Season 20/21 - 12th September Start

[MalaysiaYellow]

I believe there is a possibility with the right procedures in place, Kassam could hold crowds upto 1,500.

 

[dabigfella]

I believe there is a possibility with the right procedures in place, Kassam could hold crowds up to 1,500.

I would have thought more than that. Perhaps double. But so much would depend on other conditions other than spacing. If you are right there will be a real problem allocating tickets.

 

[horseman]

The Mickey Mouse cup is a League format so even playing Saturday Tuesday nobody is knocked out for 2 weeks and those that are afterwards could do exactly the same as when knocked out of the League cup they don't have a game.

Not sure if anyone has picked up on this but the premiershi*e Clubs are wanting to be allowed their academy teams into the League Cup, The beginning of a the end for lower leagues.

 

[Marked Ox]

Not sure if anyone has picked up on this but the premiershi*e Clubs are wanting to be allowed their academy teams into the League Cup, The beginning of a the end for lower leagues.

That'll be another competition I won't go and watch then if it happens.

 

[holdsteady]

It’s what a lot of them do anyway, kids mixed in with reserves until the later rounds. When was the last time we played a first 11 premier league team in the league cup? The nineties?

Cup football has been dying in this country for a long time, won’t be long before we are left with the FA cup against premier league team kids for nostalgia and whatever competition the FL organises for its member teams (which championship clubs will put reserve teams in)

 

[Scotchegg]

I don’t get why they just didn’t wait a few weeks for the season to restart so that fans can attend... I assume that the games behind closed doors will be on ifollow too, wonder if they will continue to show them when there’s reduced crowds

This was the request of several clubs to put back the start to the beginning of October to allow some fans in straight away. However PHE and the EFL wanted a few games behind doors in order to test the arrangements, which is frustrating but slightly understandable considering that we're entering an entirely different world.

We're looking at a maximum of 4 games behind closed doors, out of a season of maybe 50+ games. If we get this right, and the club show that they can manage crowds safely, then hopefully all of us will be able to be back before the end of the season to see us promoted. For some who have been screaming about earlier and longer lockdowns and more control as we return to normal, it's a fairly small sacrifice to take.

When the doors do open, I would think that we would initially be looking at around 3000-4000 fans with this increasing as more restrictions are lifted. I don't think we will see away fans all season.

 

[holdsteady]

I reckon 3,500 for our attendances to begin with, spread across 3 stands (sort of 4 with the two tier south stand), with no away fans that will leave plenty of space between fans, concourses for access/egress only, organised queues for the bogs etc.

 

[horseman]

This was the request of several clubs to put back the start to the beginning of October to allow some fans in straight away. However PHE and the EFL wanted a few games behind doors in order to test the arrangements, which is frustrating but slightly understandable considering that we're entering an entirely different world.

We're looking at a maximum of 4 games behind closed doors, out of a season of maybe 50+ games. If we get this right, and the club show that they can manage crowds safely, then hopefully all of us will be able to be back before the end of the season to see us promoted. For some who have been screaming about earlier and longer lockdowns and more control as we return to normal, it's a fairly small sacrifice to take.

When the doors do open, I would think that we would initially be looking at around 3000-4000 fans with this increasing as more restrictions are lifted. I don't think we will see away fans all season.

I know it's the chicken and egg scenario but given it was fairly obvious that crowds were going to be limited if allowed at all, i do wonder if football clubs (not just ours) could have thought about the whole fanbase rather than a specific group who can afford season tickets at this time..Perhaps they could have adopted an open sale of tickets so that all fans had opportunity to buy for a game if they chose to attend as was the case for glamour cup matches.
I do worry that on the day fans are going to be lost as people begin to find other things to do with their time, i know ST holders will say they've committed to the club but not everyone can afford too in normal circumstances let alone in the current climate.

 

[Scotchegg]

I know it's the chicken and egg scenario but given it was fairly obvious that crowds were going to be limited if allowed at all, i do wonder if football clubs (not just ours) could have thought about the whole fanbase rather than a specific group who can afford season tickets at this time..Perhaps they could have adopted an open sale of tickets so that all fans had opportunity to buy for a game if they chose to attend as was the case for glamour cup matches.
I do worry that on the day fans are going to be lost as people begin to find other things to do with their time, i know ST holders will say they've committed to the club but not everyone can afford too in normal circumstances let alone in the current climate.

You've answered your own question. Season ticket holders have committed to paying several hundred pounds at a time when there were no guarantees that they would even be able to watch a single game.

So yes they, more than ever, deserve to be the very first in. Those who are unable to commit, for whatever reason, still need to find a way to stay involved. Streaming will be available (and will likely be cheaper than matchday tickets) and in time crowds will be allowed to increase. I would suggest that these then go to members which will encourage more to sign up, and hopefully will allow open sales before the end of the season.

 

[horseman]

You've answered your own question. Season ticket holders have committed to paying several hundred pounds at a time when there were no guarantees that they would even be able to watch a single game.

So yes they, more than ever, deserve to be the very first in. Those who are unable to commit, for whatever reason, still need to find a way to stay involved. Streaming will be available (and will likely be cheaper than matchday tickets) and in time crowds will be allowed to increase. I would suggest that these then go to members which will encourage more to sign up, and hopefully will allow open sales before the end of the season.

