Wanted to share with you all the launch of a fan-led initiative to give a legacy of support to our special football club. A group of us have decided to turn the negativity of the end of last season into a positive energy. It’s away from the influence of the club or the trust, but it has the blessing of both.
There will be events and details coming through over the next few days but it would be great to get you all involved in the positive way it was intended.

https://twitter.com/futurefansgtfc/status/1148588888925048832?s=21

Well done to all involved. Great idea. UTM.

Pledged. Great initiative come on if we all gave a small amount that small amount will hopefully become a large one. UTM.

Cracking idea and fair play to all who have been involved in launching this, I’ll be pledging. Can’t help but think the club itself could help attract some ‘fans of the future’ by not having one of the most expensive junior admission fees in the league.

Jim, the club are working hard on things like this, we don’t see enough of it hence why we did FOTF.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Jim, the club are working hard on things like this, we don’t see enough of it hence why we did FOTF.

Absolutely, my comment wasn’t intended to be negative or detract from the work you guys have done. I just feel that the main obstacle to getting young fans into Blundell Park consistently is the unjustifiably high ticket prices. Hopefully this scheme will help.

Quoted from jimgtfc

Cracking idea and fair play to all who have been involved in launching this, I’ll be pledging. Can’t help but think the club itself could help attract some ‘fans of the future’ by not having one of the most expensive junior admission fees in the league.

Absolutely. Next season we hope to raise enough to cover costs on junior season tickets and then the club can offer kid season tickets free of charge for all under 14. That’s the aim anyway.

Great work by a team of delicated fans!! This is awesome and should have a lasting legacy moving forward!!

Well done to all involved!!

Fishyites, Can we do the honourable thing and keep this a negative Free thread!! UTM

Well done!!

Brilliant! Maybe some local businesses can sponsor this to increase funds.

Quoted from 1542

Great work by a team of delicated fans!! This is awesome and should have a lasting legacy moving forward!!

Well done to all involved!!

Fishyites, Can we do the honourable thing and keep this a negative Free thread!! UTM

Well done!!

Cheers - we have made sure that one of the rules throughout setting up this initiative has to remain positive about all parties involved - it is quite remarkable what can be achieved when you have a positive mindset & momentum. PLEASE could we also ask folks to use the #FOTF  when posting on social media in order that we can follow our progress? Thanks

Quoted from Bristol Mariner

Brilliant! Maybe some local businesses can sponsor this to increase funds.

They already are. There’s a great trip round Docks Beers with Jolly Macca and pizza plus beer. There are a couple of other big pledges and one excellent pledge that can’t be shared just yet. We’ll keep the info coming. If anyone knows anyone that would sponsor/pledge then point them in our direction.

I just can't get my head around the fact that a professional lg2 football club which is breaking even profit wise has to rely on its fans to dip into their pockets for a venture like this . Also just by giving a year 6 pupil a shirt doesn't mean he/she will suddenly switch teams . Children can be very funny about what they wear . Before I get a mauling for my opinion iam playing a bit of devils advocate here and I do agree that young fans need engaging.  Just not at my expense .....

Great initiative.. good luck, and hope it will be a successful venture for the long term and a start in the long road of re-engagement..

Quoted from fleabag1970

I just can't get my head around the fact that a professional lg2 football club which is breaking even profit wise has to rely on its fans to dip into their pockets for a venture like this . Also just by giving a year 6 pupil a shirt doesn't mean he/she will suddenly switch teams . Children can be very funny about what they wear . Before I get a mauling for my opinion iam playing a bit of devils advocate here and I do agree that young fans need engaging.  Just not at my expense .....

Me too. Kids dictate what they like to wear, ask any parent. Just buying kids a shirt is no guarantee of future loyalty and there has to be an incentive, it has to be the fashionable thing to do or some other persuasive reason before they will wholeheartedly participate.  If we want future loyalty, money might be better spent in trying to get reduction in ticket prices for kids. If we must have this gimmick however, then link the two - persuade the club to join in by offering that reduction to kids who wear one of the Town shirts to matches.

With FOTF seemingly having the backing of the MT and GTFC I would like to see the cost of junior season tickets revised ASAP and klets get the Main Stand or an area packed with youngsters and a paying adult.

