General Feeling

Pendle Red · 09-10-2013, 18:11

I was not sure where to post this as neither the Beattie or Coley Thread seemed suitable what I am about to say is my personal feelings.

So far this season I have been underwhelmed by performances on the pitch which have gone from a decent odd game to I feel disconnected from the team, I will always cheer my team off if I think they warrant it whether we win, lose or draw if I see application and a desire then it is reciprocated now this is where I am struggling I am not getting that in together mentality that has often been mirrored on and off the pitch at Stanley and it worries me.

Likewise off the pitch I am confused and saddened as communication which is key for a Club our size is sadly lacking, The Website spins from one week to another with hardly any stories then when there are stories they seem to go through the press rather than the website or twitter.

Last week was a prime example of how communication can work with everyone doing their bit for fans Friday and pulling in the same direction and bringing extra punters onto the game.

Somebody has to get a firm grip of the Club and bring it back all I want is to support my team but please give me something to support

smobile · 09-10-2013, 18:57

Great post Pendle. Sums up what a lot of others are probably feeling right now.

Thought the same about the website the other day. With living away, this site and the fishy are my main means of keeping in the loop. Fishy doesn't drive the club forward, just seems a platform for the gold bond results and not much else. Two stories a week sometimes at best. Every game from here on in, home or away should be getting rammed down our throats.

We really could do with a new commercial team. Oh sorry, we've got one.
Don't even get me started on the merchandise. Lancsdave has had to practically beg the club to let him help them out.

Somebody sort it out please.

shakermaker · 09-10-2013, 20:33

I can concur with the general despondent feeling but just to pick up on the website point I think it's unfair to say that it doesn't put out information. Dan has done really well to put together the pre-match package offered each week and the video service is regular and prompt.
The main issue we're looking at in my opinion is not the website or commercial team but the direction from board level which I'm afraid to say has been lacking this season.

Pendle Red · 09-10-2013, 21:10

Slightly disagree Shaker day before Matchday & Matchday itself is improved but apart from that you would struggle to think we had a Club.

Players have left the Club not updated, come back to the Club not updated, injury updates?

A balancing act between the Website & Matchday Programme for content is possibly a problem as is the time factor?

Background to our New Commercial Team plans etc, Who is running the Club day to day?

As Smobile has said for those that live outside the area the Website is key.

What price is the Oxford game or Bristol Rovers game?

Flexi Ticket when will that be advertised?

AGM updates, what events has the Crown got on this week?

One Stop Shop for everything Stanley

shakermaker · 09-10-2013, 22:08

Good point pendle regarding match ticket prices - this has been a major cock up of the season in not advertising categories in advance. However with all due respect I think all team-related news is well packaged and delivered on the web considering the man hours available. Remember - maintaining a website's content and social media output is a full time job these days. I'd rather see shirt sponsors filled as well as advertising hoardings, match day and ball sponsors sorted by the commercial team rather than having real time coverage of Marcus Carver's loan spell

Haggis316 · 09-10-2013, 22:41

Saw them against Rochdale. Reconciled to life in Conference if we survive that long. Frankly what I saw would at best be lower mid table in that league.

bdc · 09-10-2013, 23:38

Few things that stand out for me:

No real mention about any injury updates to Webber and Hunt (when he was out) or when players have returned from or gone out on loan

No mention about shirt deliveries for when they were scheduled to come in and ended up in late I think.

No real board involvement with the outside world apart from Peter Marsden

No online ticket options or retail sales

No proper pricing of games by category available to inform paying customers

Lack of development or advertising on the flexi ticket option.

Compare this to Burnley and they are run like Accy could be run. All commercial options have been covered such as substitutions being sponsored, added time etc. At half time on every game the announcer mentions the deals Burnley have available for flexi tickets and the future games and prices of tickets. Might not sound a big deal but they are reaching out to their audience and giving them the information they require to decide on whether to purchase tickets. Tickets can also be bought online and collected at the game or posted out, the online option is the market we should be looking to tap into if we want to bring more money into the club.

The flexi ticket option really could be a key to open doors, advertise it as £99 for 10 games in run upto Christmas and it could really be an additional revenue stream and at the same time boost attendances. I know Rome wasn't built in day but this scheme could be useful to help increase attendances over the longer term or possibly help to encourage flexi ticket holders to upgrade to become season tickets holders.

There is a big world out there that we are not tapping into by refusing to get involved in the online market. Way of operating have to be more flexible to get more money into the club and ways of doing things have to brought into the brave new world.

Dan · 10-10-2013, 06:52

Morning all
I'm taking none of this personally! As many of you know I don't post on here other than for information purposes so here is a little bit of information.

Firstly, my personal circumstances are such that I have to work elsewhere and commit my time to other things in order to pay the bills. That means that unlike every other club in the league bar Morecambe there isn't someone in the office every day 9-5 who can update the website. So that's entirely my fault.