My point was clubs could refrain from st sales and allow open sale for those first few games to keep all fans engaged and then sell ST, Memberships etc as more fans are allowed in...The ST holder would still buy their ticket/s after for the 18 19 20 games however many games remained.
as i said chicken and egg but every fan is important and will have the same passion regardless of affluence.

 

[holdsteady]

I know it's the chicken and egg scenario but given it was fairly obvious that crowds were going to be limited if allowed at all, i do wonder if football clubs (not just ours) could have thought about the whole fanbase rather than a specific group who can afford season tickets at this time..Perhaps they could have adopted an open sale of tickets so that all fans had opportunity to buy for a game if they chose to attend as was the case for glamour cup matches.
I do worry that on the day fans are going to be lost as people begin to find other things to do with their time, i know ST holders will say they've committed to the club but not everyone can afford too in normal circumstances let alone in the current climate.

Strictly speaking the tickets have been sold on a first come, first served basis, which is the only fair way to do it.

It would be an utterly bizarre business plan to not take the guaranteed income of selling season tickets to have an open sale every home game (especially with no guarantee of games even being played let alone crowds allowed in).

The on the day the crowd may slip away and find something else to do, which would be bad but not as bad as if the hardcore bulk of our support who buy season tickets did that, that would be the end of the club.

 

[horseman]

Strictly speaking the tickets have been sold on a first come, first served basis, which is the only fair way to do it.

It would be an utterly bizarre business plan to not take the guaranteed income of selling season tickets to have an open sale every home game (especially with no guarantee of games even being played let alone crowds allowed in).

The on the day the crowd may slip away and find something else to do, which would be bad but not as bad as if the hardcore bulk of our support who buy season tickets did that, that would be the end of the club.

Open sale would not be every home game, i said the first few games whilst crowds are limited and to keep "All" fans engaged.

I would suggest that any person/s that was prepared to buy a ST without knowing if they could attend would still buy one after those first few games.

if crowds are limited to say 1500 and we've sold 3.000 there's still 50% that cannot attend each time + some 4-4.1/2 thousand that wont have chance to but will be needed when things return to normal attendance.

 

[holdsteady]

Open sale would not be every home game, i said the first few games whilst crowds are limited and to keep "All" fans engaged.

I would suggest that any person/s that was prepared to buy a ST without knowing if they could attend would still buy one after those first few games.

if crowds are limited to say 1500 and we've sold 3.000 there's still 50% that cannot attend each time + some 4-4.1/2 thousand that wont have chance to but will be needed when things return to normal attendance.

I already gave up 5 games of last season for no refund , won’t be able to attend the first few of next and have put the money up front for a season which may/may not happen/might not be able to let fans in etc. It’s a hundred mile round journey for me to home games, I can’t attend many mid weeks, I bought my first house last October and I am pretty skint, yet through saving and scrimping (I am all no brand Aldi now when I go shopping) I managed to get enough together for an east stand season ticket. So nah, I will not be giving up my seat for people who might or might not want to go in case they find something else to do, I will just live with the guilt of that.

 

[bazzer9461]

The Mickey Mouse cup is a League format so even playing Saturday Tuesday nobody is knocked out for 2 weeks and those that are afterwards could do exactly the same as when knocked out of the League cup they don't have a game.

Not sure if anyone has picked up on this but the premiershi*e Clubs are wanting to be allowed their academy teams into the League Cup, The beginning of a the end for lower leagues.

I wonder now if the premiership and possibly most of the championship will refuse to field teams due to the pandemic for a useless cup competition
.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

The club needed people to trust them enough to hand over the season ticket money before knowing when (or even if) the season would start (which we now know) and whether we can attend (which we still don't). I don't think it is unreasonable for those who have done that - and probably forfeited the balance of last seasons ST and any away tickets purchased as well - to be the first allowed back.

 

[moomooland]

Season ticket holders have already purchased a seat for 23 home games. If that seat was sold to someone else there would be legal action against the club.

 

[Callum91]

Without season ticket sales there is a huge possibility that most clubs would have no player/wage budgets and some clubs wouldn’t even exist come September. There’s no question that season ticket holders will return first. It’s not ideal for the club or the fans but it’s something that we have to deal with

 

[mariokempes]

It’s what a lot of them do anyway, kids mixed in with reserves until the later rounds. When was the last time we played a first 11 premier league team in the league cup? The nineties?

Cup football has been dying in this country for a long time, won’t be long before we are left with the FA cup against premier league team kids for nostalgia and whatever competition the FL organises for its member teams (which championship clubs will put reserve teams in)

Quite simple use the rule thats used in the EFL Trophy X amount of players from the last league match must be in the Cup team

 

[MalaysiaYellow]

Without season ticket sales there is a huge possibility that most clubs would have no player/wage budgets and some clubs wouldn’t even exist come September. There’s no question that season ticket holders will return first. It’s not ideal for the club or the fans but it’s something that we have to deal with

Thats a given and many discussions taking place around funding for the upcoming seasons.

 

[Sarge]

Pre Season trip to Spain (obviously) cancelled, Gorrin is currently at home in the Canary Isles, so he'll be self isolating for 14 days on his return .... there will be a pre season training camp, though where it will now be hasnt been revealed, my guess would be Ireland/ Northern Ireland being likely destinations.... OM link ...

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/...Bh0-RTfct3jx88EaOmf2_LiWBgmmpr41jrIFohuevjfoc