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A Worrying Trend
I hate to sound a note of pessimism amidst all the jubilations, but is anybody else as concerned about current attendances as I am? The gates were nothing to write home about last season, but incredibly, now we've gone fulltime, they appear to be even worse. 1,705 for the opening match followed by a miserly 1,270 for last Saturday. What are they going to be like on a freezing January afternoon?
I don't know anything about football finances, but surely we'll be struggling to pay talented professionals the wages they want on gates of 1,270? |
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Hopefully the near perfect start to the season will boost the crowd. But I somehow doubt it. It would seem the novelty has worn off for some.
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As we have said before, get the roof sorted out, and now this new problem we have created regarding the car parking needs sorting out. We just seem to be putting obstacles in peoples way to discourage them to come and watch Stanley on a freezing January afternoon.
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Yes, I agree, these problems do need sorting out. However, the lack of a roof wouldn't have made any difference at the last two home matches which were played in fine weather and as you say, Jeff, the car parking is a "new problem" so that wouldn't put people off, as they wouldn't have been aware of it.
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The last two home games were played in fine weather but rain was always threatening. Last Saturday there werer other circumstances, we had just lost 5-0 away at Stevenage, Blackburn Rovers v Man. United was live on Sky and did not finish until 2.45, probably too late for people to come to the game, also it was Bank Holiday week-end. This Saturday should tell, especially if it is a nice day, we are on the back of two good wins, there is no Premiership programme and England do not play until Saturday night.
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Yes, I agree, Jeff, there should be a good gate this Saturday, considering the circumstances you've just described. Would 2,000 be too much to hope for?
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I would hope for a minimum of 2000, but we will have to wait and see. If we do get a good gate then it's up to the players to do their bit and give us a good performance so as to encourage the crowd to come back. As we all know, everybody loves to be associated with a winning team.
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I think we should presume that some fans might have still been away on their summer holidays, I missed most of the pre-season games due to my own holiday, but now the kids are due back at school then those fans might start coming back to the games. Also, Crawley dont have the best following in the division, and Burton have been fairly regular visitors so some of their fans might have decided to give the trip a miss. The attendance averages will probably shoot up when we play Carlisle, York, Halifax & Morecambe who dont have too far to travel.
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The main reason is that the majority of Accy people just dont care about Stanley enough to turn up to say even two/three matches a season. Sad but true. Most people care more about the heady fortunes of Rovers, Utd, Liverpool and even Arsenal and Chelsea(especially kids) to be bothered with the less glorious Stanley and Conference football. I think it is a sorry state that here we are with a great chance to get back into league football and the vast majority of the indigenous population couldnt give a flying ****. What about kids get in for free days, give tickets away at local schools etc. get them hooked then charge them - cynical, but hey like it or not football is now a business.
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junior-reds was started as a means to attract kids to the club and combat the Burnley and Blackburn clubs who go into the schools in Accrington and give free gifts/merchandise and tickets to kids.. They know once they get the kds on there ground then they have got future fans.
I can see that long term we need to get kids of Accrington supporting Accrington.. Unfortunatly the junior-reds has done nothing in this area. Sorry ton/Cammy I am not having a go. But nothing has been done to combat the local "big" clubs and attract kids to ASFC which is one of the reasons the club was formed. Short term I have no idea. Shortish/Long term we need to attract the kids of accy to the club. But we aint. |
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Start a junior League run by Stanley, get the kids playing and associating with Stanley, I think we had this topic last year and some great Ideas came out but looking at the big picture it needs revenue and someone to run it, over in the States all sport is business and they all have a promotions office, people coming up with ideas and implementing them some work some dont but I come in contact with these people every day and they all say you have to get them in school. Kids are fickle and will change alligance because there mate did or a group at school did, so make it attractive, SELL Stanley.
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Good idea.......
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This all sounds like the same old story. Back in '63 we were struggling with finances, but the crowds were about 4,000 or so. Unfortunately, time has passed since those days and so have a lot of the older supporters. The thread seems to be going the right way though, in that the suggestion to attract people to the I.E.S. on match days, including kids, by going into schools etc. Have open days, Quiz nights, etc etc but for god sake do something, because we don't want this Stanley to go the way of the previous club.
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:wave8: Just a couple of quick ideas (not my own I hasten to add). Whilst at York last night, they announced a scheme for mini season tickets i.e. buy a book of 10 tickets for any home league match and pay only something like £100 (entrance between 13 and 15 pounds to Bootham crescent),
Wigan Athletic also have a scheme whereby you buy 5 tickets and get a 6th free.. Perhaps either or both these could be adapted to suit Stanley - Buy 10 tickets for say £75 or the buy 5 and get 6th free for £50. I am certain either or both schemes would be suitable for supporters who already come to the games and for enticing those who do not. Also a promotional story in either Observer or Telegraph (or both) whereby money off vouchers could be offered. Another idea would be to pinch the holiday firms idea of adult payys full admission and bring 1 child for free. 2nd child would pay half price and 3rd and subsequent children would have to be paid at full child price. So if a couple come with 2 children,both would be free Any of these would bring in extra support I am sure and also with the free child places and reductions on 2nd children, this would also bring in the younger generation and show them what Stanley can offer them :D :D :D |
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maybe i could take some Junior Reds membership forms and offer them to the lower ages of my school......
