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Wolves reveal drop in season tickets
Wednesday 8th September 2010, 10:57AM BST.
Wolves have revealed a seven-and-a-half per cent drop in season ticket sales on 12 months ago.
The club have currently sold 18,498 season tickets in comparison to 19,975 at this time last year, showing a drop of 1,477.
The fall, which the club puts down to the recession, comes despite Early Bird prices being frozen for online renewals, a record summer spend of £18million on new signings and top-flight survival for the first time since 1981.
But the figures merely reflect a drop in gates and season ticket sales in the top flight of four per cent in each of the last two years.
Only promoted trio Albion – at just over 18,000 – Newcastle and Blackpool, plus Birmingham, Bolton, Fulham and huge spenders Manchester City have increased season ticket sales in the Premier League.
Villa with 23,500 are on a par with last year along with Blackburn, Sunderland and West Ham.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham join City and Blackpool as the only five Premier League clubs to sell out of season tickets.
Wolves are one of several clubs showing a slight fall with Stoke – at just under 21,000 – Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Wigan.
They admit the return is “disappointing” but remain appreciative of those who have renewed and understanding of those who have not.
Chief executive Jez Moxey said: “We have always prided ourselves on our number of season ticket holders.
“While it’s disappointing, we remain well aware of the difficult economic climate.
“There are still supporters who have told us they were unable to renew.”
Wolves’ most expensive season ticket – £630 – ranks 12th in the Premier League, but second most costliest in the Midlands behind Birmingham and 16th highest in the country.
But true comparisons are difficult with so many different deals.
Blackburn slashed cheapest season ticket prices to £10 per game last season, sparking sales of 19,500 before adding £1 per match for this term.
Wolves hope to swell numbers by relauching their half season ticket promotion again, which saw a rise from 19,975 to 20,409 last season.
Molineux’s capacity is set to fall to around 24,000 next season under the firs phase of the proposed £40million stadium redevelopment.
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Hmm Lets see how many Albion fans have a go even though we have sold more than them…..
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Season tickets may be down but the fans are coming in game by game.
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Im very sad to say im one of those who have not renewed my season ticket, after watching them for 50yrs this season. It wasn’t due to the ‘price of my season-ticket’ ,it was due to having my ‘Car Park Pass’ taken off me due to a new way of CPP being allocated ( drawn from a box like a raffle ). And has i suffer from a severe disalbility, which restricts my mobility, i could no longer attend. Which as left me very very sad, as going to watch my favourite and only team i could ever watch, no longer available to me. So now Matchdays as left me feeling very very low. But Wolves will always be MY one and only club, i could and would not ever watch/follow any other football club. UTW FOREVER
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Jezz,
You can always up the price of reserve matches.
Does that mean if ALBION play you at home in the F.A.cup. The pie and pint offer is out?.
Heres me thinking it was our turn as we’ll
boost the gate up. Ah well. JtH.
P.S. Bump goes your bonus.
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Havent been to the Wolves for 5 years now..way way way to expensive for Matchday Tickets let alone Season tickets..
The lower John Ireland/Steve Bull should have the seats removed and a “safe” terrace installed which could house 4000 easily
kids £5 in (the future of the club) and Adults £10 in….id come every home game then.
Perhaps the atmosphere would be a bit more lively then too..cos watching on the internet most weeks it seems dead..(same songs for how many years now??)
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No. 1…….no need for that comment mate, no proper albion fan is going to slag off wolves support, as it’s a very good one (numbers wise anyway)
the fact that were all selling tickets to an okay level is commendable in the current climate!
Your market reach is a lot greater than albions, but that means very little!
i say to all, keep up the good work and support!
as 2 says, its whats there on the day that counts
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No surprise here as Wolves pricing is high – unless you are on the Early Bird. Even the Villa have limited numbers of cheap season tickets behind the one goal. Wolves should be thankful for their excellent support levels – home and away!
