Would've loved a double header Wigan and Hudds fans on one side Leeds and Wire on the other, played in say Bolton or Sheffield, could have even helped out Bradford and played it there.

Said all along, should have been a double header at the Reebok. Makes two games into one big event.

The semis shouldn't need to be a double header to get people through the doors. You wouldn't get 25,000 sitting through both games anyway so they crowd would probably look just as bad if not worse than what the 2 games this weekend will.

The cup is dead.

I can't believe that the crowds for this weekend's semi finals are going to be so bad.

Also, I don't buy into the view that it's due to fans being reluctant to part with more money on top of their season tickets. After all, 20+ years ago we had more competitions during the season - Lancs' & Yorks' cup, John Player/Regal trophy - and in those days semi finals had been held at grounds such as Old Trafford, Maine Road and Elland Road. Ok, they didn't sell out (I don't think so anyway) but there was always a decent turn out.

I'm buzzing for this Saturday, can't wait for the game...hope there are many more at both ends of the ground who feel the same and a decent sized crowd turns up.

If we get to the final each season ticket holder gets 2 final tickets.

So that's approx 20,000 tickets.

Why don't the club allow fans who are not ST holders who have attended the semi or quarter final to get 1 ticket each? Would that help or make no difference?

Would make no difference, there's never a problem getting Wembley tickets.

So what offer will entice both sets of fans who turn up to produce average gates of 15,000 to turn up for a semi?

I just do not get it.

Why the 15k who turn up to home games don't - to a man - desperately want to be at a Semi final, beats me.

Well there are at least twenty of us going, the same number that went to wembley last year.The Challenge cup should be our games showpiece tournament,we shouldnt let it go the same way of the FA cup.

At least with the FA cup, even with the scandal of semi finals at Wembley, we still manage to all trudge to Wembley for them if our club gets there.

I'm yet to see an embarrassing attendance at an FA cup semi.

If it was free entry to all what do people think the attendance would be?

Marketing of the semis is non existent as far as I know- would promotion of the semis make a difference?

Great idea!

It has been poorly advertised/marketed, especially as they have had the (ridiculously) long break between the quarters and semis to get something sorted. But at £18 a ticket minimal marketing should be required anyway. Hudds is a decent stadium, everyone gets a seat, everyone is covered if it rains, there's decent parking, it's a decent kick off time - that eliminates a lot of excuses you hear. Can anyone enlighten me as to any other reasons people might have, because quite frankly I am baffled why this looks like it's going to be so poorly attended. I know we put 50 in to Leeds the other week, but Leeds have got better and we still have key injuries, plus form goes out the window for a game like this anyway.

I do think it has a lot to do with the current state of the economy, but it is pretty sad really that the few times our great game is shown on national TV it's in front of empty stadia.

Should have them both played on the same day at the same place. Should be sortable!





Rock 'n' Roll.

I like the double-header idea, but what about the Etihad?

It's in the off-season for football, good ground, centrally located, already proven as a good venue for RL.

I think that a lot of the issue over poor atendences is because RL fans in general dont travel.

Yes, I know we have one of the largest, if not the largest, away set of fans, but even we only take a fraction of the fans who attend home games.

Other teams away support is absolutely laughable.

I reckon the fans that like going to away games will always go, some extras will go to a semi, but the majority only watch home games plus finals.

Sadly pal i think that it being on TV is a big contribution as to why fans give the semi a miss

and i do buy into the fact that people dont like spending over the cost of the season ticket, i certainly see it at Wigan, all those that regularly go to away games will agree that its always the same faces... a lot has changed since the days of the Regal trophy/Lancs cup et al and its just the way it is.

Be prepared for around 11k on saturday

Put it this way, they could have given us the 4139 on the touchline. and that still wouldnt be sold now. Top tier of the stand behind the sticks has not been opened at the minute.

We'll have around 6k at the game. Behind the sticks will be full.

We will not outnumber Leeds 5-1.

I'm pretty pleased with 6k considering we took a similar amount to wire for the semi last year. Had this game been at Langtree I think it would have seen a cracking crowd to be honest.

Maybe it's the fact you put so many passed us last time and some of our fans genuinely believe it's going to happen again?!
Holidays maybe?
Finances?
As much as the Keepmoat was awful last year I do think taking this game there may of been better.
At the moment we haven't sold the upper tier behind the sticks and I don't think they are bothering opening it.
Safe journey across.

I don't think you'll be far off though mate.

I can't see why Leeds fans wouldn't go just because they feared a beating. They surely know better then most that in big games their side shows up and theyll give us a cracking game.

As for our fans I'd be suprised if we took more then 5k. As much as it's a semi final a lot of people still seem to see them as regular away games and therefore won't travel.

Not even close.

The reason for the low gate IMO is the gap from the 1/4 final to the semi-final. It is just too much. Also the lack of marketing from the RFL.

A double-header is the way forward in my opinion. Etihad stadium push the tickets and I reckon 30k+ will go.