Attending Matches

[Blackrod]

Can’t see this happening until January 2021. Is there any point in buying a new season ticket ? Also is the appetite for games really going to be the same even on tv with empty stadiums ? Whilst I’d like this season completing properly behind closed doors I wouldnt be against knocking the whole following season on the head. I think football needs a rethink and I expect severe cost cutting.

[NottsClaret]

If you can get back to playing football yourself for fun and fitness and watching your local non league team then I'd be cool with it. Might even make football popular again as an actual sport rather than a ludicrous global big business accessory.

[Spijed]

Can’t see this happening until January 2021. Is there any point in buying a new season ticket ? Also is the appetite for games really going to be the same even on tv with empty stadiums ? Whilst I’d like this season completing properly behind closed doors I wouldnt be against knocking the whole following season on the head. I think football needs a rethink and I expect severe cost cutting.

So you'd be happy to have two and half years without any football, or sport for that matter?

[NottsClaret]

So you'd be happy to have two and half years without any football, or sport for that matter?

Depends what you mean by sport? If you mean the actual game, played and enjoyed by millions at grassroots level, that would be difficult. If you mean the billionaire plaything TV show on Sky and BT then yeah, I'd be happy enough for 18 months.

[jrgbfc]

If you can get back to playing football yourself for fun and fitness and watching your local non league team then I'd be cool with it. Might even make football popular again as an actual sport rather than a ludicrous global big business accessory.

I agree with this tbh. I'd be happy to just be able to play 5 a side with my mates or go for a game of golf at present. Allowing people to get out and play sport again would make a massive difference to people's outlook.

[duncandisorderly]

I haven't missed it to be honest, live or on TV. I was gradually falling out with the game anyway so had my doubts about renewing my season ticket, but this episode has removed those doubts and I'd be surprised if I attend another football match above league 1 level again.

This may change in the future of course. If there is no football for 18 months or more then perhaps when it restarts it's new shinyness will somehow make me fall in love with it again,but I doubt it.

[Spijed]

Depends what you mean by sport? If you mean the actual game, played and enjoyed by millions at grassroots level, that would be difficult. If you mean the billionaire plaything TV show on Sky and BT then yeah, I'd be happy enough for 18 months.

The reason we have football and TV deals as they are now is that football in the 80's was dying. You only have to see the attendances from that period.

And when we were getting 1,600 for games tells you as much.

[2 Bee Holed]

So you'd be happy to have two and half years without any football, or sport for that matter?

Isn't Jan 2021 eight months away?
Or am I missing something?

[NottsClaret]

The reason we have football and TV deals as they are now is that football in the 80's was dying. You only have to see the attendances from that period.

And when we were getting 1,600 for games tells you as much.

But more people played the game then, which is what I like to do. And I enjoy watching semi-pro and amateur football, which is largely unchanged from the 80s.

What you're talking about is the very peak of the pyramid. I'm not that arsed about that. I enjoy going to the Turf, but what I've missed the most this last month or so is junior football and going to my local club when Burnley are away.

[beddie]

Even if it restarted in Jan 2021 would you feel comfortable sitting next to someone, probably the person you normally sit next to at home games, assuming they are are not from the same household.

[Dyched]

Haven’t missed it as much if at all. The match day is what I miss, seeing mates, having a beer etc. Not actually watching the game I haven’t.

It’s nothing to do with money for me. I grew up in the 90s so money as always been there. I generally find it boring these days.

It all to do with growing up and growing out of things. It’s always been something I’ve done out of habit.

Recently got rid of sky so haven’t seen any sport news for 4/5 weeks now which as been refreshing.

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

Haven't missed it?! Blimey, I have!!!!!!!

[TVC15]

But more people played the game then, which is what I like to do. And I enjoy watching semi-pro and amateur football, which is largely unchanged from the 80s.

What you're talking about is the very peak of the pyramid. I'm not that arsed about that. I enjoy going to the Turf, but what I've missed the most this last month or so is junior football and going to my local club when Burnley are away.

You are right about a lot more people playing then. We had a Saturday and Sunday league with 4 divisions in each and the likes of Grammar School old boys and Belvedere had 6 or 7 teams each playing in the Lancashire leagues. I played for many years for a number of teams and always preferred to play - it helped that Burnley were rubbish though !

