another factor for smaller clubs was we were 3rd Div North, which meant better gates for the small clubs.Not sure accy aint a football town Alvin? with reasonably bigger clubs 5 miles either side is what makes a big difference to me. we were averaging 3000 in 62, that as we all know caused lost generations.
Yeovil match thread
- Thread starter Redraine
- Start date
Agree with a lot of what you say, Alvin, although I would say that Accy is a football town - it's just that most locals support football clubs outside the town.
Sadly, this weekend most football-minded Accringtonians will be more concerned with what happens at Turf Moor rather than what happens at Wimbledon.
Even local councillors who keep banging on about supporting town centre businesses go and support football clubs elsewhere.
The incident in the Calder with Accringtonians cheering the misfortune of Stanley sums up this town to a T. If a similar match occurred involving any other small town, even those locals who supported bigger clubs elsewhere, would want their home town club to do well. Not Accrington; go into any pub in town wearing Stanley gear and watch the reactions ranging from sullen indifference to derision and hostility. Go to most other places in the country (apart from Satanage and a few other places!) and your Stanley shirt will elicit interest and affection.
Anyone who takes over this club has to face the fact that gates are never going to improve to any significant extent...because hardly anybody in Accy really cares.
8 home games left 5 of which should bring good following,s if we stay in and around our current league position we could end up averaging about 1800 which in a Southern based division and only 200 ish short of the so called break even figure would in this day and age not be bad and maybe something to build on.
Having watched and worked at the JJB (sorry DW now) on both Rugby and Football matches, I cannot say you are entirely correct on this assumption.
WAFC got gates of up to 25,000 when Premier league (although they probably averaged approximately 19,000) and the rugby club only fills the ground for internationals and usually averages 15,000, maybe a few more (PS the ground only holds 25,000). Obviously the crowds for the football have dwindled due to the consecutive relegations, but, and I am not certain, the crowds will surely be on the up, given the success of where they are in League One. As for Accrington Stanley, it has been said before, when they succumbed in 1962 we lost a lot of support to other teams, not just 5 or 6 miles away, but those in Manchester and further afield. Fathers then persuaded sons and daughters to follow these teams and not the hometown team. I have family experience of this because my stepdaughter supports Arsenal all because Thierry Henry used to play for them. What chance have Stanley got? Unless Stevie Gerrard comes to play for us for a season at the end of his US contract.
I have family experience of this because my stepdaughter supports Arsenal all because Thierry Henry used to play for them. What chance have Stanley got? Unless Stevie Gerrard comes to play for us for a season at the end of his US contract.[/QUOTE]
does she go to matches to watch arsenal. you see loads of people and not all kids walking around with their new top premier league shirt on and only see them on sky or match of the day. when I ran the amusement arcade in Norfolk they are all their and no nowt about the clubs they profess to support. the few non prem shirt wearers are true supporters who will talk all day about their side. Stanley are passion not fashion.
does she go to matches to watch arsenal. you see loads of people and not all kids walking around with their new top premier league shirt on and only see them on sky or match of the day. when I ran the amusement arcade in Norfolk they are all their and no nowt about the clubs they profess to support. the few non prem shirt wearers are true supporters who will talk all day about their side. Stanley are passion not fashion.
does she go to matches to watch arsenal. you see loads of people and not all kids walking around with their new top premier league shirt on and only see them on sky or match of the day. when I ran the amusement arcade in Norfolk they are all their and no nowt about the clubs they profess to support. the few non prem shirt wearers are true supporters who will talk all day about their side. Stanley are passion not fashion.[/QUOTE]
Probably doesn't care about football in the slightest. That is by far the majority these days and the only group whose numbers are growing alas.
More people profess to following teams by TV these days as you get to see them from all over and Football shirts are more a fashion item than for match days now. You just need to look at the size of fan clubs for the big name clubs to see that those who believe being a football fan involves actually going to a game are stuck in the past. Fans going to games these days are treated as less important than those watching on TV and have been for a long time. Why do you think big clubs rarely pay at times that suit the fans. The same with european tournaments where TV even plays a part in the seeding for the Champions League.
Times have changed but is it for the better? I doubt it
does she go to matches to watch arsenal. you see loads of people and not all kids walking around with their new top premier league shirt on and only see them on sky or match of the day. when I ran the amusement arcade in Norfolk they are all their and no nowt about the clubs they profess to support. the few non prem shirt wearers are true supporters who will talk all day about their side. Stanley are passion not fashion.[/QUOTE]
She has been to Both Highbury and the Emirates and also watched them when they came up north to Play Man Utd etc. No she doesn't go to every match as she and her partner live in Wigan. Her mother and 1 sister are Latics fans and the other sister is a Warriors fan (she goes to every home match). I used to wear Man Utd shirts and have seen them at OT, but at the end of the day, I support and pay my money to Stanley. Like some of the oldies on here, I got lost in the resignation of '62, but when I finished in the Army in '86 I came back to Stanley.