get your backsides down to the oldham and crawley games

[Howjy04]

Very quiet in the first half,improved a bit second half.I thought ,because of the deal there would be 5000 but......

Previous night games this season.

Vale v Bristol City 4050 ,after 4 consecutive losses.

Vale v Scunthorpe 3590 ,previous home game 4-1 against Yeovil.

I'm not sure if Champs League was on those nights.

Last night 4423, after 3 consecutive wins.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

Very quiet in the first half,improved a bit second half.I thought ,because of the deal there would be 5000 but......

Previous night games this season.

Vale v Bristol City 4050 ,after 4 consecutive losses.

Vale v Scunthorpe 3590 ,previous home game 4-1 against Yeovil.

I'm not sure if Champs League was on those nights.

Last night 4423, after 3 consecutive wins.

 

Villa V West Brom was on BT sport, it does affect gates. I didn't go last night due to work commitments. I hate to be pessimistic but lower league attendances will decline due to the power and pull of the premier league. We have 4-5k fans that the club should concentrate on keeping happy and enthusiastic about the club and build from there.

[Yukon]

(Right, the following is not a dig at anyone specifically, including the original poster (whoever that is). This is just my general thoughts re fan attendances.)

 

These threads, to me, are always more of an annoyance than anything. No one is going to change their arrangements or preferences because a few people on a message board tell them to "pack the park". I sat there freezing my ghoulies off last night, which I have done for 25 years and I've already renewed for next year. I was always going to go but I tell you something, the thought of not doing was very ****ing appealing and I can certainly understand why some people don't.

 

People will always make their own minds up based on location, circumstances etc and no keyboard warrior is going to change that- that's the chairman's job! The advertising for the evening match offer was dreadful to the extent that I only heard about it on passing on here. Add that to inconsistent football that hardly sets the world alight and you've the recipe for a thoroughly bland, cold and expensive evening.

[Bernie's evil]

We have a stadium that is far too big for our needs, we need to get real and explore the possibility of a new stadium that is not 3 times too big, maybe a 12000 all seater stadium, then at best we could half fill it and with steep inclines for good viewing and good conference facilities to generate extra money into the club. Before anyone says '' where is the money coming from '' the likes of the Shrews and even Chester managed to build new stadia, therefore so can we, Vale park was built in the 50's for that time period to match the crowds of the time, its had its day, no atmosphere and a new ground for Vale would generate interest and even if for a short period of time would get better gates.

[davidatpreston]

Very quiet in the first half,improved a bit second half.I thought ,because of the deal there would be 5000 but......

Previous night games this season.

Vale v Bristol City 4050 ,after 4 consecutive losses.

Vale v Scunthorpe 3590 ,previous home game 4-1 against Yeovil.

I'm not sure if Champs League was on those nights.

Last night 4423, after 3 consecutive wins.

 

 

 

With a couple of notable exception games, Tuesday nights have been attracting reduced and poor gates at Vale for several season now - maybe it would be worth a try playing on a Wednesday, especially when there is a televised Chumps League match, I used to enjoy Monday night games but I suppose that would be asking too much for the pampered players to manage 2 games in 3 days.

It's not a lifetime ago we had 3 games in 4 days at Easter (1979 I remember going to see us blow a 3-0 lead at Wiagn and lose 5-3 on Good Friday, then beat Barnsley at home 3-2 but lose away to them) - that might really be too much, but 2 games in 3 days shouldn't be. Even if it is, perhaps we could try a Friday night game then a Monday night game following it.

Another idea might be the move the JPT until a February start when all the teams are out of the other cups, and have midweek games in August, September, October and late March, plus April only - a lot of people feel it is just too cold and uncomfortable to bother in Dec, Jan and Feb.

Other possibilities need to be explored at least, our current midweek gates are very poor - and so are a lot of other teams.

[cheshirevaliant]

We have a stadium that is far too big for our needs' date=' we need to get real and explore the possibility of a new stadium that is not 3 times too big, maybe a 12000 all seater stadium, then at best we could half fill it and with steep inclines for good viewing and good conference facilities to generate extra money into the club. Before anyone says '' where is the money coming from '' the likes of the Shrews and even Chester managed to build new stadia, therefore so can we, Vale park was built in the 50's for that time period to match the crowds of the time, its had its day, no atmosphere and a new ground for Vale would generate interest and even if for a short period of time would get better gates.[/quote']

 

Would more people come if we moved out of Burslem? Realistically, that is what you are suggesting. I can't see it myself. Vale Park isn't perfect but it is a proper football ground which rocks if it is more than half full. I've not been in a new ground where the atmosphere was anything like some of the games at VP, even in recent seasons.

[rsb]

low gates at vale night games what about Rochdale vs crewe last night just over 1000+ crowd at that game makes ours look healthy

[geosname]

Its possible a new stadium could be built on the existing sight section by section, maybe.

Its possible crowds may be bigger if games are moved to another night but its also possible some may not be able to attend on the new night, its all swings and roundabouts.

