Neil White/Tom Lowe: City fans? (13 Viewers)

[bigfatronssba]

Totally agree with you on all points except I believe that with all the fans we can muster its still worthless. sadly imo we are doomed under the current conditions.

Cant really argue with you there to be honest.

 

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[James Smith]

Some supporters will go to games regardless of where they are played or who the owners are. Some could only get to home games and now can't, some are doing NOPM, some won't return under Sisu ownership. Those are fans who may well attend matches again once we are back in Coventry but some have lost interest completely. It takes a hell of a lot more energy/cash to gain new customers than it does to retain the old existing ones. In my personal opinion every week that we're not playing our home games in Coventry we will be losing existing supporters and failing to gain new ones from the youth of our city.

If the plan is for a return to the Ricoh after a successful outcome from the JR (and that ignores the possibility of appeals) and for all our previous support to come flooding back then I hope everyone does. However the longer this drags on the more likely it is that people will find something else to do on a Saturday that costs less or don't start supporting us. If a sale (and that appears to be the only way for Sisu to get their investors money back) would be more lucrative and for a higher price with a greater fan base then why encourage the loss of supporters by staying in Northampton.

We need to be back in Coventry before we run out of enough support, and this could be the (brought up to league standards) rugby club if it can be done over the summer. If f it is to be the new stadium then we need to start last year because we're in danger and I'm not sure that they realise how bad this could be.

 

[Grendel]

Some supporters will go to games regardless of where they are played or who the owners are. Some could only get to home games and now can't, some are doing NOPM, some won't return under Sisu ownership. Those are fans who may well attend matches again once we are back in Coventry but some have lost interest completely. It takes a hell of a lot more energy/cash to gain new customers than it does to retain the old existing ones. In my personal opinion every week that we're not playing our home games in Coventry we will be losing existing supporters and failing to gain new ones from the youth of our city.

If the plan is for a return to the Ricoh after a successful outcome from the JR (and that ignores the possibility of appeals) and for all our previous support to come flooding back then I hope everyone does. However the longer this drags on the more likely it is that people will find something else to do on a Saturday that costs less or don't start supporting us. If a sale (and that appears to be the only way for Sisu to get their investors money back) would be more lucrative and for a higher price with a greater fan base then why encourage the loss of supporters by staying in Northampton.

We need to be back in Coventry before we run out of enough support, and this could be the (brought up to league standards) rugby club if it can be done over the summer. If f it is to be the new stadium then we need to start last year because we're in danger and I'm not sure that they realise how bad this could be.

There is no evidence to suggest temporary absence from the city will reduce attendances. In fact Brighton as an example suggests the opposite may be true.

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

Some supporters will go to games regardless of where they are played or who the owners are. Some could only get to home games and now can't, some are doing NOPM, some won't return under Sisu ownership. Those are fans who may well attend matches again once we are back in Coventry but some have lost interest completely. It takes a hell of a lot more energy/cash to gain new customers than it does to retain the old existing ones. In my personal opinion every week that we're not playing our home games in Coventry we will be losing existing supporters and failing to gain new ones from the youth of our city.

If the plan is for a return to the Ricoh after a successful outcome from the JR (and that ignores the possibility of appeals) and for all our previous support to come flooding back then I hope everyone does. However the longer this drags on the more likely it is that people will find something else to do on a Saturday that costs less or don't start supporting us. If a sale (and that appears to be the only way for Sisu to get their investors money back) would be more lucrative and for a higher price with a greater fan base then why encourage the loss of supporters by staying in Northampton.

We need to be back in Coventry before we run out of enough support, and this could be the (brought up to league standards) rugby club if it can be done over the summer. If f it is to be the new stadium then we need to start last year because we're in danger and I'm not sure that they realise how bad this could be.

