2007 Supporter Targets?

**MervilleUnited** · 22/11/2006, 9:10 PM

With all the talk of going full time, no mention of how it will be paid for

In fairness to The lads released, the Celtic Tiger means that wages are reasonable in the majority of Jobs, and most jobs provide a level of security at this time. If Rovers hit a bad patch who pays the wages?

With thanks to Pineapple Stu:
Average Attendance 2006 PREMIER DIVISION
Bohs - 1463 (1976; 2340)
Bray - 1057 (1550; 818 FD) (missing Longford 2)
Cork - 3003 (3644; 4033) (missing St Pat's 1)
Derry - 2973 (2698; 1672) (missing Sligo 2)
Drogheda - 1751 (1682; 1554)
Dublin City - 488 (175 FD; 592)
Longford - 725 (1004; 1131) (missing Bohs 2 and Shels)
Pat's - 1342 (1599; 1882)
Shels - 1690 (1949; 2158)
Sligo - 1859 (1794 First Division 2005; 781 FD) (missing Drogheda figure)UCD - 546 (653; 306 FD)
Waterford - 915 (1513; 1753)

Interesting stuff. Seems that an increase of 1000 between 2005 and 2006, but only 65 extra supporters on average attended this season, which for the most part should have been a more attractive product. Are we at saturation point? If so, can we sustain full time? We are 1100 supporters behind Cork at the moment, so can this be improved? Ideas?

**CollegeTillIDie** · 22/11/2006, 9:39 PM

Well given you are already on 1,859, the target should be an average of 2,000!

**The Stars** · 22/11/2006, 9:46 PM

Some good PR and marketing on behalf of the League and the Club itself is what is needed here...with that we could be looking at 3000 for every game

**sligoman** · 22/11/2006, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by MervilleUnited

Interesting stuff. Seems that an increase of 1000 between 2005 and 2006, but only 65 extra supporters on average attended this season, which for the most part should have been a more attractive product. Are we at saturation point? If so, can we sustain full time? We are 1100 supporters behind Cork at the moment, so can this be improved? Ideas?

Maybe if you(among others) actually started going to games, attendances will improve

.

**Bravo** · 23/11/2006, 8:36 AM

Good man RD are we guaranteed 1860 next season? Still the 3rd best supported club in the League.

**dublinred** · 23/11/2006, 9:37 AM

I think the budget was based on 2000 last year so good overall.

**red_away** · 23/11/2006, 12:36 PM

And not in a good way!

These figures show shels crowd dropping year on year (even in a champ winning year) and the same with cork (who by right should have a much bigger crowd anyway)

Even though performances are improving in europe and the EL product as a whole is much better.

Whilst Derry's crowd is only on the recovery from a very severe drop in attendances - the only bright light in this is the Drogs support!

Also Bohs, Pats, Bray, W'ford and longford all have dropping attendances

And DC and UCD crowds are nearly not worth mentioning (No disrespect to their fans intended).

Where does this leave the EL? As i thought that with doing so well in euope and having such a close title race, improved facilities, summer football etc - we would see a substantial overall increase in attendances?

Is it reality to say that every proud irish football supporter would rather support an english club and make the 'hand cleansing' comment that 'I would follow the EL but its SH1T3!!!'

If these attendances were to keep to this pattern i would suggest that full time football teams will only be a short term phenomena or the preserve of those teams with a 'sugar daddy' or sell their birthright and have large amounts of cash in the short term but gamble on their supporters will to travel further to home games?

Not a good sign for the future i think!

**MervilleUnited** · 23/11/2006, 5:25 PM

Originally Posted by sligoman

Maybe if you(among others) actually started going to games, attendances will improve

Ouch!

Too Busy providing the next generation of Players for the Rovers!

**Midgit** · 23/11/2006, 6:06 PM

By the look of those stats our attendaces are destined to drop next season!!!

**Red&White Rover** · 23/11/2006, 7:16 PM

well with all the locals seemingly gone i'd say it is very likely...

**gustavo** · 23/11/2006, 8:15 PM

Having locals has never equalled sucess in my book so people cant have it both ways , i know that its nice to have local players in the team but to be honest i'd rather have a successful club

**Red&White Rover** · 23/11/2006, 9:39 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

Having locals has never equalled sucess in my book so people cant have it both ways , i know that its nice to have local players in the team but to be honest i'd rather have a successful club

im not saying that we need locals for success, im saying that crowds will go down because of lack of them...

**The Stars** · 23/11/2006, 10:43 PM

Of course you need locals in the team.Without them, the team has no identity,in terms of that group of players could play in any other country together,and it wouldnt make a difference to Sligo.
McCartney and Curran are two locals we have left anyway.
You never know who we will bring in,maybe some other locals, like Gilroy,Mark Rossister, Cawley etc.

**avvenalaf** · 23/11/2006, 11:41 PM

Spot on, The Stars. That's what has made Arsenal so successful.

**The Stars** · 24/11/2006, 9:52 AM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Spot on, The Stars. That's what has made Arsenal so successful.

I never said that locals will bring success,the point i am making is that you need a few locals to give the team a sense of identity and passion,which the crowd can connect with.This is not the case with Arsenal,as their fans are about as passionate at a pack of cream crackers.

**feo123** · 24/11/2006, 7:36 PM

a simple thing to do is get rid of that eejit sutherland....he's done absolutely nothing to promote sligo rovers FC in the public only set up a few camps and nothing else! get someone decent in and advertise sligo rovers again

**feo123** · 24/11/2006, 7:38 PM

bring back raf!!

**SligoBrewer** · 24/11/2006, 11:19 PM

sutherland is a muppet. no denying that,

raf left us, and he'd make a nice attacking midfielder especially since we've now got peersy at right back.

i wouldn't mind cawley comin back but if o'grady and co dont want to go full time we cant do much about it. there isn't many other local talent although, i like the look of coleman even though he isn't local.

back to the topic, there was no appealing to the child market!
none! schools would be more than happy to have a visit from the man from the rovers, and the kids would love it...

another thing....
the childs ticket fiasco.
we need an u-16's ticket like there is at bray! why should non students be paying student rates? i was quizzed bout the price one night when i went in by the guy at the turnstiles, he wanted to charge me 15 euro coz i had no id! im 15 ffs!

**feo123** · 26/11/2006, 7:52 PM

correct me if im wrong...i dont really know, but if galway wernt full time last year would many of their players be out of contract? i.e....Raf, even foley??