Empty seats sabotage’s Target 20,000
Attracting more supporters to come and watch the team here at The Valley – and ensuring we are doing everything we can to make their matchday experience enjoyable – is crucial to us. – Katrien Meire’s Target 20,000 plan.
Last night’s attendance of 12,294 which included over 4,000 no show season ticket holders was the lowest Valley crowd since March 1998. In the region of just 8,000 Addicks were actually inside the ground to watch a depressing performance from Karel Fraeye’s men. This was borne out by a very low jackpot ticket payout of £245, which is a good guide to how many home fans were actually in the ground.
In those almost 18 seasons since the home match at home to West Brom in the 1997/98 season, The Valley witnessed three campaigns in the third tier and three relegation seasons, but never did the crowd drop below 13,000 and I have never known a time when so many season ticket holders counted despite their absence.
These facts alone should alert Roland Duchatelet to the growing concerns of the supporters of his leadership. But do they? Other than Standard, all of Duchatelet’s clubs are poorly supported. Income from gate receipts is not an important metric for the Belgian clearly.
Alcorcon in the Spanish 2nd Division averaged just 2, 647 last season, down 17% on the season before Duchatelet bought them. Romanian top flight club Újpest average 2,352 and Carl Zeiss Jena, who play in a regional German league average 8,345. However his favourite child St Truiden have seen their crowds go up by 60% following promotion to the top Belgian league to 10,480 so far this season. Look at that. A successful team in getting better crowds shocker!
When I was a kid, whenever the ball was hoofed onto the vast East Terrace my Dad’s mate used to shout ‘it’s alright I’ll get it, I’ve got my bike” as the nearest fan made the slow climb up the steep bare terrace to retrieve the ball. Photo’s of blocks and blocks of empty seats last night did not make me remember the past with affection, it made me worry about the future. Does Roland?
CA, to address your very last question, empty seats “sabotage” Roland’s bank account and he doesn’t strike me as the type who will be terribly happy to have that carry on for any length of time. Something has to give and soon!
A proper manager who knows what he’s doing and who people have heard of would be a start. Look at Palace today, good luck to them, just hope it’s us some day soon.
I would think not.
These shocking stats of the crowd numbers at the Valley although seemingly of little concern to the owner are very worrying for the future of CAFC support base. Particularly concerning are the season ticket holders who are not turning up many of whom will be questioning whether to renew. Some commentators have suggested that the owner’s intention is to profit from his CAFC asset in a way that has nothing to do with football and this could account for a continuing stewardship of decline, evidenced by poor league position falling attendances, supporter unrest etc. etc. Evaluation of his intentions is of course extremely difficult but as ever the (at present ugly) facts of the situation at CAFC will continue to provide the best measure of, if not intent, then of strategic success. The first step on any road to recovery could be a detailed statement by the CEO of the acceptance of failures particularly in the area of player recruitment and a corresponding plan for improving that situation that specifies the principles on which player suitability is judged. Statements like ‘mistakes have been made in the past’ are not adequate as they don’t convince that the future will offer any improvement. Some honesty and humility please, it wouldn’t cost anything and would be a great investment.
Very well put as usual Terry.
Thanks for that CA. You have painted a truly stark and bleak picture with this piece. Judging from Cardiff City’s experience (ie. dramatic drop in home support ) it will take more than just encouraging results and competitive league position to get ‘alienated’ supporters to return. I would take it as a start though!