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i believe that were still over paying for our season tickets, if you consider the quality of football we produce, i dont mean this in a negative manner its just the truth, IMO i think we are pretty low in the entertainment league, which i understand to a degree, as being in this division unfortunately at the moment is the be all and end all, but it does mean were approach games alot more negatively than in the championship! i understand we have to get more money into club if we have to progress BUT apart from a couple of big signings (which morgan should be forking out for anyway not to mention tv n prem money) where is our money being used? we dont pay big wages! i just feel a little ripped off at times, as always the club are taking advantage of us loyal fans, maybe this fall in numbers will make them think!? after all what do we really get in return for our loyalty? 10% off clubshop!? jeez thanks! have u seen that burda gear? lol poor! ….. we used to get free cup tickets! not anymore! some clubs give free transport to an away game or 2! not us! …. i sound unhappy but overall am happy with how club is moving forward just wished that they looked after us a little more sometimes thats all!! this type of money v the entertainment value is a bit of a mis match!
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Hardly surprising news, given that the cheapest season ticket costs a frankly outrageous £527.
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Had a season ticket in the South Bank pretty much all my life until a couple of years ago when I became paralysed. There’s no way I can afford to go to matches anymore and it’s gutting
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4. Jack is always on here when matches are being played and never goes to the Poorthorns, I suppose your Dole money will only go so far.
There is a record number of people unemployed in the countrey and we are in a terrible recession, we will still have a full-house most weeks and always have bigger attendances home and away than Sandwell.
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5. Jack tried to change his name and post again…..loser. Looking forward to you being back on the Championship pages again next season, leave Premiership football in the Black Coutry to us mate.
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You are correct Jack, we can’t compete with the massive crowds that you get down at handsworth…
lol….
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you need to build a bigger 40 k stand Jez try and get more nuggets in.Massive club ?lol
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I did renew, even though I only get to about 60% of the games. However, Moxey needs to do something about the matchday experience. The food is appalling, often sells out & is overpriced. The service in the club shop is poor. During a 10% off all promotion last year, I was advised that it didn’t apply to items already reduced. I wasn’t too impressed when I got home (125 miles away) to find that the ad in the matchday programme quite clearly stated the 10% off applied to all products includig sale items. Thanks heavens things seem to be going well on the pitch.
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Although this is dissapointing, we have still sold more than albion 18000 and blues 14500 so any comments by wba fans can just be laughed at. Also our first 2 attendences have been just under 28000 which is about 5000 more than west brom.
It is difficult for people to commit to a season ticket, especially with the current financial climate, but i still think we wont be far off sold out for every game this season. If you look at villa for instance, they have only sold 23500 but will easily get gates of over 35000 for every game because they have the fan base to do so. On the other hand Blackburn have sold the same amount but will hardly sell any more tickets as they simply dont have many more fans.
I think the same could be said about wolves and wba. We have a larger fan base which is proven year after year. They cant sell many more tickets because like blackburn, dont have many more supporters. So no need to worry fellow wolves supporters, i am confident that once the country is in full recovery and the stadium is at 36/38000 capacity we will see a full stadium week in week out!! As long as we stay up that is!!!
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3. Tomwolf – I understand how you feel and fully sympathise. A recent eye problem means I will probably be unable to drive. As my journey to W-ton is 300 miles round-trip and I do not want my wife undertaking this (we are approaching our seventieth birthdays), it looks as though we will have to give up our season tickets after many years. I feel as if something has been wrenched out of me. Like you, Tomwolf, there can only be one club for me – it’s Wolves for ever, where ever I may be. They have been a part of me since my first match in 1952.
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7. – Colley Gate Wolf – Commiserations to you as well, Colley Gate. Good luck, mate.
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6. How do you work that out?
£370 for an early bird season ticket in the South Bank.
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i believe that were still over paying for our season tickets, if you consider the quality of football we produce, i dont mean this in a negative manner its just the truth, IMO i think we are pretty low in the entertainment league, which i understand to a degree, as being in this division unfortunately at the moment is the be all and end all, but it does mean were approach games alot more negatively than in the championship! i understand we have to get more money into club if we have to progress BUT apart from a couple of big signings (which morgan should be forking out for anyway not to mention tv n prem money) where is our money being used? we dont pay big wages! i just feel a little ripped off at times, as always the club are taking advantage of us loyal fans, maybe this fall in numbers will make them think!? after all what do we really get in return for our loyalty? 10% off clubshop!? jeez thanks! have u seen that burda gear? lol poor! ….. we used to get free cup tickets! not anymore! some clubs give free transport to an away game or 2! not us! …. i sound unhappy but overall am happy with how club is moving forward just wished that they looked after us a little more sometimes thats all!! this type of money v the entertainment value is a bit of a mis match! utw
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1..Your paranoid about Albion… who cares how many season tickets are sold..I wished we had only sold half that its much easier to get home after the game with less people at the match
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Denis Irwins last professional match.
