Home Support

The home support this Season has been pretty good numbers wise so far but we should be pulling in a thousand more and packing out the home stands every game.We need to keep dragging friends and family to BP folks it`s going to be key to further success so ROUND EM UP!!!!

This is were the club miss a trick . IMO you have to strike while it's hot : Offers for odd games like the Hartlepool one , big promotions /publicity (playing on the old lads coming back)  online and via the telegraph etc . I'm not saying do it every week , as we know it would 'de-value' the product for season ticket holders . Not a harsh criticism , just an observation on were we could improve things a tiny bit . As I've stated before -  things are going well , with most aspects at present but no time for complacency . UTM . Fox

back to the old " pick 3 games in advance for a 10% discount " chestnut....

Hover around the top 6 and they will come. Especially when we start playing the "bigger" clubs in the division. Happy days.

Quoted from Golden fox

This is were the club miss a trick . IMO you have to strike while it's hot : Offers for odd games like the Hartlepool one , big promotions /publicity (playing on the old lads coming back)  online and via the telegraph etc . I'm not saying do it every week , as we know it would 'de-value' the product for season ticket holders . Not a harsh criticism , just an observation on were we could improve things a tiny bit . As I've stated before -  things are going well , with most aspects at present but no time for complacency . UTM . Fox

Its too late...all this was missed pre season....we are back to hardcore fans supporting the club week in week out...it needs momentum on the pitch now to build a buzz around the Town and pull in the extra's.....if the odd one off promo coincides with a performance like Crewe then you gain nothing.....two dullish 1-0 wins by means of a penalty gains little.....
Exciting wins or slapping the opposition by a handful is what we need at home now to draw additional numbers.

I agree Moosey to a point but obviously we can't go back now . I  believe there's potential here to get 6-7k regularly , if things are done 'full throttle ' so to speak . Not just resting on our laurels , happy to get by on the regular 4500 . Is there any 'fans for the future ' schemes for example ? We see a lot of clubs doing this nowadays.

Quoted from moosey_club

Its too late...all this was missed pre season....we are back to hardcore fans supporting the club week in week out...it needs momentum on the pitch now to build a buzz around the Town and pull in the extra's.....if the odd one off promo coincides with a performance like Crewe then you gain nothing.....two dullish 1-0 wins by means of a penalty gains little.....
Exciting wins or slapping the opposition by a handful is what we need at home now to draw additional numbers.

On about the buzz last night`s game not the best you will see late Town winner everyone leaving that ground barring the 30 odd sheep was buzzing.Two games in a week is a lot of money for fans in this area a bit of foresight from the Club why not sell the 1200 Osmond seats as a two for £30 offer and in recompense all STH a free pie or pt?

Quoted from Golden fox

I agree Moosey to a point but obviously we can't go back now . I  believe there's potential here to get 6-7k regularly , if things are done 'full throttle ' so to speak . Not just resting on our laurels , happy to get by on the regular 4500 . Is there any 'fans for the future ' schemes for example ? We see a lot of clubs doing this nowadays.

Something needs doing and quick I wont knock the Trust they have been brilliant for GTFC but this dialogue so I was lead to believe started after Wembley and we still haven't got anything sorted.Your die hards will always come but the core support could quite easily be shifted from 3-4k to nearer 6k with a bit of leg work.I for one want to see BP bat out it`s days as full as possible that way everyone benefits and the Club need to get on board because a 6k average gate will be another nail in the NIMBY`S coffin regarding a new ground and the argument it isn`t required.UTM

Good points like I said it's not a personal slate on anyone . I think people who do so much good for the club get irked when things are put across as they are not doing enough . I admittedly don't put as much time into the club as they do and think their efforts are admirable . But there has to be forward thinking ideas which capture people's imagination .

Unfortunately....the operation 3K wet weekend and other potentially enterprising ideas were or are not just followed through....i suppose its because "a small vocal minority " are raising them.  

Up the prices, they will come.... we are in the League now....was what we essentially got.

Bores the @rse off me how un-enterprising the club can be at times.

SUFC offer U14 free tickets to every home game when acc an Adult ... They still cant get the fans in ?

Quoted from fleabag1970

SUFC offer U14 free tickets to every home game when acc an Adult ... They still cant get the fans in ?

One season when they were doing well they offered a load of free tickets out and I think they coated them in excrement because hardly anyone took them up on the offer.

