Lost fans (3 Viewers)

[higgs]

IF we had new owners and some investment in the playing squad how many fans would we still have left?

There must be thousands gone under the current regime one one wonders if ever they will return?

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[skybluetony176]

Undoubtedly we'd get some new owner bounce. 1.5-3K extra would be my guess. How sustainable that would be would be down to any new owners vision and whether they are seen to be delivering that vision or not. Of course if that vision involves success and hope returns the crowds will grow organically on top of any new owner bounce. We seen it in the early part of last season where despite our owners we were heading towards gates of 18K, if that had have been under new owners I don't think its unreasonable to assume that could have been nearer 20K and if we could have sustained early season form and been serious title contenders would gates of 25K really have been out of the question?

 

[covman]

I haven't been since Northampton but will certainly be returning when SISU leave. I look forward to it. Let's face it, as Coventry fans, we are used to not having much success in the pitch. However this alone doesn't make me stay away. It's purely our ridiculous owners. Whether it is next week or in 30 years I will be ready to buy my ticket. I have a lot of patience.

 

[Hobo]

What fans want is to see some progress, to be contenders for a play off place. Just steady sensible progress. Operating within our means is key to that; but we need to see some player retention especially around the spine of the team. Fans need to be able to relate to the team that is representing them.

Fans also need to feel the club actually values them. Fisher and SISU have failed miserably when it comes to their relationship with fans. Any company that surrounds itself with such negative energy is doomed to failure. Until some positive direction comes from the top of the club I can't see things progressing.

 

[Nick]

Fans also need to feel the club actually values them. Fisher and SISU have failed miserably when it comes to their relationship with fans. Any company that surrounds itself with such negative energy is doomed to failure. Until some positive direction comes from the top of the club I can't see things progressing.

Agree with that. The whole "break even" stuff can still be done with a totally different approach and work a lot better!

 

[Senior Vick from Alicante]

I think the bounce could be big if new owners come in. Fans ain't stupid and that's how their being treated, the contempt of the owners and chairman towards people mean a large majority are staying away till they go. Wasps got 26k on Xmas eve and a good few were city fans one would expect choosing to spend their money elsewhere.

 

[christonabike]

Fook me Nicks right. We all understand break even but when player after player is being sold and not replaced with promising up and coming people that can hopefully fill the roll as they improve (like CCFC always did untill we went mad in the premiership) the fans see no ambition but a team dropping down the leagues like we are. As for crowds easily 15k as a starter if people can see investment and commitment from owners. If we had a new owner who can grasp what the fans want (and I dont mean throwing money at the team like we did years ago) but progress and we can see steady improvement in quality there are alot of local businesses Im sure who would get involved such as advertising etc. The championship would be a very good league for attendances with Villa, Newcastle , Blues, Wolves, Leeds, Forest, Derby, Sheff wednesday etc would get the crowds in if we were able to compete.
Im not bothered about the premiership as thats years away for us but sniffing around the play offs in this league for a few years would be a good starting point.

 

[Warwickhunt]

We will never recover the lost souls once they do other things instead of going to football they tend to stay with it and probably do a bit of glory hunting if ever we were successful

 

[Bob Latchford]

IF we had new owners and some investment in the playing squad how many fans would we still have left?

There must be thousands gone under the current regime one one wonders if ever they will return?

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I did 11 games the season before this one @ a 400 mile round trip, each game . have done none this season and , won't whilst they're here . even blind loyalty only lasts so long. they either get their act together or i'll find better things to do .
Would I make the trips again with new owners who show passion , progress , investment , make a deal to stay at the ricoh , look after the academy , love for CCFC , treat me as one of their own / a fan - hell yeah !

 

[Otis]

Agree with that. The whole "break even" stuff can still be done with a totally different approach and work a lot better!

Would certainly help if we had a policy of selling players, but reinvesting part of that into replacements.

If Fisher came out and said we need to balance the books and we will be selling players, but the intention is to put part of that fee into bringing replacements into the club, then I think fans would be more accepting.

Say sell Stevenson for £800,000-£1m, put £150,000-£200,000 of that towards a replacement (s).

 

[no_loyalty]

I will return once we have owners who show passion and who care for the club.

This could be the first time since 1981, I never attend a City match in a season, its just painful.

 

[GaryJones]

As well as our "lost" fans we have the lost generation - potential fans that will never be - the sons and daughters of the apathetic masses that just cant be bothered to go up any more. I also think that the current average attendance in real terms is lower than the published figures given out.
They count tickets sold as the announced official attendance and this includes season tickets, however I am guessing that you could probably knock off 5-10% or maybe more each game for those who bought their tickets under the misguided illusion that based on the last season Coventry City would entertain us and possibly even push for the golden fleece of a play-off place.
I bought 4 season tickets in July for me and my son with a couple of spares for friends or family and I've missed 5 games for one reason or another. Of these games I've missed I haven't even been able to give these tickets away.
I am ever the optimist however even I feel that our plight is grave and relegation is becoming a stark possibility - I've been watching Coventry City as a season ticket holder since the 74-75 season and without a shred of doubt this is the most worrying position my proud club has ever been in.
I've always looked at Portsmouth as a similar club in decline - from Premier to League 2 with various issues similar to our own - I think this is the reality that also faces our club.
We are in a sad and sorry state - fact!

