[Albion] Closing the North Stand last night was WRONG

[Thunder Bolt]

Opening the NS would have been worth a goal to the Albion. We ALWAYS score in that end.

We did actually shoot towards that end in the second half.

Southampton definitely had the advantage being behind the goal. The roar from them influenced the ref in a 50/50 challenge, so they gained a free kick in an advantageous spot.

The pricing was right imo, but, although I enjoyed sitting near the players, I would've like to have been in my own seat in the north.

 

[Bold Seagull]

It was £12

It was £12 as an early bird price. It went up to £15 day of the fixture - which there was demand for even at the increased price, which was my point.

Advance tickets
Adults £12
Seniors 65+/Under-21s £8
Under-18s £6

Matchday Prices (from 9am 28th Aug)
Adults £15
Seniors 65+/Under-21s £10
Under-18s £8

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

It was £12

I think it was £15 on the day.

 

[scousefan]

I’m a long term live-away fan, so I never get to these sorts of games unless they are away in the north. However it seems shocking to me to close the North stand. Surely it would be better to encourage the louder season ticket holders there to book their usual seats for the cup games. If you open the stadium in sections then you can ensure that there would be a decent crowd in the North. That way the issue of lack of Albion support for penalties (at either end) is removed. Hardly surprising the players weren’t up for it. There must have been a very poor atmosphere...

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We did actually shoot towards that end in the second half.

You know what I mean

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Problem is if the club go all out to sell it - £10 tickets, kids for quid etc etc and get a full or near-full house and then CH uses the game as a run-out for the benchwarmers and U23s, there would be even more complaints. Suspect most going last night knew what to expect so they probably got it about right - only thing they should have done is absolutely opened the North. There's never going to be any kind of atmosphere if it's closed (even the Nantes friendly was better than last night)

1) We are selling out all home league games now.
2) Lots of people, especially kids, can’t get tickets for home league games.
3) Price and offer tickets (e.g. family, kid deals etc) so ground is at least 4/5 full. Fully advertise the fact it will be a chance to see squad players and not necessarily the first team.
4) I struggle to see how 3) will result in a loss but if it does ce la vie.
5) Goodwill will be immense.....and is a valuable commodity to offset 4)

Everyone happy!

 

[dazzer6666]

1) We are selling out all home league games now.
2) Lots of people, especially kids, can’t get tickets for home league games.
3) Price and offer tickets (e.g. family, kid deals etc) so ground is at least 4/5 full. Fully advertise the fact it will be a chance to see squad players and not necessarily the first team.
4) I struggle to see how 3) will result in a loss but if it does ce la vie.
5) Goodwill will be immense.....and is a valuable commodity to offset 4)

Everyone happy!

But they wouldn't be happy..........25,000+ and CH puts out the RESERVES and KIDS........what a RIP OFF #Barberout etc.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Looking forward to a full and noisy stand on Saturday

 

[chaileyjem]

I think it was £15 on the day.

Yes. Prices went up from the pre-match £12 at 9am yesterday.

 

[dazzer6666]

It was £12 as an early bird price. It went up to £15 day of the fixture - which there was demand for even at the increased price, which was my point.

Advance tickets
Adults £12
Seniors 65+/Under-21s £8
Under-18s £6

Matchday Prices (from 9am 28th Aug)
Adults £15
Seniors 65+/Under-21s £10
Under-18s £8

Most would have bought in advance though...........

 

[chaileyjem]

3) Price and offer tickets (e.g. family, kid deals etc) so ground is at least 4/5 full. Fully advertise the fact it will be a chance to see squad players and not necessarily the first team.

Everyone happy!

The tickets were £12 and £6 only for kids. Non league teams sometimes charge more. Its still a school holiday/night.
If demand warranted it they would have opened more of the ground.
Albion still had over £50m of signings on the pitch at one point and Southampton had a strong side out.
There were thousands of emails sent to ticket purchasers, press conferences, etc.

but like it or not , its the League Cup. People don't care as much. Whether thats Chris Hughton's fault for picking (mostly) 2nd string teams or the general poor status of the competition, its a fact. So really hard to drum up demand. 13K crowd was pretty impressive to be honest.

 

[goldstone]

Looking forward to a full and noisy stand on Saturday

View attachment 100165

And they allowed a female linesman. Shock horror!!

 

[chaileyjem]

These are the sort of games to make a big thing about bringing kids along. It's summer holidays, not cold, possibility of penalties and a great opportunity. After all, we've got loads of kids, including mine on season ticket waiting lists and struggling to pick up loyalty points to get to games.

They did though ? It was £6 for u18s which is pretty decent, they made a big deal of it in emails to all fans on their database and all sorts of other promotion.
But at end of the day , its the League Cup. And its Southampton. So all a bit humdrum. As it turned out.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

At the end of the day I think all these arguments are superfluous anyway, as it seems the club were more than prepared to lose the match. Whatever Chris Hughton may have said publically I think, that with the sole aim this season of Premier League survival, the Carabao Cup was looked upon as something of a minor irritant that could end up clogging up the fixture list, adding to the injury list, and possibly derailing our main objective.

 

[BensGrandad]

It may not be the correct answer but I believe that STH should include the 1st 2 Cup games that we play and transport and that the ground should be opened as usual irrespective..If we progress further than 1 round in each sell the tickets for further games as per a normal game .

 

[Bold Seagull]

At the end of the day I think all these arguments are superfluous anyway, as it seems the club were more than prepared to lose the match. Whatever Chris Hughton may have said publically I think, that with the sole aim this season of Premier League survival, the Carabao Cup was looked upon as something of a minor irritant that could end up clogging up the fixture list, adding to the injury list, and possibly derailing our main objective.

I don't agree. I don't think it's an irritant at all as CH is able to run his eye over some of the squad in a competitive match. That would have been the main objective. Had Locadia notched with a last minute goal from a Jahanbakhsh cross, then these boards would be filled with threads about starting them on Saturday. Most of the team last night we would be expecting to be involved in the EPL this season.

 

[Bold Seagull]

It may not be the correct answer but I believe that STH should include the 1st 2 Cup games that we play and transport and that the ground should be opened as usual irrespective..If we progress further than 1 round in each sell the tickets for further games as per a normal game .

So Spurs at home in the 3rd Round in January will be included then? Not sure you've thought this one through...

 

[Thunder Bolt]

So Spurs at home in the 3rd Round in January will be included then? Not sure you've thought this one through...

There's your problem, right there.

 

[dazzer6666]

So Spurs at home in the 3rd Round in January will be included then? Not sure you've thought this one through...

Quite........could equally have been Fleetwood Town.....how are the club supposed to manage demand (and associated costs) of arranging stewarding, trains, P&R etc when, with notionally 23k tickets 'sold' but they have no idea how many will turn up......

 

[Seagull1989]

The cup games attendance's are becoming a bit embarrassing for us. Soton and Palace both brought a fair amount of fans, so why can't we encourage fans to go? The north should have definitely been open as well for atmosphere.

I think that the first couple of rounds of the cup should be included in the season ticket. Surely getting 20-25k in for a cup all spending c. £5- 10 per head on programmes, food , beer etc offsets charging 10,000 fans £12 to get in ?