Home Attendances Discussion

West Wilts Bee

West Wilts Bee

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Home Attendances Discussion

dermotjordan said:
The result is flattering. Gillingham had 3 or 4 excellent chances; some calamity defending, generous refereeing & once again outstanding goalkeeping did for them today. Akinde did ok, encouragingly looks to me like there is a lot more to come. Diagouraga played well, MOM between Szczesny & KOC. The tip on to the post from Jackson & the touch onto the bar from Bentley were wonder saves. KOC was outstanding, never gave the ball away, wins so many headers and has a knack for being in the right defensive place.
I brought three kids today (eldest 9), sat in the New Road & we were all really looking forward to watching Stimson walk the corridor of spite. Disappointing then to have to try & explain the wrongs of Stimson having something thrown at him, albeit at the time from the distance I was worried he'd been spat at. That's unacceptable.
Back to the game & although we didn't hit recent heights we were still well worth the win. Aside from a couple of real high points (eg Darlo away), I am really enjoying this season, much more than last year. Pretty much all games in the last couple of months have been hugely entertaining & the way the team has evolved has been joyous.
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The result was not flattering. Yes we could have let in three. But we attacked them at will. We took our foot of the gass in the 2nd half. we could have svored a hatfull. Well done bees. the only dissapointment for me is the sh*t gates we are getting.

Edited Post by Les Beeavinu : Post moved to a new thread to carry on the point raised regarding crowd figure.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Home Attendances Discussion

The crowd figure was an insult to the football club.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

TW3Bee said:
More performances like this and they will surely improve.
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I doubt it. We have our 4,500-5,000 regulars and thats about it. Other than for the biggest of games, and short of some transformational event like Lionel Road, we will always struggle to pull in many more.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

NorthamptonBee said:
The crowd figure was an insult to the football club.
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2,000 more than were turning up under Leroy, Fitz and the Butcher.

There was the added attraction of putting one over on Stimson. But I think 6,000+ for a home fixture to watch a (currently) mid-table Bees side against a team of unattractive relegation cloggers we've seen enough of over the past two seasons is, in actual fact, adequate.

When in Brentford's recent history has more than around 4,500 - 5,000 bees turned out for such a mediocre fixture?
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Sweepy said:
2,000 more than were turning up under Leroy, Fitz and the Butcher.

There was the added attraction of putting one over on Stimson. But I think 6,000+ for a home fixture to watch a (currently) mid-table Bees side against a team of unattractive relegation cloggers we've seen enough of over the past two seasons is, in actual fact, adequate.

When in Brentford's recent history has more than around 4,500 - 5,000 bees turned out for such a mediocre fixture?
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Good turnout considering the unattractive opposition and our position in the table. Normally only get to a 6,000+ figure on a regular basis when we're in a play-off position.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

NorthamptonBee said:
The crowd figure was an insult to the football club.
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Less than two thousand Bees supporters and casuals paying on the day. The crowd number was boosted by a lot of comps and the actual cash receipts were pitiful and 12% below budget.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

abee said:
Less than two thousand Bees supporters and casuals paying on the day. The crowd number was boosted by a lot of comps and the actual cash receipts were pitiful and 12% below budget.
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Hopefully if a lot of the comps were kids, having seen a 4-0 win they now have the Brentford bug and will invest heavily in the club. Even if 5 of them become life time supporters, it will be worth it in terms of revenue etc.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

abee said:
Less than two thousand Bees supporters and casuals paying on the day. The crowd number was boosted by a lot of comps and the actual cash receipts were pitiful and 12% below budget.
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That makes really depressing reading abee, not sure what to say :(
 

Home Attendances Discussion

abee said:
Less than two thousand Bees supporters and casuals paying on the day. The crowd number was boosted by a lot of comps and the actual cash receipts were pitiful and 12% below budget.
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Doesn't England egg-chasing down the road at the same/similar time effect us?
 

Home Attendances Discussion

I know it's been discussed before, but is it time to think about a drop in prices, even as a one-off promotion to see if it makes a difference.

