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2011/2012 Season Thread


french_disko

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Essentially, I know you're correct. I'm just trying to be optimistic. It's a new approach I embraced this year. It's not working out very well at all so far.

Fuck optimism; I'm never going to an Aberdeen game ever again.

I'm putting all my optimism into what we can realistically achieve on the pitch with the resources we have available to us. We're going to beat Rangers 2-0 on Sunday and I'm going to put 100 on it. Once I collect my winnings I'm going into Pittodrie and am just going to hand it over to them before getting my picture taken with Mohamed Chalali and congratulating him on his brace of goals.

I have accepted the state of play with the finances of Scottish Football and hope that someone can think of something to save it. At the end of the day (talking like a footballer now) it comes down to the product.

I don't think all this negativity in the press after last night's cup exits is helpful at all and I think we have a tendency to go over the top in Scotland. If the Huns had stuck away one or two of the chances they missed and the Tims hadn't conceded a penalty and lost a player in the first minute everything would be rosy. In 2007 when the Dons were in the group stages, the Huns went onto the final and Scotland were pissing on France home and away everyone was talking about the improvement in Scottish football. Since then finances have got worse but I don't think either of the Old Firm have the right man in charge which is the real reason for their recent failure.

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Fans aren't staying away because of cost. The quality of the product is a far more important reason.

Attendances in Scotland have been going down for years....decades even.

Nowadays, nobody gives a fuck about Scottish football, despite most Scots claiming it as their national sport. What they actually mean is their national sport is sitting on their ass watching the EPL or La Liga.

In 1954, Pittodrie had 45,061 fans in it to watch a Scottish Cup QF tie against Hearts. 45,000!!! A long time ago, and perhaps an unrealistic example nowadays, but it just proves how many fickle youngsters have flocked to the OF, how badly the provincial clubs have lost the loyalty of their local communities and the extent to which most Scots nowadays would prefer to watch the EPL, than the SPL.

Nobody gives a shit about Scottish football, cos the EPL is so much better. It's that fucking simple....the economic argument about fans being unable to afford it is bullshit. Most of them pay a fortune to watch Sky Sports in their own lounge.

Yesterday proved that the product in just about every other country in Europe is better than the SPL. Most of those countries don't have money either, but their product is better, they breed more technically proficient footballers, and have done for years. Every single year we have to watch SPL sides getting spanked by European nobodies, and it's about time the SFA pulled their head out of their fucking arse, looked at Holland, Denmark, Croatia, Greece and all the other countries who do it better than us, and started planning for the long term.

As soon as the product improves, the crowds will come back. It's that simple. Until that happens, most Scottish fans would prefer to line Rupert Murdoch's pockets.

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but I don't think either of the Old Firm have the right man in charge which is the real reason for their recent failure.

I agree with that point. Scottish football has never been glamorous but the Old Firm have been successful in Europe by being cagey and trying to concede as few as possible, meaning they only need to sneak a goal here or there. I didn't see any of the Celtic/Rangers ties this year but I would imagine they tried to do this but were mince at the back. Lennon and McCoist just don't seem to be able to set up a team like their more successful predecessors (even if you factor in the alleged decreased quality of players

Also... are celtic really out?

BBC Sport - Celtic's Euro reprieve hopes revived by Sion player row

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Can someone translate this nugget of internetz speak?

"i think what fergie is sayin is true, finacially wenger is trying 4 arsenal, but we need to win trophies, 4 d past 6 going to 7 now, wd have won nothing, thats a bad record 4 a club lyk arsenal, i think wenger is a stingy type, he doesnt wanner buy players, he buys on young unXperienced players, we cant win trophies with this present spuad "

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Can someone translate this nugget of internetz speak?

"i think what fergie is sayin is true, finacially wenger is trying 4 arsenal, but we need to win trophies, 4 d past 6 going to 7 now, wd have won nothing, thats a bad record 4 a club lyk arsenal, i think wenger is a stingy type, he doesnt wanner buy players, he buys on young unXperienced players, we cant win trophies with this present spuad "

I think it's a coded call to arms for a rioting and looting session.

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Can someone translate this nugget of internetz speak?

