Sorry but this really upsets me

[Riversider]

The club are offering free travel to Brighton, as apparently we can act as a 12th man ! If that's the case and a decent away support can play a big part in securing the points, why then do we continually shoot ourselves in the foot and allow our relegation rivals have over 4000 supporters at Craven Cottage !
The Club can't have it both ways it's either a big advantage or it's not !
In my book it makes an enormous difference and I don't think Craven Cottage will ever become a fortress again until we restrict away supporters and start to help ourselves  :dft007:

(Title edited by the Mods from Pi55 to Upsets me)

[MJG]

So lets say we restrict and then other clubs do the same when they have room. Its tit for tat stuff and in the end its fans who lose out.
At this level the club can make around 100K+ on seats alone if 4K turn up. Over a season away fans are accounting for around £1-2M per season to us. 10-15% of ticket income. We cant afford to throw that away.

And as I will always say, we win with a large away fan section at the cottage and we have lost when only 50 were there. Its not such a big deal.

[Dodger53]

I really think you have to get over  this, the players not turning up are the problem not the away support, we had a good turn out at Reading and the team didn't respond at all.

[BedsFFC]

The club are offering free travel to Brighton, as apparently we can act as a 12th man ! If that's the case and a decent away support can play a big part in securing the points, why then do we continually shoot ourselves in the foot and allow our relegation rivals have over 4000 supporters at Craven Cottage !
The Club can't have it both ways it's either a big advantage or it's not !
In my book it makes an enormous difference and I don't think Craven Cottage will ever become a fortress again until we restrict away supporters and start to help ourselves  :dft007:

You know, you have just given me a great idea. I concur with you by the way. I know the argument against is finances but I reckon it costs us 6-8 points a season and why have we still got the neutral section that allows even more away fans in?

Ok, my idea. I have always thought the ends are the wrong way round. The players come in at the Putney End, our iconic structure is at the Putney End and it would seem the acoustics are better.

If we make the PE the home end there will be many fans who, on principle, will stay at the Hammersmith End. Great. Having vocal fans at both ends can only help can't it? 12th man and all that...

[MJG]

The club are offering free travel to Brighton, as apparently we can act as a 12th man ! If that's the case and a decent away support can play a big part in securing the points, why then do we continually shoot ourselves in the foot and allow our relegation rivals have over 4000 supporters at Craven Cottage !
The Club can't have it both ways it's either a big advantage or it's not !
In my book it makes an enormous difference and I don't think Craven Cottage will ever become a fortress again until we restrict away supporters and start to help ourselves  :dft007:

You know, you have just given me a great idea. I concur with you by the way. I know the argument against is finances but I reckon it costs us 6-8 points a season and why have we still got the neutral section that allows even more away fans in?

Ok, my idea. I have always thought the ends are the wrong way round. The players come in at the Putney End, our iconic structure is at the Putney End and it would seem the acoustics are better.

If we make the PE the home end there will be many fans who, on principle, will stay at the Hammersmith End. Great. Having vocal fans at both ends can only help can't it? 12th man and all that...

So where do the away fans go?

Also the Putney end is smaller by about 500 I think

[Lighthouse]

Not really connected but I well remember being at the Goldstone hunched against the wind. We were a goal down and being pasted. Then a shock equaliser at the end. Standing on the side surrounded by Brighton supporters I couldn't help but fling my arms up. However I was joined by about fifty others all around me.

A brighton fan swore and yelled ' that's where they've been'.

Ah the good old days.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

if they want the fans to be the 12th man, they need to make sure the 11 men play like they deserve to wear the shirt.

[BestOfBrede]

The club are offering free travel to Brighton, as apparently we can act as a 12th man ! If that's the case and a decent away support can play a big part in securing the points, why then do we continually shoot ourselves in the foot and allow our relegation rivals have over 4000 supporters at Craven Cottage !
The Club can't have it both ways it's either a big advantage or it's not !
In my book it makes an enormous difference and I don't think Craven Cottage will ever become a fortress again until we restrict away supporters and start to help ourselves  :dft007:

You know, you have just given me a great idea. I concur with you by the way. I know the argument against is finances but I reckon it costs us 6-8 points a season and why have we still got the neutral section that allows even more away fans in?

Ok, my idea. I have always thought the ends are the wrong way round. The players come in at the Putney End, our iconic structure is at the Putney End and it would seem the acoustics are better.

If we make the PE the home end there will be many fans who, on principle, will stay at the Hammersmith End. Great. Having vocal fans at both ends can only help can't it? 12th man and all that...