 

[Suffolk sky blues]

I stopped after cambridge & fisher interview I live a 280 mile round trip.i would invest either in a season ticket all books of tickets if I didn't use it is would donate to a charity but I would put money back into CCFC

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

IF we had new owners and some investment in the playing squad how many fans would we still have left?

There must be thousands gone under the current regime one one wonders if ever they will return?

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The vanishing fans are unfortunately in the majority by many thousands. Only the minority now remain. Will they ever return? Yes of course, but only when the club has owners who are positive and can develop some form of enthusiasm amongst the stay sways. At the moment all we have from SISU is negativity and a "take it or leave it" attitude. As someone who was there at the beginning of the Sky Blue Revolution I can well remember the enthusiasm created by the J H and it's owners. Let's all sing together. And we did !

 

[BobbyDazzler]

I'm a 'lost fan' and it's unlikely that I'll return to The Ricoh until SISU have departed. It's 130 mile round trip for me and when you get zero enjoyment from the experience, you have to question why you're doing it.

As other posters have stated, it's not all about the league position for me it's about the long term vision and strategy. The way SISU & Fisher (despite his protestations they are one and the same) treat our loyal supporters is absolutely shocking. Every aspect of their running of the club is a disaster. They have destroyed the club and by his own admission, we are in an irreversible downward spiral. Only investment will attest that decline but 'break even' is the only priority now.

I admire those supporters who keep going but I really wish they wouldn't. I honestly believe if we'd achieved a zero attendance (or close to it) for the Sixfields exile we would have rid our club of SISU by now.

When SISU do go, I'll be back and I will enjoy supporting my team once more. Until then, it's a NO from me.

 

[Captain Dart]

Would certainly help if we had a policy of selling players, but reinvesting part of that into replacements.

If Fisher came out and said we need to balance the books and we will be selling players, but the intention is to put part of that fee into bringing replacements into the club, then I think fans would be more accepting.

Say sell Stevenson for £800,000-£1m, put £150,000-£200,000 of that towards a replacement (s).

TBF maybe that is what happened last season when Jones came in after Maddison was sold.

 

[blueflint]

I've stayed away three years now i miss it the travel was a pain but i would do it again but never while SISU
and their subsideries are in charge

 

[Otis]

TBF maybe that is what happened last season when Jones came in after Maddison was sold.

Yes, but Fisher is not saying that. Why doesn't he come out and give the fans a little glimmer of hope, instead of just saying players may well have to be sold and costs cut?

He could have very easily said in his last statement that players may have to be sold, but we would try and reinvest some of the fee received into replacements.

 

[Otis]

I have always been quite pragmatic about such things and have always accepted us having to sell players.

A player gets sold for £2m and £400,000 of that is reinvested into a ready made replacement I am quite happy. I want the club to b able to balance the books

 

[SkyblueBazza]

Yes, but Fisher is not saying that. Why doesn't he come out and give the fans a little glimmer of hope, instead of just saying players may well have to be sold and costs cut?

He could have very easily said in his last statement that players may have to be sold, but we would try and reinvest some of the fee received into replacements.

I think it's more about the proportion reinvested. You only get what you pay for is the general rule of thumb.
In your earlier example - sell for £1m...reinvesting a paltry £200k for 1-2 you're only ever going to risk going backwards.
Invest £500k in the right single player & you might actually make progress

...onwards & upwards PUSB

 

[steve82]

A few good points made in this...
Many of us understand the level of football we now find our beloved club and appreciate it is operated now the same as many other clubs in league one and two. It has to be at break even, and as it's been said if the club gave a explanation to a sale of a young wonder like Maddison and inevitably Stevenson and gave some to the manager to plug gaps, strengthen the squad. We could understand it more, transparency is key!!
A strategy to the next 2,5,10 years would be a start regarding the training facilities, where we will play beyond 17/18 season may keep us entertained a little, not the same old shit of we're close... identified sites... commercially sensitive... nail something down.
So much is in limbo...

 

[Otis]

I think it's more about the proportion reinvested. You only get what you pay for is the general rule of thumb.
In your earlier example - sell for £1m...reinvesting a paltry £200k for 1-2 you're only ever going to risk going backwards.
Invest £500k in the right single player & you might actually make progress

...onwards & upwards PUSB

Yes, agree, but all Fisher has said is there may be players sold and he may have to cut costs. He made no specific mention of reinvesting any money into the playing squad from any sales.

If fans think you are selling a player for a million and reinvesting a hundred grand of that they will be a lot happier than just selling the player and not buying anyone.

 

[Gosford Green]

I know a lot who "will not give those cunts a penny again".

Sixfields finished it for a lot and the slide and the off field matters since thew return has reinforced things. Some go to away games, mainly as a beer ticket but a lot have just found something else to do Saturday afternoons.

i will stick my neck out and say plus 3000 on the first game followed by a decline to about plus 1500 if results go against us. It will take a bit of success and time to get us anywhere near the 2006/7 figures.