It's results that bring the fans in. Not much point offering discounts when they will come to watch a winning team whatever the price

All it needs is a bit of imagination to attract a few hundred more, coupled with good results obviously. To be honest, I think crowds between 4-5K for L2 is good, but a few attractive offers would help swell the numbers. To be honest, I reckon a few of us could come up with some good ideas given an hour and a paper and pen. Not really sure why the club aren't being a bit more imaginative anyway, They seem to be missing a trick to a degree.

Last nights crowd was decent enough and they were entertained. County brought Conference numbers of fans (great effort from those that did though), and because of that the overall numbers are a bit subdued. How many were at comparable games last year? 3500 I'd guess.

Quoted from BackHeelTony

It's results that bring the fans in. Not much point offering discounts when they will come to watch a winning team whatever the price

That's fair enough if you've got the money, but £20 a pop plus plus plus can be a lot to find. If success for this club means anything, it means taking the whole town with you.

We can't be that far off what we were getting in the Championship in the early noughties. Crowds have never been huge at BP. Being near the top of a division definitely helps more than anything though! Be nice to break the average for the all-seater era this season! I think it's low 6000s.

Quoted from GrimRob

We can't be that far off what we were getting in the Championship in the early noughties. Crowds have never been huge at BP. Being near the top of a division definitely helps more than anything though! Be nice to break the average for the all-seater era this season!

That's right. Regularly got 5-6000 in those days.Or at least that was what was declared.

Quoted from GrimRob

We can't be that far off what we were getting in the Championship in the early noughties. Crowds have never been huge at BP. Being near the top of a division definitely helps more than anything though! Be nice to break the average for the all-seater era this season! I think it's low 6000s.

That's what i was thinking. We are getting decent crowds and i can't see where these extra fans are going to come from, with or without incentives.

Quoted from ginnywings

That's what i was thinking. We are getting decent crowds and i can't see where these extra fans are going to come from, with or without incentives.

Grimsby?

To be non-facetious for a minute, there are a lot more people out there. Surely we could mobilise a bigger percentage of the population.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Grimsby?

To be non-facetious for a minute, there are a lot more people out there. Surely we could mobilise a bigger percentage of the population.

But we never really have in the past. Even in the Championship, playing some of the best football I've ever seen, we only averaged 6000 as Rob pointed out. Potentially, there are a lot more fans out there, but they don't turn up regularly, only when promotion beckons usually.

If we'd had a decent sized ground and a big away end and was in the championship these days it would be a different story.

Our crowds have been good this season. 4300 with no away fans on a Champions League Tuesday is good going. Surely there will be over 5500 on Saturday.

Would averaging over 5000 mean the club make a bit of money?

Quoted from ginnywings

But we never really have in the past. Even in the Championship, playing some of the best football I've ever seen, we only averaged 6000 as Rob pointed out. Potentially, there are a lot more fans out there, but they don't turn up regularly, only when promotion beckons usually.

Makes you wonder if we really need a 14000 capacity in the new stadium.
6000 at BP is a good attendance with a good atmosphere.
But 6000 can appear lost in a 14000 stadium.

I can remember us beating Port Vale 4-1 in the 2nd tier on a Tuesday night and the attendance was little over 3000.

Quoted from heppy88

Makes you wonder if we really need a 14000 capacity in the new stadium.
6000 at BP is a good attendance with a good atmosphere.
But 6000 can appear lost in a 14000 stadium.

If you build it they will come  

Quoted from GrimRob

If you build it they will come  

I hope so , because having seen us play at Darlingtons.place, and also things like the Doncaster highlights this week( I wondered if they had been ordered to play behind closed doors). Watching footie in a quarter full "Stadium" isn't much fun .
As for the attendance , as mentioned on here .Fighting for top spot  atracts the fans , keep doing what we are doing with a few more goals , and it will build .
Kids SHOULD be free ,2 per adult) whatever .


UTM

Quoted from highcliff mariner

I hope so , because having seen us play at Darlingtons.place, and also things like the Doncaster highlights this week( I wondered if they had been ordered to play behind closed doors). Watching footie in a quarter full "Stadium" isn't much fun .
As for the attendance , as mentioned on here .Fighting for top spot  atracts the fans , keep doing what we are doing with a few more goals , and it will build .
Kids SHOULD be free ,2 per adult) whatever .


UTM

The good news for us is plenty of clubs have built new stadia. Some have been more successful than others. Many have seen huge percentage increases in home gates  Hopefully, our club can benefit from the experiences of others.....

Quoted from highcliff mariner

Kids SHOULD be free ,2 per adult) whatever .

