What are Leeds getting right?

[TsarBomba]

Leeds had 34 thousand on last night for a second round Carabao Cup tie against Crewe.

We all know Leeds is far bigger than Burnley, but surely this is too simplistic to explain such a ridiculous attendance last night.

What are they doing to entice people to part with hard earned cash on a Tuesday night against Crewe?

This isn’t meant as a dig at BFC, we generally get far more things right than wrong, but I’m genuinely interested to know what they are doing, and we’re not?

[CFS]

Winning the first tie in a cup year on year would be a start for us.

[randomclaret2]

We do not take Cup competitions seriously and make no bones about it.That hardly helps.

[claretonthecoast1882]

2017/18 Port Vale 15k and Newport 17k

2018/19 Bolton 19k and Preston 18k

Previously home crowds in same comp. It is almost like being in the Prem has helped the biggest club in the worlds fans find elland road again

[dandeclaret]

Do they still mandate purchase of cup tickets as part of a season ticket?

[RVclaret]

Combination of fan base due to a city population of 800k v Burnley of 75k, no neighbouring clubs to support, playing attractive football under Bielsa and the return of football attendance after 18 months.

[ksrclaret]

You've done it now. You've gone and mentioned Leeds. That doesn't go down well on here.

[TsarBomba]

We do not take Cup competitions seriously and make no bones about it.That hardly helps.

Leeds have been knocked out in the third round of the FA Cup in 8 out of the past 11 seasons. And taking it further, the last time they got to the 6th round was 02/03.

And prior to last night they were knocked out in the second round of the Carabao Cup in the last 3 seasons.

Their recent cup history is arguably worse than ours.

[Woodleyclaret]

Playing attacking football pass move score
Pioneered by Burnley's Jimmy Hogan and ignored by many Burnley managers since, mores the pity

[Quickenthetempo]

Combination of fan base due to a city population of 800k v Burnley of 75k, no neighbouring clubs to support, playing attractive football under Bielsa and the return of football attendance after 18 months.

All of this plus Leeds seem to have a lot of fanatics that just live for the club.
Always in Leeds colours and merchandise.

[TsarBomba]

Combination of fan base due to a city population of 800k v Burnley of 75k, no neighbouring clubs to support, playing attractive football under Bielsa and the return of football attendance after 18 months.

I get all these points, I really do.

What is the population of East Lancashire? 400k?

We also should be buoyed by the return of football.

[Peter Loo]

Leeds are a one club City which is rare in it's self + it's situated in the North of England which is football's heart land.

[aggi]

Buying tickets for the Crewe match gave priority for tickets for the Liverpool match which probably swung some.

Ultimately though we're probably not going to sell that many cup tickets when we have so many bad results in the cup.

[ClaretInLeeds]

Everyone from Leeds supports Leeds United or the Rhinos, some of them support both. Since moving over here, it’s properly noticeable how much they love their club - some of them to a point of weird obsession.

[Chester Perry]

possibly because this was their 2nd home game with full attendance for 18 months and there has been a lot of pent up enthusiasm since their promotion to the big league - their performances last season will have further fired up fans to believe trophies are once more in their grasp - I also think this Sunday we will see hordes of them in town - of the Premier League teams they want to beat away their first two such fixtures are manna from heaven.

[tiger76]

Leeds have always been well supported, even when they were languishing in the 3rd tier, they attracted crowds of over 30k.

As also mentioned they're coming off the back of a successful PL return, and perhaps more importantly they are exciting to watch. So the feel good factor is strong amongst their fanbase, hence why they'll turn out in numbers for a game against someone like Crewe.

[bobinho]

Probably one of the best supported clubs away from home….

Most definitely the worst supported club at home. Usually that is….

This is most unusual for them….

[claretonthecoast1882]

Everyone from Leeds supports Leeds United or the Rhinos, some of them support both. Since moving over here, it’s properly noticeable how much they love their club - some of them to a point of weird obsession.

Don't go changing, fight the urge now living there.

[bobinho]

Leeds have always been well supported, even when they were languishing in the 3rd tier, they attracted crowds of over 30k.

As also mentioned they're coming off the back of a successful PL return, and perhaps more importantly they are exciting to watch. So the feel good factor is strong amongst their fanbase, hence why they'll turn out in numbers for a game against someone like Crewe.

I agree wholeheartedly with your second paragraph. The first, not so much. They averaged about 25k for the season, with one massive gate against Bristol rovers to take them ahead of Norwich in the final standings. Maybe that was orchestrated?

Anyway, my point is that Leeds Utd, for the size of the city and the catchment area, are shockingly poorly supported at home.

[Karhu_Claret]

Forgive me lord, for I have sinned.

My girlfriend and her family are big Leeds fans and I ended up attending last night's match with them (I know, I know - I've a history of terrible life choices). I've showered three times today and still can't get clean.

Was really surprised at first at how many were on but after thinking about it, I can see why; they had no crowds for their first season back in the top division (which was pretty successful), Leeds has a big catchment area for a one club city and their local rivals (Bradford, Barnsley etc) aren't up to much really.

What I will say, for all the nice passing and clever movement of Bielsa-ball, they were pretty toothless without Bamford as the focal point (it was only after he came on that they really started to break down a resolute Crewe side). If Bamford was to get injured or go through a spell of poor form then Leeds could struggle this season.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

They've got Devils Advocate.

[box_of_frogs]

They've got Devils Advocate.

I was just about to post the same

[dsr]

I get all these points, I really do.

What is the population of East Lancashire? 400k?

We also should be buoyed by the return of football.

Yes, but you can't really count Blackburn as part of Burnley's catchment area.

