Home fans

[ancientpie]

Seemingly I always got that horribly wrong, I always thought a successful side across the Trent was bad news for Notts. How wrong was I and no doubt others?

Cheaper, more accessible, much better football, more entertainment, no wonder floating fans are flocking to the lane. The demographic is changing and for the better.

I imagine the past gates Vs Accrington are pitiful by comparison.

Yes success is key, but style is also very important. We play great football, we really do and if you still can't see it and still moan about going backwards to recycle possession then I don't think the current Notts under the current owners is for you.

Yep I admit that I thought the Reds getting promoted could only be bad news for us but it seems I was wrong & even the Stags seem to be benefitting ( I know a few reds who would sooner watch them than us) whether it be the price, difficulty in getting tickets or many peoples dislike of the Prem I don't know but long may it continue. COYP

[maddogslater]

Quite a lot of Mansfield reds celebrating in the town centre after they beat Arsenal.

[Proactive not Reactive]

Don’t remember Mansfield beating Arsenal ..when was this 1954 🤷🏻🤣

[Old_pie]

Yep I admit that I thought the Reds getting promoted could only be bad news for us but it seems I was wrong & even the Stags seem to be benefitting ( I know a few reds who would sooner watch them than us) whether it be the price, difficulty in getting tickets or many peoples dislike of the Prem I don't know but long may it continue. COYP

Though it is likely to be a combination of factors I think the root cause is lack of capacity at the City Ground. Of course we have benefitted as it meant that there are reds who found that watching us is entertaining and no longer the uncouth lower football league offering of years gone by. And as I and others have said before there always has been support for us from over the river even when we were getting relegated to the newly formed 4th division in the late 50's and they were winning the FA Cup. And our gates were worthy of two leagues higher in those years, no damage from a threat from the first division then.

Walking down Iremonger Rd to get the coach for Wembley we passed a group of fans and I asked if they knew where the official coaches were going from. They said sorry, no, so I asked how they were getting there. A group of reds had hired, or joined with a private hired coach and wished us luck.

My red cousins came to Meadow Lane when Florest were away. I think I've only every been to their ground to watch a game not involving Notts just the once.

Weren't Sirrel and Cloughie good mates?

Additionally Notts seems to be forging stable links with the dark side and it can only be to the mutual benefit as recently seen with their youth team playing at Meadow Lane.

The downturn in our gates in the 80's afflicted many clubs. Of course it didn't help that the reds were winning the football league and some foreign cups.

Anyway there's room for both to do well, just keep that northern Nottinghamshire team out of the mix.

COYP

[since41]

Though it is likely to be a combination of factors I think the root cause is lack of capacity at the City Ground. Of course we have benefitted as it meant that there are reds who found that watching us is entertaining and no longer the uncouth lower football league offering of years gone by. And as I and others have said before there always has been support for us from over the river even when we were getting relegated to the newly formed 4th division in the late 50's and they were winning the FA Cup. And our gates were worthy of two leagues higher in those years, no damage from a threat from the first division then.

Walking down Iremonger Rd to get the coach for Wembley we passed a group of fans and I asked if they knew where the official coaches were going from. They said sorry, no, so I asked how they were getting there. A group of reds had hired, or joined with a private hired coach and wished us luck.

My red cousins came to Meadow Lane when Florest were away. I think I've only every been to their ground to watch a game not involving Notts just the once.

Weren't Sirrel and Cloughie good mates?

Additionally Notts seems to be forging stable links with the dark side and it can only be to the mutual benefit as recently seen with their youth team playing at Meadow Lane.

The downturn in our gates in the 80's afflicted many clubs. Of course it didn't help that the reds were winning the football league and some foreign cups.

Anyway there's room for both to do well, just keep that northern Nottinghamshire team out of the mix.

COYP

Yeah they both liked a wee dram
Cloughy used to watch Notts quite often he sat a couple of rows behind us.

[Newish Pie]

My impression is that football attendances are generally well up at teams where there are more seats to be sold and aren't already at capacity.

I've posted before about being an adopted second team County fan. Success and the playing style are a part of it (though it was the relegation scraps that drew me in first) but there are a lot of little things being done really well about match day experience - fixing the scoreboard, the new PA system. I'm far from the first person on here to praise the social media team... pre-match, in game, highlights, training clips, tunnel footage. It all creates connection and identity and makes people want more.

When I first moved to Nottingham, someone described County to me as "an old man's team" which was kinda how it felt going to the game too. Don't think anyone would say that now. Lots more kids, more ****agers, more young people. Think we've done some very smart things with ticket prices, because not only are those the fans of the future, they also create a lot of the atmosphere.

[Iremongersrighthand]

My impression is that football attendances are generally well up at teams where there are more seats to be sold and aren't already at capacity.

I've posted before about being an adopted second team County fan. Success and the playing style are a part of it (though it was the relegation scraps that drew me in first) but there are a lot of little things being done really well about match day experience - fixing the scoreboard, the new PA system. I'm far from the first person on here to praise the social media team... pre-match, in game, highlights, training clips, tunnel footage. It all creates connection and identity and makes people want more.

When I first moved to Nottingham, someone described County to me as "an old man's team" which was kinda how it felt going to the game too. Don't think anyone would say that now. Lots more kids, more ****agers, more young people. Think we've done some very smart things with ticket prices, because not only are those the fans of the future, they also create a lot of the atmosphere.

Got it say there was a great scene yesterday at the game. We sit in block A in the Pavis stand and l noticed a young family in the Family stand, a family of 4 , the father, son (about 5 years old), and the mother with a push chair who took a baby out of the push chair and started feeding the baby with a bottle. All wearing Notts shirts. Just great to see ⭐

[slack_pie]

I commented to a friend that seeing the Kop like that for a home game against Accrington is just incredible. It was pretty much full. In the past, a full Kop was something you might see once every few years for a third-round cup match or playoff game. Now it's just normal.

We sat on the Family Stand side of the Pavis, and it was completely rammed. People were even singing! Just a year or two ago, it would have been half empty there.

Just imagine what it could be like if we made it to L1!

[Magpies1959]

I don't know how many other teams have 'family stands', and while in principle it is a good intention, I think it generates zero vocal support. As the ground is set up at present, it means we basically only have two sides of the ground creating the atmosphere.
Do we just suck this up until hopefully we gain more supporters who will allow us to open up the JS stand for home support, or should we scrap the family stand idea, in the hope that more vocal fans will use it and create noise on three sides of the ground.

[countygump]

I don't know how many other teams have 'family stands', and while in principle it is a good intention, I think it generates zero vocal support. As the ground is set up at present, it means we basically only have two sides of the ground creating the atmosphere.
Do we just suck this up until hopefully we gain more supporters who will allow us to open up the JS stand for home support, or should we scrap the family stand idea, in the hope that more vocal fans will use it and create noise on three sides of the ground.

Personally I'd leave the Family Stand as is, it's all geared up for kids & parents and I only see that as a good thing. But I see no reason why we shouldn't open at least half the JS for Notts supporters if needs be. Other teams do "shared stands" but somehow we are not allowed to? Sort it ahttttt, Notts.