Random thoughts

[Revived Red]

I could have added these thoughts to another thread but they seem to overlap several threads so I've decided to begin a new one. I have been pondering a couple of quotes that macca noted from Paul Cook's interview:

The fans are massive particularly for a club like us and we have to bring the feelgood factor back.

We need to improve the infrastructure of the club so that we can operate from a firm base.

These are truisms, but what is being done to make them happen? People have been saying such things since our promotion to League Two but progress seems painfully slow - if indeed there is any progress. Let me pick a first example - the shop. When Lew arrived, progress was immediate and visible. Following his departure, regression has been just as quick. The online store is still advertising Christmas items and I can see no mention of the new anniversary scarf. That hardly meets the needs of out-of-town fans. And once again, there is no possibility of buying tickets online.

Another example. The club's website, as of now, has no photographs of the presentations to the 1962 players. Many out-of-town fans of my generation would like to see those players and the presentations - it would help to keep us in touch with the club and its history. I happen to have been there on Saturday and, as I have said in another thread, the presentations could have been done with much greater aplomb.

In more general terms, and leaving aside events on the field, "improving the infrastructure" means developing the business of Accrington Stanley. Is there a business plan? Is there a 3-year plan? A 5-year plan? How can the infrastructure be improved without these? How can progress be assessed?

It's time to stop thinking/saying "This can't happen because ...." but rather to start saying "We want ... to happen by (date) ... and it is ...'s responsibility to ensure that it does".

Yes, as Lancsdave and Kipax have often said, a winning team will bring back some of the feelgood factor. But we need more than that.

Please feel free to disagree!

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Revived Red

We need to improve the infrastructure of the club so that we can operate from a firm base.

It would have been better if Cooky had elaborated on what he meant by that. Training facilities, pitch surface, player budget ? Anything other than that isn't really under his jurisdiction.

[Pendle Red]

A very interesting and thought provoking topic RR

My initial thoughts when I first started following Stanley six years ago (glory hunter) was the ground was like stepping into a time warp in some ways but I loved it terracing football as it should be there are so many supporters around the country who would like to see standing brought back are we missing a marketing ploy there?

You could not beat the sense of passion for the Club within the ground from the fans unlike bigger clubs where you may know a few people around you at Stanley it's more than that friendships are built and that includes staff at the Club as well as players but once I became a little bit more involved with the Club I was quite shocked that within Hynburn itself the Club was not followed like in this neck of the woods with the Clarets are and I am sure the same applies to Blackburn and that's not being critical of the people of Hynburn but everywhere you go in Burnley & Pendle something reminds you there is a football club whether that's kids wearing the shirts, people with their embroided hats on, to videos in the GP'S surgery, kids coming home to tell you they were doing some kind of course at school through the football club and so it goes on.

Some of those issues have been addressed at Stanley and one of the greatest achievements that I have seen is the advent and growth of the community side of the Club as that does what it says on the tin and brings people into contact with the Club from the community from all walks of life and does some amazing things which can not be undervalued.

You can look at crowds in two ways in that we have small crowds but growing steadily or you can look at it the other way by thinking how much untapped potential there is there to bring people to the ground?

Ask people why they have not been to a game and what would attract them to come to a game?

Then next stage is enticing them into spending their hard earned cash whether that be buying a programme, in house catering , match sponsorship, hospitality, stock from the shop etc.

There is also as RR says the might of the world wide web and fulfilling the appetite of Stanley fans not just in this country but around the world.

The Share issue is going very well and getting excellent publicity along the way and new things are being tried like the town centre promotions which gets the name out there.

The Club you can say has come a long way in a short period of time and is still very much a work in progress, more can be done and more can be achieved.

There are sure are a lot of challenges there and something that should be relished what better feeling than nurturing and seeing your Club grow

[Pendle Red]

Just to add a little snippet of untapped potential I have very good friends who are Season ticket holders at Anfield and have been for very many seasons who tried the hospitality at Stanley before Christmas came back for the Plymouth game and have booked again for the Northampton game and have genuinely asked about a price for doing hospitality for a whole season.

Along the way they have purchased shares, a book, several scarves, tie & cufflinks and other things they are absolutely made up with the way they have been looked after and treated at Stanley.

[cashman]

I reckon whilst we are "Now" a bit more secure financial wise, Things are gradually improving, Things like Revived Red mentions i.e. The Shop,Website, is down to not enough staff simple as, So to my way of thinking the "Commercial" side of stanley needs the biggest focus, Improved gates are not the answer, as i think probably most clubs would say, They help a bit sure, But the main winner fer the reds must be the "Commercial" side.?

[Pendle Red]

I would slightly disagree with you Cashy on gates especially for Stanley with improved gates particularly walk on's comes increased revenues, next stage increase revenue by selling your own things (food), shirts etc. increases in spectators gives more potential rise to advertisers and other opportunities.

Only my thoughts