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Post by Admin on Jan 16, 2004 9:59:53 GMT
I see Northampton Town have effectively doubled their prices for their forthcoming FA Cup game against Manchester United, in an effort to make money and keep the game at the Sixfields Stadium, while still allowing them to make some serious wonga.
Does anybody have any thoughts on this?
From my own personal point of view I have some sympathy with them and would hope that most of their fans could see the benefits of what their club is trying to do. They are desperately short of cash and double prices is still going to work out cheaper for Cobblers fans than switching the tie to Old Trafford.
What has really made me laugh is that Man Ure have reacted to the news by saying that they will compensate their own fans by subsidising the cost of tickets for away fans at the game, which they will obviously sell at Old Trafford.
Just a cheap publicity stunt that will cost them a few grand (a pittance to them). If they're so interested in the welfare of football fans maybe they could start doing something about the huge salaries they pay to players, which have led to higher wages all down through the leagues and forced clubs to dramatically increase ticket prices to try and keep up with it.
Or maybe Man Ure could think about renegotiating the SKY deal which rewards them with insane amount sof money and craps on all of the smaller clubs?
Doubt it very much though!
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Post by IlfordDave1975 on Jan 16, 2004 10:02:21 GMT
I think its a joke, season ticket holders chould have got them at normal league game price's
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Post by JR on Jan 16, 2004 10:05:51 GMT
I can see there point really. Cash in by all accounts.....why not be greedy and get a huge pay day? As long as they offer them to season ticket holders etc first and the genuine fan gets first refusal then I can understand.
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jan 16, 2004 10:07:06 GMT
Yes, I think I agree with you. Normally I'd cry foul if a club doubles its prices but if they don't then the temptation to move the tie to Old Trafford would have been almost irresistable.
This way the club will get to make a decent amount of cash to aid their survival and Northampton fans will be able to talk for years about the day they entertained ManU at Sixfields - and hopefully, beat them! ;D Its a pity there wasn't a big ground nearby - otherwise that would have been an option if the FA agreed - although I seem to remember them refusing Cardiff the chance to move to the Mil Stad????
Also as you pointed out, moving it to Old Trafford would have cost the fans more when travelling was taken into account.
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Post by domstoke on Jan 16, 2004 10:08:08 GMT
I'm with Dave on this one, they should reward the season ticket holders with normal prices, 'wouldn't have though they had too many anyway so it wouldnt cost them a fortune.
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Post by JR on Jan 16, 2004 10:10:08 GMT
Plympton.........do you not own any land in the Northampton area you could let them use?
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jan 16, 2004 10:15:50 GMT
JR - you expect too much of me. What with providing the land for Franchise FC's new stadium AND making a small proportion of my holdings in London available for a successful Olympic bid - I am in danger of becoming over stretched. Which is something you could never be accused of! ;D
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Post by JR on Jan 16, 2004 10:20:28 GMT
If you must know I'm having a very stressful morning. Run out of coffee and had to send a young lady to Safeway for supplies, and Jaffa cakes of course.
Inbetween important business like decisions I'm going to watch "Peter Pan" on my DVD player.
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Post by Rex on Jan 16, 2004 10:20:47 GMT
Yes, I think I agree with you. Normally I'd cry foul if a club doubles its prices but if they don't then the temptation to move the tie to Old Trafford would have been almost irresistable. Under Cup rules, they only way the game can be played at another venue is if the police say they cannot hold the tie at the original venue for safety reasons Rex |
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Post by Pugsley on Jan 16, 2004 10:29:08 GMT
I think you will find that Man Utd also subsidised the prices to there fans when Charlton put up their prices for the Man Utd away fans this year.
It may be a cheap publicity stunt, but it is better than a kick in the balls.
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jan 16, 2004 10:54:22 GMT
Under Cup rules, they only way the game can be played at another venue is if the police say they cannot hold the tie at the original venue for safety reasons Rex Rex, I thought you said (when you last threw your toys out of your pram) that you would never be replying to one of my posts again. Never, ever, ever! Just because I have changed my user name doesn't mean I am a different person. |
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Post by Rex on Jan 16, 2004 10:59:22 GMT
I will answer you just this once to prove that you have assumed I was answering you personally, which on this occassion I am, where in the post stating that they cannot change the venue unless told by the police that they cannot play because of safety reasons does it specifically say your personal name.?
If It had been a specific reply to you personally I would of said "John/Plympton Under Cup rules, they only way the game can be played at another venue is if the police say they cannot hold the tie at the original venue for safety reasons"
I deliberately left out the John/Plympton part to make it clear to everyone that I was not answering you specifically, but making a general comment.
Now fuck off
Rex
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jan 16, 2004 11:07:23 GMT
So you have added pedantry to your other talents ;D If you were not replying to me directly then quite why you chose to quote me I don't know. You could have put forward your comment without quoting me. Anyway, its not the first time you have replied to me since you said you wouldn't after the toys out of your pram incident. I let it pass without comment last time but this time I thought your U turn should be revealed for what it is. What's next - do I get banned now?  |
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Post by Northy on Jan 16, 2004 11:39:41 GMT
I remember Stoke doing it in about 1974 when we played Liverpool and they had won the title a week or so before, went up from 30p to 60p for a kid  |
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Post by JR on Jan 16, 2004 11:50:02 GMT
My very first away game was at Old Trafford. My Dad bought 2 seats on the half way line of a tout for £2 each. I remember him telling me not to let on to my mum how much he'd paid for them when we got home. I was about 6 I think.