So where do the away fans go?

Also the Putney end is smaller by about 500 I think

Stick them in a side somewhere - like they do to us at many grounds.

[MJG]

The club are offering free travel to Brighton, as apparently we can act as a 12th man ! If that's the case and a decent away support can play a big part in securing the points, why then do we continually shoot ourselves in the foot and allow our relegation rivals have over 4000 supporters at Craven Cottage !
The Club can't have it both ways it's either a big advantage or it's not !
In my book it makes an enormous difference and I don't think Craven Cottage will ever become a fortress again until we restrict away supporters and start to help ourselves  :dft007:

You know, you have just given me a great idea. I concur with you by the way. I know the argument against is finances but I reckon it costs us 6-8 points a season and why have we still got the neutral section that allows even more away fans in?

Ok, my idea. I have always thought the ends are the wrong way round. The players come in at the Putney End, our iconic structure is at the Putney End and it would seem the acoustics are better.

If we make the PE the home end there will be many fans who, on principle, will stay at the Hammersmith End. Great. Having vocal fans at both ends can only help can't it? 12th man and all that...

So where do the away fans go?

Also the Putney end is smaller by about 500 I think

Stick them in a side somewhere - like they do to us at many grounds.

So you would have them in the JH stand or riverside then?
Out of interest would you put a max number of spaces?

[Neil D]

Away support is a key element of a good match atmosphere.  If they out-sing the home support, then that's our problem - not theirs.  Also, as MJG has already posted, it will merely encourage other clubs to respond in a similar manner and that is a slippery slope to home support only matches.

[FulhamStu]

Put the away fans by the river in the Hammersmith end ?

[MJG]

Also it should never be underestimated how many of the 'away' fans of these clubs at the cottage actually are based in London and South East. Same at most London clubs.

[Mince n Tatties]

It all adds up to a better atmosphere.
Helps or should do our players as well.
Rather see Putney End full than empty.Up to us
to out shout them.

[BedsFFC]

The club are offering free travel to Brighton, as apparently we can act as a 12th man ! If that's the case and a decent away support can play a big part in securing the points, why then do we continually shoot ourselves in the foot and allow our relegation rivals have over 4000 supporters at Craven Cottage !
The Club can't have it both ways it's either a big advantage or it's not !
In my book it makes an enormous difference and I don't think Craven Cottage will ever become a fortress again until we restrict away supporters and start to help ourselves  :dft007:

You know, you have just given me a great idea. I concur with you by the way. I know the argument against is finances but I reckon it costs us 6-8 points a season and why have we still got the neutral section that allows even more away fans in?

Ok, my idea. I have always thought the ends are the wrong way round. The players come in at the Putney End, our iconic structure is at the Putney End and it would seem the acoustics are better.

If we make the PE the home end there will be many fans who, on principle, will stay at the Hammersmith End. Great. Having vocal fans at both ends can only help can't it? 12th man and all that...

So where do the away fans go?

Also the Putney end is smaller by about 500 I think

Club shop?

[bill taylors apprentice]

I only have a problem with the massed away fans when our team have had their noses rubbed in it and by association us the home fans as well.

Unfortunately its happened on a regular basis for quite some time now but money talks and business is business.

That's the situation we find ourselves in, home fans can't fill the ground and away fans see a visit to the cottage as a good day out!

[Logicalman]

if they want the fans to be the 12th man, they need to make sure the 11 men play like they deserve to wear the shirt.

Rightly said, not so much the 12th man, as the 12th thru 22nd men, as the first 11 seem to be mia too many times.

[copthornemike]

I have a great deal of sympathy with the views of the OP - I had similar thoughts after the Bristol City match when they score a last minute winner behind the massed ranks of away supporters.

However I also recall our matches, particulary under Woy and Hughes, when there were even more away supporters but the Cottage was often a fortress.

The simple fact is that as long as we are not getting wins at home the away support are an easy and understandable target for the poor performances. In reality it is a weak excuse, they just make the end result so much more depressing.

At the moment both the management and players are the real problem - but as supporters our support can help. Let's be the solution - not part of the problem.   

[Burt]

Would this be an issue if we were playing well and challenging the top?

I think it's a red herring and only an issue because we are soooo bad at the moment...

[Blanco]

I've always thought a large away following is good for the general atmosphere. On the other hand, filling up half of the putney end with away fans can be awfully encouraging for the away players.

[Chutney]

if they want the fans to be the 12th man, they need to make sure the 11 men play like they deserve to wear the shirt.

THIS.