[RikShaw]

derbyshire, on 06 February 2015 - 09:31 AM, said:

As a football fan for many years , but only living in this area for the last 10yrs or so, I wondered if anyone could tell me why the gates are not better than they are , and what you all think it would take to get a core of say 10,000 , or even 8000 or 9000 .

I am not wanting to start a big thing out of this it's just curiosity on my part. The Proact is obviously a vast improvement on Saltergate, the team is playing some very good football and are hoping for a place in the play offs , and there were the Wembly games and promotions, ( ok and a relegation ).

Is the reason that Chesterfield are not really a football town or is it that they have not had a sustained run of success , or is it that there are other teams nearby that take the support.

As i say I am just curious to know what you fans think I don't want to start arguments , just wondered what your thoughts were and what you think could improve the gates , apart from the obvious , playing in the Premier league and champions league, and not selling leading goal scorers .

Up the Spireites

In my mind, the sale of Doyle is probably the best example of why our attendances are 'what they are'. For example, Tuesday morning in the office, the first thing a Derby fan said to me is: "SO, WHERE IS YOUR AMBITION?". And that firmly hits the nail on the head and is why we will always be perceived as a small team. The wider population of the town lacks the belief that the club has the ambition to reach the championship and is why many choose to watch their football in Sheffield/Derby/Manchester.

In my opinion, the Club have just squandered probably the greatest opportunity to demonstrate "AMBITION" to the town, since 1979/80 if they had kept Doyle, enabling us to make a serious push for the Playoffs and ultimately promotion to the Championship.

But now, short-termism has yet again demonstrated the exact opposite making it even harder to convince people that the people running the club are the real deal.

You don't sell your best players if you are serious about the Championship.

[Andy Spireite]

newboldsteve, on 06 February 2015 - 10:35 AM, said:

its just to expensive to attract floating fans personally I would make it free for kids under 12 and a fiver till they sixteen we need to convert them young

I'd absolutely agree with you, and the club are really trying in this area, but you have to hook them young and then you have them for the long term.

[Spire-Power]

newboldsteve, on 06 February 2015 - 10:35 AM, said:

its just to expensive to attract floating fans personally I would make it free for kids under 12 and a fiver till they sixteen we need to convert them young

Might be an idea for the last x number of games, to try and fill the gaps? If most of our regular under 16s already have STs it could make a difference. If they dont have STs they would just be getting in for less which might be counter-productive financially - depending on numbers attracted by the offer.

[JonB]

Trigger (not the freak), on 06 February 2015 - 10:51 AM, said:

It's £25 to get in tomorrow?? Fk that! I was really tempted to go down on the day but al spend it next to the radio and save the cash. Might get an teamarmand jumper instead...

They've moved away fans to the side stand there now havent they? Means they can charge the same more or less as the home fans in the main stand opposite which will be classed as comparable compared to being in a stand behind a goal which they would have to charge less for.

[Trigger]

JonB, on 06 February 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

They've moved away fans to the side stand there now havent they? Means they can charge the same more or less as the home fans in the main stand opposite which will be classed as comparable compared to being in a stand behind a goal which they would have to charge less for.

I went both times in the relegation season and sat in the side stand both times. Never been behind the goal. I'd love to go but you have to draw a line somewhere.

[JonB]

Trigger (not the freak), on 06 February 2015 - 11:01 AM, said:

I went both times in the relegation season and sat in the side stand both times. Never been behind the goal. I'd love to go but you have to draw a line somewhere.

I've definitely been behind the goal at least once there...one of the occasions it was very windy and i wasnt overly convinced the floodlights were going to stay up and one part of the stand at Meccano Lane was looking a bit iffy for staying up!

[Spire-Power]

Maverick, on 06 February 2015 - 10:52 AM, said:

In my mind, the sale of Doyle is probably the best example of why our attendances are 'what they are'. For example, Tuesday morning in the office, the first thing a Derby fan said to me is: "SO, WHERE IS YOUR AMBITION?". And that firmly hits the nail on the head and is why we will always be perceived as a small team. The wider population of the town lacks the belief that the club has the ambition to reach the championship and is why many choose to watch their football in Sheffield/Derby/Manchester.

In my opinion, the Club have just squandered probably the greatest opportunity to demonstrate "AMBITION" to the town, since 1979/80 if they had kept Doyle, enabling us to make a serious push for the Playoffs and ultimately promotion to the Championship.

But now, short-termism has yet again demonstrated the exact opposite making it even harder to convince people that the people running the club are the real deal.

