Yet attendances have gone from less than 20k to 40k plus since the 90s. Logically that should not have happened.Happened because Bob Murray stood still while John Hall went all guns blazing. He was short sighted not seeing how the premier league was going to rocket! John Hall was right on the ball.
Consequently for us, lost generations off support.
I am. Navy vet?
Good lad, bet you can't tell which service I was in. Respect, and sleep well mate.
Dads Army?
RAF, 17(f) Sqn liney. We were allowed to retain the (f) as we were the last remaining squadron to have fought in the Battle of Britain.Dads Army?
Last time I was up home there was 2 buses running from the Demi to SOL
Without Murray we would have been left behind. The share issue was a game changer. If anything, he allowed Reid too much money at the finish. Cowie and McMenemy did more damage than Murray.
Our biggest crowds, relative to English football and our position in the game's pecking order, were undoubtedly in Alan Brown's first spell in charge.
Fecking crabs, I was FAA.
incorrectAnd the ones in Consett and Stanley can fuck right off as well…..absolute f***ing try hards, virtually none of the fuckers go to/have ever gone to the games.
Nearly all 1992 ers or attracted back by the recent Saudi takeover
Murray’s 5 relegations (particularly the 19 and 15 point debacles) probably did long-term damage to the SAFC support/allegiance base that it has never properly recovered from.Happened because Bob Murray stood still while John Hall went all guns blazing. He was short sighted not seeing how the premier league was going to rocket! John Hall was right on the ball.
Consequently for us, lost generations off support.
Mags have grown more relatively because they've had more success ultimately. More disposable income in their fan base generally when comparing the cities but I think SAFC have always been more conservative on ticket prices than perhaps they needed to be. I remember Murray cutting them way back when there was no need really. Mags more ruthless thslan us on that side of things. Although still had to give away 10000 season tickets not so long back.
Yes. That was extremely damaging. It made the club look ridiculous. We went from 7th to 17th then rock bottom. Unforgivably we did it again on promotion.
In fairness Murray getting us the SOL provided us the potential and foundations to be one of the finest clubs in the land, we just haven't realised it yet. Reading his autobiography was quite interesting, the Nissan move was all set to go ahead, but I am delighted it did not. Naturally its all his version of events but I do think on balance he is the best owner we have had in anyone's living memory, albeit the best of a bad bunch. Our gates at the moment are actually historically above what we usually get in the second tier, though post-COVID most clubs in the land get better crowds.
As he himself points out, from the top 20 richest clubs in the world to relegation so quickly, much like 2015 - 2017. He blames Reid's foreign transfer dealings more than anything else.
RAF Naval reserveFecking crabs, I was FAA.
. Was thinking about Fairey Fulmars, probably a bit before your time! Interestingly enough, there is a ex-RAF Cpl who lives in Crook & he's 102 now, started his carrear on Hawker Hinds, then Fairey Battles. When the RAF found out how crap they were, he was posted to South Africa for the remainder of the war and "fought" the Italians. He said everytime the saw a British aircraft they scarpered, in 3 years barely any shots were fired. I had the honour to have a cuppa with him last year (lives next door to my hairdresser/ahem barber). I'm going up there tomorrow afternoon, I hope he's still around as I'll have another cuppa with him
Stanley nearer to Saudi Park..other bits of north west durham too......although proximity might not matter as much when supporting a team as it once did.
Class, good luck mate.RAF Naval reserve
