We may well be victims of our own European success but just what type of crowd will you be anticipating for the second leg of the UEFA Cup round of 32 against Zulte Waregem?
At 3-1 you could say it's game over with all eyes on the last 16 against AZ Alkmaar or Fenerbahce.
But on the other hand isn't this what being in Europe is all about?
Playing an obscure team from a little village in Belgium is pretty unique isn't it?
And surely United's fine tradition of cups with six FA Cups and one Fairs Cup on the honours list, albeit decades ago, mean we should have a bit more romance when it comes to knockouts.
Firstly United have a great chance of a win against the Belgians, the fans get the chance to see a team from the continent come to Toon and with a number of fringe players bound to get their chance, there is the chance to see the stars of the future.
However, with ticket prices so high these days fans have to budget for a long season and the argument is always what would you rather miss?
Or what sounds better, where were you the day we beat Zulte Waregem? Or where were you when we beat Arsenal?
Then there is the fact that Middlesbrough's low crowds in Europe at times last term and the season before, 9,436 for instance against the mighty Litex Lovech at the Riverside, earned them quite a bit of stick in the local rivalry stakes.
So are some people being hypocritical when it comes to laughing at Boro, then not turning up against the Belgians?
The debate is a big one and the fact Newcastle get huge crowds for almost every game shows that overall the club are right up there in Europe and the world for the best supporters on the planet.
However, it isn't just the UEFA Cup, for years now both the Carling and FA Cup have resulted in a dip in attendances.
But after the recent game with Birmingham in the cup Rob Lee told the Chronicle he was shocked to see so many empty seats.
And what is your gut reaction the minute a wayward shot by a Toon players gets stuck amongst a row of empty grey seats and the cameraman has fun filming the ball boy attempting to retrieve it?
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »