BowenBoys Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Perhaps Jags fans are prone to monophobia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonehJags Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Id rather we still had the decrepit terracing to the disgrace we have now. I doubt the bing puts people off going to the games but it certainly isnt pleasing on the eye. I would say the thing that puts people off is the the style of football being played. Teams are scared to get beat. Generally its 1 nil here and there and the very seldom win by a greater margin. 1 or 2 shots on target, if any, for 90 minutes. We might be in our best position for years, but if you were at motherwell or tynecastle the other week, lets be honest, either werent great to watch, and that is only 2 examples. There is the odd decent game thrown in but they are few and far between. Thats maybe enough to put off the part timers and leave the die hards to keep up the numbers. The other thing is the amount of times we play other teams. If we finish in the bottom 6 we were 5 minutes away from playing dundee united 6 times this season. More teams would generate more interest. I would also go as far as to say the reason there is only a handful of points that separate 4th to 11th is because the standard is so poor. Its survival of the poorest this season. Thankfully we look to be better than some of the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas clark Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 We definately need it populated with gnomes, preferably paying full price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weebaw1 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 I agree with Moneh. I go anyway, no matter whether we are poor or world class. But I would like to see us and Scottish football teams generally playing a more attacking style. When wee Edwards exploded on to that cross on Saturday it was a magical moment because one of the miriad of midfielders actually got in the box. We don't really have wingers. I call Amoo a wing back. Almost the same role as booth esp when muzzy ain't playing. There are several technical posters on here who are probably correct in their tactics, like Archie but I get bored with all the bodies in midfield. Give me goals. Until Teams go out to attack, fans will drift away. I would watch Dundee if I wasn't so committed to Thistle. I now don't turn up till 2 minutes before ko to avoid the ladeeda song. It makes us look like a bunch of ......... Bloody lucky anyone turns up with this embarrassment. Please please please play some James brown instead. Anyway it's not thistle's fault it's the system and good for Archie. Finishing 6th would be great. Best finish for how many years? And if we could achieve this in style, all the better. Hooray for the wee Aussie! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Id rather we still had the decrepit terracing to the disgrace we have now. I doubt the bing puts people off going to the games but it certainly isnt pleasing on the eye. I would say the thing that puts people off is the the style of football being played. Teams are scared to get beat. Generally its 1 nil here and there and the very seldom win by a greater margin. 1 or 2 shots on target, if any, for 90 minutes. We might be in our best position for years, but if you were at motherwell or tynecastle the other week, lets be honest, either werent great to watch, and that is only 2 examples. There is the odd decent game thrown in but they are few and far between. Thats maybe enough to put off the part timers and leave the die hards to keep up the numbers. The other thing is the amount of times we play other teams. If we finish in the bottom 6 we were 5 minutes away from playing dundee united 6 times this season. More teams would generate more interest. I would also go as far as to say the reason there is only a handful of points that separate 4th to 11th is because the standard is so poor. Its survival of the poorest this season. Thankfully we look to be better than some of the rest. No doubt in my mind the repetitive fixtures have been largely responsible for turning off supporters of all clubs. But that's been the case for decades. I think tho' the question we're asking is why should we be suffering disproportionally? I can't accept two or three poor shows away from home are in any way related. Even if we're not playing with the same panache as we were our performances are by and large more entertaining than most of our opponents. The overriding question is why are our fans not turning out in numbers to support the most successful Jags team in a generation? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonehJags Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) The two games were recent games I attended. I'll go back further to the Ross County game a few months back. I don't think we managed a shot at goal yet we won through an own goal. Most of the games seem to have a recurring theme. At the end of the day, as long as we win, I'm not really bothered how we do it, I'm just saying the odd part timer may pick and choose games rather than watch it every week. I'm not saying it's all mince, we have had a few good performances but more often than not its a bit of a slog. That's also down to the opposition and reflects the league setup. It's not Thistles fault but Scottish football in general. Expand the leagues and breath new life into our game and I'm sure the standard will improve. The fact that almost 9 teams in the league are fighting for survival says it all ETA weebaw, if your talking aboot the Archie, Archie, Archie, Archibald song, I think everyone should join in Edited March 23, 2016 by MonehJags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodieboy Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Give me goals. Until Teams go out to attack, fans will drift away. Finishing 6th would be great. Best finish for how many years? You're right. It's not as mysterious as some are saying. Goals bring excitement, a buzz and some meaningful chat about the football after the match is over. If you look at the gates when we're banging them in against the Airdries, Falkirks or Mortons, fans are clearly drawn to Firhill