Well done Canvey :)

[and1inthetree]

cingratulations to canvey, fantastic celebrations afterwards, can't believe the ref ordered a retake, he'd been an absolute [****!!****] to you all afternoon beforehand!

 

good to catch up with a few of you in the pub and no doubt will see you all next season.

 

anyway, as i said to tge. normal service is resumed.

 

we hate canvey!

[Miss.A.F.C.Hornchurch]

well done canvey on your promtion to Ryman Premier!

enjoyed yesterday nail biting game.

 

looking forward to your visit to Hornchurch in the new season!

[Special K]

Congrats guys on your playoff win. I hope you guys get back to Conference(Yeah yeah I know it is the Blue Square Premier) where you really belong. I hope you get there before we leave for the Football League cause it would be nice to play you again. Anyway good luck for the 08/09 season and I hope it is a good one for you.

[Canvey Fan 1926]

Not expecting promotion in the near future then Special K? Realistically I can't see us getting to the Blue Square Prem for quite a while yet!

[Canvey Fan 1926]

Originally Posted By: Canvey_Fan_2008

Not expecting promotion in the near future then Special K? Realistically I can't see us getting to the Blue Square Prem for quite a while yet!

 

That sounds like I have no faith in the club! What I meant was that with the money we have and the support we get it will be very difficult to get to a top level like that!

[Mini Goose]

Are you saying our support isnt good enough?

 

Digging yourself i hole here mate

[Canvey Fan 1926]

I am saying that our support isn't good enough, yes.

 

I don't think a club can survive at a level like the Blue Square Premier on an average of 400 supporters (obviously this would rise with away support, but you get what I mean).

 

That's not to say that I think the supporters aren't good enough - I think the opposite in fact!

[Mini Goose]

Yes Yes i know what you mean just playing about. If we were to get up to the Blue sq prem then we would not durvive longer than 2 seasons. As we get the promotions then our home crowds will be rising up to about 500-600. Away fans wouyld hlep us out but we would not survive.

 

Youd think Canvey would get slightly bigger crowds though having such a definate border.

[The Great Eckscape]

Chas, you are spot on, the Blue Square Premier is many years away.

 

My next goal would be to have a decent season in the Ryman Premier and build on the team we have to become a force in that division. This may take a few years, but then again Batchy could bring in the right players and you never know, we could challenge for the playoff positions. However, there will be a lot of strong teams in this division, so we must make sure that we don't get ahead of ourselves.

 

In my mind, the work that needs to go on over the next few years is to:

 

a. keep building on the fanbase of dedicated Canvey fans who have stuck by us through thick and thin with new fans who are prepared to do the same.

 

b. bring the reserves and youth setup as close to the first team as possible so that in the coming seasons we are bringing our own players through into the first team.

 

c. become the central point of the community, something that I have never felt we have ever done, even during the dizzy heights.

[Canvey Fan 1926]

I think point C is one of the biggest ones Glen!!

 

You won't get people supporting the club if they don't know that it even exists! I have tried to get some people from school to come along to a game, but they just look at me as if I am raving! They tell me that they never knew the island had a football team!

 

The advertising boards we have around the island do their bit, but I don't think they can have much more of an impact on our crowds than they already do.

 

I'm not sure what our options are, but I think we need to do some work with local schools to persuade kids to come along, and in turn bring their parents. That way if the child likes it then the parent won't really have a choice but bring them back! Who knows, we may be lucky and the parent may decide that they want to come back and even bring a friend!

 

I don't know what more can be done after this though, but hopefully after the massive support we got during the play offs we can hang on to some of them that wouldn't normally come along!!

[Lefty]

I think that if we want to get our crowds up then we need to look at waht other teams are doing and also be inventive ourselves. I think we al realis ethat the costs to run the club will go up by quite a bit next season and this is when you need to people through the gates to balance the books. I think working with school and local groups is a good idea but maybe we could do special days like bring a mate for half price.

 

The poster where really good and i think they helped and if they can be produced for every game next season that would help. But these need to be displayed in shops we need to get someone to go round to shops and ask them to put a poster up. Im sure the chippy's on the island would display a poster, most of those have posters up advertising various local advents.

[Canvey Fan 1926]

Totally agree Lefty. We need to do more promotions on ticket prices every now and again. I can't see it having a negative effect on crowds!

[The Great Eckscape]

We'll definitely do the posters next season, and will build up a list of local companies who will be prepared to display these for free. We will need help distributing these on a regular basis so when the time comes people can put their names forward for different areas of the island and perhaps Benfleet.

 

A closer relationship with the schools is already being worked on, though bring a mate to a game would be abused and would almost certainly lose money as you would get people who were coming in anyway paying as a "mate". However, no reason why ticket promotions can't be considered, as long as the ideas tick all of the required boxes.

[LOS]

Originally Posted By: The Great Eckscape

c. become the central point of the community, something that I have never felt we have ever done, even during the dizzy heights.