Vales core support is about 4,000 the only way to increase that is to catch them young and make it a family event on match days, in my opinion, a bit of excitement, a bit of effort and a lot of commitment by all concerned... its a long term strategy, saying "pack the park" wont do it, if they turn out and are bored to tears by the football they wont return, it takes more than results to grab fans by the emotions, especially if you want them to stay long term.

[cheshirevaliant]

Its possible a new stadium could be built on the existing sight section by section, maybe.

Its possible crowds may be bigger if games are moved to another night but its also possible some may not be able to attend on the new night, its all swings and roundabouts.

Vales core support is about 4,000 the only way to increase that is to catch them young and make it a family event on match days, in my opinion, a bit of excitement, a bit of effort and a lot of commitment by all concerned... its a long term strategy, saying "pack the park" wont do it, if they turn out and are bored to tears by the football they wont return, it takes more than results to grab fans by the emotions, especially if you want them to stay long term.

 

Who would pay for a new ground on the existing site, geo? Most clubs with new grounds, as far as I'm aware, have sold their grounds for housing or retail in the town centre and moved to a brownfield site on the edge of town. This would, in my opinion, kill off Burslem and would not benefit the football club as much as some folks suggest just because not many people want to come and watch largely poor value for money football on a Tuesday night in early March. That's not a dig at Page, Smurthwaite or anyone associated with the Vale, more a general comment about the price of watching English football as a whole.

[davidatpreston]

Would more people come if we moved out of Burslem? Realistically, that is what you are suggesting. I can't see it myself. Vale Park isn't perfect but it is a proper football ground which rocks if it is more than half full. I've not been in a new ground where the atmosphere was anything like some of the games at VP, even in recent seasons.

 

Vale Park has little to no atmosphere, love it though I do. It had character in the 60s to 80s but was wide open, the big mistake was developing a new stand so far away from the pitch - it could have made the ground more enclosed.

Sadly, though you say Vale Park rocks when it is more than half full, it never is - or perhaps once every 30 league games. Even when we were in the second tier it was only when 2000+ away fans came from places like WBA, Wolves or Leeds that we would get above 10,000 or for the long-gone derbies with Stoke.

Only twice this season have we come close to half full, last season only against Wolves and Coventry, we haven't had a 'big' cup tie for many years and I cant help agree that if finances permitted (which they surely do not) we would be better with a ground like Rotherham have got - bout 12000 capacity and steep sides, incredible atmosphere and modern facilities. Not likely to happen, but a ground like that improves gates just because it is a pleasure to go there.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Its possible a new stadium could be built on the existing sight section by section, maybe.

Its possible crowds may be bigger if games are moved to another night but its also possible some may not be able to attend on the new night, its all swings and roundabouts.

 

Suggest that to Smurf..some swings and roundabouts might attract the younger element

 

Seriously we have to be very carefiul not to alienate those going now when trying to attract new fans..a relocation for example might just p!$$ off a few 100 who love things how they are and a few 100 is a good percentage of the current crowd

 

Promote the club in schools, get the young uns to buy into the club and its part in the community and how its important to be part of it and that it can actually be fun just to turn up and scream and shout and sing and not take the actual football and results too serioulsy..at this level you can't expect high quality football and world beating results..it's the whole expericen and being part of it that has to be sold

[geosname]

Who would pay for a new ground on the existing site, geo? Most clubs with new grounds, as far as I'm aware, have sold their grounds for housing or retail in the town centre and moved to a brownfield site on the edge of town. This would, in my opinion, kill off Burslem and would not benefit the football club as much as some folks suggest just because not many people want to come and watch largely poor value for money football on a Tuesday night in early March. That's not a dig at Page, Smurthwaite or anyone associated with the Vale, more a general comment about the price of watching English football as a whole.

 

I have no idea mate, its just a possibility.

if we move to brownfield sites we will be leaving a brownfield site behind, I cant see anyone buying it to build houses of shops on it... but then again it makes little sense to build in sections when we havent finished the last section we started.

[For Us All]

Thought I was at a funeral when I entered the ground! Atmosphere was absolutely dead. Didn't improve much throughout the game. Must be that we Vale fans now accept that away games are the ones where any sort of fun/excitement or vocal backing is generated. We all crowd together in away grounds so it's the norm to join in but at home games more often than not everyone is dispersed at different parts of our ground and it's plain to see we settle back in our shells and politely clap every now and then, if the play warrants that!

 

Been said many a time that perhaps a re-think of the way our stadium is set up is required if we generally do want to encourage noise/fervour/backing of the Team?

 

Let's be honest,a lot of the atmosphere is generated by the away fans,so the likes of Sheff.Utd,Coventry,Bradford and even Crwho are always welcome to Vale Park.If we thought last nights atmosphere was bad just wait till Crawley arrive with less than one hundred fans?

[valeblue]

The longer Sjoke are in the Premier league and Vale in the lower leagues the less attractive to the kids and casual supporter, so I think we are up s*** creak!

[For Us All]

The longer Sjoke are in the Premier league and Vale in the lower leagues the less attractive to the kids and casual supporter, so I think we are up s*** creak!

 

Especially when they keep winning,eighth now in the PL.