Cup Semi-final

[Tyrant]

I'll be skipping this one like I've skipped most of the games recently. Still feel burned by that pathetic League Cup final display against the Huns. Ironically I'd like to have a moan about ticket allocations. It's a fucking disgrace that both teams aren't given every opportunity to sell half of the available seats in a so called "neutral" venue. 

[Jute]

5 hours ago, Tyrant said:

I'll be skipping this one like I've skipped most of the games recently. Still feel burned by that pathetic League Cup final display against the Huns. Ironically I'd like to have a moan about ticket allocations. It's a fucking disgrace that both teams aren't given every opportunity to sell half of the available seats in a so called "neutral" venue. 

We were given the opportunity to take a 50/50 split but didn’t want to guarantee we would take any shortfall in sales while Hearts did. From the sales club were right to do so. 

[Panda]

6 hours ago, Jute said:

We were given the opportunity to take a 50/50 split but didn’t want to guarantee we would take any shortfall in sales while Hearts did. From the sales club were right to do so. 

That's not true, we were never offered a 50/50 split.

Hearts strongly argued they would sell 50%, but that any unsold (100s at most) they would pay for. The SFA accepted this proposal because Hearts are a massive club, the third biggest in the world they say. Unfortunately, sales haven't been what they expected and It actually looks like they may be a few thousand short. Oops.

Aberdeen's proposal was that any unsold tickets would go to Celtic, which is the sensible and fair solution. The SFA said that wasn't possible (of course it is) and that Aberdeen should be rightly penalised for choosing to base themselves 180 miles away in the north-east of Scotland.

 

[wee toon red]

It's an undeniably poor turnout from us and seriously harms our case for a 50/50 split ever again. "We're crap. Celtic always beat us. We don't have a manager. I hate Cormack. It's too far". All just excuses - none of which applied when we took 40,000 to Parkhead because the glory hunters in our support expected us to win and didn't want to miss it - which will be seized upon for our next semi final or even the final if we get there.

I'll add this though: the club could maybe be doing a bit more to push it. There's no direct link to the tickets on the website home page and when you do manage to navigate your way to the tickets section of the site, it isn't even the top option.

Edited April 3 by wee toon red

[Panda]

56 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

It's an undeniably poor turnout from us and seriously harms our case for a 50/50 split ever again. "We're crap. Celtic always beat us. We don't have a manager. I hate Cormack. It's too far". All just excuses - none of which applied when we took 40,000 to Parkhead because the glory hunters in our support expected us to win and didn't want to miss it - which will be seized upon for our next semi final or even the final if we get there.

 

It's not a poor turnout, 7,000 is actually a huge away support all things considered.

There's not a club in Scotland who would sell that in our position (both geographically and in football terms). Hearts sold less than 10,000 tickets for a cup semi-final in their own city v Inverness.

I haven't bought a ticket, not because I think we'll get beat, but because the club is a fucking shit show at the moment. "All just excuses", if you say so, but I don't need to blindly follow the club anywhere, especially when I've shelled out for plenty games this season. It's that attitude that's allowed the club to have such disdain for the support the past few months because they think we'll all turn up regardless.

I'll buy a ticket if from now until then they sort their shit out. I have my doubts.

Edited April 3 by Panda

[RicoS321]

54 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

It's an undeniably poor turnout from us and seriously harms our case for a 50/50 split ever again. "We're crap. Celtic always beat us. We don't have a manager. I hate Cormack. It's too far". All just excuses - none of which applied when we took 40,000 to Parkhead because the glory hunters in our support expected us to win and didn't want to miss it - which will be seized upon for our next semi final or even the final if we get there.

I'll add this though: the club could maybe be doing a bit more to push it. There's no direct link to the tickets on the website home page and when you do manage to navigate your way to the tickets section of the site, it isn't even the top option.

It's forty fucking quid. I've had my football ruined by VAR for a long time, and I refuse to pay forty quid to have a goal disallowed or a pen given (for or against) for something I don't even get to witness. If you design football so it's better to watch on TV, then that's what people will do given the opportunity. That's what I'll be telling the club too. 

[wee toon red]

1 hour ago, Panda said:

It's not a poor turnout, 7,000 is actually a huge away support all things considered.

There's not a club in Scotland who would sell that in our position (both geographically and in football terms). Hearts sold less than 10,000 tickets for a cup semi-final in their own city v Inverness.

I haven't bought a ticket, not because I think we'll get beat, but because the club is a fucking shit show at the moment. "All just excuses", if you say so, but I don't need to blindly follow the club anywhere, especially when I've shelled out for plenty games this season. It's that attitude that's allowed the club to have such disdain for the support the past few months because they think we'll all turn up regardless.