#

I hear you James Smith but sadly the horse has bolted........there is no way that our owners will get their investors money back unless we win the premier league, champions league and the voice.
Also they are well aware how bad it is, its purely damage limitation and stringing this one out searching for a miracle

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

There is no evidence to suggest temporary absence from the city will reduce attendances. In fact Brighton as an example suggests the opposite may be true.

and there is no evidence to suggest they will be back to previous levels, however i think that with success crowds would flock back, i just dont believe we will be in that situation unless something really mind blowing occurs. the balance sheet is too far gone in the wrong direction for that to happen. we are on the life support machine we just dont know it

 

[bigfatronssba]

and there is no evidence to suggest they will be back to previous levels, however i think that with success crowds would flock back, i just dont believe we will be in that situation unless something really mind blowing occurs. the balance sheet is too far gone in the wrong direction for that to happen. we are on the life support machine we just dont know it

It does feel that way.

The club is in a coma and likely to never wake up again, but until it fully dies we cant move on unfortunately.

 

[No future with SISU]

your really believe that? I am with you in thinking the 1500 are irrelevant but frankly the 8500 are just as impotent, Noble gesture staying away but influencing the outcome? not happening sadly.

SISU will not be able to carry out any plans with that amount of paying customers

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

SISU will not be able to carry out any plans with that amount of paying customers

And therein lies the truth, there is nothing they can do now anyway, whether 15,000 were going or 1500.

 

[James Smith]

There is no evidence to suggest temporary absence from the city will reduce attendances. In fact Brighton as an example suggests the opposite may be true.

As I say just personal opinion and not offering or suggesting that I have any evidence. At least the Gulls fans had an idea of where their impressive new stadium was going to be and possibly some plans. We've seen neither and just have Mr Labovitch unable to say what the plan is if we don't get planning permission and avoiding talking about how long Brighton took to get theirs. It's a gamble and who knows it may pay off big time for them, however it might not and it's our club they're gambling with. Also at some point the law of demising returns will surely kick in and no matter how much money they plough in, they won't get returns back that make the exercise worthwhile financially - if they were ever going to in the first place.

 

[tisza]

Brighton got "lucky". A fan prepared to put a lot of money into the club. First season attendances at Ricoh and Amex were similar. Brighton had the money to kick on we didn't.

 

[Grendel]

Brighton got "lucky". A fan prepared to put a lot of money into the club. First season attendances at Ricoh and Amex were similar. Brighton had the money to kick on we didn't.

The club played 70 miles from their home and then had a decade at an athletics track with restricted facilities and attendances.

Some theorists would suggest a return after such a long absence would mean fans have found something else to do on a Saturday.

They clearly hadn't.

 

[Johnnythespider]

With regard to the op, who in there right mind would ever describe a city fan as a GLORY supporter.

 

[shmmeee]

The club played 70 miles from their home and then had a decade at an athletics track with restricted facilities and attendances.

Some theorists would suggest a return after such a long absence would mean fans have found something else to do on a Saturday.

They clearly hadn't.

They had 40% of their fans turning up to the ground share. We have 15%.

They were away for 2 seasons, we will be away for at least 3.

Really not sure you can compare having an athletics track to being 35 miles away in a shed, but to go with your insanity: they had 4 promotion seasons whilst at the Withdean, the final one to the Championship in the season before the move to their new ground.

Talk about apples and oranges.

 

[Houchens Head]

Neil White/Tom Lowe:
Weren't they once The Pet Shop Boys? :thinking about:

 

[James Smith]

The club played 70 miles from their home and then had a decade at an athletics track with restricted facilities and attendances.

Some theorists would suggest a return after such a long absence would mean fans have found something else to do on a Saturday.

They clearly hadn't.

Lucky Brighton, hope we're as lucky if we come back to Coventry.

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

They had 40% of their fans turning up to the ground share. We have 15%.

They were away for 2 seasons, we will be away for at least 3.

Really not sure you can compare having an athletics track to being 35 miles away in a shed, but to go with your insanity: they had 4 promotion seasons whilst at the Withdean, the final one to the Championship in the season before the move to their new ground.

