Do you like going to away matches in the SPL?

[Plat_du_Jour]

Hi,

I am keen to find out more about being an away fan in the SPL. It is also particularly important that I get more Hibs fans involved, to balance out those from the other teams. So please have a read, and make sure your club is well-represented! http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m34/gorgieaggro_2006/f_smiley1.gif

As part of my university work, I am currently working with the SPL to do some research about fans attending away games. As part of this, I am keen to get the perspective of a broad range of fans from all the clubs across the league. If you would like to take the opportunity to fill out an anonymous survey, taking just a few minutes, then you can help the SPL improve the experience of being an away fan.

Please go to the following link: http://tinyurl.com/35l34rc

Thank you very much for taking the time.

Also - feel free to get the discussion going by posting your own experiences too! I am keen to hear what everyone has to say.

[StevieC]

Used to love it ..

.. but after years of going to the same places year in year out the novelty has worn off a bit.

[Pretty Boy]

Used to enjoy away games. Always felt brave going to a new town and being in amongst the die hards. Now it's the same as being at a home game- awful.

Filled out the survey and had to toss a coin to decide between Aberdeen and Celtc for worst away day experience. Both awful thanks to over enthusiastic stewards and polismen and shockingly bad away areas.

[Antifa Hibs]

Still go every week, but the enjoyment is no longer there, its the day out more than anything else these days.

A few factors to that:
-Ticket & transport pricing. Alot of guys would love to go everyweek but can't afford the average cost of £35 for ticket and travel (for Aberdeen & ICT this can be nearer £50!). Not only do we have rip-off admission but our rail prices are one of the most expensive in Europe aswell.

-Attitude towards football supporters. There is nothing more annoying than traveling for hours and spending a fortune to support your team, only to get pestered by police and stewards for absolutely nothing. In the continent supporters are the life and soul, traveling fans are adored by the club and by the players for their effort and commitment, in Scotland though it seems fans are just an annoying, unnecessary inconvenience going by the way we are treated as. The treatment is totally unjustifable aswell. If we were still running about slashing people, kicking people with our DMs and throwing slabs of concrete around, I could understand it. But fans in Scotland on the whole are generally very very well behaved, and should be treated as such. Wouldn't take alot to put it correct aswell, show the fans a bit trust, if some want to stand, set a section a-side, serve up a 2% lager, standing with your mates, meeting new pals having a pint isn't going to turn us all into raging hooligans, and it does sound much more appealing than sitting down with our thumbs up our erses.

-Same away days year after year. Going to the same old places gets very tiresome and boring. This is the second time in around 8 weeks we've played at Rugby Park and 3rd time we've played Killie. Chances are, we might have to play them twice more. Its hard to get up for that. Novelty factor is long gone. You only have to look at our crowds at Dunfi for pre-season, fantastic crowds for friendly matches as its a new day out. If we played Hamilton instead of Dunfermline last season for pre-season would we have 2000 their, nae chance!




Is this personal info for project work or what? Will the SPL/SFA be recieving any data?

[Hibs90]

Done, post the results when you've done it please. Could be interesting.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Only been on the away jaunts to Carlisle, Blackpool & Maribor this season. Novelty factor as much as anything, in fact I just stayed in the boozer in Carlisle & Blackpool! The game used to be the be all and end all of the day out, 9 times out of 10 its just an excuse to go somewhere different for a day out with the game more often than not being the low point of the day with the odd obvious exceptions.

[Sir David Gray]

Away games...?

I don't even enjoy going to Easter Road!

[IWasThere2016]

Done, post the results when you've done it please. Could be interesting.

Likewise + :agree:

[heretoday]

I used to go to a lot of away games in the 70s to places like Airdrie and Greenock.

I never really enjoyed these trips as we got treated badly by local police and fans alike!

The supporters' bus often travelled home with a few windows out.