Now hardly any of that exists which is sad - but there is a lot lot more people in Burnley watching football. Even if we say that a 1000 adults in Burnley were playing football in the 80s and 90s and we were getting crowds of 4 or 5 thousand - that’s still a missing 15k compared to our crowds in the last few years.

I’m missing both watching and playing - football and golf especially. I can see them bringing bank golf to play as social distancing would be pretty easy but playing 5 a side or 11 a side I’m not sure - impossible to socially distance, lots of contact and sweat, ...small changing rooms etc. Plus I think a lot of facilities will remain close...eg schools with the Astro turf and indoor pitches.

[claret2018]

It will be interesting to see what happens when the game eventually restarts - will people who have cancelled their season tickets/sky packages realise that they are quite happy to live without it? I thought I would be craving football but to be honest I haven't missed it at all. I've missed going out to the pub a lot more.

[Winstonswhite]

I’ve massively missed watching any live sport. Reruns where you know the result of just doesn’t cut the mustard.

It’s not ideal but I’d be happy watching the remainder of the season behind closed doors and I think there would be a massive demand from a sport starved world.

[Top Claret]

I have missed football more than anything wether it be watching the clarets or on TV.

We should have been coming up to the climax of the footballing sporting Callander when all this kicked off, now we have nothing

Have been going away watching Burnley since the mid 60s and these are the best times ever to be a Claret

[tim_noone]

Bonus..I'm so glad lineker and co aren't on my tv anymore with their constant drivel..downside.. I'm missing my travelling to London and turf moor games....its not going to be the same when it restarts I feel.

[Dy1geo]

In the circumstances happy to watch rest of season matches on TV if played behind closed doors, but I personally expect that to wear off next season if restrictions on our lives are lifted but matches still behind closed doors.

The Premier League is sold on atmosphere and that is why there was the requirement to have pitch side away fans and it will eventually feel like we are watching glorified friendlies.

[Quickenthetempo]

You are right about a lot more people playing then. We had a Saturday and Sunday league with 4 divisions in each and the likes of Grammar School old boys and Belvedere had 6 or 7 teams each playing in the Lancashire leagues. I played for many years for a number of teams and always preferred to play - it helped that Burnley were rubbish though !

Now hardly any of that exists which is sad - but there is a lot lot more people in Burnley watching football. Even if we say that a 1000 adults in Burnley were playing football in the 80s and 90s and we were getting crowds of 4 or 5 thousand - that’s still a missing 15k compared to our crowds in the last few years.

I’m missing both watching and playing - football and golf especially. I can see them bringing bank golf to play as social distancing would be pretty easy but playing 5 a side or 11 a side I’m not sure - impossible to socially distance, lots of contact and sweat, ...small changing rooms etc. Plus I think a lot of facilities will remain close...eg schools with the Astro turf and indoor pitches.

A lot of schools in the Burnley area were built on the PFI schemes like hospitals and rely on the 4g football pitches for income. It was in the paper a couple of years back that Bovis lendlease still charge schools a lot of money for 4G pitches even if the schools haven't managed to rent them out.
It could be major problems for the schools if they can't re-open them.

[dushanbe]

A lot of schools in the Burnley area were built on the PFI schemes like hospitals and rely on the 4g football pitches for income. It was in the paper a couple of years back that Bovis lendlease still charge schools a lot of money for 4G pitches even if the schools haven't managed to rent them out.
It could be major problems for the schools if they can't re-open them.

I'm not sure where you read that but there isn't a single school in Burnley with a 3G football pitch.

[Claretforever]

I’m surprised at some of the comments I see regarding haven’t missed it etc, like further up and elsewhere, as though there has already been no football for 6 months.

We go without attending matches for 3 months every summer anyway, and every other summer we don’t watch any either. I haven’t really missed it yet, but it’s only been 5 weeks. If we get to July without anything being played, and there’s every chance, then that will change.

I’m not sure they’re going to be able to complete the season without a vaccine to be fair. Imagine they start up and a team suddenly comes down with it. It’s be a farce.

