Free entry for Reading??!!

[Spud]

I'm a ST holder and I wouldn't mind people getting tickets for Free/£1/£5 whatever the club and fellow ST holders feel comfortable with. If it meant it was our supporters filling the stadium (including parts of the North Stand) instead of getting the money from away fans and giving them the added advantage of a big following, I'm sure people would agree.

 

[BillyStubbsTears]

It was free to get in against Palace.

We didn't win and it wasn't full.

We don't need to win on Saturday.

The home crowd against Palace was the highest since we played Liverpool in the Cup 40 years ago.

[BigColSutherland]

The crowd helped against Palace, the crowd helped against Crewe. There are positive examples.

There are negative ones too. What happened at our record attendance?

[Filo]

It was free to get in against Palace.

We didn't win and it wasn't full.

We don't need to win on Saturday.

The home crowd against Palace was the highest since we played Liverpool in the Cup 40 years ago.

Higher than the KM record of 15001 against Leeds?

[BigColSutherland]

I'm starting to worry about William. He's getting very sloppy with his 'facts'.

[BillyStubbsTears]

BCS

You can rest easy. I meant "home" as in "number of home fans".

[Surrey Rover]

There was over 20000 for the league cup tie against Hull in 1975 and it wasn't free either. The town needs a kick up the backside...

[BillyStubbsTears]

SR

I'll give you that one. I'd forgotten about that. 39 years then.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The crowd helped against Palace, the crowd helped against Crewe. There are positive examples.

There are negative ones too. What happened at our record attendance?

We drew 0-0

[The Red Baron]

It was free to get in against Palace.

We didn't win and it wasn't full.

We don't need to win on Saturday.

The home crowd against Palace was the highest since we played Liverpool in the Cup 40 years ago.

No we don't NEED to win, but I think this is a better chance of a win than the game at Leicester.

I think logistics will dictate against it anyway, but I don't think the club should cut prices for Saturday's game. There are plenty of opportunities (voucher M, unused ST stubs) for getting friends and family along to the game. There should be much more emphasis on creating a lively atmosphere among those who are present.

[BigColSutherland]

The crowd helped against Palace, the crowd helped against Crewe. There are positive examples.

There are negative ones too. What happened at our record attendance?

We drew 0-0

What happened at the record Keepmoat attendance?

[BillyStubbsTears]

We lost. And from memory, about 35% of the attendees were vociferously supporting the winners.

[DonnyRTID]

Not everyone knows about the voucher M/ticket stub offers though, it needs to be advertised on the clubs website. How about giving all season ticket holders a free ticket for the Reading game.

[BigColSutherland]

What happened at the second highest Keepmoat attendance?

[BillyStubbsTears]

We lost and from memory, about 25% of the crowd were vociferously supporting the winners (and runaway champions).

We can continue this for as long as you like. If you reckon that having a big crowd and the atmosphere overwhelmingly in your favour is not an advantage, then that's fine.

[BigColSutherland]

I've not offered an opinion William. I've asked some questions and pointed out some facts.

[BillyStubbsTears]

You have. None of them were particularly relevant to the situation on Saturday, but that's your choice.

Personally, is love to see 13,500 Donny fans in the ground on Saturday. How about you? Do you have an opinion.

[BigColSutherland]

I won't be there so I'm not too fussed, but i'm not sure we have "13,500 Donny fans".

Personally, I don't see a correlation between the number of fans and the results we churn out at home. Sometimes we win with a big crowd, sometimes we lose. In my opinion, when we have the larger crowds we tend to get more neutrals who just observe rather than support, so their benefit is negligible.

[BillyStubbsTears]

BCS.

But the examples you quote are ones where
a) we didn't have a huge majority of home fans.
b) we certainly didn't have a overwhelming "home" atmosphere.
c) it wasn't a "balls on the line" situation regarding the result.

Compare that to the performances and atmospheres when in the Southend play off match and Crewe JPT semi. That's the kind of situation I'd like to see on Saturday. (And whether I am personally there or not doesn't change my having an opinion.)

Granted, it doesn't always work. The atmosphere and performance fell flat against Notts County last year. But on balance, I'd much prefer a full house and run the risk that some may be silent, than have 7,000 rattling around the stadium and pretty much guarantee a flat atmosphere.

[One_Matty_Lucas]

Voucher for the clubshop (10 quid) for everyone who bought a ticket (ST included), then make it 5 quid for adults and quid a kid.

Flags or T shirts on seats, drum involved.

