Back of the Observer

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

I think the last couple of crowds have been low have had a lot to do with the team we were playing and the amount of away support.

You see the next 3 crowds will be 1500+ for the shots, about 700+ for Maidenhead (bank holiday game and all that) and the Aylesbury game could touch 1000. We've already played most of the smaller clubs at home, so with a few points in the bag and still top at new year you'll see the crowds rise.

Although I do understand this doesn't help the short term cash flow problem!

Stick with it, it'll be fine. Yeovil or Dancaster at home in the trophy won't go amiss either.

[SAINTS64MAD]

I do think Firm Voice is right here!

[AFF]

If 'problem' is the right word, more people through the turnstiles is only part of the solution. A good part, but only part.

 

I'm not sure that a reduction in the admission price will have the desired effect as I don't think the mathematics work. More particularly, I don't think that it will happen.

 

The best idea on this board at the start of the season was to offer anyone with a season ticket at Watford, Luton, Spurs or Arsenal, or any league club come to think of it, a reduced entrance of, say, £4. There are 4000 season ticket holders at Luton and goodness knows how many at the others and a number of them must live locally to us. Those people are football fans and their teams don't play at home every Saturday. If that initiative were to be adopted, those clubs may make reference to it and us in their matchday programme which is more publicity.

 

I'll waive my usual commision if the idea is adopted. Doin' it for the City etc.

 

I agreee with EFMTFTV up to a point. Both Hampton and Chesham have a limited fan base at the moment and that's a major factor in the last two attendances at The Park. Braintree didn't seem to bring any either. There are some good ones to come. Aylesbury. Bedford. However, I noticed that the official attendance for Aldershot's visit to Chesham two weeks ago was 671, and Canvey at Enfield last week was 117. That last one means that only 115 made the trip from the Island. I'm not holding my breath for 1500 on the 21st. 1000 would be great.

 

Other things must be considered, too. Some less popular with a few. They will keep for another day, however.

 

 

[Colin Zeal EFM]

Adults who have a passing interest in the Saints will NOT pay £8 to get in.

 

Simple as that.

[GHA EFM]

I'm sure people with season tickets at league clubs will be more than happy to pay roughly £4 every once in a while, however.

 

Publicity is something that needs to be addressed. Market the club. Throw the club at people. Make the people of St. Albans realise that roughly once every two Saturdays St. Albans City are playing at home. I don't think I've ever seen any publicity on a large scale in the city centre. Let's paint the Cathedral blue and yellow, and write www.sacfc.co.uk along the side. Let's get a commercial manager in.

 

fqt / Charlie Farnsbarnes / etc...how's the bus idea coming along? Unlike AFF, I'm still considering whether to wave my commission at anyone.

[Rob_the_Saint]

For example, 400 x £8 = £3200. 457 x £7 = £3199.

 

Do you think a £1 reduction would attract 57 extra adults to watch, I personally don't think it would but it is worth a try, maybe for the less attractive fixtures (Maidenhead for starters).

[Colin Zeal EFM]

Whether it would or not I don't know, and on a one-off basis, I doubt it.

 

But quite simply, when semi-interested people ask me how much it costs to get in and I tell them £8 they look frankly astonished.

 

£6 for this level of football is far more reasonable.

 

IT'S NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

[Laz]

Having read the article last night, it occurs to me that the club is being honest and facing up to the problem. This was not happening under the previous administration.

[GHA EFM]

Having read the article, it would seem we are paying over an already substantial budget. This clearly can't continue. Paying over an already substantial budget. Hmm. Is this a problem related to the managers or the chairman, out of interest?

[Laz]

My point is that the club is aware of the situation, has been open about it, and will probably address it. It's better to be mid table and finacially sound than top and bankrupt.

[Colin Zeal EFM]

Well one would assume the club want solutions and answers to why so few go to games.

 

I'd rather be top and bankrupt, but then again, that's how I've always lived my life!!

[Laz]

Me too mate, as you know.

 

Good job they didn't ban all of EFM then, otherwise they'd have quite a few less people on the terraces, lower takings in the bar, and no atmosphere, which as we've seen lately, is attracting a new generation of hooligans to the club.

[HKS_EFM_GialloBlu]

GHA, I'd like to point out that 'normally' when the 1st's are away the reserves are at home on a Saturday. What I'd really like to see is a few of those who don't/ can't go to the away games pop down to the park to watch, we only charge £2 and that's fairly abitrary depending upon whose around at the the time.

 

I fully understand that we need to support the first team, but I get a little fed up when the chaps, and bearing in mind they've lost one game all season, don't get a mention. Especially when certain contributors to this board are part of the squad.

 

While I'm in whinge mode, I can't believe that a club, who potentially could be in the the Conference next season, has nowhere to train, obviously apart from CP.

 

I'd be interested if anyone has any ideas as to how we can address this.

