credit Crunch - will our average gate increase or decrease next year ??

[CC51DAS]

I could see the 'hard times' working in our favour with people deserting the London clubs in their droves and taking the kids to a live game at the Hall instead .

With petrol prices the away support will be down but again it may encourage the locals who travel to watch the ' big clubs ' to look closer to home for entertainment .

Did I say entertainment ?

 

[steveo]

maybe its time for the club to be a bit pro active and reduce prices and do more Kidd for a quid days and try to nick some support from the big clubs

 

[Southend_Lady]

Yeah I think in these hard times with a recession on the horizon something needs to be done to help us supporters. I think the impending credit crunch is going to have a big effect on the gates actually and like you said - away support too. Think the key will be sharing cars as much as possible really.

 

[McNasty]

The credit crunch will definitely cause me to miss quite a few away games. When I bought my car 4 years ago it was £40 to fill it up now it's £65 for a tankful. As a mortgage broker work is a little quiet at the moment.

 

[Ozzer]

Yeah I think in these hard times with a recession on the horizon something needs to be done to help us supporters. I think the impending credit crunch is going to have a big effect on the gates actually and like you said - away support too. Think the key will be sharing cars as much as possible really.

That's why I think fans should be realistic about new signings. The credit crunch misses no-one. With a stadium to build, there is only going to be so much available for new players in the near future. Ron's business is property which is declining in value all the time and he is trying to find money to both run the club and increase the playing staff. Less fans or fans paying less will have a negative impact on the club's ability to pay their way.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

I wonder what the final figure will be on Season Ticket Holders? That will give us an idea if our crowds will be up or down.

I think Peterborough will bring quite a few and will help push the crowd up but I can't see us getting more than 6,500 home fans for that one.

Also I don't think the fixture list has been that kind to us again 3 biggish games early in the season Peterborough, Brighton & Orient when crowds tend to be lower, also Leeds on a Tuesday(again) followed on the Saturday by Colchester at home. I think 2 of our home games clash with England home games again, about time this stopped, why not change all the games to the Friday or Sunday.

Cheltenham cup game will be a very low crowd probably lower than last season 3,084.

 

[adam3811]

I wonder what the final figure will be on Season Ticket Holders? That will give us an idea if our crowds will be up or down.

I think Peterborough will bring quite a few and will help push the crowd up but I can't see us getting more than 6,500 home fans for that one.

Also I don't think the fixture list has been that kind to us again 3 biggish games early in the season Peterborough, Brighton & Orient when crowds tend to be lower, also Leeds on a Tuesday(again) followed on the Saturday by Colchester at home. I think 2 of our home games clash with England home games again, about time this stopped, why not change all the games to the Friday or Sunday.

Cheltenham cup game will be a very low crowd probably lower than last season 3,084.

not trying to be a git..

but, wasn't the opening game with orient last season quite a good crowd..

just saying.. :)

 

[Skyblue]

Clubs have got to be more flexible with pricing regardes the less attractive fixtures. To be honest I'd be prepared to pay more for a bigger club say Leeds or Forest if they reduced the cost for say Stockport or Oldham who probably wouldn't bring as many down.

 

[CC51DAS]

That's why I think fans should be realistic about new signings. The credit crunch misses no-one. With a stadium to build, there is only going to be so much available for new players in the near future. Ron's business is property which is declining in value all the time and he is trying to find money to both run the club and increase the playing staff. Less fans or fans paying less will have a negative impact on the club's ability to pay their way.

Oz , I don't disagree with any of that and clearly we are entering a very tricky phase of the club's history . If we have to play the entire youth team and are bottom of the League all season , then I for one would continue my support because at critical times that is when the club needs its supporters most .

I have been saying for a while now that I think we will be fielding a very young ( Furlong excepted ) team next season but if we are prepared to make the investment which will enable us to field one or two 'stars' to pull in the crowds then this is a time when we could be increasing our fan base and building for the future when we will need to be selling significantly more tickets to make the new stadium viable .

In simple terms , people won't want to spend £200+ on taking two kids to watch a premier league side when they can have a great day out for a quarter of that at their local club , provided we can serve up the right kind of entertainment .

 

[Ozzer]

Oz , I don't disagree with any of that and clearly we are entering a very tricky phase of the club's history . If we have to play the entire youth team and are bottom of the League all season , then I for one would continue my support because at critical times that is when the club needs its supporters most .

I have been saying for a while now that I think we will be fielding a very young ( Furlong excepted ) team next season but if we are prepared to make the investment which will enable us to field one or two 'stars' to pull in the crowds then this is a time when we could be increasing our fan base and building for the future when we will need to be selling significantly more tickets to make the new stadium viable .

In simple terms , people won't want to spend £200+ on taking two kids to watch a premier league side when they can have a great day out for a quarter of that at their local club , provided we can serve up the right kind of entertainment .

I think most real supporters feel the same way. We can't risk the club by splashing out a lot of money but someone to get the pulses racing would give everyone a lift (what's Keira Nightly doing). Unless we hear otherwise Bailey and Clarkey will still be here next season and we've reduced the playing staff and brought a couple in. Another couple of players including someone of known pedigree and I can see us having a reasonable season.

 

[CC51DAS]

I think most real supporters feel the same way. We can't risk the club by splashing out a lot of money but someone to get the pulses racing would give everyone a lift (what's Keira Nightly doing). Unless we hear otherwise Bailey and Clarkey will still be here next season and we've reduced the playing staff and brought a couple in. Another couple of players including someone of known pedigree and I can see us having a reasonable season.

Spot on - and I think that T+B / RM are getting close to pulling this off ( cue more comments about Ron's penis no doubt ! )

The comments on the Hooper to Cheltenham thread are encouraging