Im even tempted to charter a flight from Geneva to Robin Hood for the game

COME ON ROVERS

[BigColSutherland]

I wasn't at the Crewe, Southend or Notts County games, so I'll have to take your word for it William. Although, measuring "atmosphere" seems to be more of an art than a science.

I tend to deal in the facts. And the facts suggest no causality exists between our attendances and our results, and as such, the idea of making it free to get in on Saturday would have no discernible influence upon the outcome of the game - which I assume it the motivating factor behind the idea.

It would therefore be prudent to maxmise income via gate receipts and hope the result goes our way.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Remember the Leicester game couple of seasons back when we needed something from the game? That was an offer game, big crowd and our enigma that was Super Steve Brooker scored a screamer and the crowd went wild. Similar would be De Val scoring the winner with a 30 yard free kick!

[BigColSutherland]

Remember the Leicester game couple of seasons back when we needed something from the game? That was an offer game, big crowd...

Another one we didn't win.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I wasn't at the Crewe, Southend or Notts County games, so I'll have to take your word for it William. Although, measuring "atmosphere" seems to be more of an art than a science.

I tend to deal in the facts. And the facts suggest no causality exists between our attendances and our results, and as such, the idea of making it free to get in on Saturday would have no discernible influence upon the outcome of the game - which I assume it the motivating factor behind the idea.

It would therefore be prudent to maxmise income via gate receipts and hope the result goes our way.

Although interestingly, the facts indicate that when we have a large numerical advantage of home fans over away fans in big games, we DO have a good record.

I guess there are "facts" and "facts".

[IDM]

Remember the Leicester game couple of seasons back when we needed something from the game? That was an offer game, big crowd...

Another one we didn't win.

We didn't lose, either.

We went into that game knowing a point would guarantee our survival.  We got that point - job done, even though Sheff Utd didn't win so we could still have lost and survived.

I don't care if it is just me and my dad and a few journalists there on saturday, as long as we get the result we need, or if not, do our damnedest to get it.

[BigColSutherland]

Although interestingly, the facts indicate that when we have a large numerical advantage of home fans over away fans in big games, we DO have a good record.

I guess there are "facts" and "facts".

Do you have a robust, independent and verifiable defintion of the terms "large numerical advantage" and "big games"? If not you could be accused of picking and choosing games to suit your stance William.

[BigColSutherland]

Remember the Leicester game couple of seasons back when we needed something from the game? That was an offer game, big crowd...

Another one we didn't win.

We didn't lose, either.

We went into that game knowing a point would guarantee our survival.  We got that point - job done, even though Sheff Utd didn't win so we could still have lost and survived.

I don't care if it is just me and my dad and a few journalists there on saturday, as long as we get the result we need, or if not, do our damnedest to get it.

Given our goal difference, anything other than a thrashing would have been enough to survive. The idea that Brooker is some sort of hero is flawed.

[IDM]

We will never know how good or not Brooker would have been for us, as he was hardly ever fit.  But if that goal vs Leicester was anything to go by, it is a shame he struggled.

[BillyStubbsTears]

BCS

No I don't, but then I'm a pragmatist rather than an absolutist.

I don't think it pragmatic to assess our performance in front of big crowds on the evidence of two results against Leeds and Newcastle. I fully respect your right to do so though - it has all the benefits of being a pure approach.

[BigColSutherland]

Right, let's have a look at the numbers then William. The most up to date list I can find on here is this:

15,001  1 Apr 2008 v Leeds United - Lost
14,850  23 Mar 2010 v Newcastle United - Lost
14,823  14 Feb 2009 v Sheffield Wednesday - Won
14,435  27 Feb 2009 v Derby County - Won
14,312  22 Apr 2011 v Crystal Palace - Drew
14,242  30 Sep 2008 v Sheffield United - Lost
14,020  28 Dec 2008 v Burnley - Won
13,669  20 Dec 2008 v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Lost
13,614  20 Nov 2010 v Swansea City - Drew
13,293  17 Sep 2010 v Leeds United - Drew
13,251  28 Oct 2008 v Barnsley - Lost
13,026  20 Mar 2010 v Sheffield United - Drew
12,962  14 Oct 2011 v Leeds United - Lost
12,825  08 Dec 2009 v Sheffield Wednesday - Won
12,768  13 Feb 2010 v Nottingham Forest - Won

Right, so that's the 15 biggest Keepmoat attendances I can find doing a quick search on here. (I have yet to find a measure for "big games", or a system to arrive at a figure for "large numerical advantage)

Played 15, Won 5, Drew 4, Lost 6.

It suggests to me that big crowds at the Keepmoat don't really bring us big returns. We win some, we draw some, we lose some, with a defeat the most common outcome.