[Plat_du_Jour]

Thanks for a big response so far! Please pass it on to any others who may be interested! :)

Quiet Man and Meeko, you mentioned publishing the results - since it is part of a wider study, it's not totally confirmed how it will be published, but I will see what I can do.

Antifa, it is working directly with the SPL - so all the findings will be directly communicated back to them, which means there is a real opportunity for fans to have their opinions heard!

StevieC and Pretty Boy, it sounds like you guys feel that things are different to the way they used to be. What do you think have been the big changes?

[The Silver Fox]

The last game at Ibrox was not a bad day out!

[Pretty Boy]

Thanks for a big response so far! Please pass it on to any others who may be interested! :)

Quiet Man and Meeko, you mentioned publishing the results - since it is part of a wider study, it's not totally confirmed how it will be published, but I will see what I can do.

Antifa, it is working directly with the SPL - so all the findings will be directly communicated back to them, which means there is a real opportunity for fans to have their opinions heard!

StevieC and Pretty Boy, it sounds like you guys feel that things are different to the way they used to be. What do you think have been the big changes?

The whole match day experience has changed for me.

The football on offer is so bad at the moment and has been for the last wee while that getting mates enthusiastic about an away trip is nearly impossible. Trudging to an away game with 1 or 2 people as opposed to 10 or 15 only 4 or 5 years ago is nowhere near the same. Add to that the fact that most stadia are pretty much devoid of atmosphere ( probably directly linked to the poor product on the park), you have stewards and Police constantly on your case for daring to stand up and the poor away facilities in a few grounds ( notable mentions for Celtic Park, Tannadice and Pittodrie here) and it all adds up to an experience that is far from enjoyable.

[Gatecrasher]

i used to go to about 10 away games per season, but i dont think its worth it anymore, traveling costs, ticket prices, food and drink is all too expensive, the football is poor and i dont think the clubs do enough for the away fans to make the games (all-ticket when no way a sell out will happen for example), my last home game was at the start of last season when Hamilton cuffed us, £22 that day :rolleyes:

iv not even thought about going to one since

[DaveF]

I used to go to every away match on the supporter buses when I was younger, but the arrival of kids has had a severe impact on my away days now.

Going back 20 years (and more!) to places like Broomfield, Kilbowie, Old Douglas Park, Cappielow and even Parkhead (before development) was superb. A complete day out minus the Naziesque stewarding that goes on nowdays.

Modern football might well be a better product on the park, but watching it today is so much more, expensive, sanitised and boring.

[Sir David Gray]

I based my answers on a completely different theme to what I would imagine everyone else would have done.

I am a wheelchair user so my answers were based on what it is like for disabled supporters at football matches. There was no way of making additional points at the end of your questionnaire so I couldn't put those points across.

I have a lot to say on the issue of disabled facilities at SPL stadia so if you would like to include some extra comments about this in your uni research, then just drop me a PM.

If, as you say, you do intend to send all the findings back to the SPL, I would be quite keen for this info to be sent to them. I have contacted them in the past about various concerns that I have had, with very limited success, so this may help.

[Plat_du_Jour]

The whole match day experience has changed for me.

The football on offer is so bad at the moment and has been for the last wee while that getting mates enthusiastic about an away trip is nearly impossible. Trudging to an away game with 1 or 2 people as opposed to 10 or 15 only 4 or 5 years ago is nowhere near the same. Add to that the fact that most stadia are pretty much devoid of atmosphere ( probably directly linked to the poor product on the park), you have stewards and Police constantly on your case for daring to stand up and the poor away facilities in a few grounds ( notable mentions for Celtic Park, Tannadice and Pittodrie here) and it all adds up to an experience that is far from enjoyable.

So is there a noticeable decrease in the number of people travelling?


i used to go to about 10 away games per season, but i dont think its worth it anymore, traveling costs, ticket prices, food and drink is all too expensive, the football is poor and i dont think the clubs do enough for the away fans to make the games (all-ticket when no way a sell out will happen for example), my last home game was at the start of last season when Hamilton cuffed us, £22 that day :rolleyes:

iv not even thought about going to one since

How could it be improved to be worth the price you pay?


