Look Closer To Home Mr Lansdown

[swampy]

I somehow suspect that the phrase 'bland experience' is what puts most of the older 'part-time' supporters such as myself off of coming back to Ashton Gate. As a 50-something adult, I want to be able to watch my team play without being searched as I enter the ground. I would like to enjoy a drink as I watch my team play. I would like to stand - I stress STAND - alongside opposition supporters and engage in good-natured banter. I can do this at non-league football. I can do this at rugby union matches. As long as I am treated with complete and utter disrespect by the club - whether we play Crewe or Chelsea - then I will quite simply refuse to attend games at the Gate. Tesco have come to dominate the retail market precisely because they listen - and respond to - their customers. The reverse is equally true.

[Robbored]

I somehow suspect that the phrase 'bland experience' is what puts most of the older 'part-time' supporters such as myself off of coming back to Ashton Gate. As a 50-something adult, I want to be able to watch my team play without being searched as I enter the ground. I would like to enjoy a drink as I watch my team play. I would like to stand - I stress STAND - alongside opposition supporters and engage in good-natured banter. I can do this at non-league football. I can do this at rugby union matches. As long as I am treated with complete and utter disrespect by the club - whether we play Crewe or Chelsea - then I will quite simply refuse to attend games at the Gate. Tesco have come to dominate the retail market precisely because they listen - and respond to - their customers. The reverse is equally true.

Naive attitude, failing to see the way times have changed.

Why then as a 'fifty something' person do I enjoy going to AG just as much as I ever did?And I've been going for almost 40 years.

I'll tell you why - its because I support my football club - end of.

[cider head]

I go because i love bristol city, the name the ground the team and most of all the time i spend

with my mates before, during and after the game, what i don't like is how this club is run

we are now a ''brand'' not a football club.

many feel the same to the fact some stay away although the team is doing well,

this club has got to start treating ALL THE FANS BETTER not just it's little pockets of fans

ie: the prem seaters.

[Guest]

Naive attitude, failing to see the way times have changed.

Why then as a 'fifty something' person do I enjoy going to AG just as much as I ever did?And I've been going for almost 40 years.

I'll tell you why - its because I support my football club - end of.

I support my football club and have done so for over 40 years I just aint attending home games at the moment until this guys attitude to home supporters changes.

We the fans are here for ever; the rest are just passing through- end of.

[megansdad]

or in your case Glos Boy for ever, just not for now.......wish I could be there this afternoon and were I in the UK that is where I would be enjoying it as much as ever- count yourself lucky you have the choice- sad that with the team 2nd in the league and potentially going top a supporter such as yourself is deciding not to go-the only one missing out I would suggest is you........

[malaggro]

City have nearly always been failures, really crap in the eighties, nearly all of the nineties and now really.

Opening the East End would help to improve attendances at Ashton Gate without question coupled with Lansdown realising that his constant "nannyism" is turning fans away from a club that has always been a large & important part of their lives. Many fans are quite used to failure as it is synonymous with City but at the moment the club is supposed to be on the up and saturday will see another crap gate with most sat watching seemingly barely alive. The East End, smoking, singing, standing, cost are all part of a wider picture of what i am hearing from long standing supporters of where City have lost their way.Tommorow i am reduced to carrying a bloody petition around pubs and the theme i will hear will be smoking, singing,

standing, cost, STEVEN LANSDOWN" from those in the 3 Lions etc who are reduced to hoping like me a bit of what BCFC was may come back to us.

Ashton Gate has also become more than a little crap, Our club does not have to be like this at least of the pitch!

Bang on North St.

[solo1bc]

Even non-league football costs a tenner now. This is just not being realistic.

Call me crazy but I'd actually pay more to go into a terrace than I would an all seater.

Value for money at a football ground isn't about how comfy your seat is but how much you enjoy it and IMHO all seaters has killed the atmosphere at many grounds and not just ours.

[Guest North Street]

Naive attitude, failing to see the way times have changed.

Why then as a 'fifty something' person do I enjoy going to AG just as much as I ever did?And I've been going for almost 40 years.

I'll tell you why - its because I support my football club - end of.

Put another metre on that pole as the fish are on the far bank.

[Bristol Boy]

Bunch of moaning numptys.

That's a daft remark and adds nothing to the debate.It surprises me that there are so many decenting voices with very little counter argument.

