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Lack Of Pre-season Games At Ag.


mrevans

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... it might have been worth getting a couple of games at our place?

Last season, our away form wasn't too bad, but our home form probably cost us promotion.

With the emphasis away from home being counter-attack, so far we haven't faced the home scenario of being the more aggressive team and forcing the pace. Now, the first time some of the new players will experience a big AG crowd (i reckon 13-14,000), with our expectancy levels, will be on the first day of the season.

I can't help wondering whether we've missed a trick. Anyone agree, or am I just being paranoid?

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... it might have been worth getting a couple of games  at our place?

Last season, our away form wasn't too bad, but our home form probably cost us promotion.

With the  emphasis away from home being counter-attack, so far we haven't faced the home scenario of being the more aggressive team and  forcing the pace. Now, the first time some of the new players will experience a big  AG crowd (i reckon 13-14,000), with our expectancy levels, will be on the first day of the season.

I can't help wondering whether we've missed a trick. Anyone agree, or am I just being paranoid?

I think it's to let the pitch recover from the concerts that we haven't had games at the gate. The same thing happened last year. The area under the stage was particulary bad. Should be pristine come Aug. 6th.

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... it might have been worth getting a couple of games  at our place?

Last season, our away form wasn't too bad, but our home form probably cost us promotion.

With the  emphasis away from home being counter-attack, so far we haven't faced the home scenario of being the more aggressive team and  forcing the pace. Now, the first time some of the new players will experience a big  AG crowd (i reckon 13-14,000), with our expectancy levels, will be on the first day of the season.

I can't help wondering whether we've missed a trick. Anyone agree, or am I just being paranoid?

Do you really think we would have got a "big AG crowd" for any of the friendlies if they had been played at home. A quick scan on that stats webpage indicates that the last time we got more than 10,000 at home for a friendly was 1993 for Chris Garland's benefit v Manchester United, and before that 1990 for Newman's v Villa.

Personally I think you are being paranoid on this one.

Interesting to see that only 1,500 turned out v the gas in 1912 for a benefit for the Titanic, yet 20,000 showed up to see us thrash a POW XI 4-0 in 1947. Presumably they selected from a squad of lice-infested and malnourished Germans and Italians, with kit made out of parachutes, to ensure that Blighty gave Johnny Foreigner a hiding.

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Makes sense to play them away really. Unless we can entice a Man Utd etc down to the Gate, it would cost more to open the ground in stewards, police etc than we would make. Much better to play away, where Tins can also mix up the players for his own purposes with less pressure to put the 'stars' on show.

Having witnessed the academy game at Keynsham last night, I'd also like to see us put teams out more at small local clubs. As well as supporting the grass roots game - Keynsham must have made a tidy sum last night - it's excellent PR for the club in the community. Local fans get the chance to see our players and may well feel better disposed to coming and watching them at some point. It builds respect for our club and must also help us keep contacts who can keep an eye on promising youngsters for us.

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Makes sense to play them away really. Unless we can entice a Man Utd etc down to the Gate, it would cost more to open the ground in stewards, police etc than we would make. Much better to play away, where Tins can also mix up the players for his own purposes with less pressure to put the 'stars' on show.

Having witnessed the academy game at Keynsham last night, I'd also like to see us put teams out more at small local clubs. As well as supporting the grass roots game - Keynsham must have made a tidy sum last night - it's excellent PR for the club in the community. Local fans get the chance to see our players and may well feel better disposed to coming and watching them at some point. It builds respect for our club and must also help us keep contacts who can keep an eye on promising youngsters for us.

I agree with the building of links in the community, Joe Jordan started sending out two or three teams at a time that had a mix of kids and experienced players in them to do just that. It has to beneficial for everybody, the locals make a few quid, we get kudos and our youngsters get to play with the experienced players.

My only reservation with not playing at the Gate is the 7 new players we have. Come the 6th, they will have either never have played there, or only played there as part of the away team. I think every ground and pitch has it's eccentricitys and a lack of "local knowledge" might have an effect in the first couple of games.

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