Attendance's after Crewe game.

[jk77]

I don't think we'll get more than 7k against Crewe tbh..

[soothsayer]

I don't think we'll get more than 7k against Crewe tbh..

 

We'll get our usual 5500-6000 home fans for such games so the final gate will depend on how many Crewe bring. They got 6820 for the first game so it would be a poor show if we did beat that.

[pensioner]

that's already been tried and still does not put extra bums on seats. except for promotion push.

 

Spot on ! THis has been tried so many times it doesnt warrant airtime - We have even had people on here trying to sell FREE tickets that they have had from work. Smurf went and gave that Company free tickets either out of the kindness of his heart or because the company had done something for the club - The Company then decided to give at least one of the tickets to a ticket TOUT .

Explain why Smurf should pander to the likes of that numb nuts ?

[fraggle]

This is where Paul Wildes new his stuff and earned his corn...

[Port Vale Paul]

It's essential we keep within touching distance of the play-offs to keep that interest alive with paying punters.

 

As the original post says, we'll be looking at dire crowds if we're too far adrift in a few weeks because playing for nothing in league 1 is even less interesting than a league 2 promotion push (with the exception of games against the likes of Wolves). This is the difference from league 1 to the Championship. There are games against teams that even during a struggle would attract bigger crowds because of the size of clubs and their travelling support.

 

With the budget being cut and a probable struggle next season we need to take advantage of the position we have put ourselves in.

 

Smurthwaite says we're not in a position not to go into the Championship but I don't think we can afford not to. I'm not sure where we go from here really if we don't go all out this season. A budget cut will lead to losing some of the better players, possibly leading to a struggle which in turn will affect gates. I'm still not clear on Smurthwaites policy of increasing gates which seems one of his biggest concerns - partic as I'm expecting a ST increase this year.

 

I would rather be an over performing 1st div team than a getting slated week in week out championship team any day.

[Lady_Vale]

I would rather be an over performing 1st div team than a getting slated week in week out championship team any day.

 

Well you'll be ok this season at least.

 

We'll be struggling in this league next season therefore if we're going to struggle I'd prefer it were in the Championship.

[smithie]

I would rather be an over performing 1st div team than a getting slated week in week out championship team any day.

 

That quote should be on the first page of a book called "Think small, stay small".

 

a) Smaller clubs than Vale have survived in the Championship

b) "Over-performing" ? Against heavyweights like Crawley, Stevenage, Oldham, and countless other poxy clubs?

 

It's this sort of mentality of "grateful just to be here" that seriously ****** me off.

 

Did Wimbledon ever worry about their size when they rose through the ranks ? Do you remember Bolton and Fulham each playing in front of 4,000 home fans not that long ago ? Remember Swindon & Barnsley reaching the top flight ? Remember those glorious years of playing and beating Baggies, Wolves, Birmingham, Leicester etc in the Second Division ?

 

Maybe we should be called "Little Port Vale".

[Lady_Vale]

That quote should be on the first page of a book called "Think small, stay small".

 

a) Smaller clubs than Vale have survived in the Championship

b) "Over-performing" ? Against heavyweights like Crawley, Stevenage, Oldham, and countless other poxy clubs?

 

It's this sort of mentality of "grateful just to be here" that seriously ****** me off.

 

Did Wimbledon ever worry about their size when they rose through the ranks ? Do you remember Bolton and Fulham each playing in front of 4,000 home fans not that long ago ? Remember Swindon & Barnsley reaching the top flight ? Remember those glorious years of playing and beating Baggies, Wolves, Birmingham, Leicester etc in the Second Division ?

 

Maybe we should be called "Little Port Vale".

 

Agree 100%.

[cheeky]

That quote should be on the first page of a book called "Think small, stay small".

 

a) Smaller clubs than Vale have survived in the Championship

b) "Over-performing" ? Against heavyweights like Crawley, Stevenage, Oldham, and countless other poxy clubs?

 

It's this sort of mentality of "grateful just to be here" that seriously ****** me off.

 

Did Wimbledon ever worry about their size when they rose through the ranks ? Do you remember Bolton and Fulham each playing in front of 4,000 home fans not that long ago ? Remember Swindon & Barnsley reaching the top flight ? Remember those glorious years of playing and beating Baggies, Wolves, Birmingham, Leicester etc in the Second Division ?

 

Maybe we should be called "Little Port Vale".

 

Bob on.

[boltonsno1]

Fans because of rumours have not been coming the games.

 

I wouldn't let a Fleetwood Mac album stop me from going to Vale!

[dave 260]

Today's Sentinel reports that Vale's average home attendance this season is the highest for 15 seasons when Vale were in what is now the Championship.

[geosname]

Spot on.

Folk keep going on.about ,budgets but good attractive go for it football puts bums on seats .

It does but it costs money, money we dont seem to have and cant seem to generate.

Smurf negative comments the other month wouldnt get the casual fans in.

It certainly didnt help, take away hopes and dreams and people will ask "whats the point?"

Fans because of rumours have not been coming the games.

Dont buy that at all, unless the rumours are that leprosy is rife in the bycars.

Also a lot have been priced out of coming .

I think pricing is an issue, I dont care what other clubs charge, you have to set your pricing to what your customer base can afford. Its not easy, too cheap can be as bad as too expensive.

The prices r rubbish ,if i didnt have a season ticket id probably only come one in every four home games.

The sponsorship prices have increased 50% but the product hast improved.

Wheres the family deals have Vale ever thought about the man of the house wont come as he cant afford to pay extorniate price for him and his two sons who r both over 12 and not working as at school.

Family ticket 2 adults two children ( any age )25 quid if purchased before the game,30 on the day .

Then get it advertised so everybody knows.

I could make a better job of getting folk in them seats.

Some money is better than none ,empty seats dont produce a atmosphere.,unfortunately all the passionate support has been.priced out the game what we r left with his the prawn sandwich brigade .

Im not sure the "some is better than none" applies, money is coming in so it cant be none therefore there is some. Its a very difficult balance to strike, drop the price too low and you defeat the object dont drop it enough and its pointless.

The prawn sandwich brigade point is a little odd, especially if you use it to denote disposable income because they are the ones who can afford to pay the prices if you can convince them to attend, especially if the none prawn sandwich brigade cant afford 3 games in a week.

The simplest way to get people in is to make it attractive... visually on the pitch, financially by setting the right price and remove unnecessary obstacles to easy access... for every "brigade"

 

I really do enjoy your spirited posts but sometime you over simplify the issue

 

I have never bought into the overachieving, punching above our weight argument... we werent gifted a place in this league, we fought for it, battled for it and won it... similarly we werent gifted the position we are in... we are achieving, maybe better than some expected, but not overachieving.

[TheJoker]

How has the product not improved geo?

[For Us All]

Today's Sentinel reports that Vale's average home attendance this season is the highest for 15 seasons when Vale were in what is now the Championship.

 

The average is around 6,600 at the moment and we need to push on for the play-offs to keep fans interested.With only Crewe,Walsall and Sheff.Utd likely to bring decent followings for the remainder of the season,it is imperative that we don't fall away.