Sheep...gates.

[vuefrom1875]

Aberdeen vice chairman George Yule(aye ah ken ,who he!)bleating (excuse the pun)about their attendances at season end.Their average was 12,500 and he's a wee bit miffed Hibs outgrew them by over 3,000.His big concern was the apathy amongst dons fans given their recent success,albeit not so recent,that they struggled to fill the ground on many occasions last season.He mentioned that Aberdeen took 20,000 to hampden recently but that's not been mirrored in home gates.......With the catchment area Aberdeen he thinks they should have bigger gates.....But Hibs catchment area in the CAPITAL city is far greater.So.......Aberdeen scotlands 3rd best supported club? I think not.

[Billy Whizz]

Can't blame him. They've had an excellent season, 2nd place and 2 cup finals. Maybe Aberdeen isn't really a football hotbed, and the locals would prefer to do other things on a Saturday, or the oil recession has made families think about their expenditures

[SirDavidsNapper]

Aberdeen are the 5th biggest supported club in Scotland. It not new news really.

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

It's why, if I was Mciness, i'd be gone.

What does it take to get fans interested in your team?

You could argue they should have won more trophies but **** me they've been beaten by the best side this country has produced in years.

Sadly for the sheep with Jack and Hayes set to leave, they'll be in a battle with ourselves for third before falling further back when this new shiny stadium arrives

[Leith Green]

Id be more concerned with how boring and quiet their supporters are than the numbers if i was an Aberdeen fan .. They seem to be boring and pretty dull , mirror image of their city i suppose 🤔

[hfc rd]

It's why, if I was Mciness, i'd be gone.

What does it take to get fans interested in your team?

You could argue they should have won more trophies but **** me they've been beaten by the best side this country has produced in years.

Sadly for the sheep with Jack and Hayes set to leave, they'll be in a battle with ourselves for third before falling further back when this new shiny stadium arrives



McGinn and Taylor have both departed as well. Very interesting summer for them.

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

McGinn and Taylor have both departed as well. Very interesting summer for them.

Totally forgot about they 2 right enough.

If Mciness does go they could really struggle for top 6 if they don't get a good manager in. **** it, lets chuck in a bid for Rooney!

[Billy Whizz]

It's why, if I was Mciness, i'd be gone.

What does it take to get fans interested in your team?

You could argue they should have won more trophies but **** me they've been beaten by the best side this country has produced in years.

Sadly for the sheep with Jack and Hayes set to leave, they'll be in a battle with ourselves for third before falling further back when this new shiny stadium arrives

Think he might be if gets a decent offer. His stock is high just now, it'll take a few years to rebuild Dons, and his career will go backwards during this time.
Few clubs sniffing around Kenny McLean as well

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

Can see Aberdeen on the slide. A good few of their players are already away and some decent bids for Haynes and Maclean and that could be a major building exercise ahead. I don't think that McIness will be in charge of them next season. Even if he doesn't get the Sunderland job, there will be other opportunities for him in the close season.

[hfc rd]

Think he might be if gets a decent offer. His stock is high just now, it'll take a few years to rebuild Dons, and his career will go backwards during this time.
Few clubs sniffing around Kenny McLean as well


He's been linked with the Sunderland job. Personally wouldn't be surprised if he took it. He's taken this Sheep team as far as it can go.

[inglisavhibs]

Aberdeen vice chairman George Yule(aye ah ken ,who he!)bleating (excuse the pun)about their attendances at season end.Their average was 12,500 and he's a wee bit miffed Hibs outgrew them by over 3,000.His big concern was the apathy amongst dons fans given their recent success,albeit not so recent,that they struggled to fill the ground on many occasions last season.He mentioned that Aberdeen took 20,000 to hampden recently but that's not been mirrored in home gates.......With the catchment area Aberdeen he thinks they should have bigger gates.....But Hibs catchment area in the CAPITAL city is far greater.So.......Aberdeen scotlands 3rd best supported club? I think not.
Don't think we should become like Hearts gloating about fans, we have had difficult times ourselves.Maybe with Hibs back in the league the Aberdeen fans might get a bit more interested again(more big clubs) Aberdeen has also had a difficult time with the oil industry. Aberdeen are a similar sized club to ourselves and Hearts and Scottish football needs as many fans as possible.

