Dip in Crowds

**Arsene About** · 16/06/2005, 12:22 PM

According to the post about attendedences on the league, it seems that crowds are falling.Anyone any ideas as to why this is? at the last league game I wa sat in the Flan Siro, the area around me in the stand semsed to be full of young girls who had no real interest in the match! No saying this is a bad thing, but why the fall of in numbers?

**De Town** · 16/06/2005, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Arsene About

According to the post about attendedences on the league, it seems that crowds are falling.Anyone any ideas as to why this is?

People in Longford dont appreciate what they have a couple of miles out the road, they would rather sit on their arses in some pub in Town and wath the Premiersh�t

at the last league game I wa sat in the Flan Siro, the area around me in the stand semsed to be full of young girls who had no real interest in the match! No saying this is a bad thing, but why the fall of in numbers?

There are a lot of girls that go to matches and just chat. Personally, I dont think its a bad thing because they give more money to the club and they make the attendance look bigger.

I expect a big crowd this Saturday though, after 4 wins in a row, and against a fellow form team.

**jorge** · 16/06/2005, 12:38 PM

I wouldnt be so sure.

**De Town** · 16/06/2005, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by jorge

I wouldnt be so sure.

Why not

**jorge** · 16/06/2005, 12:42 PM

Longford crowds usually stay the same all year round low enough but im not saying we get the best crowds in the country.

**De Town** · 16/06/2005, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by jorge

Longford crowds usually stay the same all year round low enough but im not saying we get the best crowds in the country.

Yeah, but the sunshiners come out for the big occasion, ie Shels at the end of last season, about 2000 at it.

**Bosco** · 16/06/2005, 1:10 PM

Im not all that optimistic to be honest.At this stage a good crowd for us is anything over 1000 which is pitiful.When you compare our crowds to some of the crowds other teams in the league are getting we are seriously lagging behind and yeah i know we are a small town with a small population blah blah blah but you cant deny that crowds at flancare have been getting smaller especially this season even with the success of the team and something shi=ould be done to change that.When you look at it,probably 50% of our crowd are kids which means our away support is always going to be small.The club should be targeting the 20-35 age group.

**Dyl10** · 16/06/2005, 2:57 PM

probably 50% of our crowd are kids

Imo oppinion this amount of kids at a match is a huge plus for several reasons.

1. It nearly ensures that the future of the club is safe
2. It gives the club more of a family image
3. Several years down the road they will hopefully bring their familys

So at least your not like Shells were 50% of their fanbase are pensioners

**Ronnie** · 16/06/2005, 3:14 PM

Saturday night should give an indication. Kids are free again according to the paper, the team are on a roll, Derry are managed by Kenny, as loved by a lot of our fans as much now as ever. It would be poor it their wasn't 1000 home fans.

**Bosco** · 16/06/2005, 6:18 PM

Originally Posted by Dyl10

Imo oppinion this amount of kids at a match is a huge plus for several reasons.

1. It nearly ensures that the future of the club is safe
2. It gives the club more of a family image
3. Several years down the road they will hopefully bring their familys

So at least your not like Shells were 50% of their fanbase are pensioners

I realised this as I was posting it.The future looks good but at the moment it is worrying that the town are not attracting your average football fan.Many of the kids attending spend their time walking around talking,who knows if they'll still be coming to flancare in a few years to actually watch the game.We no longer have a good hardcore support especially traveling away.When you look at other teams(not just in ireland),the majority of their fans are aged 20-35.They have big vocal travelling supporters,we dont have this.Allright I know vocal support and a good athmosphere are not the most important thing to a football club but imo a good atmosphere and joining in singing etc is a pull factor for the el in comparison to just watching games at home on tele.Also remember that adults pay double what kids do into flancare

**Sonic** · 16/06/2005, 7:13 PM

Originally Posted by Arsene About

According to the post about attendedences on the league, it seems that crowds are falling.Anyone any ideas as to why this is? at the last league game I wa sat in the Flan Siro, the area around me in the stand semsed to be full of young girls who had no real interest in the match! No saying this is a bad thing, but why the fall of in numbers?

i thinkits obvious dont you. people arent goin to pay 15 euro a game to watch s**t

**Bosco** · 16/06/2005, 7:30 PM

So I take it you wont be attending flancare again this season Sonic

**observer** · 17/06/2005, 8:29 AM

One major factor effecting gates at Flancare is summer football. Winter gates are augmented in a big way by GAA supporters from Longford, Leitrim Cavan and Roscommon. Come the summer there are too many clashes with club championship matches and attracive inter county matches. These people just cannot afford to pay into two games or more at weekends and will opt for their first sporting interest. There are no English or European soccer matches on telly at the moment so that is not effecting attendances.

**Arsene About** · 17/06/2005, 9:50 AM

Good point made by Cop on when you say we should encourage the large foreign population in the town to come out to support the club. Maybe knock a few quid off the ticket price too for games against the smaller teams in the league. Anything that can raise the level of support has to worth a go

**Macy** · 17/06/2005, 9:55 AM

Is it worth another experiment with Friday night football? An 8 O'Clock kick off? I've always been a strong adovocate of Saturday football, but would an increase in home support make up for a drop in away fans?

Like I said, a big contradiction for me who reckons that Saturday or Sunday afternoon should be the time for football, but would it avoid a clash with the bogball, if that is effecting gates?

8pm Kick off at the earliest imo, to give people a chance to get down, both home and away fans... Has to be a realistic chance of making it down from Dublin afterwork. 5pm leaving time, should give enough time to get down for an 8pm kick off without too much of a rush.

Can't believe I'm suggesting Friday night football....

**Sonic** · 17/06/2005, 11:11 AM

No i will be attending flancare but others wont.As i said before the lads and lassies on foot.ie and a 100 or so other will be there but it aint enough and im afraid to say i understand where they are coming from.