Excellent post Roofs and Barham Red just the point I was going to add about the Derby's, that pre season game is simply the 'give us yer money cup' while we along with Cas and Wakey are the only clubs to play Derby games now at the magic weekend, it's pure overkill and the magic of the old 2 a season derby's is gone now. I was also going to add that TV is killing crowds too and I simply don't think away supporters travel like they used to either and Thursday nights haven't helped that one. The game is developing into a for TV only attraction with gates everywhere dwindling badly.

Hopefully so, and with the events of the past 48 hours I believe it will be the case.


The city needs those 20,000 crowds again. Actually this was achieved for that Easter Thursday 2015 game, which had some great ticket offers (went in Upper West for the first time for a derby; amazing view and decent enough atmosphere).
It's a shame both clubs can't fill it without offers like was achieved in '07 twice, but maybe in the financially difficult times the city's still in its not a shock.
Do people think Hull City's Premier League status has an adverse effect on RL attendances? I think their promotion certainly saved face for them; in the Championship this season it'd have been a lot of sub-15,000 crowds I believe with all the turmoil.

Totally Wilf. Am I right in thinking Wigan brought just a hundred or two last night? If so that's awful on paper, looking at the table and their legendary status. However, with Sky these days offering world-class coverage (erm, in some ways?!!), the cost of live SL and Friday night travelling it isn't a surprise now unfortunately.
The vibe you get around the city is that most (perhaps 70%-80%) of RL fans prefer Sundays. Friday's in particular seem to cause so many headaches, but Hull and Rovers you would think know their businesses better than us on the 'outside' so it's a strange one.
If the clubs really do mean what they say though when it comes to the real Derby Day it's time to both pick different friendly opponents (all this b*****s about 'intensity' is daft; Hull v Leeds, Rovers v Cas, job done).
Stand up to the RL and say Magic needs to change, but again, maybe keep it all-Yorkshire ties if they really insist on maintaining the Magic concept?
The derby definitely needs actions like these to get back the feel of a 'can't miss' event that it used to be. Personally I knocked the friendly on the head maybe three years ago or so. Problem though is that a figure close to 10,000 and all the add-ons (food, drink etc) clearly still makes it financially worthwhile for them, which some would see as reason to keep it, but at the expense of the proper games we all love I say it's wrong to have this view.

I know,there would have been plenty at Wembley for just that game and none after.I also believe Thurs night matches are very harmful.I got my pass as usual this season and knew id miss a couple at home on a Thurs as I work and have set holidays so unable to book days off,as you know i had very severe personal problems that stopped me going but if that hadn't surfaced id have missed loads due to Thurs home games and then that makes a pass worthless tbh to shift workers.

I hope circumstances change and that you are able to get to more games in the future mate.

Maybe biased as they're a ballache IMO but don't think 80% of fans want Sunday games. Plus you get uneven turnarounds when you've to go away to Wigan, Saints, Leeds. Agree that Thursday nights are an awful idea.

pointless the club moving to sundays for next season, now we are back amongst the top teams sky will pick us more often and move them back to a thursday or friday, look at warrington, sunday is there preferred home game day but i think i read somewhere they have only had 2 or 3 superleague matches played on a sunday this season

Yeah, creates bad feeling with the fans also to claim Sunday as gameday but in reality only playing a minority of games then.

Needed for what?

14500 was the average gate the year before Pearson took ownership.

In an ideal world if I were owner I'd want as many through the gates as possible.

By the way, just how many log in persona's do you have Keith ?

Agree with the sentiment however as both clubs have not been rolling in cash, I'd hardly call it greed to play a preseason friendly

Wouldn't be surprised to see a festive derby this year rather than a late January one.

Think we are playing Cas over Christmas this year

At the Mend a Ho-Ho-Hose Jungle?

Yeah heard we have a boxing day game vs. Cas

Cant see the preseason game getting scrapped as its too easy a money spinner to turn down for both clubs, come late Jan we're all gagging for a game so a game in Hull will pull in a decent crowd. Magic (if we stay up) should be a non derby given our relative end of season positions.

Quick question for FC fans, watching the game on Friday on SKY, just before kick off they showed the 2 club badges, the FC one had 1865 - 2000 below the crest rather than the EST 1865, is this a club badge?

Interesting, I didn't notice it at the game, even though FC defended a lot, that end in the second half

lost me with that one...

The banners are draped over the seating on the north stand, during the game. It was a throwaway comment, aimed at our non creative play, having to spend so much time defending that end during the second half.

Ok, no it was the graphic SKY used just before the players took to the pitch, never seen it used before, just wondered if it had a significance.

Yeah, we're celebrating the merger

The club mascot for the occassion is Sharknado the Thundershark.

I'm sure in 2000 that was the badge we used to celebrate the Millennium. Chuff knows where they've dug it up from though because I've just tried to find it on Google and found nothing!

I actually thought someone at SKY was having a merger dig or something, hell of a hack by a Rovers fan (any idiot with a few quid can hire a plane

) but had a look on google its on the front cover of Boulevard voices by Raymond Fletcher. As you say god knows where SKY have got it from or why they used it.

That's the one, knew I hadn't dreamt it!!
Seriously though, why are Sky using this one??!!