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Post by Greyfox on Feb 16, 2016 19:43:30 GMT 1
Although I think we can all agree that the attendances at Priestfield are low considering our lofty position. Especially as we've been top or near the top all season.
But the mystery to me is Southend Utd. Their home gate are on average 700 more than the Gills even though they are out of the top six. I don't know what their commercial dept do that the Gills don't, but maybe Mr Scally and co should find out. They are obviously building there support season on season.
The Gills attendance on Saturday was to say the least disappointing. 600 less than the week before against Swindon and the away support was more?
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Post by statotheblue on Feb 16, 2016 20:12:27 GMT 1
I have just looked at their prices they are not much different to our except they have a family ticket one adult and one child for £22 or £24 on match days.under 8s are just £4, £5 on the day.This clearly ups the numbers and is something Scally should look at.Kids could be the best way to get extra bums on seats and long term hopefully some would become fans.
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Post by gillsjan on Feb 16, 2016 21:25:11 GMT 1
At the Swindon game I heard an official say that a good number of free tickets had been given out. This probably accounts for the slightly higher number on that day.
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Post by muppet on Feb 16, 2016 23:00:03 GMT 1
He is still to try cheaper tickets for the 12-18 bracket.
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Post by terryjolleysboot on Feb 17, 2016 12:37:50 GMT 1
I must admit the lack of support worries plus surprises me! I remember in the 70's and 80's our support was always good when we are doing well,sadly our support has definately dwindled in the Scally years! It's ironic because under Paul Scally we had our most successful times but maybe his personality has turned people away! Looking at Southend their away support is also impressive nearly 4000 away at Colchester and the distance from Southend to Colchester isn't much shorter than Gills have to travel! Saddens me but all the time Mr Scally is at the helm I do not think our support will increase by much more even though he has brought a lot of success to our club!
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Post by swingfieldgill on Feb 17, 2016 18:06:00 GMT 1
Sorry, I don't think Mr Scally's personality has any effect on attendances but maybe his reluctance to offer attractive ticket prices for young people as mentioned above does. I studied the attendances at other grounds last Saturday and many were below their norm. I think it was the appalling weather that kept many away all over the country. However, I do agree that in view of the teams success this season, our gates are disappointing to say the least.
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Post by eccles on Feb 17, 2016 18:17:30 GMT 1
I think it is all about Scally for some - but not all of course. I know a lot of my mates that used to go that his handling of the club in the last couple of years has turned them away from giving their hard earned cash to him as a matter of principle - yet they do attend away games ! Of course, I doubt the bloke really cares.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2016 20:25:19 GMT 1
Do not underastand " his handling of the club in the last couple of years". In recent years the club seems to have rid itself of several £m debt has enjoyed promotion from L2 (as champions)are now contending for promotion back to Championship football. The past 15 years appear to have been the most successful period in recent club history, this under PD.Ok the guy seems to have the knack of rubbing some people up the wrong way,not the only football chairman with this ablily. I for one am quiet happy to be a GILLS supporter at this period in their history. COYG
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Post by terryjolleysboot on Feb 17, 2016 21:19:53 GMT 1
The time I attended the most Gills games was mid 70's to mid to late 80's when I was in my teens to mid twenties a time that structured my Gills affinity!
Teenagers are the life force of our support for future years to come it would make sense for Paul Scally to give some incentive to attract them to our club!
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Post by waldogills on Feb 17, 2016 21:33:35 GMT 1
Despite the fact that we have a superb home record I would find it hard to describe our style of play as exciting. A better description would be ruthlessly efficient. My mind goes back to the start of Tony Pulis's first season. At the start we were scoring for fun, particularly at home. The crowd built up steadily from 3,000 to about 7,000. Further on in the season the goals dried up somewhat and the games became more attritional in style and the crowds dropped back to 6,000 and below. As we got nearer the finishing line so the crowds built up again. Sadly I'm not sure that winning alone is enough to bring the crowds back. Hopefully though the sight of the finishing line this season will start to get people excited and through the turnstiles.