"i think what fergie is sayin is true, finacially wenger is trying 4 arsenal, but we need to win trophies, 4 d past 6 going to 7 now, wd have won nothing, thats a bad record 4 a club lyk arsenal, i think wenger is a stingy type, he doesnt wanner buy players, he buys on young unXperienced players, we cant win trophies with this present spuad "

What Alex Ferguson has said is true in that Mr Wenger is attempting to run Arsenal in a financially sound manner but there is a requirement to win competitions. We have won nothing for 6 going on 7 years and that is bad for a club of Arsenal's stature. I think Mr Wenger is risk averse when it comes to spending money on experienced players and prefers to work with younger players who are not so set in their ways. I don't believe that this is a viable strategy for the procurement of trophies.

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I agree with that point. Scottish football has never been glamorous but the Old Firm have been successful in Europe by being cagey and trying to concede as few as possible, meaning they only need to sneak a goal here or there. I didn't see any of the Celtic/Rangers ties this year but I would imagine they tried to do this but were mince at the back. Lennon and McCoist just don't seem to be able to set up a team like their more successful predecessors (even if you factor in the alleged decreased quality of players

Also... are celtic really out?

BBC Sport - Celtic's Euro reprieve hopes revived by Sion player row

I agree with my own point too. I think if you look at the Celtic and Rangers teams who played last night you'd see that they have a higher calibre of player compared to their opponents. (higher calibre in terms of how much they get paid, their international credentials etc.)

Lennon would have a tough time selling anti-Celtic conspiracies if they get into Europe that way....

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Fans aren't staying away because of cost. The quality of the product is a far more important reason.

It does to an extent, its all relevant.The girlfriend and I were at a loose end on Satuday so decided to go to Pittodrie for a change. I was 46 for the two of us to get in, now i dont have any kids but is that really going to attract your average family if you're lookin at over 100 (when you take into account food, petrol, programmes etc) for a family of 4. They've simply been priced out.

Hartlepool stated that if they guarenteed 4000 season ticket sales they would set the price at 100, down from 300-400. It can be done. I know for a fact alot of my mates would buy a season ticket for that price, it would be worth it even if they werent going to manage every game.

The whole pricing structure needs to be looked at. The product simply isnt worth the price right now and its glaringly obvious to everyone.

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It does to an extent, its all relevant.The girlfriend and I were at a loose end on Satuday so decided to go to Pittodrie for a change. I was 46 for the two of us to get in, now i dont have any kids but is that really going to attract your average family if you're lookin at over 100 (when you take into account food, petrol, programmes etc) for a family of 4. They've simply been priced out.

Hartlepool stated that if they guarenteed 4000 season ticket sales they would set the price at 100, down from 300-400. It can be done. I know for a fact alot of my mates would buy a season ticket for that price, it would be worth it even if they werent going to manage every game.

The whole pricing structure needs to be looked at. The product simply isnt worth the price right now and its glaringly obvious to everyone.

I'd been meaning to bring up the Hartlepool example. They ended up selling close to 6,000 season tickets over the summer which is incredible considering their average attendance last season was around 2,700 and their highest was only 4,000 or so.

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I guess the worry would be they would sell a simlar number of season tickets, or not enough more to have made it worth while. Whilst the product on the pitch is as bad as it is, and has been for the past 2-3 years who is really going to go back?

Aberdeen have really struggled with the fact that a lot of our supporters are stuck in 1983 and cannot fathom going to watch an unsuccessful dons team. Most of the males in my family except me and my brother come into that boat, every time we meet up they ask how we can be bothered going to watch that crap and harp on about the 80s. Sadly the success we had is costing us fans now.

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Aberdeen have really struggled with the fact that a lot of our supporters are stuck in 1983 and cannot fathom going to watch an unsuccessful dons team. Most of the males in my family except me and my brother come into that boat, every time we meet up they ask how we can be bothered going to watch that crap and harp on about the 80s. Sadly the success we had is costing us fans now.

You sound like the west coast media. Its an easy dig to take at Aberdeen fans "Stuck in the past", "Unrealistic expectations" etc. Not one of my mates ever mentions the 80s and not going because we're not successful anymore. Aberdeen were still averaging the highest attendances, outwith the Old Firm, well after 1983. I'd take a guess at most males attend the football for a way of relaxing, socialising with their mates and getting out at the house at the weekend. Whether it be watching the SPL or Highland League. As i said before prices are far exceeding the product nowdays, until that changes attendances will continue to fall.

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I am an Aberdeen fan through and through, i personally dont avoid games because of lack of success. But my family who used to go back in the 80's do, the same goes for most of their friends, people who went to the cup winners cup final, and every game in between. I'm no fan of the west coast media but they do have a point, fans that should be coming to watch the dons dont because we are not successful anymore. I give my family an extreme hard time over it but to no avail.

