Filling empty seats with cut-price offers is a no-brainer, argues Stuart Rayner. So why is Newcastle's latest offer so unusual?

DANNY Simpson calls it a "buzz" around Newcastle United and the volume seems to be cranked up on a weekly basis.

Yesterday was not a good day for a quiet shop in the club’s St James’ Park store, crammed as it was with season ticket holders taking advantage of the club’s latest offer and picking up an autograph or photo along the way.

Sammy Ameobi, Leon Best and Danny Simpson manned the tills sheepishly as some of the more enthusiastic queuers ran through their entire repertoire of songs dedicated to the trio. There were plenty of them.

Wins more than anything keep the smile on a football fan’s face, which is why so many have been grinning from ear to ear on Tyneside recently.

However, the Magpies have been careful not to neglect the other elements which can contribute to a feel-good factor. With all the public relations trump cards they are playing right now, you could be forgiven for thinking they had a loaded deck. This one, though, is such an open goal it is amazing more clubs pass up the opportunity.

Gaping holes on the terraces are common in the Premier League.

Even the division’s most attractive side, Arsenal, had plenty of empty places for Sunderland’s recent visit.

In keeping with their surprise league position, Newcastle have the fourth-best gates in the country this season, yet still there have been an average of 9,000 empty seats each week.

Even before the recession, football matches were becoming an expensive luxury with energy-company scale price rises. Sunderland, with an average of more than 11,000 empty seats this season, were first to act.

In keeping with the rest of the campaign, they have been outdone by their neighbours. As usual, the Black Cats have offered a ticket to cover the post-Christmas Day league fixtures, 11 games in all. They cost £255, or £55 for children.

Newcastle fans can use theirs straight away, meaning they get 14 matches on the Gallowgate for £207 (from £558), or £37 for children. In terms of price per game, it is just over £23 at Sunderland, just under £15 at Newcastle. Newcastle’s went on sale at 2pm yesterday. “Several hundred” have already been sold.

United’s cut-price seats are only available to season-ticket holders, so as not to leave them feeling short-changed for showing their loyalty before a ball was kicked, with no limit on how many, and fans allowed to relocate rather than be separated from their mates. Perhaps we should not praise a football club for such a no-brainer of an idea.

If Mike Ashley wants to run his football club on the cheap, ticket prices ought to reflect that, but considering such schemes are rare across the leagues (draw your own conclusion), maybe praise is due. The benefits will be far more than just financial.

Simpson said: “To get more supporters in only helps you on the pitch. We want a full stadium, we want teams to come to Newcastle and find it tough because of the crowd.”