Just an idea?....... |
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I think a good idea could be that all season ticket holders should be able to bring a friend along for a discount price say a couple of pounds off (but they are only alowed to do this about 5 times a season) and this will intise some extra fans and keep them at the club, because not many fans want to come to a game by themselves. It is alot easier to find a rovers or burnley supporter to go to a game with than it is a stanley fan. Just a suggestion???
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A friend of mine is going to huddersfield uni and last season KIDS and STUDENTS got in for a pound :) Him and his mates went to loads of games last season..... But while at home he could only afford the odd game :(
We have plenty of space to fill at Stanley so a bit of money extra is better than none.. Promotion's and voucher's in local paper would be a good idea.. But as already stated the best way to fill Stanley is with a winning team at the TOP of the league.....and a roof to keep people dry :) |
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Top quality ideas and better to do them now while the team is near the top of the league and the weather is fine. Might smack of desperation if done when the team is playing poorly and gates start to fall in the winter months.
Can we get a response from Rob? |
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Not worried in the slightest... Our gate is very much in line with the rest of the conference & Eric will not have gambled on the finances of a higher gate. He's not that daft!
The 400 fans that went to Morecambe is all I need thank you.... Jase |
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Obviously, no one can read Eric's mind, but I would've thought that he was hoping for rather more than the 1,270 who turned up for the last home match. Taking 400 to Morecambe is all very well but the home gates need to improve to justify the decision to go fulltime. The club can always rely on us lot - "the faithful one thousand" - but we need to expand the support base to achieve further progress.
Hopefully, success on the pitch will help in this and Saturday's gate will see a marked improvement. |
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What about offering Burnley season ticket holders half price admission to Stanley's home matches. It would be better if you could do the same for the Rovers fans as well, but you'd end up with a blood bath.
The demographics of Stanley are awful - within 5 miles of 2 successful league teams. I feel that the answer is to attract supporters from another club at a discount price. This may upset a lot of Stanley fans who are paying full price, but needs must! |
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obviously the gate wasn't great on saturday, though it seemed to be reflected around the country, must be the last free weekend of the summer for diy etc?
joking apart we obviously want as many people as possible to join us on what i am sure will be another successful season. we are expecting a better gate on saturday, with very little local football on and everyone in the mood with the england game in the evening. we are also trying a few new means of promoting saturday's game. the suggestions above are all great, we are looking to become more involved in schools this season now that we have players available during the day, and we have also joined forces with a local junior set up who will be playing under the banner of accrington stanley this season. keep the good ideas coming, and also don't forget to do your bit in promoting the good name of accrington stanley throughout the week, we have a lot to offer and as i said above, we want as many people as possible to join us as we look to make that final step and regain our place in the football league! best regards, rob |
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will put a news article on the site this afternoon :-)
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I believe that what is required to boost the gates is the aquisition of a 'big name' player. I have thought this since the middle of last season.
Whilst we have made some very astute buys in the form of Craney/McEvilly etc they are just not names that capture the imagination when people read the local rags and decide what to do with their weekends. In the current football climate I very much doubt that there are many clubs outside the 'Championship' that can pay any more in wages than Stanley would be able to do given last seasons success. That being the case I would like to see the club make some waves an make a signing to capture the imagination. Who do I got in mind? Lee Trundle!! |
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Who ??
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We played for Rhyl and then was signed by Wrexham for quite bit of money. He's at Swansea now and i remember him scoring a cracking goal for them in last season's FA Cup.
He's a cracking player on his day, but hardly the BIG name Staveros is talking about. |
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Whooooooosh
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Anytime you're unsure of things Kipax, just ask me. :)
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Why the hell would Lee Trundle want to turn his back on guaranteed first-team league football with Swansea to come and play Conference football at Stanley for at least half his wages? I know what you mean but Trundle is just not plausible, Burton Albion signing Mark Robbins was good for them.....until he got injured pre-season.
I reckon we could sign Zidane and the general populace of Accy would still stay away and watch the big teams results come in on SkySports. |
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Money talks. What are you on about 'half his wages'?? How much do you think Swansea pay? We could blow them out of the water. It is plausible. Its ambitious but he's a top player at a higher level of football, the sort that would take us on leaps and bounds. I cant believe some of you dont know who he is. Lee Trundle is a big name in the lower divisions. What big name did you think I would offer, Rooney?? We've got to be slightly realistic. |
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I cant see people getting off their backsides and coming to watch Accrington Stanley just because a player who cant make the bigtime is playing for us... The league is full of also rans. Ceejache last line just about sums it up. Really do you think hundreds of Accrington folk would suddenly want to watch Stanley because Lee Trundle was playing.... Sorry I just can't see it.
