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FA Cup semi-final: Wigan have at least 10,000 tickets left

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments801

Wembley Stadium

Wigan Athletic have so far failed to sell at least 10,000 of their allocated tickets for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Millwall.

The Football Association has taken the unprecedented step of opening a neutral zone for 6,000 fans, and made a further 1,500 seats available to troops.

Both clubs were allocated just over 31,000 tickets and Millwall are expected to sell their full complement.

It is understood the FA expects at least 14,000 empty seats at Wembley.

The 6,000 neutral seats, in an area that was originally a Wigan section, will only be sold to supporters who are already registered on the FA's ticketing database.

Wigan's failure to sell out their section is not altogether unexpected, with the club averaging just short of 19,000 for home matches in the Premier League this season.

Jason Taylor, a committee member of the Wigan Athletic Supporters' Club, has pointed to several mitigating factors, including the size of the Greater Manchester club's existing fanbase.

"Our supporter base has grown phenomenally over the last 15 years," he said. "If you go back in history our crowds have gone from 1,200 to 15,000.

"They are continuing to grow but we are still a long way behind Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton, who have a lot of fans in the town.

"We have already sold more than our average attendance and we have only got around 12,000 season ticket holders, with around 25% of those aged under 16.

"So even if we sell 20,000 tickets then we have sold thousands more than usual."

Taylor said many fans were unable to travel to London by train with the last service back to Wigan leaving the capital at 20:30 BST. It means fans would not have enough time to get to Euston station from Wembley after the final whistle.

He added some supporters have decided to sacrifice going to the match in order to save money for the final - should Roberto Martinez's team reach the 11 May showpiece.

Tickets are still available for Sunday's semi-final between Manchester City and Chelsea, although that match is expected to sell out in the next 24 hours.

Wigan Athletic declined to give details of exact ticket sales when asked.

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801 comments

  • Comment posted by albertzleffoot, at 14:37 10 Apr 2013

    The semi finals should be played at Old Trafford and Villa Park as they used to be. Playing the semis at Wembley dilutes the importance of the "big day at Wembley" on final day.

  • Comment posted by User0679088623, at 14:33 10 Apr 2013

    Failing to sell 10,000 tickets?

    It appears that Dave Whelan is gunna get his wish for a silence for Margaret Thatcher after all.

  • Comment posted by BaggiosPonytail, at 14:26 10 Apr 2013

    Why do they have the semi-finals at Wembley? It's stupid.

  • Comment posted by faz42, at 14:39 10 Apr 2013

    We've sold 20k, the other seats are club Wembley and sponsorship seats.

    The facts are its bloody expensive, we've a small to medium fanbase, and its in London.

    Then throw in millwall and no trains cos the fa, virgin trains and tv have made sure there's none coming home and there's your problem!

  • Comment posted by User0897312494, at 14:38 10 Apr 2013

    Semi-finals should not be played at Wembly.The whole ethos was final at Wembly.This new "cash at any cost" has robbed Wembly of it's novelty in my view.
    Rotten shame.

  • Comment posted by pjdonkin, at 15:06 10 Apr 2013

    Hardly surprising really. Only one virgin train going to Wigan after the game at 19.30. With kick off at 17.15 even if the game finishes in normal time you'd never make that train. You'd need a hotel overnight. Considering you've already shelled out at least £100 on the train down and the ticket, do you really want to shell out another £100/150 for a hotel and train back the following day?

  • Comment posted by bilko, at 14:37 10 Apr 2013

    When are the greedy people of the FA going to learn? I'm absolutely chuffed to bits that it appears that ticket sales for the semi final are going rubbish. Its all about money these days and the FA just give two fingers to the fans who are the back bone of the sport.

  • Comment posted by 99dndd, at 15:33 10 Apr 2013

    5:15 kickoff when the last trian to Wigan leaves at half 7! Surely someone should have looked at the train timetable before setting kick off time?!

    The FA are imcompetent in making even the easiest decisions!

  • Comment posted by User0380136860, at 15:06 10 Apr 2013

    Also the later kick off at 5.15pm stopped travel by train, as there is no return service......FA should be ashamed that an earlier kick off time could not be given. It seems an unfair advantage is given to teams who are located closer to the capital. eg Chelsea and Millwall.

  • Comment posted by Wiggins_YB, at 15:05 10 Apr 2013

    Feel sorry for Wigan here. They're a small (rugby) town club who are punching way above their weight and don't have a massive fan base in general, which there's no shame in.

    The same people mocking Wigan for not selling out are probably the same who are mocking Millwall for selling out despite low avg attendances.

    My advice: ignore the trolls and have a fantastic day out at wembley

  • Comment posted by goonhead, at 14:50 10 Apr 2013

    The Semi's were always special when played at a neutral ground, I know why they do it, but isn't it time they started giving back to supporters, I used to love going to Villa Park or Hillsborough or where ever? It's not as if we haven't got the stadiums for it. Villa park would have been perfect for the Millwall/Wigan game. Bring back the proper neutral grounds.

  • Comment posted by westy84, at 14:30 10 Apr 2013

    Why not just have the semi's at Villa park or grounds with a smaller capacity?
    Would make the final more special.
    Looks silly for a big game to be in a half empty stadium like JPT at the weekend.

  • Comment posted by Mazza, at 15:36 10 Apr 2013

    Name one other club that could take 25% of the town's population 200 miles for a semi final.

    People criticise Wigan's attendances but QPR have lower average gates and are situated in part of what I believe is a rather large city called London .

  • Comment posted by Glazier17, at 15:36 10 Apr 2013

    Why oh why do the FA allow kick off times that do not allow fans to return home on public transport.
    I think the FA should provide free coach travel to all fans from northern clubs if they allow these kick off times.
    Its what we all know the FA does not give a damn about the life blood of football, the fan that week in week out goes through the turnstiles rather than sit at home with a remote!!!!

  • Comment posted by Chris, at 14:53 10 Apr 2013

    This is why it should be played on a neutral ground, should have played at Aston Villa, less travel time for wigan fans, smaller capacity which wigan could fill and it would bring back the magic of the FA Cup!

  • Comment posted by The Realist, at 15:34 10 Apr 2013

    Almost the entire middle tier will be empty because that is for those who shouldn't be there, corporate sponsors et all.

    What are the FA going to do about that? Nothing!

  • Comment posted by Dungolfin, at 14:44 10 Apr 2013

    Eh could it be that most Wigan fans expect to beat Millwall and are saving their cash for the final? That's a flaw in the whole Wembley semis approach. It's not a cheap day out.

  • Comment posted by Bongsmon, at 15:07 10 Apr 2013

    @68 - when they start awarding points for attendances then Wigan Athletic will not belong in the premier league. Until then it's what goes on on the pitch that matters & like it or not for the last 8 years the players have shown that that's exactly where they deserve to be

  • Comment posted by User0304017609, at 15:10 10 Apr 2013

    Bravo Wigan. Love them. They totally belong in the premier league because they consistently buck the trend agaisnt all the odds with a small fan base. 2 x potential trips to Wembley for relatively small Northern based team engulfed by beimng surrounded by United, City, Everton, Liverpool? Shame on the FA for making them do this.
    Wigan I salute you. Salford red. MUFC.

  • Comment posted by scitmon, at 15:10 10 Apr 2013

    If the greedy money grabbing FA had scheduled the tie at a neutral ground half way between Millwall and Wigan, and set the ticket price at a reasonable level, then Wigan would easily have sold thier allocation I would imagine. You would also have the added bonus of not de-valueing the final.

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