Sorry Boys!

[MrFrost]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I think that's unfair, and I'm not surprised to see you say you didn't go or listen to the game, as it shows in that post.

The fact that AFCB are a footballing side brought it out of us IMO. We passed it very well and put some neat moves together, but just lacked that final ball and cutting edge in the final third. We passed it better than them at times, and our central midfield two of Harper and Clingan were arguably the best players on the field.

See my point that fans who have followed us through thick and thin are losing interest. This goes further to support what i'm saying.

What ARE you saying?

I was talking about the performance, not about people losing interest.

I was mentioning the post you quoted.

[roverstillidie91]

way to expensive to go in my opinion

im 21 and paid over £20 to get in and after watching the dross of a performance against crewe stayed at home today

[pubteam]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I think that's unfair, and I'm not surprised to see you say you didn't go or listen to the game, as it shows in that post.

The fact that AFCB are a footballing side brought it out of us IMO. We passed it very well and put some neat moves together, but just lacked that final ball and cutting edge in the final third. We passed it better than them at times, and our central midfield two of Harper and Clingan were arguably the best players on the field.

See my point that fans who have followed us through thick and thin are losing interest. This goes further to support what i'm saying.

What ARE you saying?

I was talking about the performance, not about people losing interest.

I was mentioning the post you quoted.

What can you do though if people are losing interest? Nobody can make them regain their interest and go to games. And don't just say "play well and win", because you just can't expect that every week. Football doesn't work like that.

[MrFrost]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I think that's unfair, and I'm not surprised to see you say you didn't go or listen to the game, as it shows in that post.

The fact that AFCB are a footballing side brought it out of us IMO. We passed it very well and put some neat moves together, but just lacked that final ball and cutting edge in the final third. We passed it better than them at times, and our central midfield two of Harper and Clingan were arguably the best players on the field.

See my point that fans who have followed us through thick and thin are losing interest. This goes further to support what i'm saying.

What ARE you saying?

I was talking about the performance, not about people losing interest.

I was mentioning the post you quoted.

What can you do though if people are losing interest? Nobody can make them regain their interest and go to games. And don't just say "play well and win", because you just can't expect that every week. Football doesn't work like that.

Lower prices, better marketing, anything that is proactive to win back the fans we have lost. All to easy to shrug your shoulders. End of the day DRFC is a business that is losing it's customers at an alarming rate.

[dickos1]

How is it an alarming rate?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Despite the loss there were positives. I also thought we looked after the ball much better and thought Clingan added value where we need it.

Thought Griffin played really well and Quinn looked competent at CB. I hope Griffin and Husband have nailed down their full back spots. Clear we need Hume up front with A N other.

Lack of a cutting edge today and we were poor at picking up the second ball where it mattered in the final third. Just lacking a bit more creativity at times but we worked the ball much better however, 1 shot on target at home is unacceptable.

To end up losing to that goal is more than frustrating as it will cost us as more people will stay away as long as we keep Gary Woods in goal. It's not nice but it's reality.

I'd like to see Woods (junior) given a go in midfield and hope Clingan has done enough to keep his place. Harper is the one for me that is most vulnerable at the moment. 

Now I thought it was a nailed on penalty and the lino bottled it, although not that many people around me appealed so I thought I got it wrong but Deano says it was a stone waller on the replay.


 

[MrFrost]

How is it an alarming rate?

Attendances are already falling this season. Compare them. This is despite decent results.
And lets not forget the loss of 4000 season ticket holders in 4 years.

Obviously, you need to factor in relegation, however, even considering that, it is a huge loss.

See the points another poster made regarding Scunthorpe in another thread. We are showing the same pattern of attendance decline as them.

And do not attempt to educate me on analysis or business. I am qualified in both.

[pubteam]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I think that's unfair, and I'm not surprised to see you say you didn't go or listen to the game, as it shows in that post.

The fact that AFCB are a footballing side brought it out of us IMO. We passed it very well and put some neat moves together, but just lacked that final ball and cutting edge in the final third. We passed it better than them at times, and our central midfield two of Harper and Clingan were arguably the best players on the field.

See my point that fans who have followed us through thick and thin are losing interest. This goes further to support what i'm saying.

What ARE you saying?

I was talking about the performance, not about people losing interest.

I was mentioning the post you quoted.

What can you do though if people are losing interest? Nobody can make them regain their interest and go to games. And don't just say "play well and win", because you just can't expect that every week. Football doesn't work like that.

Lower prices, better marketing, anything that is proactive to win back the fans we have lost. All to easy to shrug your shoulders. End of the day DRFC is a business that is losing it's customers at an alarming rate.

But prices aren't to do with Rovers. It's to do with football in general. I'm sure the club would love to charge £10 to get in every game, but it wouldn't make financial sense. Instead of losing customers at an alarming rate, it'd be losing money. And I don't see why people like JR and Watson should be expected to fund any shortfall.

