I dont attend the Reebok like i used to, but with not working, having a long distant relationship, i still try and get to as many games, albeit tin pot ones as possible. Yesterday at Rossendale i counted six diehard Wanderers fans who was watching us when we were piss poor in the 80s, and the only thing i can conclude is, you have a far cheaper day watching non league, and not getting ripped off. But footballs changed, and i think a lot hanker for the old days, even when we were shite.

The thing is we are being ripped off royally,and it's not just us Bolton fans either having said that if your under 18 it's a good deal less ripped off,but it has been said on countless occasions premiership football is all about survival for about 12 teams all of which are running scared of becoming the next Leeds,Charlton,southampton etc.

But at what cost? dwindling fan base,less atmosphere at grounds(well certainly at the bok).But would relegation be a millstone to us firstly we get the parachute money if that fails in getting us instant promotion,at least we have assets to sell on liqidation would cost us 10 points debt cleared,and lets start again no debt,clean slate then some sugar daddy may see us as a prospect a-la Notts county Q.P.R.and the likes.

Might sound like defeatism to some but hey come on if it came down to it how many of us would suffer a few seasons in the fizzy leagues watching us challenging rather than negative dross trying to keep our heads above water in the prem,we've had the good times with Big Sam,and I apologise to anybody thinking I am crazy,but lets not forget football is in the entertainments business,and unless you have the pots of money the select few have your just not gonna get entertained in the prem. Think about it you know it makes sense.

Might sound like defeatism to some but hey come on if it came down to it how many of us would suffer a few seasons in the fizzy leagues watching us challenging rather than negative dross trying to keep our heads above water in the prem,we've had the good times with Big Sam,and I apologise to anybody thinking I am crazy,but lets not forget football is in the entertainments business,and unless you have the pots of money the select few have your just not gonna get entertained in the prem. Think about it you know it makes sense.

 

I'd much rather watch fight off relegation year on year no matter how negative it is than see us play in the fizzy pop leagues....anyone who thinks otherwise is mad

Dr Whites does have a point even if his planned route to better times is flawed. Football, especially at the top level, is a pale shadow of what it used to be. Seething masses on the Kop; Burnden rocking in some of the great eras we had as far down as Division Three; blood and thunder challenges from the likes of Norman Hunter etc. The hairs used to stand up on the back of my neck at the mere thought of BWFC getting a 'giant' in a cup draw and the chance to sit them on their arses.

 

Sterilised, sanitised shiyte now in comparison to what football was in the not too distant past. I can understand people drifting to non league. I am doing it meself watching Blue Square on Setanta rather than ludicrously over paid prima donnas in the Premier League. Getting back to what football is all about. I despise the Hollywood celebrity way it is all heading. Blame the big clubs who have been the driving force behind chasing the corporate dollar; merchandising in China; whingeing about referees not protecting their investments sufficiently as red nose consistently did when he had the Portuguese ponce. It has all contributed to what you get served up today. There are about 12 clubs whose only aim is PL survival for the sake of the TV money who won't play an 'expansive game'.

 

Those who have tried it have failed (us for instance) as will Burnley this time if Coyle tries to play that way. They'll be picked off and destroyed very quickly.

 

It is depressing but, somewhere along the way, something has to give. If the paying public fall out with the game and start to desert it, the fat, dumb and happy controllers of the game will have to sit up and take notice.

I read last week that only 4 Premier League clubs had sold less season tickets than last season.Bolton West Ham and Villa were 3 and i've forgot the other one , it wasn't either Wigan or Blackburn.

In Bolton's case it is down to the dire football on offer from the home side.It is wrong to say every club that plays in the bottom half plays dire,negative football.

If every team played like Megson sets the team up,i am sure more than 4 clubs would have sold less season tickets.

Financially it may all about survival for half the teams,but i don't think there's another PL team that plays as negative football as Bolton.

Please define negative football

I read last week that only 4 Premier League clubs had sold less season tickets than last season.Bolton West Ham and Villa were 3 and i've forgot the other one , it wasn't either Wigan or Blackburn.

In Bolton's case it is down to the dire football on offer from the home side.It is wrong to say every club that plays in the bottom half plays dire,negative football.

If every team played like Megson sets the team up,i am sure more than 4 clubs would have sold less season tickets.

Financially it may all about survival for half the teams,but i don't think there's another PL team that plays as negative football as Bolton.

