Attendances have been on the slide in recent months, although it’s a trend that isn’t just affecting Newcastle in fairness.
Times are tight for people and other priorities come into play. Football is a priority, but not over putting food on the table or paying the bills and some people are struggling to make ends meet. It’s not the only reason why there was 10,000 empty seats against Fulham last time out, but it will be a contributing factor along with the general feeling of apathy towards the ownership and the rather large yet mostly unused away fan area that we have in Level 7 these days.
One way to convince fans to part with their cash is to give them something that they want to watch. This team has the potential to do just that although it is still early days. Players like Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan and Hatem Ben Arfa are all exciting players, and it’s these players that Alan Pardew believes will put bums on seats in the long run.
“All I can say to the Newcastle fans who are weary of paying that extra pound on Saturday, is that we have players in really good form,” Pardew told The Chronicle.
He continued: “It is tough out there and we are all very much aware of that from the financial point of view – people are tightening their belts. But we hope to take that form on to the pitch on Saturday.”
“Yohan, Ben Arfa and Obertan as well are starting to show quality. Obertan changed the game the other day at Forest when he came on. For a player that hasn’t had a lot of games to come on and change things is a real positive.”
Pardew also insists that there is more to come from his French foreign legion.
“There is more to come. We have to make sure we don’t lose our resilience and make sure we are always still in the game,” he said.
“We don’t concede many goals. The goals we conceded on Tuesday against Forest were too many for us – we have to make sure we go back to zero or one.”
The attendances have been below par thus far this season but they will improve. They are still up there amongst the highest in the league so it’s not all doom and gloom and there is still room for improvement.
So what can those fans who choose to go to the game tomorrow expect to see? Well almost certainly they will see Hatem Ben Arfa at some point although it’s only like to be a cameo role from the bench. They’ll also see a team similar to the one that played against Aston Villa with a number of players being recalled after a midweek rest.
When asked on whether if Ben Arfa would be a substitute against Rovers, Pardew told The Chronicle:
“Yes, I think so. He is in contention for the bench, anyone who went to Forest could see that he has a little cameo in him already.”
“Part of the parcel of being a footballer is that you have battles with injuries. He’s got through that and he’s been brilliant. He’s had a smile on his face and he’s enjoying it.”
This team has the makings of a very good team as long as they continue doing what they are doing. I won’t go into it too much as KRToon has a rather fantastic article coming up which goes into it in much more depth than I could in this one.
Suffice to say that once the players click, if they click, then they will attract the fans back to St James’ Park. I’m confident on that one.
Louise Taylor being complimentary about us 😯
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/23/alan-padrew-newcastle-french-influence
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy, I know it’s not the same as being there, but do you think as well as the current economic climate, the ever-growing opportunities to watch live streams free on the internet, coupled with ticket prices spiralling, regardless of the recession has had a negative impact on match attendances? I do.
Rodzilla(Quote)
“It is 110 years since Newcastle opened a top flight season with back-to-back clean sheets in away matches.”
Blimey
Newkie(Quote)
That is pretty impressive Newkie. People were driving horses back then!
Rodzilla(Quote)
I can’t wait for tomorrow, it’s been too long since Fulham and the first Saturday 3 o clock home game of the season which are the best in my opinion.
dan4toon(Quote)
Pissed of i miss it like 🙁
When’s the next one? is it spurs like?
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Think so, then Wigan a week later as well!
dan4toon(Quote)
Interesting article that by Louise T.
But I can picture her writing it with a pen in one hand and a knife in the other, gritting her teeth and ferociously hoping for a bad result
Its an important game for us this one. Agood performance and result will see attendances climb again, but the other way will herald a return of Troy
😮
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
ahh too long to wait man 🙁
Think im going to Liverpool on New years eve away, will be class 😛
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Next away game for me will be Bolton, boxing day!
Fancy Wigan and Spurs as well next year.
dan4toon(Quote)
Aye, I might go to carling cup as well depending on the draw.
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
We deserve a home draw this round surely!
Aldershot will be nice.. but I think it’ll be Liverpool.
dan4toon(Quote)
Wouldn’t mind Aldershot away. whilst its a potential banana skin it will be like the only chance I get
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
I’d like any team at home aside from Man Utd, City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Hopefully they all draw each other.
Draw is at 1pm by the way, live in Sky Sports News/Soccer Saturday
Rodz – I do think the streaming thing is having an effect, which is why it baffles me that clubs don’t seek to make more money out of it. Probably a ruling somewhere, but I’d willingly pay for NUFC TV if it streamed first team games. I don’t buy the hit on attendances too much as with the extra cash you could always make an incentive to go to home games, lower price etc.
toonsy(Quote)
Ha Aldershot at home? Not a chance.
You just know its going to be Arsenal away.
😈
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I’d take that at the moment 😈
Worst defence in the Premier League and that 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Week commencing 24th October anyway for the next round of the Carling Cup.
toonsy(Quote)
Well I’m sorry but I dont care how good the tv gets with multiple camera angles and replays etc. NOTHING compares to actually being at SJP.
