Bits & Bobs

Regarding off the pitch activities, we still have the 4th smallest crowds in the entire Football League. I suspect that our annual turnover falls in line with that. For all the work that has gone on, we still have a tiny ground and a tiny turnover. Every club bar Macclesfield, Morecambe and I think FGR (a village) is kicking our arse with its turnover, we simply HAVE to get the club to a level where we sit comfortably mid table in those rankings.

The shirt giveaways, happy hours etc are all great, but shouldve been done 10 years ago. We didnt, because the club was on its arse financially as the little we had went on the Jay Harris's of this world. As a result of neglecting the facilities and the fans we have the 4th lowest crowds of the 92.

Yes, there is a balancing act but AH DID increase the budget, he DID give Coley a chunk of cup run money. We've aldo paid transfer fees in the last 2/3 years and have signed players that their clubs would rather keep - Maxted and Beckles come to mind.

We need to accept what we are, and we are a small club punching above our weight. Way above in fact.

Ive no doubt that, provided we keep on with the good work off pitch, in 5 years time we'll have twice as many home fans. I'm prepared to wait ...
 
Twenty Eight said:
Do you know what ? That summarises the insular attitude when you’re trying to attract new supporters.
I’ve been home and away since 2014 and enjoyed most of it.
I’m semi retired now and see no reason why I wouldn’t carry on.
I’ve met some great people during that time.
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I reckon you're well and truly hooked now. Even when the two players you're connected with eventually leave the club, I think you'll still find the call of the Wham irresistible! The Stanley bug - once you've been bitten, you can never get rid of it! :D
 
Perhaps it's time to put things into perspective regarding our continued low home attendance.
On the 30th January AFC Bournemouth beat Chelsea 4-0 at the Vitality Stadium. Official attendance - only 10,227.
Of this, 1,500 were away fans, so the home crowd was actually 8,727. As the population of Bournemouth is 187,500 - 4.6% of the population attended.
This is a club enjoying their 4th season at the top level of the game, playing against the cream of English football.
Four days before, we entertained Derby County in the FA Cup - attendance was 5397, of which home fans numbered 2738.
The population of Accrington is 35,456, so 7.7% of our population turned out.
In our Conference winning season, 2005-6, when the prize was a return to the football league, our average gate was 1,895
In our first 'honeymoon' season back in the football league, the average gate was 2,260.
Let's get real! We're never, never, ever going to increase home attendance to any significant level. Nor should we expect to.
Constrained by our low population & hemmed in by our two big neighbours, I doubt we'd scrape 4,000 fans if we made the Championship.
Our gates are what they are for good reason & there's little point gnashing our teeth about it.
The kids are the most important element in the future success of ASFC, something the club is making positive steps to encourage.
Until then, let's be grateful we're so lucky, lucky, lucky to be playing football in League 1 - against some clubs than make Bournemouth look like a minnow.
 
its not just about population of accrington and bournemouth either. if you live in accrington you have two of the biggest clubs in england just down the road as well as burnley and blackburn. i imagine there will be a few who watch the two liverpool clubs as well. in bournemouth its just them and the nearest southampton is hardly on the doorstep. thank the gates of just over 1000 was an insult to stanley but getting over 2000 that hopefully will grow is maybe all the club could realistically ask for.
 
Well if you want to compare the two Bournemouth were in League One 2012-13 and got promoted.
They spent £1.6 million on players - Fraser, Ritchie, Grabban, and Elphick.
They recouped £950k selling Scott Malone.
Net deficit £650k.
Sometimes you've got to be brave.
 
There’s also now at least one other big difference between Bournemouth and Stanley. Bournemouth do not own their stadium and, from the recent kefuffle over Dean Court, are not willing to be ‘held to ransom’ by its owner.
So maybe that’s why they opted to spend their anticipated Championship moolah on players.
Having said that, in 2013 the vacant end did have a 2,400 seat stand built.
So, if you‘re located in one of the wealthiest parts of the country and have enough money, it seems you can spend it on both players (club) and the ground (landlord).
 
Twenty Eight After today’s abysmal performance we’re in a war now and stuck with the squad we’ve got.[/QUOTE said:
that is what worries me. whilst we have good footballers at the club i just cannot see us as a team battling out physical games to grab some points. other sides have come to the wham and outmusled us and nick points. does anyone else think we actually can do the same.
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monkey hanger said:
that is what worries me. whilst we have good footballers at the club i just cannot see us as a team battling out physical games to grab some points. other sides have come to the wham and outmusled us and nick points. does anyone else think we actually can do the same.
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Think a change of formation and tactics might work drop Conneely who can't muscle his way out of a paper bag try someone else in there Ben Everton,Doniecian even give Nolan another go won,t know if never tried maybe has in training but we do need some battling qualities from now to the end of the season because to be safe I thinks we need at least 17 to 18 points.
 
It not all about personnel it’s also about tactics.
The formations against Gillingham and Derby are the way to go.
It doesn’t matter who you play in midfield if you’re constantly outnumbered.
First substitution yesterday should have been to go three at the back.
Instead we swap like for like ..... how was that going to change the game ?
 
I dont think we use the squad enough. A player coming in with a point to prove cant be underestimated, likewise a player trying to ein his shirt back. Neither Billy nor Sean seem to be at the races this season. Theyre still the best we have but we need to find a way of getting another 5% out of them.
 
Twenty Eight said:
Before everybody starts that’s not a denfence of Conneely he had a shocker and knows it himself.
However the list of shockers yesterday was a very long list.
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some seem to be under par every week and still in the side for the next. if you do not try something nothing can change and they can only be as poor as the one replaced at worse.
 
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