Attendence 1690

[Quakerz]

Dunno, I never watch Premier League matches.

[wylam_rangers]

Dunno, I never watch Premier League matches.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (even though I agree)

[AndyPark]

What I don't get is these so called "fans" claiming they are a fan of the club. Yet, when it comes to matchday they don't show up and make up some shoddy excuse not to attend.
i/e; Bad experiences of before. What excuse is that? Fook the past, we have got to look towards the frigging future otherwise we won't have a fooking club to follow.

If you was a true Darlington fan, and live in and around Darlington, then you'd be there on a Saturday afternoon/Tuesday evening regardless.
Nothing thrilled me more knowing that come the weekend, I could be going to the Arena or around the country following Darlington. If I was still in Darlington, I would be there week in and week out, like I have done for 10 or so years.

So get off your lazy fooking arses and get to the arena and support your fooking "team". We have a good owner in Raj, decent management set-up. We now just need the fanbase to be upped once again then I am sure the players will raise their game by playing in front of a bigger gate and will perform.

So what will your excuse be for not attending against Hayes & Yeading. I am going to come up for the game, providing I don't move into my new house before the enda the week. No excuses, be there.

[DL5]

What I don't get is these so called "fans" claiming they are a fan of the club. Yet, when it comes to matchday they don't show up and make up some shoddy excuse not to attend.
i/e; Bad experiences of before. What excuse is that? Fook the past, we have got to look towards the frigging future otherwise we won't have a fooking club to follow.

If you was a true Darlington fan, and live in and around Darlington, then you'd be there on a Saturday afternoon/Tuesday evening regardless.
Nothing thrilled me more knowing that come the weekend, I could be going to the Arena or around the country following Darlington. If I was still in Darlington, I would be there week in and week out, like I have done for 10 or so years.

So get off your lazy fooking arses and get to the arena and support your fooking "team". We have a good owner in Raj, decent management set-up. We now just need the fanbase to be upped once again then I am sure the players will raise their game by playing in front of a bigger gate and will perform.

So what will your excuse be for not attending against Hayes & Yeading. I am going to come up for the game, providing I don't move into my new house before the enda the week. No excuses, be there.

I'll be on a 1 till 10 thanks for asking Andy.

[AndyPark]

I wasn't implying this about people who have to work. It's more for the people who sit on this messageboard and give the team s*** when they don't attend, for people who say their gunna go and simply; but they just make an excuse not to attend.

I can understand people have to work and can't swap shifts etc. But if we carry on the way we are, we won't have a club in the next 5 years.

[Bovver Boots]

I wasn't implying this about people who have to work. It's more for the people who sit on this messageboard and give the team s*** when they don't attend, for people who say their gunna go and simply; but they just make an excuse not to attend.

I can understand people have to work and can't swap shifts etc. But if we carry on the way we are, we won't have a club in the next 5 years.

How about the fact that the standard of football isn't worth £1.80 never mind 18 fooking quid.

[number_one]

What I don't get is these so called "fans" claiming they are a fan of the club. Yet, when it comes to matchday they don't show up and make up some shoddy excuse not to attend.
i/e; Bad experiences of before. What excuse is that? Fook the past, we have got to look towards the frigging future otherwise we won't have a fooking club to follow.

If you was a true Darlington fan, and live in and around Darlington, then you'd be there on a Saturday afternoon/Tuesday evening regardless.
Nothing thrilled me more knowing that come the weekend, I could be going to the Arena or around the country following Darlington. If I was still in Darlington, I would be there week in and week out, like I have done for 10 or so years.

So get off your lazy fooking arses and get to the arena and support your fooking "team". We have a good owner in Raj, decent management set-up. We now just need the fanbase to be upped once again then I am sure the players will raise their game by playing in front of a bigger gate and will perform.

So what will your excuse be for not attending against Hayes & Yeading. I am going to come up for the game, providing I don't move into my new house before the enda the week. No excuses, be there.

Nice one ballbag, laying into people will make them really want to come to a match, we know how committed you are Andy, hell you would walk a thousand miles to a Darlington match, if you could make the ten fooking miles first.

If nothing thrills you more than going to the Arena then I realise I am wasting my time actually thinking about replying to you.

