Got to say. Well done to Thistle for the U16 get in for f**k all scheme. If only more clubs did that our attendances will reverse from the trend in lowering crowds! Also the fact your getting kids away from the vile that is the OF.

Young lads normally go to the Shopping Centres and hang about there on Saturdays. But Thistle give the local kids that other option of going to watch a fitbaw game for f**k all. Also with it being to U16. Kids between 12 and 15 don't really need to rely on their parents to take them - The reason many U12 schemes don't work. Kids will then go on to support that team and there you are - A new generation of fans who would've just wore their OF tops fannying about shopping centres like a bunch of wee poofters on Saturdays will now be supporting their local clubs, change their colours and become a fan for life.

I hope this works out for Thistle and hope more clubs take heed.

Lots of other clubs simply cannot afford to do it, particularly us.

But yes, well done Thistle. Only good thing to come out of today is that I didnt give the c***s any money

We're very much not doing it because we can afford to, but because we think it's a long term winner in what is generally an over priced market.

I don't know about the line in bold because peer pressure at school can just as easily change them back to the Old Filth, but even 20 new fans is better than nothing. For clubs who think it might cause them to lose money, short term more than likely, long term even a few fans is a victory for the long term, Clyde have a decent sized catchment area to themselves that they should be striving to capture a generation of new fans from, although a decent team helps too when getting punters through the gates and we have been generally very good at home too.

Also a big well done to the two policemen who threw that idiot in our end out at half-time

Yeah it's a cracking idea and with all the wee guys down near the Clyde end today with their high pitched singing it's entertaining! But seriously, if a percentage of those wee guys keeps up supporting when they are older, it will prove an excellent idea. All the empty seats across football stadiums it's an absolute disgrace the prices some of the clubs charge kids. And whilst they are not paying in, you can bet at xmas etc they will be asking for new strips etc so the club is still making money.

Hope other clubs take it up

I dont really agree with that. My sons are both Clyde fans through and through, and a very high proportion of kids in both their schools (primary and high) are Thistle, Clyde, Hearts, Falkirk etc. Ok there are still a lot of Old firm supporters, but you find that the majority are supporting but not following. i.e. Going to the games. Whereas, you find that the kids that choose to support the other teams out there actually follow them and attend the games. I think its a great idea that thistle are doing this, and to an extent Clyde have done the same for Under 12s this season when they had the free season ticket voucher in the local newspaper. It really should be extended to under 16s as it may bring more teenagers through the gates. HOWEVER, based on our performance of late, free entry is the least of our worries. But well done Thistle for setting a precedent. I hope others follow.

I go to St.Maurice's which is so close to Broadwood you can see it from parts of the school. Out of the 1,100 odd folk that go, you will be lucky if there is 20 Clyde fans. Myself included. Barely anyone from Cumbernauld gives a f**k about Clyde, the sooner the board realise this the better.

Why did you get thrown out?

Not really Chris. Next week at Broadwood, take a wee walk along and count how many kids are there between the ages of 13 and 15. Times that figure by 5 and see what you get. You'll struggle to get about 150. Which simply is £150 a game we'd lose if you want to count Pay at the Gate. But the increased revenue of the odd parent coming along, kids taking Clyde to heart and want scarfs, shirts etc etc. Then once the kids hit 16 they'll be a paying at the gates and turning into a loyal fan.

Basically the clubs need to convert the wee pussies at the shopping centres into Football Fans. The only reason kids fanny about Shopping Centres is because it costs f**k all to do so and they're with all their mates. Offer them to watch a free game of fitbaw at the weekends and they'll change their minds.

As much as the wee guys did my head in with the screeching today. Those kids were or probably are OF fans just now. But those kids will keep returning and eventually a percentage of them will become fans. Fans Thistle wouldn't have got if it wern't for this scheme.

Cheeky c**t.

Wouldn't be surprised if some Clyde fans threw themselves out in front of a moving train at this moment in time.

Just like your strikers, they'd probably miss it!!!

That was actually quite good. I'll give you that.

We used to take a pasting for free ticket schemes a few years ago, but it has helped to breed a reasonable number of young lads who now watch the team home and away.

At Livi we are in a particularly difficult situation, with Hearts and Hibs and the OF to contend with and making football affordable is the only solution for us IMHO.

I'm not sure whether completely free is the answer, but why not let kids in for, say, £2. That way they used to paying

I never thought I would see the words "Livingston" and "affordable" in the same paragraph!!!

Maybe you could get your catering charges down, and also admission prices to same as rest of division and then you can comment on making the game affordable.

Kids go free is a great idea, but not at Celtic obviously..................................

At my school it was full of scummy t!ms and the teachers were just as bad as the pupils and it was seen as totally bizarre and out of the ordinary not to be a Celtic fan.. Infact on the day of Seville they had a 'Seville day' in which staff and pupils were allowed to turn up in Sellik attire and they could do as they wish on the day. I also remember the school allowing pupils the afternoon off to watch Ireland play Saudi Arabia in the World Cup. Full of stupid morons proclaming their love for 'ra Sellik and how anyone who doesn't support them is an idiot. On top of that add all the wee fuds wondering why you support such a pishy team and giving you pelters for it regularly.

Things like that really disgust me and that type of peer pressure would intolerable for most so they just follow the trend to avoid being singled out for abuse.

You are obviously not the brightest.

I'm not saying that attending at Almondvale is affordable at the moment. The solution to our poor attendances is making it so.

Methinks it is you who is dulling down!

I was merely pointing out areas in which your club need to review their strategy.

So are you doing anything about it such as raising the matter with the board or other club representatives?

I'm at school in Coatbridge and other than two people that I know who support Motherwell and Airdrie it's all Old Firm fans. The pelters you get from dickheads who have never been to a Rangers/Celtic game in their life is unreal. "Why do you support Clyde?" "Imagine supporting Clyde!" As soon as you mention the term 'part-time supporters' though, they've f**k all else to say As for the Under 16 thing, great idea. In my opinion there would be a lot more youngsters going to the games if they got in for free. For instance, if Albion Rovers (local team) where to let under 16s in for free and I was an Old Firm fan who couldn't get to Ibrox or Parkhead for one reason or another then I would certainly be going to Cliftonhill every second week.

And they go by the name of the LAC.

Beat me to it ya bam

Good post mate.

I've gave you some amount of stick in the past, but fair play.

There was an idiot in your end? I saw hundreds of them

There were hundreds of us?

I actually thought our support wasnt bad given the amount of pish we're watching every week

Does anybody else find it amusing how much this Gunther guy hates kids in shopping centres?

On the subject of clubs potentially losing money from letting kids in for free, I notice in the Thistle programme that the prices have been set for our Scottish cup tie at Stirling's ground. The price for kids is £10 per head, therefore, I will not be going. I will not be paying my £15 to get in. I will not be buying a programme. I will not be buying anything from the food outlets.
Sometimes clubs should look at the bigger picture.

No! Just you!

Its like Deja Vu from last season, I still cant believe they get away with a student gate only for Stirling University students.

Thistle Fans discussing Student Entry to Fitbaw Grounds... Who'd have thought it