Friday night footie

[Andrewc]

Referring back to a previous thread. See below a piece taken from Kentonline.

 

Quote

 

CHARLTON’S cut-price Valley Express coach service wrote a new chapter in its success story on Saturday by transporting a record 2,500 fans in 52 coaches to the home game against Birmingham.

 

Valley Express, which operates predominantly in Kent, took three coachloads from Ashford’s Bocca Juniors Football Club, Rochester’s Borstal ’88 FC, Marden Primary School, Skinners School, Tunbridge Wells, Bromley’s Southborough Primary, Stocks Green Primary Hildenborough, Sittingbourne’s Tunstall Primary School, Dartford Wentworth School and Dover Rangers Colts.

 

David Miller, football coach at Tunstall School, said: "Judging by the reaction on the journey home, Charlton have won a lot of new, young supporters."

 

Fans were charged £5 admission plus £5 for the coach fare. Valley Express coach co-ordinator Rick Everett is confident of breaking the record.

 

He said: "Though we were thrilled with Saturday’s figures we believe we can bring in more people. We’re finding the more that come, the more want to come back."

 

Charlton offer youth groups £15 a head, including coach travel, to the ground although they paid £10 on Saturday as the admission price was £5.

 

Unquote

 

This is what the Club are up against. Although not convenient for everyone the experiment with Friday footie and the other initiatives have to be worth a try.

[Hempstead Gaz]

We simply cannot compete with that, Andy. At that price they must be subsidising the entire venture - probably at a loss, in the hope that the new young fans will become sustainable lifelong adult fans.

We have tried many things to encourage new fans, both young and old - the only common complaint from everyone I speak to and read here is the cost factor. £12 for adults and few concessions is simply too much. I know there are season tickets and ticket books - I promulgated that idea - but students and unemployed cannot afford to pay that cost.

It has been said on here before and will be said again - the £2 increase was also psycological handing over a tenner instead of £10 + £5 and getting change, which quicky goes on a programme or beer.

Nowadays I budget £20 per game, probably most adults do too; - with 2 games coming up in 4 days that is a lot of loose change to find for some people.

We as a club need to address the problem from a different angle - ideas that have been mooted on here numerous times before.

Clearly at least Brian from the board visits this site - hence his justified complaint last week - but not all posts on here are negative, after sorting out the chaff, there are some worthy ideas.

What is needed is a conduit from this forum to the board to promote the good ideas that come from it.

I have done it before by writing to Brian - it really works. The board are not ogres - they will listen and discuss ideas that will benefit the Fleet - the main problem is getting those ideas to them.

see you Friday and Tuesday.

CG

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

As it goes due to the change to a Friday night I will now be missing my first home game of the season due to it clashing with one of my boys matches.

And no matter how hard I have tried to arrange it, his only way of getting to his is if I drive him, seeing as the KO is the same time and its 20 odd miles away, no chance of doing both.

 

So yes gutted to be missing a game, but delighted the Fleet are trying something different. In this instance it does not suit me, but lets keep trying different ways like this to increase the punters.

 

I hope it works out, and we get some of the missing few hundred back.

 

 

Good luck to all on friday, and lets stuff the Canvey.

 

 

Up the Fleet, and all who sail in her.

[jc]

Interesting to note, from Kent Online, that the club will consider an attendance of 1100-1200 as worthy of a repeat of the experiment.

[chris blanc]

They're lucky it's Canvey. Mostly any other team and I would've been down the pub

[Ian_D]

That's not very loyal!

[chris blanc]

Probably not, but if I feel this way, I'm sure others do.

[Hannah]

I think I prefer evening matches, especially on week days

[Hempstead Gaz]

Of course, 6 points against Canvey and Grays could suddenly ignite fans interest and reignite our league campaign. I do not think we are strong or consistent enough to merit a play off spot, but a top 8 finish should not be beyond our ambition.

[chris blanc]

I like the week day games, but not Fridays. I wanna be out drinking, not standing in the cold (starting to sound like John here lol)

[Jeff]

Hipflask?

[jc]

Quote:

chris blanc (GN said:
They're lucky it's Canvey. Mostly any other team and I would've been down the pub

Perhaps you'd like to tell us what's so special about playing Canvey. Or maybe I should pose that question to the individual with 'we 8 Canvey' on the back of his shirt instead.

[Gordon T]

Can't get back from University without having missed the first half of the game. Hopefully we can go back to Saturday games after this (from a selfish pov).

[Riverview Red]

The crowds are always lower for evening games and everyone else who has tried this Friday night idea has a drop from Saturday gates, why should it be different for us ?

[David Holden]

Quote:

Riverview Red said:
The crowds are always lower for evening games and everyone else who has tried this Friday night idea has a drop from Saturday gates, why should it be different for us ?

Accrington?

[Fleet fan]

so you only watch the fleet when there winning or doing well then

[Hannah]

It is going to be reeeeealy cold tonight!

[Fleet fan]

wrap up warm then

[Hannah]

that was the plan!

[Fleet fan]

hehe