[Tigermatty 2.0]

If the club is ever going to progress then at some point there has to be a plan which lasts longer than half a season. We have been running before we can walk for too long.

[drbob]

If the club is ever going to progress then at some point there has to be a plan which lasts longer than half a season. We have been running before we can walk for too long.

Can't disagree with that. 

In my time supportiing City we've had at least three chairmen (LA, KG & AP) who have tried to buy success and ended up leaving the club in a financial mess, with unpaid debts and a consequent poor reputation amongst both players and other businesses. 

If it wasn't for EMG, we'd have gone to the wall long ago.

[Neil]

Same old thing again I'm afraid, all of your friends, neighbours and fellow citizens. You could feel a tremor around Gloucester when Alexander-Arnold equalised an hour before City kicked off yesterday. Then there are those who march off down to Kingsholm because it's the Premiership. Doesn't matter that it's rugby or that it's ****. It's the Premiership so it's the thing to do.

Unfortunately it's always going to take a Les, Keith or Alex to speculate to accumulate yet one Kettering performance and they won't come again.

[Tigermatty 2.0]

Same old thing again I'm afraid, all of your friends, neighbours and fellow citizens. You could feel a tremor around Gloucester when Alexander-Arnold equalised an hour before City kicked off yesterday. Then there are those who march off down to Kingsholm because it's the Premiership. Doesn't matter that it's rugby or that it's ****. It's the Premiership so it's the thing to do.

Unfortunately it's always going to take a Les, Keith or Alex to speculate to accumulate yet one Kettering performance and they won't come again.

See the ‘you are the chairman’ thread on the other forum, it takes more than haemorrhaging money in wages. The size of the city works against us sometimes, it hard to get noticed. You need someone who knows how to market the club to people, or even better, knows what marketing means. We’ve had 5 years to try to get this right and we’re no closer.

[Paul]

Same old thing again I'm afraid, all of your friends, neighbours and fellow citizens. You could feel a tremor around Gloucester when Alexander-Arnold equalised an hour before City kicked off yesterday. Then there are those who march off down to Kingsholm because it's the Premiership. Doesn't matter that it's rugby or that it's ****. It's the Premiership so it's the thing to do.

Unfortunately it's always going to take a Les, Keith or Alex to speculate to accumulate yet one Kettering performance and they won't come again.

The crowds will come - but only if we're successful. We saw crowds of 2000 + when we were back at NMP. They fell away along with the club's results. You're right about the local public being fickle, but that's because they want to watch a winning team. If we were ever to reach the level above, and as importantly, compete at that level, considering that a fair few teams there are ex EFL our crowds would be a lot larger. But, alongside a successful team we have to get the club's infrastructure right, which as Matt says is currently driven by short-termism and firefighting situations as they arise. Until there is a genuine and thought out long-term plan to grow the club, we won't be going anywhere.

[Kitto]

Unfortunately results alone won't bring the crowds required to get the club where it could be. We got our lowest league crowd since we've been home...when we were played Kettering in March and were challenging for the playoffs.

[Neil]

The crowds will come - but only if we're successful. We saw crowds of 2000 + when we were back at NMP. They fell away along with the club's results. You're right about the local public being fickle, but that's because they want to watch a winning team. If we were ever to reach the level above, and as importantly, compete at that level, considering that a fair few teams there are ex EFL our crowds would be a lot larger. But, alongside a successful team we have to get the club's infrastructure right, which as Matt says is currently driven by short-termism and firefighting situations as they arise. Until there is a genuine and thought out long-term plan to grow the club, we won't be going anywhere.

One of the main things the club tries to do to promote itself seems to be to give away free tickets to community groups who come to a game but don't come again!

It's purely the attitude of local people. I had a work colleague describe the club as "grass roots". They haven't a clue!

[Paul]

One of the main things the club tries to do to promote itself seems to be to give away free tickets to community groups who come to a game but don't come again!

It's purely the attitude of local people. I had a work colleague describe the club as "grass roots". They haven't a clue!

On the matter of being a successful club, it's consistency that matters. We are a NLN club, so playing the likes of Kettering, let's be honest, it's not really a crowd puller - we mostly play village clubs. But, Hereford and a local derby is a crowd puller - as we saw last season. If we ever attain the level above or beyond, the crowds will come. But yes, in the eyes of the Gloucester public we're grass roots, so we need to get to a higher level - and have the club infrastructure in place ready,  for when we do.

[RJS]

There are a number of things to play into it I think. There is the rugby, the other two clubs higher up the pyramid, the fact that at times the football and results have been underwhelming, but I would also add into that is a lack of identity. For years we were the club in exile, yes attendances were low, and yes it was a slog, but it also gave the club a narrative to buy into. People went because they felt like their attendance really mattered, and in some respects its far easier to build that environment when you've only got 300 fans. Keeping that feeling of community as you grow is the tricky part.

I think the Chambers were actually looking to rectify some of that, and I hope that bit continues, but at the moment there isn't enough of a connection to the club for a significant number of fans, so that means when the weather is bad, or the football is bad, or the rugby is on, its too easy to just say "nah won't bother today".

It will be interesting to see what happens now, as it does not sound like AP wants in for the long term, and you wonder, if we'll just be left with the same old problems again even if we do achieve a miracle and stay up. Who will the noisy hardcore scapegoat then, who is the next pantomime villain?

[Tigermatty 2.0]

There are a number of things to play into it I think.  There is the rugby, the other two clubs higher up the pyramid, the fact that at times the football and results have been underwhelming, but I would also add into that is a lack of identity.  For years we were the club in exile, yes attendances were low, and yes it was a slog, but it also gave the club a narrative to buy into.  People went because they felt like their attendance really mattered, and in some respects its far easier to build that environment when you've only got 300 fans.  Keeping that feeling of community as you grow is the tricky part.

I think the Chambers were actually looking to rectify some of that, and I hope that bit continues, but at the moment there isn't enough of a connection to the club for a significant number of fans, so that means when the weather is bad, or the football is bad, or the rugby is on, its too easy to just say "nah won't bother today". 

It will be interesting to see what happens now, as it does not sound like AP wants in for the long term, and you wonder, if we'll just be left with the same old problems again even if we do achieve a miracle and stay up.  Who will the noisy hardcore scapegoat then, who is the next pantomime villain?

Absolutely spot on. In my opinion the day we signed Asante was the day that we collectively stopped feeling like we were obliged to want to help the club, and instead became spectators to be entertained, and that sentiment has persisted and it was very apparent at the start of this season.