The case of the missing fans
Football fans are steadfastly loyal to their clubs who can rely on a substantial chunk of their supporters irrespective of the quality of the football the team plays and the results obtained. There is, indeed, a certain badge of honour in supporting a team that is failing abysmally.
There are limits though and, in Leicester’s case, it appears they are close to being met. A dismal run of results and performances has tested the patience of Foxes’s fans. At the Etihad, the consequences were all too clear. Offered around 3,000 tickets, as the Mercury had previously reported, Leicester had to send back half of them due to a lack of buyers. Yes, it is true that the game, on a Wednesday night, was highly inconvenient. But the game was not on television and this might be the last chance for a while for City fans to visit one of the game’s elites. Many of the fans who were there were hostle to the players, the manager and the board.
This is a warning for the club’s hierarchy. If Leicester are not challenging at the top end of the Championship next season (now relegation is almost certain) then crowd numbers may start to plummet.
On Wednesday evening, it wasn’t just Leicester fans who were revolting. Annoyed at Manchester City’s deal with a total of nine ticket distributors known for their tendency (or potential) to hike prices and/or sell tickets to away fans, home supporters were encouraged by some organisations to wait until the ninth minute of the game to take their seats. Many did just that. This led to a very strange atmosphere at the start of the game with a depleted bunch of Leicester fans looking out on to a less than full stadium. Strange times indeed.