yesterdays atmosphere.

[REESA]

There are some people with proper reasons who cant go, but others have imo no excuse, as has been said before, were we to get to the FA Cup final, or League cup final, we would have 60000 fans begging for tickets claiming this that and the other, Yes money may be an issue, but £20.00 a ticket and travel there then your day will prob cost upto £30.00, im sure people can find that once a month and go to every other game

[BaldJim]

There is no competition for fans at the toon,there are 3 clubs in Birmingham,add their crowds together and that figure is pretty small in comparison,also have you ever been to Newcastle,it's such a hole that football is the only thing they have in their depressing tawdry lives.

[sundial2]

not a fair comparison jim.population of newcastle is less than 300,000 so their ratio stands upto anything in the midlands.you can add on other towns and cities but its still better than round here.our support is poor.it really is.

[candyman]

You have to remember that Birmingham is a multi racial city and a lot unfortunately don`t watch football.

[BlueRalph]

[BaldJim]

So why are the fans staying away ?,last time in the Prem we had good crowds most games,what has changed ?.You keep bamging on about tans not turning up,tell is why they dont.

[CliftonBlueRoger]

Our crowds have gradually gone down over the last 2 years - basically , IMHO , because of the standard of football we have witnessed .
The crowds will gradually increase as word spreads that the quality of the football ( and hence the match day atmosphere ) is now improving .
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Once a Blue always a Blue !

[HarryLauder1]

Plain and simple fact, we are not as well supported as what some of us like to think we are.

Maybe we once were, but that's all history and if fans(ex fans?)choose to stay away then that is their choice and their reasons are just that. I would not not criticise those that choose not to go,

The reasons that our support has dropped are varied and I think our new owners have started to address this.

Looking forward,I think gates will improve and the atmosphere has already changed about the place.

[sundial2]

jim.its not up to those of us who do go on about fans staying away to explain why they stay away.thats surely up to them.i dont know.only they know that otherwise its just guesswork.ill make no bones about it im very dissappointed that they do.of course i am.i just think we kid ourselves re our fan base.its a potential fan base like everybody elses team.our hardcore is i reckon really about 15,000.dont count every s/ticket holder this year.where they been for the last 10/15 years then?nope not as big as we like to think.

[Loads]

A really interesting debate and some very good points made.

I rarely post on here but I visit this forum and read the posts every day.
I am one of the X hardcore fans that don’t go down anymore, and there are a couple of reasons for this, one is that I have got used to not going down, I, like others had a belly full of the previous regime and got fed up of being treated like a mug, so stopped going.
I know they have gone now but you do seem to develop new habits and get used to doing new things on your weekends, this may well be the case for a lot of people. The other reason which is the main reason, is because I have become asthmatic and if I’m anywhere near someone who is smoking, it makes my breathing difficult, its like someone having their hand over your mouth! Now, it’s supposed to be a smoke free ground but it isn’t, and every part of the ground I seemed to have sat in I end up being by a smoker, or one within a few rows of me, it then spoils the whole experience of being down there.

However, I’m really starting to get itchy feet about going back down there again, and at some point I think I will, I don’t think that it will be long, but the smoking around me is a real problem!

I have never thought that we are the sleeping giant that most people think we are and have to agree with you, the fans should be coming back. Getting more youngsters down there is the way forward, I do think that the fans will come back though but IMHO it may take longer than we think.

Do any of you lot meet up for a drink before games?

[sundial2]

well to be honest with you loads.i am a smoker and nobody near me ever has a cigarette until half time when we all pile down to the gates.thats the gil merrick lower.so i cant speak for the rest of the ground.i understand people do get out of the habit of attending.BUT this could be our best ever opportunity to progress as a football club in my lifetime.so we need people like yourself to go back and all pull together.seriously, if carson and co see our gates and atmosphere back to how they used to be they will be more inclined to back us further.if we stand still they may just wonder if its all worth it.hes a footy nut remember as well as a businessman.lets fill him with enthusiasm.

[Loads]

Perhaps your right Sundial, perhaps ive just been unlucky sitting next to smokers!

I'm going to go down against Fulham, make a full afternoon of it with my son, see if i get the buzz back.

[jazzzy786]

The crowds will come back when they say some ambition by the club and an improvement in the football. This is happening now after years of yoyo existence and second rate football under the previous regime. This is why the atmosphere at the ground is improving once again. Hopefully it won't be long before we have a squad that matches our ambitions. If we have a bit of success it will not take long for supporters to feel the urge to go down again.
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Do not despise the snake for having no horns for who is to
say it will not become a dragon.