Great initiative and well done to all involved, but I do have to echo some of the other thoughts around it should go further (and this is down to the club to deliver that part).

Fantastic idea from RRFC about reduced tickets for kids who wear a shirt to the game.  

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Me too. Kids dictate what they like to wear, ask any parent. Just buying kids a shirt is no guarantee of future loyalty and there has to be an incentive, it has to be the fashionable thing to do or some other persuasive reason before they will wholeheartedly participate.  If we want future loyalty, money might be better spent in trying to get reduction in ticket prices for kids. If we must have this gimmick however, then link the two - persuade the club to join in by offering that reduction to kids who wear one of the Town shirts to matches.

While I agree with yours and Fleabag's sentiments, someone has to start somewhere and this well meaning group of fans have to be applauded for making a start and launching something that can be built upon. And this is a fact not a crticism, we have a club that does not fully understand the term "long term investment". Its modus operandi is to strip out as much cost as possible to free up playing budget. That's a fair enough policy for the here and now but stretched over a long period it creates large blackholes in current incomes because money wasn't invested in covering eventual future blackholes in support like the decline in younger supporters. The answer is to have the most expensive kids season ticket prices in League Two and hope that the take up covers lessening numbers of purchases. It's not an outward policy trying to widen support, it's milking the remaining diehards for what they can to keep income at a steady level. The 30k represents less than 1% of the club's turnover. Why they can't match the sum themselves and invest in Fans Of The Future, I don't know. A more rounded package could then be offered including a reworking of kids season ticket pricing or a free shirt with a season ticket. Investment is just not in the club's psyche. The cost of essential running repairs like the floodlights and showers at BP are called investment by the club when really they're repairs and renewals that were deemed necessary. Investment is cash introduced into schemes where it's hoped there will be future returns on investment for sums introduced.

Fans Of The Future can't be crticised for having a go at filling voids in our club's operation, it's not their fault, and they must be supported as much as possible for taking a lead. Hopefully it can kickstart something bigger and better with hopefully new custodians. If there's no change at the top, then if we can make it a success, it may trigger our current board into thinking a little deeper into laudible investment rather than just a cut and spend attitude..

Quoted from Bigdog

While I agree with you and Fleabag's sentiments, someone has to start somewhere and this well meaning group of fans have to be applauded for making a start and launching something that can be built upon. And this is a fact not a crticism, we have a club that does not fully understand the term "long term investment". Its modus operandi is to strip out as much cost as possible to free up playing budget. That's a fair enough policy for the here and now but stretched over a long period it creates large blackholes in current incomes because money wasn't invested in covering eventual future blackholes in support like the decline in younger supporters. The answer is to have the most expensive kids season ticket prices in League Two and hope that the take up covers lessening numbers of purchases. It's not an outward policy trying to widen support, it's milking the remaining diehards for what they can to keep income at a steady level. The 30k represents less than 1% of the club's turnover. Why they can't match the sum themselves and invest in Fans Of The Future, I don't know. A more rounded package could then be offered including a reworking of kids season ticket pricing or a free shirt with a season ticket. Investment is just not in the club's psyche. The cost of essential running repairs like the fllodlights and shoers at BP are called investment by the club when really they're repairs and renewals that were deemed necessary. Investment is cash introduced into schemes where it's hoped there will be future returns on investment for sums introduced.

Fans Of The Future can't be crticised for having a go at filling voids in our club's operation, it's not their fault, and they must be supported as much as possible for taking a lead. Hopefully it can kickstart something bigger and better with hopefully new custodians. If there's no change at the top, then if we can make it a success, it may trigger our current board into thinking a little deeper into laudible investment rather than just a cut and spend attitude..

The club will just say “great lads, keep it up, good community spirit chaps!” You might get a better reaction from the club to go the other way round and supporters boycott the purchase and wearing of club shirts until a sensible pricing system is established.

Here's the problem though...

League Two under 11's cheapest season ticket prices...