You don't sell your best players if you are serious about the Championship.

you are right that selling Doyle is bad PR, the problem of course being the debt the club is having to manage. Hopefully its a one step back 2 steps forward situation and the new players step up to the plate and bring about better results (even if 3 of them are loanees). Last august the club and us fans were probably happy just to stay up/consolidate and many fans, including me, wont be unhappy if we finish mid table. But I can understand how others will feel the club are missing an opportunity to get back to back promotions and they will certainly make a point about the Doyle sale if we fall down the table and dont make the play offs!

[Spire-Power]

JonB, on 06 February 2015 - 11:02 AM, said:

I've definitely been behind the goal at least once there...one of the occasions it was very windy and i wasnt overly convinced the floodlights were going to stay up and one part of the stand at Meccano Lane was looking a bit iffy for staying up!

Away fans were behind the goal when Booty scored a last minute equaliser .. thats quite a while back. Seem to recall we were also there for a subsequent defeat, maybe 7 years or so ago, and also at the boring defeat where Tendayi made his debut at right back (our Motm and didnt get another game for ages if memory serves) under sheridan.

[newboldsteve]

JonB, on 06 February 2015 - 10:47 AM, said:

Football costs have gone up all over the place for numerous reasons but partly because fans want to see clubs being successful and we need to pay our part towards it. Its a bit of a vicious circle in that you need to get so much over the gate to break even etc and set prices accordingly based on an average attendance but if folk dont go then you lose money so you cant do much about the ticket prices. I would hazard a guess our prices arent that much out of line with the rest of League 1 and potentially a few league 2 clubs especially considering the facilities we now have at the Proact compared to a number of league 1 and 2 grounds! I know RPL used to drag out his put prices up to fund better players stuff but to an extent he is right...we cant go on about having x players in the squad of a certain quality and wanting to be successful playing attractive football then at the same time expect to get in for next to nowt whilst DA etc keep chucking money in.

I've seen folk comparing us to how its cheaper to get a Man City season ticket likes its a fair comparison to a club who are working to 40000/45000 attendances and middle east billions to top it up!

Yes there will be places in Germany you can go cheap but its when the Media go on about how a ticket\season ticket only costs x at Bayern Munich..you try getting one!! Same with Dortmund as you mention. The others are like comparing to the smaller clubs around....mid table Frankfurt is a bit like getting cheap tickets at somewhere like Sunderland which is easy. The media dont do this...they like to use the handful of 10/15 euro tickets available to specific types of club members to watch one of the top clubs. That said the way its going this season you may be able to get a ticket a bit easier for Dortmund next season watching them in the second division!


How are you covering the losses from doing this though? Its easy to say but over a season its going to be a more than decent amount of cash that needs to be covered elsewhere. Potentially the cost of one other player in the squad for example.

I don't think you would lose that much the kids would have to be with an adult so they would be paying full price it would take some investment from the club but I don't see any other way of building the fan base . because I think we have topped out at around 6 k regular home fans unless we have a amazing season and get promotion

[Rodney's Moustache]

Maverick, on 06 February 2015 - 10:52 AM, said:

In my mind, the sale of Doyle is probably the best example of why our attendances are 'what they are'. For example, Tuesday morning in the office, the first thing a Derby fan said to me is: "SO, WHERE IS YOUR AMBITION?". And that firmly hits the nail on the head and is why we will always be perceived as a small team. The wider population of the town lacks the belief that the club has the ambition to reach the championship and is why many choose to watch their football in Sheffield/Derby/Manchester.

In my opinion, the Club have just squandered probably the greatest opportunity to demonstrate "AMBITION" to the town, since 1979/80 if they had kept Doyle, enabling us to make a serious push for the Playoffs and ultimately promotion to the Championship.

But now, short-termism has yet again demonstrated the exact opposite making it even harder to convince people that the people running the club are the real deal.

You don't sell your best players if you are serious about the Championship.

Seems like some don't like the truth but you are spot on with what you said. How anyone can argue with it or minus you is beyond me.

This post has been edited by Rodney's Moustache: 06 February 2015 - 12:36 PM

[lindo-spireite]

Maverick, on 06 February 2015 - 10:52 AM, said:

In my mind, the sale of Doyle is probably the best example of why our attendances are 'what they are'. For example, Tuesday morning in the office, the first thing a Derby fan said to me is: "SO, WHERE IS YOUR AMBITION?". And that firmly hits the nail on the head and is why we will always be perceived as a small team. The wider population of the town lacks the belief that the club has the ambition to reach the championship and is why many choose to watch their football in Sheffield/Derby/Manchester.

In my opinion, the Club have just squandered probably the greatest opportunity to demonstrate "AMBITION" to the town, since 1979/80 if they had kept Doyle, enabling us to make a serious push for the Playoffs and ultimately promotion to the Championship.

