IT’s just over a month ago that more than 4,000 Hereford United supporters attended the Bulls' FA Cup second round replay against Cheltenham Town at Edgar Street.
The winner of the tie was to face Premier League giants Everton - a game that was to be televised.
Sadly, Hereford lost the game, but it was endearing to see so many supporters turning out to watch their local club.
However the majority of those fans haven't been back to Edgar Street, with Tuesday night's game against AFC Telford attracting a gate of less than 1,500.
The fact that Hereford produced a poor performance, culminating in Telford grabbing an injury time equaliser, will not help in increasing the attendances for forthcoming games.
So what can be done to alleviate the problem?
Morecambe supporters could watch last night’s game against Dagenham for free, which resulted in an attendance of 4,029 - more than double their average gate.
I do not think Hereford should do the same as it is highly unlikely that they will recoup their losses, but I do think that they should look at any initiative that will help attract more supporters to games.
I know many people who used to regularly watch Hereford, but now do not go because they cannot afford it and quite simply have lost interest in the club.
I think charging £16 to £18 is way too much to watch a Blue Square Premier game.
I know that the price is about average for the league, but I can only see attendances dwindling if the prices are kept as they are, especially if performances do not improve on the pitch.
Hereford still have 12 more home games to play this season, which is a lot when you consider that the season ends on April 20.
The majority are against teams who will probably only bring a small following, while three are midweek.
So I think that the club should seriously consider reducing prices for some of the games to see if it works in getting more fans through the doors.
It's sad that some people prefer to watch a Champions League game on TV rather than watch Hereford, but that's the reality.
The re-arranged game against Newport at Edgar Street on March 5 is on the same night as Manchester United versus Real Madrid, while the Wrexham game also falls on the same night as Champions League games are being played and is just two days before Valentine's Day.
Hereford also have back-to-back home games coming up against Alfreton and Dartford, while consecutive home games will also be played against Mansfield and Southport at the end of the month and the beginning of February.
Maybe the club should look at these games and see what can be done to entice more fans to attend.
If only 1,400 home fans turned up last night, how many more will there be on Saturday? I’d say not many.
I would be interested to hear your thoughts.
Feel free to comment below or vote on the following polls.
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