Secondly the club have invested a great amount of time, resource and expertise (Lee Carter is doing a superb job) on a brand new website. This has been started from scratch, meaning that as well as updating the "live" website every single content area for a new website is also being worked on concurrently. This new website is not being prioritised over what you can already see online so is happening slowly but this isn't one of those "in the next few weeks things"! See - it exists (this is from a couple of weeks ago)

Injury news - this is a managerial & medical staff policy. News of players' condition is confidential medical information and the management and medical staff don't wish for details to be released. That's their professional prerogative. I don't necessarily agree with it but as soon as a player is back and available it will be in the team news of the match preview.

Beyond these things I can't really comment. I'm open to questions about any aspect of website, social media etc but I'd prefer you to come and have a chat with me on a match day, give me a ring or drop me an email than comment on a forum...

Oh, and I believe videos were mentioned earlier. There's been next to no video content for the past fortnight cos somebody nicked my video camera at Plymouth. That was a great trip!

MikeA · 10-10-2013, 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

Firstly, my personal circumstances are such that I have to work elsewhere and commit my time to other things in order to pay the bills. That means that unlike every other club in the league bar Morecambe there isn't someone in the office every day 9-5 who can update the website. So that's entirely my fault.

Dan, I think you'd struggle to find anyone on here who thought that the lack of communication was your fault.

GJWatson · 10-10-2013, 07:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

Morning all
I'm taking none of this personally! As many of you know I don't post on here other than for information purposes so here is a little bit of information.

We know ya do pal. We all have bills to pay etc and its good that there are teams out there that have people like you on there side. Keep it up and well done that man

Revived Red · 10-10-2013, 10:29

That is a great post by Pendle Red. The club is floundering both on and off the field.

I think we all know that Dan does his best with the website but how much help does he get from the club? In view of the limited time that he has available, is there no-one to assist? What about the Media Studies students at the College?

Why do we still not know the reason for Ben Wilson's departure? If indeed he has departed.

And what about the new commercial team? We know nothing about Mike Ferguson jnr, apart from his distinguished father. What is his background? Any chance of a photograph so that we can say hello?

I hate to say this but Accrington Stanley has been a Public Relations disaster area for far too long. There are individuals who work very hard to mitigate this but they remain individuals. Those of us on the outside see no evidence of team work. It's rather like watching the team play! The club's links with its loyal fans become ever weaker. Why can no-one see this?

cashman · 10-10-2013, 10:36

Think its its more they won't admit it,rather than not see it.

Dan · 10-10-2013, 10:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revived Red

? What about the Media Studies students at the College?

Why do we still not know the reason for Ben Wilson's departure? If indeed he has departed.

And what about the new commercial team? We know nothing about Mike Ferguson jnr, apart from his distinguished father. What is his background? Any chance of a photograph so that we can say hello?

Point One - I've put in place a media placement programme where media students and graduates contribute their time for free to website and programme. It's what enables there to be reports and previews on youth games, more detailed match previews, match reports up more quickly on a Saturday etc.

Point two - as far as I know Wilson was on a week-to-week contract and free to leave at a week's notice but no formal paperwork etc transferring his registration has been lodged. That means there's no "official" announcement to be made. Frustrating as hell for me and you but as with transfers until the paperwork is done there's nothing to officially announce.

Point three - I've asked

Exile on Spencer St · 10-10-2013, 10:59

I'm talking purely about the management of the club here, not the team, but it sounds like Dan is one of the stokers down in the engine room keeping the ship going but there's no captain with a hand on the tiller. So the ship just keeps going round in a circle.
Maybe time for some of the Directors to get a grip of things and show some leadership and business acumen.
I know it's easy from a distance to criticise but, as Lancsdave has shown, I'm sure there are folk around the area who might be willing and able to help run the day-to-day business of the club or certain aspects of it, if only they were asked in the right way by the right people.

Revived Red · 10-10-2013, 12:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

Point One - I've put in place a media placement programme where media students and graduates contribute their time for free to website and programme. It's what enables there to be reports and previews on youth games, more detailed match previews, match reports up more quickly on a Saturday etc.

Thanks, Dan. Progress here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

Point two - as far as I know Wilson was on a week-to-week contract and free to leave at a week's notice but no formal paperwork etc transferring his registration has been lodged. That means there's no "official" announcement to be made. Frustrating as hell for me and you but as with transfers until the paperwork is done there's nothing to officially announce.

The fishy site says that Ben Wilson had agreed a short term deal at the Store First Stadium. No mention of it being a week-by-week contract. As his arrival was announced, one would assume that his departure would also be announced. Had teabag not written simply "gone" on the message board, no-one would have known. OK, so no "official" announcement could be made. What about an "unofficial" announcement? COMMUNICATION!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

Point three - I've asked

What was the reply? "No"? "Next week"?

Item number one in the Google mission statement is this : Focus on the user and all else will follow. Perhaps this should be pinned up in huge letters where the powers-that-be (whoever they are) can see it and reflect on it.