Lime Tree Heros

Really!!! He was at the club for about six weeks and played in 7 games (albeit scoring 7 goals). Think you've found a different definition of 'club legend' to the one I proscribe to.

Absolutely spot on, by not making provision for fans to meet up and have a beer / watch a game on the telly in the ground, we are literally waving goodbye to thousands of £s and watching it spent in local pubs.

Purely personal opinion, but I don't agree with erecting statues to people whilst their still alive. All comes across as a bit cringe to me.

Absolutely not - this would be the worst possible option and just cause confusion. I suspect the cause of folk's 'confusion' maybe that they don't understand what 'The Last Post' actually is. Traditionally it was a bugle call to mark the end of the military day. In remembrance ceremonies and military funerals it is played to respect the final end of the soldier's service. Once complete The Last Post is then followed by a period of silence giving attendees opportunity for silent reflection on the life and service of the soldier in question. The order of things is the same everywhere. It's not hard to understand. It's a couple of minutes silence a year - it's not too much to ask is it?

But we've not got the week 'off', we're still playing, albeit in the Cup.

Are we not bothering with the FA Cup this season then? 3rd Round is scheduled for 10th January. Are you ITK?

Regardless of the 'actual' number of tickets sold, which given the way they go on and off sale, is becoming impossible to tell. I think the attendance tonight will be announced as something like 30013. Which'll generate a huge feel good factor and allow the Administrators to engage in the next round of 'fan love' and create hype around tickets for the Derby. Well, that's what I'd do...

I agree - and that will be our highest midweek 'routine' league attendance for 10 years (could be more, but couldn't be bothered to check). That would be brilliant.

I do wish folk would stop focusing on what fans haven't done (number of tickets unsold) rather than focusing on what they've actually done (number of tickets sold). In the last 10 years we've not had an attendance of over 30k for a 'routine' league midweek match (a Tuesday or Wednesday, not a Bank Holiday and not over Christmas), our highest has been 28,516 v Norwich in April '24. Whilst mathematically it's easily achievable; because we have so few 'routine' midweek league games (we've 4, played & scheduled this season and this is our 2nd), it's difficult to draw meaningful conclusions from the attendance figures, due to the individual particulars of each match (opposition). Looking at the last 3 seasons 'routine' midweek matches are averaging 23,351 with a high of 28,516 but never falling below 21k. We've also to bear in mind the effect of the boycott; those with commitments to others may well have already made other arrangements for Wednesday and can't simply cancel and go to watch the match (I could try, but - sorry can't go with you, our daughter and the grandchildren as arranged, to bonfire night, I'm taking a half day holiday from work and driving to Hillsborough for football, but don't worry I should be home by 2:30 am - promise not to wake you when I come in - I don't think will really wash). So what's a 'good' attendance on Wednesday? Below 21k would be really disappointing. Below average - 23,351 would be disappointing 23k - would be average or 'standard'. 24k - 25k - would be good 25k to 27,631 - would be really good 27,631+ - excellent - best for 10 years 30k+ - stunning I'm hoping and expecting it to be above 27,631 - the best for 10 years (and it's probably a lot longer, I just couldn't be bothered to look back further) and we should celebrate it as such.

Whilst Norwich's support could be bigger, fair play to those coming - Sheffield to Norwich is a horrible journey, they'll be doing well to be back home and indoors by 1:30.

Was thinking about 'new' stadiums I'd been in, that I liked and plumbed for the Ajax Arena. Just checked the capacity (55k so should be fine for us) and was shocked to find out it's nearly 30 years old! Just shows how far behind the times Hillsborough is.

Whilst we love it, it is worth remembering how old the stands are at Hillsborough; true, they've all been renovated / added to over the years; but this is when they were built: North - 1961, Kop - 1914, South - 1915 (extended 1995) & Lepp - 1965. If Hillsborough were to be renovated, 'stand by stand' you're realistically looking at 2 years minimum per stand - each stand would need total removal and replacement and whilst Hillsborough may feel 'big' to us as a building site for construction of this size it is incredibly small and confined, especially since the other 3 stands and pitch would need to be fully operational. Personally (having run major refurbishment projects where the site remained in public use during the works) this is a non starter; put simply, too expensive and takes too long compared to a new build on a 'clean' site. Whilst the World Cup plans were nice, they were nice in 2009, that's 16 years ago. Technology and regulations progress quickly in the construction industry, so it would need to be a total redesign. If Hillsborough were anything other than a football stadium, every Architect, Surveyor or Contractor would tell you - knock it down and start again. It's our emotional attachment as fans, that prevents some of us from accepting that. The issues with the North Stand safety certificate last summer, illustrate how 'tired' the stadium really is. So, to me, there's really only 2 options. 1 - stay at Hillsborough for ~ 2 years (whilst designs are made and permissions sought) groundshare elsewhere for ~3 years whilst Hillsborough is demolished and rebuilt on the existing site. Or 2 - stay at Hillsborough for ~6 years (whilst land is sought and bought, designs are made and permissions sought ~3 years, then building a new stadium on a 'clean' site ~3 years). But... If you go for no. 2 everybody says 'where's the new site?' - and that affects how they answer the question. Given the lack of renewal / major upgrading of Hillsborough over the last 50 years we are were we are now, and I think this question will need addressing in the near future. I just hope as a fanbase we can all accept what is decided and understand that there will be many that would prefer a different solution to the one you want and will be upset about it. Afterall - the world would be a very boring place if we all thought the same.

That was 40 odd years ago though, and we've played them relatively peacefully numerous times since. My observation is that given the last time Gers fans were in the stadium they caused 1,000's of £ worth of damage, I wouldn't be inviting them back any time soon. Just as if fans of a league club caused similar damage at Hillsborough, then I'd give them the bare minimum ticket allocation for the next 5 seasons, and provide additional stewards and police for those matches. I'm not trying to be controversial, but if a fanbase has caused such severe damage in our stadium, I don't really want them back.

My original observation stands then - for me, given the damage they caused last time - no thanks. Once bitten, twice shy and all that...

That is a very good idea. But I wonder if it would fall foul of the Saturday 3pm TV blackout? Maybe we could negotiate a special exemption whereby we only sold beamback tickets after we had sold out our away allocation.