Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

A lot of positives there, It's good to talk up the club. Faith builds, pass us a few more bricks..... :)

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

I don't think that the council should invest in Accy Stanley. I've got nothing against the club I just think that a lot of people would complain if the council did give money to any cause that not everybody has an interest in. It was the same with St John's church facing closure, some people said that the council should give money to keep it open but why should they? Individual cases like these are down to the people of the town to support and uphold, not the council.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

The case for St John's would be a matter of Christianity being a State Religon and for the club and sport in general the council should consider the case of civic pride and promote the team as a centre of sporting excellence for the whole of the town. When both have gone, you can't replace them.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

It's only a matter of time before somebody posts what a few have hinted at.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

Like I said, I have absolutely nothing against Accy Stanley and agree that promoting the club around town would be a good idea. My only beef is with the idea of the council investing large sums of money in one particular venture. I think it would get a lot if people's backs up if they did. The council hasn't got the money to give to individual cases so it's better for them not to get financially involved with any particular case.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

OK, suppose Eric did sell the club to a major investor. And supposing that investor had the resources and ingenuity to market the club in a new and exciting way to broaden its appeal to the public at large. Doug, you've already cited the example of Morecambe as a smalltown club who've come into the league and caught the imagination of the townspeople. Imagine how Stanley could do that even more effectively with the financial clout that a large investor would bring.

It'd certainly be preferable to the present small crowds=low budget=poor wages=mediocre performances=small crowds vicious circle which will surely lead us back to the conference.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

The difference between Morecambe and us, just like Carlisle, is that they have a niche group of fans who other than Preston, have no other club to support nearby!!

Stanley like you say are in an area of England that probably has the biggest number of teams per square mile outside of London to compete with who are in higher Leagues!! That's logically where the problem lies.

Karen x

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

plus the fact the club seems to want to push away the true fans at any opportunity, 20 suits in the clubhouse today, compare that with say the 200 they could have had in by keeping it to the fans.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

If we didn't have the Crown then giving up the clubhouse would have caused a riot. But 20 suits paying £50 (upwards) each is a £1000 that the bar never used to make, on top of any match day profit from the Crown.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

To be fair Doug, there isn't another decent football club for miles around Morecambe so they can attract bigger crowds and yes they're doing well, I put it down to the first season in the league syndrome in that they're still running on the adrenaline from their promotion and good luck to them - even if they were voted in a recent poll as the supporters who have the most unrealistic hopes for their club :rolleyes:

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

Eric is not saying that the club is about to fold. When he talked about the Unibond League he was talking about the season ticket sales - not the club's finances. I gather that the club's finances remain in good shape and much better than most. I should think any one press or otherwise who might harm the club's commercial reputation by suggesting the contrary ought to watch what they say.

The club could do with outside investment if its to climb the leagues that's all Eric was saying.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

Well, that's one interpretation. Many have interpreted what he said in a different way. Perhaps he should say what he really means, rather than leaving it open to interpretation?

I'm also glad that you seem to know that the club is in a good financial state. As an investor in the club, I wouldn't have any idea.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

It's not all he was saying at all. I quote, "Our average crowd last season was 2,200 but we need at least 2,500 to break even this year." After two home games against two of the better supported sides in the league, our average gate is around 1,600. Admittedly, we still have the big local derbies to come, but we also have matches against distant, poorly supported sides like Barnet and Dagenham. Which means that as things stand, we could well be way, way off the break-even figure. And don't forget, there's the little matter of a 1,000-seater stand to be built by the end of next season. As Eric has said, we'll receive funding for around half of that, but we'll still have to find the money for the other half. As the new roof cost, £200,000, I would imagine an all-seater stand will cost considerably more. So we'll either have to go into debt or slash the money from Coley's playing budget with dire consequences for the team.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

I have no personal knowledge apart from what I have been told by someone well placed to know what he is talking about.

Re: SOS (Save Our Stanley!)
 

If the shirts were a more reasonable price instead of the extortionate £40 then you would see more of them don't forget these shirts are changed every year and on top of £300+ season ticket prices then its a struggle to buy everything else also maybe next year if we aren't GONE as we are lead to believe give all season ticket holders a free home shirt then there would be at least 120 knocking around the streets of Hyndburn.