Sometimes the atmosphere is spine tinglingly fantastic. Electrifying even. I just luv it.
A few good performances and the crowd will be buzzing once again.
Howay the Lads
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
In all honesty I’d probably prefer Arsenal at home than Aldershot away.
Or maybe cut to the chase and just play Chelsea away again? Thrash them 4-1 this time though with our awesome defense :p
Newkie(Quote)
Could someone explain betting odds to me?
Newcastle are 10/11 to beat blackburn
Blackburn are 3/1 to beat Newcastle
Draw 5/2
Ben Arfa 9/4 to score.
I thought I had it, but the 10/11 threw me.
hydeous(Quote)
I bet we’re drawn at Old Trafford, and we all know what’d happen then. Be good to get an easy run, although having said that it’s probably better to meet the big lads early on. Who can forget the gutting experiences of 1998 and 1999 (admittedly they were both the FA Cup).
Rodzilla(Quote)
I think basically that means we are favs.
or maybe not.
Might aswell put your money on manure instead.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
hydeous for every £11 you bet you win £10
Johno Toon(Quote)
Hydeous, 10/11 is £11 on to win £10 back (on top of your stake).
You get ‘odds on’ bets like that when the odds are less than even.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Agree rod at 21 , would like a ‘ big ‘ team at home next , needthem to start getting knocked out early as they arent too concerned by the carling cup at this early stage
Johno Toon(Quote)
HYDEOUS 10//11 means you have to put £11 on to win £10 if it comes up = £21 you get less tax like,dont know if you can pay tax before you used to be able to ie rather tax on 10 than 21 😉
icedog(Quote)
Hydeous – It’s like put £1 on and get £1.10 back (plus original stake). Blackburn you put £1 on ad get £3 back (plus original stake)
Basically we are favourites.
toonsy(Quote)
Thanks Johno, Rodzilla. I’m trying to think of a combination where you don’t lose money, but I’m not able to. Calculating these odds must be a pretty cool mathematical job.
Ice, I didn’t think of tax at all! 😀 Betting isn’t legal here, so no tax if you win 😛
hydeous(Quote)
TOONSY i know you like stats,blackburn are big lads,toon have only won 56% of headers in there own box this season 😉
icedog(Quote)
We’re favourites! Who’d have thunk!
hydeous(Quote)
Ice, they stopped betting tax about 10 years ago mate (in the UK). Think it used to be about 10%.
Hydeous, you’ve got a job on your hands trying to work that out! hahaha. You’ll not have much joy! There are ways to beat the bookie, but by using different ones and opening up various accounts. Such as below:
http://www.sportingpreview.com/gpb/000118.php
Rodzilla(Quote)
RODZILLA thanks for that,ive been betting with BATTY he charges tax nee wonder he gives better odds 🙂
icedog(Quote)
@ 28 I used to do that for a bookies 🙂
Johno Toon(Quote)
Ice – its already in my match preview which will be up in a bit 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Ice 😀
….got to watch that Batty like.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Toonsy, it wasn’t until Ice said so 😉 😛
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
BB @ 18 – I agree nothing beats being at SJP on a matchday, but in reality ut just isn’t possible for many fans. We have about 30,000 season ticket holders who go to every game, which leaves say 20,000 seats say.
The whole of our support won’t fit in that, even if they could all make a matchday which leaves at least a few hundred thousand that could potentially pay the club to stream games officially.
Potential gold mine.
toonsy(Quote)
ROD forgot to ask mate how did your job/ work out in the end??
icedog(Quote)
Rodzilla, that’s what I was trying to do! 😀 I figured you could just place all the bets with the same site though, too much hassle doing it in three sites. And very clever of the sporting preview site asking people to click on his links alone. He’ll earn a percentage for the redirection to the betting sites.
Johno, that must’ve been a hell of a job! You make much money doing that? 😛
I’m out of here guys. Terrible day at work. Going to go home and get some happy substances in me. Food, liquor and so on. See you tomorrow, I hope for all our sakes it’s a better day for me! 🙂
Oh and happy friday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_hfh2k8p6o
hydeous(Quote)
TOONSY@34 blast thought i got you there,should have known better.
you know how long that took to find 🙁
icedog(Quote)
Spence – would be great if I could still edit things but I’m at work so can’t do anything about. You’ll see when it gets published in about two and a half hours.
Shouldn’t you be liooking for betting odds against Newcastle anyway you Judas *******? 😛
toonsy(Quote)
Ice – quite a while I imagine. I only happened to stumble across it myself 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Nah, Im putting a quid on 3-0 with the Cabaye to score!
Also I wont see cause ill be on a train 😛
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Ice, cheers for asking, I got the bullet mate. Currently planting seeds, in fact I’m filling in forms at this very moment! I’m off anyway, catch yer later……….
