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Post by statotheblue on Aug 13, 2015 14:34:08 GMT 1
As for the many thousands that come out of the woodwork we know them well I know many who will come to a big match. Some support other sides, some really just enjoy match of the day etc and go to a hand full of live games in or around the wider area. Most people including myself moved from london as a child. My parents were Londoners. That makes me less a true local anyway. Roots are important in football most will carry on supporting there side from afar. Gillingham are a small club. There are a few who stay away because of money or local politics. But in the main I believe we get what we deserve crowd wise. If we ever move have a new start maybe with a new chairman thing could be different. But as others have said we could do a lot worse than Scally. As Colchester have found moving out of town is not always a good idea. If we were able to climb the league and stay there we would of course get more in. But build crowds often takes time our history has not always as bright as it looks now. Only around twenty years ago we were at the foot of the league with that in mind we and crowds have stood up well given some of the poor sides and preformances we have produced in the last few years. As has been said normally as soon as the crowd turns up at Priestfield the team have in the past the team have largely failed. Saturday was a rare mood and the excellent crowd backing helped the players which in turn help boost the noise from the crowd. Rarely have we had that down the years. If we can help boost the mood of Priestfield the crowds will slowly rise. A lot of our success has been built on solid defences under Pulis and Allen. While Peterborough for example have largely scored a lot more goals than us and therefor slowly built a bigger crowd.
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Post by swanleygill on Aug 13, 2015 14:44:19 GMT 1
The family ticket sounds a reasonable idea and over the last few years I do think the managment team have worked hard trying to entice people to matches and the offers of late have been good. Perhaps a family season ticket? If that were affordable it would guarantee bums on seats for Home Games. I know something like this may upset the single season ticket holders who may feel that they are not getting the same benefits but the club needs young people going forward. ..just a suggestion.. It is a real catch 22 situation for the club and you certainly can't please all of the please all of the time.
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Post by Greyfox on Aug 13, 2015 15:35:32 GMT 1
Yes, I might be a bit of a dreamer, but I'm not completely naive and do realised that you make some very good points Statotheblue. Eppsfleet, Dartford and Maidstone are in the same position with thousands of armchair supporters only jumping on the band wagon at special matches. As you say, Gillingham have suffered in the past by bad performances in front of their biggest attendances. This of course doesn't help. People just won't bother again and leave disgruntled. Many are supporters of London clubs priced out of their own clubs and are willing to give Gills a try. However, Considering all the efforts by the club, season ticket sales don't seem to improve from one season to the next. I believe a family ticket could be attractive and maybe the children under twelve could be free. Not season ticket holders but special deals throughout the season.
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Post by swingfieldgill on Aug 13, 2015 16:10:56 GMT 1
Unless you live in North Kent getting to Gillingham by train is not easy. For me it would involve two changes and in any case, due to works on the track, weekend services are unreliable. So I continue to come by car although I no longer enjoy driving after dark. I wish that the club would consider running a coach from Dover and Folkestone via Canterbury or Ashford to Gillingham. It would make life so much easier and I don't see why the fare should be much more than my petrol. I believe it was tried a few years ago but I am sure that there would be sufficient support when news about this new team gets around. Anyway it's an idea to put a few more in the stands.
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Post by statotheblue on Aug 13, 2015 18:34:15 GMT 1
Unless you live in North Kent getting to Gillingham by train is not easy. For me it would involve two changes and in any case, due to works on the track, weekend services are unreliable. So I continue to come by car although I no longer enjoy driving after dark. I wish that the club would consider running a coach from Dover and Folkestone via Canterbury or Ashford to Gillingham. It would make life so much easier and I don't see why the fare should be much more than my petrol. I believe it was tried a few years ago but I am sure that there would be sufficient support when news about this new team gets around. Anyway it's an idea to put a few more in the stands. Nothing to stop you car sharing I come with two others and we only ever have one car dropping off another gillingham resident on the way home. You could put a add on here and try it for a game or two. You could even offer to buy a ticket for a game to break the ice.
