St Mirren V Partick Thistle Scottish Cup Friday 8/1/15

[div]

They always do. I can't think of anything other than a large Partick Thistle travelling support.at our place(s) for a very long time, no matter the fixture.

Added to that, they've been on a nice unbeaten run, and now have a very winnable, nearby cup tie against opposition who've been mainly rancid all season at a lower level.

It's the sort of tie I grew up watching Saints take huge travelling supports to when the boot was on the other foot.

Sure, but the point I'm making is that this is the largest travelling support they have brought to the new stadium, ever. And that is on a Friday night in January, even more than on a balmy Saturday afternoon in August when they had just been promoted.

Yes they are on a decent run just now, but they are still only 3 pts off the relegation play off place so they're hardly high flying.

If our fans are staying away because we have shite home form then that's a totally different argument to what we're seeing here which is one of;

1) It's too dear

2) It's on the wrong day

3) It's cold

4) It's at the wrong time

Thistle fans are up for this more than we are, and that's a shame.

[bluto]

Tried getting on a bus in London at any point over the last couple of years?

Like it or not, the world is moving away from cash. Most legitimate business don't like it they prefer everything to be done digitally/automatically.

I do see your point to a certain extent, but I do also forget just how long it took to get in to St Mirren Park in the 70s and 80s when season ticket holders were in the minority and 'people just walked up and paid cash'.

Countless times I remember thinking "wow, must be a huge crowd today" only to get in and realise the huge queues outside were because everyone turned up at 2.55 - and everyone had to pay in cash and get their change.

The good old days sometimes weren't as good as memory colours them.

Black and White. Always.

[div]

Cause we are f**king shite?

It was a ridiculous decision to play this tonight, and the daft early bird discount thing compounded that, for me anyway.

Would we not still have been f**king shite at 3pm tomorrow ?

[Drew]

Would we not still have been f**king shite at 3pm tomorrow ?

Quite possibly, but there was no clear reason for playing this game tonight. I had to Google the TV listings for a colleague who could not believe that live coverage wasn't the reason for this reschedule. If we want to encourage people to attend fitba matches (especially weans), the clubs need to consider what is most likely to achieve this.

Come Friday night, I'm usually knackered and want to sit back, open a bottle of wine, and chill out, in the knowledge that I have a game to look forward to at 3pm on Saturday (along with the vast majority of punters with teams in the draw). Perhaps I'm just old fashioned.

If my kids were still wee, would I be less likely to drag them out on a Friday night at 7.30pm in early January, than on a Saturday afternoon? Yes. Absolutely.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Drew

[div]

Quite possibly, but there was no clear reason for playing this game tonight. I had to Google the TV listings for a colleague who could not believe that live coverage wasn't the reason for this reschedule. If we want to encourage people to attend fitba matches (especially weans), the clubs need to consider what is most likely to achieve this.

Come Friday night, I'm usually knackered and want to sit back, open a bottle of wine, and chill out, in the knowledge that I have a game to look forward to at 3pm on Saturday (along with the vast majority of punters with teams in the draw). Perhaps I'm just old fashioned.

If my kids were still wee, would I be less likely to drag them out on a Friday night at 7.30pm in early January, than on a Saturday afternoon? Yes. Absolutely.

That's a different argument though mate. I asked why our fans aren't all over this whilst Thistle's are and you said it was because we were shite.

That's fair enough, but the kick off time and day has no effect on that at all.

The last point is certainly a good one, especially with regards the kids. My son isn't going tonight but he would have come at 3pm on a Saturday.

Still, for those who want to sit at home and open a bottle of wine and chill out in front of the fire there is always the option of Google Chrome, Hola & St.Mirren TV for only 7 Euros

[Dirty Sanchez]

Sure, but the point I'm making is that this is the largest travelling support they have brought to the new stadium, ever. And that is on a Friday night in January, even more than on a balmy Saturday afternoon in August when they had just been promoted.

Yes they are on a decent run just now, but they are still only 3 pts off the relegation play off place so they're hardly high flying.

If our fans are staying away because we have shite home form then that's a totally different argument to what we're seeing here which is one of;

1) It's too dear

2) It's on the wrong day

3) It's cold

4) It's at the wrong time

Thistle fans are up for this more than we are, and that's a shame.

Indeed. I'm not arguing, I'm just asserting the point that Partick Thistle always travel in numbers to us, irrespective of the fixture.

Although, I'd further suggest that they perhaps wouldn't be coming in tonight's numbers for a league fixture.