 

[Astute]

I am not a lost fan. But I am losing my way.

Until recently I wouldn't bother looking how far away the ground is that we are playing at. I would get my ticket or get someone else to get it for me then look a couple of days before if not sure. But the long journeys after a poor showing and bad result leave you with too much time to think. It was getting depressing. I'd had enough of hoping we could sneak a draw on the way there.

As soon as we look like we are improving I will be back. But until then I am limiting the distance I travel. But once SISU are gone I will buy a season ticket even though I can't make even half the games. I will give it to someone who can't afford one and buy my tickets to each game.

 

[Kingokings204]

I know a lot who "will not give those cunts a penny again".

Sixfields finished it for a lot and the slide and the off field matters since thew return has reinforced things. Some go to away games, mainly as a beer ticket but a lot have just found something else to do Saturday afternoons.

i will stick my neck out and say plus 3000 on the first game followed by a decline to about plus 1500 if results go against us. It will take a bit of success and time to get us anywhere near the 2006/7 figures.

It's that middle bit I'm most concerned about. Have fans really given up after sixfields? Perhaps it's just I'm not so sure. Some deffo have I won't argue but for me I was never ever going to sixfields but as soon as we came back I couldn't get enough of it. I still followed them and watched for results.

I personally think fans are sick of the owners and see the club falling apart. A lot of fans now just follow the result or just hear about sisu cov through their mates and Facebook and we know how that can be.

Sisu have burned their bridges with us. It's over as far as thousands of fans are concerned but mix new owners with a few wins and some really good signings and of course a promotion crowds will flock back. Look at the championship games. Newcastle villa, Leeds, derby, forest. Wolves. Massive games especially if we had a good team.

I just worry as at the moment that's only one season away but under sisu we can all agree we are heading for league 2 and then the conference. It's inevitable. How we aren't in league 2 already baffles me.

Sisu keep waiting and waiting apparently we are no burden to them and can see us in league 1 or 2. But what's the long term strategy? We aren't going up any time soon so really what is the 5 year plan? Self sufficient in league 2. The club will be worth less than it is today. Seems to me there is no long term plan and whilst we tick along breaking even they have time to think about it but with the academy and Ricoh deals expiring soon sisu can't think for too long. Fisher hinted at a one or two year deal at the Ricoh but what if wasps won't talk full stop or charge 1million a season for such a short commitment? Really are snookered.

 

[skybluebeduff]

When SISU leave, people will return, not all of them, but most. I'd put money on it.

 

[Paxman II]

It really very simple. Fans will return once there is success on the pitch. Potential at CCFC suggest filling the stadium is easy - we just need to have success on the pitch. The problem is there has not been any success for over a decade if you count success as being in the premier league. One day, one day....

 

[Don't know why I bother]

I live hundreds of miles away from Cov but always looked forward to attending a game when up visiting family. The thought now doesn't even enter my mind these days mostly because of SISU and the painful years of dross. It's going to take a lot to bring back the fans that have drifted away but I believe, like me, they are still out there and waiting in hope.

 

[M&B Stand]

Had a season ticket for 18 years, knocked it on the head after a year in league one.
Do the odd away now.
Would probably go again regular with a decent takeover. It'll always be a part of me, it's just one of them, I do other stuff with my missus now.

 

[CCFC54321]

The damage following the CWR Friday night phone in with Fisher has finished me now.

Fisher in 60 minutes has turned me away after 40 years following CCFC. The guy in my opinion isn't as bright as what he makes out. What a stupid crazy interview from him?! Utter madness... what was fisher thinking?

Until SISU go I'm out but will be back when they leave.

PS- the party will great when they do leave !

 

[georgehudson]

There are in the region of 25,000 fans who would return, if, imho, this current bag of shit would leave OUR club.
There are stocks @ the Bulls Head, an ideal place for Fishface.
Selling players for 1/4 of their value because it's instant cash is the myopic futile way out.
Unfit owners, grow some FA & FL, do your fucking job

 

[chiefdave]

There are in the region of 25,000 fans who would return, if, imho, this current bag of shit would leave OUR club.

So if SISU left you think every game would be a sell out? the 8K we currently get plus the extra 25K would be more than the capacity of the Ricoh.

 

[Astute]

So if SISU left you think every game would be a sell out? the 8K we currently get plus the extra 25K would be more than the capacity of the Ricoh.

The majority of people can't make it to every game.

 

[Bob Latchford]

The damage following the CWR Friday night phone in with Fisher has finished me now.

Fisher in 60 minutes has turned me away after 40 years following CCFC. The guy in my opinion isn't as bright as what he makes out. What a stupid crazy interview from him?! Utter madness... what was fisher thinking?

Until SISU go I'm out but will be back when they leave.

PS- the party will great when they do leave !

Fully agree with this ....... If there wasn't a lot of hatred / anger towards this obnoxious waste of space , I suspect there is now .

 

[BackRoomRummermill]

they are still there most of them fickle as fuck, have a think about 31K that turned out against Crewe or the Ricoh return.

To be perfectly honest and blunt most of the people of Coventry have never taken the football club to heart or in any seriousness unless there was something in it for them