I'm sure if the club lowered prices and accepted that they're going to have to bring in cheaper, lower quality players, people would moan and stop going to games because they'd argue that they had no ambition and weren't trying to improve on the field.

I do agree about marketing though. Even simple things like Twitter aren't used to as great effect as they could be to promote the club.

[MrFrost]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I think that's unfair, and I'm not surprised to see you say you didn't go or listen to the game, as it shows in that post.

The fact that AFCB are a footballing side brought it out of us IMO. We passed it very well and put some neat moves together, but just lacked that final ball and cutting edge in the final third. We passed it better than them at times, and our central midfield two of Harper and Clingan were arguably the best players on the field.

See my point that fans who have followed us through thick and thin are losing interest. This goes further to support what i'm saying.

What ARE you saying?

I was talking about the performance, not about people losing interest.

I was mentioning the post you quoted.

What can you do though if people are losing interest? Nobody can make them regain their interest and go to games. And don't just say "play well and win", because you just can't expect that every week. Football doesn't work like that.

Lower prices, better marketing, anything that is proactive to win back the fans we have lost. All to easy to shrug your shoulders. End of the day DRFC is a business that is losing it's customers at an alarming rate.

But prices aren't to do with Rovers. It's to do with football in general. I'm sure the club would love to charge £10 to get in every game, but it wouldn't make financial sense. Instead of losing customers at an alarming rate, it'd be losing money. And I don't see why people like JR and Watson should be expected to fund any shortfall.

I'm sure if the club lowered prices and accepted that they're going to have to bring in cheaper, lower quality players, people would moan that they had no ambition and weren't trying to improve on the field.

I do agree about marketing though. Even simple things like Twitter aren't used to as great effect as they could be to promote the club.

That depends how many fans £10 a ticket would bring in. Has the potential to bring in more revenue. As the Swansea game a few years ago proved. Whether that could be maintained on a long term basis is not clear.

Despite everything else, and the hard work going on with the VSC and the club, the marketing at DRFC is shocking. And the social media side.

We also have zero presence in the town itself.

[pubteam]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I think that's unfair, and I'm not surprised to see you say you didn't go or listen to the game, as it shows in that post.

The fact that AFCB are a footballing side brought it out of us IMO. We passed it very well and put some neat moves together, but just lacked that final ball and cutting edge in the final third. We passed it better than them at times, and our central midfield two of Harper and Clingan were arguably the best players on the field.

See my point that fans who have followed us through thick and thin are losing interest. This goes further to support what i'm saying.

What ARE you saying?

I was talking about the performance, not about people losing interest.

I was mentioning the post you quoted.

What can you do though if people are losing interest? Nobody can make them regain their interest and go to games. And don't just say "play well and win", because you just can't expect that every week. Football doesn't work like that.

Lower prices, better marketing, anything that is proactive to win back the fans we have lost. All to easy to shrug your shoulders. End of the day DRFC is a business that is losing it's customers at an alarming rate.

But prices aren't to do with Rovers. It's to do with football in general. I'm sure the club would love to charge £10 to get in every game, but it wouldn't make financial sense. Instead of losing customers at an alarming rate, it'd be losing money. And I don't see why people like JR and Watson should be expected to fund any shortfall.

I'm sure if the club lowered prices and accepted that they're going to have to bring in cheaper, lower quality players, people would moan that they had no ambition and weren't trying to improve on the field.

I do agree about marketing though. Even simple things like Twitter aren't used to as great effect as they could be to promote the club.

That depends how many fans £10 a ticket would bring in. Has the potential to bring in more revenue. As the Swansea game a few years ago proved. Whether that could be maintained on a long term basis is not clear.

Despite everything else, and the hard work going on with the VSC and the club, the marketing at DRFC is shocking. And the social media side.

We also have zero presence in the town itself.

Well the Bradford PA and Chesterfield games were £10, AND pay on the gate, and still didn't fetch massive crowds in. I know they were in what some people consider 'lesser' competitions, but surely if cost is the main thing stopping someone from going to the football, they'd go to the cheap £10 games regardless of the competition?

[NorthNorfolkRover]

How can you say that ? He didnt have a shot to save except one straight at him.

Would have had a point out of it but for Mr Calamity between the sticks again though,

[dickos1]

It's not an alarming rate in my opinion, we've just been relegated, countries in a financial mess. As has been pointed out numerous times almost every football league club has seen their gates fall significantly over recent years. Why should we be any different?
We haven't played any of the sides yet that will bring a good following so the average will end up quite a lot higher.

[MrFrost]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I think that's unfair, and I'm not surprised to see you say you didn't go or listen to the game, as it shows in that post.

The fact that AFCB are a footballing side brought it out of us IMO. We passed it very well and put some neat moves together, but just lacked that final ball and cutting edge in the final third. We passed it better than them at times, and our central midfield two of Harper and Clingan were arguably the best players on the field.