[IberianHibernian]

I started going to matches in late 60s and don`t remember Aberdeen having a big away support then but that was normal given distance and after they won 1970 SC support grew and thay had several thousand at ER at Joe Baker comeback match in January 1971 ( also normal given that they were top of the league and hadn`t let in a goal for about 16 games till King Paddy scored ) At that time most of their supporters were from Aberdeen or immediate area . Don`t think they were as successful as us in the 70s and when they won the league at ER in 1980 there were only about 5000 Dons fans at ER the same as Hibs fans though we were already relegated . Oil boom and onfield success ( very big - winning European trophies ) in early 80s boosted support in the rest of Scotland ( they still have supporters in the Central Belt from that period and I know from many visits to the north of Scotland in 80s that anywhere north of Aberdeen support was split between Rangers and Aberdeen with significant minorities supporting Celtic and Hibs ( Caithness support etc ) . Since then Aberdeen have fallen , Ross County and ICT have made top league ( and Elgin and Peterhead made national leagues ) and Celtic support has increased. Also given distances , I imagine TV support for English clubs is big in the north of Scotland ( I mean Caithness etc not Aberdee area ) going on number of people here who seem to foloow English clubs even though they live within easy travelling distance of Easter Road .

[we are hibs]

If mcinnes goes they may struggle. they've already lost jack and mcginn with hayes likely to leave and there's always going to be interest in Rooney. that could potentially be your 4 best players, including your front 3 leaving. they do though have good players in mclean and shinnie. with Christie rumoured to be returning on loan I cant see them not finishing in the top 5 minimum

[calumhibee1]

If Aberdeen were to lose Hayes and McInnes which looks likely then they'll be mid table next season. If they lost McLean aswell then I'd doubt very much they'd even manage that.

[NAE NOOKIE]

Aberdeen vice chairman George Yule(aye ah ken ,who he!)bleating (excuse the pun)about their attendances at season end.Their average was 12,500 and he's a wee bit miffed Hibs outgrew them by over 3,000.His big concern was the apathy amongst dons fans given their recent success,albeit not so recent,that they struggled to fill the ground on many occasions last season.He mentioned that Aberdeen took 20,000 to hampden recently but that's not been mirrored in home gates.......With the catchment area Aberdeen he thinks they should have bigger gates.....But Hibs catchment area in the CAPITAL city is far greater.So.......Aberdeen scotlands 3rd best supported club? I think not.

When you talk about Hibs catchment area compared to Aberdeen you also have to consider that we have far more competition for punters than they do. Even if Edinburgh has over twice the population it also has twice the clubs ( 3 X if you count City ) and the Ugly sisters are only 40 miles along the road not 140 miles as they are from Aberdeen. On that basis I would doubt that our support is any bigger than theirs.

If there was a way to take a census of peoples allegiances which ignored attendances at actual matches I would reckon that Scotland's 5 best supported clubs would show as follows:

Celtic
The Rangers
Hearts
Hibs / Aberdeen ..... probably too close to call.

But as somebody else said on this thread, I don't think we should be indulging in a pissing contest with other clubs with regard to attendances .... its good to be able to point to a significant increase in our crowds recently, but I would prefer to see that happen as part of a general increase in crowds at every club rather than what it is, which is a rise on the back of the feel good factor surrounding Hibs at the moment.

If Aberdeen's plan to relocate to Westhill comes to fruition they will be near enough 8 miles outside of the city .... they will be the first of Scotland's clubs with anything like a significant support to relocate to an out of town stadium and it will be interesting to see how that affects their attendances. For a lot of their fans it will actually make getting to games easier and without doubt the facilities at the new stadium will be miles better than Pittodrie. But on the other hand they will lose their traditional pre match watering holes and the buzz generated by being located within the city ..... interesting times for the Sheep.