£90 - Mansfield Town (U6s FREE)
£70 - GRIMSBY TOWN
£65 - Plymouth Argyle (U8s £10)
£62.50 - Salford City
£59 - Leyton Orient
£50 - Stevenage (includes replica shirt)
£50 - Northampton Town (U7s FREE)
£46 - Exeter City
£45 - Cheltenham Town (includes replica shirt)
£30 - Swindon Town
£30 - Macclesfield Town
£26 - Newport County (U6s FREE)
£25 - Bradford City
£20 - Crawley Town
£10 - Cambridge United
£10 - Forest Green Rovers
£10 - Carlisle United (U7s FREE)
FREE* - Walsall (additional U11s £99)
FREE* - Morecambe (additional U11s £50)
FREE* - Oldham Athletic (additional U11s £48 / U5s FREE)
FREE* - Crewe Alexandra (additional U11s £46)
FREE* - Colchester United (additional U11s £26.50)
FREE* - Scunthorpe United (third U11s £60)
FREE* - Port Vale

*FREE when purchased with an adult ST)

Not good at all for a club like Grimsby, in a low income area, to be so expensive.

As has been suggested by Barralad I intend to donate the 25% I raise from The Fishy Buster which I normally donate to The Mariners Trust to The Fans Of The Future appeal as long as there are no objections from people in the buster.

Therefore £2.50 of every £10 entry I take will be donated to this cause. If you want to join in and give yourself a bit of extra interest in the football results on at the weekend just post your interest on The Fishy Buster thread.

Guys, the frustrations you are airing are actually why we did this in the first place. We were all moaning about stuff not happening so we decided to turn that round into positive things. We have deliberately stayed separate from the club and trust but have obviously had to get their blessing. I net with them both and drove the agenda. They do want to change things round in terms of fan engagement so hopefully this is a catalyst for that. We talked about a lot of other ideas before presenting this to the club, tickets being one of those. Indeed free season tickets for kids is a goal we have.

Finally, Barra, that’s a tremendous gesture if all are happy.

Quoted from fleabag1970

I just can't get my head around the fact that a professional lg2 football club which is breaking even profit wise has to rely on its fans to dip into their pockets for a venture like this . Also just by giving a year 6 pupil a shirt doesn't mean he/she will suddenly switch teams . Children can be very funny about what they wear . Before I get a mauling for my opinion iam playing a bit of devils advocate here and I do agree that young fans need engaging.  Just not at my expense .....

Honestly - what do you want?

What do I want ?   I was just offering an opinion that's all .

Great initiative and great to see the club getting involved!

However, I was just wondering what the £30k target will fund? Call me blind if it's been mentioned but will it solely fund the shirts for 1 year or for an x amount of years?

This is not a dig by any means as I believe it has great potential, just curious on the actual logistics.

First year is to fund shirts, demonstrate to he club it works, get them doing the same, matching funding etc. Aim of second year is to repeat shirts for the next group of kids and get free STs for under16s.
This year is the tester.

Quoted from fleabag1970

What do I want ?   I was just offering an opinion that's all .

People I assume have planned this and given up their own time for this initiative. It’s not Fenty or anything remotely related so if you’re a true Town fan you’ll give support. Maybe you could help
them as you’re obviously an expert?

So you have to give money to a project you don't think will work or you are not a true town fan ? Really ? Are you serious ?

Great initiative, fantastic ideas and commitment......

i guess there are just a few people, myself included, that find it galling that your great initiative is giving money to the club especially after the last cash raising initiative from the fans was later labelled as irrelevant or the worst thing that has happened.  In effect you buying shirts is doing that, buying season tickets is doing that, getting kids in the ground and spending is doing that.....and some people feel this should be something that the club should be doing anyway and not just saying oh yes good idea, we support your idea of you creating extra income and interest for us !!!  

Hopefully one day soon the fans and club can have a harmonious relationship where only positivity exists and there is no need for cynisism.

Best wishes for your goals.

UTM.

Well done to the organisers of this , fleabag you are spoiling this thread . Do one

Do one ?  You sound like a certain director of the club .... I forgot you are not allowed an independent thought on here . Just explain to me how giving shirts to year 6 children will work in getting them through the turnstiles ?

What these fans have done is act. They're doing something positive, with the right intentions. You can question the details, have reservations, be critical if you must - it's a free country - but they're using their initiative, they've done their research, they've spoken to all the relevant people and, above all, they've used their initiative.

For that I applaud them, support them and hope they achieve their targets.

Great idea. Accrington did something similar (although paid for by Andy Holt rather than a crowdfunder I think).