Yes and then we could have more kids who run around not really watching the game who get dragged off  before the end if we are losing or sometimes even if we aren't because their parents want to avoid traffic. I don't know what it is with kids even the ball boys don't seem interested in the game and spent the last 10 minutes of Tuesday running around the pitch for whatever reason that was lol. It was really distracting watching the game where there is a row of little kids running around getting in the way of people taking throw ins and stuff.

Attendance wise I think the people saying it's to do with wins have it right, more people start turning up when we are winning but if we lose the attendance shoots back down again if we got in the playoffs or near the top of the table they'd all appear as they do when we go to Wembley for a big day out in London even in the old first division it was like that. If we played somebody big people would turn up or on boxing day etc but I rarely remember the place being completely full just never been a fashionable club to follow.

Quoted from ginnywings

But we never really have in the past. Even in the Championship, playing some of the best football I've ever seen, we only averaged 6000 as Rob pointed out. Potentially, there are a lot more fans out there, but they don't turn up regularly, only when promotion beckons usually.

But the support has been there in the not that distant past. Didn't we have averages of about 11-12000 in our first season back in the old 2nd Division (1980-81 season)? Times are harder now and there are more leisure options, but with a new stadium and some impetus on the pitch, there's no reason why we can't aim for bigger attendances.

I believe build it and they will in fact come . There's too much evidence to think any different - Teams at least have a short term 'spike' in numbers at games , many going on to achieve consistently  higher crowds . Referring back to the comments regarding "we couldn't get them to come when we were in The Championship ". A fair point but moving onto a new point - how many fans did we lose ?  , who never came back , on our gradual and painful dissent from there ?( I know quite a few myself who 'gave up' or became disillusioned with the way the club was going ) We almost have a 'new breed ' now along with the fans that stuck with it .

Quoted from Golden fox

I believe build it and they will in fact come . There's too much evidence to think any different - Teams at least have a short term 'spike' in numbers at games , many going on to achieve consistently  higher crowds . Referring back to the comments regarding "we couldn't get them to come when we were in The Championship ". A fair point but moving onto a new point - how many fans did we lose ?  , who never came back , on our gradual and painful dissent from there ?( I know quite a few myself who 'gave up' or became disillusioned with the way the club was going ) We almost have a 'new breed ' now along with the fans that stuck with it .

And that's why Kids Should be free .
Keep em out of pubs tho . Bah humbug ,those pesky kids

UTM

Quoted from tanga_the_indestructible

But the support has been there in the not that distant past. Didn't we have averages of about 11-12000 in our first season back in the old 2nd Division (1980-81 season)? Times are harder now and there are more leisure options, but with a new stadium and some impetus on the pitch, there's no reason why we can't aim for bigger attendances.

Agreed. I have been attending since 72 and can remember seasons when we had big crowds, but i think the days when fans just turned up in numbers regardless have long gone. As you say, there are more leisure options now and travel is much easier, so a lot of potential fans have sold their souls to the Prem. I do think however that a new ground will attract more fans and there is definitely an untapped market out there waiting to be lured. I just can't see us upping the attendance presently unless we are gunning for promotion. I attended plenty of Tuesday night games last season that were just over the 3000 mark, so 4300 the other night shows that we have upped the attendances this season by quite a lot. We have also had 2 attendances over 5000 already this season. I think we are doing ok.

Average league home support since 1970.

List is - Year - Final Postition in League - Level - Final Position in Football Pyramid - Average Home Attendance

2016      4      5      96      4.357
2015      3      5      95      3.683              
2014      4      5      96      3.568
2013      4      5      96      3.813
2012     11      5      103      3.308
2011       11      5      103      3.073                     
2010      23      4      91      4.428
2009      22      4      90      4.475  
2008      16      4      84      4.115
2007      15      4      83      4.379      
2006      4      4      72      5.151  
2005      18      4      86      4.943      
2004      21      3      65      4.730             
2003      24      2      44      5.700        
2002      19      2      39      6.431                    
2001      18      2      38      5.646              
2000      20      2      40      6.157                    
1999      11      2      31      6.681                    
1998      3      3      47      5.601      
1997      22      2      42      5.859              
1996      17      2      37      5.992              
1995      10      2      32      5.921             
1994      16      2      38      5.989             
1993      9      2      31      6.088            
1992      19      2      41      6.921        
1991      3      3      47      7.237             
1990      2      4      70      5.984             
1989      9      4      77      4.302             
1988      22      3      66      3.416                    
1987      21      2      43      5.050        
1986      15      2      37      5.157             
1985      10      2      32      6.458              
1984      5      2      27      7.643             
1983      19      2      41      7.741             
1982      17      2      39      8.406      
1981      7      2      29      10.961                   
1980      1      3      45      10.618
1979     2     4     70     6.528
1978     6     4     74     4.696
1977     23     3     67     4.738
1976     18     3     62     5.580
1975     16     3     60     5.962
1974     6     3     50     7.419
1973     9     3     53     10.849
1972     1     4     69     11.315
1971     19     4     87     4.329
1970     16     4     84     4.415

