Is our away support the problem???

[SouthfieldWhite]

I've never really believed our poor away support was the cause of our poor away record, but I've thought about it alot more recently and I'm changing my mind, since Cookie, every manager has tried something different to change our luck on the road, and is it any coincidence that we seem to get results when we take a decent following,

We do better away with a good following, I know times are hard and I've struggled to pay for away games myself, and this season we've got the added cost of Europe

I've spoken to the club about this and in the past I've spoken to rail companies about cheaper group bookings, but it seems cheaper to travel in groups of 4 or singlely than taking a large group booking,

I don't know what the answer is to get more fans to travel away,but am starting to think this dosnt help our away form

[richie17]

The better the team gets the better we'll be away, I'm sure. 

I really don't think it's any more complicated than that.   Hodgson built a good team but had an Italian mentality towards away games which I think cost us a bit.  Hughes would I'm sure have us winning away by now, and as Jol has pointed out, we don't really have that bad an away record this season anyway.

[Two Ton Ted]

If a professional footballer can't play to the best of his ability away from home due to the lack of visiting fans then he should reconsider his career choice.

[finnster01]

If a professional footballer can't play to the best of his ability away from home due to the lack of visiting fans then he should reconsider his career choice.

Agree with your sentiments Mr TTT, but it is a fact that most teams have a significantly larger win percentage at home which obviously is tied to fan support. A large and loud following on the road will make players give the added extra effort.

[BalDrick]

I am convinced there's something to this - we're perennially rubbish away (results-wise) and for almost all games, we bring hardly any fans - I absolutely refuse to believe those two facts aren't linked. It's a huge simplification to claim that's the only reason of course, but it is a reason. Our, thus far, only away win was at the ground of a team who always have very low numbers too - not a huge leap to connect the two is it? Continuing on the theme, thought we had a few pretty poor decisions given against us at the Stadium of Light, a ground which is always pretty close to full and quite noisy too.

[Two Ton Ted]

The biggest teams with the biggest fan base generally do well on the road. That's why they win trophies.

Our away record isn't that bad, certainly over the last 2 1/2 years. Maybe we don't do that well because we don't have the best players in the Premier League.

[richie17]

I am convinced there's something to this - we're perennially rubbish away (results-wise) and for almost all games, we bring hardly any fans - I absolutely refuse to believe those two facts aren't linked. It's a huge simplification to claim that's the only reason of course, but it is a reason. Our, thus far, only away win was at the ground of a team who always have very low numbers too - not a huge leap to connect the two is it? Continuing on the theme, thought we had a few pretty poor decisions given against us at the Stadium of Light, a ground which is always pretty close to full and quite noisy too.

alternatively, you could say that our away win was against the worst team in the league....

[NorthernWhite]

I follow us mainly away and whilst I do think big away support numbers help, most of our away wins have come when we've had a small following.

Wigan away this year, Stoke and Birmingham last year. Bolton and City the year before.

As good as the years under Hodgson were and as Rich aluded to above, we were very dull to watch away under Roy. We were more adventurous away under Hughes and we're starting to get that way under Jol. With some better finishing, we could/should have got something away at WBA and could have nicked a win late on against Sunderland even though they deserved to win more than us.

I've definitely seen more encouraging signs away from home of late. Just need to get that home form back again now....

[mullers]

Maybe there is something in this, but I get defensive when the away support is questioned. In around 15 years our home support has increased eightfold, so it's impossible to compare with other Premier League clubs. Also, sides like Everton, Newcastle,etc. have a large following in London whereas we're a club that really doesn't have nationwide support. And if Stuart Hall goes on about our lack of support on the radio it hardly helps, particularly as he seems unaware of the numbers Bolton, Blackburn and Wigan bring down to the Cottage.

[ImperialWhite]

Burnley, 2009-10 season. Outstanding away support, whatever the result. Which was, 17 times out of 19, a loss.

[BalDrick]

I am convinced there's something to this - we're perennially rubbish away (results-wise) and for almost all games, we bring hardly any fans - I absolutely refuse to believe those two facts aren't linked. It's a huge simplification to claim that's the only reason of course, but it is a reason. Our, thus far, only away win was at the ground of a team who always have very low numbers too - not a huge leap to connect the two is it? Continuing on the theme, thought we had a few pretty poor decisions given against us at the Stadium of Light, a ground which is always pretty close to full and quite noisy too.

alternatively, you could say that our away win was against the worst team in the league....

True enough! Though perhaps not quite as bad as Blackburn...

Maybe there is something in this, but I get defensive when the away support is questioned. In around 15 years our home support has increased eightfold, so it's impossible to compare with other Premier League clubs. Also, sides like Everton, Newcastle,etc. have a large following in London whereas we're a club that really doesn't have nationwide support. And if Stuart Hall goes on about our lack of support on the radio it hardly helps, particularly as he seems unaware of the numbers Bolton, Blackburn and Wigan bring down to the Cottage.

Not having a go at our support - god knows that size of fanbase argument is a dead end if ever there was one - but the OP is wondering whether there's a connection between out pretty poor points total on the road and the fact we don't bring many people. Of course there's an element of chicken and egg here.

For my money, I suspect it's one of the reasons, the fact that teams we're visiting knowing Fulham are poor on the road is another.

[Burt]

There must be a correlation here somewhere.

That said #1 - as has been pointed out, most of our rare away wins happen when we probably have a relatively small following.

