Ok people let's take stock for a minute. - Page 4

maccawozzagod · 27-08-2012, 20:38

quite rightly Jase has been missed. From my visits since it seems that most of the lads are still up for the singing but what Jase brought was more than that. It was the moving about between groups of fans and trying to involve everyone, and keeping the momentum going between songs. He always came across as leathered but rarely was (before the game anyways).

But I think the biggest thing was that the Newcastle game was the culmination of 18 months worth of efforts that saw SU sitting pretty as one of the best fan groups in the British Isles. Displays aplenty, song volume defying the small numbers of singers, more variety than Heinz, and the bounciest terrace around. Every small group aspired to be Stanley Ultras (and still do). That night kicked the arse out of everyone. The club never issued any sort of statement condoning or attacking the behaviour of the fans or the stewards/police, fans were hurt, fans were arrested and banned, trust was at an all time low (back to the D'on era again). Two weeks later and we lost Coxy as well. To many extents that brought the 'family' back together again, but the momentum had gone. For me, things haven't been the same since that night.

smobile · 27-08-2012, 21:28

2 years ago, pre-season tour of Devon. I live there, so was well up for it. Guess who else was there? In a tent for two weeks? Jason and Lucy. Top fan, well missed. Hope the experience has not dampened his enthusiasm.

smudgie · 27-08-2012, 21:30

Roll on the return of the mighty Jase I say.

12 months and counting.

fc:stanley · 27-08-2012, 21:31

Jase was one voice , there's still 400 on that terrace..

fc:stanley · 27-08-2012, 21:35

Also the club doesn't help itself with the flags etc. I'm one person who are truely fed up of the club since that episode and any helped needed with clearing snow etc will be looked over now .

alan7554 · 28-08-2012, 06:12

Regarding jase,lets look at the original core base of fans who used to go out in all weathers,plum,eibo bayliss,shotgun,big gay will(sorry will)big dave then later budmak jase, cammy, nearly all of these origianl clayton terrace lads have gone,i can remember going to awy games in plums crappy tranny van,sitting on beer crates in the back, marine on a tuesday night,it was good fun,the problem now is we are a small fish in a big pond,back in those days we were the very big fish in a small pond,just they mention that asfc were playing at your ground next week would put 100,s one the gate.we were the top name in non league,now we are in the football league apathy has set in,we are here because of the dedication and support of those mentioned above and all the others who used to follow asfc everywhere,now it costs to much,on average about 40 pounds+to go away.even went to dover on a tuesday night to watch asfc v margate,and even the players had a whipround for us,now it just cost to much even for the home games,this where the problem lies,also we have lost to many of the old faithful through old age and moving away,the last straw was the jase fiasco,the club has to advertise cheap deals earlier and use the press and small businesses to its advantage or we are in the financial doggy doo's again

smobile · 28-08-2012, 09:40

Agreed.

I think that for a lot of people, it was more about the journey than the destination.

Once we reached the destination, about 400 people got off.

Sometimes it's better to travel than to arrive.

carpon · 29-08-2012, 01:09

I'd have to say that as a club we've come to a line in the sand.....be bold and come out with an initiative to boost gates or accept that we'll never change the status quo and sink back to a level where the gates will accomodate.

We're between a rock and a hard place...always have been and always will be.....albeit two championship ( and aspiring Premier League teams) within a very short drive either side.

Both offer a far more attractive value for money package to the floating supporter. Better facilities, supposedly better standard of football.

We had the "novelty factor" when we won the Conference and got back into the league. Apart from the odd high profile game (such as a decent cup tie or important league or play off game) that's gone.

Whilst I'd agree that we've got to balance the books......we've got to try and make the Crown & A.S.F.C. an appealing and viable option......Let's face it...the ground and facilities are absolute bobbins compared to our neighbours! !!! We've tried Friday nights ( which were seemingly a success ) what about Sunday's???? Play games on a regular basis and at a price where it appeals to the floating fan on either day...put an extra 4-500 on the gate...surely that helps the situation????

All I'll say is we can never move forward as a club if we can't get those turnstiles clicking with greater frequency and get bigger gates....maybe one of the reasons Coley took the Rochdale job.

Regardless of how great a job Cooky & Leam do recruiting young lads with a point to prove, even if the young lads fight and perform way above the widely considered "punching weight" a club of our stature should effectively perform....fact remains... A.S.F.C. needs 2000+ gates to remain a fighting force within league football.