They didn't come rushing the other week when Irons was in the squad and he is a bigger name. |
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Coley's thoughts on the attendance situation as recorded in tonight's Telegraph: "To be honest, the crowd was very disappointing last week considering we'd won two out of the first three. I know the Blackburn game might have hit it a little but players do respond to a good atmosphere and big crowd."
So, come on, you lot, persuade your workmates, the lads in the pub, even your granny, to come along and make it a 2,000+ gate! |
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Kenny Irons is an over the hill has-been, never will be. Lee Trundle on the other hand is a player at the peak of his powers. He was certainly one of, if not the, top scorer in Div 3 last year. He also destroyed higher level opposition when scoring a splendid winner against PNE in the FA Cup. More to the point he is an entertainer. His dribbling skills are exceptional for the level he's at and a good percentage of his goals could only be described as spectacular. He is left footed, which we could use, and also takes a mean free kick. And... he's a scouser so i'm sure he'd fit in just fine. If signing a player of that ilk didn't improve attendances then I have origins in the netherlands. In any case its not just about boosting gates its about promotion. Trundle is a top player. For the record Swansea signed him on a free so if a transfer fee was required I am quite sure you would only be talking 5 figures in the current market. |
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Quote:"Lee Trundle on the other hand is a player at the peak of his powers.."Unquote.
Are you by any chance his agent, Staveros? |
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Ha Ha Staveros...dont make me laugh! Lee Trundle, he may be a good player and a decent signing, but why, if he was at the 'peak of his powers', would he come down to the conference...surely this footballing genius would be looking up the league...not down it.
The thread is about bringing in someone to boost attendances? Then I'm with Ceejache, no matter who you sign it really wouldnt make a massive difference with the apathetic Accrington public! If you really believed Lee Trundle would boost the crowd you are very wide of the mark! Lee McEvilly was a bigger signing, NI international and all that! |
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We dont need Trudle a centre back would be nice.......Clarke that would be a good signing.
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Back in Febuary this year there were rumours that Portsmouth were prepared to offer £1.5 million for Trundle, even Hartlepool were rumoured to be taking him for £500,000. The club simply could not afford to match any clubs valuation of Trundle - even if we did offer a decent amount and Swansea were willing to let him go then our bid would just open up a bidding war and every other interested club would totally trump our bid off the face of the earth eg. the Rooney/Newcastle/Man Utd scenario. I would guess that our wage structure is preety much solid and we all know what has happened over the past few years with smaller clubs that have bought big - a year later they've gone to the wall. Wiley, older professionals are the way forward, whilst giving some of the talent closer to home experience alongside them.
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Lee Trundle was heard of for a short time around about the Preston game,
However, Accy have 2 full internationals in their squad i.e. Lee McEvil and Lutel as well as 2 England Internationals at Semi pro level in Peter Cavanagh and Jon Kennedy, so why on earth would a 'big' name signing make any difference. I say the club should look at the other ideas within this thread and other supporters should drag/bully/ask a friend to join them tomorrow against Woking. I am certainly hoping to drag/bully at least 2 if not 4 to come with me from Wigan. |
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Don't forget Ian Craney, Outback. He's our third semi-pro international........ and did Proccy eventually make it as well?
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We only had 400 & odd a couple of years ago so the attendance is at the right level if you ask me! If we have a cup run then the attendances will go up but the Premiership is the be all & end all for most people. They'd rather spend £40 on a Chelsea shirt than go Stanley
& if its them sort of people you want then I'm not going again!!!!!!!!!!!! Bah Humbug, Jase PS On a serious note we should get some downloadable posters that can be printed advertsing the Stanley ie REAL FOOTBALL, REAL FOOD, NO PRAWN SANDWICHES< NO CORPORATE HOSPITALITY ETC then the next home game on it. We could all download & stick them in cars, shops, asda. I'll print a wack for every home game if we can get a wizard to design em (as long as I get an input into the content - it needs humour!!!) Areet people........ |
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That's a cracking idea - if somebody gets on it I'm willing to stick em up in the schools/colleges I teach in and in t'pub.
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I'll stick em up in my school...........
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Just noticed a sign on Whalley Rd /Queens Rd junction advertising the match - hopefully if the weather holds we might get close to 2,000.
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yup y not put offerson such as kids for a quid again that will work or freee kid with a adult
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u wait till we are in the league we will be refusing people and the club will thank the fans but forget about all the fans who followed stanley from high to low,who bought season tickets when we had been rellegated,who stood by there team if the were bottom of the league,told the word about stanley,bought the shirts ever season and went to the games sun,rain or shine
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