[quaker4life]

What I don't get is these so called "fans" claiming they are a fan of the club. Yet, when it comes to matchday they don't show up and make up some shoddy excuse not to attend.
i/e; Bad experiences of before. What excuse is that? Fook the past, we have got to look towards the frigging future otherwise we won't have a fooking club to follow.

If you was a true Darlington fan, and live in and around Darlington, then you'd be there on a Saturday afternoon/Tuesday evening regardless.
Nothing thrilled me more knowing that come the weekend, I could be going to the Arena or around the country following Darlington. If I was still in Darlington, I would be there week in and week out, like I have done for 10 or so years.

So get off your lazy fooking arses and get to the arena and support your fooking "team". We have a good owner in Raj, decent management set-up. We now just need the fanbase to be upped once again then I am sure the players will raise their game by playing in front of a bigger gate and will perform.

So what will your excuse be for not attending against Hayes & Yeading. I am going to come up for the game, providing I don't move into my new house before the enda the week. No excuses, be there.

Nice one ballbag, laying into people will make them really want to come to a match, we know how committed you are Andy, hell you would walk a thousand miles to a Darlington match, if you could make the ten fooking miles first.

If nothing thrills you more than going to the Arena then I realise I am wasting my time actually thinking about replying to you.

I think it's frustration to be fair number_one.

[wylam_rangers]

Number one, bovver boots and Q 4L are not supporters - they are gloryhunters who only want instant success. Supporting Darlo is a lifetime rollercoaster where the downs are steeper than the ups.

If you are a true supporter you never want to get off no matter how sick you are feeling.

[number_one]

Gloryhunter? christ I've heard it all now....though I agree with the latter part of your post, far to few understand that DFC will be consistently shite with a few highlights here and there, sadly one is not due for a while after the good run under Penney, which incidentally more fans whinged about than now.

[quaker4life]

Number one, bovver boots and Q 4L are not supporters - they are gloryhunters who only want instant success. Supporting Darlo is a lifetime rollercoaster where the downs are steeper than the ups.

If you are a true supporter you never want to get off no matter how sick you are feeling.

Bovver Boots is a poolie numb nuts.

[Mullet69]

Number one, bovver boots and Q 4L are not supporters - they are gloryhunters who only want instant success. Supporting Darlo is a lifetime rollercoaster where the downs are steeper than the ups.

If you are a true supporter you never want to get off no matter how sick you are feeling.

And you are a complete numpty. All this bollokcs about true supporters/gloryhunters etc, it's just shite. Half of this thread criticises those who don't attend, but then you come on claiming certain people are just glory hunters. What the fuck do you want? Numbers on the gate or only the die hards - cos you don't get both.

It's actually really dull watching Darlo at the moment (100% duller than last season IMO), and obviously has been for the most part of the last few years. I think Hawkeye mentioned earlier about being bored at the game - I felt like that at Bath, it was a desperate football match, devoid of any single talking point until the 94th minute, it was horrible to watch. York was an improvement, though not by much. I don't go to the football to be "entertained" as such, but Bath was really the first time I felt like I was a neutral watching a Sunday afternoon park match, possibly the first time I genuinely questioned how much I enjoy it nowadays.

As for not attending every week, I live over 50 miles away, play golf a lot (it's a damn sight more rewarding as I'm quite good at it) and prefer away games. I've spent a vast portion of my life following Darlo, in good times and bad, rain and sun, but I think I've reached a point in my life where I don't feel that the football is compulsory any more. I don't watch as much on telly, and am strongly veering towards Rugby League and Golf. That said, I will always watch Darlo, as much as the urge dictates - I don't ever want it to become a chore, something I have to do just because someone will call me names if I don't.

The above is probably not an acceptable excuse/reason, but it's the best I can offer and I cannot justify the effort/sacrifices and £23 (£5 parking) for home games week in week out.

[quaker4life]

Number one, bovver boots and Q 4L are not supporters - they are gloryhunters who only want instant success. Supporting Darlo is a lifetime rollercoaster where the downs are steeper than the ups.

If you are a true supporter you never want to get off no matter how sick you are feeling.

And you are a complete numpty. All this bollokcs about true supporters/gloryhunters etc, it's just sh**e. Half of this thread criticises those who don't attend, but then you come on claiming certain people are just glory hunters. What the f*** do you want? Numbers on the gate or only the die hards - cos you don't get both.