I used to go to every away match on the supporter buses when I was younger, but the arrival of kids has had a severe impact on my away days now.

Going back 20 years (and more!) to places like Broomfield, Kilbowie, Old Douglas Park, Cappielow and even Parkhead (before development) was superb. A complete day out minus the Naziesque stewarding that goes on nowdays.

Modern football might well be a better product on the park, but watching it today is so much more, expensive, sanitised and boring.

This is a really interesting point - do you feel that going to an away match is a family-friendly activity or not? If not, would you want it to be?


I based my answers on a completely different theme to what I would imagine everyone else would have done.

I am a wheelchair user so my answers were based on what it is like for disabled supporters at football matches. There was no way of making additional points at the end of your questionnaire so I couldn't put those points across.

I have a lot to say on the issue of disabled facilities at SPL stadia so if you would like to include some extra comments about this in your uni research, then just drop me a PM.

If, as you say, you do intend to send all the findings back to the SPL, I would be quite keen for this info to be sent to them. I have contacted them in the past about various concerns that I have had, with very limited success, so this may help.

Thanks for this feedback, it is an extremely important perspective on how clubs cater for away fans. I have actually interviewed a wheelchair user already but it would be great to see some of your comments as well, so please feel free to PM me anything you would like included.

Thanks to everyone for getting involved, there has been a great response from this forum, but I am keen for even more Hibs fans to get involved so please feel free to pass it on to anyone else who may be interested :)

[Wilbur]

Away games...?

I don't even enjoy going to Easter Road!

Spot on there! :thumbsup:

[Pretty Boy]

[QUOTE=Plat_du_Jour;2664886]So is there a noticeable decrease in the number of people travelling?QUOTE]

Within my group definitely. I don't think i'd be wrong to say that i have noticed a drop in away support for Hibs over the last year or 2.

I think part of it is due to the product on the park but as someone else has pointed out the boredom of going to the same old places year after year doesn't help. I tend to enjoy pre season friendlies and European away games(:wink:) more as it's a chance to go somewhere different.

[PaulSmith]

Would never miss an away game if I wasn't playing on a Sat, used to be a great crowd and had a good laugh along the way.
Now I would only go to Tynie and if we're playing in Bolton, Preston, Blackburn or any other game which is non SPL.
Why, because it's turgid, boring, far too expensive and sick of the stewarding at clubs where wee fannies can treat you like crap for the priviledge of £25.
In short the game has been sanitised to a level where you must sit down, not swear, stand and get excited or you're threatened with arrest. Its killed the enjoyment for thousands of Scottish fans between ages 14 - 30, the key people that they should encourage to attend. It's all families and geared towards mummy, daddy and the 2 sons with a nice £5 burger and coke at half time, there has to be a place for this but within reason.

[Saorsa]

I used tae love going tae away matches, all matches in fact, I went home and away for many years. I dinnae bother with aways now, the price for what is on offer is ridiculous so I just go tae home games and my money goes tae my team. It's now become a struggle tae even muster up the enthusiasm tae go tae home games in this league, it's a habit rather than anything else. The league is dire and is about tae get a whole lot worse if those running it have their way. If this ten team league goes ahead then I think that'll be it for me, I'm not going tae keep throwing good money after bad at this *****. If the SPL want tae improve the experience for fans, away or home they could start by dropping their plans for a ten team league.

[down-the-slope]

Filled in Questionaire

Used to goto lots of away matches...very few now.


Costs too much.
To familiar surroundings of place & ground
Poor facilities / appreciation of away fans.
Requirement for tickets even when few sell outs (used to just get up and go and PATG) now is too much hassle arranging tickets.
Hate the movement away from Saturday 3pm for games.
Now much more likely to go to cup matches against lower league teams - as the interest in places / clubs that have not been to or done so for ages or only at holiday periods (Christmas / New Year / Easter) as have more time and it feels more special

[Saorsa]

I used to go to every away match on the supporter buses when I was younger, but the arrival of kids has had a severe impact on my away days now.