What would it cost if the club said free season tickets for under 11 kids if  a adult buys a season ticket ?  Not too late to do it for this season if anybody have already paid the money will be refunded.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Guys, the frustrations you are airing are actually why we did this in the first place. We were all moaning about stuff not happening so we decided to turn that round into positive things. We have deliberately stayed separate from the club and trust but have obviously had to get their blessing. I net with them both and drove the agenda. They do want to change things round in terms of fan engagement so hopefully this is a catalyst for that. We talked about a lot of other ideas before presenting this to the club, tickets being one of those. Indeed free season tickets for kids is a goal we have.

Finally, Barra, that’s a tremendous gesture if all are happy.

I think it is a great idea. It's also very predictable how some posters have taken this as an opportunity to berate the club once again. Can't some of you just see this in the spirit that it is intended? It's a first step towards a long term goal and every journey , no matter how far, starts with a first step.

Sounds like a great idea. I really hope I don't sound negative but can I ask what the club are doing to support the initiative before I donate. Are they subsidising the shirt purchase or at least selling them at cost?

Quoted from fleabag1970

So you have to give money to a project you don't think will work or you are not a true town fan ? Really ? Are you serious ?

Let’s discuss at Morecambe?

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Sounds like a great idea. I really hope I don't sound negative but can I ask what the club are doing to support the initiative before I donate. Are they subsidising the shirt purchase or at least selling them at cost?

Selling at cost from Twitter snooping. At full price it’d be approx 850 shirts I think.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Sounds like a great idea. I really hope I don't sound negative but can I ask what the club are doing to support the initiative before I donate. Are they subsidising the shirt purchase or at least selling them at cost?

The Club negotiated a rate for us direct with Errea - through the Club. Representatives of FOTF and MT were present during the negotiations and it was agreed from the outset that the Club would not benefit from the shirt purchase in any way.

Our long term aim, with the support of the Club, is to then work towards heavily subsidized/free entry to kids/young adults in order to develop the next generation of Town support.

We chose Yr6 as they are the big fish in the small pool and others are more likely to follow their lead - as has been proven with the same initiative at Accrington and clubs across other sports.

It's all about working together for the greater good - engage and invest in the kids & the youth and in turn they will engae & invest in the Club, the Town and the Community

UTM GTFC FOTF

Perfect. Thanks for the quick and comprehensive reply. Will donate tonight.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Perfect. Thanks for the quick and comprehensive reply. Will donate tonight.

Thanks - our pleasure - much appreciated

I walked round the Cleethorpes Town pitch last week and saw a good sprinkling of new Town shirts. Just seeing youngsters in their colours sends a much more powerful message than us older fans (Dave Boylen excepted!)
Had a brief chat with a young dad and his two junior lads as we watched our new signings being put through their paces at half time. Neither boy had a Town shirt. Let's just say, they didn't present as a thriving middle class family and it gave me food for thought. My grand kids get so much in terms of holidays, toys, bikes etc. The youngest is getting a Sheffield United Kit as one of his fifth birthday presents so that he is like his friend at the new school. Cost is likely to be a much greater barrier for many Grimsby families.
When his dad was that age I bought him a Town scarf. Being exiles, we could only get to a few games a year. His local school was near Hillsborough and peer pressure swayed him to become a Wednesday fan.

If we have local families wanting to support GTFC and thereby maintain a club in the EFL, then those of us who can please pledge a small amount.

Well done Imperial and others.

I reckon this is a great initiative. Really imaginitive. It doesn't repeat Op P but utilises that same spirit. It avoids the accusation that the club didn't use the OP money the way it was intended (all of that fruitless debate). It doesn't cannibalise existing revenue for the club (maybe apart from a few 11 year olds who get new Town shirts anyway). It avoids the accusation that it's just giving money that will go out again to re-pay benign loans. It's great publicity. And it shows, YET AGAIN, that there are smart brains with a positive attitude amongst the fanbase.

Now I don't know if it'll work as planned, but I'm sure the group involved have thought it through and debated it a lot more than I have done. And if the ImperialCoroner can come up with a scheme like Operation Mariachi on his own, when he'd had a few, then this has got to stand a good chance!

flipping brilliant! 👍

I think it’s a great idea , Lincoln did something in the 2000’s like this when I child reached 8 they got a replica shirt.
It works because those children then became fans.
It’s all about engaging with the local town/city the connection is very important.
That’s what I keep working on.