It's actually really dull watching Darlo at the moment (100% duller than last season IMO), and obviously has been for the most part of the last few years. I think Hawkeye mentioned earlier about being bored at the game - I felt like that at Bath, it was a desperate football match, devoid of any single talking point until the 94th minute, it was horrible to watch. York was an improvement, though not by much. I don't go to the football to be "entertained" as such, but Bath was really the first time I felt like I was a neutral watching a Sunday afternoon park match, possibly the first time I genuinely questioned how much I enjoy it nowadays.

As for not attending every week, I live over 50 miles away, play golf a lot (it's a damn sight more rewarding as I'm quite good at it) and prefer away games. I've spent a vast portion of my life following Darlo, in good times and bad, rain and sun, but I think I've reached a point in my life where I don't feel that the football is compulsory any more. I don't watch as much on telly, and am strongly veering towards Rugby League and Golf. That said, I will always watch Darlo, as much as the urge dictates - I don't ever want it to become a chore, something I have to do just because someone will call me names if I don't.

The above is probably not an acceptable excuse/reason, but it's the best I can offer and I cannot justify the effort/sacrifices and £23 (£5 parking) for home games week in week out.

Take note Wylam ^^

[AndyPark]

Nice one ballbag, laying into people will make them really want to come to a match, we know how committed you are Andy, hell you would walk a thousand miles to a Darlington match, if you could make the ten fooking miles first.

If nothing thrills you more than going to the Arena then I realise I am wasting my time actually thinking about replying to you.

So you don't attend regularly then I guess. We all need to unite together and get behind our frigging team.

[ambiente]

Some interesting points here. I don't fully know what it is, although the "its boring" resonates with me at present, but I am beginning to struggle to find the enthusiasm for the drive down. looking for positives during a 130 mile round trip, which includes the A1 metrocentre bottlenecks, is now hard work. It didn't used to be.

[Quakerz]

It's not just down to the football, when have Darlo ever been constantly exciting?

I just people are falling out of love with football generally, and of course as our crowds are so much smaller now the atmosphere is even worse, and more boring etc. A vicious circle.

But, like I said, I think football is losing its appeal, quite a few clubs are losing fans left right and centre, not just us.

Locally, Newcastle 41,000 last match - yet due to a never ending supply of gullible Geordies they can normally sell out twice over. Boro - 13,700 last match, compare and contrast to the 28,000 gates of a few years ago. Hartlepool - 2,500 in league 1 for God's sake!

If you told me 3 years ago that Hartlepool would be playing in League 1 in front of 2,500 I'd have laughed in your face, those sort of crowds were for the ex non league clubs rooted near the bottom of League 2 like Barnet and Macc. Not any more.

And us, from healthy 4,000 averages (which at the time we complained about!), to 3,000, then to 2,800 even though it was a season representing our best chance for promotion, then to 1,900, now to 1,600.

Can it get any worse? I hope not. What is the answer? I don't know. Not just for Darlo but for all lower league clubs.

I actually thought, with the season tickets going quite well, that we'd maybe see a slight increase in crowds this season, and I'm not normally over optimistic.

[quaker4life]

Can it get any worse? I hope not. What is the answer? I don't know. Not just for Darlo but for all lower league clubs.

There isn't one.

[Quakerz]

Looks like we'll have to win some matches and look a serious promotion possible, and keep our fingers crossed then.

[quaker4life]

Looks like we'll have to win some matches and look a serious promotion possible, and keep our fingers crossed then.

That's all you can do really.

With the "sky generation" growing it is getting harder and harder for the lower league clubs like Darlo to attract more fans.

[number_one]

The boring label will certainly not help, I mean if a flow of 4-3 or 3-2 results came in (either way) would get people thinking 'that must have been a good game' but it appears Darlo games are usually very low scoring affairs with people having to wait until the last minute for the goal, either way.

This backs up what I read on here, and I haven't seen in person, that the tactics, or players employed are also boring, very tight looking not to concede first, if its a winning formulae (and that remains to be seen) then it may reap rewards in the log run, but call me a tradionalist I like to see attacking wide men, width in the Team, it promotes more open and exciting games, and it is what I have seen in my time watching Darlo.