15-05-2004 Wolves 0-2 Tottenham
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19) You are quoting Early Bird prices. Unfortunately not everyone can afford and are prepared to buy next years’ season ticket a couple of months before the season ends. So his figures are correct.
We stay up and start work on the ground and providing the prices are realistic and we keep improving on the pitch – it looks ok so far – and we can comfortably fill 36,000 to 40,000. Season ticket sales are not the be-all and end-all. Pay on the day is fine. Wolves due to history has great support in areas like London and have big support in Scandinavia, Malta etc. So Baggie Birder jog on to church on Sunday and practice the Lord’s My Shepherd. lol
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no 6. No. 1…….no need for that comment mate, no proper albion fan is going to slag off wolves support, as it’s a very good one (numbers wise anyway)
Thanks for the sensible post, your point about ‘no proper Albion fan’ was proved by post number 4, our very own pet…
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It’s heartwarming to know that some Wolves fans are revelling in (perhaps) selling a couple of hundred more season tickets than us. Not going to be much consolation once we’ve beaten you twice more this season though is it?
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Just a point that nobody else seems to have raised.
If Wolves are still selling out for their home games that means the club are making more money than having more sth, due to the fact pay per game costs more!!! (Ill let u think on that one).
Eventually attendance figures will be hit in the current climate, and the fact satelite tv and live screening now means most Pl games can be watched.
I view myself as being lucky to be able to afford to follow my team, but i dont always feel like that come 4.50pm on a Saturday!!!!
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No. 3 Tomwolf I’m sorry to hear of your troubles.
Jezwolf, if you are reading this, you know what to do.
Solent and tomwolf, proper wolves.
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I pay £435 on early bird in steve bull upper right on the half way line best view in stadium !!!!! well worth it………but i wouldnt pay the full amount !
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numba 24: wat reason wud u av to fink ur guna even get 1 point off us let alone beat us twice. afta all, we’ve not lost against stoke, everton or newcastle (all of whom are miles better than sandwell)
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29, sort that spelling and grammar out, man, you’re giving Codsallians a bad name!
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NO.26. Nice one once again.I know times r tough at the mo. My mate was talking to two albion fans at work today. ( she works for the DHSS and was helping them to fill in there forms for winter fuel allowence )Wolves will still sell out for most games anyroad. Unlike you lot at the corrugated cathedral.
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Simple match day prices at Wolves are to dear! Its almost every club in the country that are trying to churn every last pound out of loyal supporters…sooner or later every club in the country will be dealing with smaller attandences as people will just stop paying top prices..i myself have not had a season ticket this year for the 1st time in many years and nearly choked when told a seat in the south bank was £34 for the Newcastle match..add your travel cost,a few beers & a bit of food you are talking about a really expensive day out…well nevermind a bigger stadium because if current or higher prices are used then it will be football to a half empty stadium..About time loyal fans were treated to fair price cuts all around the country and give greedy players less!
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I seem to be the only one saying it.But surely commonsense tells you we should concentrate on the team not bricks and mortar.Why spend £40million for just an extra 7000 seats,especially if we cannot fill the stadium at present other than for the really big games.Give Mick a bigger budget.How many Wolves fans saw Jo Lescott last night and wished we hadthat quality still with us.Do not forget the new stadium will put us in debt and that ,despite what they spin will reduce future budgets for players.
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29. If that was aimed at me I think you should a: learn to spell and b: bear in mind I am a Wolves fan!
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The problem for fans like myself, far from “home”, is that we can only get back for a game or two a season and will still have no chance of getting in – I will be at West Ham and Spurs this year, but there’s no place like “home”. My daughter tried to get tickets for home game last year for my birthday and was told quite bluntly that there was no chance. Roll on the 40000 capacity!!
