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+ www.altyfans.co.uk » General Category » Altrincham FC First Team
 Alty Travelling Support
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Author Topic: Alty Travelling Support  (Read 10825 times)

Sarf London Alty

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #30 on: January 13, 2020, 07:19:58 PM »

The attendance v Guiseley was good - but having just two turnstiles open on the Golf Road end? This needs looking at. Three people selling programmes and two people on the gate?

I went in the far side of the main stand with two e-tickets on my phone and no queue at all & inside the ground in 30 seconds. Think as take up of that improves it may draw people away from Golf Road entrance. Think getting people to turn up earlier (and there by spend more cash in the ground) would be a big thing in reducing those late queues too. On the support more widely if we got four figures for a Saturday home game in the NPL in the late 90s/early noughties that was a serious achievement, now it’s routine and indeed expected. The next step is how do we maintain that and then push up to more like 1500 home average.
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Timperley The Best

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #31 on: January 13, 2020, 07:37:24 PM »

The attendance v Guiseley was good - but having just two turnstiles open on the Golf Road end? This needs looking at. Three people selling programmes and two people on the gate?

I went in the far side of the main stand with two e-tickets on my phone and no queue at all & inside the ground in 30 seconds. Think as take up of that improves it may draw people away from Golf Road entrance. Think getting people to turn up earlier (and there by spend more cash in the ground) would be a big thing in reducing those late queues too. On the support more widely if we got four figures for a Saturday home game in the NPL in the late 90s/early noughties that was a serious achievement, now it’s routine and indeed expected. The next step is how do we maintain that and then push up to more like 1500 home average.

I bumped in to an old mate who hasn't been for years and is going to come  thsi season with having a beer being the deciding factor,of course if we go up crowds may not increase as no alcohol in league above ?
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Leeds Leeds Alty

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #32 on: January 13, 2020, 08:49:23 PM »

Every season throws up one of two outlier attendances either way - whether its the 3400 plus against Stockport on Boxing day or 600 against Blyth on a Tuesday night in January when the Manchester Derby is going on 5 miles down the road and is live on telly.

Disappointing though the attendance was, it is indicative of anything other than a set of factors which cumulatively dragged the attendance right down.

The attendance at Guiseley yesterday - 1243 - is a much more reliable indicator, and, with maybe 100 Guiseley fans attending at most, it was a great crowd.

When we were in Conference North 2011 to 2014, our average attendance was generally 850 to 900.  Our first season in Conference North 2004/05 saw an average of 665, and our 4 years in the Unibond saw average attendances drop to barely 600.

Last season we averaged 1244, with the Stockport game, and 1137 without.  This season sees out average home gate thus far this season at 1028.  If we stay in or around the play offs for the rest of the season, it seems likely that average will increase - our lower average this season is almost certainly due to a lacklustre first couple of months.

So, the clear evidence here is that home attendances have significantly increased in the short, medium and longer term - 25% up on last time we were in Conference North, and double what they were 15 to 20 years ago.  Our core support has increased markedly, despite or perhaps because of our dreadful successive relegations, followed by our resurgence under Phil P and co.  What we are seeing at Alty is unprecedented since the 1970s - we have caught the imagination of the town again, the good times are coming back, and we can look realistically at a future which could sustain league football if attendances keep pushing up as they have been. We just have to keep on getting it right on the pitch, and professionalise more off the pitch

I think the Saturday crowds are very healthy. The club has done an impressive job over the past couple of seasons in cashing in on the growing popularity of non-league football, with a number of successful match day initiatives and awareness drives. And I thought Saturday’s turnout was excellent.
It’s more the Saturday to Tuesday home fan conversion that I don’t think has kept pace. The past 7 days being a prime example.

And if you honestly believe Saturday is a “more reliable indicator” of the current core support level than last Tuesday was, then fair enough, but I think we’ll have to accept we each have very different understandings of the words ‘core support’.



Fair point Matt re the definition of 'core' - I am being deliberately over optimistic I guess.

However, a lot of people who consider themselves to be 'core' supporters struggle to get to mid-week matches - myself for example from Leeds - we have a high proportion of exiles who travel from all over the place for the Saturday matches, but for whom midweek matches are difficult.  The core support is probably about half way between the 600 home fans against Blyth and the 1140 against Guiseley - so maybe 870.  It still represents a big jump, and the fact is we are regularly getting over 1000, so the core is growing - except on Tuesdays in January perhaps!

Perhaps we need to start thinking about initiatives that get people to the night matches - focused more on the local community - how about reducing prices as a one off experiment.  I think the prices are pretty good - but the £11 concession price is a bit steep and may be putting off pensioners, students, unemployed (I guess that is what concessions covers).
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Leeds Leeds Alty

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #33 on: January 13, 2020, 09:03:27 PM »

really made a mess of cutting and pasting for last comment - still haven't got the hang of it - apologies all.