As I said, some of the biggest Saints travelling supports I've been part of have been in cup fixtures just like this one. I'm thinking of games at Kilbowie, Ayr, Kirkcaldy etc. I can also think of the likes of Thistle, Motherwell and Morton, e.g., bringing their largest ever travelling supports to us, since I've been a fan, again in cup games just like this one.

If they've indeed got cup fever and we haven't, it may be because we know our limitations now, and they might fancy a run at it. As we know, if you're a half decent Premier team and you get the breaks, you've got a chance to win cups.

Let's hope they haven't got cup fever tomorrow.

[pozbaird]

They've tried something a bit different and got some positive results. Thistle tickets especially have been selling like hot cakes.

If Tesco had an offer on for half price jaffa cakes - you've missed that offer, and have to pay full price, who's fault is it? Not everyone has money, that's a given, but you can't blame a company for pricing a product how they see fit. If you book a holiday early, it's usually cheaper - unless you get a last minute deal. If you're buying something and don't get the best deal due to your own timing of purchase, it's no ones fault but your own.

I'm not arguing against the club trying stuff to get positive results. I would argue though that in 'trying stuff' they should look at each game in which they try things on a case-to-case basis. For example, when we were in the top flight, an end-of-season dead rubber against a fellow bottom six side when relegation was decided already isn't the same as a dead-of-winter Scottish Cup tie against a top flight side who are relatively local.

Many times, the club cut pay-at-the-gate prices for those 'dead rubbers' and some ST holders asked 'what about us?'. I wasn't bothered as I thought my ST already was good value when you worked out the per' game cost.

However, what we have here is the dead-of-winter cup tie. An opportunity to cut the price? Absolutely. An opportunity to try a mixed section? Absolutely. An opportunity to actually play a game at 3pm on a Saturday when fans would travel to the game in daylight? Absolutely.

Div said in a previous post that some folk might be better placed for a Friday. I agree, but no more than some folk might be better placed for a Wednesday. My opinion, and it is just that, is that the people for whom Friday trumps Saturday will be far outnumbered by those for whom Saturday 3pm football trumps a Friday. Especially a Friday in winter, in what has been shit weather, when people are back at work. Would anyone hold an opinion that they think more football fans prefer a game on a Friday to a Saturday 3pm game?

I think a £12 - £15 adult ticket is fair enough - right up to kick off, as are mixed sections. Hell, they could even have trialed an 'unreserved ticket' for the game to keep BuddieinEK happy! However, do it at 3pm tomorrow when a lot of people have seen off their first week back at work and don't have to finish at 5-5.30pm, get home in the dark to wherever home is, get fed, showered, changed, and into the stadium in Paisley for a 7.30 kick off.

Edit: Tesco jaffa cakes are shit. McVities rool ya' bass!

Edited January 8, 2016 by pozbaird

[WeeBud]

I've always enjoyed football at night under the floodlights.

Some of my favourite games have been cup ties played at night in what seemed like wintry conditions.........Fulham, Feyenoord, Bristol City, Celtic, Motherwell (at the new ground) are games that spring easily to mind.

I understand it might not be for everyone but I am really looking forward to tonight

COYS

[Drew]

That's a different argument though mate. I asked why our fans aren't all over this whilst Thistle's are and you said it was because we were shite.

That's fair enough, but the kick off time and day has no effect on that at all.

The last point is certainly a good one, especially with regards the kids. My son isn't going tonight but he would have come at 3pm on a Saturday.

Still, for those who want to sit at home and open a bottle of wine and chill out in front of the fire there is always the option of Google Chrome, Hola & St.Mirren TV for only 7 Euros

Aye, I agree up to a point, but I do think that more people would turn up to watch shite tomorrow than will this evening.

[Drew]

I'm not arguing against the club trying stuff to get positive results. I would argue though that in 'trying stuff' they should look at each game in which they try things on a case-to-case basis. For example, when we were in the top flight, an end-of-season dead rubber against a fellow bottom six side when relegation was decided already isn't the same as a dead-of-winter Scottish Cup tie against a top flight side who are relatively local.

Many times, the club cut pay-at-the-gate prices for those 'dead rubbers' and some ST holders asked 'what about us?'. I wasn't bothered as I thought my ST already was good value when you worked out the per' game cost.

However, what we have here is the dead-of-winter cup tie. An opportunity to cut the price? Absolutely. An opportunity to try a mixed section? Absolutely? An opportunity to actually play a game at 3pm on a Saturday when fans would travel to the game in daylight? Absolutely.