Last night I floated on Twitter the idea of helping the cause by organising a friendly match to raise some funds for the cause. If each player chucked a fiver in to play, we might be able to help make a bit of a difference. Is this of any interest to anyone on here?

bit of a disappointing response? les than £600 raised and only 20 supporters - come on people - rally round what seems like a really good idea

Quoted from GMacademic

The Club negotiated a rate for us direct with Errea - through the Club. Representatives of FOTF and MT were present during the negotiations and it was agreed from the outset that the Club would not benefit from the shirt purchase in any way.

Our long term aim, with the support of the Club, is to then work towards heavily subsidized/free entry to kids/young adults in order to develop the next generation of Town support.

We chose Yr6 as they are the big fish in the small pool and others are more likely to follow their lead - as has been proven with the same initiative at Accrington and clubs across other sports.

It's all about working together for the greater good - engage and invest in the kids & the youth and in turn they will engae & invest in the Club, the Town and the Community

UTM GTFC FOTF

I like the idea and hope it pays off and gets more kids supporting the club. I'd say the ideology that the club are separate from this is a bit misleading though. They have set up contacts for you to get the shirts cheaper and the club do not benefit from this, so the club very much are part of this initiative. Anyway, good on you for going out and trying to make a difference

OK, I've pledged.  I really like the initiative on this one.  Fingers crossed it gets to the amount needed......

Only fair to mention then that the club work with youngsters daily, engage, in and out of classrooms, half terms, free tickets etc etc.

Quoted from marinerjase

Only fair to mention then that the club work with youngsters daily, engage, in and out of classrooms, half terms, free tickets etc etc.

But offset that by making it prohibitively expensive for families to watch Town regularly.

Fair point. Just think it’s folly to disregard/dismiss things the club do go out and do (and yes, I’ve voiced an opinion things could be done better before) with youngsters. It’s not like they don’t try. Club have shot themselves in the foot many times over - I’m by no means their biggest fan - but fairs fair. If the aim is attracting/engaging new generation of support it’d be wise to work alongside and not dismiss efforts. The famous five or whoever will need them. More than perhaps is envisaged.

An example...

I have a season ticket with my dad (OAP) and son (10).

At Town...
Adult £325
OAP £230
Junior £70
Total £625

The closest EFL club to my home is Nottingham Forest.

At Forest...
Adult £330
OAP £230
Junior £10
Total £570

Until the club start treating juniors like a cash cow that can be milked over and over again any other initiative is merely papering over the cracks.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

Until the club start treating juniors like a cash cow that can be milked over and over again any other initiative is merely papering over the cracks.

You might want to change the ‘start’ to a ‘stop’ !!

Or are you Mr Shut up 😉

There are lots of things in the pipeline that will keep this going. Pen P, there was never the suggestion that the club have not helped. It’s been very well received and in a very positive way. We always wanted to make sure right from the start it was not something led by anyone but the fans.
In terms of new things coming up there’s a great offer from GY Independent for advertising if you are a business, there’s some cracking memorabilia, and merchandising items. Please try to be positive about all this, it will be a huge success if we are.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

An example...

I have a season ticket with my dad (OAP) and son (10).

At Town...
Adult £325
OAP £230
Junior £70
Total £625

The closest EFL club to my home is Nottingham Forest.

At Forest...
Adult £330
OAP £230
Junior £10
Total £570

Until the club start treating juniors like a cash cow that can be milked over and over again any other initiative is merely papering over the cracks.

Forest get considerably more income from TV rights than we do though so can charge less if they want to. Unfair to compare us to a Championship club for season tickets IMO.

Quoted from LH

Forest get considerably more income from TV rights than we do though so can charge less if they want to. Unfair to compare us to a Championship club for season tickets IMO.

From a pragmatic point of view, if you lived near one and had young kids and were simply deciding which club to go and watch the price is important. Not everyone is as dedicated as Golly. Let’s say you’re a lapsed Mariner who was teetering on the brink. Where would you go?