Going back 20 years (and more!) to places like Broomfield, Kilbowie, Old Douglas Park, Cappielow and even Parkhead (before development) was superb. A complete day out minus the Naziesque stewarding that goes on nowdays.

Modern football might well be a better product on the park, but watching it today is so much more, expensive, sanitised and boring.Better product on the park? no sure about that. On the other points I agree with you wholeheartedly. :agree:

[Calvin]

Past few seasons I've gone to most away games - I'd rather see Hibs lose than not see Hibs at all. This season I've not made it to 5 of 9 due to a combination of Yogi and ££.

[joejoefaemexico]

Still go every week, but the enjoyment is no longer there, its the day out more than anything else these days.

A few factors to that:
-Ticket & transport pricing. Alot of guys would love to go everyweek but can't afford the average cost of £35 for ticket and travel (for Aberdeen & ICT this can be nearer £50!). Not only do we have rip-off admission but our rail prices are one of the most expensive in Europe aswell.

-Attitude towards football supporters. There is nothing more annoying than traveling for hours and spending a fortune to support your team, only to get pestered by police and stewards for absolutely nothing. In the continent supporters are the life and soul, traveling fans are adored by the club and by the players for their effort and commitment, in Scotland though it seems fans are just an annoying, unnecessary inconvenience going by the way we are treated as. The treatment is totally unjustifable aswell. If we were still running about slashing people, kicking people with our DMs and throwing slabs of concrete around, I could understand it. But fans in Scotland on the whole are generally very very well behaved, and should be treated as such. Wouldn't take alot to put it correct aswell, show the fans a bit trust, if some want to stand, set a section a-side, serve up a 2% lager, standing with your mates, meeting new pals having a pint isn't going to turn us all into raging hooligans, and it does sound much more appealing than sitting down with our thumbs up our erses.

-Same away days year after year. Going to the same old places gets very tiresome and boring. This is the second time in around 8 weeks we've played at Rugby Park and 3rd time we've played Killie. Chances are, we might have to play them twice more. Its hard to get up for that. Novelty factor is long gone. You only have to look at our crowds at Dunfi for pre-season, fantastic crowds for friendly matches as its a new day out. If we played Hamilton instead of Dunfermline last season for pre-season would we have 2000 their, nae chance!




Is this personal info for project work or what? Will the SPL/SFA be recieving any data?


well said that man!

[Littlest Hobo]

Would selling alcohol improve your experience at football? :greengrin

Damn right :greengrin

[LancashireHibby]

Maybe it's because I'm still 'ticking off' each away game in the SPL, but I can honestly say I've not had a bad day out yet at away games.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

Only been on the away jaunts to Carlisle, Blackpool & Maribor this season. Novelty factor as much as anything, in fact I just stayed in the boozer in Carlisle & Blackpool! The game used to be the be all and end all of the day out, 9 times out of 10 its just an excuse to go somewhere different for a day out with the game more often than not being the low point of the day with the odd obvious exceptions.

:agree:

[SouthamptonHibs]

Enjoy going to all away games - until i get to the game!...
Enjoy the beer and the travel to the match, the pints in the pub pre match and the build up.
The game...
8 times out of 10 there's no atmospher as the home teams don't have any support,
Hibs r normally crap away from home,
the ref's r normally worse for us,
you can't beat the old 4-5-1 formation hoping to snatch a 1 v nil win,
the only positive in the game is we normally get a better sing song especially at Tynie, Ibrox and Aberdeen...
Then the travel back home's a laugh..a few more beers, bit of banter with mates then back into sunny Edinburgh....:thumbsup:

[SouthsideHarp_Bhoy]

Is it just me or is that survey a lot of cack?