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Watching games live online and in Pubs on Saturdays is getting more popular and is FREE. This is going to EFFECT ALL Football Clubs. I can also get Sky Sports for a Month for the same price as one Catergory A game at Wolves. Sad but true.
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11 and 12 learn how to spell Shadrag!!
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no 25 bring it on, we cant wait to send you packing bk 2 the championship.
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Make me laugh how some Albion fans come on here pretening to be wolves to have A sly pop.. Albion fans what was your 1st home gate of the season at home to Sunderland ( who themselves would of sold out their end?) 23,000??
Now despite wolves being more expensive what was our last 2 home gates?? 27 000+ don’t need to say anymore on that matter. The attendances do the talking ..
Lane, molineux Has.no atmosphere?? Same songs?? And your not Albion fan are you ,get real.
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Very simple. Jez Moxey will never get the respect of Wolves fans.He is under no pressure at the moment whilst the club are having a period of success. We dont like or trust him. I have a 300 mile round trip and gave up my home and away season ticket 4 years ago. I attended the Newcastle home game (ticket was £34 + the rip off compulsory £1 credit card charge.)Matchday experience is rank. Complete commercial exploitation. I was disgusted when I couldn’t even listen to the Wolves on internet radio, without paying again. So now like most exiled Wolves fans I watch the game live and for free on the internet.
UTW
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wba bomber – AT LAST A SENSIBLE, RATIONABLE WEST B ROM FAN who has something constructive to say on this web site. Well done mate.
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Unlike Baggie Dave who obviously went to a good school – definately government approved!!!
I think they now call them borstal or soecial needs!!!lol lol lol
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Who cares how many we sell, a full house every week – better than WBA & BLUES who struggle to get crowds regardless of the opposition.
Look at the pre season friendlies – we had double the crowd of Sandweel and 33% more than Blues!!
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didn,t renew my ticket due to the lack of 3pm sat kick offs. The derby games (4) sky games and then the change of dates for the teams in europa league.
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What I would really like to arrange is for me to pick up Solentwolves on one of my trips up to the Molineux and on the way we could call in for Tomwolf. I don’t want to post my email address on here for obvious reasons but hopefully someone from the E & S will read this and put us in touch with each other….please?
I don’t go to every game, I was a STH a few years ago but other commitments stopped me from attending every two weeks. I am now a member of the TPS, which is actually the most expensive way of watching Wolves….but hey whilst I can afford it I don’t mind as it’s my contribution to my club….we cannot moan about signing players etc and with the same breath complain about ticket prices. Having said that I fully appreciate and sympathise with anyone who is experiencing financial hard times, that’s why I said “whilst I can afford it”.
Most sensible post on this subject has come from 26) wbabomber…..31) Lone wolf….I think you need to read his comments again, there’s nothing in there that suggests he has come on here to have a go….
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Baggie Dave-same old! all mouth, wind and P,
88yrs to win a championship, less than 9 months to take it off you, win,lose or draw you will ALWAYS be in the shadow of the wolves.
I to am unemployed – but – if you want to go bad enough you find a way – just give up the fags and a few less beers!
Jack-the-hat, still throwing your toys out the pram, the reason the albion lot had the south bank was because of the “police” bloody hell get over it and move on.
wbabomber – good point?
crowfish-it is obvious were we would be if you were in charge-BANKRUPT!
Wolfshead-there are probably another 100,000 Tom and Solent’s we can’t accomodate them all, pity but that’s the way it is.
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Strange, we’ve actually sold just over 500 more this season, not dropped!
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Think the journalist needs to quote facts and not speculate – Stoke have actually sold more season tickets than this time last year. I am amazed at how expensive the Wolves seasons tickets, I am surprised that they sold as many as they have. Well done Wolves fans for accepting those prices – I have paid £399 for my season ticket at Stoke in a premium seat.
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No 51 stokie jim.. U also 3 or 4 years Ago struggled to get over 14,000
Now your in the big league you get double (strange that ) wolves average gate in the championship was 24,000
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Thanks for the nod johnwolf. 100,000, does jez know about this? The redevelopment could be falling well short of its true potential at this rate.
