New ground pic.. sorta

[Kiwi John]

******...they've knocked down the Crown...was looking forward to having a beer or four there someday....

[Wynonie Harris]

OK, it's still just an ugly rumour, but the fact that the club might even be considering this should prompt us to make our feelings known on the subject in no uncertain terms!

Incidentally, if the club really can't afford to redevelop the Whinney Hill side over the next two seasons, why don't they install seats on the Coppice End and make it an uncovered, seated away end like Stockport's?

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

My thoughts are that unless that mean rehousing the Accy fans on the Coppice (and under a roof) then I'll not be attending home matches. I stated last season that I will be trying very hard not to go to away matches that involve being seated. I'll be buggered if I'm going to have it at home games as well

I find that strange Macca. You obviously work very hard at trying to raise the profile of the club and hope for bigger things yet if the bigger things happen, (ie 2 promotions) you are effectively eliminating yourself from watching the games. I doubt ( and I hope I'm wrong ) that the government will ever back down on the standing issue)

I might get shot down for this but I think Stanley fans are between a rock and a hard place at the moment. For obvious reasons many of you feel the intimacy of the club because of the past few years and want that to remain but at the same time you want to see the club do well and rise through the ranks. The higher the rise the more the club will probably alienate the fans. Sadly ( in my honest opinion ) In todays football world I don't think you can have both. Although I'm a dingle first I'm also a football fan and I have to say the greed involved as you go further up the league sometimes makes you question your loyalties.

Out of curiosity if you all had to choose between the 2 options which one would you go for, keep the friendly club but not go above league one, or the ultimate dream of the premiership at the expense of losing the intimacy. Don't go cheating and say both

[KIPAX]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

I might get shot down for this but I think Stanley fans are between a rock and a hard place at the moment. For obvious reasons many of you feel the intimacy of the club because of the past few years and want that to remain but at the same time you want to see the club do well and rise through the ranks. The higher the rise the more the club will probably alienate the fans.

I don't know why you think you would get shot down.. Your bob on and a good old look through these forums since we got promoted will show you the answers.

A lot of people where attracted to stanley because of all the things we are now losing.. I havent always been a stanley fan and made no secret of it. The things that made me fall in love with the club are slowly dissapearing.. But I found other things that will be there forever. I miss so much about non league but being a realist know they wont come back while we are in the league.. I would rather stanley do and be the best they can be than go back to unibond just so we can change ends at half time

[Redraine]

I think Coley would veto this one if it ever became a serious consideration. I for one, would find it hard to "keep the faith".

[loweiy]

things will always change and thats that but I do miss changing ends and a pint at halftime with opposition fans but not as much as I miss the pie and peas from when we made our own and served it from a hatch near the club house door!!. This year I will miss most away matches due to my show but I intend to visit local non league games on those saturdays, so I will get my non league fix and see how oy goes!!!!

Loweiy

P.S are there any of you that don't go to away games but who do visit local grounds?

[Tin Monkey]

Originally Posted by Redraine

I think Coley would veto this one if it ever became a serious consideration. I for one, would find it hard to "keep the faith".

To be perfectly honest, I don't think Coleman would have any say in it, never mind vetoing anything.

He's an employee of the club. Nothing more.

[KIPAX]

Originally Posted by loweiy

P.S are there any of you that don't go to away games but who do visit local grounds?

I do both and I know for a fact that others do as well. I go to all home and away games (unbeaten record haha but not counting friendlies) and I also go to local non league during the week. theres one or two members of this forum I see at grounds...Local leagues and as far away as Droylsden and Ashton

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Out of curiosity if you all had to choose between the 2 options which one would you go for, keep the friendly club but not go above league one, or the ultimate dream of the premiership at the expense of losing the intimacy.

OK, Dave you've got me there - if I HAD to choose between going into the Championship and remaining on my feet, I would sadly and reluctantly have to take my seat.