 

By this I mean in the short term, most places want/ require <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/director.gif" alt="" /> bookings a season in advance, if anyone knows of somewhere that's available, even at at small, or otherwise, fee that would be really helpful and definitely worth a couple of beers.

 

[Laz]

HKS, I'd like to see reserve fixtures in the programme, as, although I go to all first team matches, would like to go to any midweek games. Perhaps you could have a word with the powers to be, or at the very least start a thread on here at the start of the week to generate some interest.

[Rob_the_Saint]

HKS. Anything you (or anyone else) send us about the Reserves we'll put on the website, where you WILL find an updated fixture list. We can't promise it will always be in latest news as the first team has priority but it will be on the Reserves page and the latest result and next fixture is always shown on the main page. Basically we're only as good as the information we receive as we can't get to every game. Hope this helps.

[SAINTS64MAD]

The club is nto advertised enough! that is why i suggested that the club should have a float in the carnival! Also put posters on the website that you can download off the net and stick them on Lamposts.

[GHA EFM]

They have been open in that they have said that they need more fans. Need being a big word. Surely a more positive approach would be more beneficial (we want more fans). Make the team sound like a blue and yellow Brazil playing in too few fans. Make people realise what they are missing out on.

 

Interesting chart in the Herts Ad saying that in the local area, over 90% read the Herts Ad, whilst only 2% read the St. Albans Observer.

 

Try a new approach. That's my advice.

[GHA EFM]

HKS. Naturally one would expect that publicity for St. Albans City would include publicity for the Reserves as well as the 1st XI. A full reserve team page in the programme, alongside the page the website already has, is (one would have thought) par for the course. Indeed, having only lost 1 game so far all season, t'lads are doing superbly well. Can anyone remember the PA man announcing the next ressies fixture or last ressies result etc.

 

During the 'Kendall and Wood' era at City, Francis Bacon was used as a training facility. Football was played and fitness work done in the gym, and the weights room was freely available.

Any chance of Woolams letting the Saints train there occasionally? How about the pitch inside the athletics track at Westminster Lodge?? How about a promise of a beer if you turn up at a pre-determined playing field holding a torch??

 

Keep up the good work HKS.

[sparrow]

I don't know about anyone else but once I've spent my tenner (£8 entrance and £2 for a programme) then there is a psychological barrier that stops me from digging around in my pockets for a pound for the raffle. I'm sure that the raffle takings must be down on last year for that reason.

 

If the admission price was knocked down by £1 for a few games then maybe we could all give a commitment to hand over that spare £1 to the raffle. Does the raffle money go to the football club? If not can we do that for those particular games.

 

The other thing is (and nobody has said it), despite our position in the league, the football has been dire in all but a few games. The crowds built up for a while but seem to be disappearing on the back of some unimpressive performances. We seem to grind out results rather than outplay our opponents. The team does not have the character and flair of the team in the early 90's which drew in the crowds.

 

They say that people will always watch a winning team but it is actually quite reassuring to see that is not the case. People want to see a winning team that plays entertaining football.

 

Don't call me a whinger, i'm still glad that we have a team to watch at all. If I was a neutral who came down to CP to watch the high flying Saints, I think that it is very possible that I wouldn't bother coming back based on some of the performances that we have seen this season.

 

I don't think that we can complain that people don't turn up because at the moment, the entertainment value is negligible particularly bearing in mind the quality of the squad that we have.

[HKS_EFM_GialloBlu]

Gents, thanks for the positive feedback, I was feeling a little bitter & twisted yesterday after a few lunchtime pints. No pun intended.

 

The response, whenever anything has been submitted to either the website or the programme, there's one exception to the latter that I won't go into now, has always been excellent, the problem recently, as the name implies, is that I've been away and things have 'slipped' a little bit.

 

A couple of things....

 

The PA does announce reserve team fixtures, but not results.

 

The idea of starting a thread at the beginning of the week is excellent and I'll try to do that prior to each home game.

 

I really need to do another round up, both for the programme and the web site.

 

On the training front I just find it amazing that we (1st & 2nd) have nowhere to go when the weather's bad. We've been training down at London Colney, the idea being that we'd take all the training, both SACFC and LCFC. However, that's too hit and miss. I think that the Colney boys find it a bit hard so they don't show up and they won't open up just for us.

 

As for using FB, we tried that one pre-season. Something to do with an ex Chairman and unkept promises, allegedly.

 

I think that WLodge was available, but again they wanted money. That might be worth trying again, however where the money would come from I don't know. We only exist due to the generosity of the Supporters Club who pay for the match officials, so raising any cash might be a bit difficult. Currently our Bank balance stands at £25 so we might get one session out of it.

 

If anyone does have any ideas, or knows anyone with contacts etc. please let me know. As I say, your help would be much appreciated and the offer of a few beers is still on.

 

GHA I think miners helmets would be more suitable, especially for you and PH, who I assume need both hands free.