When is ‘sold out’ not sold out?

In the run-up to Bromley’s first two league matches, you probably noticed announcements that the games were sold out in advance. However, anyone who attended those games will tell you that the attendances didn’t reflect the sold-out status.

Hayes Lane currently has a conservative capacity of 4,500, but the attendance against Wimbledon was 4,102 while the game with Crewe Alexandra attracted 3,322. Respectively, that's 402 and 1,178 fans missing.

While general admissions probably make up a small percentage of non-attendees, season ticket holders are likely to make up the bulk. This isn't a criticism of season ticket holders, I’m one myself. In fact, I would argue that season ticket holders, having paid upfront and committed to the whole season, should be free to attend when they see fit, without repercussions.