Before everyone throws their hands up in horror at the words "malcolmthemole", please read this as it is intended to be a helpful, constructive and genuine posting from someone who is a comparitve newcomer to area, and it is a genuine wish to help the club.
On Friday I bought a Lancashire Evening Post, and there was a whole page devoted to ASFC. In one article a club official described the efforts of the club to attract more fans to the club. Very good and interesting. However, on the same page is yet another article describing how the club resurrected itself from the collapse of 1962. It was a fantastic achievement that the people of Accrington did such a wondeful job in getting the club into the football league, no-one can dispute that. However, the disaster was 50 years ago and really the club should have a more positive outlook, forget the past and move on. Stop rattling on about 1962 because it only serves to remind people, in particular young people, of what happened in the past, and unfortunately it does create an unfortunate image, no doubt incorrectly, that it is a small club still living in the past with no real ambition.
The club needs to look at the admission prices. Is it better to have 1800 people paying £16 or 3000 paying say £12, and creating a better atmosphere? I used to pay £11 as I am an over 60. However on the day Stanley played Port Vale I paid only £17 to watch Blackburn play Aston Villa. If you were a neutral person selecting a match to go to, which game would you choose?
I know the club cannot help how the fixtures are arranged but it does not help when Accrington and Blackburn play at home on the same day.
I have read that Acccrington are thinking of building a new stadium in Church. What is the point if they cannot fill the Crown? Would it not be better to spend a few bob improving the infrastructure of the Crown Ground, if that is at all possible?. A decent changing room block and development of what I call the shed side would be a good start.
Lastly, dump the drums! I was in Gillingham at the weekend, and I asked my brother who is a Gills supporter if the Accrington fans brought a drum with them, and he said drums are banned at Priestfield because they upset the local residents. He did say the Stanley fans sang well without them. When drums disappear at Accrington I will come back again, but in the meantime I will go elsewhere.
Finally, I would be most grateful if Lancsdave or the moderator would remove the posting about Gillingham Football Club. If it is an attempt at upsetting me, it is a waste of time, but it is however an inaccurate and unfair insult to the club and supporters of Gillingham FC, who have had no opportunity to respond to the Lancsdave comment. Furthermore, what actually happened is not as described in the article. The Fulham fan in question died after falling and hitting his head on a kerbstone whilst running away from police up an alleyway. No Gills supporter touched him, and the police later revealed that on his person he had several knives, watches and a lot of drugs. In August 2010 two drunk Accrington fans ended up in court having thrown things on to the pitch and then hitting police who arrested them. I realise that all clubs have a very small element of undesirables - and the Gills and Accrington are no different - but on the basis of Lancsdave's thinking, should I assume that all Stanley fans behave like those two? Of course I don't! Would either Stanleymad or Lancsdave, please remove that posting about Gillingham, if only to prove that you can be fair to the fans of another club who have done you no harm.
As I said at the start, I intend this to be a helpful message. If you wish to take it any other way, I cannot do much about that.
Kind regards
Malcolm