Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Some interesting plans for the club here

https://mobile.twitter.com/AndyhHolt...67173122707458

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

The proposed plans for the new clubhouse are superb - but!
After 1800 Sunderland fans had to be rescued by the RNLI, isn't it time we put a tin roof on the Coppice end?
When you're getting 2500 away fans, you need to look after them.
I know many won't be returning for the replay after their last experience.

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Or we could concentrate on continuing to upgrade home facilities to keep the extra thousand or so new fans.

Or we could continue to upgrade players and officials facilities to keep our spot in league 1.

Or we could spend money we havent got in order to ensure that the once every 3 years monsoon doesnt spoil the event for an away fan that may only come once anyway

Or you could sell off part of your estate and give Mr Holt the funds to do all three ...

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Or msybe we could upgrade player/official facilities to ensure we remain within the rules and regs for League 1?

Or maybe we could upgrade facilities for the extra 1000 home fans we've acquired in an effort to keep them?

Or maybe we could upgrade the bar so thats capable of making money on the other 330 days of the year?

Or we could spend money we dont have on ensuring that a once a season (maybe lifetime) visitor doesnt get wet on that one day a year (or more) that it really monsoons?

Perhaps you could sell off a portion of your estate to help Mr Holt with the financials?

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Hopefully can do both in the near future - Mr Holt has previously published the end of year accounts for the last few seasons, will be interesting to see where we stand after the increased attendances/sponsorship/prize money/player sales.

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Who’s up for walking to Accrington? NewsNow: Loading story... :) sponsored walk has been arranged to raise funds for the planned Dale in the Community Trust :)

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

[QUOTE=Spartacus2nd;1223551]Or msybe we could upgrade player/official facilities to ensure we remain within the rules and regs for League 1?

Or maybe we could upgrade facilities for the extra 1000 home fans we've acquired in an effort to keep them?

Or maybe we could upgrade the bar so thats capable of making money on the other 330 days of the year?

Or we could spend money we dont have on ensuring that a once a season (maybe lifetime) visitor doesnt get wet on that one day a year (or more) that it really monsoons?

first two are a necessity , third fine if you can, fourth a waste of money unless you can afford it. for every sunderland there will be an oxford where fans can be accomodated under cover.

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Just give them a bin liner for the time being

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

In answer to your rather cynical comments following my suggestion of roofing the Coppice terrace, I would respond;
1. The upgrade of player/officials facilities are already included in the plans posted by Mr Holt & for which he asked for comments.
2. Upgrade facilities for the extra 1000 home fans in a bid to keep them? - Don't make me laugh!
These Johnny-come-lately's have never had it so good, as they quaff their subsidised pints in a nice warm bar before taking their places under a dry covered stand or terrace.
We already have a new fanzone, new stand & new toilets for home fans. What further upgrade do you suggest - perhaps paying them to attend?
3. For upgrade of of bar - see point 1. Again, already included in Mr Holt's grand plan.
4. Spending money we don't have to keep away fans dry on that one day a year it really monsoons? - Seriously, how long have you lived in Accy?
We've already had 3 or 4 capacity gates this season with opponents bringing 2/2500 paying fans to the Wham.
They pay for tickets, beer & food to swell our coffers & you think it's OK to let them get soaked to the skin or half frozen to death on an exposed terrace.
I'd like to know how many of the extra 1000 home fans you refer to would bother turning up every week if they had to endure being drenched for 90 minutes.
I would have thought a simple metal frame with a tin roof would be peanuts compared to some of the proposals shown on the new clubhouse development.
5. Your final comment doesn't even merit an answer.

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

1 are these Mr Holts plans that he explicitly said hadnt been costed yet, nor put in front of planners yet? Yes it is a plan, yes he qants to fo it, but 2 years ago as far as April he said that the main stand concourse was being done, portakabins smashed down etc. In his words "plans are fluid "

2. You're right, the more recent additions have never had it so good. But I remember the influx of fans that we failed to retain on Promotion to the Unibond Premier, AND Conference, AND League 2. My money would go on home fans every time

3. See point 1

4. Well over 40 years. Yes it rains but it rarely buckets down anywhere near the Sunderland levels. I'm not sure how much of Jonny you are, and how lately you arrived, but Ive stoodon the Clayton End and The Coppice End through many a winter. I never drowned, nor did I freeze to death

5. Touchè

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Will away fans turn up every week if we keep them dry?


You're missing the point Mr Lip. Andy has an idea of what he wants the ground to be, and how he wants it to function. If we had sold Kayden Jackson for £10m then I have no doubt that all the work would be done in May.

He wants to build the ground in line with affordability and requirement. Derby, Sunderland and Barnsley would have sold 2600 tickets if we'd have played on top of The Coppice. Gillingham would have brought a minibus full even if we had Darlingtons Board Room of an away end . Yes the facilities cost us some custom, but do the Maths and you'd have to be Dolly Dimple to prioritise it. A metal frame with tin roof, as you put it, is neither safe nor ideal. It may be 'peanuts', but it would be coming back down asap so would be a waste of peanuts that we dont have.

Average ticket price works out a little over a tenner, and i bet they font spend a tenner (average) on sundries. But we'll say £20 per customer, and lets say a very conservative 500k to develop the away end ... how long will it take for us to recoup that? 25k EXTRA customers are required.

It'll be done, but there's other priorities first

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

those teams who did have a large away following are probably boosted by some who do not usually travel away but want to see their side at a new ground they have not seen them at. if we cover the ground i doubt we will see as many turn up anyway next season. remember portsmouth,s large away following seemed to get less and less as the years went bye. some just ticked stanley off as they,d been and doubt it was our facilities that put em off as they had no intention of returning anyway.

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

The lack of cover is definitely a factor as you see big following coming back if they visit when it is sunny like Luton in August, but more of a drop off for winter visits.

Of course some fans come for a one off visit, but the facilities will impact on numbers, and this season the Northern Rail strike too.

Stanley's business model relies on maximizing income from away fans, yet they are treated badly in many ways. E.g. Sunderland fans got to pay full price to come back after being soaked through the first time.

Re: Bits & Bobs
 

Absolutely spot on Monkey. You could give them armchairs, carpet a d a conservatory and youd still not sell out