I did want to add totally agree with comments re lack of turnstile operators. It is getting embarrassing seeing the queues at every home game, and hearing the growing and completely understandable disgruntlement in the queues.

I did the turnstiles myself for about 3 years from 2012 to 2015 and only stopped because i had nowhere to stay for midweek games due to close family bereavements.  Back then, George Heslop organised the turnstiles, and there were never less than 7 or 8 gates open - including 1 or 2 at least at the away end. 

I am really happy to help again in whatever way i can - i just need to know who organises the turnstiles these days - but the club needs to put something on the website or in the next programme seeking volunteers, as it is becoming a real problem on match days.  We didn't have any away turnstiles open last Saturday, and we wouldn't expect any problems with Guiseley fans, who are a good bunch, but we are tempting fate every home match, and we cannot wait until there is an incident before dealing with this. 

As for getting people to turn up earlier, totally agree, but in 40 odd years supporting the club this has never changed!
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Pompey Paul

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #34 on: January 14, 2020, 01:20:45 PM »

The attendance v Guiseley was good - but having just two turnstiles open on the Golf Road end? This needs looking at. Three people selling programmes and two people on the gate?

I went in the far side of the main stand with two e-tickets on my phone and no queue at all & inside the ground in 30 seconds. Think as take up of that improves it may draw people away from Golf Road entrance. Think getting people to turn up earlier (and there by spend more cash in the ground) would be a big thing in reducing those late queues too. On the support more widely if we got four figures for a Saturday home game in the NPL in the late 90s/early noughties that was a serious achievement, now it’s routine and indeed expected. The next step is how do we maintain that and then push up to more like 1500 home average.

I bumped in to an old mate who hasn't been for years and is going to come  thsi season with having a beer being the deciding factor,of course if we go up crowds may not increase as no alcohol in league above ?

Why would there be no alcohol in the league above?
At Pompey in FL1  we have the Victory Bar underneath the Fratton End which can and often does accommodate 500 people.
We're about to apply for planning permission for the new Milton End where lots of you sat last year. One of the stated aims of this is that it will end the ban on selling away supporters alcohol.
https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/siteassets/pdfs/201920/miltonenddevelopment.pdf
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One Foot in the Grave

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #35 on: January 14, 2020, 01:28:17 PM »

You can certainly drink in the bar, but I'm not sure that it's the same for those of us who drink at the ground side in stadia where standing is still the norm. We certainly weren't able to do it when we were last in Conference National.
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cheshire cat

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #36 on: January 14, 2020, 01:46:47 PM »

That's the issue Paul. At our level you can drink on the terraces whilst watching the match!
We've got a craft bar similar to the one outside your ground and it does good business during the game.

My understanding is that if we get promoted the bar will stay but a screen will be erected so you can't see the pitch. It's the best that can be done and stay within the law.
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Ukrainian Alty

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #37 on: January 14, 2020, 01:58:01 PM »

Pompey Paul,

It is good to see you still paying an interest in our great little club.  Does this mean that we have become your 'other' team.  My guess is that you are following our results quite fervently and probably keeping up to speed with happenings via the club website(s).  Perhaps you might even consider attending a game at Alty if you ever find yourself within the environs?  I am sure a warm welcome would greet you.
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Pompey Paul

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Re: Alty Travelling Support
« Reply #38 on: January 17, 2020, 10:34:17 AM »

That's the issue Paul. At our level you can drink on the terraces whilst watching the match!
We've got a craft bar similar to the one outside your ground and it does good business during the game.

My understanding is that if we get promoted the bar will stay but a screen will be erected so you can't see the pitch. It's the best that can be done and stay within the law.

Ah, I see. I am old enough to have been brought up in the pens of the Old Fratton End. We were standing and I don't think that anyone would have stopped you taking a pint in in those days, however it definitely wouldn't have stayed in your hands when it became emotional!

Interestingly at Milton Keynes Dons, a supposedly state of the art stadium they designed the bars facing the pitch and the regulations are met by putting up a load of old builders tarpaulins in the away end.
Pompey Paul,

It is good to see you still paying an interest in our great little club.  Does this mean that we have become your 'other' team.  My guess is that you are following our results quite fervently and probably keeping up to speed with happenings via the club website(s).  Perhaps you might even consider attending a game at Alty if you ever find yourself within the environs?  I am sure a warm welcome would greet you.
Ha, I still look in from time to time but I could never support a club with a strip like that! (too close to those who can't be named for my liking).
However I do like doing grounds and if the chance came up of doing it in conjunction with a Pompey Away Match Id be game.
As it happens you may see Blue shirts (including mine) passing close by tomorrow. 2000 of us are heading for Bolton.
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 Alty Travelling Support