by that. For the first season and a half back in the top flight, even more fans come to see us against the big teams as its a bit of a novelty. They soon drift away once the goals dry up and the prices continue to rise. This season we're averaging barely a goal a game (this is the norm for when we've been in the top flight, since the 70s); that's £22 a goal. More exciting teams like Dundee, Hearts and Aberdeen have generated momentum due to their attacking style and skilful players. Same can be said for teams in leagues below. If we finish 6th, that'll equal 1981's feat. If we finish 5th, that matches the great team of 1977. We last finished in the top 4 in 1963. You can see why Archie's stickin with the tactics. He's playing to our strengths and I don't blame him. But we need to coach players a better style in this country. Scottish Football isn't in the doldrums due to lack of money. It's the complete lack of evolution we have at grassroots and on the training ground. We're miles behind other countries. As for the music, sometimes I wish that PA system would just pack in completely. The matchday music and announcements are a total shambles. The general shrugging of shoulders at half time when they wheel that microphone out each week isn't cutting it for me. Spend some money on getting it fixed, liven up the half-time experience and reboot the music choice. Again, we're miles behind other teams/sports. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Earl of Hathaway Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Unfortunately, I think the First Division title-winning season may have been our high water mark in terms of crowds. From a neutral or Jags orientated 'casual' spectator, it had everything to get them through the gates - winnable games, tension, the possibility of winning promotion, swashbuckling play, the mid-season debacle and subsequent resurrection. And the mental scenario that was the Morton winner takes all game. If it was a script it was more Memento than A Shot at Glory. And now? Top six is great if you know our history but as a sexy get-people-through-the-gates selling point? I'm on board with it, but the dads and kids who were there in the First Division games and came along - £22 even with kids for free is too much of a time commitment for an intangible feeling like that. Allied to this is the atmosphere at games - weirdly enough, the more diehards you get at games, the harder it is to get to neutrals and those inclined back to Firhill. If their experience of the match is Sean Welsh getting a bollocking for 90 minutes from a bunch of guys in the JH it's not much fun for them or their weans. The problem is it's quite easy to discern what those of us who are in for the long-haul want - a Thistle team that's attractive to watch and wins games. And after the events of 97-98, exists. As for the unconfirmed, the agnostic, the shiftless and the lapsed? No amount of balloons and good PA systems will get them through the gates. The only solution I have is - get the kids. They get in for free, but get the tickets out to Dunard Street, Cleveden, Hillhead, Hyndland schools. Get them out to every youth club in Possil, Ruchill, Maryhill and Hillhead. Every ticket gets an adult in for £15. Get Christie Elliot and Dumbuya doing keeping-ups in the Westercommon Community centre. It's all about engagement with these potential fans. If 10% of them get it, it's a winner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Throughout the Wilderness Years - most of the 30 seasons from 1982 - I always believed that there was a big latent Thistle support which would return if we had an exciting young side which made it back to the Top League. That was partially correct with the Ramsden's Final & Morton game, but the attendances at Firhill over the last 3 seasons have been disappointing. In our first season up, we played some brilliant football and for a spell Higgy was the most exciting player in Scottish Football. This season we have won more games but the crowds have got lower. I find it inexplicable that teams from our Peer Group like St Mirren & Falkirk get bigger home crowds in a lower Division. I don't go along with the view that the League Set Up is the main factor - the Split has given us dramatic and meaningful games throughout the last three seasons. To be honest, I would rather see Aberdeen and Hearts twice at Firhill in a season with good players and big supports than the likes of Cowdenbeath - we didn't play a League Game against the Blue Brazil for over 75 years until 2010 but Firhill was not packed to see a different team A good Cup Run would certainly have raised our profile and is one thing which would definitely encourage the lost fans to return...but if they played Whistling Jack Smith, Focus and The Banana Splits instead of that awful Ladio song, that might help too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 The bing puts off the casual fan? Are you serious? What difference would it make if we still had the empty decrepit terracing behind that goal instead? You honestly think that's putting a dent in our crowds? Yes, I honestly do. The terracing at least made Firhill look like a football stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas clark Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 We are on 37 points. Saint Johnstone, who are fourth are on 43 points. We have a game in hand on them. This is after having lost by the odd goal to each of the top three teams. Should we not be at least talking about finishing fourth, which would get us into Europe, possibly? I'd have thought that a few good results might improve the crowds, especially if we had something tangible to aim for. And we do. Getting back into European competition would take us back to, what (?), the 1970's. Doing that would be the most exciting achievement in the modern era, and we have the players right now that could do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonehJags Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) We are on 37 points. Saint Johnstone, who are fourth are on 43 points. We have a game in hand on them. This is after having lost by the odd goal to each of the top three teams. Should we not be at least talking about finishing fourth, which