IT’S BRAVE IT’S BOLD ...BUT IT’S GOING TO BACKFIRE ON BOWIE
The same goes for netural venues, with Aberdeen the most recent example when Pittodrie chiefs demanded a 50-50 split of Hampden for this season’s Betfred Cup semi-final with Rangers.
But despite the kick-off time for the tie moving from noon to 4.30pm, the Red Army managed to shift around half of their 20,300 allocation and were forced to return briefs.
Derek McInnes said at the time there was “no harm done” and being outnumbered around three to one on the day certainly didn’t have an impact with the Dons winning the tie.
But it will probably make the club think twice about putting up such a fight in the future and they are not alone in that regard.
Rangers were again involved when Hibs handed them just half of the South Stand for their play-off semi at the end of 2014-15 season. Hibs failed to sell out their allocation and Fir Park was nowhere near full when Motherwell made the same move for the play-off final with Rangers.
And who remembers Sell-Out Saturday? The fan campaign aimed at getting a bum on every seat for the opening Saturday of the 2012-13 season. It was a call to arms after Rangers were demoted to the bottom tier. But it didn’t quite go to plan when not one of the day’s four topflight games managed to sell out.
The following week then Gers boss Ally McCoist aimed at a cheeky dig at the campaign when Ibrox did completely sell out for their clash with East Stirling. So Bowie and his board are taking a gamble and it shouldn’t be too much to ask the fans to fill the stadium for the visit of Steven Gerrard’s side on May 19 – especially if they are still in the hunt for third place.
Kilmarnock might never enjoy such a lofty position again after an astonishing turnaround in club fortunes under Steve Clarke.
It has seen average attendances rise double to around 5000 but that is still well short of the 17,889 capacity and why Bowie will be hoping for a big uptake in tickets. And at a time when they’re trying to attract fans
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