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Post by jogills on Feb 18, 2016 10:42:53 GMT 1
Southend had a thrilling Wembley play off success last year and the upward trend has continued. Our attendances after our 1964/4 championship followed a similar trajectory. We are building support after a disappointing period following our promotion. The 1970s and 80s may have been fun but the attendances were not good. If you want really surprising check the stats for that marvellous season under Sir Keith. We didn't even top 5000 for some of the best football ever played at Priestfield. european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/gill.htm
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Post by gillsjan on Feb 18, 2016 11:37:37 GMT 1
Thank you jogills very interesting. Really puts it into perspective.
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Post by statotheblue on Feb 18, 2016 19:15:00 GMT 1
I believe that while Scally himself isn't a major factor in crowd size of late his history and past and present attacks on the press are.Even TV companies seem anti gills.The cause of that is not really known.But people stay away for strange reasons that don't always make sense.Some of the reason is our history itself having only spent a handful of years in the championship a decade or so ago in our whole history. This current team has has been said are not as exciting as say the Peacock era.Pulis had more players who had already built names for themselves. Dack and maybe Egan apart we have not got big names just players doing a job as well as they can.Scally does need to be more inventive on tickets.As a season ticket holder we have vouchers mine have long since run out.A few of those I have bought for do pay full price two have become a season ticket holders.So it does work.But what about those who have no friends that already go how can we attract them. Ticket prices themselves have to be looked at. Then of course what is wrong with having offers for those without voucher's maybe buy tickets for two or three games at full price and get the next at half price. Buy say six to eight games at full price get a game free.Some people can't buy a season ticket but maybe over a year as a family or friends group would spend far more than a single season ticket holder.But they have to feel wanted sometimes give something back to them could be a great way to win them over.
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Post by Greyfox on Feb 18, 2016 22:13:07 GMT 1
Southend had a thrilling Wembley play off success last year and the upward trend has continued. Our attendances after our 1964/4 championship followed a similar trajectory. We are building support after a disappointing period following our promotion. The 1970s and 80s may have been fun but the attendances were not good. If you want really surprising check the stats for that marvellous season under Sir Keith. We didn't even top 5000 for some of the best football ever played at Priestfield. european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/gill.htm Interesting about Southend. I wonder what their season tickets sales are compared with the Gills. The Gills season ticket sales are never publish, but I can't believe they are more than 2500. That means the club need to sell a lot of seats on individual match days. It also means of course that there could be as many as 1000 who go one week and not the next. I don't think the advertising of matches is great. Maybe large posters with the next home match need to be posted around Medway. The reason I even mentioned Southend is that I've noticed their gates getting bigger and overtaking ours. I don't understand why the Gills struggle to achieve more than the 6500 this season. It's very difficult to put a finger on the reasons why, but maybe Southend have found a way to increase their gates that the Gills haven't. With such a large catchment area and 10000 students at the Medway Universities I think the commercial dept needs to have a look. Maybe the ( sitting at home supporters ) who have stopped coming to matches have been let down so often that they don't believe the Gills will get promoted, just miss out and let them down. Who knows!
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Post by statotheblue on Feb 19, 2016 9:08:11 GMT 1
Brentford have cheaper ticket sales for those who buy a membership that also could be used for priority tickets I would think a say £20 annual membership giving say £5 cheaper tickets.You could then maybe have single couple, family or student members. Kent Cricket club have brought out a six or ten day pass for any home game during the summer.Something like that could be worth trying. The vouchers idea in season tickets has many drawback's I think it does tend to mean people come and go."Have you got a voucher I can use? "That is likely to be asked a if you haven't they will often not go.In many ways what is needed is a five pound introduction game.Then regular price discounted by maybe a few % the more often someone comes to encourage them.
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