[TVC15]

A lot of schools in the Burnley area were built on the PFI schemes like hospitals and rely on the 4g football pitches for income. It was in the paper a couple of years back that Bovis lendlease still charge schools a lot of money for 4G pitches even if the schools haven't managed to rent them out.
It could be major problems for the schools if they can't re-open them.

I was chair of one of a social enterprise that ran one of the sports facilities and that’s not quite how it works.
There were far too many facilities built in Burnley - way more than the demand was ever going to be. The busiest facilities in Burnley are those not connected to the schools - St Peters and Crow Wood.
The others in truth generate very little income and there is massive underuse. You only need to drive passed them to see how little they are used.
Obviously now they are not used at all but the schools have survived nearly 10 years since Building Schools for the Future with little income being generated by their sports facilities and I can’t see the lockdown making much of a difference at all.
Even for big capital spends like replacing the Astro turf which needs to happen every few years there is funding and grants out there which the schools manage to get even though their pitches are hardly booked.

As per above the number of people who want to play sport has gone down a lot too but even at whatever it’s peak was for participation a town the size of Burnley never needed the 9 or 10 facilities it now has.

[fanzone]

I'm missing the grassroots football more than the premier League.

Watching the kids play the game for fun on a Saturday and Sunday morning far outweighs what the premier League currently offers.

Sadly I can't see grassroots starting again until summer 2021 at the earliest.

[Burnley1989]

Haven’t missed it as much if at all. The match day is what I miss, seeing mates, having a beer etc. Not actually watching the game I haven’t.

It’s nothing to do with money for me. I grew up in the 90s so money as always been there. I generally find it boring these days.

It all to do with growing up and growing out of things. It’s always been something I’ve done out of habit.

Recently got rid of sky so haven’t seen any sport news for 4/5 weeks now which as been refreshing.

Literally exactly the same as you

[NottsClaret]

I'm missing the grassroots football more than the premier League.

Watching the kids play the game for fun on a Saturday and Sunday morning far outweighs what the premier League currently offers.

Sadly I can't see grassroots starting again until summer 2021 at the earliest.

Without wanting to get sucked into the Covid19 thread territory, I don't see why kids grassroots football couldn't come back. If they're going to be mixing every day at school - quite possibly from June 1st - then I reckon playing outside for a junior team will be fine.

[TVC15]

A lot of schools in the Burnley area were built on the PFI schemes like hospitals and rely on the 4g football pitches for income. It was in the paper a couple of years back that Bovis lendlease still charge schools a lot of money for 4G pitches even if the schools haven't managed to rent them out.
It could be major problems for the schools if they can't re-open them.

Oh and the Burnley schools were not built on the PFI schemes like hospitals were either.
There were small aspects of the build that that were PFI - eg like the technology contracts. But the schools were built via the Building Schools for the Future scheme which initially gave 10 towns / areas the funding to rebuild all of their secondary schools and 6th forms at a cost of around £120m per area provided by the central government initiative.
Burnley was actually not in the first waive of 10. I think we were either the 11th or 12th area and it then got cancelled as an initiative so we only just got in.
Whether it has improved education in Burnley is a completely different debate but at least they got shiny new buildings and empty football pitches to look at !

[MrTopTier]

I’ve missed it, going to the game in particular. Much as I can see the sense in playing games behind closed doors, there isn’t going to be that edge from the players, they will be like training games rather than intense battles with full houses and the noise from the fans. Much as I want to watch football again, watching it without a packed stadium won’t be the same.

[alboclaret]

Can’t see this happening until January 2021. Is there any point in buying a new season ticket ? Also is the appetite for games really going to be the same even on tv with empty stadiums ? Whilst I’d like this season completing properly behind closed doors I wouldnt be against knocking the whole following season on the head. I think football needs a rethink and I expect severe cost cutting.

I agree. Finish what is started, ie this season by whatever means.
Hopefully the euros next summer and then straight into a fresh season in august 2021. So as you said missing next seaaon completely. Know idea how it would work financially and probably wouldnt but would sort alot of issues trying to cram it all in.

[jrgbfc]

Without wanting to get sucked into the Covid19 thread territory, I don't see why kids grassroots football couldn't come back. If they're going to be mixing every day at school - quite possibly from June 1st - then I reckon playing outside for a junior team will be fine.

