How to increase Slough's attendances.

[Curtis]

I sit in the main stand and very rarely hear bad language, so maybe a family zone a distance from behind the goals would be a suitable solution.

[GarySTFC]

Given the language that comes out from the away bench quite frequently, I'd argue it's worse and more audible there than it would be behind the goal. When we had the Sandhurst team over for the Welling match, quite a few of the parents (who aren't regular football goers at any level) did pick up on the language coming out of Peter Taylor at the time - in fairness, I think the kids quite enjoyed it! 

Perhaps an area on the stand on the far side.

[3spirit]

39 minutes ago, GarySTFC said:

Given the language that comes out from the away bench quite frequently, I'd argue it's worse and more audible there than it would be behind the goal. When we had the Sandhurst team over for the Welling match, quite a few of the parents (who aren't regular football goers at any level) did pick up on the language coming out of Peter Taylor at the time - in fairness, I think the kids quite enjoyed it! 

Perhaps an area on the stand on the far side.

Football has a habit of turning mild men into foul mouthed maniacs when the game is in play.

Peter Taylor, who I rated as a player in his Spurs days [tricky winger], once managed Wycombe Wanderers and came into a pub I was sitting in after I had been watching rugby. You couldn't have asked for a more mild mannered, friendly, reserved bloke !  Didn't hear him swear once.

[Shredding Green]

On 23/03/2022 at 12:37, 3spirit said:

I'm caught between a rock and a hard place on this one, Shredding Green, in that it is impossible to police swearing at football matches.

Kids just copy adults [well supposed adults].

Football has always been a passionate game, and even players and managers and coaches are not blameless on this score. You only have to be near a dug out when a linesman or a referee makes a mistake, or something viewed a mistake. Effing and blinding is everywhere.

My feeling is you would be advised to get earplugs, if you are that offended SG. I'm not advocating swearing but we've all been guilty of it at a football match.  

I just view people who shout obscenities in front of small children, and in family sections, as brain dead ! No club can legislate for morons.

Men standing with loads of other men from all walks of life, mixed with a small spatterings of females will always lead to a few choice words spoken regardless. It's like being in a public bar, as opposed to the saloon bar ! Industrial language, and perceived banter has always been around. It's just one of those things. Sign of the times perhaps but it has been around all the life I can remember [since the 1960's up till now]. 

Discouraging young children to stop swearing at a football match is one thing but pulling up some ignoramus about swearing at a football match is tantamount to asking a moron to punch you on the nose ! ! !

As you can all read, I have had difficulty in getting it through to 3spirit and one or two others that I stated "repulsive language" not "swearing".

This was discussed before this afternoon's match with the respective persons who muddled up those two terms on this forum. The particular "repulsive language" that I am referring to only began at football matches in recent seasons and I am pleased to say that I did not hear any of at this afternoon's match. If there is any repetition of it, I would hope that decent spectators have a word with those using "repulsive language".

Matter clsoed.

Matter closed. 

[HEAVY TRUCKER]

a simple method to increase match attendances as having been proved before and it will not be easy that is improve results on the pitch and attendances will improve expedientialy

[Shredding Green]

2nd plays 1st in National League North at St James Park, Brackley today.

Brackley Town are three points behind Gateshead with a game in hand but an adverse goal difference of thirteen. They will obviously be hoping for their largest home league attendance of the season but the highest three so far have been :-

19.3.22 : 1,159 v Kidderminster Harriers

12.2.22 : 873 v AFC Fylde

22.1.22 : 711 v Chorley

[3spirit]

Statto ! Statto ! ?

[Shredding Green]

I have felt for some time that if Slough Town's attendances this season were double what they are, I would consider them no more than "not bad". Why people don't come in large numbers to such an attractive and easily accessable stadium is beyond me.

My point is proved by the average attendance table. Slough Town's average is 632 and if it were double that at 1,264 it would fit in nicely between the 1,264 for
Dorking Wanderers and the 1,266 for St Alban's City.