Talk about apples and oranges.

Couldn't agree more than with this statement, i hope it comes good for all of our sakes and we all get an outcome which means CCFC can move forward like Boro, like Charlton did and like Luton are doing now but from my perspective the pain is just starting and will get far worse.

Grendel will always have a counter argument and I value that and I actually hope he is proven correct.

 

[Grendel]

They had 40% of their fans turning up to the ground share. We have 15%.

They were away for 2 seasons, we will be away for at least 3.

Really not sure you can compare having an athletics track to being 35 miles away in a shed, but to go with your insanity: they had 4 promotion seasons whilst at the Withdean, the final one to the Championship in the season before the move to their new ground.

Talk about apples and oranges.

They were at the Withdean for a decade and before that there is the small matter of playing 70 miles away at Gillingham.

So if we moved say to Doncaster for two years you wouldn't be doubting fans ability to return - its because its Northampton? And you say its my insanity. Jesus.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Here we go again with the fickle fans brought it all on themselves cack. Anyone even mentioning city and the term "glory supporter" really has not been paying much attention for the last 40 years.

We have gone way past needing to worry about attendances increasing for bigger games or when on good run (a strange phenomena which only happens at CCFC). Long term "real fans" are just reaching the point where they can simply no longer be arsed with the treatment from the club and are saying enough is enough. You only have to read here, pick up a paper or just talk to your mates. It is very real and very damaging.

But hey if they didn't go to the Burton JPT game then who gives a shit - they're not worth keeping anyway right ?

I've just had a series of interesting conversations with Chelsea fans who have said they have endured 'tough times', like John Terry missing a penalty in the Champions League final, and one time when they finished 6th. Our problems pale into comparison with these poor souls.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

The club played 70 miles from their home and then had a decade at an athletics track with restricted facilities and attendances.

Some theorists would suggest a return after such a long absence would mean fans have found something else to do on a Saturday.

They clearly hadn't.

The very big difference was that we were voluntarily withdrawn from our stadium by our owners. BHA had the ground sold by crooks and the club had no choice but to play somewhere else; the Brighton and Hove bus company put on free transport to and from Gillingham, a benevolent owner took over from those who sold the Goldstone and but for Lewes council they would have moved into the Amex years before they did.

It is nowhere near comparable to our situation.

 

[Lorksalordy]

I've just had a series of interesting conversations with Chelsea fans who have said they have endured 'tough times', like John Terry missing a penalty in the Champions League final, and one time when they finished 6th. Our problems pale into comparison with these poor souls.

Exactly and did they all desert that terrible season they only won the carling Cup ? No, they supported their boys through the tough times. Not like our fickle lot. Don't get me started on the unsupportive owners....


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[NortonSkyBlue]

Exactly and did they all desert that terrible season they only won the carling Cup ? No, they supported their boys through the tough times. Not like our fickle lot. Don't get me started on the unsupportive owners....


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Chelsea 1 Coventry City 2 Premier league 4th May 1994, 8923 attendance at Stamford Bridge 10 days before an FA cup final. Very supportive! That said I agree that us CCFC fans are fickle.

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

They were at the Withdean for a decade and before that there is the small matter of playing 70 miles away at Gillingham.

So if we moved say to Doncaster for two years you wouldn't be doubting fans ability to return - its because its Northampton? And you say its my insanity. Jesus.

Completely different circumstance wasn't it though G?

 

[rupert_bear]

Success on the pitch brings fans in, nothing else. A return to the Ricoh would start with an emotional surge in interest and then it will depend on results and hope and winning games bring interest and hope.

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

Success on the pitch brings fans in, nothing else. A return to the Ricoh would start with an emotional surge in interest and then it will depend on results and hope and winning games bring interest and hope.