I think it's really tough finding money for extra things these days (how much are people's heating bills at the moment for example) so unless you're in for the money anyway, £22 + travel + extras is a big outlay.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Les Beeavinu said:
I know it's been discussed before, but is it time to think about a drop in prices, even as a one-off promotion to see if it makes a difference.

I think it's really tough finding money for extra things these days (how much are people's heating bills at the moment for example) so unless you're in for the money anyway, £22 + travel + extras is a big outlay.
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Regardless of overall prices, it might go some way to help if people on benefits were able to buy concessionary tickets on the day of the match.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

coconino said:
Regardless of overall prices, it might go some way to help if people on benefits were able to buy concessionary tickets on the day of the match.
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:sorted: Would mean that I could get to more games as at the moment I am only able to go to about half the games I want to, but if I am being honest I have to admit that I don`t think it would create too much extra revenue for the club.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

6000+ crowd
I really do think that Brentford has to sustain this form and ambition over a much longer period to see the crowds grow.
I think you have to look at what's happened to them over recent years to understand why they can't get the crowds that the current regime deserve.
Each time a bit of momentum has been reach the supporters have been kicked in the teeth.
The demise of the Royal Oak End took the heart out of the ground,, which made Brentford into a smaller club overnight.
Reaching the play off final and putting in such an abysmal performance against Crewe. We took 25000+ of our finests to Wembley. Dave Webb made sure that the club could not build on this and we lost many of the fans after that.
Then Noades game along with his magic and towards the end of the season when we nearly got promotion with Coppell the crowds increased to around 9000-11000 (by memory) each game.. Noades lost interest and sold Mahon, we lost to Reading and took a very tired and injury riddled team to Cardiff, who produced another poor performance. We only managed to muster up around 10000 supporters to that game.
After that, we all know what Noades did to our club.
We did manage to nearly make the play off finals when Martin Allen was in charge, but we lost to Sheffield Wednesday. I think we probably expected to lose this game because the team wasn't really strong enough.
All these events and a few more too have been real kicks in the teeth for the supporters.
There are many fans who don't go anymore, but really do love this club and this club only. Add to this the 5000 hardcore fans and that we do have a decent catchment area, despite competition from elsewhere, I feel that gates could increase substantially. But the club must keep momentum.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

It doen't matter how good the football is for the die-hards that are there week in, week out. The truth is that the league table is what most casual supporters will look at and at the moment we are mid-table and will be for some time given the gap that has opened.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

halibutbee64 said:
6000+ crowd
I really do think that Brentford has to sustain this form and ambition over a much longer period to see the crowds grow.
I think you have to look at what's happened to them over recent years to understand why they can't get the crowds that the current regime deserve.
Each time a bit of momentum has been reach the supporters have been kicked in the teeth.
The demise of the Royal Oak End took the heart out of the ground,, which made Brentford into a smaller club overnight.
Reaching the play off final and putting in such an abysmal performance against Crewe. We took 25000+ of our finests to Wembley. Dave Webb made sure that the club could not build on this and we lost many of the fans after that.
Then Noades game along with his magic and towards the end of the season when we nearly got promotion with Coppell the crowds increased to around 9000-11000 (by memory) each game.. Noades lost interest and sold Mahon, we lost to Reading and took a very tired and injury riddled team to Cardiff, who produced another poor performance. We only managed to muster up around 10000 supporters to that game.
After that, we all know what Noades did to our club.
We did manage to nearly make the play off finals when Martin Allen was in charge, but we lost to Sheffield Wednesday. I think we probably expected to lose this game because the team wasn't really strong enough.
All these events and a few more too have been real kicks in the teeth for the supporters.
There are many fans who don't go anymore, but really do love this club and this club only. Add to this the 5000 hardcore fans and that we do have a decent catchment area, despite competition from elsewhere, I feel that gates could increase substantially. But the club must keep momentum.
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Fully agree with your post, that's why we have to keep Scotty. He is integral to how we move forward. We have cover in all other positions except for this one! I do believe that if we can maintain this form over a number of years and move to the new stadia we will gradually build on current support levels. We need to get to the Championship and maintain a presence. If we continue to get results on the pitch I am confident (hopeful) that the rest will take care of its self...
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Jimbee said:
It doen't matter how good the football is for the die-hards that are there week in, week out. The truth is that the league table is what most casual supporters will look at and at the moment we are mid-table and will be for some time given the gap that has opened.
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Totally agree with this and always have ...
 