 

5	St Albans City		1,266
6	Dorking Wanderers		1,264
7	Bath City		1,217
8	Havant & Waterlooville		1,188
9	Billericay Town		852
10	Eastbourne Borough		842
11	Tonbridge Angels		783
12	Chelmsford City		693
13	Hampton & Richmond Borough		659
14	Slough Town		632

[Reading Rebel]

2 hours ago, Shredding Green said:

I have felt for some time that if Slough Town's attendances this season were double what they are, I would consider them no more than "not bad". Why people don't come in large numbers to such an attractive and easily accessable stadium is beyond me.

My point is proved by the average attendance table. Slough Town's average is 632 and if it were double that at 1,264 it would fit in nicely between the 1,264 for
Dorking Wanderers and the 1,266 for St Alban's City.

 

5	St Albans City		1,266
6	Dorking Wanderers		1,264
7	Bath City		1,217
8	Havant & Waterlooville		1,188
9	Billericay Town		852
10	Eastbourne Borough		842
11	Tonbridge Angels		783
12	Chelmsford City		693
13	Hampton & Richmond Borough		659
14	Slough Town		632

If we had over 1,200 as an average you would consider it as 'not bad'.

Cloud cuckoo land springs to mind.

I think being successful is a large part of it.

I'm sure Dorking's gates were never around the 1,200 mark until now when they are successful and fighting for the title.   

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[3spirit]

On 04/04/2022 at 10:35, Shredding Green said:

I have felt for some time that if Slough Town's attendances this season were double what they are, I would consider them no more than "not bad". Why people don't come in large numbers to such an attractive and easily accessable stadium is beyond me.

My point is proved by the average attendance table. Slough Town's average is 632 and if it were double that at 1,264 it would fit in nicely between the 1,264 for
Dorking Wanderers and the 1,266 for St Alban's City.

 

5	St Albans City		1,266
6	Dorking Wanderers		1,264
7	Bath City		1,217
8	Havant & Waterlooville		1,188
9	Billericay Town		852
10	Eastbourne Borough		842
11	Tonbridge Angels		783
12	Chelmsford City		693
13	Hampton & Richmond Borough		659
14	Slough Town		632

For cars, I wouldn't say Arbour Park is as accessible as Wexham Park Stadium was.It's better for fans on trains but not for cars.

I believe our club do their best to provide parking spaces but for visitors parking nearby in their vehicles, it can be tricky, as I know of fans who have received parking tickets.  The road going towards Stoke Poges is full of pot holes,too !  This isn't the reason for bad attendances but I don't suppose it helps.

Slough's main problem is shaking off the long held view that the town is grotty,rundown, and not a very pleasant or safe place to go to. 

 

[Curtis]

There is a lot of chat on this forum about the ‘old days’, so does anyone think that re-union matches might be popular (e.g. try to get players from say 20, 30, 40 or 50 years ago to a match & publicise in advance).

Would that possibly attract back some previous fans & enable re-engagement with them?

[Reading Rebel]

20 hours ago, 3spirit said:

For cars, I wouldn't say Arbour Park is as accessible as Wexham Park Stadium was.It's better for fans on trains but not for cars.

I believe our club do their best to provide parking spaces but for visitors parking nearby in their vehicles, it can be tricky, as I know of fans who have received parking tickets.  The road going towards Stoke Poges is full of pot holes,too !  This isn't the reason for bad attendances but I don't suppose it helps.

Slough's main problem is shaking off the long held view that the town is grotty,rundown, and not a very pleasant or safe place to go to. 

 

Compared to other grounds in the league I think parking at AP is certainly the best Iv'e been to.

The benefit of Wexham Park was having one entrance and parking was all free.

On the bit about cars parking in the roads and getting tickets, I would have thought there was sufficient space for most cars.