Rodzilla(Quote)
Toonsy I wasn’t having a go at those who cant get to SJP, just saying actually being there beats the tv hands down imo.
Would be interesting tho if they were to stream live matches on pay per view, what the uptake would be.
You would probably have to sign up for a seasons worth of matches and people would probably still rather watch a dodgy foreign broadcast for free, rather than pay the fat controller for a HD quality link.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Spence – Please bet against us. We’ll do well then. Also at 3-0 younmay aswell just give me your money 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Yeah Hydeous the money was good , there wuld of been more senior lads than me there and they would of been on great money. Best job I have ever had. And i use that term job lightly as it was too much to be considered a job 🙂
Johno Toon(Quote)
BB – All it takes is one ultra reliable HD stream though. Record it and then stream it with say a ten second delay fir buffering and bob is your uncle 😈
toonsy(Quote)
If we get back to the days of 2 yr waiting lists for a season tkt, then the club should deffo look into it.
Have manure or chelski gone down this road??
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Toonsy @ 37, I could see the club doing that but something a long the lines of only for people outside the UK or something daft like that.
dan4toon(Quote)
Except they won’t be able to do it while any tv deal applies, which is always…… I’d have thought.
richietoon(Quote)
Toonsy, I cant man, my winnings are going towards a new xbox, since my is ******, a week before fifa comes out 🙁
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Dan – yeah defo. Shame though, but I’m guessing tge premier league have it sewn up domestically. I mean nearly every game is lice overseas whereas we get nowt over here.
toonsy(Quote)
Live, not lice 🙄
toonsy(Quote)
Aye but overseas tv companies pay alot to show prem games, hence the huge amount showing abroad and they’d be just as unhappy as sky would be if teams streamed matches, won’t happen in the foreseeable home or abroad imo
richietoon(Quote)
The match is live in Shearers Bar, I think
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
well home games anyway
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
BB….I think they get away with showing it there as it’s still part of the stadium, much the same as the tv sets on the concourse.
richietoon(Quote)
Last call. Anyone fancy going on the radio tomorrow at about 5:30 to talk about the toon?
Has nobody got the bollocks to do it?
toonsy(Quote)
They are still either incompetent or stupid not to have brought in a striker.
Blaydonson(Quote)
It’ll be on in the Salutation or Cumberland in Tynemouth I reckon
witters(Quote)
….I think that’s a resounding ‘no’ Toonsy 🙂
Stardust, are you out there………….?
Rodzilla(Quote)
I agree with Blaydonson…utter incompetence
witters(Quote)
I’m also sick of the blatant lies & asset stripping…they must think we’re fools, fools a tell ya
witters(Quote)
Toonsy, send Zoe an email. I’m sure she’d be up for it, being the budding young journalist and passionate Toon fan, and all that.
Rodzilla(Quote)
And don’t get me started on lack of ambition…
witters(Quote)
I’m terrible at interviews, I went for one at an art gallery today but I think they hated me………I really didn’t paint a good picture of myself 😀
richietoon(Quote)
Spence – I want an Xbox myself now. Mainly for gears of war. Used to spend hours round my mates getting smashed and playing the first one. Really wanted the 2nd one and now the 3rd one. Plus there are more people online and I can beat people like Dan at FIFA with ease and put them in their place 😛
toonsy(Quote)
That new Gears of War looks pretty good Toons. I like my games to be a bit more open though. Been playing Fallout New Vegas for about the last 5 months! Can’t play it online though. I need to get that ‘Deed Island’, looks ace.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Speaking of games, I’m away for a round of golf wi the lads, just have to peel mesel of the sofa and turn the console on
richietoon(Quote)
Richie, fresh air eh – who needs it. I personally think it’s overrated.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Too cold for fresh air Rod, first day of Autumn and temps have plummeted to 28c 😀
richietoon(Quote)
wow im knackerd iv been playing fetch with the dog………………………….jesus he’s got a canny hoy on him
ice pup(Quote)
this is the side of AP i dont like.. the up ashleys **** sales pitch. Just shut ya mouth about that selling side of the club.. Dekka should be answering that ****, the smug faced ****.
AP has said what his remit is.. he runs the first team, thats it.. now he wants to dabble at selling bums on seats too. I have an idea… return the level 7 section as it was, take down the **** signs which are only designed for one reason only.. to **** fans off, allow fans to buy away game tickets easier. Now there would be a good start.
AP is doing well, the team looks good so far, if not thin as hell on the ground and wide open for problems if our annual injury curse kicks in – like it always does. The only place AP should be doing his talking is on the pitch and match day interviews etc. The other blog hits the nail on the head whenever it does a thread in relation to AP and what he has said .. they always start off with “In a rare AP interview”. I find that very tongue in cheek and very apt.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Ice Pup, he’s obviously not a Retriever then. Those Sausage Dogs have a canny long reach like.
Rodzilla(Quote)