But now, short-termism has yet again demonstrated the exact opposite making it even harder to convince people that the people running the club are the real deal.

You don't sell your best players if you are serious about the Championship.

Nobody in their right mind should disagree with that. We will always be a small club which yo-yo's between leagues one and two.

[Goku]

i got hit with the 'why are you selling your best player for such a small price, do you have no ambition?' stuff from fellow colleagues who are football fans too. hard to argue with them.

This post has been edited by Goku: 06 February 2015 - 02:21 PM

[derbyshire]

Trigger (not the freak), on 06 February 2015 - 10:30 AM, said:

I speak to loads of people that just don't like football. I know that's the same everywhere but with us a only being a smallish town, it takes it's toll. Then there's a pretty high %age of people over the age of 75-80 who prob aren't that bothered either. Then there's the unemployed (not by choice) that can't afford it, and also the layabouts (by choice) that don't prioritise spending £22 watching town very highly. Throw in the other local clubs factor and I think 6-7% of the population is ok for this level. Reach the championship and virtually every game will sell out with the higher away support.

Oh, and valemadness isn't a lad :-)

Ha Ha believe me I'm no lad either I have a Grandson who is 28 , it was just a turn of phrase

[Radders]

The phrase; "They don't bluddy want promotion" haunts us to this day. I've been hearing it for 50 years - got sick or arguing with it and now its kind of hard to argue with

[Trigger]

derbyshire, on 06 February 2015 - 02:35 PM, said:

Ha Ha believe me I'm no lad either I have a Grandson who is 28 , it was just a turn of phrase

No seriously, she isn't male :-D

[newboldsteve]

cause the club have ambition but we also have to live in the real world Portsmouth had ambition, leeds had ambition, sheff wed had ambition, all nearly went under chasing a dream

[whittman]

Spire-Power, on 06 February 2015 - 11:11 AM, said:

Away fans were behind the goal when Booty scored a last minute equaliser .. thats quite a while back. Seem to recall we were also there for a subsequent defeat, maybe 7 years or so ago, and also at the boring defeat where Tendayi made his debut at right back (our Motm and didnt get another game for ages if memory serves) under sheridan.

I think we were down the side for the 1-0 defeat under sheridan if memory serves

[farney]

whittman, on 06 February 2015 - 04:16 PM, said:

I think we were down the side for the 1-0 defeat under sheridan if memory serves

Yes we were Trotman slipped and fell over to let their forward in on goal

[Westbars Spireite]

derbyshire, on 06 February 2015 - 09:31 AM, said:

As a football fan for many years , but only living in this area for the last 10yrs or so, I wondered if anyone could tell me why the gates are not better than they are , and what you all think it would take to get a core of say 10,000 , or even 8000 or 9000 .

I am not wanting to start a big thing out of this it's just curiosity on my part. The Proact is obviously a vast improvement on Saltergate, the team is playing some very good football and are hoping for a place in the play offs , and there were the Wembly games and promotions, ( ok and a relegation ).

Is the reason that Chesterfield are not really a football town or is it that they have not had a sustained run of success , or is it that there are other teams nearby that take the support.

As i say I am just curious to know what you fans think I don't want to start arguments , just wondered what your thoughts were and what you think could improve the gates , apart from the obvious , playing in the Premier league and champions league, and not selling leading goal scorers .

Up the Spireites

Chesterfield is a football town. Compare and contrast random towns of 100k population. Some won't have a league team at all.

This post has been edited by Westbars Spireite: 06 February 2015 - 05:01 PM

[Wooden Spoon]

derbyshire, on 06 February 2015 - 09:31 AM, said:

As a football fan for many years , but only living in this area for the last 10yrs or so, I wondered if anyone could tell me why the gates are not better than they are , and what you all think it would take to get a core of say 10,000 , or even 8000 or 9000 .

I am not wanting to start a big thing out of this it's just curiosity on my part. The Proact is obviously a vast improvement on Saltergate, the team is playing some very good football and are hoping for a place in the play offs , and there were the Wembly games and promotions, ( ok and a relegation ).

Is the reason that Chesterfield are not really a football town or is it that they have not had a sustained run of success , or is it that there are other teams nearby that take the support.

As i say I am just curious to know what you fans think I don't want to start arguments , just wondered what your thoughts were and what you think could improve the gates , apart from the obvious , playing in the Premier league and champions league, and not selling leading goal scorers .

Up the Spireites

Town has never had a large fan base as such, its a result of spending decades and decades in the lower leagues.

As for Chesterfield not being a football town, didnt chesterfield used to have the largest number of sunday league divisions at one time? 13 divisions at one time wasnt it?