2,010 for 2010

[Steelworks End]

The town' needs to decide whether or not it wants to support its team back into the Football League or stay sat on its collective arse watching Soccer Saturday and having a 'day out' once every blue moon.

I feel that it's probably the latter, and is likely to remain so until facilities are improved at Holker Street. Whilst the die-hard supporters may be prepared to put up with uncovered terraces and toilet facilities that were primitive when the ground was built and haven't been improved since, casuals will expect something better - perhaps not on a par with the Riverside or the Stadium of Light but something more than a roof on one side and a wall to have a leak against.

Also, with the inexorable move towards all-seater stadia - or even grounds with a higher seat-to-terrace ratio than before - the club probably needs to consider whether the existing stand is big enough for future requirements ( I say this as someone who far prefers to spend 90 minutes upright than sat on my backside).

Unfortunately, its a Catch-22 situation; without the extra income we can't improve facilities, and without the improved facilities we won't attract casual supporters. Perhaps the feasibility study will highlight areas where cost-effective improvements can be made - we shall wait and see.

It's worth noting, though, that even in Football League days, we were one of the poorest supported clubs.

[Spanner]

I'm not sure that it's the facilities that are keeping people away, more the quality of the football compared to what people are used to seeing on Match of the Day and Sky. Part of this is just a fact of life of playing at BSP level - I couldn't believe the number of people around me at the SOL moaning about how poorly we were playing in the first half as if they were expecting us to be a team full of Rooneys and Gerrards. There is a part that is self-inflicted though through overly defensive tactics, particularly in home games.

[barrowaberdeen]

In my view, it's not just about the club offering incentives to the kids (which it should do, natch) - it's also about getting more paying adults in. 'The town' needs to decide whether or not it wants to support its team back into the Football League or stay sat on its collective arse watching Soccer Saturday and having a 'day out' once every blue moon.

+1

[philmac]

In my view, it's not just about the club offering incentives to the kids (which it should do, natch) - it's also about getting more paying adults in. 'The town' needs to decide whether or not it wants to support its team back into the Football League or stay sat on its collective arse watching Soccer Saturday and having a 'day out' once every blue moon.

+1

+2.
But herein lies the conundrum...........cheers, Murdoch!!

[themaster]

I have a solution , (it wont actually work untill 2014) all you young uns on here start breeding !! improve the stock of the town!breed a whole new generation of Barrow fans ! that ul work !! just think if half of us can bring a new barrow fan into the world the attendance will reach 2010 !! (sod the cost of a new child think of your football club !!!!!)

[mickmike wilson]

Furness Prem League introduce 12:30 KOs & you young uns copulate us back into the FL or die trying

[Angela]

The town' needs to decide whether or not it wants to support its team back into the Football League or stay sat on its collective arse watching Soccer Saturday and having a 'day out' once every blue moon.

I feel that it's probably the latter, and is likely to remain so until facilities are improved at Holker Street. Whilst the die-hard supporters may be prepared to put up with uncovered terraces and toilet facilities that were primitive when the ground was built and haven't been improved since, casuals will expect something better - perhaps not on a par with the Riverside or the Stadium of Light but something more than a roof on one side and a wall to have a leak against.

Also, with the inexorable move towards all-seater stadia - or even grounds with a higher seat-to-terrace ratio than before - the club probably needs to consider whether the existing stand is big enough for future requirements ( I say this as someone who far prefers to spend 90 minutes upright than sat on my backside).

Unfortunately, its a Catch-22 situation; without the extra income we can't improve facilities, and without the improved facilities we won't attract casual supporters. Perhaps the feasibility study will highlight areas where cost-effective improvements can be made - we shall wait and see.

It's worth noting, though, that even in Football League days, we were one of the poorest supported clubs.

Sadly that is very true! (the last paragraph)

[Ralph]

I have been giving some thought as to how to entice people to come to HS, there was a note in the last HSN asking for people outside of LA14 land offering lifts to BAFC games and for those trying to cadge a ride to get in touch.