Wolves like tom, solent and colley gate are still running with the pack and need to find a place at their spiritual home, season tickets or no. Chief Executive wolf can you hear me?
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46-jonwolf are u seriously telling me a few sweetners to fans would send us bankcrupt? funny it didnt a few yrs ago when we gave away free cup tickets did it? i go to every game home & away & all im saying is we never get rewarded for such loyalty, infact we get charged extra for just wanting an away ticket! an extra wedge for moxey & all we want to do is go and support our team! & dont get me started on booking fees!! then were expected to pay full whack for dodgy club merchandise! that burda gear is laughable! no quality or value there! we watch our team because we love it, its like a religion BUT the whole ripping off fans at every opportunity makes me sick! ill soon be priced out of going if it to rise again, its getting more n more difficult to justify spending up to £70 home games & £100 away games!!
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It’s not the recession, it’s that people see through Moxey’s spin.. It is very expensive compared to other more successful teams(not difficult I know) to go and watch Wolves. year by year the club are getting further and further way from its grass roots support. Once you have broken the habit, ( because that’s what it is), it’s easy to look upon it as over priced and over hyped. Another bottom 6 finish, and another price rise next year and we can forget about a 40,000 all seater because 28,000 will already be easily big enough.
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Poor Home form last season will definitely have been a factor; and I agree with ‘Crowfish’ about the generally sub-standard Commercial/Marketing operations, which continue to smack of a Cheap and Cheerful, lower-Division mentality.
Makes you wonder about the viability of the Ground improvement project, though- do we realy need a 38,000 capacity??
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As somene said earlier, £435 for the best seats in the house, early bird, yes, but its still the same outlay once every 12 months & all fans have the same opportunity to do it, the only people that suffer are he ones that want to see what divison we will be in the season after.
The answer is simple, support the club regardless.
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The man who brings my Wolves lottery,said that hes been told by someone in the ticket office,that due to lack of seats next season(no North Bank) there will be no early-bird.
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Stoke have sold more season tickets than last year this is a FACT
It’s on the official website
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45 – Soton Wolf – Really appreciate what you have said. Thank you. At the moment I am coming to terms with my problem and cannot think too far ahead. Perhaps I’ll post something in the coming weeks, but thanks again.
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55,
What do you want, a medal????
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58.
No medal,but think there should be compramise for those that put their money in the coffers early.
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Someone should tell Jez we have had economic growth for the last two quarters.If it is true that they are doing without the early bird they should expect a downturn next season.A double dip recession looks on the cards to me,especially given the current tightening in the building industry.Last season we went 8 homes and scored only one goal.At £3O a game excluding Moxey pies that is £240 a goal which is even more expensive than Rooney’s fags,and he has a lot more money than us.Think again Jez if you are considering scrapping the early bird.
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Just so everything is factual Stoke City are not down this season.
They sold 20,500 season tickets last season and over 21,000 this season.
You do the sums
http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2110863,00.html
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how we going to fill a 50,000 stadium, boy its going to be lonely in there
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get no3 a spot!
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I don’t think Wolves have done too badly with only a drop of 1,477 from last season. WWFC is no different to most business’s at the moment which are suffering a downturn.
The real problem will come next season. As more and more people lose their jobs including some fans, it may come down to whether you put food on the table for your family or a season ticket.
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559 wolves nice 1 pete.that was shocking
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55
Apologies that was mean’t for 56.
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10 Colley Gate.
There’s a lot of c**p spouted on these sites but your post puts everything into perspective. Keep your chin up.
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Problem for Wolves is that they look after the earkly birders too much, although they have to buy before the season ends and before anyone knows what league they will be watching. This is at the expense of any lapsed ST holders and newcomerswho have to buy in at the cheapest £528 available, also no deductions for under 21′s at Wolves. Disgrceful! If we had £399 adult ST’s like WBA I believe we would have sold another 4000 easy.So many are now priced out.
But lets not snipe, Wolves WBA Stoke are all well supported and all have experienced hard times and crave success. And we all deserve to be in the premirship if you ask me.
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