Home Attendances Discussion

coconino said:
Regardless of overall prices, it might go some way to help if people on benefits were able to buy concessionary tickets on the day of the match.
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To my shame, I didn't realize we didn't do this. We really should!

On the crowd, 6000 odd isn't SO bad given our recent history and current position. A promotion push next season would probably see crowds rise to pretty close to where we were 5 or so years ago

It would be interesting to know what has happened to lower league crowds more generally. Has there been a general falling off as the premier league moves further and further away? I dn't think there has.

This has been a great thread though - good reports and some really interesting well-informed discussion :)
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Jimbee said:
It doen't matter how good the football is for the die-hards that are there week in, week out. The truth is that the league table is what most casual supporters will look at and at the moment we are mid-table and will be for some time given the gap that has opened.
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:imwith:

The reality is that many were not going to pay £22 solely to aim verbals at an unrefined oaf who is a managerial joke.
Brentford have been mid-table for weeks. Gillingham are poor, and a side that we've seen more than enough of in our lifetime. It typified the sort of fixture we would usually get 5,307 or thereabouts, and so it would seem that comps added a few hundred to the gate.

halibutbee64 said:
The demise of the Royal Oak End took the heart out of the ground,, which made Brentford into a smaller club overnight.
Reaching the play off final and putting in such an abysmal performance against Crewe. We took 25000+ of our finests to Wembley. Dave Webb made sure that the club could not build on this and we lost many of the fans after that.
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On these two points:
1. Lange was lucky that he demolished the Royal Oak in the 1980s, when fans were less inclined to challenge such decisions.
2. I actually know of one BFC regular from the late 80s/early 90s, who attended week-in, week-out, who attended every fixture, was at Peterboro 92, Wembley 85 and was an all-round Bees fanatic. After the Crewe game at Wembley, he never went again. It was actually quite strange. He lost interest overnight. He talked about going back and never did.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Sweepy said:
After the Crewe game at Wembley, he never went again. It was actually quite strange. He lost interest overnight. He talked about going back and never did.
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David Webb?
 

Home Attendances Discussion

NorthamptonBee said:
Am I alone inthinking that we only turned it on in patches today. We were fairly ordinary and the defence was all over the place early on but we won 4-0.:D
They were a team destined for the drop unless they get a new manager, they folded tamely and we never really had to get going, we've played better this season and not got the result IMO.
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Agree with you 100% NHBee. We will indeed play a hell of a lot better and come away with fvck all. But it's about time we got some luck - it's been in short supply at GP for too bloody long.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

The crowds out dissapointing considering all the local games but the prices need to be lowered what do people think we could get on average when this new ground comes along if we were in leauge one and if we were in the championship and how many do people think we could take to wembley if we got there this year?
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Sweepy said:
2,000 more than were turning up under Leroy, Fitz and the Butcher.

There was the added attraction of putting one over on Stimson. But I think 6,000+ for a home fixture to watch a (currently) mid-table Bees side against a team of unattractive relegation cloggers we've seen enough of over the past two seasons is, in actual fact, adequate.

When in Brentford's recent history has more than around 4,500 - 5,000 bees turned out for such a mediocre fixture?
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Not as large as the following we had under Allen. and that is meant as no disrespect to scott. The standard of football now is much better than Allen's I harp on about this, but as Northampton bee says "an insult to the football club" so come on where are you "lets be aving you"
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Look at our gates against the bigger sides. We can't blame them, they easily sold out. Even the gills managed to bring over a 1,000. So what does that make the level of support this team currently gets?
 