Full of value-laden phrases and comments and will, i suspect get comepletely false results - the basic premise is wrong. If that is what the SPL are using (and given some of the stuff in there it probably is) then we really are in trouble.

I think its missing the point - a hostile atmosphere is a good atmosphere, feelign welcome at an away club is NOT a good thing.

But maybe im just a grouch who doesnt know what hes talking about - although the stats would suggest that its the SPL that doesnt know what it is doing.

[LancashireHibby]

I think its missing the point - a hostile atmosphere is a good atmosphere, feelign welcome at an away club is NOT a good thing.

Although I see where you're coming from, there is certainly a bit of mileage in it IMHO. Always very welcoming in the club at Motherwell with home and away fans happily mixing, but that still doesn't stop the fans giving each other pelters during the game. Best of both worlds.

[Antifa Hibs]

It appears Scottish fitba hasn't catered for your 'typical match day going lads', yet caters for everyone else. Thats where Germany has got it spot on. They have space for the execs, they have a family section, they have terracing, they have 'normal' spaces for 'normal' fans. Here though...

Family section ✓
Family activities such as face painting, meeting the players ✓
Family specials ✓
Bags of haribo's ✓
Leather executive seats ✓
Prawn sarnie's and champers ✓
Standing X
Pint of lager X


No reason why everyone can't be catered for. Its not as if we don't have the space :greengrin

[marinello59]

It appears Scottish fitba hasn't catered for your 'typical match day going lads', yet caters for everyone else. Thats where Germany has got it spot on. They have space for the execs, they have a family section, they have terracing, they have 'normal' spaces for 'normal' fans. Here though...

Family section ✓
Family activities such as face painting, meeting the players ✓
Family specials ✓
Bags of haribo's ✓
Leather executive seats ✓
Prawn sarnie's and champers ✓
Standing X
Pint of lager X


No reason why everyone can't be catered for. Its not as if we don't have the space :greengrin

I love how you have decided that families are not normal fans.:greengrin It might just be that the typical fans of the future are families.
I do agree that we should have standing sections. I would also have us operate the English style of serving drinks for consumption in the concourse, Stuff getting a pint of lager hurled over me when we score.

[hibs0666]

I love how you have decided that families are not normal fans.:greengrin It might just be that the typical fans of the future are families.
I do agree that we should have standing sections. I would also have us operate the English style of serving drinks for consumption in the concourse, Stuff getting a pint of lager hurled over me when we score.

You can always sit with the bairns then. :wink:

[marinello59]

You can always sit with the bairns then. :wink:
:greengrin

[Stenny]

away days were always great days, ok usually before 3pm it was fun, aberdeen, motherwell, dundee, through to weegieland.. all enjoyable days on the bus to the games, someone elses stadium, sing some songs, banter wi the locals, score a goal, win the game back to embra... ah those were the days!!

[LancashireHibby]

away days were always great days, ok usually before 3pm it was fun, aberdeen, motherwell, dundee, through to weegieland.. all enjoyable days on the bus to the games, someone elses stadium, sing some songs, banter wi the locals, score a goal, win the game back to embra... ah those were the days!!

No reason why it still can't be the case, as far as I'm concerned. I know I'm not the only one who has more than a few ales inside me at games without having to drink at the ground.

[Stenny]

No reason why it still can't be the case, as far as I'm concerned. I know I'm not the only one who has more than a few ales inside me at games without having to drink at the ground.

i meant those were the days, cause im in the Netherlands now and dont make it to games, Hibs TV, get a few lads involved and thats the atmosphere for me.. its what you make of it... away days were many times better than the home games, but at the end of the day a winning day is the best day home or away.

[Joe Baker II]

Away grounds I will go to are Tynecastle, Ibrox, Fir Park and Pitoddrie where although all-seated grounds, the policing and stewarding is usually not too bad. Dunfermline when in SPL is normally ok too, Falkirk was mixed. Hampden, whether international or club games, usually a welcoming location too, despite the accessibility issues.