We might continue to confound the protagonists with our continued ability to "punch above our weight"....however.....if things don't change....inevitable that our inability to draw fans through the turnstiles will catch up with us

Revived Red · 29-08-2012, 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpon

We're between a rock and a hard place...always have been and always will be.....albeit two championship ( and aspiring Premier League teams) within a very short drive either side.

Both offer a far more attractive value for money package to the floating supporter. Better facilities, supposedly better standard of football.

There are lots of issues to consider but I'm afraid I do not consider this to be one of them. For too long it has been presented as an excuse for poor attendances rather than a valid reason. Other League 2 (and BSP) teams have Premier/Championship teams nearby - Dagenham, Port Vale, Bradford, even Stockport, come to mind straight away. In reality, our fixtures clash only with Blackburn's - and what has happened to their missing thousands?

Nor, for that matter, do I believe in the "floating supporter" - partly for the reason I've just said.

Sadly, I feel that we are still suffering from past problems - EW, DO'N etc. We need a constant barrage of positive publicity - and we need a club spokesperson to announce the good things that are happening at the club. Living so far away, I cannot comment too much on local publicity but friends tell me it is not good.

What has been the effect of the reorganisation of the management structure? When/where will the players be meeting the public? What's new in the club shop?

To my simple mind, there are two solutions to the attendance problem. The first, as has already been stated in this thread and many times previously, is to have a winning team. The second is to raise the profile of Accrington Stanley, locally and nationally. Believe me, there is huge interest in the club outside the town but the first task is to raise the profile in the town itself.

Redraine · 29-08-2012, 14:56

On my visits up north visiting family I have always been struck by the proliferation of posters in Whitley Bay promoting their forthcoming matches. I have never seen anything like this in Accy. Unbelievable.

smobile · 29-08-2012, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redraine

On my visits up north visiting family I have always been struck by the proliferation of posters in Whitley Bay promoting their forthcoming matches. I have never seen anything like this in Accy. Unbelievable.

Why would Whitley Bay be advertising their matches in Accrington ?

Good point though RR - A flyer in the Observer or posters up in schools and workplaces etc.

Redraine · 29-08-2012, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by smobile

Why would Whitley Bay be advertising their matches in Accrington ?

Good point though RR - A flyer in the Observer or posters up in schools and workplaces etc.

Even just on lamp posts!!

maccawozzagod · 29-08-2012, 15:16

the problem with advertising is that you can't do it as a one off, it just doesn't work. The power of advertising is at its best when it is a constant barrage. It becomes subliminal that you just automatically become attuned if the adverts are constantly at you. Last season we did the big advertising boards on a main road, fantastic - but it needs to be done again, and again, and ....

All promotions need to be the same and part of a wider campaign to bombard the public with information, rather than sporadic and off the cuff.

Pendle Red · 29-08-2012, 16:38

We did have an advertising trailer a few years ago wheel that out and park it in prominent places around Hynburn,I lost count of the number of times driving back onto the motorway heading back towards Barrowford in the laybay of parked up trailers advertising these must be seen by thousands of people on a daily basis.

Over here even some of the roundabouts are sponsored by companies with their names logos displayed on them, let's get down Accy Centre giving the Club a real push and back it up with free tickets and I am not talking about a few dozen but hundreds of tickets to the residents of Hynburn and while they are giving them away tell them about the Cub do they know about hiring the Lounge, do they know about the Community side of the Club, do they know about the Crown Pub and what's on there at weekend etc.

Instead of relying on word of mouth, snippets in the papers, the website take the Club to the masses I will volunteer to help but it must be backed up by not just volunteers.

Accy Town centre on a Saturday morning, Clitheroe Car Boot Sunday morning thousands of people going through could something be hired not to sell but to promote the Cub?

Mr T · 29-08-2012, 18:52

Neil,

All good stuff but has to be cost effective; and how is that measured??

Lamp post advertising is a grey area; MUST be cleared up afterwards and quickly. HBC are already on the case.

All the town centre advertising came at a price; thank goodness we have good friends!!

What next?? Even I don't have an answer! A combination of everything; BUT we need to do it all within OUR budget and FL rules. Lets not forget exactly where we are and what we have achieved!!