It’s good to see the Birmingham tickets are selling pretty well. But one final ticket-drive at the Valley before Orient and continuing through the week would bolster the support nicely to give the players the support they really do deserve on Saturday.
It’s going to be the same XI heroes who absolutely toiled through a marathon season in a grotty league last year who take to the pitch at St Andrews. And when they walk out the tunnel and look over to their right they absolutely deserve to see a strong and buoyant following greeting their arrival in a new league. As well as the quality they produced, the players truly gave their guts for those 101 points last year, with performances that gave us all so much pleasure and pride - so we should give something back and show our renewed appreciation on Saturday.
Remember Kermy and BWP in front of the away end at Brammall Lane. The way they all fought like lions up at Hillsborough. The super-human defiance with 9 men at Oldham, and countless other performances that made you so proud of them.
The summer of uncertainty and worry has brought disappointment on the transfer front, but it can bring us together and make both the players and fans even more tight-knit than before. No high-paid big names have come down from the Prem to walk into our side, it’s the same group of excellent young players who genuinely seem to care about Charlton. So let’s show our thanks and prove we’re there for them again. And at the same time show the Championship that we’re a proper club with proper support, and not some beleaguered ex-Prem shell of an outfit still crawling out the doldrums. All the people still weighing Saturday up, or those who hadn’t before considered sorting a train, coach or car-share up to Brum, do it, and go, if you can. It isn’t too far away and will be cracking afternoon.
The players deserve it and the club needs it. Get on the phone to the commercial centre or pick up your ticket at the Valley before Orient and tell all your friends and family to do the same. Do it for Chrissy Powell.
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COYR's
Why tho? Especially when you lot love trains. Seriously though, why is that?
Nice post NH
Bunny, in answer to your question mate - It's hard to put finger on why the away support is so poor. One of the few things I would have changed about last season is that we only just managed 1,000 for our promotion day up at Carlisle because people were moaning about it being "a bit far to go".
We're the complete opposite. I'd say our floating support is embarrassing shit at turning up for home games. I personally know about 30 Millwall fans well. Three go more than twice a season.
But, our away support is pretty good - averaging around 10-11% of the average home gate. Which considering it's members only & the grief we get is pretty good.
I genuinely thought you lot would have sold-out Birmingham straight away - decent away game after a record breaking season and all that.
But half empty? The home areas at The Den are on average 75-80% full. Okay, we've got a relatively small ground, but I'd rather that than say have 22,000 in a 40,000 ground ala Sheffield Wednesday.
Perhaps why the atmosphere at The Den is quite good compared to most - it's not as spread out like at better supported clubs but with massive grounds.
And I'd say the % of home fans going away is usually a good litmus test of a support's passion - rather than how many families, floating fans, football tourist turn up at home.
Take Fulham, for example.
When we do get a good crowd out, like for a local match, then we do make ourselves known (Fulham, Brentford last season).
I may well be in Birmingham that weekend but cannot justify going on my own when visiting family.
(See bands thread for ideas)
Our away percentage drops as our home crowds are much bigger.....as Cafctom mentions above its normally the same faces that go away and I'd imagine that would stay the same whether our home crowds were 10k or 17k as they are now.
Anyways good luck for everyone traveling up on Saturday.....COYR!