Home Attendances Discussion

halibutbee64 said:
Add to this the 5000 hardcore fans...........
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Nowhere near. 2392 season tickets (ex comps) plus 1500-2000 walk-ups on average. The rock solid fan base is 3,800 in my book but up to 4,500 tops if anyone wants to argue about it.

Take yesterday, decent day......team on a reasonable run.....three players making their Griffin Park debuts.......the best 'keeper we've had in years extended against all odds to the end of the season, opposition that we all love to beat with a manager we love to hate and we get less than 2k home end walk-ups.

The trust between the club and supporters was destroyed by incompetent off the field management and direction years ago and successive CEO's/MD's seemed to be appointed on the basis that they had to be worse than the last bloke and culminating in Dickens. Noades finished a lot of supporters off (including this writer for a spell) and I was far from impressed by the failure of Bees United to get a grip in January 2006. I didn't go myself for two years until I couldn't stand the sh*te that was going on any longer. It's not that bloody hard.....any board has to get two decisions right.......the appointment of the team manager and the management of the finances. It doesn't matter a toss if it's Man United, Portsmouth or Brentford if you get those decisions wrong you're gone. I posted two years ago that we'd stabilise the club for the rest of season 2007-8 with a view to getting promoted 2008-9. We're back in League One.........so bloody what......we should never have been relegated in the first place and casuals who look for our results and where we are at in the table aren't gonna flock back 'cos we're 10th. The board knows that, the team manager knows that and we just have to rebuild some trust again.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

abee said:
I posted two years ago that we'd stabilise the club for the rest of season 2007-8 with a view to getting promoted 2008-9. We're back in League One.........so bloody what......we should never have been relegated in the first place and casuals who look for our results and where we are at in the table aren't gonna flock back 'cos we're 10th. The board knows that, the team manager knows that and we just have to rebuild some trust again.
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Wise words of wisdom, boss.

:love2:
 

Home Attendances Discussion

abee said:
Take yesterday, decent day......team on a reasonable run.....three players making their Griffin Park debuts.......the best 'keeper we've had in years extended against all odds to the end of the season, opposition that we all love to beat with a manager we love to hate and we get less than 2k home end walk-ups.
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That figure does surprise me because of those factors. The way I see it is, the loan window couldn't have gone much better. We keep Chesney and Dickson, bolster the forward line and have the strongest squad we've had in my time of following this team. I know the intention is onwards and continuing upwards, but I don't wanna miss this bunch playing because when certain players inevitably go their separate ways I think I'd seriously regret it.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

robBEEh said:
That figure does surprise me because of those factors. The way I see it is, the loan window couldn't have gone much better. We keep Chesney and Dickson, bolster the forward line and have the strongest squad we've had in my time of following this team. I know the intention is onwards and continuing upwards, but I don't wanna miss this bunch playing because when certain players inevitably go their separate ways I think I'd seriously regret it.
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None of those reasons are good enough to get casual fans to come though but a 4-0 with a home game the following Saturday could be. I expect more next week but we're going to stay around the same levels of home support until we're pushing for promotion again. At least the board and manager are giving the die hards a squad to be proud of
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Sweepy said:
I actually know of one BFC regular from the late 80s/early 90s, who attended week-in, week-out, who attended every fixture, was at Peterboro 92, Wembley 85 and was an all-round Bees fanatic. After the Crewe game at Wembley, he never went again. It was actually quite strange. He lost interest overnight. He talked about going back and never did.
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I can't blame him.

That Crewe game, apart from the first five minutes, was a woeful performance.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Simon C said:
None of those reasons are good enough to get casual fans to come though but a 4-0 with a home game the following Saturday could be. I expect more next week but we're going to stay around the same levels of home support until we're pushing for promotion again. At least the board and manager are giving the die hards a squad to be proud of
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:imwith:

Attracting the casual Brentford fan or local football fan is a difficult business.

We did it last year - against Wycombe and Luton in particular - and I think we did it earlier this year, but above average crowds were let down by poor shows agianst Swindon and Bristol Rovers.

