EAS was more than a feeling

M

Ms.Nobody

Banned
This article talks about the Knights Crowds and a possible Jets Take over?

THE vibe at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday night was unmistakably familiar.

As the Newcastle Jets players did a lap of honour after their 2-0 triumph over Central Coast in the first leg of the A-League major semi-final, a parochial crowd revelled in a heady mix of jubilation and expectation.

The atmosphere was intoxicating but nothing new to the home-town fans.

They've experienced it all before, albeit following a different team playing a different code.

Just like the Knights in their halcyon days of 1997 and 2001, there is a sense of destiny about the city's new footballing heroes.

The Jets are now 90 minutes away from the grand final. They won't have a better chance to be the first team into the decider, and they have no intention of wasting it.

The Holy Grail is tantalisingly close, and by bringing it to Newcastle, the Jets can forever win a special place in the hearts of the Novocastrian faithful.

After yesterday's recovery session at Merewether baths, Jets coach Gary van Egmond and his players spoke wisely about the importance of keeping their eyes on the ball.

Losing focus at this stage of the season would be a crime.

But skipper Jade North declared there was a growing belief among his teammates that their time is now, and that this would be the year of the Jets.

"I started feeling that way a couple of weeks ago," North said.

"I just started to sense the confidence and belief in the team. We've just grown in spirit and stature week in, week out, during our last four games.

"We'll definitely be very confident heading into the second leg of this semi-final."

Inspirational striker Joel Griffiths was equally convinced the Jets were on the verge of writing their own chapter in Newcastle sporting folklore.

"Destiny I'd like to think so," he said.

"If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

"I suppose it's only half-time, but I think we showed last night that we wanted to win a little bit more than they did, and all the boys are in a really positive frame of mind."

Unlike the Knights, who attracted crowds of 30,000-plus in their inaugural season, the Jets have found acceptance a hard-earned commodity.

But having reached the play-offs in each of the three A-League seasons, their support base in Newcastle has steadily grown.

In the first campaign, their home crowds averaged 9021, a figure that rose to 12,619 last season.

This season their average turnout has climbed to 14,021, continuing an upward trend.

The Knights, however, still cast a formidable shadow and perhaps the only way for the Jets to completely emerge from it is to present indisputable evidence of their quality in the form of an A-League title.

The Jets players are well aware of the big picture and what a grand final triumph would mean to Newcastle and the Hunter.
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look on the bright side, the bigger the crowds the more reason to expand the stadium. Good luck to them and i hope the win the title
 
There's no doubt that their success is a key part to their popularity.

Here are a few more somewhat related articles:

Jets take over the Knights' heartland
By John Taylor
January 24, 2008 12:00am

THERE was a time when it was all about Andrew Johns and the Knights.

Now Newcastle is buzzing as the Jets prepare for the biggest prize of all - the A-League title and a trip into Asia.

Gary van Egmond's team hopes to inch closer to a grand final when they face Central Coast before 25,000 fans at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday.
"I have a feeling we'll win," Belmont mum and Jets volunteer Tryphena Pearson said yesterday.

Like her eight-year-old son Kaleb, Tryphena's favourite player is pin-up boy Joel Griffiths.

"I just think he is fantastic. He always scores the goals," she said.

Her 10-year-old daughter Courtney, who is a member of the Bombers squad (dance group), loves watching the little Brazilian Denni.

When asked about the outcome, she replied: "Of course they'll win - they have to."

Both Halle Riege, who is also in the Bombers squad, and Keegan Smith, from Cameron Park, just love watching Griffiths play. But 13-year-old Kellen Riege's favourite player is Tarek Elrich.

Kellen's mum Lynda never misses a Jets game. "The atmosphere at the games is just awesome. Sometimes I even go to away games. I just love it," she said.
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Source: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23098953-5001023,00.html

And a few extracts from another article..

Jet Joel ready for Socceroo takeoff
By Jason Dasey

The rise of the Jets has coincided with a turbulent few months for the city's long-established Rugby League team, the Knights, who finished second last on the 2007 NRL table after the shock retirement of legendary captain Andrew 'Joey' Johns followed by his arrest in London on a minor drug charge.

With the NRL and A-League seasons barely overlapping, the Knights and the Jets aren't in direct competition, even though they share the same ground. But there's little doubt that the emergence of local soccer stars like Griffiths is eating away at some of Rugby League's fan base, even if Griffiths, himself, lists Johns as one of his favourite sportsmen, along with ex-France captain Zinedine Zidane.