I'll buy a ticket if from now until then they sort their shit out. I have my doubts.

 

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

It's forty fucking quid. I've had my football ruined by VAR for a long time, and I refuse to pay forty quid to have a goal disallowed or a pen given (for or against) for something I don't even get to witness. If you design football so it's better to watch on TV, then that's what people will do given the opportunity. That's what I'll be telling the club too. 

Everyone's entitled to make their decisions as they see fit. I'm not going either because I've got another big event on that weekend that's been booked since December. However, I think this is evidence that we don't have the fanbase that we - as in the wider suppport - like to think we have. Fewer than half the number of fans that turned out on Saturday for a league game going to a semi final is poor, whatever the reasons may be, and is all the "justification" anyone needs to deny us half the stadium next time we want it. It also proves the club were correct not to do a Hearts and buy all the tickets up front.

Edited April 3 by wee toon red

[RicoS321]

32 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

 

Everyone's entitled to make their decisions as they see fit. I'm not going either because I've got another big event on that weekend that's been booked since December. However, I think this is evidence that we don't have the fanbase that we - as in the wider suppport - like to think we have. Fewer than half the number of fans that turned out on Saturday for a league game going to a semi final is poor, whatever the reasons may be, and is all the "justification" anyone needs to deny us half the stadium next time we want it. It also proves the club were correct not to do a Hearts and buy all the tickets up front.

I get your point, but nothing justifies inequality and unfairness in our game (I realise that's probably why you put it in quotes). The reason that it exists is because clubs like ours allow it to exist.

[BigAl]

I'm in

I'm a fucking idiot though 

[Panda]

35 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

 

Everyone's entitled to make their decisions as they see fit. I'm not going either because I've got another big event on that weekend that's been booked since December.

You're not going but you're hitting out at other fans for not going?

35 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

However, I think this is evidence that we don't have the fanbase that we - as in the wider suppport - like to think we have.

No it's not, because we sold around 20,000 for a 3pm kick-off at Hampden v Dundee United in 2015.

Good kick-off time, not on TV, the club in a good place, the support will come out.

Likewise, as I've pointed out, Hearts have in the past have poor ticket sales. For the 2012 semi-finals, they actually sold fewer tickets than Aberdeen & Hibs.

Circumstances change. Sometimes our support will be big, sometimes it won't. If Aberdeen appoint Jimmy Thelin on Friday and we put five past Livingston on Saturday, you might see a spike in sales come Sunday night.

35 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

 

, and is all the "justification" anyone needs to deny us half the stadium next time we want it. 

The "justification" is simply this: it's a semi-final, both clubs deserve to be given the same chance of winning it.

The game being in Celtic's own city is already an advantage. Them having the bulk of the support is another. We're at a disadvantage before a ball is kicked. 

If we win, anything less than 50% for the final would be a disgrace, the semi ticket sales should be an irrelevance, in the same way I wouldn't expect Hearts or Rangers to be given a goal start in the final because their performances over the season suggest they deserve the cup more.

[STFU_Donny]

I actually hate Hampden as a venue, it’s a fucking dump. I think the last time I was there was the 2012 Scottish Cup semi against Hibs - just one of the numerous games we failed to turn up in. Add to the fact it’s supposed to be a neutral venue but the bigots have their own ends - it’s a disgrace. I have zero desire to return there.

I don’t blame or judge anyone for not going to the upcoming semi final. It’s been a long, hard, expensive season so far for Dons fans. 

[Goldie03]

5 hours ago, BigAl said:

I'm in

I'm a fucking idiot though 

This applies to me too I really can't believe I've got a ticket and I'm up v early before half 5 and I'm at a party in the evening wtf was I thinking 

[redordead]

It's the middle weekend of the Easter holidays. I'll be watching from the beach. You can't expect a massive crowd in the middle of the holidays.

[Panda]

Have to say, Hearts' promotion has been night and day compared to Aberdeen's. Loads of videos from previous semi-finals to get fans in the mood and excited about going.

It's been six days since Aberdeen have even mentioned the semi-final, and that was just to say they were on sale. In that time Hearts have made six posts about their semi-final, including video content.

[OxfordDon]

On 04/04/2024 at 11:11, Panda said:

Have to say, Hearts' promotion has been night and day compared to Aberdeen's. Loads of videos from previous semi-finals to get fans in the mood and excited about going.

It's been six days since Aberdeen have even mentioned the semi-final, and that was just to say they were on sale. In that time Hearts have made six posts about their semi-final, including video content.