[Ozyhibby]

When you talk about Hibs catchment area compared to Aberdeen you also have to consider that we have far more competition for punters than they do. Even if Edinburgh has over twice the population it also has twice the clubs ( 3 X if you count City ) and the Ugly sisters are only 40 miles along the road not 140 miles as they are from Aberdeen. On that basis I would doubt that our support is any bigger than theirs.

If there was a way to take a census of peoples allegiances which ignored attendances at actual matches I would reckon that Scotland's 5 best supported clubs would show as follows:

Celtic
The Rangers
Hearts
Hibs / Aberdeen ..... probably too close to call.

But as somebody else said on this thread, I don't think we should be indulging in a pissing contest with other clubs with regard to attendances .... its good to be able to point to a significant increase in our crowds recently, but I would prefer to see that happen as part of a general increase in crowds at every club rather than what it is, which is a rise on the back of the feel good factor surrounding Hibs at the moment.

If Aberdeen's plan to relocate to Westhill comes to fruition they will be near enough 8 miles outside of the city .... they will be the first of Scotland's clubs with anything like a significant support to relocate to an out of town stadium and it will be interesting to see how that affects their attendances. For a lot of their fans it will actually make getting to games easier and without doubt the facilities at the new stadium will be miles better than Pittodrie. But on the other hand they will lose their traditional pre match watering holes and the buzz generated by being located within the city ..... interesting times for the Sheep.

That's the equivalent of us moving to Dalkeith. That is bound to have consequences for their attendances.


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[NAE NOOKIE]

That's the equivalent of us moving to Dalkeith. That is bound to have consequences for their attendances.


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Perhaps ..... Its a hard one for folk like me who live in the Borders to relate to, I have a near 40 mile trip to ER on a Saturday and I cant say it would impress me much to hear folk say they wouldn't go to games because their 2 or 3 mile trip had turned into 8 miles ... for years now I've had a 6 mile trip in the opposite direction every home game to pick up my passengers before I even head for ER ... after I drop them back home my round trip is about 100 miles ........ I don't know if that makes me an uber fan, but you would have to be a pretty lukewarm one to be put off by a trip of 8 miles IMO

From what I've read on the Aberdeen forums for a lot of their fans who live on the outskirts of Aberdeen and the surrounding towns their trip to games at Westhill would actually be far easier than getting through the city to Pittodrie because of a new bypass ..... I believe the club plan to lay on shuttle buses from the town centre to the stadium and a supporters fan zone is on the cards, an indoor one I presume :greengrin

If you ask me Aberdeen's biggest problem currently is the rubbish atmosphere at Pittodrie ... instead of working at Hampden displays perhaps they would be better establishing their own Hibs type singing section .... the stand up the other end from the Dick Donald folly looks ideal for that and I don't get why they haven't tried it up to now.

[Ozyhibby]

Perhaps ..... Its a hard one for folk like me who live in the Borders to relate to, I have a near 40 mile trip to ER on a Saturday and I cant say it would impress me much to hear folk say they wouldn't go to games because their 2 or 3 mile trip had turned into 8 miles ... for years now I've had a 6 mile trip in the opposite direction every home game to pick up my passengers before I even head for ER ... after I drop them back home my round trip is about 100 miles ........ I don't know if that makes me an uber fan, but you would have to be a pretty lukewarm one to be put off by a trip of 8 miles IMO

From what I've read on the Aberdeen forums for a lot of their fans who live on the outskirts of Aberdeen and the surrounding towns their trip to games at Westhill would actually be far easier than getting through the city to Pittodrie because of a new bypass ..... I believe the club plan to lay on shuttle buses from the town centre to the stadium and a supporters fan zone is on the cards, an indoor one I presume :greengrin

If you ask me Aberdeen's biggest problem currently is the rubbish atmosphere at Pittodrie ... instead of working at Hampden displays perhaps they would be better establishing their own Hibs type singing section .... the stand up the other end from the Dick Donald folly looks ideal for that and I don't get why they haven't tried it up to now.