 

I agree that the poor entertainment value of the football on show is a factor but the 'missing' fans are from the 18 - 60 year old bracket and that is partly because the club did not do enough on the adult season ticket prices.

You mention Wigan and Blackburn - look how their prices compare to ours. Yes its great for the club to comment on the sales increase in youth, children and OAP tickets but they are very quiet on yet another summer of a big reduction in the quantity of adult ticket sold.

It's not really a suprise that our ST sales are down, and a lot of it is due to the "lack of entertainment" on offer thee days. I have not got a season ticket this year, and last year, even with a "half share" of a Season Ticket (split with my brother), I only decided to go to 2 games. To get to a home game, I have a 360 mile round trip, and sadly, I don't have the enthusiasm for it at present. I will still attend the odd few games, but I won't be going as often as I have done in years past

Please define negative football

 

 

Playing 3 defensive holding midfielders at once with no creative one

 

Buying more defenders than we need

 

Being happy with a goalless draw

 

No interest in signing attacking creative players

 

 

 

Does that help you?

I agree that the poor entertainment value of the football on show is a factor but the 'missing' fans are from the 18 - 60 year old bracket and that is partly because the club did not do enough on the adult season ticket prices.

You mention Wigan and Blackburn - look how their prices compare to ours. Yes its great for the club to comment on the sales increase in youth, children and OAP tickets but they are very quiet on yet another summer of a big reduction in the quantity of adult ticket sold.

 

I think there is enough money in Bolton for adults to have paid the ?350 - ?400 for a season ticket if the entertainment value was there at the Reebok.

You are correct that if adult tickets had been dropped to the kids prices, they would have sold out however.

Playing 3 defensive holding midfielders at once with no creative one

 

Buying more defenders than we need

 

Being happy with a goalless draw

 

No interest in signing attacking creative players

 

 

 

Does that help you?

 

is taylor not creative? who are/where the options for the right wing? (i do know there are some, but i want somebody else to point them out, with good reason)

 

whats that got to do with the football in a single game?

 

says who?

 

is lee not young raw attacking talent.

 

 

 

so again, please define negative football?

Edited August 17, 200916 yr by HomerJay

never mind season tickets

 

do you know the walk up price for west lower was 27 quid

I'd much rather watch fight off relegation year on year no matter how negative it is than see us play in the fizzy pop leagues....anyone who thinks otherwise is mad

Why? To rule out being in a lower league simply because its a lower league is daft - indeed a couple of season down followed by a cracking promotion season could easily invigorate the club/fans etc.

BUT - and its a fucking big but - there's no guarantee of that promotion, and there's the rub. Stagnate, or even worse drop again, and we'd be in the shite. And then stagnation even further down could be the death-knell...

is taylor not creative? who are/where the options for the right wing? (i do know there are some, but i want somebody else to point them out, with good reason)

 

whats that got to do with the football in a single game?

 

says who?

 

is lee not young raw attacking talent.

 

 

 

so again, please define negative football?

 

So any team with one or two attacking players is a positive attacking, side?. Given that every team in the leagues have forwards, attacking players that means no one team is negative in your opinion? maybe it's to do with the balance. A team of 9 defenders and one striker is not negative as you would point out that there is one player the striker who is attacking and creative?

 

What's your definition of a negative team?

Edited August 17, 200916 yr by John Thomas

no, i never said we were an attacking side, but we are not negative. i think we have quite a bit of balance to our play. problem is our attacking players are not all that great.

 

a negative team would be a team that sets out 4-5-1 or 5-4-1.. intentionally sitting back, with no real intention of attacking the oppostion. Holding out for a 0-0, possible nicking a goal from a set piece.

 

i am not denying that we have do this on more than 1 occasion away from home against a top four clubs, but to say it happens everyone week is just plain wrong.

 

yes we are rather cautious and do not throw everyone forward but there has to be a balance.

 

look at spurs, before harry came along, white hart lane was the place to see goals, and lots of them. spurs attacked like defending did not exist. and subsequently spurs were in fear of relegation for 2 seasons.

 

last year harry stopped that. he built from the back and applied a bit of balance to the team and goals became very rare at home, (lowest in the divsion i beleive) but they start to win games and had a very good season.

 

the difference is harry had a shit load of cash to spend so his building happened a lot fuckin quick than ours.