Also a point I have heard a few times with friends who do not attend is the lack of identity with the Team, now this is a victim of circumstance but if I went to to watch Darlo next week there is only the legacy players I would recognise or know, and they themselves are not characters, I think it is hard for fans to associate with players currently. Even in the dark days there was the buzz about seeing Wainy coming on and fans associated with him, same could be said for the much maligned Conlon, or Fozzie.

[HarryCharltonsCat]

Also a point I have heard a few times with friends who do not attend is the lack of identity with the Team, now this is a victim of circumstance but if I went to to watch Darlo next week there is only the legacy players I would recognise or know, and they themselves are not characters, I think it is hard for fans to associate with players currently. Even in the dark days there was the buzz about seeing Wainy coming on and fans associated with him, same could be said for the much maligned Conlon, or Fozzie.

Sorry, if you had said Currie, Gabbiadini, Abbot even, then maybe so, but no-one ever turned up to watch Wainy, Conlon or Foster.

[mobi]

Why don't people watch us?

http://stats.football365.com/hist/overall/attable.html

Out of all the clubs in the football league, nobody who has played as many games as us has fewer wins than us. The exception is Harlepool!

So the question should be, why does anyone watch us?

[divas]

Why don't people watch us?

http://stats.football365.com/hist/overall/attable.html

Out of all the clubs in the football league, nobody who has played as many games as us has fewer wins than us. The exception is Harlepool!

So the question should be, why does anyone watch us?

We're not in the football league though.

[Quakerz]

Also a point I have heard a few times with friends who do not attend is the lack of identity with the Team, now this is a victim of circumstance but if I went to to watch Darlo next week there is only the legacy players I would recognise or know, and they themselves are not characters, I think it is hard for fans to associate with players currently. Even in the dark days there was the buzz about seeing Wainy coming on and fans associated with him, same could be said for the much maligned Conlon, or Fozzie.

Sorry, if you had said Currie, Gabbiadini, Abbot even, then maybe so, but no-one ever turned up to watch Wainy, Conlon or Foster.

I did. Wainy at his peak, Conlon at his peak, but especially Foster, were great players for us.

[BaronsCourtQuaker]

There is no one answer to why people are not watching as much football as they used to. But there must be some correlation between the amount of football on TV and the cost to get in.

I think I can group my darlo watching years in pretty clear groups

10 - 14 years old. I started to go as a kid, my old man would take me down.

14 - 18 years old. I started to want to go with mates and at £5 to get in it was affordable to do.

18 - 23 years old. Post college the group of lads I was going with started to shrink, as circumstance change, be it working weekends, getting hooked up with a bird and some starting families, all of a sudden they cant afford the time or money to go. Thanks fully a few of the boys still did, and despite me being at University I could still go.

Essentially these were the best years, essentially it was all about a day out with the lads, in the younger days or 16 and 17 to be honest the football was more an excuse to stop drinking for a couple of hours than the game itself, you just took the craic from the pub to the terraces then back to the pub. As hit 19 and 20 you start to get involved with weekends away and its a great excuse to meet up with mates and the footy provides a nice focal point.

I have not lived in Darlo for 12 years I would still class my self as a Darlo Fan and when I can get to a game locally I do and drag people along with me in reality I will get to about 10 games this season to watch Darlo.

I think I lost my thread along the way here, but what I was trying to do is highlight what (I think) will be many people introduction too football and the patterns of watching there teams (not just darlo). But if I was a young kid turning to that age where my dad was no longer paying for me and I was wanting to go with mates I just don’t think an afternoon at the Arena would be any more appealing than an afternoon down Rileys snooker club (or whatever it is called these days) watching the scores come in. This is where a generation has been lost and will continue to be lost, because football is too expensive whilst it is so cheap and accessible on TV.

[mobi]

Why don't people watch us?

http://stats.football365.com/hist/overall/attable.html

Out of all the clubs in the football league, nobody who has played as many games as us has fewer wins than us. The exception is Harlepool!

So the question should be, why does anyone watch us?

We're not in the football league though.

Well done for missing the point by about as far as you possibly could.

The point is, we have a history of being dreadful. Other clubs with a similar history have a similar level of support. All the recent ex-league teams in the BSP have a more successful history than us, and consequently they all have a higher average attendance than Darlo this season.