Div said in a previous post that some folk might be better placed for a Friday. I agree, but no more than some folk might be better placed for a Wednesday. My opinion, and it is just that, is that the people for whom Friday trumps Saturday will be far outnumbered by those for whom Saturday 3pm football trumps a Friday. Especially a Friday in winter, in what has been shit weather, when people are back at work. Would anyone hold an opinion that they think more football fans prefer a game on a Friday to a Saturday 3pm game?

I think a £12 - £15 adult ticket is fair enough - right up to kick off, as are mixed sections. Tomorrow at 3pm when people have seen off their first week back at work and don't have to finish at 5-5.30pm, get home in the dark to wherever home is, get fed, showered, changed, and into the stadium in Paisley for a 7.30 kick off.

Spot on.

[leolovesstmfc]

I was not planning on going tonight don't like Friday football but am thinking about it now problem is don't have time to go to the ground and buy one can I buy a ticket tonight before the game?

[div]

I was not planning on going tonight don't like Friday football but am thinking about it now problem is don't have time to go to the ground and buy one can I buy a ticket tonight before the game?

Yes mate you can buy right up until kick off just as usual.

[Drew]

I was not planning on going tonight don't like Friday football but am thinking about it now problem is don't have time to go to the ground and buy one can I buy a ticket tonight before the game?

Aye, but remember it's £20 and we're shite *insert whistling.gif*

[div]

I'm not arguing against the club trying stuff to get positive results. I would argue though that in 'trying stuff' they should look at each game in which they try things on a case-to-case basis. For example, when we were in the top flight, an end-of-season dead rubber against a fellow bottom six side when relegation was decided already isn't the same as a dead-of-winter Scottish Cup tie against a top flight side who are relatively local.

Many times, the club cut pay-at-the-gate prices for those 'dead rubbers' and some ST holders asked 'what about us?'. I wasn't bothered as I thought my ST already was good value when you worked out the per' game cost.

However, what we have here is the dead-of-winter cup tie. An opportunity to cut the price? Absolutely. An opportunity to try a mixed section? Absolutely. An opportunity to actually play a game at 3pm on a Saturday when fans would travel to the game in daylight? Absolutely.

Div said in a previous post that some folk might be better placed for a Friday. I agree, but no more than some folk might be better placed for a Wednesday. My opinion, and it is just that, is that the people for whom Friday trumps Saturday will be far outnumbered by those for whom Saturday 3pm football trumps a Friday. Especially a Friday in winter, in what has been shit weather, when people are back at work. Would anyone hold an opinion that they think more football fans prefer a game on a Friday to a Saturday 3pm game?

I think a £12 - £15 adult ticket is fair enough - right up to kick off, as are mixed sections. Hell, they could even have trialed an 'unreserved ticket' for the game to keep BuddieinEK happy! However, do it at 3pm tomorrow when people have seen off their first week back at work and don't have to finish at 5-5.30pm, get home in the dark to wherever home is, get fed, showered, changed, and into the stadium in Paisley for a 7.30 kick off.

Don't really disagree with most of that Poz, but the weather will be shit tomorrow same as it will be shit tonight. It's January, it's Scotland. That's life unfortunately.

People will still be skint tomorrow same as they are skint today, that's also just life in January.

Rest of the post, aye, fair.

[DougJamie]

Fed up saying we will win at home, cause its becoming a pub trivia quiz question when we last won a game at home. 4-0 Thistle and I hope as usual I am wrong

[Froggie]

Pretty lively debate today with views expressed from those who are happy to accept the current situation and , like me, those who are not.

Unfortunately for me, it seems that the people who run our club have made the decision about pricing/tickets/advance booking etc and appear not to be willing to alter things. In which case, as a Saints fan for decades and one who has the club at heart, I am likely to be one of those many thousands over the years who will be excluded from the game in future.

Maybe, given that the fare on offer has been pathetic for a long time now, it will be easier to accept that the once weekly trip to the match will be a distant memory. Its certainly very easy to get used to not attending these days !

Good luck to those who are prepared to be hectored by the footballing authorities regarding times ,dates, prices, where you must sit etc, I am not prepared to kow-tow I`m afraid.

[Kirkie]

That's a different argument though mate. I asked why our fans aren't all over this whilst Thistle's are and you said it was because we were shite.

That's fair enough, but the kick off time and day has no effect on that at all.

The last point is certainly a good one, especially with regards the kids. My son isn't going tonight but he would have come at 3pm on a Saturday.

