of refereeing comedian we had for the QPR match and you've got a spectators nightmare. I paid £25-odd to watch football and spent almost 90 minutes watching a referee.

I don't like the 15-minute break (10 was plenty), I don't like having to sit down all the time. I don't like the lack of football rattles (which helped to create an atmosphere), I don't like the fact that tackling is virtually illegal (prompting lots of further opportunities to stop the game) and I don't like being next to fans who sit there in silence throughout yet seem so disturbed if YOU start getting involved (which I do anyway).

Finally I don't like the fact that team formations have virtually been turned upside down since the 60's, switching from the old 2-3-5 to today's 4-4-2 or even 4-5-1.

All the above, I am quite sure, have had their effect on gates alongside the fact that it in a very expensive 90 minutes (especially for often dour away matches) and many people today simply don't have that much spare cash (especially when you often get two matches a week).

For all that, once I've had a pint or two of that honeyed Belgian beer in the Swan and Rushes I see the bright side of most things except City getting beaten. All that practice and I've never really coped easily with City losing - it makes me miserable for days.

But somehow I'm compelled to watch whatever. After all, people crowded round to watch executions in ancient times. And with City in recent seasons attending matches was more about morbid curiosity than any great hope of victory. Thank God that seems to be changing now.

[Michael Doyle]

Combine the substitutions with the sort of refereeing comedian we had for the QPR match and you've got a spectators nightmare. I paid £25-odd to watch football and spent almost 90 minutes watching a referee.

You my friend is spot on! The standard of refereeing is a national disgrace and something the FA has no concern with. I listen to most games and all the commentators talk about is the absoulte inconsistency of the officials. Having watched some games this year their individual performance borders on cheating!

MadMick

[Katy]

Football is so clinical these days, most of the enjoyment has been taken out and replaced with money making measures and people feeling they arent getting value from their extortinate ticket prices. Its not just Leicester but at pretty much every club, I dont enjoy watching Leicester so much these days, I just feel like herded cattle. The sad thing is, I enjoy the pub before and after more and its actually a bind to go to the game and I hate that so much.

Much as Ive tried I cant desert them, its in my blood.

[Ric Flair]

Leicester always had a following of around 17-19,000 back in the early 90's when we were in a similar position if not better off back then. The novelty of the new stadium has worn off, plus the ticket prices and the fact we aren't playing any glamourous teams any longer so the numbers have dwindled back down. 22-24,000 is still a fair few more than we got at Filbert Street and don't start telling me it's because we couldn't hold many at Filbo! Filbo was hardly ever a sell-out until the glory years under O'Neill.

[IDEA OR IKEA]

Leicester always had a following of around 17-19,000 back in the early 90's when we were in a similar position if not better off back then. The novelty of the new stadium has worn off, plus the ticket prices and the fact we aren't playing any glamourous teams any longer so the numbers have dwindled back down. 22-24,000 is still a fair few more than we got at Filbert Street and don't start telling me it's because we couldn't hold many at Filbo! Filbo was hardly ever a sell-out until the glory years under O'Neill.

Ticket prices are the main thing though - above the facts of the team, league etc. £20-30+ for some tickets is just too much.

[Dr The Singh]

Ticket prices are the main thing though - above the facts of the team, league etc. £20-30+ for some tickets is just too much.

I agree to a certain extent, the ticket prices are too high. I think success breads success, if city were in the top 2 and winning week on end, then there would be alot more fans wanting to go, cus city are so mediocre most people don't think they are getting value for money. The feel good factor at city has gone because city rarely exite and rarely win, there are not many a better feeling then watching your footy club win!!

[Fox in a Box]

Team wins, attendances go up. Team loses, attendances go down.

Ground-breaking stuff.

Not Quite, you missed a key factor here.............. TEAM DRAWS!!!!!!! 22 last year!

Team draws...er ......attendances get bemused

[Guest]

Leicester always had a following of around 17-19,000 back in the early 90's when we were in a similar position if not better off back then. The novelty of the new stadium has worn off, plus the ticket prices and the fact we aren't playing any glamourous teams any longer so the numbers have dwindled back down. 22-24,000 is still a fair few more than we got at Filbert Street and don't start telling me it's because we couldn't hold many at Filbo! Filbo was hardly ever a sell-out until the glory years under O'Neill.

An excellent point. I agree with the last one especially.

[davieG]

An excellent point. I agree with the last one especially.