Quoted from BarkerDan10

Last night I floated on Twitter the idea of helping the cause by organising a friendly match to raise some funds for the cause. If each player chucked a fiver in to play, we might be able to help make a bit of a difference. Is this of any interest to anyone on here?

If the club are up for this then why not set up a supporters v staff / ex players match on Blundell Park and have the starting 11 and 3 sub places up for auction or have thhe supporters v supporters match on BP but charge £20+ per person

This is languishing a bit. Only £710 and 25 supporters so far. Didn’t expect to see an OP level of support but thought it might do better than this two weeks in.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

This is languishing a bit. Only £710 and 25 supporters so far. Didn’t expect to see an OP level of support but thought it might do better than this two weeks in.

It's doing as well as I expected  to be fair

Quoted from Bristol Mariner

Let’s discuss at Morecambe?

No need to discuss . It ain't working is it ?

Quoted from fleabag1970

No need to discuss . It ain't working is it ?

What do you suggest?

I suggest that the key to getting the children away from all the trappings of modern technology is the key to this being a success  . They need to fall in love with the club , passion for the club doesn't come from a free shirt . They need to come through the turnstiles and be engaged and entertained . I winning team is 95% of the battle here . The club already do good community work so really its down to the results . 15 years of decline is going to take some turning around . All just my opinion of course . I don't expect threats and other insults for having an opinion either

I can sort of understand it although I don't condone it seeing the kids round here (Cleethorpes) wearing the likes of Liverpool, Man Utd tops but Barcelona, yes Barcelona  FFS, what's the world coming to.

Quoted from fleabag1970

I suggest that the key to getting the children away from all the trappings of modern technology is the key to this being a success  . They need to fall in love with the club , passion for the club doesn't come from a free shirt . They need to come through the turnstiles and be engaged and entertained . I winning team is 95% of the battle here . The club already do good community work so really its down to the results . 15 years of decline is going to take some turning around . All just my opinion of course . I don't expect threats and other insults for having an opinion either

No one is threatening you for God’s sake.

So how are you:
(A) going to get children away from ‘all the trappings of modern technology ‘?;
(B) going to deliver a winning team?

The whole project was always going to be a slow build and whilst we’d have hoped for more at this stage, the upcoming activity will deliver this. Fleabags comments don’t really help though. How about actually trying to do something eh? It’s so easy to moan and say I told you so, get out there and do something.

Dunno but that's the key . I've gave you my opinion . I'm not a manager or owner of the club . Winning football matches ?

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

The whole project was always going to be a slow build and whilst we’d have hoped for more at this stage, the upcoming activity will deliver this. Fleabags comments don’t really help though. How about actually trying to do something eh? It’s so easy to moan and say I told you so, get out there and do something.

So it's all my fault it's failing ? . I don't own the club or I would be doing something .

Quoted from fleabag1970

Dunno but that's the key . I've gave you my opinion . I'm not a manager or owner of the club . Winning football matches ?

Thought so. No answers.

I think it's great what the fans are volunteering to do. I've sent my opinion to the group, Trust and club.. The fans group replied positively and gave me the trusts email but ive heard nothing from the club, which I don't mind just thought I'd throw an idea out there.

I hope you achieve your goals and it helps more youngsters support their home town. Utm

I know this isn't exactly "Fans of the Future", but what about something like a GTFC community lottery, £50 to enter your house no \ postcode in a draw and the winning house no \ postcode all get free season tickets for whole family.  

Quoted from fleabag1970

So it's all my fault it's failing ? . I don't own the club or I would be doing something .

I suggested doing something positive was better than moaning about it.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

I suggested doing something positive was better than moaning about it.

Im not moaning . Just offering my thoughts on the thread that's all .

wont be donating.....good luck with your efforts though.

If folks want to know a bit more and ask questions, maybe even donate? We will be represented on Sunday at the Community Fun Day with a stand and a couple of stalls.

Quoted from GMacademic

If folks want to know a bit more and ask questions, maybe even donate? We will be represented on Sunday at the Community Fun Day with a stand and a couple of stalls.

Won’t be there but what’s the plan for giving this a boost?

Bringing players, management & the like on board. We have more experiences to add to the CF to coincide with the start of the season and looking to extend to the community & latent support  through community involvement at local events along with reaching out to schools after the summer holidays