With kids football you could even keep changing rooms closed if need be, just have them turn up in their kit and go home in it.
I'm hoping places like Prairie and the Leisure Box open their outdoor 3G pitches to the public in the next few weeks. Even if they keep the main building and changing rooms shut could still book online and just turn up and play.

[fanzone]

Without wanting to get sucked into the Covid19 thread territory, I don't see why kids grassroots football couldn't come back. If they're going to be mixing every day at school - quite possibly from June 1st - then I reckon playing outside for a junior team will be fine.

I can see your point but Saturday morning at Burnley college for instance there can be upto 200 kids all with there parents there watching social distancing is Impossible.

The soccer dome in horse bothering land is even worse and that's indoors.

Schools will re-open and iv no doubt they will be implementing social distancing but my thought about this is as soon as a few kids get it and are very poorly schools will close again.

[Stalbansclaret]

I miss it massively..everything about it ..... going on the Turf, going to other stadiums to see the Clarets, watching Match of the Day, going to the pub to watch a match. listening to 606, listening to the Monday night club, watching a game in the park, running my Sunday team in St Albans, playing still when I get the chance, paying walking football with other 50/60+s at Barnet on Friday afternoons.....everything, I miss everything !!

[Quickenthetempo]

Oh and the Burnley schools were not built on the PFI schemes like hospitals were either.
There were small aspects of the build that that were PFI - eg like the technology contracts. But the schools were built via the Building Schools for the Future scheme which initially gave 10 towns / areas the funding to rebuild all of their secondary schools and 6th forms at a cost of around £120m per area provided by the central government initiative.
Burnley was actually not in the first waive of 10. I think we were either the 11th or 12th area and it then got cancelled as an initiative so we only just got in.
Whether it has improved education in Burnley is a completely different debate but at least they got shiny new buildings and empty football pitches to look at !

I worked on most of the new schools around here after Bovis found employing small local firms didn't work. They simply couldn't work to the quality of work or safety standards the big companies like Bovis set for the prices they put in.
When they had to bring in their regular national companies at 3 or 4 times the price I wondered how Bovis could of made any money. That's why it stuck in my head about Bovis charging the schools so much for the pitches.

Would the new academy's built in Accrington etc.. get funded via the Building Schools for the future scheme?

[TVC15]

I worked on most of the new schools around here after Bovis found employing small local firms didn't work. They simply couldn't work to the quality of work or safety standards the big companies like Bovis set for the prices they put in.
When they had to bring in their regular national companies at 3 or 4 times the price I wondered how Bovis could of made any money. That's why it stuck in my head about Bovis charging the schools so much for the pitches.

Would the new academy's built in Accrington etc.. get funded via the Building Schools for the future scheme?

No I am pretty sure it wasn’t.
It was just the schools in Burnley and whilst it’s a few years ago now I’m pretty sure Burnley were either the last or second to last place to receive it.
The ones chosen had some similar social / demographic issues from memory - for example Oldham got this I think and they have a very similar demographic and social makeup to Burnley.

It caused so many issues in Burnley - there was a whole generation of children who lost out and you can put a direct line through from the build to the deterioration in results. In Burnley it was a lot to do with the way they did the mergers and also the 4 or 5 year transition period with many children and teachers having to travel between sites in a daily basis. Many good teachers decided to call it a day and the knock on impact was massive. I remember one year that our so called best school where a couple of the years were run by largely supply staff for the whole of the year and the school was split across 3 different sites - it was absolutely carnage and you do not recover from things like that for years - and they didn’t.

Bricks and mortar and shiny new sports facilities will never be as important as good teaching !!

[expoultryboy]

Missing going to the away games with my lad who's 27 . We were going with a mate of mine and his son this weekend who are liverpool season ticket holders . The itinerary was : bacon and egg butty , 8.24 train from Shrewsbury , arrive lime street at 10.15 , couple of pints near the station , bus to Anfield , pie and a pint , cheer the lads on , 3-3 draw , back on the bus , mathew street for food and more beer , head back to Shrewsbury with a slight wobble . INSTEAD I'll watch bargain hunt and go for a walk !!