Refuse to go to McDiarmid, Douglas Park, Tannadice, St Mirren and Inverness. Dens Park was probably the worst of all recent SPL grounds.

Unlike many Hibs fans I have never really had problems at Parkhead but I am sure the many away fans of many clubs who have complained about treatment there have not done so without reason and Celtic have just come out with an idiotic statement on standing that hardly encourages one to go there.

Sadly from March 2010 I include Easter Road now as a ground where I refuse to pay over £20 to be treated like a criminal by stewards with the complete backing of the Hibs Board and will not return until there is terracing, or at least I am convinced the club hierarchy are doing its best to make it happen. Have been to a couple of away games this season, otherwise have been watching East of Scotland and Junior football and been enjoying it.

I may be willing to pay £10 (but certainly no more) per game for the current matchday experience at ER, and it would not make the slightest difference to me if Hibs were top of the league, mid-table or looking like a relegation team. I would however pay current prices (and buy season ticket) and possibly more if there was standing areas.

Selling of alcohol in concourses would be welcome (ESPECIALLY for away fans btw where often not time to locate local hostelries etc) though more on civil liberties grounds as not too fussed myself about drinking during game normally, but less critical than standing areas for me.

Good luck in getting any response from the SPL - they are the main problem here!

[LancashireHibby]

i meant those were the days, cause im in the Netherlands now and dont make it to games, Hibs TV, get a few lads involved and thats the atmosphere for me.. its what you make of it... away days were many times better than the home games, but at the end of the day a winning day is the best day home or away.

Ah right fair enough - agree that it's exactly what you make of it. Go to games in the mindsight of being miserable and that's how it'll turn out - thankfully the singing section etc seem to be making away games more enjoyable judging by the reactions on here.

[Plat_du_Jour]

Thanks for all the great feedback guys!


It appears Scottish fitba hasn't catered for your 'typical match day going lads', yet caters for everyone else. Thats where Germany has got it spot on. They have space for the execs, they have a family section, they have terracing, they have 'normal' spaces for 'normal' fans. Here though...

Family section ✓
Family activities such as face painting, meeting the players ✓
Family specials ✓
Bags of haribo's ✓
Leather executive seats ✓
Prawn sarnie's and champers ✓
Standing X
Pint of lager X


No reason why everyone can't be catered for. Its not as if we don't have the space :greengrin

This raises an interesting point - dealing with diverse demands to cater for everyone. Do you feel that is possible?


Away grounds I will go to are Tynecastle, Ibrox, Fir Park and Pitoddrie where although all-seated grounds, the policing and stewarding is usually not too bad. Dunfermline when in SPL is normally ok too, Falkirk was mixed. Hampden, whether international or club games, usually a welcoming location too, despite the accessibility issues.

Refuse to go to McDiarmid, Douglas Park, Tannadice, St Mirren and Inverness. Dens Park was probably the worst of all recent SPL grounds.

Unlike many Hibs fans I have never really had problems at Parkhead but I am sure the many away fans of many clubs who have complained about treatment there have not done so without reason and Celtic have just come out with an idiotic statement on standing that hardly encourages one to go there.

Sadly from March 2010 I include Easter Road now as a ground where I refuse to pay over £20 to be treated like a criminal by stewards with the complete backing of the Hibs Board and will not return until there is terracing, or at least I am convinced the club hierarchy are doing its best to make it happen. Have been to a couple of away games this season, otherwise have been watching East of Scotland and Junior football and been enjoying it.

I may be willing to pay £10 (but certainly no more) per game for the current matchday experience at ER, and it would not make the slightest difference to me if Hibs were top of the league, mid-table or looking like a relegation team. I would however pay current prices (and buy season ticket) and possibly more if there was standing areas.

Selling of alcohol in concourses would be welcome (ESPECIALLY for away fans btw where often not time to locate local hostelries etc) though more on civil liberties grounds as not too fussed myself about drinking during game normally, but less critical than standing areas for me.