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Post by durhamgills on Aug 13, 2015 19:39:20 GMT 1
Unless you live in North Kent getting to Gillingham by train is not easy. For me it would involve two changes and in any case, due to works on the track, weekend services are unreliable. So I continue to come by car although I no longer enjoy driving after dark. I wish that the club would consider running a coach from Dover and Folkestone via Canterbury or Ashford to Gillingham. It would make life so much easier and I don't see why the fare should be much more than my petrol. I believe it was tried a few years ago but I am sure that there would be sufficient support when news about this new team gets around. Anyway it's an idea to put a few more in the stands. You would need allot of coaches to make a significant difference to the attendance and the journey time via pick up points would put people off - most just want to get home after the match not spend 2 hours on a coach
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Post by ollybeak on Aug 14, 2015 6:28:27 GMT 1
That's why I drive to some of the away games. I drive up from Ashford which is 30 odd miles and the last thing I want to do is to sit on a coach back to priestfield, when it keeps stopping and starting to drop people off.It seems to take forever to get through the Medway towns to get back to the ground.
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Post by swingfieldgill on Aug 14, 2015 15:56:20 GMT 1
OK there seem to be a lot of negatives against the coach idea. I guess I'll continue to drive this season. I like to be home in good time as well.
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Post by statotheblue on Aug 14, 2015 16:54:59 GMT 1
If you have a season ticket you could try to encourage a new person to join you which could make life easier in the long run. Now is the sort of time to start thinking about who as if we do have a good season someone else near you could be more likely to come.
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Post by technical on Aug 14, 2015 17:11:03 GMT 1
A lot of this is historical, I come to Gills because my Dad did as a boy and then as a father. My children come because I do, but we left the county a couple of decades ago and are slightly weird in continuing with the "commute".
However, I know lots of people who live near me who watch the local team (I tried it and didn't like it!) despite being raised with a different one. I also know Gills fans who grew up with another team but support/watch Gills since moving to Medway and the likelihood is that their children will continue to do so.
So how about this for an idea? A tie up with a removal company. The company gets to offer a free season ticket/agreed number of tickets to anyone moving to within say 15 miles of the ground who uses their services to move from outside the area. Company gets the marketing benefit and Gills could get a new generation of fans? Numbers might not be huge and it would be a slow burn, but attendances have been static for a couple of generations. Nothing changes quickly with football crowds.
It might also be possible to get local companies to give tickets as a welcome gift (paid for by the club)to staff relocating from outside the area.
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Post by statotheblue on Aug 14, 2015 17:46:12 GMT 1
The best way to get in new fans is to play football people really want to watch the last time we really had a team that was really exciting was under Peacock back in the eighties. Since then we have had success which will boost crowds as it did during the late nineties. But as so as that success goes so does the crowd you gained. The best thing about what is happening now is it is more likely we could sustain a bigger fan Base more exciting young players pace skill and some local talent mixed in is likely to add to the attendances over time. If we can get a name for giving young players a chance there is no reason why we can't sustain a more permanent step forward on and off the pitch.
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Post by technical on Aug 14, 2015 17:59:48 GMT 1
Oh I agree, but sadly, I don't think it is attractive football that attracts the fairweathers, it's results. If the base attendances are going to increase we need to find new fanatics, not people who turn up when the going's good (welcome though they are while it lasts)
We saw some good football under Peacock but we didn't get massive crowds. I seem to remember anything over 5000 was a "good" attendance, as it is now.
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Post by gillsjan on Aug 14, 2015 18:01:42 GMT 1
Next step is to beat Port Vale and Birmingham and watch the gate increase.... Simple
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Post by gillsjan on Aug 14, 2015 18:05:03 GMT 1
Agree with you technical I go whether we play good or bad I go if we go up or down my Husband was born in Gillingham and lived in Canadian Avenue. He dragged me along many moons ago and I have been smitten ever since.
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Post by waldogills on Aug 15, 2015 18:58:52 GMT 1
My biggest disappointment was the size of our crowds in the Championship. At the time people blamed the prices. But our prices were very similar to those at Ipswich and despite the fact that we were very close to them in the league, their crowds were around 22,000 whereas we were getting around 8,000. Of course we could only get up to our capacity of around 11,000, but in the league I think this only happened in the home match against West Ham. You couldn't blame it on negative football either as, at the time, we were scoring a lot of goals at home.
I do think that there are a couple of issues for casual supporters. One is the uncertainty and difficulty of parking which is difficult to deal with unless the club moves. The other is the slightly clunky ticketing system. If you buy tickets online you either have to get them sent out or collect them at the ground. I wonder if we could use the same system as at cinemas where you collect the ticket from a machine. I know that Bolton use this method. In the end perhaps Paul Scally is right. The only step change in attendances will come if we move grounds. The only other way is to do so well that we are nailed on for promotion to the championship. Nice thought !
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