Should we win next week and get at least three points from tough away games at Walsall and Colchester I'd like to think a few hundred would be tempted to take a look against Tranmere.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

West Ealing Bee said:
Should we win next week and get at least three points from tough away games at Walsall and Colchester I'd like to think a few hundred would be tempted to take a look against Tranmere.
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But then that gate will be lower due to the smaller away following.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Sweepy said:
The reality is that many were not going to pay £22 solely to aim verbals at an unrefined oaf who is a managerial joke..
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:wave:

I did. Driving up from the Southampton area nowadays makes every home game a bit pricey and occasionally, a bit of a chore. The added attraction of a pantomime villian made the game just that little bit more attractive!



Sweepy said:
I actually know of one BFC regular from the late 80s/early 90s, who attended week-in, week-out, who attended every fixture, was at Peterboro 92, Wembley 85 and was an all-round Bees fanatic. After the Crewe game at Wembley, he never went again. It was actually quite strange. He lost interest overnight. He talked about going back and never did.
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I know of at least five others who were very regular attendees before the Crewe game. The whole experience was the straw that broke the camel's back for them and now they are all once or twice a season merchants. (In fairness, one of them does now live in Scotland!)
 

Home Attendances Discussion


Accept there are historical reasons as to why previous fans switched off, or don't come anymore, but we need to attract new fans, we need to look forward. We can only do this by sound management on and off the pitch, and this takes time, it will not happen overnight. We are now appear in the best position we have been for years (all round), so must continue to progress where we can. The Lional Road Stadium project is critical IMO but may be another 4 or 5 years away. In the meantime all we can do is build support gradually, which is done by the performances/results on the pitch.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Brentford Bob said:
:wave:

I did. Driving up from the Southampton area nowadays makes every home game a bit pricey and occasionally, a bit of a chore. The added attraction of a pantomime villian made the game just that little bit more attractive!
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Me too, I have to pick and choose games these days, having been a regular attender of both home and away games.

I'm hopefully moving home within the next month or so, so will be even more infrequent.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

I think fans will return but it'll take time. I don't think you lose support overnight + it doesn't come back overnight either. If we keep improving both on and off the pitch as we appear to be doing at the moment then I think things will get better. I do think that whilst our hardcore is nearer 3000 than 5000 we do have a larger 'soft' support who just need to have a little faith restored to them.

Also I think finances have almost certainly played a part this year as money is tight so if you are going to pick and choose your games then Gillingham might be one you'd miss.

abee how are we doing on attendences v budget overall this season?
 

Home Attendances Discussion

abee said:
Less than two thousand Bees supporters and casuals paying on the day. The crowd number was boosted by a lot of comps and the actual cash receipts were pitiful and 12% below budget.
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I hope Royal Oak Bee isn't reading this :(
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Lokster said:
abee how are we doing on attendences v budget overall this season?
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The home attendance revenues are well down on budget but we partially get well by better than forecast away support.

Home attendances which disappointed me include Colchester 4,200, Southend 4,832, Southampton 6,501 ( original forecast was for Saturday match) Charlton 8,387 (for a holiday week-end match and I really believed we'd break 9k for this one).
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Budgeting for football matches is impossible. This weekend was a must see in my book and I'm always shocked by crowd figures, I got 2 people to come along at the weekend and promised them pure theatre. I never understand why people see it differently but that's life. We got 4 goals and won easily, the villain got his worst nightmare and in my book got all that he deserved and we have less than 5k making up the home attendance.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

