Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying round.

What a fantastic draw.

In real terms this match has the potential to be bigger in attendance possibility than our cup matches v Plymouth and Stevenage and chatting to Brockmoor and Jack this morning we all agree that the club should be in effect,treating this in the same way as if we'd reached the first or second round proper against a League club.

I can see 2000+ from Kidderminster wanting to attend this match which does mean it could be a tricky one to manage both on and off the pitch and although temporary stands were dismissed as an idea the last time we drew Stevenage i do think that on this occasion they are worth the effort as it will be far better to have everybody who wants to see the game inside the ground rather than milling around outside or getting drunk in town as the potential for trouble could be higher than we've known previously.

I really hope the club use this match wisely from a commercial point of view,i know it's short notice for tonight but with tonight's match and another v Ilkeston before the cup game surely we can arrange a situation where attendees of either match get a voucher guaranteeing them a cup ticket.

I also hope we print enough programmes,we ran out early on Saturday and the potential for the Kiddie game is huge on many commercial fronts.

I also hope the club take this fantastic opportunity to strengthen the squad from our present position of strength and confidence,most teams who progress add some quality to their squad to give an extra push when they are in a good position and at the moment we seem to be riding a wave again.

I think that having turned things around in the way that they have this season it's only fair that the management team are afforded the chance to add so that we go into the tough winter months in a position of real squad strength.

Really looking forward to this day,even a draw would be a good result because a replay would attract a good gate and i'd still feel confident we could win at Aggborough.

Just imagine how we'd feel today if it'd been Rushall drawing Kiddie

I understand there won't be temporary stands, and the capacity will be just over 2,000.

I imagine the arrangements will be similar to that for Biggleswade although as you correctly point out DA, a lot more Kiddy fans will want to attend than Biggleswade.

Re programmes - don't worry, we will be printing a lot more! It is incredibly hard to gauge for each game, but hopefully we can get it right for Kiddy as we will know how many tickets have been sold.

After the debacle last time of the vouchers (people paying the entry, collecting a voucher and not even entering the ground :/) not sure that system is ideal, but it could have the potential of boosting the Ilkeston attendance significantly.

Why just over 2k? Should be a full house for this game!

baz wrote:Why just over 2k? Should be a full house for this game!

I understand that will be the maximum capacity for the game.

I asked Gordon last night what the ground capacity and he gave a figure of 2087

Brian Handy wrote:I asked Gordon last night what the ground capacity and he gave a figure of 2087

It's a pity we keep shooting ourselves in the foot with regards to ground capacity.

There's no doubting the ground is a lot tidier and safer under the present stewardship of AP and this is not mean't to denigrate that but really,come on,we should have progressed the proposed plans a bit further than we have.

Considering we had the opportunity to attract perhaps 4000 to the Kiddie game it's a bit frustrating to still be at the 2087 type limit we were at when Walsall came to visit.

Devil's Advocate wrote:

Brian Handy wrote:I asked Gordon last night what the ground capacity and he gave a figure of 2087

It's a pity we keep shooting ourselves in the foot with regards to ground capacity.

There's no doubting the ground is a lot tidier and safer under the present stewardship of AP and this is not mean't to denigrate that but really,come on,we should have progressed the proposed plans a bit further than we have.

Considering we had the opportunity to attract perhaps 4000 to the Kiddie game it's a bit frustrating to still be at the 2087 type limit we were at when Walsall came to visit.

If memory serves we have increased the capacity post-Walsall as the Walsall capacity was 2,014 and that was with a temporary stand installed. Now we have a capacity of 2,087 with no temporary stands.

I know that SB but in effect we are no further ahead in terms of capacity. This should've been a 4000 attendance IMO.

Bet I wo get a cowin ticket. Bin to millions of games since 1876, day see none of yow lot at Knypersley etc etc, us real fans have bin screwed over blah blah. Sack the cowin board I'm a gooin up the Grove to see hoofball and get beat 6-0!!

Aled wrote:Bet I wo get a cowin ticket. Bin to millions of games since 1876, day see none of yow lot at Knypersley etc etc, us real fans have bin screwed over blah blah. Sack the cowin board I'm a gooin up the Grove to see hoofball and get beat 6-0!!

Yow dow look a day over 139 ya moanin old git, and wots more ya day even mention "Glory Hunters".  Bostin...

As to the capacity being limited to 2,087 it doesn't really make any difference how many people are in the ground, as we never seem to make much noise anyway.

Especially in the 2nd half when kicking towards the church end

I cowin love the way they're talkin on their forum about whether we will sell our tickets quickly. Billy big balls Kiddy #notwonowtindonkeysyears

Yow got your cowin spoon out again,Aled?

Some great comments on the Kiddy forum about the match,nearly as deluded as people on Halesowen forum.

baz wrote:Some great comments on the Kiddy forum about the match,nearly as deluded as people on Halesowen forum.

Funny,but not quite as bad as the Leamington forum; calling for the manager's head when they're top of the league...

Does not surprise me with them! Odd lot.

