Fans, what fans

[Garawa]

There is that but there must be a lot more of what I said! I have a 5 year old boy and a 2 year old girl and £30 for all of us is more than achievable for some places. In fact you don't have to pay at all at some places. £8 parking will get you a day out in Greenwich where virtually everything is free. Add a tube fair and the London museums are well within possibilities for considerably under the £30 that would only allow in 2 adults at Priestfield against a side no-one knew. Most people I know that go to the Gills all have kids (baring just a couple) and if I took all 4 of us I really couldn't justify the extra cost when there are much cheaper alternatives elsewhere. Personally I would just enjoy not having to spend the money.

[gillsfan1066]

Funny thing is that watching the Man U game, the Spurs game today there seemed plenty of noise from those fans and they appeared to be sitting ? Third and Fourth Division football was a working mans game, Dockyard workers, local factory employees, few pints before the game, swearing at the ref and we kids loved it.
But of course the FA wants to make it a family day out, sit down, don't sing nasty songs ,clap nicely and please people no bad words. There are 12 children in the stands , GFC's future so the other 6 ,528 of you lets do everything to fall into line and keep those little angels happy shall we.
The Strand is where you go for a day out with the family not a God Dam football match.

[Rimshot]

One of the oddest things about this is that to my, admittedly aged ears and eyes, kids now seem to be noisier and more addicted to swearing than we were.

[Garawa]

But that's just it, I don't know any families that take the kids as well mostly down to the cost. The cup prices were significantly cheaper and yet a game against unknown non-league opposition would have cost £40 for me. Do that a couple of times a month and that's another season ticket price on top! Or, go to the strand for nothing!

On the flip side we want to new generation to come into the ground so we should be encouraging kids to come with their parents. The next match is Kids for a Quid but these deals are very rare. With only 3000 in the ground the club could easily have offered the same deal or even let them in for a free ticket.

[Rimshot]

I dont think you can lose with the' kids for a quid' type promo. If you restrict it to, say 12 and unders someone is going to accompany them to the match.

[Garawa]

Absolutely. Three quarters of our home games will see the ground half full, we really must get them coming. Perhaps not tuesday night games (school), or the one before Christmas (big gate) or the three or four at the end of the season (a lot at stake) but certainly the rest. Chances are the will like it so much they will not want to miss the big one at the end of the season and pay to come in and you have just created the desire to come again and again. Rightly or wrongly there isn't anywhere now you can swear in front of children so why a football ground should be different. Yes the atmosphere is hindered and we should be able to do what Elgrande says but somehow the balance must be managed - no kids, no future for the club.

[Elgrande]

Seems there are plenty of places where kids can swear in front of adults though. There always were family enclosures and I can't see why that cannot be the case now. Over the last 20 years there has been a steady alienation of those without children or those who do not choose to take their children everywhere with them. Swearing is not the main reason people go to football, but it seems to be banned in the stands, but allowed on the pitch which seems a bit strange. Of course kids should be encouraged, but not too the detriment of the long standing adult fans or to the detriment of the support.

[Garawa]

I do agree with that even though we have kids. A lot has been done to make places child friendly but there aren't many that allow only adults to enjoy some peace without the hassle of kids running about. I suppose they know they can make a lot of money from it! If prices go up like they are I can see it returning though. My neighbour got into trouble with the school for taking out the kids for 2 days as they went away over half term (a misunderstanding that was corrected in the end) but doing anything outside of school is shocking. My wife looked at a summer Butlins break just out of interest and it came out at a grand and a half! Who could afford that?

[Goalmouth]

I recall when we first went into the Championship we bought season tickets as a family of 4 and there was a block in the Medway Stand that was designated as a family area. I can't remember if the prices were cheaper there. After a couple of seasons though, it seemed that anybody could sit in there. Perhaps the way forward would be to once again designate a couple of blocks as a family area and make the prices for children a bit cheaper than elsewhere in the ground.

To labour a point, I really miss being able to stand on the terraces, at least you could move if you didn't like who you were standing next to. I don't enjoy the 'atmosphere' at Priestfield and prefer to travel away to watch the Gills.

[Rimshot]

Elgrande makes a very good point. The fact that players can and do swear at each other and officials makes the 'enforcement' policy of the stewards a nonsense. Also my limited experience of talking to the stewards suggests that some of them are incapable of forming a sentence that doesn't include the F word.
It's always baffled me that there are many 'nice,middle-class' people who roar with laughter at Billy Connolly, Frankie Boyle etc and then 'tut' when they overhear the same language in other circumstances.
Of course it can be horribly overdone but really does it harm or surprise anyone at a football match ?