It's not just the poor performances of the team or even the cost of the ticket, but partly down to the fact the way you don't really get any benefits by having a book. When I first got a book, it was financially viable, cheaper than ordinary match tickets plus the bonus of the 2 Celtic games. You could also apply for away games by submitting the special match voucher and for certain games were put in a ballot. Some games you got turned down for, you had a better chance next time.
League Cup, Scottish Cup and the first game in Europe were also covered and again cup matches had special vouchers for away games. By 1992 I could easily chalk up a minimum of 40 games a season, purely on the benefit of having a season ticket. Some I know benefited more as they were both season holders plus SC members meaning they had double the chances of away tickets, later a gripe I took up with the TO with no reply!
As the years rolled on, away games became less frequent, with the ballot not favouring some as well as they had previously, although smaller stadia and the demise of the standing terrace didn't help (now virtually a distant memory bar Berwick!). In recent years the farcical CCC scheme hasn't helped even more with Rangers virtually holding you to ransom on whether you can go to a final or not, basically sign up or you've no chance. At first I was on that, got 3 away games (although they 'lost' 2 tickets for Tynecastle) went to 2, Motherwell and Killie, where spares were readily available for the latter, as well as the cup games including the semis and the Scot Cup final. Then it became more complicated, away games were 'all or none' and ditto with the cup.
A wet Monday in Aberdeen may have been the only away game you got all season, so we told them to stuff it and chose now to go to home games only, so much so that I've only been to one away game in 2 years and the last final I had tickets for was Ayr Utd (via the public sale).
Prior to that my Father, who has been to many games since 1954 and rarely missed a final since 1960 has become equally disillusioned with the ticket system. Home games have tickets readily available, bar the OF games and even away games can see spares. Recently we've turned up at Ibrox and seen handfuls available and the nearer to KO the cheaper the tickets become (haggle!).
We'll still be renewing next season as I think supporters are 'born not bred', so giving up on the fact that the team may concede the title (only may) is not an option. It's certainly a far cry from my Grandfathers days on the supporter's bus with a young fanatic, Jock Wallace as a member.
BLUEFORYOU