Thats your theory, I hope you are right. I suggest that the only way we will return to previous levels of support is with new owners who are transparent in their business plan and dealings with the fans, success on the field of play and some enticements in the initial stages of the return.

The club have lost the goodwill of its fan base and many will not return at all and we are losing the future sky blues in the process of our time away from Coventry.

One more thing where do you think this successful team is coming from? we are a mediocre at best league 1 side who are tens of millions in debt with no assets.

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

Thats your theory, I hope you are right. I suggest that the only way we will return to previous levels of support is with new owners who are transparent in their business plan and dealings with the fans, success on the field of play and some enticements in the initial stages of the return.

The club have lost the goodwill of its fan base and many will not return at all and we are losing the future sky blues in the process of our time away from Coventry.

One more thing where do you think this successful team is coming from? we are a mediocre at best league 1 side who are tens of millions in debt with no assets.

Agreed.. some achievement in 6 years.

(awaits blame the previous Government and Associated 'Partners' brigade)

 

[bigfatronssba]

They were at the Withdean for a decade and before that there is the small matter of playing 70 miles away at Gillingham.

So if we moved say to Doncaster for two years you wouldn't be doubting fans ability to return - its because its Northampton? And you say its my insanity. Jesus.

Bringing up the Withdean is irrelevant to be honest as it was still in Brighton.

 

[Lorksalordy]

Success on the pitch brings fans in, nothing else. A return to the Ricoh would start with an emotional surge in interest and then it will depend on results and hope and winning games bring interest and hope.

So, a bit like for every other club then. Not the case if you listen to some on here

 

[tisza]

Brighton is a bit different.Their crowds before they left the Goldstone were pretty much the same as the Withdean gates. Combination of new stadium and investment in the team got people there and comparative success has kept them going.

 

[stupot07]

Brighton is a bit different.Their crowds before they left the Goldstone were pretty much the same as the Withdean gates. Combination of new stadium and investment in the team got people there and comparative success has kept them going.

And fans willing to pay between £28-£39 to watch championship football.....




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[stupot07]

So, a bit like for every other club then. Not the case if you listen to some on here

Don't think anyone has contested that success = more fans, I think most of discussions centre on whether we're really a big a club with a big fan base as we think we are, and comparing us to similar clubs that have been in league one shows that our 'hardcore' appears to be comparably smaller than the majority of our peers.q


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[Lorksalordy]

Depends very much on who you consider our "peers" to be which in itself has to be taken based on some judgement on our club size.
Also, not really sure what is achieved by it other than some self proclaimed hardcore fans congratulating themselves on how dedicated they are whilst wallowing in pity that there aren't more like them. The only thing that surprises me about our fan base is that so many are still left caring. The notion that we somehow have a different quality of fan to other clubs is absurd.

 

[bigfatronssba]

Don't think anyone has contested that success = more fans, I think most of discussions centre on whether we're really a big a club with a big fan base as we think we are, and comparing us to similar clubs that have been in league one shows that our 'hardcore' appears to be comparably smaller than the majority of our peers.q


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Isn't that a bit of a contradiction though?

Similar sized clubs to use have all had far more success than we have in recent years, hence more fans.

 

[stupot07]

I don't think anyone was bigging themselves up, and by peers I think it was comparing our leage one fanbase (last season) with the likes of sheff Utd, leicester, Southampton, Norwich, etc all averaging 18k+ in league one compared to 10.8k. Yes lots of variables, not an exact science, etc, etc.

I haven't given up yet, we will be back, this is just blip in a 125+ year history.


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[stupot07]

Isn't that a bit of a contradiction though?

Similar sized clubs to use have all had far more success than we have in recent years, hence more fans.

Not all of them have, like I said it's not an exact science but is indicative. We're a decent size club but not a sleeping giant like some like to believe.


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[bigfatronssba]

Not all of them have.


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All those teams you listed have been in the premiership at least once in the last 10, have all enjoyed a couple of promotions, have all had a championship play off finish.

What have we had?