Still, for those who want to sit at home and open a bottle of wine and chill out in front of the fire there is always the option of Google Chrome, Hola & St.Mirren TV for only 7 Euros

My son is going because it gets him out of swimming training! On a Saturday afternoon, he might have found something more enjoyable to do!!

[pozbaird]

Don't really disagree with most of that Poz, but the weather will be shit tomorrow same as it will be shit tonight. It's January, it's Scotland. That's life unfortunately.

People will still be skint tomorrow same as they are skint today, that's also just life in January.

Rest of the post, aye, fair.

Actually Div, it appears to be a cold winter's evening with no wind - which is good for football in a Scottish winter. Tomorrow could be wet, blowing a gale, and horrible for fans and players... but that is in the lap of the Gods. The clubs have no control over the weather. Adidas Sambas ya' bass.

We already lose too many games from 3pm Saturday for Sky, BT Sport or BBC SheepShagger.

I wonder, if anyone's favourite band was playing the Hydro on a Friday and Saturday, how many of the 15,000 crowd would have an easier journey to the gig on the Friday.

Edited January 8, 2016 by pozbaird

[WeeBud]

Pretty lively debate today with views expressed from those who are happy to accept the current situation and , like me, those who are not.

Unfortunately for me, it seems that the people who run our club have made the decision about pricing/tickets/advance booking etc and appear not to be willing to alter things. In which case, as a Saints fan for decades and one who has the club at heart, I am likely to be one of those many thousands over the years who will be excluded from the game in future.

Maybe, given that the fare on offer has been pathetic for a long time now, it will be easier to accept that the once weekly trip to the match will be a distant memory. Its certainly very easy to get used to not attending these days !

Good luck to those who are prepared to be hectored by the footballing authorities regarding times ,dates, prices, where you must sit etc, I am not prepared to kow-tow I`m afraid.

From everything else you've said I thought it was the fact that they "have" done the bits in bold that were causing your disquiet!!

[windae cleaner]

It was but it's a police issue regarding all-ticket at St Mirren!!

No it's not

Plenty of games not featuring St Mirren at Greenhill Rd have been pay at the gate

[pozbaird]

Aye, but remember it's £20 and we're shite *insert whistling.gif*

Should try a scheme at St Mirren Park where entry is £15, but if you chuck it and storm out in disgust with over twenty minutes to go, you have to pay £5 to be allowed out, otherwise get back to your seat and suffer with everyone else.

I call it 'trying things'. Cannae' hurt.

[Kendo]

Why aren't our fans wanting to do the same ?

The reason for me and all the season ticket holders that I usually go along with for not going has nothing to do with Friday night or price but everything to do with failing to win at home all season coupled to the 4-1 humiliation and ruined Boxing Day.

That made my mind up, I'm giving them no more money until I see the players giving a toss. Oh and we still have the same players.

[bigjerseybuddie]

All you people debating the pricing structure should stop and think of us so far away that we can't go due to distance. Sob sob.

Maybe we should start another thread criticising St Mirren for being far away!

To make a comparison, when flying up the road I have occasionally missed the early booking price offers and had to buy a more expensive ticket closer to my departure date. When I've boarded the plane it can be as much as half empty and I've often thought that their empty seats must be costly as they would have more chance of filling them if they kept the price at the early offer. Not dissimilar to the argument on here. Maybe some smarty can explain why businesses do this. Even if the seat is filled for just £1 it's still better than it being empty.

Wish I could be there tonight as I love Scottish cup games. Usually a different atmosphere and we sometimes pull a result out just when we're not expected to.

[pozbaird]

All you people debating the pricing structure should stop and think of us so far away that we can't go due to distance. Sob sob.

Maybe we should start another thread criticising St Mirren for being far away!

To make a comparison, when flying up the road I have occasionally missed the early booking price offers and had to buy a more expensive ticket closer to my departure date. When I've boarded the plane it can be as much as half empty and I've often thought that their empty seats must be costly as they would have more chance of filling them if they kept the price at the early offer. Not dissimilar to the argument on here. Maybe some smarty can explain why businesses do this. Even if the seat is filled for just £1 it's still better than it being empty.

Wish I could be there tonight as I love Scottish cup games. Usually a different atmosphere and we sometimes pull a result out just when we're not expected to.

I do think of St Mirren fans who live so far away they can't go to games. Lucky basturts.

[BIG BEN]

Cup tie. Friday night football under the floodlights. Big away support. Hopefully a big home support too Looking forward forward to tonight. COYS