It was reported today in the West Country that 13,000 Swindon fans have bought tickets for this Saturday’s FA Cup 3rd Round tie against Wigan Athletic, an increase of more than 70% on their usual home gate and just under 5,000 less than Wigan Athletic get for a Premier League home game.
It’s pay on the day for Wigan Athletic fans who have sold their initial allocation of 500, described as pathetic by this website here – although I happen to think that’s a pretty good following to travel 200 miles to watch our reserves get walloped.
Let’s be honest here – this game is a minor distraction for Wigan Athletic fans whereas this is Swindon’s cup final, as evidenced by their ticket sales. Swindon Town appear to be pulling in thousands of fans who probably haven’t been to see their team all season and are only showing their face because they have a glamour game featuring Wigan Athletic, a team of seven years in the Premier League are coming to town.
It would be easy to mock Swindon’s home support, having an average of only 7,886 compared to Wigan Athletic’s average which is nearly 10,000 higher at 17,661 but we won’t because we know that it’s not how many fans you get through the turnstile, it’s the quality which counts. We are a small club from a small town (and at 155,432 the population of Swindon is nearly twice the size of the town of Wigan, nor is Swindon not anywhere near four of the modern giants of the game as Wigan is)
No, we should applaud they can get a home league gates nearly half the size of Wigan in their town which is nearly twice the size of Wigan because they are a fourth tier club and are resurgent under right wing lunatic Paulo Di Canio. I mean if Swindon were a Premier League club they’d get miles more watching that than 17,661 every week wouldn’t they?
What’s that? They were a Premier League club? And they only averaged 15,274? Oh dear attendance monkey that’s not very good is it? And they have the cheek to call us pathetic? I wouldn’t be mouthing off about crowds if I was a Swindon fan. Still as I say it’s their cup final…..
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