However, that's light years away at the moment. There's no requirement for all-seater stadiums in divisions two and one and, having been to places like Mansfield and Grimsby last season, I would much prefer the FES to upgrade its facilities while retaining its standing areas. I'm hoping that the noise and atmosphere generated in a covered (and standing) Clayton End in a few weeks' time will persuade the club to think that way, too!

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

However, that's light years away at the moment.

Tha never knows

Three things you need in football, Hope, Faith & Charity, well you can substitute Charity for a rich Russiian or Yank if you like

In some ways I miss the the days of the lower 2 divisions, going to away matches was far better then than the sterile police state situations we now have to go to. But just like you lot don't want to swap your league status to back to swapping ends at half time, I wouldn't swap what we have now for the 'better' days. Fickle football fans eh ?

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by loweiy

P.S are there any of you that don't go to away games but who do visit local grounds?

I used to do the local grounds a lot, even got paid to take abuse while I was there

If I had more time I would probably go to a few matches.

[Bagpuss]

Originally Posted by KIPAX

A lot of people where attracted to stanley because of all the things we are now losing..

I class myself as one of those. After being a season ticket holder at Anfield for more years than I can remember I became aware that winning or expecting to win every week was not everything.
I had been to Stanley for the odd game when Liverpool where away or playing Sunday so I made the decision to pass my season ticket on and go back to basement football.
4 years ago I went to Stanley for the first game of the season and I haven't missed a home game since and last season I went to loads of away games too.
Like Kipax the things I enjoy about Stanley we seem to be losing which after buying a season ticket for the past few years I haven't got one for the coming season. This has nothing to do with Stanley as I will still be there for home games and I hope to get to most away games but things are happening that I am unhappy about.
I will stick my neck out and say I'm happy if we stay where we are or even go up one more league but I don't want to go higher at least not yet or I might as well go back to watching Liverpool. The joy of winning after a losing run or a cup win against a club from a higher division is to me what it is all about.
So Eric don't sell us out after years of promising us the holy grail, a roof on the Clayton End, some of us don't want much but to get a roof and then before we have had the chance to enjoy it you stick some seats in there would be too much and I think instead of attracting fans you would find you would be losing them.

[Redraine]

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

To be perfectly honest, I don't think Coleman would have any say in it, never mind vetoing anything.

He's an employee of the club. Nothing more.

I can't believe you said that.

[maccawozzagod]

the reason I said I would stay away is simple. The reason I go to football is to stand up, puff out my chest and tell the world I come from Accrington. Football is a vehicle for this purpose and it goes back to tribal instincts I reckon! I love the atmosphere behind the goals. 30 lads (& lasses sometimes) jumping around about and being as loud and passionate as todays pansy PC world allows. Sitting down does not allow this or at least takes away about 50% of the atmosphere. I could go to the cow shed and stand up if the Clayton End ever became seated but then I would lose the 'behind the goal' atmosphere and Oggy would get irate at the linesman baiting duties we would take off him!

I could have watched Burnley or Blackburn as a kid but liked Stanley as they were my home town team and I am stuck with them whether times are good or bad, but I would not pay my money to stand in an area I don't want to be in and lacking the atmosphere I crave. The Clayton End is as vibrant a terrace as any other of a similar populace, the Stanley Ultras have as good a reputation or better than any other of even or larger numbers. IF the club were to take that away then IMHO they would have done so with absolutely no regard for their fans. It is fine to think of all alternatives for the seated areas but, and only if, that particular scenario ever happened then I would not sit there and would not stand on the sides. So unless I was playing or stood with the away fans I would be at home listening to Dan 'n' Kaz

[Tin Monkey]

Originally Posted by Redraine

I can't believe you said that.

Why? He's employed by the club to do a job and so far he's done a very good one too. One day he will leave, but the club will roll on (forwards or backwards).
It's a bit like life. One day we'll die, but the world won't stop.