abee talks an awful lot of sense and i think we lost a lot of fans through Noades and the problems we suffered thereafter. People see whats happening and react to it by not going and that can become permanent. I said on here last season that my enthusiasm had been completely reignited by Andy Scott, to the extent where i drove up to Grimsby for the night game the day after flying back from the US purely because i sensed it was developing into a very special season, my favourite of all time actually. I attended more games home and away last season than for many a year and booked up the train for Carlisle this season the day the fixtures came out. What a great day out that was. Things change over time. I used to go to games when i was at school and take mates with me. One of those lads is now a season ticket holder along with his teenage son. Back in the early eighties it cost £1 to get in so was nearly always a great afternoon out and everyone could afford it. Nowadays during these tough times it is not easy to justify the cost of football. As last season drew to a climax we went to every game, often making a weekend away out of the longer trips away (Bradford, Darlo, Exeter, Chesterfield etc) and my heart went out to fans on here who had to prioritise games simply through lack of funds. As we go on with Andy scott at the helm lapsed fans will hear about the bees and drift back. We are heading in the right direction and we all have a part to play in taking friends along. Drifting fans will always turn up to promotion games and it is getting them to turn into more regular fans that is the problem.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

If we can get into the championship gates will increase to 10,000+, 14,000+ if the new stadium ever materialises. Even when we got relegated in 1993 the average was 8,700.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

I do hope the thread doesn't descend in into "drop the ticket price and watch them flood in"; we've done that to death. We're a mid-table side that has been inconsistent this season. Those that have attended games in the last two months have seen great improvements and some good performances but only against Gillingham has there been a good result. Actually, I thought it was one of our poorer performances - we could have conceded early on and ended with a tense 2-1 win. Their defence, ably aided by poor managerial tactics and an observant ref, conspired to give us a 4-0 [that's my match report, Ed].

Goals and excitement is what will get the punters in. These days there are many claims on their hard-earned and knocking a few quid off will not make any difference. A 6-3 against Wycombe, with an on-field mêlée and one of their players red-carded... that's what we need! The Romans were never wrong when it came to entertainment.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Simon W said:
Its a shame that all these mates "coming out of the woodwork" for Leeds away dont come to home matches more often :confused: :(
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It really pisses me off, all this bollox about going to leeds. If you want a football club in Brentford then FFS go down to GP and support it.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Lets be honest before the promotion Brentford had a couple of torrid years with the relegation and not doing well in leauge two the following year so the fans are not go to flood back through the gates but in time hopefully. I might be totally wrong but could the reason are crowds are dissapointing because of us having so many other teams around us in higher divisions and the other west london clubs in higher divisions also being that Fulham isnt that expensive to get in? Just a thought I could be totally wrong.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

Still think the recession is having its effect, not so much on the diehards ( like us) but the floating supporters certainly.

£20/ £22 is not expensive in my book for 90 minutes at GP right now but for the irregular visitor it might give them a second thought if times are hard, especially if they have kids. £50 or so can go just like that.

I didn't think Gillingham would be that big a gate, its not seen as a local derby by most Bees fans and they are hardly a "big name" attractive game...you'd put them on par with Stockport etc...

Many will come back when they smell some success, at the moment we appear more like a mid table also ran if you just read the news. The 4-0 win mind you might have some success in getting a few more in on Saturday.
 

Home Attendances Discussion

:imwith:

i thought 7000, but then our support has been dwindling over the last few years, it's trying to get those back which is proving to be the hard bit.
The young supporters of say 8 yo-12yo, around the year 2000, probably just aren't as interested as maybe we all were at that age, 1977-78 for instance i was 12, there wasn't much else to do then! But now there's games mahines, more activities to do and generally just pissing about in a park.

IIRC it cost 30p-50p for a junior back then to get in, is £5 now an equivilent figure to gain entry, taking into consideration inflation etc?

just did a check for £1.00 in 1977, today's cost would be £4.70ish, so it's probably slightly more today.
 
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Home Attendances Discussion

Simon C said:
None of those reasons are good enough to get casual fans to come though but a 4-0 with a home game the following Saturday could be.
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I agree. And don't forget this is the first time we've had a positive goal difference in ages - but, a few more results like this and people who just watch for results in the papers (and have no idea of who Chesney is, or half our team for that matter) might start to think about coming back.

An in form striker is, for me, always the biggest draw to neutrals/lapsed supporters. So let's hope Akinde does it, and helps Charlie keep knocking them in as well.
 
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