It's different for every fan though. I fit in getting to Easter road in between kids footy matches in the morning and sometimes working afterwards. Going to the match is no longer an all day thing for me, it's squeezed in best I can manage. Anything that added to the length of time I spent on it would throw into doubt whether I could make it some weeks. Having to make my way to Dalkeith, sometimes on public transport would definitely do that.


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[Springbank]

On the subject of support - Rangers & Celtic clearly ahead, then Hibs & Hearts & Aberdeen all within a fraction of each other (dependent on onfield success). This coming season should see Hibs ease comfortably ahead of Cathro's Hearts and the Declining Aberdeen.

On the subject of Aberdeen's team - if they had signed Swanson (with his goals and assists) instead of Fyvie (as is rumoured) they'd be more of a threat.
I'm happy we got Swanson, appear to be keeping McGinn & McGeough, plus we have Boyle and Bartley, a great looking defence on paper, and Cummings up top.
Fyvie's neat-but-punchless play won't help them compete with us in head to head games this season, if he goes there.

[Diclonius]

The fact that Aberdeen don't have a city rival probably doesn't help. I suspect playing (and trying to finis higher than) Hearts makes our season more interesting.

Hey, maybe Cove Rangers will eventually get promoted!

[NAE NOOKIE]

It's different for every fan though. I fit in getting to Easter road in between kids footy matches in the morning and sometimes working afterwards. Going to the match is no longer an all day thing for me, it's squeezed in best I can manage. Anything that added to the length of time I spent on it would throw into doubt whether I could make it some weeks. Having to make my way to Dalkeith, sometimes on public transport would definitely do that.


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I get that mate .... My point was aimed at folk who simply couldn't be bothered because they might have to spend 20 minutes on a bus instead of 10 or because the stadium was no longer within walking distance.

[Keith_M]

Sheep Gates?


http://www.rappamobileyards.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/product_slide/public/Smallholder-carousel-1.jpg?itok=QN3IPWA3


:dunno:

[Andy74]

Might happen to us once the interest in being back in the top league goes, so wouldn't be too quick to point and laugh.

Increased expectations means it's hard to take when you can't push any further. Tricky to see what else they can achieve to keep people going.

You could see our crowds dipping next again year by a fair bit if we are just ticking along say in 4th place. That would actually be good a placing from where we've been but not that exciting for all these additional attendees we've picked up.

[Keith_M]

Might happen to us once the interest in being back in the top league goes, so wouldn't be too quick to point and laugh. .


Totally agree with this Andy.

[LaMotta]

When you talk about Hibs catchment area compared to Aberdeen you also have to consider that we have far more competition for punters than they do. Even if Edinburgh has over twice the population it also has twice the clubs ( 3 X if you count City ) and the Ugly sisters are only 40 miles along the road not 140 miles as they are from Aberdeen. On that basis I would doubt that our support is any bigger than theirs.

If there was a way to take a census of peoples allegiances which ignored attendances at actual matches I would reckon that Scotland's 5 best supported clubs would show as follows:

Celtic
The Rangers
Hearts
Hibs / Aberdeen ..... probably too close to call.

But as somebody else said on this thread, I don't think we should be indulging in a pissing contest with other clubs with regard to attendances .... its good to be able to point to a significant increase in our crowds recently, but I would prefer to see that happen as part of a general increase in crowds at every club rather than what it is, which is a rise on the back of the feel good factor surrounding Hibs at the moment.

If Aberdeen's plan to relocate to Westhill comes to fruition they will be near enough 8 miles outside of the city .... they will be the first of Scotland's clubs with anything like a significant support to relocate to an out of town stadium and it will be interesting to see how that affects their attendances. For a lot of their fans it will actually make getting to games easier and without doubt the facilities at the new stadium will be miles better than Pittodrie. But on the other hand they will lose their traditional pre match watering holes and the buzz generated by being located within the city ..... interesting times for the Sheep.


