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[Hempstead Gaz]

Most of the points I raised have been, in the main, the reason for NOT going, having spoken to ex supporters.

As I said, some of these things I agree with, others I don't.

It really boils down to what the people who no longer go want or think.

It is their perceptions of the club, either as lacking ambition, or not progressive enough that is keeping them away.

Perhaps is we had some (long overdue) news on the new ground, we could use that as a lure to get people interested again.

I am fully away that these things take time and diplomacy during negotiations, but that is no consolation to the stay aways who have been promised a new ground for 3 years? now, and ,even with the best builders in Kent, won't be ready before 2010.

 

I have seen a few games this year, and would say that in patches we have been good, other times mediocre.

But the stay away reads the press, looks at the "goals scored" tally and thinks the games are dull and still stays away.

You don't have to convince me the matches are worth going to , it is the fans who don't go.

As for formations, 1 defeat in 8 games since going 442 tells it's own story.

[BustaGut]

If we are lucky enough to have a good cup run, and watch them all creep out of the woodwork, lose and they all creep back into there holes, claiming they support a more prominent side.

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: Chatham Gary

But the stay away reads the press, looks at the "goals scored" tally and thinks the games are dull and still stays away.
You don't have to convince me the matches are worth going to , it is the fans who don't go.

Why didn't they flood back in after the recent 5:4 thriller then?

There seems to be a general missconception that the fans we need are out there and staying away for one reason or another. Personally I don't think think 1,500 fans is enough to challenge for the title, it would still leave us in the bottom half of the attendance table, I think we would need 2,500 regular fans and I don't think they exist
Generally gates are down this season, ours are down slightly on last season but so are everyone elses, maybe every other clubs fans are waiting for news of a new ground.
I honestly cannot begin to understand why you think any story about a possible new ground in 3 or 4 years time would persuade even the most fickle of fans to turn up and watch us play this season.
Our prices are amongst the cheapest in the league and yes our facilities aren't the best but I go there to watch the team not for the food.
Everyone is looking for reasons why people are not going but the vast majority of the population of Gravesham don't have to have any reason not to go, they never have gone and wouldn't consider going. What the club needs to do is give them a reason to go, sadly I don't think they will be interested.

[Hempstead Gaz]

 

Why didn't they flood back in after the recent 5:4 thriller then?

 

Because most people, fans , stayaways, or otherwise, would have realised this was a once a decade game, where both teams defences were a lot worse than their attacks.

 

Don't forget, out of the 8 home games so far, we have only seen 21 goals scored by both sides. Take out the 9 goal thriller leaves 8 scored and 4 conceded in 7 games, not exactly stirring entertainment.

 

Can somebody PLEASE suggest some ideas to increase attendances to where they were 2 years ago at least.?

 

[jc]

Originally Posted By: kieronoliver

why should people support ebbsfleet when not many people know where it is, to me the point of supporting non league football was it is your home town team i was born in northfleet currently live in gravesend i have no affliation with ebbsfleet what so ever so i've dropped out of the trust don't visit stonebridge road anymore.

This standpoint implies that by far the most important reason for supporting a club is its name. I would argue that its location, whatever the club is called, is at the least equally important and probably more so, and this hasn't changed.

There are several factors for the average attendances suffering (most have been mentioned here; some (particularly the fact that the novelty factor of being in a new division has now worn off) haven't), but I can't help but feel much of it stems from when the prices first rose above £10 for adults.

[John Pearce]

I suggested that some time ago, hasn't happened, so don't hold your breath!

[John Pearce]

Not such a minority, I don't think ?

[eufckev]

There are clubs that still do £10 adults, £5 kids in this league. and are going well. I think, as a trial run, we should go back to these gate prices for a 2 or 3 games, and see if more people will actually turn up, and hopefully the revenue will increase, or at least remain the same, only with a higher crowd.

[John Pearce]

Originally Posted By: Andy Y. (G&NFC)

Perception of manager. - Best manager we have had for years, not a great interviewee but who would you sooner have? A George Borg/Chris Kinnear "friend of the press" or one that says little but makes sense when he does?

I'm still not sure about Daish being the best manager the club have had for years, but I could not agree more about his quality as an interviewee...very poor.

I don't mean that as an insult, or neccessarily as a condemnation of him as a manager. The problem is that invaribly he is the spokesman for the club. When was the last time you heard any of the board being interviewed on the radio? and in reality would they be any better? In my view the club urgently needs a front-man, a PR manager (call him/her what you like) but someone who has experience of dealing with the press and can secure good and more importantly regular exposure in the press, or on radio etc. even when there is very little news to talk about, someone who is able to create a professional image for what is after all now a professional football club.

The image of the club is still very much that of a little non-league club and if crowds are going to be attracted into Stonebridge Road in sufficient numbers that image needs to be drastically addressed. I believe the appointment of an experienced PR manager would be a great first step in the necessary image change.

[eufckev]

I've seen members of the board being interviewed on the news, but bear in mind that we are not a Premier League or Football League side. Not as 'popular' and the higher sides.

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: Kevin - EUFC TIL I DIE!

There are clubs that still do £10 adults, £5 kids in this league. and are going well.

Which clubs are they?