[Guest]

or in your case Glos Boy for ever, just not for now.......wish I could be there this afternoon and were I in the UK that is where I would be enjoying it as much as ever- count yourself lucky you have the choice- sad that with the team 2nd in the league and potentially going top a supporter such as yourself is deciding not to go-the only one missing out I would suggest is you........

No doubt they will survive without me, not easy but sometimes you have to make a stand for what you believe in and enough poo has been fired at home fans and I`ve had enough, I`ll have to live with it; or without it for now.

How is Singers these days I`ll swop with you any day

[megansdad]

hot sticky and a lot of fun- not sure the club are to blame for the so called nannyism - all seater stadia is not a lansdown idea, while the police costs involved in opening the East End are nor his fault either, neither is it his fault that the stadium could be closed by the council should people stand in the Dolman. That people is the world in which we live so please don't blame Steve for evils that are not within his gift to resolve.

[SE23Red]

Not quite true.

Average attendances ;

99/2000 9,803

00/01 10,369

01/02 11,228

02/03 11,890

03/04 12,035

04/05 11,391

05/06 11,725

06/07 11,038 so far

1500 per game drop ? 600 odd more like. Quite a difference.

Since 01/02, the attendances have been fairly consistent and I would expect this season to be around the 12,000 mark by seasons end.

We aint losing a lot of support - but we aint gaining much either.

Comparing the first six gates of 03/04 with this season's first six is also revealing. In 03/04 we averaged 11,306 including a Swindon 'derby' game. (the average of the first seven games excluding the Swindon game is 10,766). The 12000+ average that season was due to four sellouts in the last four games, and if we are in the top three this season as we were then the same will happen again.

[Guest]

hot sticky and a lot of fun- not sure the club are to blame for the so called nannyism - all seater stadia is not a lansdown idea, while the police costs involved in opening the East End are nor his fault either, neither is it his fault that the stadium could be closed by the council should people stand in the Dolman. That people is the world in which we live so please don't blame Steve for evils that are not within his gift to resolve.

He can and does do what ever he wants to.

People stand in all the stands in every ground in all the leagues this is not a B.C.F.C problem alone.

Policing is determined by who we are playing not what stand is open; My guess is that there are more stewards alone than away fans at most games anyway.

If he wants to he can resolve what he likes.

Come on do you really think we have such terrible fans that we will be the first ground in the country to be "closed" because of standing

[The Humble Realist]

lansdown is talking a loada rubish. How can he blame bad attendances on bungs, and the WAGs at the world cup. Maybe if he concentrated on running the club behind the scenes and not in public with comments like those we would have a lil bit cheaper prices and mroe fans.

Look at David Moores(chairman) at Liverpool, he hardly ever makes comments to the press(so little in fact that a lot of people wouldnt kno who he is) and Liverpool are one of the best run clubs in the world, let alone England.

Citys attendances are more a less what they should be if we were mid tbale in league one. I think the lower than expeced attendances are down to us not selling as many season tickets as in previous years. Whatever people say "the stewart and bridges" factor did sell season tickets even if ultimatly both players never made the grade.

AND can i just say, PREMIER seating!why make fans pay FARCICAL amounts for seaitng in the best part in the ground if u cant even fill it! Its exactly the sorta billy big boys stuf which stops us getting promoted. We are currently a leauge one club , not Real madrid where expensive people wish to come and watch City. THink about the real fans, the 11.000 who turned up to watch a game which was not "exciting" as Mr lansdown described it. Admittedly it wasnt a poor 0-0 to be fair. THink abut those 11,000 and let them sit in the good seats like they deserve.

Rant over!

Stu

[The Fat Controller]

That's a daft remark and adds nothing to the debate.It surprises me that there are so many decenting voices with very little counter argument.

Here, fishy fishy fishy.

[Barrs Court Red]

Here, fishy fishy fishy.

Oh yeah, well done how mature of you.

If there was ever a debate that users with an IQ of 80 should be banned, you are a perfect example.

[The Fat Controller]

Oh yeah, well done how mature of you.

If there was ever a debate that users with an IQ of 80 should be banned, you are a perfect example.

Why thankyou.

Sink to my level why don't you.

[Bristol Boy]

Naive attitude, failing to see the way times have changed.

Why then as a 'fifty something' person do I enjoy going to AG just as much as I ever did?And I've been going for almost 40 years.

I'll tell you why - its because I support my football club - end of.

Robbored,

You are demonstrating part of the problem and not offering a solution.

You & I may always be here.We are amongst the 12,000ish-It's not us, it's the people who have ceased to attend and who we need to win back.Those who have never attended need to be attracted and, not being Man Utd, if we say take it or leave it....people will say OK, leave it-I'm off, along with my money!!