Well I've stood in the popular side (East Stand) when there's been 3500+ in the ground. I also had to stand outside and listen to one of the glory day games of LCFC 4 - 3 Man Uth with hatricks from Ken Keyworth & Denis Law, what a game to have had to miss - it was a lock out with 37002 in the ground. We regularly had between 20000 & 30000+ in the early 60's when I first started going, mostly standing of course.

[Thracian]

Well I've stood in the popular side (East Stand) when there's been 3500+ in the ground. I also had to stand outside and listen to one of the glory day games of LCFC 4 - 3 Man Uth with hatricks from Ken Keyworth & Denis Law, what a game to have had to miss - it was a lock out with 37002 in the ground. We regularly had between 20000 & 30000+ in the early 60's when I first started going, mostly standing of course.

Yes. Days, as a young boy, of being regularly being passed over the tops of the adult fans so we could sit around the track surrounding the pitch. Imagine what health and safety would have said about that now but we all coped and there was no problem with atmosphere. In fact it was electric...as was a good deal of the football.

[Onion]

From a business point of view lcfc's 'product' should keep the buyer coming back. Having introductory prices against Burnley attracted alot of fans for the game but none of them want to go back having watch that.

So call them glory supporters all you want but I don't think even the most hardcore Leicester City fan enjoyed that night, only when Leicester look like they're on a good run will they begin to attract supporters back to the ground.

[Hullfox]

Yes. Days, as a young boy, of being regularly being passed over the tops of the adult fans so we could sit around the track surrounding the pitch. Imagine what health and safety would have said about that now but we all coped and there was no problem with atmosphere. In fact it was electric...as was a good deal of the football.

Any idea how much it cost in those days?

[The People's Hero]

I believe it was more of a bartering system back then.

[Thracian]

From a business point of view lcfc's 'product' should keep the buyer coming back. Having introductory prices against Burnley attracted alot of fans for the game but none of them want to go back having watch that.

So call them glory supporters all you want but I don't think even the most hardcore Leicester City fan enjoyed that night, only when Leicester look like they're on a good run will they begin to attract supporters back to the ground.

A point touched on many times, the "product" and you are quite right. Managers (and directors) have a responsibility not only for results but the manner in which they are achieved.

Diehard fans are to be commended for their unconditional loyalty but there are others who will only choose to pay to watch Leicester (over the option of doing other things) if the football is worth watching. Increasingly, clubs who forget this will struggle to survive.

I also wonder if increasing the home-grown element in teams would benefit the gates in the long term. Ashley Chambers is an example.

We play a centre-forward in Hammond who never scores and who has no connection with Leicester whatsoever. We have in Chambers a guy who scores regularly, has a stack of schoolmates in the City and other young people who know of and take an interest in him. Yet HE cannot even get a place on the bench.

Where is the logic in that either from a playing point of view (as he's probably the best available for now) or from a commercial point of view in relation to adding interest to the game?

The same applies to Stearman. No-one will convince me there's any real difference in standard between him and Maybury yet the local interest in Stearman (who has graduated through local football and the Academy)

is far greater.

I know most folk would like a star-studded team of footballing wizards. Everone would be excited to see a goalscoring maestro should he turn up from anywhere in the world to excite the fans. But it is unlikely to happen for a while due to cost.

Instead, what we have had, is a bellyful of journeymen taking us to the brink of extinction over recent years.

So maybe, just maybe, putting the emphasis on developing and using our own players (just like Dario Grady at Crewe) would pay dividends.

I hate to see people like Stearman, Sheehan and Chambers sidelined when they probably deserve a place on merit especially when they are categorically vital to the future of the club.

Levein has a reputation for bringing on youth players. But he still drops them much faster for minor mistakes than he does the senior professionals like Douglas, Maybury, Nils, Dublin, Sylla, Hammond etc. I'd like to see him show a bit more faith...not by bringing in anyone who doesn't deserve selection but by being fair to those who do.

Does anyone on this forum (who has seen both of them play) believe Chambers would score fewer goals than Hammond in, say, a six game spell. Cos, if so, I'd love to see the evidence or hear the logic.

A vote of fans put Sheehan miles ahead of anyone else as City's best left back (are they all mistaken?) and it would be close in a vote between Stearman and Maybury.

So arguably they should be in the team on merit and the question I ask is would it mean the fans having greater interest in the team and greater long-term loyalty?.