would get us into Europe, possibly? I'd have thought that a few good results might improve the crowds, especially if we had something tangible to aim for. And we do. Getting back into European competition would take us back to, what (?), the 1970's. Doing that would be the most exciting achievement in the modern era, and we have the players right now that could do it. It should almost certainly be our ambition. I dont think we will have a better chance for a long time. We still have difficult games to overcome but the incentive is there for us. It would be unimaginable if it was achieved and it would likely to bring back some supporters Edited March 24, 2016 by MonehJags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firhillista Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 Lot of good points here. I agree with the view that it all boils down to 'success' and what that means to folk. For die-hard Thistle fans, a top 6 finish is something to get excited about, a real solid achievement; for the casual fan, I suspect it's all a bit 'meh'. How many are going to come along to Firhill to see if we can, incrementaly, claw our way into the top six? If it was decided in a one-off game they might turn up, but Thistle v. Kilmarnock, maybe a win will get us there, maybe it won't? Sadly, the days of turning up to watch your team, irrespective of how they're doing, are long gone. People just want to be involved with success. Most of the clubs who attract more fans than us have some recent record of that kind of success, usually in one of the cups. I know that cup games sometimes seem like a distraction from the important work of cementing our place in the top league, but our abject failure to make any sort of impression in them for a long number of years has had a definite impact on the number of folk who turn up to watch the team, I think. No amount of 'positive matchday experience' or ground redevelopment will bring people back to watching Thistle: success on the pitch is the only thing which will get people through the turnstiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonehJags Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 You only have to look across the city to Celtic. They are on course for their 5th title in a row yet are missing 20,000 supporters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G13 jag Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 There are many teams trying different things to encourage people back to football. There are others doing the opposite. Below is a response to my querie ragardong a booking fee to watch Scotland Denmark from [email protected] A booking fee is applied to all ticket sales with the exception of Scotland Supporters Club members. Ticket sales are available from 10am on match day from two portable units behind the west stand. I am sure a booking fee can be justified (I can't think of a reason though) but a fee when you either want to collect the ticket or pay at the gate smells like a money fleecing scheme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfaelivi Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 This is a real problem for the Jags and Scotland in general. 75k supporters turn up at the "Theatre of Dreams" and just look at how shocking they have been for the last few seasons. Are people continuing to watch football down south despite the wall to wall coverage by Sky et al? I don't know but it appears to be the case. Is Scottish football just failing " to get out the bit" as my old mother would have said? We are hopeless internationally, Celtic continue to be the team to beat but ,should be ,given the ludicrous advantage they have in resources. BUT even they are midgets in British, never mind in European and world terms. Everything seems to be about survival - for nine out of the top twelve it is about staying in the division at all costs. And these"all costs" means head in the sand for the people who run these teams/clubs, stay in the "elite" at all costs. This does not make for entertainment. Hearts are going through a complete revival; it's like being brand new to their fan base, a mixture of "we showed them and will show them", " here this woman is good", "we are good and doing well". So we have new shoots of growth there, hopes for a better future. Dare I say it won't last because at the end of the day we ( the whole of Scottish football) is not creating competition or finance or positives about the future to move on and up. All we see are the millions being pumped into the game down south, Barca on the box playing a game that is light years away from our "product", and out team struggling to hold things together on a glue pot of a pitch on a freezing November night. We have to introduce some hope for success - a bigger league, some joy in the cups might help the Jags but it makes you think that Scottish football is going nowhere. Because of (shortly to be again) only two teams ever having the finance and support to win things regularly the whole Scottish game will continue to struggle. Look at that League that has been published on here where the big teams have been eliminated and everybody seems to have a chance. Would THAT not bring the fans back and teams would be going for it rather than making the whole thing about survival and trying to keep up with the big boys? Rangers and Celtic , two giants amongst midgets, have been the worst thing that ever happened to Scottish football. We had the Souness years and that dragged everybody along the route of importing expensive foreigners and that proved to be about cheating everybody. But we all tried it, we lost a generation of football playing boys because they weren't given a chance because of European imports. Then the whole thing collapsed as we had no money and this coincided with the rise of Sky and the awareness of what we were watching bore little or no resemblance to what the rest of the world was doing. So we are where we are. Unfortunately!! And having to live with it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 I am sure a booking fee can be justified (I can't think of a reason though) but a fee when you either want to collect the ticket or pay at the gate smells like a money fleecing scheme. 