Fleet Attendance

[Harry J Allstars]

I would like to join the trust and I will do but I also want part of this supporters group. Please don't tell me you lot are going start arguing amongest yourselves over officialdom of the "proper" fleet fans. We have to work together in order to move forwards.

[Jimmy]

Have you approached the Trust with your concerns?

You are right, debate should take place but this forum caters for an extremely small percentage of supporters.

[Harry J Allstars]

Quote:

I would like to join the trust and I will do

This Saturday infact....

[Guest]

Not really concerns as such Jimmy, just reservations. I think the one thing we are all agreed upon is that the trust do a fantastic job and are very much needed. The last thing I would dream of doing is trying to persuade people who already donate to the trust to donate their funds elsewhere – that would be pointless.

 

The point I am trying to make (very unsuccessfully by the looks of things) is that there are numerous individuals like myself who attend a handful of fleet games throughout the season with mates but don’t come back on a regular basis for various reasons.

 

Whether we like it or not we need to appeal to a wider range of people if our fan base is going to increase. All I am suggesting is that I am willing to put up initial funds in order to get the ball rolling, and try to attract more supporters in my position.

 

If this is such a bad idea, then why do almost all league clubs have independent supporters groups run along these lines who travel independently from the official club, but still support the club. If you read Premiership and Championship teams match day programs, you will notice at very times thought the year awards being made for the player of the year from say the Medway Hammers or Essex Whites (examples only obviously).

 

If there club were approached with an offer of selling 100 tickets for every home game (from a supporters group or local company) at a discount of £2 per ticket, would they be interested? Would they consider speaking with groups such as the Riverview Reds and so on about bulk buying of match day tickets?

 

Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.

[Guest]

Just like to clarify that I’m not on the blag for free tickets or whatever.

 

I’m talking about discounts for bulk sales only, if penny pinching were my thing I would risk putting money into an idea which could leave me personally out of pocket, and with £1000 worth of unsold tickets.

[Harry J Allstars]

Quote:

Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.

A man with a plan

[Guest]

indeed

[Harry J Allstars]

A cunning plan Baldrick?

[Guest]

cunning enought to be able to fut a tale on it and call it a weasel.

[Harry J Allstars]

Quote:

You can't artificially create fans overnight.

We need a sustained period in the top flight of non league football, preferably at the right end of the table.

we have made great strides, in recent years, and now have many people attending the Fleet on a regular basis who used to previously make the trek up to the London clubs each week.

It takes time to win people over, we are building up the hardcore number of fans.( Tripled in last few years ) Yes we would all like it to grow faster.
But be patient, we are moving in the right direction.

It can be done..
Keep the faith and keep spreading the message. Anyone who attended the game on Saturday, will be coming back for more.

If we do get league football, we would put Gills to shame with our attendances.

Funnily enough the second post in this thread made the most sense.

[DarrenGNFC]

I'd like to get more involved with Fleet matters eventually. Not right now, as I don't think I have enough knowledge to have a valid viewpoint on the team at the moment. I've only seen four games this season - the last four home games, Barnet, Accrington, Crawley, Eastbourne and intend to see every home game from now on - but I used to go a lot when I was younger. Travel problems being the reason for my long absence.

 

Anyway, I just thought I'd post this to let you know I'd be interested in helping out in some way in the future, and that - maybe a bit like the other poster - my main worry would simply be that I'd be treated as a lesser fan without a valid opinion due to my lack of knowledge. I suppose it wouldn't be a complete surprise if that's how I was treated, but I suppose everyone's got to start somewhere. Or restart, in my case. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

[jc]

There is certainly a temptation for longer-term supporters such as myself (11 years, 4 or so of going home and away now I'm old enough) to show superiority over more recent converts. But ultimately this is stupid, since it would be hypocritical both to want our attendances to increase and to not welcome new supporters with open arms. So yes, I'm sure your input would be welcomed.

 

After all, a fan of, say, 20 years could just as easily call me a lightweight... <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

The club will only be able to progress when we get an additional 1500 people thru the turnstiles each game.

Whether you have been here 50 years or 5 days. If you can help the club to get there you are as important and valid as the next man or woman.

Don't let some of the old timers on here and at the ground put you off.

[Hempstead Gaz]

We really shouldn't stand in the way of progress. If the Riverview, or Denton or KingsFarm or wherever supporters wanted to band together , fine. There are allies to the trust, not oppostion. We all have one common cause, to increase attendances to a point where the board feel confident enough to take the club full time.

Having been watching the Fleet since the grim days of the mid 1960's, when 450 was a good crowd, it is sometimes difficult to believe how far the Fleet have progressed - even in the last 10 years.

[Number 8]

If the GNFC web-site was up and running, maybe interseting admission offers could be shown to a wider audience. It's a shame this very valuable tool is not working at present, why is this so?.

 

I have been a keen supporter for years, and visit Stonebridge Road at every opportunity. The Fleet cannot rely on 'word of mouth' promotions if you want more supporters/spectators. Conference football is a damn good level to spectate, so get the web-site working for you and tell as many people as possible to come and enjoy.

 

If we don't get a result, at least the burgers and bovril are winners...!!

[American FLEET FAN No1]

The last attempt at a "Official Website" was such a joke, i wonder if they are scared to try again.Pity the person who ran the original can't be persuaded to make a comeback!

[Number 8]

I know an awesome web designer who could work wonders on the GNFC Official site.. I was browsing club sites in lower leagues and they out do most higher league clubs in terms on info, layout and outright professionalism. The first point of contact for most people nowadys is the web, and I reckon The Fleet are missing out on some important turnover without it..!!

 

C'mon Fleet, you need 'Sell, sell, sell' attitude in order to be a success. Promote the club in a way it deserves, then watch the punters flood in.

 

Speaking from a Marketing view of course.. no malice intended..! ;-)

[Guest]

Quote:

C'mon Fleet, you need 'Sell, sell, sell' attitude in order to be a success. Promote the club in a way it deserves, then watch the punters flood in.

 

To do that you need someone with PR skills - Now where could we find someone like that ?

 

Maybe the CEO - Oh no we don't have one

Maybe by employing an established footie PR person - Oh we did but he left .

 

Come on Fleet sort it out behind the scenes.

We are missing the opportunity to grow. We have waited ages to get in this position, lets grasp the nettle before its too late.

[Stu M]

Quote:

but wouldnt running running an "Ultras" style group in that fashion of donating money be running in competetion with the supporters trust with some fans choosing to donate to an "ultras" style group over the official supporters trust.

How about a supporters' team? A properly-run side linked in every way possible to GNFC playing in one of the Sunday leagues? I recall in my dim and distant Milton & Denton days, and on the four occasions I turned out for Cedar United, that it was a massive social occasion, with as many as four or five teams based around a pub. Base a team around the club and the social bar, and you've got a hub of support that can only build, especially if you include family and friends. Obviously, it needs proper organisation to run even a Sunday league team (and I'm not offering my Big Ron-style managerial nous!!!), but just another idea in the hat...

[Harry J Allstars]

Good idea and all ideas are welcome, but I don't think this is what we are looking for. We could definately still do it but to attract those that would think about coming down to Gravesend we need something to get them involved without actually having to do anything.