One barometer (roughly of course ) is number of official Twitter followers for each club:


Celtic 469k
Rangers 334k
Aberdeen 77K
Hearts 63k
Hibs 59k
Dundee United 43K


I reckon this probably paints a fairly realistic picture ( although Sheep crowds suggest otherwise)

:hmmm:

[SirDavidsNapper]

One barometer (roughly of course ) is number of official Twitter followers for each club:


Celtic 469k
Rangers 334k
Aberdeen 77K
Hearts 63k
Hibs 59k
Dundee United 43K


I reckon this probably paints a fairly realistic picture ( although Sheep crowds suggest otherwise)

:hmmm:

There are plenty like myself who aren't on Twitter

[LaMotta]

There are plenty like myself who aren't on Twitter

Of course but given I said it was a rough barometer and used the word probably, I think I covered that rather obvious point :greengrin

[Ozyhibby]

Might happen to us once the interest in being back in the top league goes, so wouldn't be too quick to point and laugh.

Increased expectations means it's hard to take when you can't push any further. Tricky to see what else they can achieve to keep people going.

You could see our crowds dipping next again year by a fair bit if we are just ticking along say in 4th place. That would actually be good a placing from where we've been but not that exciting for all these additional attendees we've picked up.

We need to make sure that we spend the maximum we can afford getting in players who regularly take us ahead of the likes of Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Ross County etc.
If we are to average about 16/17k per game this season then we should have a significant financial advantage over all except Celtic,Rangers, Heart and Aberdeen.
After more than 5 years below Ross County in the league it's time we started performing in line with the size of the club.



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[Andy74]

We need to make sure that we spend the maximum we can afford getting in players who regularly take us ahead of the likes of Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Ross County etc.
If we are to average about 16/17k per game this season then we should have a significant financial advantage over all except Celtic,Rangers, Heart and Aberdeen.
After more than 5 years below Ross County in the league it's time we started performing in line with the size of the club.



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Agree but if we were to finish above those teams there is still the challenge of so what? Aberdeen's predicament shows that being best of the rest but not really winning anything gets a bit boring.

Most of us will still go, the ones that came along when we were challenging at the top of the championship and winning the Scottish Cup might not fancy the reality of the less exciting fight for 3rd place or even 2nd place.

Just something to be aware of if we are banking on crowds continuing to grow - it won't necessarily work like that, even if we are doing relatively well.

[Winston Ingram]

When i saw the the thread title i automatically thought Livestock control:aok:

[Ozyhibby]

Agree but if we were to finish above those teams there is still the challenge of so what? Aberdeen's predicament shows that being best of the rest but not really winning anything gets a bit boring.

Most of us will still go, the ones that came along when we were challenging at the top of the championship and winning the Scottish Cup might not fancy the reality of the less exciting fight for 3rd place or even 2nd place.

Just something to be aware of if we are banking on crowds continuing to grow - it won't necessarily work like that, even if we are doing relatively well.

Consistently beating the yams and going deep into the cup comps should provide some excitement as well as qualifying for Europe each season and trying to actually do something when we get there are all things to keep people excited about Hibs. We haven't been in the top 4 for 7 years now and that is a disgrace that needs rectified this year.


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[where'stheslope]

Agree but if we were to finish above those teams there is still the challenge of so what? Aberdeen's predicament shows that being best of the rest but not really winning anything gets a bit boring.

Most of us will still go, the ones that came along when we were challenging at the top of the championship and winning the Scottish Cup might not fancy the reality of the less exciting fight for 3rd place or even 2nd place.

Just something to be aware of if we are banking on crowds continuing to grow - it won't necessarily work like that, even if we are doing relatively well.

Great post!!!

It will all come down to who the Dons manage to keep and bring in to where they will be next year?

Their falling crowd trend will make it difficult to bring in any top class players.

The Rangers look like they are braking the bank with the players they have and are trying to bring in!!!!

Yams are just Yams? They will have a new untried team next year, still managed by Bubbles and Creep!!

We are already jelled as a team and with a few good additions we could have a good season if we get a good start?

Not sure if we will make top 4, but its not impossible if Aberdeen are below where they have been.

Our crowds this season will be a bolster for the Winter transfer window and next season.

So for me its onwards and upwards for the Cabbage!!!!!!!