David Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 With both Celtic and Rangers being the least attractive they have been in years, and with interest in both clubs waning ever so slightly among all but the most hardcore of fans, I think the question has to be asked; How can a club such as Motherwell take advantage of this? Celtic still charge from £22-£25 for regular league games, whilst Rangers are somewhere around the same I reckon. If anyone knows details of the concessions offered by both clubs for children/students etc, then feel free to fill us all in. The truth is, with the sheer amount of fans who have been leaving Lanarkshire each and every weekend for either Parkhead or Ibrox, it would be useful to maybe try and look at some small ways to try and entice them back, especially with both Old Firm clubs not really being what they once were. I know this subject may have been discussed before, but I thought that the changes to the Trust recently would maybe help any real ideas get some serious consideration at Fir Park. I think it's pretty safe to assume that any fan of either Old Firm club who is over the age of 16-17 is too far gone to be shown the light, so to speak. We need to concentrate on the youngsters, and have to look at better ideas than simply letting them in for free a couple of times. The pricing for family/juveniles at Fir Park looks about spot on to me, so I don't really think pricing needs to be looked at. Under a tenner for a kid, and under £30 for a family ticket is ideal as far as i'm concerned. We need to come up with other ideas to make Motherwell more approachable and recognisable than other SPL clubs. One thing i've picked up on from young family members is the fact that they "don't know who plays for Motherwell". Most Scottish football fans know who Kris Boyd, Aiden McGeady, Nacho Novo etc is, and they can identify with certain players. We need to find a way to do that. Some success could be found in making our players seem more like actual people to younger fans. We should have young fans who want to get a certain name & number on their shirts at the start of every season. How many forum members here who have 'Well supporting kids know who their favourite player is? And if so, why is that player their favourite? We need to think of serious ways to get kids involved with the club in a fun way. I'm already aware of the various support programmes that we have at Fir Park, and I think they are top class, but if we want kids to come to Fir Park on a regular basis we need to think outside the usual area of ticket pricing/free tickets. Any ideas folks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 The answer is an agressive anti Old Firm campaign in the schools - so we're stuffed. The generational thing will continue ad-infinitum - weans will follow the OF because their dad did and his dad did etc etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Edit - Nevermind, thought better of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjw Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 The way the kids at the end of the east get treated its a surprise we get any at games it has to be an enjoyable experience to drag them away from playstations etc and after 30 odd years i have to say i'm struggling to get motivated on match days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malky79 Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Edit - Nevermind, thought better of it... I reckon Mark McGhee was gonna feature in that edited post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Oh and like someone alluded to. Concentrating stewarding on where the young guys congregate and generate a bit of banter / atmosphere and escorting a few out every match day isn't part of a successful recruitment strategy. Esecially when their OF supporting chums get to stand for the whole 90 when the come to pay a visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted December 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 It may be fair to say that stewarding is something worth bringing up at the next Trust meeting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 It may be fair to say that stewarding is something worth bringing up at the next Trust meeting... Additionally the way visiting supporters have been treated in the South has been a disgrace of late. Unless you're talking about the grusome twosome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted December 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 There may be more than a few points worth bringing up with the Trust next month then, eh? If the guys running it are serious enough about it, maybe we could have a section of the forum for trust matters, questions, notices etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 We had that before, actually, but it generally got dinghy-ed. If there's anything at all you would like dealt with, please pm myself, Speedie, AndyRoss, Ballso or DaveT on here and we'll do our best to sort it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted December 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 We had that before, actually, but it generally got dinghy-ed. If there's anything at all you would like dealt with, please pm myself, Speedie, AndyRoss, Ballso or DaveT on here and we'll do our best to sort it. I was thinking more along the lines of an area for discussion such as this, where ideas could be discussed and kicked around by the forum collectively. Maybe it would be worth trying such a section again on a trial basis, see if we can't get more people involved. Twenty odd heads are better than one and all that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 I'd be up for that. Gaag? We are planning to have an Open Meeting in the next month or so where members and non-members alike can turn up, make suggestions, give us some abuse, or just have a blether so that people know exactly what's going on and what we're planning to do over the next six months. I know the internet is a wonderful medium, but sometimes a bit of old-fashioned banter over a pint or two can get folk a bit more inspired than the written word. Hopefully see you there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted December 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 We are planning to have an Open Meeting in the next month or so where members and non-members alike can turn up, make suggestions, give us some abuse, or just have a blether so that people know exactly what's going on and what we're planning to do over the next six months. I know the internet is a wonderful medium, but sometimes a bit of old-fashioned banter over a pint or two can get folk a bit more inspired than the written word. Hopefully see you there. I'll be there. As soon as you have a fixed date, just let me know the details. A section of the forum would be ideal for keeping everyone up to date with meetings and other goings-on as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Fair do's. Will see if Gaag can sort something out. In the meantime, have you seen this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted December 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Fair do's. Will see if Gaag can sort something out. In the meantime, have you seen this? Yeah, I saw the advertisement for the panel night, and was hoping to make it along. From what I heard, it went very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 This is a difficult one. The older fans like the old fashioned character of our football ground but that doesn't appeal to the young - they like shiny plastic things with lots of screens to look at. MFC need to get into the schools and brainwash. I'm obviously not advocating it but a year in the 1st Division quickly followed by the 1st Div title would probably swell the attendances a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 This is a difficult one. The older fans like the old fashioned character of our football ground but that doesn't appeal to the young - they like shiny plastic things with lots of screens to look at. With all due respect, I think that's wide of the mark. I'm still relatively young (even though