The Jets averaged a healthy 13,209 fans for their home games this season. And while wet conditions dampened predictions of a record crowd for their final regular season game against Perth Glory, they still attracted 16,212, a figure that was higher than all but four of the Knights' 12 matches at Newcastle's EnergyAustralia Stadium in 2007.
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Source: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=500733&root=global&cc=3436
 
I don't really think they will "take over" the Knights will always be part of the newcastle community. Plus they don't even play at the same time of year
 
Psshh, they still haven't got a higher average then the Knights, and the Knights finished second last! And let's not forget that in 2006 the Knights averaged 21,840 (not counting the home semi).
 
jamesgould said:
Psshh, they still haven't got a higher average then the Knights, and the Knights finished second last! And let's not forget that in 2006 the Knights averaged 21,840 (not counting the home semi).
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Yea good point...

We should see how the crouds go this year... If they drop dramatically (which wont happen) then we would have a problem.
 
This year we had alot of factors that made the crowds lower, so I think they will be up again this year anyway. To be honest I am sick of people like Con constaintien or however u spell it going on and on about it like its some huge freaking thing
 
I see you've just got a taste of the back biting that happens all the time over here. It's always football vs. some other sport when they could both happily plod on together, especially as the seasons don't clash. I guess each sport's administrators are worried that fans will choose one or the other to follow as there's only so much cash to go round.
 
I hate all this "us vs them" BS that the leaguies and the football fans go on about.

The Knights and the Jets need each other to get the stadium upgraded. They play at different times of the year, so it's not like the stadium is a white elephant.

The one thing that does hurt the Knights is constant night games. As much as the game needs TV money, it's a massive turn off!

Not to mention I never want to see or read about another national sporting league franchise going down the gurgler. We've lost too many now as it is! I can't even follow the NBL now because there is no Newcastle team to follow. I'm still pissed off a team is in SINGAPORE! They don't give a flying flute about the Slingers over there.

I love both clubs, I am a member of both. And that will continue for as long as I live.

I would like to see some harmony across both teams. Heck, if that means merging the Knights AND Jets into one company, like FC Barcelona in Spain (they run multiple clubs across several sports), so be it.

For the good of ALL sports in Newcastle - it's time to put up and shut up. United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
 
soccer is really a winter sport. the only reason they play in summer is to be parallel with the europeans leagues and so they dont interfere with AFL and NRL
 
Knights lure Jets fans

Article from: Fox sports

NEWCASTLE Knights will kick off a major advertising campaign on Sunday to attract season ticket sales as the city's love affair with football code rivals Newcastle Jets continues to soar.

Only seven weeks out from the start of the NRL season, the Knights' pre-season build-up has been shunted into the background for most fans by the Jets' surge towards their first A-League grand final appearance.

As unthinkable as it may once have been, the Knights now have a legitimate rival for the hearts and minds of the Newcastle sporting public.

A crowd of almost 23,000 witnessed the Jets' pulsating 2-0 semi-final first-leg win over Central Coast on Sunday, bettered only once last season by the Knights when the club farewelled champion halfback Andrew Johns.

Sales of Jets merchandise is at an all-time high with major retail outlet Rebel, the official suppliers for the A-League, claiming Jets gear easily out-sold Knights merchandise in its Charlestown store.

"It is not easy to break it down but we would probably sell between 30 and 40 per cent more Jets gear than Knights gear," Rebel assistant manager Matt Dunn said.

"But you have to remember the Knights have their own merchandise store at the stadium and it is also available at other outlets so it is hard to make a comparison."

But far from viewing the Jets as a rival, Knights boss Steve Burraston insists their success is a positive for the town and his club.

Burraston claimed fans will never be forced to choose between the two because their seasons don't overlap.

"We are thrilled for the Jets and the season they are having," Burraston said.

"I was at the game (on Sunday) and really enjoyed it and went back to the club with Con (Jets owner Con Constantine) afterwards.

"There is a good relationship there.

"I don't view it as us being in competition with them.

"It's a positive in the sense that people get used to coming here (EnergyAustralia Stadium) to go to the footy.
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Bedsey_is_the_best said:
I would never want to see the 2 teams merge, I just don't think it is that practical
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I wouldn't see why it wouldn't be. One town, Two Teams, One Venture.

Even though this issue doesn't really affect me, I somewhat agree with what bigdan had to say the page before.
 
Bedsey_is_the_best said:
I would never want to see the 2 teams merge, I just don't think it is that practical
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It works in other countries - I gave the example of FC Barcelona in Spain. While their soccer arm is by far the biggest and well known part, they have other sporting clubs under their wing as well. If the worse comes to worse, it could be an option.

But I hope both continue to operate successfully, and that soon we'll have a brand spankin' new stadium (or new stands, more to the point) to sit and watch them win.

I'd love to see a Knights-Jets double in '08. :D
 
Untitled23 said:
Bedsey_is_the_best said:
I would never want to see the 2 teams merge, I just don't think it is that practical
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I wouldn't see why it wouldn't be. One town, Two Teams, One Venture.
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Exactly. They share the same stadium, you'd wipe out any problems with regards to tenant agreements.
 
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