Edited August 17, 200916 yr by HomerJay

I read last week that only 4 Premier League clubs had sold less season tickets than last season.Bolton West Ham and Villa were 3 and i've forgot the other one , it wasn't either Wigan or Blackburn.

In Bolton's case it is down to the dire football on offer from the home side.It is wrong to say every club that plays in the bottom half plays dire,negative football.

If every team played like Megson sets the team up,i am sure more than 4 clubs would have sold less season tickets.

Financially it may all about survival for half the teams,but i don't think there's another PL team that plays as negative football as Bolton.

 

So, what you're saying is that at least we've an excuse for selling less tickets and the other 3 haven't.

So, in effect, you're saying our fan base is more loyal than at least 3 other clubs.

 

My point here, is that a fact can be twisted to suit any argument. I have focused on the (slightly) positive side of being in that group of 4.

Changing subject a little here. Watching Manure game yesterday and noticed quite large blocks of empty seats in the lower tier facing the camera. Not just the Boltons of the world that are suffering. Standards or quality of football on offer are not really a factor to some folk (like me, its a habit). Money, or lack of it these days is the real reason.

Changing subject a little here. Watching Manure game yesterday and noticed quite large blocks of empty seats in the lower tier facing the camera. Not just the Boltons of the world that are suffering. Standards or quality of football on offer are not really a factor to some folk (like me, its a habit). Money, or lack of it these days is the real reason.

 

So why have Wigan and Blackburn sold more than last year?

 

Because there tickets were priced right for todays financial situation (credit crunch). Mates of mine who havent been going blackburn for years said 'fuck it for that price ill go'. The spin Wanderers put on the ST sales when they were first released was as if they were doing you a favour and giving them away when really they've dropped prices by a couple of quid a game, instead of slashing prices like wigan and Blackburn and getting bums on seats.

maybe we should've sold our our best players like wiggin have

 

theyve sold more players than we've sold season tickets

 

could you imagine

Edited August 17, 200916 yr by Casino

I can't see much evidence of "missing fans", but there is anecdotal evidence of "missing season ticket holders"

 

Attendances were higher last season, which shows that any missing fans have been replaced

Football is a luxury and in the current financial climate i can understand why many have not purchased season tickets.

 

I personally haven't renewed purely because i either have to drive up to the game and not drink which is hard work or sit on a train for 4 hours on a saturday on my own. regurlarly waking up in north wales having fallen asleep due to being completely lashed. I would sooner spend ?100 on going on a night out in the land of scouse that attending most games at the reebok.

So why have Wigan and Blackburn sold more than last year?

 

Because there tickets were priced right for todays financial situation (credit crunch). Mates of mine who havent been going blackburn for years said 'fuck it for that price ill go'. The spin Wanderers put on the ST sales when they were first released was as if they were doing you a favour and giving them away when really they've dropped prices by a couple of quid a game, instead of slashing prices like wigan and Blackburn and getting bums on seats.

 

 

No idea how Wigan have sold more season tickets, but Rovers were cheap, but they have also sold Santa Cruz for 20 million, replaced him wirh Kalinic at a cost of 6 miilion and now have said there's no money for any more. it's obvious the money's gone to balance the shortfall in revenue from season tickets.

I did except the Reebok however to be full of under 18's with their season tickets at ?49.

I was thinking about these cheap tickets, they are all well and good, but if/when Blackburn and/or Wigan get relegated, they're going to have to put their prices up, as they won't have the TV cash coming in, that'll be interesting to see how they put a spin on the fact that prices will probably have to go up 50%...................I'm not saying reductions shouldn't be offered, and we may we ll have to put our prices up if we get relegated, but can you imagine the outcry from the fans when it happens

never mind season tickets

 

do you know the walk up price for west lower was 27 quid

 

Im a season ticket holder but if i wasnt I would find it hard to pay 27 quid for a game against a team like Sunderland. Its a fucking rip off imo. Im guessing upper tier was about 30 quid then, no wonder they were fucking empty!

If megson did depart the club how many fans do people think would come back to support us

Edited August 17, 200916 yr by bigj

Im a season ticket holder but if i wasnt I would find it hard to pay 27 quid for a game against a team like Sunderland. Its a fucking rip off imo. Im guessing upper tier was about 30 quid then, no wonder they were fucking empty!

 

I think for prem league footy it was very reasonable on satdee

 

got a ticket for a mate in the NSL and it was ?23

 

another mate is going to Newcastle away at Palace, ?29