Good luck in getting any response from the SPL - they are the main problem here!

The point on alcohol is very interesting - how do you go about finding somewhere to drink before an away game?


Ah right fair enough - agree that it's exactly what you make of it. Go to games in the mindsight of being miserable and that's how it'll turn out - thankfully the singing section etc seem to be making away games more enjoyable judging by the reactions on here.

This is a point that has come up a lot - how important do you feel a singing section is?

[LancashireHibby]

This is a point that has come up a lot - how important do you feel a singing section is?

Atmosphere is very important, but I think each club offically designating a signing section would render it a bit artificial - the initiative at ER is fan-driven and far better for it IMHO.

[Plat_du_Jour]

Happy new year everybody! I hope you all had a good time over Christmas and thanks very much to everyone for their feedback to the survey.

The survey will continue to run until 12noon on Monday the 10th of January, so there is still time to encourage other fans of your club to get involved.

The survey can be accessed at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/35l34rc

Cheers :)

[ginger_rice]

It appears Scottish fitba hasn't catered for your 'typical match day going lads', yet caters for everyone else. Thats where Germany has got it spot on. They have space for the execs, they have a family section, they have terracing, they have 'normal' spaces for 'normal' fans. Here though...

Family section ✓
Family activities such as face painting, meeting the players ✓
Family specials ✓
Bags of haribo's ✓
Leather executive seats ✓
Prawn sarnie's and champers ✓
Standing X
Pint of lager X


No reason why everyone can't be catered for. Its not as if we don't have the space :greengrin

I agree with what you're trying to say to an extent, we don't want grounds to become carbon copies of what Luton Town tried to achieve about 20 years ago, remember they banned away fans and really pushed family sections.

Pity we couldn't have had some type of "German" standing area incorporated in the new East stand and we'd probably be able to cater for all groups amongst our home support.

However for away fans it becomes more difficult to accommodate all types especially with segregation.

[trev the hat]

I would like to see a 16 team league, play each other twice and i would prob return to every away game. Add a sat 3pm kick off as guaranteed with a walk up cash gate and i wouldn,t miss one. The little money we now receive from tv should be balanced out against deciding not to show games and returning to sat night highlights. IMHO you would see away crowds double over a season for all spl teams outwith OF.
The SPL has sold out to any available bidder for tv rights and in doing so has almost throttled our current game. Also a designated terracing section should be encouraged.

[Owain_1987]

Used to enjoy away games. Always felt brave going to a new town and being in amongst the die hards. Now it's the same as being at a home game- awful.

Filled out the survey and had to toss a coin to decide between Aberdeen and Celtc for worst away day experience. Both awful thanks to over enthusiastic stewards and polismen and shockingly bad away areas.

I think Dundee United! Celtic is bad but then again we have always been bad when ever I have been there so thought that might be my reason for not liking as for Aberdeen that can be hit or miss depending how the police feel on the day. One time I was there my mate was kicked out for being drunk and sleeping in his seat, one time I was told I would be kicked out if I sung you Hearts ******** at Severin again and then another time I was there I was able to stand for the 90 mins without the police caring.

[PISTOL1875]

Hi,

I am keen to find out more about being an away fan in the SPL. It is also particularly important that I get more Hibs fans involved, to balance out those from the other teams. So please have a read, and make sure your club is well-represented! http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m34/gorgieaggro_2006/f_smiley1.gif

As part of my university work, I am currently working with the SPL to do some research about fans attending away games. As part of this, I am keen to get the perspective of a broad range of fans from all the clubs across the league. If you would like to take the opportunity to fill out an anonymous survey, taking just a few minutes, then you can help the SPL improve the experience of being an away fan.

Please go to the following link: http://tinyurl.com/35l34rc

Thank you very much for taking the time.

Also - feel free to get the discussion going by posting your own experiences too! I am keen to hear what everyone has to say.


Its bad enough going to home games at the moment...

