Hear hear

Also, the theory that results bring the crowds back seems shaky - can't really ask more than a home win against Leeds, and yet a sub-9k crowd the week after. Those feet don't seem all that adept at voting.

Well we had the most successful season in the club's history in 2003.

And in 2004 the crowds dropped by around 1k, when everyone - including all those on the "better results bring bigger crowds" bus - would have expected an increase.

Funnily enough, the club did too. The budget for 2004 was based on a 1k or more increase in attendances. So that was a loss of over 2000 bodies a week compared to budget. What was the effect on our bottom line? Go figure, but you'd be heading in the direction of £1/4 million.

But that can't be right, cos everyone knows that if you've been successful then your crowds increase?

Apart from in this apathetic city, seemingly.

Well they may be playing god awful but I'll still go and cheer if there's cause (and god i hope there is).

Staying away hurts the club financially and as a supporter it doesn't make sense to want to do that.

he worked as a scout for the sydney roosters for years asim, i think he knows a good player from a bad one

How come none of them ever signed for Souths?

I certainly will be voting with my feet ... by trying to get to more games than usual.

Call me a sucker for punishment but the club needs more support not less

I think casual supporters are quite good at discerning the general direction in which a team is heading. Many will have watched the Leeds match on Sky, appreciated it for the great effort that it was, but not seen it as the start of better things. That will have been confirmed by the result at Wakey.

In 2004 it became clear very early in the season that the balance of power had shifted to Leeds. Achievements in 2003 soon came to mean little to the casual fan.

By contrast in 1996 it was obvious that the club was the club was moving forwards. There was a feelgood factor which even the victory over Leeds last week couldnt create. Attendances will not recover until there is a general feeling of optimism about the club.

Despite how badly we are playing at the moment, I could never stop going to see the lads play. I couldn't go to either of the Catalans games this year due to financial circumstances, and that alone had me all over the place with much anxiety.

Rugby League is my world, if I had my way, I'd be attending 2/3 games a week, but for obvious reasons (Like family commitment etc...) that isn't the case.

Bradford to the end, through the good times and the bad times.

Sure I can be a sore loser and often I will talk crap when we lose, because it hurts. Usually the following day I tend to regret some of the comments I've made.

It would be the ultimate dream if we were to be sitting at the top of the league every season, but let's face it, there's (now) 13 other clubs out there trying to their best to keep their game on the right track.

Each week I live in hope that our turn will come, and that's the hope that keeps me alive during these (many) dark times.


So to turn my back on the club would be too much like betrayal and I wasn't made to betray anyone, let alone the team I have supported for so long............


What's the next step for those that are voting with their feet ?

.......................Deciding on what club to follow instead

Half right. When my washing machine is playing up I get shut and replace it. I tried leaving it for a year or two but it didn't fix itself.

Perhaps you were trying with your right foot?