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by Andrew6726/2/2014 10:25Wed Feb 26 10:25:34 2014 3 peopleview thread
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You got no fans, you got no atmosphere!
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Is what the Wealdstone Raider will be chanting when he visits Wheatsheaf Park next season.
Beer in hand, he will be full of admiration for our "Football League quality" facilities, the best pitch in the league, the fact we host Chelsea Ladies and hopefully our winning style of football, but at the same time will be completely baffled as to why a club with such great facilities and success has not done what is required to get more fans through the door? He will be thinking "This club finished last season in the highest ever position in its history, played its nearest Football League Club in the FA Cup and on top of that, two FA Trophy games against ex top flight club Luton Town.
So where are the fans????? This season we had an average of 278 people come through the gates of Wheatsheaf Park, a figure which by even Ryman Premier standards would see us in the bottom half of the attendance table.
Despite the success we have achieved on the pitch, I feel this attendance failing has now come to a head and it has come to the stage where enough really is enough! This club will never get fans through the gates all the while the atmosphere is quite literally about as alive as a Dodo. The club will never be self funding all the while this issue is not addressed. I have been saying this for years but the club will not listen. Instead it moans that there are too many local clubs in the area for us to compete with a fan base, whilst those other clubs continue to deliver what we cannot. "Atmoshere" quite simply there aint none. And do you know why because I do and its perfectly obvious staring right there in your face.
"There are two whopping great voids behind both goals"
There, I said it and I know what the club's reply to that statement will be and that is that "we cannot get the land behind the left hand goal because the farmer won't sell." Fair point, however there is a small section of land behind the goal that is a few yards deep, behind that there is another fence. Now I stand to be corrected but isn't that piece of land between the two fences ours? If so, why has it not been utilised as part of the ground thus giving us more room behind the goal? This is SCREAMING out to be developed into a small covered terrace which will then BINGO give us atmosphere. And what does atmosphere bring us?...... "FANS"
It may well be that the club has bigger long terms plans for the future as to regards to developing this end of the ground but I'm thinking more short term just to get a bloody atmosphere and get some fans through the gates.
I will even put up a grand of my own money to get this CRUCIAL issue sorted, I don't even want re-paying, I think if all the fans put some money towards it we could do what Spelthorne Sports have done and do it ourselves. The club needs to wake up, it aint rocket science.
Other than that congrats on a highly successful season, long may it continue on the pitch even if it don't off it.
Wakes.
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Re: You got no fans, you got no atmosphere!
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Firstly are we allowed to create such a covering behind the goals? Once we have confirmation of this, we can get the ball rolling.
Secondly, what are the hierarchy's opinion of this happening. Would they want the covered areas? Or do they have there own plans.
Thirdly, we could go getting money from fans, but as you said there's not many of us at the club at the moment and how many will pay?
I am happy to try and raise some money through an event of some sort. A fund raising event on behalf of the fans to raise some cash?
Anyone else?
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Re: You got no fans, you got no atmosphere!
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A good post from veteran supporter 'Wakes', and a very generous offer made too!
But, would the club accept such an offer? Loss of club control comes to mind.
STFC were probably relieved not to be in the play-offs, promotion to the Conference Premier would be considered disastrous on gates of 250/300 and who could really disagree? Gate clicks need to improve or the club can have no hope of progressing further up the football ladder.
Cover behind the goal/s would certainly be a step in the right direction but atmosphere is a key factor and can only be generated by fans. I think it’s a case of ‘Got no atmosphere, got no fans’ Wakes! Even the once noisy choir seems to be in decline. Nobody wants to see a return of the ‘library’ days.
What is disappointing is the fact there is virtually no interaction between the club and fans which suggests the club is not interested in fans views, idea’s or opinions. Could somebody correct me if my assumption is wrong? The ‘club’ atmosphere is stone cold!
No apologies for ‘labouring’ a previous post, criticisms and press coverage of (generally very well behaved) fans in the stand following the Gosport game were unwarranted. Fans being told to “hey go somewhere else" after an opinion was expressed was a crazy exchange of words and will do little to encourage new fans who read such articles, it just displays a lack of respect. It’s not the first time paying fans have been critcised for voicing an opinion.
Maybe a name change would help, …. Staines Town United FC?
Staines 'Boon' Town Football Club.
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Re: You got no fans, you got no atmosphere!
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I have said this for years.... Look at woking !!! They have boost the budget which they raise an absolute fortune all from fans who want to help the club, this allowed them to push on and get promotion back to the premier.
Personally I don't feel one small building improvement will bring fans, but it seems the club are more interested in building a facility nowhere near the current ground that none of us will benefit from.
Danswan-"Attendance is nothing"
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