Crucial to the growth and sustainablity of any club, Yes, BUT, in order to become a real hub in the community the facilities must laid down from which to build upon. From a pure footballing perspective we tick all the boxes with maximum points. We've got a fantastic set of facilities for football spectating, but with the greatest respect in the world, not a lot else. Take for example a lot of the northern clubs we've visited over the years, who really do live up to this role of 'comunity adhesion'. Their social venues leave ours for dust - even though they are light years behind in terms of pure football and its associated components.

OK, i very much enjoyed the journey of the hey-day, and we were all a little side tracked by the (then) realistic opportunity of a shiny new stadium. And because of this, somewhere along the way we abandoned the 'Buy-A-Brick' scheme for our new club house. (wheres my tenner?!?!?) It all went tits-up and we still lack the 'classy' entertainment / banqueting facilities that is critical to embrace a leadership in the community role (and all of this without even considering the revenue this will attract). Our bar is a watering hole for football fans; nothing more. Sure a great atmosphere, cosy etc etc but thats my opinion - I'm not sure how welcoming it appears to a total first timer (or wife / mums etc).

Look at the Redbridge facility compared to ours, or Concord, or Great Wakering.

This is still a real bug bear of mine, how come much smaller clubs have the luxury and finance for modern multi-purpose venues yet we are still drinking in a glorified hut (again with the greatest respect).

I think CIFC is steeped in reasons as to why it could be the glue of the community (heritage, acheivement, uniqueness, family-feel, etc etc etc). The prior board must have also been thinking along these lines or else 'buy a brick' would never have been so passionately pursued. I apprecaite my ramblings are dreamland stuff - but others have done it, we were gonna do it, so there's clearly a real value to footy clubs other than a 'nice to have'. And I think the true value is that it would underpinn the positon of the football club in the community, creating another strong set of foundations.

Aren't there lottery & EU sports devlopment grants available for this sort of thing ???

[The Great Eckscape]

Our clubhouse is being reshaped and redecorated over the close season to create more space, a bigger bar, and a nicer environment, as discussed at the open forum at the end of April.

 

A proper kitchen is then being built between the clubhouse and the clubshop that will be the food bar on matchdays but will also be able to prepare proper meals on other occasions.

 

This is reliant upon the relevant grant applications being successful.

 

Hopefully we can do something of this nature to improve the facilities on an annual basis to achieve the valid points that you have mentioned. Whatever happens, this has been identified as something that has needed to be improved.

 

This is a very good thread

 

I'd be interested to see what other ideas people have....

[LOS]

IMHO, we have a truly unique asset, and that message needs to be cascaded to the people of Canvey. The club is in a position to demonstrate the effectiveness of a few ordinary folk digging deep and working towards the success of a common goal (excuse the pun !). Yesterday being the pinnacle.

 

Perhaps ignorance, but because of the publicity of the trophy finals, I assume virtually every islander WAS at least vaguely aware that they had a high profile football club on their doorstep. And that a well known local businessman was the cash backer of said football club. Assumption again, but the more enlightened may even be aware after local businessman withdrew funds the once high profile club spiralled into obscurity......but for the remainder, what do they know about the club? At best, they see the odd yellow poster dotted about the island. But do they realise that their neighbours / friends / colleagues pooled together and very successfully re-shaped and managed the club into a friendly, genuine, ambitious and fair outfit of which they should feel proud. Do they know a high contingent of the players were expedited from their community.

 

The football club should be something with which the local people should want to be associated. But with little or no press coverage how would they know ?

 

Perhaps its time for a minor re-branding exercise (NEW CIFC) to re-educate the people of the island what the club is about, whats changed, and how they are welcomed as stakeholders.

 

I'm sure that between us all, if coordinated efficiently, a leaflet promotional campaign may pay dividends. Don't offer anything financial, it

[Canvey Fan 1926]

Originally Posted By: LOS

Is it time to re-introduce the club to the people?

I think that sums it up exactly.

I can't match your long post, and your fantastic points, but I totally agree with everything that has been said.

I think it is time we show everyone what the club is really about and push it forward!

[LOS]

[quote=Canvey_Fan_2008 but I totally agree with everything that has been said.

!

 

You are gonna make a fantastic husband one day !!!!!

[Canvey Fan 1926]

Originally Posted By: LOS

You are gonna make a fantastic husband one day !!!!!

The only thing I can see standing in our way is this:

Every year things get suggested like this, but rarely people actually push it for something to get done. I'm guilty of this, I have given my opinion and suggestions many times before but then never actually done anything about it.

I finally think its time we do something to promote the club to the locals! Lets do it, we are a Premier club in need of more supporters!!

[The Great Eckscape]

That is important Charlie, jobs that are started need to be finished. Also, a leaflet campaign is not just a one off thing if it is to be successful. Maybe we could call an informal meeting off everyone interested in getting involved in this side of things next season and get some ideas going...