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I am an Aberdeen fan through and through, i personally dont avoid games because of lack of success. But my family who used to go back in the 80's do, the same goes for most of their friends, people who went to the cup winners cup final, and every game in between. I'm no fan of the west coast media but they do have a point, fans that should be coming to watch the dons dont because we are not successful anymore. I give my family an extreme hard time over it but to no avail.

I'm avoiding the Dons just now because they are utter tripe.

Pure and simple.

I don't expect us to be winning anything, but the product on the pitch is horrific and not worth paying for.

It's quite obvious everyone else is feeling the same judging by the dwindling attendances. Sadly. :down:

Win at Ibrox this weekend it is then! :up:

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I'm avoiding the Dons just now because they are utter tripe.

Pure and simple.

I don't expect us to be winning anything, but the product on the pitch is horrific and not worth paying for.

It's quite obvious everyone else is feeling the same judging by the dwindling attendances. Sadly. :down:

Win at Ibrox this weekend it is then! :up:

yeah i should make myself clear, this is not a dig really at dons fans, its just the way things are for our club, i didnt mean what i said to come across as me looking down on those who dont go or anything like that.

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yeah i should make myself clear, this is not a dig really at dons fans, its just the way things are for our club, i didnt mean what i said to come across as me looking down on those who dont go or anything like that.

Not in the slightest! It didn't come across like that :)

This weekend is as good a chance as the Dons have had in while to get something at Ibrox, can't see it happening though.

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It completely contradicts my earlier post, but fans need to take some responsibility for their club's success/demise, and stop putting the blame squarely at the board's door.

Punters are always the main income stream, particularly in leagues without huge media revenues, and by staying away you only make it harder for the club you claim to love to succeed.

Catch 22.

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It completely contradicts my earlier post, but fans need to take some responsibility for their club's success/demise, and stop putting the blame squarely at the board's door.

Punters are always the main income stream, particularly in leagues without huge media revenues, and by staying away you only make it harder for the club you claim to love to succeed.

Catch 22.

Some fans simply dont have the choice, a day out at the football is now too expensive for some people.

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It completely contradicts my earlier post, but fans need to take some responsibility for their club's success/demise, and stop putting the blame squarely at the board's door.

Punters are always the main income stream, particularly in leagues without huge media revenues, and by staying away you only make it harder for the club you claim to love to succeed.

Catch 22.

Clubs have to earn the supporters' loyalty. Clubs are essentially businesses.

If a butcher was slowly beginning to lose custom and sell less pieces of ham, slowly witnessing the decline of his business, does he stop to consider why the customers are staying away or going elsewhere; or does he hike the prices up a little without improving the quality of the ham, and then rest a portion of the blame on his ex-customers who no longer buy their ham from him?

Clubs need to market themselves better. I don't really see any clubs thinking outside the box a little bit in order to attract new customers. They shouldn't rely on loyalty - there has to be something in return.

No way can the supporters be given any portion of the blame for the downfall of Scottish football, in my opinion.

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Clubs have to earn the supporters' loyalty. Clubs are essentially businesses.

If a butcher was slowly beginning to lose custom and sell less pieces of ham, slowly witnessing the decline of his business, does he stop to consider why the customers are staying away or going elsewhere; or does he hike the prices up a little without improving the quality of the ham, and then rest a portion of the blame on his ex-customers who no longer buy their ham from him?

Clubs need to market themselves better. I don't really see any clubs thinking outside the box a little bit in order to attract new customers. They shouldn't rely on loyalty - there has to be something in return.

No way can the supporters be given any portion of the blame for the downfall of Scottish football, in my opinion.

Tell me how clubs attract this custom? Seriously, they'd love to know, and it's ridiculous to suggest that they aren't trying. You can't just say this is "business", and expect clubs to continually do more and more with less and less.

This is such a fucking circular argument. Not only are clubs losing money from the turnstiles, but the cost of attracting talent is spiralling out of control season after season.

How do the clubs do better? How do they put better teams on the park? How do they effectively market themselves, when they have fuck all worth selling?

Football is in people's blood, and if it wasn't for loyalty, clubs like Aberdeen would have disappeared down the plug hole years ago.

It's a tired cliche, but "football belongs to the fans"....well if they want it to improve, we have to do our part. If we keep walking away in our droves, then nobody has any right to complain when their clubs crumble to dust.

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