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GHA EFM

By GHA EFM
in St. Albans City Forum

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Hi Webbo.

 

Who said:

 

"In 1985, blind faith in your leaders, or in anything will get you killed"?

 

Look back at last season, Webbo. The average attendance fell from 525 or so in 02/03 to 306. Now why was that? Let's say that the team was playing poor football [italics]and that's the only reason[/italics]. Well if that's the only reason, the only thing necessary to reverse the decline is to start playing good football and all will be well. Let's come back to that one in a moment.

 

The Bedford game was, arguably the most important in the history of the Club. We had beaten Heybridge 4-3 on the Wednesday in an enthralling game. We took, what 275/300 fans with us to Bedford?

 

Unfortunately, Webbo, I believe that the kind of football that we played was an important reason but not the only one.

 

How were the Mighty Saints promoted around the City & District of St Albans? However it was done, I don't think that the various initaitives should go down as resounding successes when we analyse the season just gone.

 

Was ticketting a factor last season? Clearly not, as the Board are repeating last years arrangements and admission prices.

 

Are any other initiatives necessary to bring the punters in? Presumably not as there have been no announcements made of any new ones.

 

How does the club promote itself to existing and to new fans? Answers on a postcard.

 

Let's go back to the football. Steve Castle has a dismal record as Manager over half a season, although, in fairness, it must be stressed that he 'inherited' a team from Steve Cook and had to make the best of what he had. When he took the reins, the crowds had halved since the start of the season and, presumably, there were budget cuts. At the same time, I imagine that The Mighty Saints were not a terribly attractive proposition to the average Premier League player and it would have been difficult to attract new players of calibre. We did sign [briefly] some real dross and Parker, Watts, Clarke and Zoricich were the exceptions rather than the rule. It's a shame that only two of those are likely to feature this term.

 

It's a season with huge changes in front of us. I have grave doubts that we are ready for those changes but, needless to say, I, and no doubt GHA and Zealadan, hope that our concerns are groundless.

 

Perhaps I should convert to your apparent approach, Webbo. Watts left for a good reason, so that's all right. The new shirts are on order, [only the third new 'pair' of shirts - home and away - in successive seasons. No problemo. I will, no doubt, buy 8 shirts in the season as I have in the past two and so will every other father/uncle, of course] so that's all right as well. Jimmy Neighbour has a poorer record as manager than Steve Castle, so that's all right, too. Bedford finished higher than 19th in the League so their players last season must have been better than ours and will do well in Conference South, and so, yes, you've guessed it, that's all right.

 

Re-reading this post, Webbo, I think that you are right after all. I have converted to your views. Bruce Springsteen didn't know what he was talking about. It's gonna be all right! Top 6 by Christmas, Champions by Easter. Put your house on it.

 

 

 

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Webbo MFI Newbie

Webbo MFI

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I was thinking more mid table!

 

Look - I'm not exactly jumping up and down all excited for next season but some of the posts on here have been slightly negative.

 

I'm sure Mr Castle is not sitting at home thinking "err.. cut the lawn, washed the car, bugger....there must be something else I have to do...ah shoot yes!! I need to get some players for next season - "

 

I'm sure there are irons in the old fire as the saying goes.

 

As for promoting the club - can't help you on that front - I think the press officer quit last season and as yet I'm not sure there is a replacement!

 

How about some ideas for promoting the club from the floor.....

 

I have a great idea - simular to what Hornchurch do - and I can think of just the person to do it!!

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GHA EFM Newbie

GHA EFM

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Your defence and following comeback of any negative post slightly worries me, webbo.

 

You are the webmaster of the official (I think) SACFC website. You get told information earlier on in the pecking order than most of us on here, if not all. Yet you accept so much of the crap that is given. If you, as the webmaster, can try to make positive out of everything that happens, I dread to think what your everyday Jonny-on-the-street-reading-the-St.-Albans-Observer thinks.

 

Quote:
some of the existing players and some potential new faces have voiced their concerns over the potential uncertainty of Steve's position and this current development will hopefully allay those fears

 

So how come we've only made one (or two??) signings in the nine days since Steve allayed the fears?