May be "end of" alright.....End of our club

Read the bit in his post about Tescos-Spot On

[Stoke_Gifford_Red]

I think the answer to the German question is that it may be difficult legally to revert to terracing, from what I remember of the Taylor report once you have seats it is not possible to get a safety certificate to go to a terrace. And to be blunt no-one has ever been killed in a German stadium which is probably why you still have immense stadiums like the Westfalion.

I think the point about pricing is still valid, by having 6-7,000 empty seats every week and people willing to fill it means an big opportunity is being missed. When Bristol rugby were in national league one if you had a season ticket and missed a game you could exchange the unused ticket for a later game, by doing that you not only attract fans to buy season who can't attend every game but also get new people to the stadium. Now look where Brizzle are, top of the table with sell outs each week and a real feel of unity from club to fans to players.

There are plenty other ways to do it at the gate, offer say six game season tickets, non-Saturday season tickets for people who play local football and maybe discounted prices for the less popular seats like the uncovered Atyeo bits or the corners of the Williams stand. I first went to City on a £5 student ticket in 95 and been a regular ever since.

Although City and this board in particular seem to have its fair share of moaners I really don't feel Sexton and Lansdown are pro-active enough.

Just one whinge from me, if you don't like the food don't buy it then it might actually improve! Surely anyone can go three hours without a pasty??

The price you mention for a student ticket equates to an increase year on year of about 10% to get to the price of a student ticket which si way above the price of inflation. It is obvious more people would go if teh prices were cheaper, just look how many families went in the East End yesterday, and I'm guessing not all of them would have gone if the prices were the same as they are for a normal game. The Fans of the Future Scheme is about the only thing I applaud the club for doing, and now I know this sounds bad but couldn't the club initiate a scheme whereby it happened every game. If the prices were at this level every game people would be more likely to return, as IMHO kids (and they're parents) aren't going to get hooked on going to Bristol city after watching a couple of games a season.

One plan I heard mentioned was for FotF to go between the home fans in the East End and the away fans. This would be a good plan, as I'm sure most kids would enjoy being in a stand where there is a lot more singing/noise. Also this would sort of negate the problem of home fans trying to get at the away fans as there would be a group of home fans (including kids) they woudl have to push past, and I am a believer in all people having at least some good in them, and I can't imagine many hooligan types pushing past a four year old girl just so they can get a bit closer to goad the away fans.

[The Fat Controller]

The price you mention for a student ticket equates to an increase year on year of about 10% to get to the price of a student ticket which si way above the price of inflation. It is obvious more people would go if teh prices were cheaper, just look how many families went in the East End yesterday, and I'm guessing not all of them would have gone if the prices were the same as they are for a normal game. The Fans of the Future Scheme is about the only thing I applaud the club for doing, and now I know this sounds bad but couldn't the club initiate a scheme whereby it happened every game. If the prices were at this level every game people would be more likely to return, as IMHO kids (and they're parents) aren't going to get hooked on going to Bristol city after watching a couple of games a season.

One plan I heard mentioned was for FotF to go between the home fans in the East End and the away fans. This would be a good plan, as I'm sure most kids would enjoy being in a stand where there is a lot more singing/noise. Also this would sort of negate the problem of home fans trying to get at the away fans as there would be a group of home fans (including kids) they woudl have to push past, and I am a believer in all people having at least some good in them, and I can't imagine many hooligan types pushing past a four year old girl just so they can get a bit closer to goad the away fans.

I'm sorry but in this modern world of CRB's and Child Protection, you cant be serious as to suggest BCFC advocating using families/children as segregation between two rowdy sets of football supporters.

[Stoke_Gifford_Red]

I'm sorry but in this modern world of CRB's and Child Protection, you cant be serious as to suggest BCFC advocating using families/children as segregation between two rowdy sets of football supporters.

No I'm not, but what I was trying to get at (but not very well put) was many children I know love to jump around and get the chance to shout with loads of other people and so if they were near the atmosphere they would be more likely to enjoy it. The idea of putting them in a separate block was just so they could see the game. If the EE was opened to all fans, maybe the FotF could go in the block below G block (which always appears to be empty and is used as an area of segregation at the moment if I am correct). Here they would be near to the noise, and may even join in, and whilst a hundred kids joining in with the chants won't be to everyone's taste, at least they would be contributing a lot more to the atmosphere than many other fans.