There is no mystery why a small town like Burnley have bigger gates than we do. It because there was past success. We haven't even had any minor success for 20 years. The last time we had such a poor run was in the late 70's and early 80's, and our support is almost comparable to what is was back then.

[divas]

Why don't people watch us?

http://stats.football365.com/hist/overall/attable.html

Out of all the clubs in the football league, nobody who has played as many games as us has fewer wins than us. The exception is Harlepool!

So the question should be, why does anyone watch us?

We're not in the football league though.

Well done for missing the point by about as far as you possibly could.

The point is, we have a history of being dreadful. Other clubs with a similar history have a similar level of support. All the recent ex-league teams in the BSP have a more successful history than us, and consequently they all have a higher average attendance than Darlo this season.

There is no mystery why a small town like Burnley have bigger gates than we do. It because there was past success. We haven't even had any minor success for 20 years. The last time we had such a poor run was in the late 70's and early 80's, and our support is almost comparable to what is was back then.

Well why post stats on wins this season if your point was pertaining to the clubs history then?!

[mobi]

Well why post stats on wins this season if your point was pertaining to the clubs history then?!

A good question. Only I didn't do that!

If you'd actually followed the link I posted you would have seen that it is a historical table of ALL TIME wins.

[micra3]

Why don't people watch us?

http://stats.football365.com/hist/overall/attable.html

Out of all the clubs in the football league, nobody who has played as many games as us has fewer wins than us. The exception is Harlepool!

So the question should be, why does anyone watch us?

We're not in the football league though.

Well done for missing the point by about as far as you possibly could.

The point is, we have a history of being dreadful. Other clubs with a similar history have a similar level of support. All the recent ex-league teams in the BSP have a more successful history than us, and consequently they all have a higher average attendance than Darlo this season.

There is no mystery why a small town like Burnley have bigger gates than we do. It because there was past success. We haven't even had any minor success for 20 years. The last time we had such a poor run was in the late 70's and early 80's, and our support is almost comparable to what is was back then.

This is an excellant post-as i have said many times a club needs succes to go forward for example we are compared to Hartlepool(at times)they have had succes in cup competitions over the last 10 years where they have had capacity attendances on several occasions playing premiership teams as we continually fail time after time-until we have any succes we will struggle

[wylam_rangers]

Number one, bovver boots and Q 4L are not supporters - they are gloryhunters who only want instant success. Supporting Darlo is a lifetime rollercoaster where the downs are steeper than the ups.

If you are a true supporter you never want to get off no matter how sick you are feeling.

And you are a complete numpty. All this bollokcs about true supporters/gloryhunters etc, it's just sh**e. Half of this thread criticises those who don't attend, but then you come on claiming certain people are just glory hunters. What the f*** do you want? Numbers on the gate or only the die hards - cos you don't get both.

It's actually really dull watching Darlo at the moment (100% duller than last season IMO), and obviously has been for the most part of the last few years. I think Hawkeye mentioned earlier about being bored at the game - I felt like that at Bath, it was a desperate football match, devoid of any single talking point until the 94th minute, it was horrible to watch. York was an improvement, though not by much. I don't go to the football to be "entertained" as such, but Bath was really the first time I felt like I was a neutral watching a Sunday afternoon park match, possibly the first time I genuinely questioned how much I enjoy it nowadays.

As for not attending every week, I live over 50 miles away, play golf a lot (it's a damn sight more rewarding as I'm quite good at it) and prefer away games. I've spent a vast portion of my life following Darlo, in good times and bad, rain and sun, but I think I've reached a point in my life where I don't feel that the football is compulsory any more. I don't watch as much on telly, and am strongly veering towards Rugby League and Golf. That said, I will always watch Darlo, as much as the urge dictates - I don't ever want it to become a chore, something I have to do just because someone will call me names if I don't.

The above is probably not an acceptable excuse/reason, but it's the best I can offer and I cannot justify the effort/sacrifices and £23 (£5 parking) for home games week in week out.

Take note Wylam ^^

Of what???

Those who attend matches makes reasoned posts. Those who do not rely on heresay and questionable media.

Quakerz posts are far more objective this season as he again attends the matches and spouts sense. Similarly some far exiles give good reports on distant away matches.

I cannot accept the opinions of so called supporters who attend no games at all yet criticise everything.