That said #2 - our larger followings tend to be at the larger glamour clubs (ManU, Arsenal, etc) where we tend not to get a result anyway.

Not sure where I am going with this  :dft002:

I suppose the bottom line is that regardless of whether we have a few hundred or a few thousand, the mentality needs to be "we can win this" rather than "a draw will be good enough".

[SKSW6]

Wigan away this year, Stoke and Birmingham last year. Bolton and City the year before.

You didn't rate our following at Brum? I thought we took well over 1000, and us lot at the back didn't stop singing all game.

[mrska]

I cant undertand it really..  in my hey days of going away.. mid 80's to mid 90's we always travelled in good numbers..  it was very rare to have a poor turn out.  I suppose grounds were smaller...  but i always remember there be lots of us where ever we went. Trips down to the South Coast were the best in my opinion...  Brighton  Bournemouth Southampton Pompey.  Trips to Exeter and Plymouth were also well supported.

I probably only do 2 away games a year now..  a few of us are going to Norwich on New years Eve.. looking forward to that..

[Matt]

I go without expectation, for a good day out and to support the boys. I would never go because I don't like the ground or 'cause we are unlikely to get anything from it. Even if the togetherness is pretty good among the small numbers we take away I would lie if I said I don't want it do increase. At the moment it is embarrassing and in my opinion players get more motivated when playing in front of 1,000 away fans than 300-400. Just take yourselves as an example, if you read on here that many on here is up for it and going, you get more thrilled and motivated to go.

Then obviously Europe is one excuse this season. But hey, we took ~500 to Odense and ~500 to Krakow. Not big numbers that either. Holland will be the main event in the group with presumably 1,200 Whites. A lower number than many teams take away in the league.

I travel to see Fulham, not to see the opposing team or to experience the ground.

Not to offend anyone, just to ask the question: What would make you go to more away games?

[mrska]

For me its the expense and work commitments..  I do all the home games..  just cant justify going away more than once or twice a year.

[finnster01]

I go without expectation, for a good day out and to support the boys. I would never go because I don't like the ground or 'cause we are unlikely to get anything from it. Even if the togetherness is pretty good among the small numbers we take away I would lie if I said I don't want it do increase. At the moment it is embarrassing and in my opinion players get more motivated when playing in front of 1,000 away fans than 300-400. Just take yourselves as an example, if you read on here that many on here is up for it and going, you get more thrilled and motivated to go.

Then obviously Europe is one excuse this season. But hey, we took ~500 to Odense and ~500 to Krakow. Not big numbers that either. Holland will be the main event in the group with presumably 1,200 Whites. A lower number than many teams take away in the league.

I travel to see Fulham, not to see the opposing team or to experience the ground.

Not to offend anyone, just to ask the question: What would make you go to more away games?

There was a time I was as skint as a baby's arse and Fulham was my only pleasure in life, home or away (whenever I could drum up the dosh) Used to travel to most away games. Been at some very dodgy places and seen some strange stadia along the way. I think what you will find out Mr Matt, it is what Mr Ska says: Work, commitments, and kids etc. At least that will be the case for most of us older Fulham fans. It is not for the lack of will, it is all the other crap in life that makes it a bugger to sort out.

I wish I had the opportunity now, but commuting from New York is a little difficult at the moment...  :dft012:

[BalDrick]

But fans of all other clubs have those commitments too don't they? I know it's been done to death on boards but what is it stopping Fulham fans going to away games that isn't stopping fans of 19 (okay 18; Wigan don't travel in high numbers either) Prem clubs?

[finnster01]

How many times is it practical to hop on a train to go up north because that is where the lack of our travelling fan support is? It is a big difference if you live up there to arrange a trip to a nice part of London. If I was a Stoke fan and lived in Stoke I would be all over a trip to Fulham.

[Matt]

But fans of all other clubs have those commitments too don't they? I know it's been done to death on boards but what is it stopping Fulham fans going to away games that isn't stopping fans of 19 (okay 18; Wigan don't travel in high numbers either) Prem clubs?

Spot on, sir!

I go without expectation, for a good day out and to support the boys. I would never go because I don't like the ground or 'cause we are unlikely to get anything from it. Even if the togetherness is pretty good among the small numbers we take away I would lie if I said I don't want it do increase. At the moment it is embarrassing and in my opinion players get more motivated when playing in front of 1,000 away fans than 300-400. Just take yourselves as an example, if you read on here that many on here is up for it and going, you get more thrilled and motivated to go.

Then obviously Europe is one excuse this season. But hey, we took ~500 to Odense and ~500 to Krakow. Not big numbers that either. Holland will be the main event in the group with presumably 1,200 Whites. A lower number than many teams take away in the league.

I travel to see Fulham, not to see the opposing team or to experience the ground.

Not to offend anyone, just to ask the question: What would make you go to more away games?

There was a time I was as skint as a baby's arse and Fulham was my only pleasure in life, home or away (whenever I could drum up the dosh) Used to travel to most away games. Been at some very dodgy places and seen some strange stadia along the way. I think what you will find out Mr Matt, it is what Mr Ska says: Work, commitments, and kids etc. At least that will be the case for most of us older Fulham fans. It is not for the lack of will, it is all the other crap in life that makes it a bugger to sort out.

I wish I had the opportunity now, but commuting from New York is a little difficult at the moment...  :dft012:

Just as me at the moment!