Fans' Forum [September 2021]

[Elite_Pie]

None the less when I see the photos that Dan Westwell puts up of the fans on facebook etc our fan base looks very old. And not many youngsters at all.

Not really what I see at the games. I sit in the main stand and while the demographic is definitely more of us old diehards than youngsters, I think the mix is a bit more varied than it was a few years ago. I even have to temper my language towards the officials because there are a few kids who sit around me, although their parents are also attracted to the odd expletive! Walking to and from the ground I see quite a few young fans, which has to be good for the future. There was a question asked at the fans forum, something along the lines of "if you had a million pounds to spend on a non-player budget, where would it go? They all wanted to spend it on better backroom facilities, but mine would have gone on cheaper tickets, especially aimed at attracting more youngsters.

[Woodypie]

People on here were saying on here when we got relegated that we would lose a fair chunk off the gate. Same again when we didn't go up, didn't happen.

I'm not sure if we don't go up this season the crowds will fall dramatically as predicted.

I'm the opposite of Woody and Durhampie I don't find it boring at all. I find it refreshing that we play football predominantly on the deck, pass the ball, see clear patterns of play that have been worked on on the training ground. That's the thing for me seen so many opposition come to meadow lane over the years and pass us off the park. I was jealous seeing teams like Oxford, Yeovil , Swindon etc playing in triangles, making 3rd men runs off the ball. Whilst I watched out static play, hopeful punts up to a big man to then to and win a second ball half of the time. When it doesn't work you are playing off scraps. Dull.

Notts fans have been brought up on direct/long football sometimes very effectively under Warnock and Big Sam but often unsuccessfully under many other managers. It simplifies the game, it guarantees the ball in the opposition half (and often 10 foot in the air), it's reduces risk, it's provides more penalty area action sometimes but I've had my fill of it. We've played that way predominantly for 30 years. So I understand why some fans dislike the new style cos it's not what the norm, what we are used to.

I'm all for a few years of playing on the grass not the clouds. If it fails under the owners then happy to revert to Notts County type and join the old man moaning . I'm just not there yet, nowhere near.

Well, we agree that we don't agree! Obviously we don't have players of Warnock quality, Johnson, Lund, Regis, Bartlett etc. But, and I don't have a stopwatch or the videos to time it, but I recall balls leaving Cherry's boot and being run with to create a goal scoring chance in a few seconds. I have no idea either how long it takes now but it feels like I have time to go and get a cup of tea before we get to the half way line. Pace, strength, aggression, skill, commitment is what I like to watch - running with the ball, can you remember that! I grew up watching Shankly's Liverpool. Yes, I am that old. I don't remember Shankly being criticised for 'long ball' tactics or Lawler, Yeats and Smith spending two minutes to advance two yards. But as I have said, each to their own. Direct play has won top flight league and European championships and saw Notts climb from oblivion to top flight. It's not fashionable but it doesn't mean it doesn't work.

[laddo]

Whilst in NL as you say you can count on a couple of fingers who have passed us off the park which is to be expected for two obvious main reasons.

I was talking about when we were in L2/L1. My list from the 2000 onwards is a long one, and as illustrated above with the 3 quoted examples I'm not talking about big name teams doing it.

There was such a gulf in passing ability, team play and contrast of styles I used to sit there in my usual seat 3/4 the way up in the Derek Pavis watching teams play football against us, actual football whilst we battled and harried with lots of effort and commitment but little style and a very limited game plan.

I often wondered what they had been doing all week in training other then practising the classic lofted full back ball down the line or the big diagonal towards the big man up top.

[laddo]

Our gates are very good for this level but the average dropped by 2,347 after we were relegated.

11 gates above 6k in 2016/17
16 gates above 6k in 2017/18
19 gates above 6k in 2018/19

3 gates above 6k in 2019/20

That drop will be because of the impressive season when we were promotion contenders and lost in playoffs, the number of well received promotions and cheap ticket games those two seasons under Hardy and above all the size of the away support. As we all know there is a big difference between the away followings at L2 Vs NL level so that figure is misleading.

[upthemaggies]

That drop will be because of the impressive season when we were promotion contenders and lost in playoffs, the number of well received promotions and cheap ticket games those two seasons under Hardy and above all the size of the away support. As we all know there is a big difference between the away followings at L2 Vs NL level so that figure is misleading.

There's nothing misleading about it at all. There's over 2,000 less people in the ground because we got relegated. That's what happens when you go down. less bums on seats. It's irrelevant which team they support, they all contribute to the atmosphere or lack of, and pay to get in.

We picked up a fair number of new supporters and saw a return of those who'd given up during the Hardy era and some of those have stuck. If we hadn't had the brief Hardy/Nolan success we'd almost certainly be below 5k by now as it was dipping below that figure under Trew.

[Killerkline]

There's nothing misleading about it at all. There's over 2,000 less people in the ground because we got relegated. That's what happens when you go down. less bums on seats. It's irrelevant which team they support, they all contribute to the atmosphere or lack of, and pay to get in.

We picked up a fair number of new supporters and saw a return of those who'd given up during the Hardy era and some of those have stuck. If we hadn't had the brief Hardy/Nolan success we'd almost certainly be below 5k by now as it was dipping below that figure under Trew.

It isn’t misleading, it’s fact. Is it fair to say though, the reduction is mainly due to significantly less away support as opposed to a reflection of decreasing home support?

[magpie_mania]

I read all this about it is always in our half, but didn't IB say that we have made the most attacking passes and had the most touches in the opponent's area?

[Elite_Pie]

I read all this about it is always in our half, but didn't IB say that we have made the most attacking passes and had the most touches in the opponent's area?

Even though I like our owners and Burchnall, that post probably sums up my biggest worry about them. I'm a fan of stats, but basically I'm a bit concerned that we are trying to play more of a computer game than a football match. Stats can tell you what should happen, but not if your opponents disregard them and it turns into a case of simply 'who wants it more'. I'm not sure that we want it more than them.

[uysapie]

Even though I like our owners and Burchnall, that post probably sums up my biggest worry about them. I'm a fan of stats, but basically I'm a bit concerned that we are trying to play more of a computer game than a football match. Stats can tell you what should happen, but not if your opponents disregard them and it turns into a case of simply 'who wants it more'. I'm not sure that we want it more than them.

Comes down to fire in the belly.

[magpie_mania]

Even though I like our owners and Burchnall, that post probably sums up my biggest worry about them. I'm a fan of stats, but basically I'm a bit concerned that we are trying to play more of a computer game than a football match. Stats can tell you what should happen, but not if your opponents disregard them and it turns into a case of simply 'who wants it more'. I'm not sure that we want it more than them.

I agree with this.