Newcastle United are flying high atop the Championship, but things are not going as well in terms of the home crowds.
With relegation from the Premier League comes a certain sense of pressure. Whether it be from the owners, fans or the media, there is an expectancy that the club in question will bounce straight back up into the top flight. For Newcastle United, that pressure appears to run throughout the entire club.
With half the season gone the Magpies look in prime position to fulfill their supposed prophecy of returning to the Premier League, but it has not come without it’s problems. The atmosphere at a number of top stadiums around the country seems to have diminished in the last twelve months, with the reasoning stemming from a mixture of increased tickets and more fickle fanbases.
With away games on the other hand, the hardcore supporters tend to jump at the chance to travel up and down the country in search of a more enticing experience. The jump in ticket sales when it comes to these games has increased for a number of clubs in 2016, because it just feels more special.
St James’ Park used to be home to some of the most passionate fans in Europe, but what message is going to be sent with hundreds upon hundreds sitting on their hands for 90 minutes? Away days have that feel of “anything can happen”, and experiencing a new ground whilst interacting with different sections of supporters is what it’s all about.
Just a quick look at the form table shows that this is very much an issue for Rafa Benitez’s side this season. The Magpies are top of the away table, with nine wins from 13 games and a goal difference of +16. The next closest goal difference is +6.
But at home, where teams are traditionally supposed to be stronger, Newcastle aren’t even in the playoff places. They’re 7th, with four defeats out of 12 and 13 goals conceded. That’s a worse defensive record than Burton Albion.
Something needs to change, or we’ll start to see a drastic decline in both season ticket sales as well as attendances week in and week out.
Newcastle fans behind manager Rafael Benitez
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