Football
ESPN staff 8y

Western Sydney defender Scott Jamieson calls on fans to end boycott

Western Sydney Wanderers defender Scott Jamieson is urging fans to return to matches after a supporter boycott saw A-League crowds slump last weekend.

Fewer than 41,000 fans watched five A-League games across the country, for an average of just 8,117 per match, compared to 12,511 per game last season.

Many fans from the 10 A-League clubs are furious after the names of 198 banished supporters were leaked to a national newspaper -- with all handed out without the right of appeal.

The Wanderers' main fan group, the Red and Black Bloc, says it may extend its boycott from last week, depending on the outcome of an upcoming meeting between A-League fans and Football Federation Australia.

Western Sydney face Melbourne Victory on Saturday in the biggest game of Round 10, which, under normal circumstances, would attract a near capacity crowd of over 15,000.

"It's such a delicate situation but we need our fans back," Jamieson told Fairfax Media.

"I speak for us as a club, and we have the best fans in the league. We really do need them but we understand they haven't been treated right and deserve the right to stand up and speak up.

"Hopefully [Wednesday's] meeting can really try and mend a few things."

Adelaide United, 2014 FFA Cup champions, joined in with an appeal for a big crowd for Friday night's home match against Sydney FC, following Sunday's first win for new coach Guillermo Amor over Perth Glory.

"Against Perth Glory, the players needed support from the fans to win this game and we are thankful because it is what we got," Amor said.

"We need much more of this for our next game and for the games after that. If we can fill the stands at Coopers [Stadium], our team can really do good things and improve our season very quickly."

Some of the A-League fans, who have attended games, have protested by refusing to cheer, creating an eerily quiet atmosphere. But Jamieson said he hoped the Wanderers' fans would be in full voice as the 2014 Asian champions look for their seventh consecutive victory.

"We want our fans to go at their fans, their fans to go at our fans - in a good and respectful way, in a non-harmful way," he said. "That back and forth creates an atmosphere like no other.

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