Newcastle have been witnessing big drops in attendance figures, as fans are turning their backs on Ashley’s tenure, but the Manchester United game on Sunday appears to be bucking the trend.
The Chronicle reported that, as of Wednesday Morning, approximately 4,000 tickets were unsold for the game on Sunday, significantly fewer than there was for the Brighton match.
But all may not be as it seems, and it does not mean the boycott by Toon fans is over, despite the likelihood of more fans in the ground than their was for previous games.
More casual fans will go to the game
As much as we are passionate about all things Newcastle, there are more than a few football fans in the region who simply go to games when they fancy it.
Those fans may not be interested in football politics, or fan protests. They will simply want to go to a game when it piques their interest.
Manchester United is the type of game that some will want to go to, and see some big-name Premier League stars, as it could be one of the few chances for them or their children to see them in the flesh.
However many, or few, they represent, their appearance will naturally boost the attendance figures.
Manchester United will sell out their full allocation
The visitors section will be full to capacity on Sunday, as it always is when Manchester United are the visitors.
They may be from every far-flung corner of the country – if not the globe – but they always travel well, and a sold out away end will see the overall gate increase.
When Brighton and Watford visited, they brought relatively few fans up the A1 with them, and with little appetite from disillusioned Toon fans to snap up their unsold areas – as has been the case in previous years – their have been gaping gaps in the top tier at St James’ Park.
That, along with the boycotting supporters, has kept the attendance figures low.
Some visiting fans could be in the home areas
As is the case for all games, Newcastle have a policy of allowing both home and away fans buy tickets for the corporate areas.
That was most visible for the Liverpool home game at the end of last season, which saw a vast number in the Milburn Stand. This led to some unsavoury incidents.
It is likely to be the same again on Sunday, with Man Utd fans looking for any way they can to grab extra tickets – despite their poor start to the season.
The club have also put tickets on general sale for the game, which could lead to several away fans sporadically dotted about all around the ground.
All these reasons will see an increased attendance for the game, but there is very little to suggest that the fans’ boycott is not still in full effect.
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