Quote:
Originally Posted by mab
 Found this while i was surfing the net though it right to share it A few years after Stanley's resignation, Alan Benson, then the Mayor of Accrington, was interviewed in the Football League Review, and his comments are tinged with a bitter regret: "People do not realise just how important a League club is to a town's status and prestige until it is too late. Accrington was known nationally by reason of its soccer team. When you travelled to another part of the country and mentioned where you were from, people immediately linked Accrington to its football club. Now they say, 'Ah, the town which couldn't keep its football team'. Accrington Stanley could have survived with the proper backing."
Forty years down the line, the matter is irrelevant. But you can learn from mistakes. Today, another Accrington Stanley carries the town's standard in the football world. It isn't the same team that competed in the Football League, but that shouldn't matter. It is still our town's team. Forty years after Accrington lost her Football League status, I can't think of a better commemoration than for all of us - the town together - to make our way to the Crown Ground and take responsibility for the Accrington Stanley we are fortunate to have today. |
Not 100% sure without looking, but I'm pretty sure that's from Phil Whalley's book. The problem is that the people of Accrington AREN'T making their way to the Crown Ground/FES. Average gates are down again this season (1,577 from 1,634 last season). My personal opinion is that Eric should be looking round for someone to buy the club and invest the sort of money that would make it a more attractive Saturday afternoon option to local football fans. If he's not going to do that, then he should at least be listening to fresh ideas from the likes of Macca. Sitting in the boardroom, asking people to make large-scale investments in order to become "associate directors", and alternately blaming the townspeople for their apathy is NOT going to work!