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Post by seth on Jan 16, 2004 12:17:02 GMT
People are always slagging off the greed of ManU, an opinion I generally support. However, on this occasion they seem to have done the right thing.
Northamption clearly need the cash, and ManU haven't complained one bit about the price hikes, instead choosing to subsidise their own supporters. I know its only a small gesture but I can't see too many other clubs doing it. In the end they are effectively subsidising Northampton for this game.
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Post by seth on Jan 16, 2004 12:20:53 GMT
Rex, I think as we saw last year with Farnborough v Arsenal, it's not terribly difficult to move the game on "safety" grounds.
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Post by Rex on Jan 16, 2004 12:25:41 GMT
Seth, big difference mate, farnborough are not in the football league and their ground doesnt come up to the required standards to hold a game in the football league.
Northamptons does
Rex
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Post by seth on Jan 16, 2004 12:48:36 GMT
Yes I realise that, it would be knid of embarassing for Northampton to admit their ground wasn't up to league standards.
That said, Farnborough's ground seemed perfectly capable of holding the tie, it was just a cynical money making exercise on their behalf (though in their financial circumstances I'd have done the same.)
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Post by Rex on Jan 16, 2004 12:56:33 GMT
If I were Northampton Seth, I would insist on playing it at home, if they fought like tigers on the pitch they could get away with a draw, so would then have the replay at manure and earn even more money. If they did switch the game to manure from the off (although they cant) then they would probably get knocked out in the first game
Rex
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Post by JR on Jan 16, 2004 12:59:29 GMT
Sixfields would put a few Division 1 grounds to shame. Rotherham, Crewe etc Nice stadium and decently located etc Always enjoyed going there.
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Post by steelcitystokie on Jan 16, 2004 13:05:33 GMT
We are always quick to criticise Premiership clubs for their greed and arrogance so it is only right that we recognise that Man U have done the decent thing this time. Of course, they could take it one step further and actually donate their share of the gate receipts to Northampton. I seem to remember Fulham doing this when they played at York in one of the cup competitions last year. Living and working in Sheffield, I am still being subjected to the constant moaning of Rotherham 'fans' (most of whom have never been to Millmoor in their life), that their teams' performance against Northampton in the replay has deprived them of the big cup tie against Man U that should have been theirs  My heart bleeds. |
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Post by Rex on Jan 16, 2004 13:12:24 GMT
its going to cost manure £12,000, that is not even a days wages for 2 of their players.
Chelski, gave all gate receipts when they played Notts county in the carling cup at the bridge this season if I recall !!
Rex
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Post by Pricey on Jan 16, 2004 13:18:21 GMT
When Fulham played York, the latter were in massive financial trouble and may have been going out of business.
When Chelsea played Notts County, the latter were in massive financial trouble and may have been going out of business.
Northampton on the other hand are one of the richest clubs in Division's 2 and 3, spent a load of money on a new team over the summer and are still rather shit.
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Post by Jumborat on Jan 16, 2004 13:21:38 GMT
Personally, I think its a bloody disgrace. Northampton are even selling half season tickets at £140 so that 'fans' are assured of a ticket.
Sky should pull out of showing the game too, like they did when Farnborough swithed to Highbury.
Imagine the uproar if Gunnar did the same when we played Chelsea last season.
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jan 16, 2004 15:52:24 GMT
Jumbo, for clubs like Northampton the name of the game is survival. Would the fans be happier to watch ManU at normal prices or would they rather the club earned more cash to ensure survival and team strengthening?
With so many clubs going into admin you can't blame a club for making the most of a windfall.
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Post by AlliG on Jan 16, 2004 19:48:12 GMT
My first away game on my own was also to Old Trafford for the 6th Round Cup Tie in 1972. Me and my Dad had queued for hours only for the tickets to sell oout just as we reached the turnstiles.
I ended up buying my ticket from a kid at school. I had to pay through the nose for it though as he doubled the price.
Cost me 30p!!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Pricey on Jan 16, 2004 22:26:10 GMT
I've got a postcard on my wall that includes an example of a standing ticket from the league cup final in '72. 60p it cost to get in....so if an Old Trafford ticket was 15p in that same year Wembley's prices must have been a disgrace even back then!  |
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Post by SidibeWithTheKiller on Jan 16, 2004 23:40:24 GMT
£30 for a concession ticket is just disgraceful!!! must be one of dearest Division three grounds though. £17 normally  |
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Post by MarkWolstanton on Jan 17, 2004 1:33:39 GMT
What has really made me laugh is that Man Ure have reacted to the news by saying that they will compensate their own fans by subsidising the cost of tickets for away fans at the game, which they will obviously sell at Old Trafford.] Well thats a kick in the balls for United fans then. They have to travel all the way up to Manchester just to claim their poxy subsidy? ;D |
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My heart bleeds.