To be fair, difficult to build up an exciting PR campaign when your only option for a positive message is "At Least We're In The Cup (For Now)"

[Panda]

Two clean sheets in a row, that offers me some hope.

Maybe, just maybe, we can recreate the spirit of 1990 and take it to penalties.

I think we'll lose 3-0 though.

[Tyrant]

Why the fuck should we buy our whole allocation up front or guarantee anything? It's meant to be a neutral venue and it's our top domestic knock out competition. Any club that plays there should be given every opportunity to sell 50% of the available seating. If they don't/can't then give the other club the opportunity to sell them if you must. We all know that everything in this country centres around the green and blue arse cheeks. They're not even having to try and hide it anymore because our own fans are being manipulated into thinking it's OK because our club "refused to guarantee" sales.  The people are fucking meek. Seems to be a Scottish thing in this day and age. Bunch of subservient fuds. Get what we deserve. 

I wish I was going now so I could dramatically change my mind and not go. 

[Stewart]

Just now, Tyrant said:

Why the fuck should we buy our whole allocation up front or guarantee anything? It's meant to be a neutral venue and it's our top domestic knock out competition. Any club that plays there should be given every opportunity to sell 50% of the available seating. If they don't/can't then give the other club the opportunity to sell them if you must. We all know that everything in this country centres around the green and blue arse cheeks. They're not even having to try and hide it anymore because our own fans are being manipulated into thinking it's OK because our club refused to guarantee sales.  The people are fucking meek. Seems to be a Scottish things in this day and age. Bunch of subservient fuds. Get what we deserve. 

I wish I was going now so I could dramatically change my mind and not go. 

Still room in the car, Palacerigg Country parkrun ASC.

[Tyrant]

4 minutes ago, Stewart said:

Still room in the car, Palacerigg Country parkrun ASC.

I don't trust your radiator to hold out. 

[Panda]

Fuck it, I'm going to this now. Club have played a blinder waiting until cup semi week to announce the new manager knowing the feel good factor would lift the players and support.

I'm actually going to both semis, which ain't a great omen as last time I did that was 2012 when we lost to Hibs on the Saturday then Hearts beat Celtic the next day.

Or is it a good omen cos Celtic lost their semi that year?

Either way, Miovski 1-0. 

[RicoS321]

20 hours ago, Tyrant said:

Why the fuck should we buy our whole allocation up front or guarantee anything? It's meant to be a neutral venue and it's our top domestic knock out competition. Any club that plays there should be given every opportunity to sell 50% of the available seating. If they don't/can't then give the other club the opportunity to sell them if you must. We all know that everything in this country centres around the green and blue arse cheeks. They're not even having to try and hide it anymore because our own fans are being manipulated into thinking it's OK because our club "refused to guarantee" sales.  The people are fucking meek. Seems to be a Scottish thing in this day and age. Bunch of subservient fuds. Get what we deserve. 

I wish I was going now so I could dramatically change my mind and not go. 

I just read about Hearts perhaps having to pay for the unsold tickets, it's fucking scandalous. The default should be fairness, with everything else an addition. It's incredible that we've allowed unfairness to be the default, and fairness comes with a few. It's genuinely still staggering after all the years of it happening. 

[BigAl]

31 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I just read about Hearts perhaps having to pay for the unsold tickets, it's fucking scandalous. The default should be fairness, with everything else an addition. It's incredible that we've allowed unfairness to be the default, and fairness comes with a few. It's genuinely still staggering after all the years of it happening. 

It'll never change until they fuck off and leave the rest of us to get on with it.

The league would be more competitive, more entertaining and fairer.

Yes, we might all have to pull our reins in financially but over time it will sort itself out.

I fear it won't be in my lifetime, if indeed ever.

[manc_don]

How many tickets have we actually sold for this? 

[tlg1903]

22 hours ago, BigAl said:

It'll never change until they fuck off and leave the rest of us to get on with it.

The league would be more competitive, more entertaining and fairer.

Yes, we might all have to pull our reins in financially but over time it will sort itself out.

I fear it won't be in my lifetime, if indeed ever.

Actually, I don't agree with that.  I think it just needs taken to the court of arbitration for sport by hearts, hibs and Aberdeen.  It would get sorted out very quickly and the precedent would then be set. 

[BigAl]

27 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

Actually, I don't agree with that.  I think it just needs taken to the court of arbitration for sport by hearts, hibs and Aberdeen.  It would get sorted out very quickly and the precedent would then be set. 

Fair point TLG, problem with that is none of the clubs have the balls to take this on.

Only occasion it might have been potentially possible would have been during the Mad Vlad period at Hearts in my opinion.