I don't feel it!) and I definitely prefer older football grounds with character. I love Fir Park because of the stories associated with the structures, like who we sold to get the money to build different bits, the dispute with the neighbour which leaves the Main Stand short, etc I would say my favourite Scottish ground at the moment is Somerset Park, although I obviously haven't been there for a while. A also go and watch Doncaster once a season and I used to love their old Belle Vue ground. Now that they're a Championship side they've got an all-singing, all-dancing Keepmoat stadium and when I went there last season it was a load of pish! I'd love a stadium with character, but I'd also not love to be coverred in pish when I leave or have to drink Bovril from a plastic bucket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 With all due respect, I think that's wide of the mark. I'm still relatively young (even though I don't feel it!) and I definitely prefer older football grounds with character. I love Fir Park because of the stories associated with the structures, like who we sold to get the money to build different bits, the dispute with the neighbour which leaves the Main Stand short, etc I would say my favourite Scottish ground at the moment is Somerset Park, although I obviously haven't been there for a while. A also go and watch Doncaster once a season and I used to love their old Belle Vue ground. Now that they're a Championship side they've got an all-singing, all-dancing Keepmoat stadium and when I went there last season it was a load of pish! I'd love a stadium with character, but I'd also not love to be coverred in pish when I leave or have to drink Bovril from a plastic bucket. Point taken. I should have said whenever I have taken my son's friends to Fir Park they have looked distinctly unimpressed. I, like you, seem to enjoy the character of older grounds but I'm only going on reactions I've witnessed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 We need to concentrate on the youngsters, and have to look at better ideas than simply letting them in for free a couple of times. The pricing for family/juveniles at Fir Park looks about spot on to me, so I don't really think pricing needs to be looked at. Under a tenner for a kid, and under £30 for a family ticket is ideal as far as i'm concerned. We need to come up with other ideas to make Motherwell more approachable and recognisable than other SPL clubs. One thing i've picked up on from young family members is the fact that they "don't know who plays for Motherwell". Most Scottish football fans know who Kris Boyd, Aiden McGeady, Nacho Novo etc is, and they can identify with certain players. We need to find a way to do that. Some success could be found in making our players seem more like actual people to younger fans. We should have young fans who want to get a certain name & number on their shirts at the start of every season. How many forum members here who have 'Well supporting kids know who their favourite player is? And if so, why is that player their favourite? We need to think of serious ways to get kids involved with the club in a fun way. I'm already aware of the various support programmes that we have at Fir Park, and I think they are top class, but if we want kids to come to Fir Park on a regular basis we need to think outside the usual area of ticket pricing/free tickets. Any ideas folks? Some more visibility around Lanarkshire might help. Does anyone remember back in the early 80's we had a sponsorship deal with whoever it was in they days that had a big double decker bus decked out in claret and amber with a Motherwell badge and possibly fixtures on it? Think it did the 211 between Airdrie and Hamilton. I would have been about 8 then and it captured my imagine sufficiently to have my Dad chase about trying to find it when it first started. What about more of the "Men of Steel" style images that were used to promote the new strip in the summer or the Forbes "Welcome to Motherwel" styel. I've seen advertising boards about with "Happy 40th Birthday Rab" and the likes on it so they might not be as expensive as first imagined. Doesn't have to be complicated. Picture of the picture looking mean and menacing. His number to the right. and underneath Lanarkshire's Premier Club. At the very least its bound to wind the Accies and Airdrie fans right up! In terms of boosting the crowd I think it largely boils down to us existing punters to try to entice/cajole/drag by the scruff of the neck, the family/neighbours/friends of friends along to the games with us. I use my own experience as an example with the wee guy Darryl who was ocasionally to be found about my place being the son of the good lady's pal. Single parent family with his maw having no interest in fitba he had no avenue to get to any games and was in danger of supporting Celtic simply because they were on his telly the most. Took him along the year we were saved due to Falkirk's ground. Flash forward he's a season ticket holder and probably has as many friends and acquaintances amongst the 'Well support than I have these days. Its difficult at times when you want a swally, its costly when you are striving to feed the burgeoning addiction but I do believe its the best way of trying to get someone hooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 It's not just the youth, how about recapturing the guys that used to go and now don't? I am sure our average gate when I started going regularly was about 8,000. Now we're down to half that. How do we get those guys back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherwell Football Club Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 I think it's pretty safe to assume that any fan of either Old Firm club who is over the age of 16-17 is too far gone to be shown the light, so to speak. Don't agree, I know plenty of guys around 19-20 who have not long started going to Fir Park just because it's local. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted December 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Don't agree, I know plenty of guys around 19-20 who have not long started going to Fir Park just because it's local. And those guys were fans of Celtic or Rangers before that? I've never known anyone in their late teens to switch alliances from either of the OF to Motherwell, with the exception of the old "ach, i'll go and watch them now and then since it's cheap this week and they are my wee local team" carry-on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman1991 Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 It's not just the youth, how about recapturing the guys that used to go and now don't? I am sure our average gate when I started going regularly was about 8,000. Now we're down to half that. How do we get those guys back? How about coming home for starters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 I think losing fans to the Old Firm is the least of our problems. Celtic had 36,000 in a 61,000 capacity stadium last Saturday. When I was a kid there was pretty much nothing else to do but play football and its through playing that you really get to love and understand the game. There was also virtually no live televised football so if you wanted to see professional football you had to go to the matches. Going week in, week out it becomes part of the your life. These days kids live in a different culture with so many other options. I think my generation, the one that grow up in the seventies and early eighties is probably going to be the last 'football generation' who really grew up completely emerged in the game. It does worry me in the long term how we, and I don't mean Motherwell, I mean Scottish football as a whole, are going to find the new generation of fans. It used to be everyone went to the music hall or the ballroom but society moves on. Outside of the very top level of football I fear that is what happening to football, we are just being left behind by a society that's lost interest or certainly doesn't have the level of interest that it used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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