I imagine the choice of things to do in the 70's wasn't very big for young people so going to watch football down the road would have been fun, not like you can stay in your room and play FIFA online with your mates  . Supporting the local team probably felt like more of a big deal too compared to now when football and the Premiership,Champions League and everything else are so commercial and top football players are big celebrities nobody wants to watch players they never heard of play it's all about celebrity culture.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Average home support since 1970.

List is - Year - Final Postition in League - Level - Final Position in Football Pyramid - Average Home Attendance

2016      4      5      96      4.357
2015      3      5      95      3.683              
2014      4      5      96      3.568
2013      4      5      96      3.813
2012     11      5      103      3.308
2011       11      5      103      3.073                     
2010      23      4      91      4.428
2009      22      4      90      4.475  
2008      16      4      84      4.115
2007      15      4      83      4.379      
2006      4      4      72      5.151  
2005      18      4      86      4.943      
2004      21      3      65      4.730             
2003      24      2      44      5.700        
2002      19      2      39      6.431                    
2001      18      2      38      5.646              
2000      20      2      40      6.157                    
1999      11      2      31      6.681                    
1998      3      3      47      5.601      
1997      22      2      42      5.859              
1996      17      2      37      5.992              
1995      10      2      32      5.921             
1994      16      2      38      5.989             
1993      9      2      31      6.088            
1992      19      2      41      6.921        
1991      3      3      47      7.237             
1990      2      4      70      5.984             
1989      9      4      77      4.302             
1988      22      3      66      3.416                    
1987      21      2      43      5.050        
1986      15      2      37      5.157             
1985      10      2      32      6.458              
1984      5      2      27      7.643             
1983      19      2      41      7.741             
1982      17      2      39      8.406      
1981      7      2      29      10.961                   
1980      1      3      45      10.618
1979     2     4     70     6.528
1978     6     4     74     4.696
1977     23     3     67     4.738
1976     18     3     62     5.580
1975     16     3     60     5.962
1974     6     3     50     7.419
1973     9     3     53     10.849
1972     1     4     69     11.315
1971     19     4     87     4.329
1970     16     4     84     4.415

Which gives us a 47 year average of ..... 4400 ish

Pretty much bang on what we are averaging this season.

And yet I remember, albeit in a more distant era (that of Mike Brolly et al-whenever that was), Town had sell-out crowds of 22,000+ playing in League Cup games against Everton (who we beat 2-1) and Wolves (a 0-0 draw?), followed by another draw (1-1 ?) at Molineux, and then a second replay at Derby, where we lost to a late penalty, I think. Sometimes, therefore, like the recent Wembley play-off final games, large 'sleeping' pools of interested folk can be roused into turning up to watch. However, quite how you persuade at least some of these 'fans' into being regular supporters at BP is doubtless a multi-faceted conundrum.

Quoted from Hertsmariner

And yet I remember, albeit in a more distant era (that of Mike Brolly et al-whenever that was), Town had sell-out crowds of 22,000+ playing in League Cup games against Everton (who we beat 2-1) and Wolves (a 0-0 draw?), followed by another draw (1-1 ?) at Molineux, and then a second replay at Derby, where we lost to a late penalty, I think. Sometimes, therefore, like the recent Wembley play-off final games, large 'sleeping' pools of interested folk can be roused into turning up to watch. However, quite how you persuade at least some of these 'fans' into being regular supporters at BP is doubtless a multi-faceted conundrum.

Football was a lot cheaper to watch (in real terms) then though. People have been priced out of watching the game since that time. I don't believe you'd ever find 22,000 people in 2016 willing to pay £20 to watch a midweek game at BP or New BP. Wembley is a different matter.

Also consider that football is on tv almost non stop nowadays. Can watch a Prem club every game via your tv. Not like the good days when it was highlights once a week, or radio to keep in touch. TV deals are bad for the game in so many ways..the rich get richer, the greedy get greedier, kids don't follow local sides, kids with ability get taken at a daft age and herded into a system that simply does not work and is manufactured. 'Coaches'..and I use the term loosely..are given badges,qualifications that are ten a penny nowadays but give them the feeling of knowing all and sundry. Yet they all 'coach' the same way. Methods are light years behind others, and technique falling behind even countries with no money.

