17 Dec 2009: Ajax - RSC Anderlecht

[Van basten]

nice goal from Urby

[Jari Litmanen]

Suaréz in. I don't think that's very wise if he really has a sore knee.

[Monkey Tonk]

Not watching this game. Came in here on page 2, goal Ajax. Then I got to page 1... My jaw dropped. Man, sure glad I'm not watching this game. I hope they give everybody in the Arena their money back.

[SE6Ajacied]

Not watching this game. Came in here on page 2, goal Ajax. Then I got to page 1... My jaw dropped. Man, sure glad I'm not watching this game. I hope they give everybody in the Arena their money back.

OK, I've just done the same thing lol - saw the goal, then the third post I saw was this one - not too sad to be missing this really.....

[Kowalczyk]

This was hilarious. Truly hilarious.

I had a great time.

It really helps to not take the whole thing too seriously.

K.

[Monkey Tonk]

This was hilarious. Truly hilarious.

I had a great time.

It really helps to not take the whole thing too seriously.

K.

lmao

[GangstaRiB]

Once in a while the whole (well... 30.000 spectators) Arena is laughing their ass off. And this was one of those nights.

[Van basten]

Once in a while the whole (well... 30.000 spectators) Arena is laughing their ass off. And this was one of those nights.

It sure didn't look that Arena was laughing.

[Van basten]

That guy who scored twice for Anderlecht - Romelu Lukaku, is just 16 years old!

[Orange14]

I missed most of the match which I guess was a good thing. We go into the draw as unseeded, meaning we can be matched with any of the Europa group winners or the four top CL drop down teams which are: Juventus, Marseille, Wolfsburg and Unirea Urziceni (Romania). Best on history it would be cool to draw Juventus and beat them just like we did Fiorentina. However, Jol's men will need to come out much better than they did this evening.

[Philippe]

It was so bad it looked unreal, especially with a 60% empty Arena thanks to die-hard TV fans.

[Kowalczyk]

especially with a 60% empty Arena thanks to die-hard TV fans.

Nah, I would say 36.000 is not that terrible, since Ajax were already qualified...

K.

[Philippe]

The second ring seemed totally empty, and the first one was not full.

[jamcocteau]

It was so bad it looked unreal, especially with a 60% empty Arena thanks to die-hard TV fans.

Speaking as one of the tv fans for Europa League games this season I know exactly why I did not attend these matches. After forking out over Eur 420 for my season ticket I was fucked if I was going to pay the the absolutely ridiculous prices that Ajax were charging for these games. Both the Anderlecht and Dinamo Zagreb were more expensive than prices charged for our Eredivisie Class A games against the likes of Feyenoord that have been played so far this season. If you didnt want to sit behind the goal which were the cheapest areas then tickets for around the side were over Eur 40, which I am not willing to pay to watch 2nd rate Belgian or Croatian teams in a 2nd rate European competition.

In my opinion, the board of Ajax really fucked up badly with their pricing policy for these games. This is not the premier European competition and the prices charged in my opinion cannot be justified. Ajax were charging more than a number of clubs in the Champions League for far more attractive games. In a time of economic recession here in the Netherlands and across Europe the Ajax board could have had lower initial prices and attracted far larger attendances.

As much as I love Ajax and will be there for the remainder of the Eredivisie games this season, I will not hand over my cash willingly when I feel the price charged cannot be justified. Quite obviously I was not the only person who thought so and I actually feel that instead of slagging fans off about non-attendance, which you have done after every Europa League game this season, maybe it would be better to ask why so many fans did not attend.

In one way I think it is actually good that so many did not turn up. For too long football clubs have treated supporters as absolute idiots who will blindly follow and pay silly prices irrespective of the fare on offer and non-attendance at the Ajax europa league games so far by so many might just show the board that a number of fans are not lemmings, have a brain and can make their own minds up about attendance.

Oh and btw Bon Noel

[Mr_Holte]

I respect you for your stance against paying the rediculous prices. It's one of footballs biggest shames in the modern game and until more people do what you have done (looks like a good number did), then clubs will continue to take the piss.

For me, living in England this is one of our biggest problems and yet people continue to pay it. I always refuse to pay any more than £40 for a ticket, and having been to all but 3 Villa away games this season, only Birmingham, Chelsea and Man United charge more than £40.

I hope the Ajax board takes note of the percentage of empty seats and review their pricing policy for europa games.