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

Originally Posted By: John Pearce

Originally Posted By: Andy Y. (G&NFC)

Perception of manager. - Best manager we have had for years, not a great interviewee but who would you sooner have? A George Borg/Chris Kinnear "friend of the press" or one that says little but makes sense when he does?

I'm still not sure about Daish being the best manager the club have had for years, but I could not agree more about his quality as an interviewee...very poor.

I don't mean that as an insult, or neccessarily as a condemnation of him as a manager. The problem is that invaribly he is the spokesman for the club. When was the last time you heard any of the board being interviewed on the radio? and in reality would they be any better? In my view the club urgently needs a front-man, a PR manager (call him/her what you like) but someone who has experience of dealing with the press and can secure good and more importantly regular exposure in the press, or on radio etc. even when there is very little news to talk about, someone who is able to create a professional image for what is after all now a professional football club.

The image of the club is still very much that of a little non-league club and if crowds are going to be attracted into Stonebridge Road in sufficient numbers that image needs to be drastically addressed. I believe the appointment of an experienced PR manager would be a great first step in the necessary image change.

Why not go the whole hog and just hire Max Clifford!

We are a Blue Square Premier club not Manchester United (Thank God!)

[Jeff]

Originally Posted By: John Pearce

In my view the club urgently needs a front-man, a PR manager

Harry is looking for a new role.




God forbid!

[StuThompson]

 

 

Which clubs are they?

I know Farsley charge a tenner, but they are part time, so I would have thought they can afford to charge so little.

[John Pearce]

Originally Posted By: Andy Y. (G&NFC)

Originally Posted By: John Pearce

Originally Posted By: Andy Y. (G&NFC)

Perception of manager. - Best manager we have had for years, not a great interviewee but who would you sooner have? A George Borg/Chris Kinnear "friend of the press" or one that says little but makes sense when he does?

I'm still not sure about Daish being the best manager the club have had for years, but I could not agree more about his quality as an interviewee...very poor.

I don't mean that as an insult, or neccessarily as a condemnation of him as a manager. The problem is that invaribly he is the spokesman for the club. When was the last time you heard any of the board being interviewed on the radio? and in reality would they be any better? In my view the club urgently needs a front-man, a PR manager (call him/her what you like) but someone who has experience of dealing with the press and can secure good and more importantly regular exposure in the press, or on radio etc. even when there is very little news to talk about, someone who is able to create a professional image for what is after all now a professional football club.

The image of the club is still very much that of a little non-league club and if crowds are going to be attracted into Stonebridge Road in sufficient numbers that image needs to be drastically addressed. I believe the appointment of an experienced PR manager would be a great first step in the necessary image change.

Why not go the whole hog and just hire Max Clifford!

We are a Blue Square Premier club not Manchester United (Thank God!)

What an absolutly ridiculous response....of course Ebbsfleet are not Manchester United and no the answer would not be a Max Clifford.

But for god's sake get real, the club has an image problem, if they didn't there would not be any attendance problem. The public of Gravesham would be more aware of the fact that they have a professional football club on their doorsteps, a club that isn't called Charlton Athletic!

Somebody needs to get into the faces of the people of North Kent and sell the club to them, convince them that they should go to Stonebridge Road to watch and support their local football club rather than go to Bluewater or Lakeside Shoping Centres, sitting at home watching the TV, gardening or whatever the majority of Gravesendians do on match days. This will take time and will indeed cost money. Employing the services of a professional that knows how to tackle such a task would, in my view, be money well spent. It's no good relying on the aamateurish, but best intended, way the club has projected itself in the past, if it does then we all know and fear what the ultimate outcome could be?

[EUFC FAN]

Here we go again with the name change issues. <yawn>

 

Facts:

 

It is the same ground.

It is the same manager, and personal.

It is the same club!!!!

 

All that is changed is the name.

 

Did these same moaners stop eating “Marathons” when they became “Sneakers” or “Opal Fruits” when they became “Starbursts”? I suspect not! The name has changed. Get over it!

[Hempstead Gaz]

Sadly John, there are too many people who inhabit the terraces, this forum and I daresay the Boardroom who have an ostrich mentality and cannot see the danger of continous falling gates.

It is no good sweeping problems such as this under the carpet hoping it will go away. It won't.

Action needs to be taken urgently, to stop the slide.

[Slartibartfast]

Bring back the pressgang.

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: Stuart Thomson

Which clubs are they?

I know Farsley charge a tenner, but they are part time, so I would have thought they can afford to charge so little.

I think the orignal quote was "some clubs charge a tenner and are doing well" so not Farsley then.

Also the subject of lowering the admission price was brought up as a suggestion that gates might improve if the tickets where a tenner. Farsley charge a tenner and get the lowest gates in the league, Oxford charge eighteen pounds and get the biggest gates in the league....good argument.
Besides you can get a pint for £1.30 in Farsley so a tenner in Farsley is equivalent to £15:00 in Kent.

[Harry J Allstars]

YAWN!

 

This thread bores me, it's the same as last week.

 

Don't get me wrong the ideas are good but how many of you are actually prepared to do anything?

 

A few weeks back Jessica posted this on the Forum, look at the pethatic response she got. She had one volounteer, a Trust Board Member, but that was it.

 

Until any of you are actually prepered to do anything f*ck all will be done.

 

Sorry to interept your nice little theard, carry on.

 

You can now get back to judging the "sh*t" I post on here as well if you want.