I maintain the game itself, the National side, the Competition and standard in this country will not improve until we go back to how things were. It'll never happen of course. Get football back to the working mans game..turn back on greed, get MOTD on once a week as only way of watching highlights, get kids interested in local side. Get the League system more fair, salaries more equal, leagues more competitive, transfer fees lower naturally and therefore clubs HAVE to be able to produce their own (lower leagues). Take the money away and the desire improves. And quality. Couldn't give a monkeys if all the elite went mammaries up - more fool them..

One can dream..

My home game attendances mainly fell in the first Buckley era 1990 - 1992 (me) and I remember the crowds swelling from 4,500 to 7,000. The atmosphere around the ground in that second promotion year was electric ! And I reckon as a 16 year old I paid £3. Bus fare home on the 9x was 52p and a bag of chips was roughly the same. All paid for by my early morning paper round from the Kabin in Waltham.....best memories.

We've always had the ability to attract big one off crowds, but as those attendance stats show, those that turn up for the big games, disappear when it's back to the run of the mill league games.

It's why the Prem is so successful, because the majority of people only want to be associated with the glory. The usual response when i tell people i am a Town regular is "are you mad, they are shite". I got into a heated argument last year with some guys on a building site who are all season ticket holders at Hull. They don't give a excrement about Hull but go to see the likes of Man Utd and Liverpool once a season. That's what we are up against and Hull is a prime example of it. When they were lower down the leagues, playing in a shitty ground, they couldn't get anyone interested, despite Hull being a sizeable city.

I honestly got pretty fed up of all the football on , and don't watch to many games on the box nowadays  . Some of the 70s and 80s , when people reminisce about them sound great great memories . I wasn't around in those days but three of my earliest and fondest memories from football were :Euro 96 , Town v Aston Villa in the FA or league cup (can't remember which comp ) and the double real Wembley triumphs .... it all just seemed more real somehow  .  At some point between then and now for me football in this country 'blew up ' becoming much more than a game for fun, love and not all about money to one about instant success (whatever the level )  , controversy , greed , money and seriousness  . I wonder if the FIFA Generation in twenty years time will look back and wish for what they had ?

7,634 in 1984 when we finished 5th in what is now The Championship.  I have to say, that is pretty dismal!  Maybe we haven't got the potential at all?  I'm undecided, and I'll be honest, I think there's 3-4000 regulars, with about the same occasionals.  I think we'd only get a +10,000 average if we ever got to the Premier League, which will never happen.

That being said, it's still a large part of the community, so the NIMBYs can slag GTFC off all they want, it's still a big part of things around here, even at our current level.

FIFA the video game is another problem with football at the minute. Grown men queuing at Tesco at midnight last night for a game that allows you to play football - when they could go and actually play the real game most nights a week at sports halls and astroturf pitches around Town or on Bradley Pitches etc on a Sunday - or go to to BP on a SaturdayYounger kids are more likely to be in the warmth of their bedrooms playing it rather than playing on the streets or fields nowadays.

It's cringeworthy if you're older than your mid-teens and getting excited about it (as a few of my colleagues were last night).

Edit: just realised this isn't exactly on subject and I was just readingt the England/Allardyce thread.

Quoted from LH

FIFA the video game is another problem with football at the minute. Grown men queuing at Tesco at midnight last night for a game that allows you to play football - when they could go and actually play the real game most nights a week at sports halls and astroturf pitches around Town or on Bradley Pitches etc on a Sunday - or go to to BP on a SaturdayYounger kids are more likely to be in the warmth of their bedrooms playing it rather than playing on the streets or fields nowadays.

It's cringeworthy if you're older than your mid-teens and getting excited about it (as a few of my colleagues were last night).

Edit: just realised this isn't exactly on subject and I was just readingt the England/Allardyce thread.

and you know this because???

The amount of people that support either Manu, Liverpool and Leeds from here is disappointing in the extreme.

The past facts and figures speak for themselves but the key word and the word that`s always forgotten here is potential.I have followed Town since 79/80 and since then numerous localish Clubs have relocated and with the possible exception of Scunny everyone else seems to have significantly upped average home attendances.Doncaster for example regularly used to get crowds of around 1500-2500 Chesterfield again seemed to have gained 2k extra fans why would GTFC be any different? The support here is 4k regular and 4k floating but the untapped potential is probably in excess of 10k a bit of legwork from the Club/Trust could start a trickle and by the time were in the Fentydome no reason we couldn't double our average gate.