100% agreement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) Scottish football doesn't exactly help itself either. I know it's most likely in our interest (squad wise) we don't play this weekend but playing the Dundee Utd fixture on a Tuesday night as opposed to a Saturday will undoubted mean a drop in revenue. It's not the first time either that we could've rearranged a fixture for a more popular time. The value attraction of a season ticket must be diminished to many who really prefer or can only attend at weekends/Saturdays. I'm sure most PATG fans prefer weekend/Saturday fixtures to weekday fixtures. So selling STs is an uphill struggle and attracting fans to midweek games likewise. Away support will also be down at a rate roughly relative to distance to travel. btw I'd like to think with sevco coming up that non OF STs will be introduced next season. Otherwise I feel selling status quo STs will become an even less attractive purchase. Edited March 24, 2016 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonehJags Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 I've never quite understood the logic of having non-OF season tickets. At the end of the day its a game of football our club is involved in. It sounds like a fearty drawers excuse not to go. Id like to know what is unappealing about the OF games, apart from the obvious fact we usually get horsed. As much as I agree with trying to play the game this weekend, there might well be key players called up to international squads. I dont know if Paton is in the Northern Ireland squad etc. The game was initially due to be a Saturday so the point of season ticket holders not renewing due to the amount of mid week games isnt a true reflection of the initial fixture list. Our pitch wasnt capable this winter hence the increase in tuesday/wednesday games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 I've never quite understood the logic of having non-OF season tickets. Maybe not the greatest of analogies but kinda like buying a package holiday that includes trips to places you don't want to go to. I know of fans that will travel to Dingwall, turn up at Dundee on a miserable cold evening etc that wouldn't cross the road to watch us play the ugly sisters. How many Jags fans were at the last Celtic game at Firhill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonehJags Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 A season ticket is exactly what it says, you get a ticket to every home league match of the season. The only thing that annoys me about playing the OF is usually the result. I personally think these games though are ones we should look forward to if we were able to do something on the pitch. The North Stand should be like it was for the Morton game, yet the 2 times we have played celtic its looked pretty pathetic. It might even inspire the players to see us backing them in bigger numbers. To stay at home and watch it on the telly incase you get offended is also pathetic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) A season ticket is exactly what it says, you get a ticket to every home league match of the season. The only thing that annoys me about playing the OF is usually the result. I personally think these games though are ones we should look forward to if we were able to do something on the pitch. The North Stand should be like it was for the Morton game, yet the 2 times we have played celtic its looked pretty pathetic. It might even inspire the players to see us backing them in bigger numbers. To stay at home and watch it on the telly incase you get offended is also pathetic. So basically you're saying to fans who have supported the Jags thru thick and thin (mostly the latter), home & away, spent £Ks upon £Ks doing so but chose not to attend OF games they are being pathetic? Leave that aside, pathetic or not, how many Jags fans turned up for the last game v Celtic? Edited March 24, 2016 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonehJags Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 Why did they choose to is what I'm saying? What's it got to do with thick and thin and all that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sons of Somner Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) Lot of good points here. I agree with the view that it all boils down to 'success' and what that means to folk. For die-hard Thistle fans, a top 6 finish is something to get excited about, a real solid achievement; for the casual fan, I suspect it's all a bit 'meh'. How many are going to come along to Firhill to see if we can, incrementaly, claw our way into the top six? If it was decided in a one-off game they might turn up, but Thistle v. Kilmarnock, maybe a win will get us there, maybe it won't? Sadly, the days of turning up to watch your team, irrespective of how they're doing, are long gone. People just want to be involved with success. Most of the clubs who attract more fans than us have some recent record of that kind of success, usually in one of the cups. I know that cup games sometimes seem like a distraction from the important work of cementing our place in the top league, but our abject failure to make any sort of impression in them for a long number of years has had a definite impact on the number of folk who turn up to watch the team, I think. No amount of 'positive matchday experience' or ground redevelopment will bring people back to watching Thistle: success on the pitch is the only thing which will get people through the turnstiles. Well said that man. When we last had a good team back in the 70s, we were no strangers to cup semi finals. Absolutely fug all since then apart from one other semi, not good enough in a 30 year period. Edited March 24, 2016 by The Sons of Somner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auld Jag Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 I really don't understand fans who don't want to turn up at Firhill to watch us play the ugly sisters.We are in the league to play the best teams and unfortunately they come under that heading.If more Thistle fans turned up for these games we might not need to give them JHS. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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