 

Last season was rubbish. We finished 19th. Steve Castle is one of the worst managers this club has had, going by a points-to-games ratio.

 

And what's being done to make things better in time for next season?

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Webbo MFI Newbie

Webbo MFI

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GHA

 

Believe it or not but I get very little info at the moment (I think Eamsey and Rob are in cahoots!)

 

I agree with your views on last season - but sacking another manager won't change things over night.

 

Give the guy a chance - he got us into the Conference South remember.

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GHA EFM Newbie

GHA EFM

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Still, every reason to be optimistic.

 

Next season will be great. New teams to play, new places to visit. Then we slip into mid-table obscurity, the novelty wears off, and we're getting 200 on a Saturday afternoon for the visit of Bognor.

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GHA EFM Newbie

GHA EFM

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True, Zeal, but just you wait till next season. On a wave of optimistic fervour coming off the back of last season's triumphs, especially the Bedford and Heybridge epics, not forgetting the huge amount of new support we'll generate from playing five yoof teams in the PSFs, crowds'll be back to the 750 mark.

 

You'll love it.

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Hi Webbo.

 

I've just read your response to mine, half-a-dozen above. You said something about "the posts on here have been slightly negative". You then said "How about some ideas for promoting the club from the floor".

 

Surely, the first thing to do is analyse the successes and failures of last season. Oops, sorry. For 'failures' read 'less than successes'.

 

Now if you don't acknowledge that anything was less than a success, there is no basis for debate. You should stick to the Official forum.

 

On this forum, or more acurately the football forum section of this site, there have been a number of good ideas that were, most certainly, worthy of consideration. And what happens? The forum is closed down by you and Rob, and no-one knows that it exists [sic].

 

Then, when you come on and criticise a view that dares to suggest that all is not quite as rosy as some would believe, you are challenged and you resort immediately to humour to laugh the thing off.

 

I asked Rob whether he had read 'Watership Down' the other week. Have you? Do you remember the first burrow that Hazel, Fiver and the others reached after their own was destroyed?

 

 

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CANV EFM Newbie

CANV EFM

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look, just get someone who is local and has a big intrest in the area who also happens to be very wealthy and maybe played for albans way back when to buy the club.. invest in some top local people to help him run it and just sit back and enjoy it .. spend the money on players until a standard is reached that warrents decent facilities.. resist the temptation to go full time or run before you can walk.. sell beer at 1.50 a pint in the clubhouse before kick off.. and insist on playing attractive football where poss even if it means an excessive amount of finishing second.. piece of p.ss really ;-)

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GHA EFM Newbie

GHA EFM

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That raises an interesting one, JKiF.

 

When John Gibson took over at this club, season ticket prices for his first full season were given at £200, which included an £80 donation. Season tickets this season are still £200.

 

Just from my travels..:

 

[*]Redbridge: Normal entrance £8 (£4 concessions). Season tickets £120 (£60 concessions)

 

[*]Margate: Normal entrance £8 (£5 concessions, £1 under 11s). Season tickets £140 (£90 concessions)

 

[*]Maidenhead: Normal entrance £9 (£5 OAPs, £1 under 14s). Season ticket £155 (£85 OAPs)

 

[*]Stortford: £9 (£5) normal entrance. Season ticket £170 (£90) standing, £190 (£100) seat. Early order discount.

 

[*]Carshalton: £155 and £75 including friendlies. Normal entrance £8 (£4).

 

[*]Bognor: Normal entrance £8 (£5), £1 for under 16s. £130 (£74 OAP, £18 under 16s) standing, £148 seat (£92 OAP, £36 under 16s).

 

[*]Thurrock: Season tickets £140 (£70 OAPs, £45 Children 11-15, £30 Children 5-10)

 

And finally...

 

[*]Cambridge: £200 and £100. £8 (£4) normal entrance, £1 for under 11s.

 

'The price of entry to games and season tickets has been increased to reflect both teams promotion to higher status for next season.

 

The season ticket now covers both First Team and Reserve Team league games and consequently has increased in cost from last season.'

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