[TsarBomba]

Yes, but you can't really count Blackburn as part of Burnley's catchment area.

I wasn’t- Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rosendale.

[Stayingup]

I wasn’t- Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rosendale.

Yes but Hyndburn has its own league team and more Blackburn fans than Clarets. Ribble Valley also.has more Rovers. Rossendale has a lot of Burnley fans but sadly for me far too many Manc fans and Rovers too. The population total from which Burnley attract support is more likely about 150,000.

[ClaretInLeeds]

Don't go changing, fight the urge now living there.

Very little chance of that happening….

[dsr]

I wasn’t- Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rosendale.

And does Leeds' catchment area stop at the city boundary?

Face it, Burnley is smaller than Leeds. There's nothing to discuss.

[Leisure]

Leeds gave fans the Incentive to attend by knowing that they'll see attractive football and if it correct that there was a Liverpool ticket priority attached, that also. I've suggested to our Club that a similar incentive for these type of games could be to offer an increased amount of Loyalty Points Instead of the usual 10,. Maybe something like 100 but it obviously fell on deaf ears.

[Lancasterclaret]

There is a huge catchment area for Leeds, and very little else around them

And we are a lot smaller club as well which is just being realistic and honest

[jrgbfc]

They've been playing great football for the last 2 or 3 years and their fans haven't been able to go. Also maybe lots of people attending last night who know they'll struggle to get tickets for league games?

[AlargeClaret]

We do not take Cup competitions seriously and make no bones about it.That hardly helps.

A nonsensical myth I’m afraid . While it’s impossible to fully prioritise early round cup comps for a shoestring outfit like ours , we generally put out perfectly reasonable teams and are no better nor worse than any other prem teams on that score . Most have far more depth than we do .

[timshorts]

Yes, but you can't really count Blackburn as part of Burnley's catchment area.

Not yet, anyway. Give the Venky's a few more years.

[AfloatinClaret]

Forgive me lord, for I have sinned.

My girlfriend and her family are big Leeds fans and I ended up attending last night's match with them...

No need to apologise brother, just see it for what it was - Missionary Work - but you need to keep preaching the true religion; I may not have achieved much in life, but I have managed to convert both my wife and her mother from Leeds fans into Clarets, so I know that I'll ultimately get into to heaven.

[bobinho]

Leeds gave fans the Incentive to attend by knowing that they'll see attractive football and if it correct that there was a Liverpool ticket priority attached, that also. I've suggested to our Club that a similar incentive for these type of games could be to offer an increased amount of Loyalty Points Instead of the usual 10,. Maybe something like 100 but it obviously fell on deaf ears.

Quite a lot of things are falling on deaf ears by the sound of it Pete….

[KRBFC]

Probably one of the best supported clubs away from home….

Most definitely the worst supported club at home. Usually that is….

This is most unusual for them….

worst supported home club? Leeds? they had 30k in League One

[bobinho]

I’ve been at bellend rd for a championship game and the top tier of their ONLY two tiered stand was closed because they didn’t have enough fans! That’s not good home support, it’s bloody awful.

Their home support is shocking. Absolutely shocking. One club city, and a massive city at that. Their draw is huge, pulling fans from everywhere except the other big cities like Sheffield and hull. They basically share West Yorkshire with no one. And STILL they have empty seats. 30k in league one? Yeah, they did have 37k one time against Bristol rovers, and some other attendances near it, but they averaged 25k over the season (only just beating norwich) which for league one is massive I’ll grant you that, but for a club that has 6m or thereabouts to draw on, is **** poor. In order to get that average when figures like 30k+ are quoted, there are a lot of games around or less than 20k.

Home support at Leeds is booming right now, just as it should be, but it hasnt always been like this. 20k when you have 75k to pick from is pretty good. 20k from 6m is pathetic. 37k from 6m is pathetic. The city is either football and Leeds Utd mad or it isn’t. Home attendance figures and empty seats whilst in league one and the championship prove it isn’t. They are no different to anyone else. Turn up when it’s rosy, go shopping when it isn’t.

[ChorltonCharlie]

Leeds gave fans the Incentive to attend by knowing that they'll see attractive football and if it correct that there was a Liverpool ticket priority attached, that also. I've suggested to our Club that a similar incentive for these type of games could be to offer an increased amount of Loyalty Points Instead of the usual 10,. Maybe something like 100 but it obviously fell on deaf ears.

It's a very obvious commercial benefit for once and for all sorting out the shambolic system.

[jojomk1]

Everyone from Leeds supports Leeds United or the Rhinos, some of them support both. Since moving over here, it’s properly noticeable how much they love their club - some of them to a point of weird obsession.

There are a lot of Burnley fans on this messageboard who seem to have a weird obsession with Leeds

[Karhu_Claret]

No need to apologise brother, just see it for what it was - Missionary Work - but you need to keep preaching the true religion; I may not have achieved much in life, but I have managed to convert both my wife and her mother from Leeds fans into Clarets, so I know that I'll ultimately get into to heaven.

I appreciate the kind words of support - it's good to know that I'm not alone during this difficult time (with a name like AfloatinClaret I'm assuming you can walk on water?...)

Chris Wood and Charlie Taylor have certainly shown that a claret conversion is achievable, although she's not happy whenever I point this out for some reason!

[superdimitri]

At the moment they are one season wonders. Lets see how the table looks at the end and make another judgement then. People act like they are some kind of prodigy but Sheffield United did better in their first season, and for years we've been the club others look up to instead for retaining our premier league status for so long.

I think they'll drop back down when their manager inevitably leaves, they may even do it this year.