I can’t help thinking the idea of encouraging school children to the games is well meant, but flawed. If we are looking at bringing the children as part of a school group, then the teachers will have to accompany them, and I can’t see them wanting to give up their weekends to do so, but someone will need to supervise the munchkins. If we are expecting someone connected with BAFC to do so, then there are considerable protocols to follow.

Perhaps a better way would be encourage them to come with an adult, and not just someone who is going to let them loose after they walk in the gate.

The work being done by Craig Rutherford is a step in the right direction, but for whatever reason, finding out what he and the others are up to is a little difficult, and believe me, I have tried.

In my experience, appeals for more people through the gate via the Mail and website aren’t going to be successful, people want the personal touch, in that they want someone to badger them to go, and if necessary, accompany them.

It would be interesting to carry out some research into how people started supporting the club, and work out what’s going to be effective in the 21st century.

I started going to HS when my father took me, and when I became old enough, went on my own, at the time, supporting BAFC wasn’t the trendiest thing a lad could do, but I stuck through it, at the moment, this isn’t the case, after all, if following Barrow after playing Sunderland isn’t deemed as cool, when I don’t think it ever will.
So where do we go from here?

Is there anyone out there who would be willing to co-ordinate such a survey?

[Wintergreen]

You loved it so much you naffed off to NZ to get as far away as possible.

[Optimism]

The hardcore that love the club will obligingly give of their £13/£14 each home game. To a proportion of the floaters and some who would like to go, that's simply too much money to fork out each week for football which, being of conference standing, tends to be of variable quality. Such is the standard we're competing at in this division, against comparative megabucks ex-Leaguers like Oxford and Luton not to mention ambitious Gateshead, I can see why the price has been set at this level.

I believe we need to look at making the match day experience consistently better, so regardless of form and results (although these will always have the biggest pull) a good, value for money day can still be had inspite of any failings our improving team might show. Better facilities (though I for one am happy with Holker St as is, bar the paucity of toilets, a Holker St end roof would be pricey) or in-ground initiatives, such as publicised food and drink deals, would be a start towards tempting more ummers and ahhers.

[Wintergreen]

I’m sure there are many socio-economic reasons why people don’t attend regularly, Barrow is not a particularly affluent area, those in work traditionally earn less than the average wage and we have the highest unemployment figures for 19-25 year olds in the country apparently. Combined with the distraction of our RL team and general inherit apathy, we will struggle for ‘good’ gates even if we did get back in the FL.

[bafctimmy]

not going to make 2,010 if the police are going to continue handing out banning orders willy nilly to regular supporters who go home and away (well use to)

[Jonty]

This is an article lifted from the site- "The Political Economy of Football". The last paragraph hits home. Yes ticket deals are great and we need to bring new fans in but we also need those fans coming in at a price that is going to balance the books. The seriousness of this cannot be underestimated. We will not reach the 3rd round of the FA cup every year and to sustain our position in BSP we need to break even with the gates. - Article reads-

"However, non-league clubs defeated in the 3rd round have benefitted from their cup run. York normally lose £300,000 a year and received a £150,000 boost from their trip to Stoke City. Luton's trip to Southampton earned them about £150,000 which will be used to reduce budgeted losses. Barrow made £200,000 from this year's cup run. However, the club's regular attendance of 1,000 - 1,300 at home games is not really enough to support Conference football, let alone promotion to the Football League. 1,600 - 1,700 is needed for the club to break even, but they are aiming at an average of 2,010 for the remaining games of the season to help them financially"

Link-

http://www.footballeconomy.com/

[Stu_Barrow_Afc]

Unless we get through in the trophy can anyone see us getting 1 attendance over 2000? Nevermind 10

[philmac]

Unless we get through in the trophy can anyone see us getting 1 attendance over 2000? Nevermind 10

I agree Stu, it sounded like a ridiculous things to say at the time and moreso now.