 

[3spirit]

On 06/04/2022 at 10:43, Reading Rebel said:

Compared to other grounds in the league I think parking at AP is certainly the best Iv'e been to.

The benefit of Wexham Park was having one entrance and parking was all free.

On the bit about cars parking in the roads and getting tickets, I would have thought there was sufficient space for most cars.

 

You may be right, RR. I've never parked my car in Arbour Park. I was focussing more on home would-be fans who toying on coming to their first initial games, and away supporters making an off the cuff trip ie not those on clubs/supporter coaches.

Arbour Park has much better facillities and bigger space around the outside of the perimeter fence of the pitch than Wexham Park ever had but I would say the roads and estates opposite the Wexham Park stadium was more accessible to potential new fans,than where Arbour Park is. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by 3spirit

[3spirit]

On 05/04/2022 at 15:15, Curtis said:

There is a lot of chat on this forum about the ‘old days’, so does anyone think that re-union matches might be popular (e.g. try to get players from say 20, 30, 40 or 50 years ago to a match & publicise in advance).

Would that possibly attract back some previous fans & enable re-engagement with them?

I think the chat on the 'old days' on this forum is because the majority of forum/Slough Town FC posters have been following this club for a substantial time, and are likely to be in the over 40 bracket. I presume younger,newer fans read Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Curtis, I like your idea about getting past players to matches but I wonder if this would end up costing our club money, as to invite guests to a game you can hardly charge for entry, and then also you have the costs of a meal/food/drinks for them, to consider.

[Reading Rebel]

40 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

You may be right, RR. I've never parked my car in Arbour Park. I was focussing more on home would-be fans who toying on coming to their first initial games, and away supporters making an off the cuff trip ie not those on clubs/supporter coaches.

Arbour Park has much better facillities and bigger space around the outside of the perimeter fence of the pitch than Wexham Park ever had but I would say the roads and estates opposite the Wexham Park stadium was more accesible to potential new fans,than where Arbour Park is. 

Agree that the roads around Wexham Park were more accommodating for parking than AP mainly because the ground was opposite a housing estate.

I used to get their early and park in the side road opposite the ground to avoid the cue of traffic leaving the ground.  

[Shredding Green]

On 03/04/2022 at 15:45, 3spirit said:

Statto ! Statto ! ?

 

[epicrebel]

On 08/04/2022 at 10:53, 3spirit said:

You may be right, RR. I've never parked my car in Arbour Park. I was focussing more on home would-be fans who toying on coming to their first initial games, and away supporters making an off the cuff trip ie not those on clubs/supporter coaches.

Arbour Park has much better facillities and bigger space around the outside of the perimeter fence of the pitch than Wexham Park ever had but I would say the roads and estates opposite the Wexham Park stadium was more accessible to potential new fans,than where Arbour Park is. 

Sorry disagree, with St Joe's and Linch Hill and AP parking there is more spaces than Wexham Park. Opposite St Joe's entrance Kendall Drive and Grasmere have half on half off marked parking.

The main trouble is drivers don't want to walk,  so park even on yellow lined roads to save 10 feet of walking. 

[3spirit]

40 minutes ago, epicrebel said:

Sorry disagree, with St Joe's and Linch Hill and AP parking there is more spaces than Wexham Park. Opposite St Joe's entrance Kendall Drive and Grasmere have half on half off marked parking.

The main trouble is drivers don't want to walk,  so park even on yellow lined roads to save 10 feet of walking. 

Thanks for the reply,EpicRebel. You may well be right. I was spoilt at Wexham Road as from 1990 I lived opposite the ground and just walked across the road ! ha ha!

I find in Arbour Park the stadium itself is well laid out and has plenty of room. Parking wise I prefer to get a parking permit for St Joseph's but on the few occasions I've had to park elsewhere,it has been a bit of pain but perhaps that's just me being an old fuddy duddy !?   

Edited May 15, 2022 by 3spirit