Even 500 on the gate at £20 would probably pay the wages of another player. From little acorns...

[Hullfox]

A point touched on many times, the "product" and you are quite right. Managers (and directors) have a responsibility not only for results but the manner in which they are achieved.

Diehard fans are to be commended for their unconditional loyalty but there are others who will only choose to pay to watch Leicester (over the option of doing other things) if the football is worth watching. Increasingly, clubs who forget this will struggle to survive.

I also wonder if increasing the home-grown element in teams would benefit the gates in the long term. Ashley Chambers is an example.

We play a centre-forward in Hammond who never scores and who has no connection with Leicester whatsoever. We have in Chambers a guy who scores regularly, has a stack of schoolmates in the City and other young people who know of and take an interest in him. Yet HE cannot even get a place on the bench.

Where is the logic in that either from a playing point of view (as he's probably the best available for now) or from a commercial point of view in relation to adding interest to the game?

The same applies to Stearman. No-one will convince me there's any real difference in standard between him and Maybury yet the local interest in Stearman (who has graduated through local football and the Academy)

is far greater.

I know most folk would like a star-studded team of footballing wizards. Everone would be excited to see a goalscoring maestro should he turn up from anywhere in the world to excite the fans. But it is unlikely to happen for a while due to cost.

Instead, what we have had, is a bellyful of journeymen taking us to the brink of extinction over recent years.

So maybe, just maybe, putting the emphasis on developing and using our own players (just like Dario Grady at Crewe) would pay dividends.

I hate to see people like Stearman, Sheehan and Chambers sidelined when they probably deserve a place on merit especially when they are categorically vital to the future of the club.

Levein has a reputation for bringing on youth players. But he still drops them much faster for minor mistakes than he does the senior professionals like Douglas, Maybury, Nils, Dublin, Sylla, Hammond etc. I'd like to see him show a bit more faith...not by bringing in anyone who doesn't deserve selection but by being fair to those who do.

Does anyone on this forum (who has seen both of them play) believe Chambers would score fewer goals than Hammond in, say, a six game spell. Cos, if so, I'd love to see the evidence or hear the logic.

A vote of fans put Sheehan miles ahead of anyone else as City's best left back (are they all mistaken?) and it would be close in a vote between Stearman and Maybury.

So arguably they should be in the team on merit and the question I ask is would it mean the fans having greater interest in the team and greater long-term loyalty?.

Even 500 on the gate at £20 would probably pay the wages of another player. From little acorns...

Thrach, your argument about local players getting the nod ahead of others just keeps coming back.

We've heard it before from you and others who spouted the names of Petrescu, Dawson, Wright etc, all of whom have so far not done anything to convince me that successive managers were wrong in not playing them.

How many teams actually succeed fielding talent from their respective back gardens? You mention Dario Gradi's philosophy paying dividends - that's not true.

They are perpetual strugglers who struggle to attract people through the gate.

Playing Chambers isn't going to bring thousands through the gate, how many mates do you think he has?

Maybe, just maybe some of the youngsters are not quite ready to be exposed and Craig is making the right decision. I have no doubt that they are potentially good players for us, Stearman particularly

Fans thinking Sheehan is the best left back at the club means nothing to me. After all, the same fans used to chant to get Trevor Benjamin on the pitch.

Popularity does not guarantee delivery.

[The People's Hero]

Yeah....

But Trev was great!

Bring back Trev!

[davieG]

Thrach, your argument about local players getting the nod ahead of others just keeps coming back.

We've heard it before from you and others who spouted the names of Petrescu, Dawson, Wright etc, all of whom have so far not done anything to convince me that successive managers were wrong in not playing them.

How many teams actually succeed fielding talent from their respective back gardens? You mention Dario Gradi's philosophy paying dividends - that's not true.

They are perpetual strugglers who struggle to attract people through the gate.

Playing Chambers isn't going to bring thousands through the gate, how many mates do you think he has?

Maybe, just maybe some of the youngsters are not quite ready to be exposed and Craig is making the right decision. I have no doubt that they are potentially good players for us, Stearman particularly

Fans thinking Sheehan is the best left back at the club means nothing to me. After all, the same fans used to chant to get Trevor Benjamin on the pitch.

Popularity does not guarantee delivery.

Mainly because they will never be a 'big' club with respect to catchment area so they have to sell those players to survive. I bet you could put together a pretty strong team of current ex Crewe players, starting with

Lennon and Savage.