The big games are certainly coming thick and fast in the few weeks, at the Sutton game a now familiar theme was being trotted out " I come most matches and won't get a ticket", some do more than enough matches to have a flexi ticket every season which would save them money and guarantee their place for occasions like this but they choose not to, I can't understand the logic.

I didn't think there would be any temporary stands put in, although we would have filled them I think, don't know how much it would have cost or if the cricket club would have agreed to it.

This is a HUGE game certainly bigger than the Biggleswade match, we've half a chance if we play well but it will be very difficult, despite the league position. Wonder how many Kiddy fans will turn up at the Ilkeston match if tickets are still available! they certainly have black country supporters.

The only thing that worries me is Kiddy fans buying tickets in the home end.

Had a few laughs selling tickets for Saturdays game to Kiddy, I mean stour fans tonight.......
"so which part of the ground do you want to be in?"
"err....standing??"
"that's fine, where do you normally stand?"
"we move all around to be honest"

Yeah, sure you do!!
Think it's safe to say there will be kiddy fans in all areas!

On another note. Someone lost a ticket during tonight's match.

I have known this young man since he was little and he is completely trustworthy. If anyone hears of a ticket being handed in could they let me know. Unlikely I know. Cheers.

Jane that could well have been me, I had no idea there was a choice. I was certainly caught off guard with the array of options on offer.

It was a conversation that took place frequently........ ;-)

I don't know who you are??

I'm very dissspointed with the fact we haven't been able to sell our 1700 home tickets and that we are relying on Kiddie fans to take up the slack.

When I got back to my car tonight, the Magnet car park was virtually empty yet I was probably the first Stour fan to get back to their car tonight as I left just before the end of the match.

This was a clear sign that a good number of parking spaces had been taken earlier by Kiddie fans paying to come into the ground and then leaving without watching the match,let's hope the cup match is properly policed and stewarded well!

IF we do get through on Saturday and then draw a league club all the usual bitching will start on Facebook and Twitter about not being able to get tickets,in my opinion,if you can't be arsed with the Kiddie match then you really don't understand the non league culture at all and what a pity that is.

Devil's Advocate wrote:I'm very dissspointed with the fact we haven't been able to sell our 1700 home tickets and that we are relying on Kiddie fans to take up the slack.

When I got back to my car tonight, the Magnet car park was virtually empty yet I was probably the first Stour fan to get back to their car tonight as I left just before the end of the match.

This was a clear sign that a good number of parking spaces had been taken earlier by Kiddie fans paying to come into the ground and then leaving without watching the match,let's hope the cup match is properly policed and stewarded well
IF we do get through on Saturday and then draw a league club all the usual bitching will start on Facebook and Twitter about not being able to get tickets,in my opinion,if you can't be arsed with the Kiddie match then you really don't understand the non league culture at all and what a pity that is.

Given that you seem to be saying that the non league culture involves criticising a club if it can't sell at least three times as many tickets as its average gate for this match, and that it is ok to leave early while a game is still in progress may I say that as a family man this week end is half term, I.e. Take the family on holiday, or maybe I should tell them we can't go away cos stour are playing kiddy, and anyway this week end was originally scheduled to be an away match.
Sorry to sound off like this, but I do think that you are being somewhat unfair by adopting such a broad brush approach. its not that I can't be arsed with the kiddie match, this game has come at the wrong time for me and I can't be the only one in this position. And yes I was at last nights game, and the one before that and the ones that coincide with Albion home games !
I'll get me coat..............

Unlike you I wasn't being personal,I couldn't give a Daffy Duck about your personal opinion of me,my reason for leaving early is personal just like your decision to go away this weekend.

I'm unsure why you feel the need to take this so personally?

My point was not aimed at the regulars like you,it was more a gripe against those who think the cup doesn't start until the first round proper whereas ( I think ),loyal,longstanding fans like yourself and people like myself who have split themselves between their league team and Stourbridge for over 40 years,understand full well just how big a game Saturday's match is,regardless of holiday time I'm astonished 1700 Stour folk couldn't raise themselves to support the lads.

3000 locals will want a ticket if we get a home draw against Sheffield United or Walsall!

It is very disappointing that we don't appear to be able to sell this out, clearly a temporary stand (as I advocated) would have been a financial disaster, can't help feeling the words 1st round proper rather than 4th qualifying round would have made it a different story. The silence on how many we've sold and how many are left has been quite telling.

Clearly there are going to be plenty of Kiddy fans - official and unofficial, (don't think I could pay to go in and leave without watching a match), I have concerns about any flashpoints now particularly if everybody's crammed in the stands if it's chucking it down with rain - which is forecast at the moment. Will anybody who cheers Kiddy in the home end be removed?

oldhillglassboy wrote:

clearly a temporary stand (as I advocated) would have been a financial disaster

Not necessarily as I'm sure Kiddy would have been able to fill it with their fans. After all they sold out their allocation in no time, even if it was only 300.

At least we've had the sense to give them another 150 which will help fill the ground.

DA you have to remember that if we get to the 1st round proper, all those clamouring for tickets and moaning when they can't get one are the people we like to call "glory hunters". And they are only interested in the cup from the 1st round onwards.