[fatbloke]

No, well actually not allowed. Used to run a supporters bus years ago serving East Lothian, before the current EL bus (cracking bus by the way) came along. However going to away games at 9am on a Sat morning and not returning home until Sunday morning was not good. Almost ruined my marriage and my liver and I was definitely going to get a Police record along the way (131 people on a double decker to Tynie, a wee stramash at Brechin, end of season trying to break into a sex shop in Darlington and THE trip to Anderlecht...enough said.) Happy days but don't think I could cope now. Therefore my away days are restricted to high days holidays or big cup games.

Thinking of away days it was pointed out to me the other day of the 15 or so original travelling members of the Lothians Travel aka Keith Houchen No1 bus at least 6 have passed on all before their time and all sadly missed by family and friends alike, gone but not forgotten.

I also miss seeing some of the legends of the past e.g. Mr Penman and Mr Janetta from Carlton bus, Joe Galetta from Leith and Ivor from Linlithgow.

GGTTH

Good luck wi the uni stuff.

[IberianHibernian]

Over the years I`ve probably enjoyed away games more than home ones ( maybe because ER rarely had a great atmosphere when I was a regular in 70s and 80 - huge open and empty terraces ) but it`s obvious that things have changed . Lots more alternatives to football so how many people can or want to go to every game ? Season ticket mentality which is a relatively recent thing especially with Hibs - fans buy STs and go to fewer away games , in many seasons I went to more away games than home ones . All seated stadium meaning no atmosphere and not always more comfort ( memories of sitting in quiet part of terracing in Boghead while nursing a hangover ) . Car mentality - most of the nostalgic comments about away games 20 - 30 years ago are probably from fans who travelled on supporters buses , something which seems to have almost died ( and I say that as someone who almost never used them since I wasn`t usually living in Edinburgh area ) - loads of fans were probably as proud of being members of a supporters club as being supporters of their club .
Until about 20 years ago I think gate receipts were split for league games in Scotland . Since this stopped , clubs probably prefer their fans to buy season tickets and only travel to away cup games .
In case of Hibs , there seems to be very little interest in attracting more away fans and encouraging fans to support us away . Apart from cup finals , how many times have we offered transport to away games to our fans in recent years ? Do we give financial help to our supporters clubs whose organisers must spend loads of time stirring up interest in buses ? At LC finals in 2004 and 2007 there were problems with restricted train service to Glasgow but noone from club seemed interested - why not ? Do we make any effort to encourage more away fans to come to ER ? ( Special prices , mixed areas , free food , ... all things that we could benefit from when we play away ) .
This weekend we`ll have a great away support at the Holy Ground , something which will improve the atmosphere and help us financially whatever the result . Does noone in club think that it might be worth doing more to attract more away fans at ER and to make it easier for us to support our team away from home ?

[Sumner]

Do you like going to away matches in the SPL?

... no, but thanks for asking

[frazeHFC]

I love going to away games, but the last one i was at was St Johnstone, and we lost 5-1. Complete waste of money, no urge to go to anymore.

But when a bit more confident we can actually go away from home and win, i will go to as many as i can.

[Antifa Hibs]

I love going to away games, but the last one i was at was St Johnstone, and we lost 5-1. Complete waste of money, no urge to go to anymore.

But when a bit more confident we can actually go away from home and win, i will go to as many as i can.

You love going to away games. But your last one was 11 months ago :faf: :faf:

[Antifa Hibs]

Thanks for all the great feedback guys!



This raises an interesting point - dealing with diverse demands to cater for everyone. Do you feel that is possible?


Easily possible mate. They do it everywhere. Every away sector in Europe caters for 'typical match day going fans' bar Scotland/England. And they wonder why atmospheres are ****** and away sections empty aswell :rolleyes:

[Plat_du_Jour]

Thanks very much to everyone for taking the survey and providing so much feedback so far, there is less than 24 hours left to get involved - so please pass the survey on to anyone else who may be interested ahead of 12noon tomorrow! Cheers! :)