See my point that fans who have followed us through thick and thin are losing interest. This goes further to support what i'm saying.

What ARE you saying?

I was talking about the performance, not about people losing interest.

I was mentioning the post you quoted.

What can you do though if people are losing interest? Nobody can make them regain their interest and go to games. And don't just say "play well and win", because you just can't expect that every week. Football doesn't work like that.

Lower prices, better marketing, anything that is proactive to win back the fans we have lost. All to easy to shrug your shoulders. End of the day DRFC is a business that is losing it's customers at an alarming rate.

But prices aren't to do with Rovers. It's to do with football in general. I'm sure the club would love to charge £10 to get in every game, but it wouldn't make financial sense. Instead of losing customers at an alarming rate, it'd be losing money. And I don't see why people like JR and Watson should be expected to fund any shortfall.

I'm sure if the club lowered prices and accepted that they're going to have to bring in cheaper, lower quality players, people would moan that they had no ambition and weren't trying to improve on the field.

I do agree about marketing though. Even simple things like Twitter aren't used to as great effect as they could be to promote the club.

That depends how many fans £10 a ticket would bring in. Has the potential to bring in more revenue. As the Swansea game a few years ago proved. Whether that could be maintained on a long term basis is not clear.

Despite everything else, and the hard work going on with the VSC and the club, the marketing at DRFC is shocking. And the social media side.

We also have zero presence in the town itself.

Well the Bradford PA and Chesterfield games were £10, AND pay on the gate, and still didn't fetch massive crowds in. I know they were in what some people consider 'lesser' competitions, but surely if cost is the main thing stopping someone from going to the football, they'd go to the cheap £10 games regardless of the competition?

Not really.
As you said, it was in a lesser competition. Main interest will always be league fixtures, unless you get a really big cup draw.

Like I said, the Swansea fixture a few years ago showed what decent priced tickets and good marketing can do.

Look at it like this.....
around 1900 pay on the day fans today, paying around £20 per ticket. Revenue - £380000
£10 a ticket, good marketing, if you got 4000 buying thats £400000 in revenue with more potential for further sales of programmes, merchandise etc.

Obviously, there's no guarantee of getting those numbers, but with a proper formulated plan, i'd say that chances are good.

[MrFrost]

It's not an alarming rate in my opinion, we've just been relegated, countries in a financial mess. As has been pointed out numerous times almost every football league club has seen their gates fall significantly over recent years. Why should we be any different?
We haven't played any of the sides yet that will bring a good following so the average will end up quite a lot higher.

Why shouldn't we be different?

Question should be, why shouldn't we try and buck the trend?

[dickos1]

I'm sure we are trying, but if people have no money what can you do

[MrFrost]

I'm sure we are trying, but if people have no money what can you do

Lower the price. See my example above.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

In general I don't think it's the prices keeping people away at the moment, it's the performances. Previously prices were a barrier to folk going where as now, if the performances were much better, we'd be doing well on the attendance front.

We can debate all night about value for money and whether prices are still too high in general but some will say £10 is too much for what we've seen recently. The club has to be sensible on ticket prices and the signs are they are becoming sensitive, listening and learning.

For me the key is generating as many ST sales as possible as we can see that performances, other factors like weather and other distractions  will eat away at our support.

[Akinfenwa]

For the first time ever in ten years I have not listened to or attended a Rovers game. I was talking this morning saying that we were going to lose as we were playing a footballing side, and it seems to be right. Without a decent holding midfield player in the mould of Stock/Wellens we are unable to control play sufficiently to keep an opposition out of the game. We are still lacking that sort of player, or a manager who is able to get people to play that way in my opinion

I don't think you were right at all. We controlled most of the game and Bournemouth hardly had a sniff, although neither did we. Some of the passing and moving today (particularly Clingan) was a level above what I've seen from this team but nothing good in attack came from it. Playing like that without anything in the final third was frustrating though as we've seen in previous years.

And Bournemouth a footballing team? Where did they get this tag from? Once they'd finished hopefully spinning the ball down the channels without much joy they spent the last 30 minutes running the clock down a la Stevenage at 1 up. They didn't create anything, nor did they play any particularly good football outside the first 5-10 minutes of the game. The difference was that we have the equivalent of a cardboard cutout in goal and they don't.

[bobjimwilly]

I'm sure we are trying, but if people have no money what can you do

Lower the price. See my example above.

You reckon by halving the price we will double the amount of people paying on the day??

 

[MrFrost]

I'm sure we are trying, but if people have no money what can you do

Lower the price. See my example above.

You reckon by halving the price we will double the amount of people paying on the day??

 

Do you have any evidence to suggest it won't?
Like I said it would be dependent on a strong marketing campaign hence me giving the Swansea game as an example.

Marketing and business isn't your strong point is it? Most of the time when you post, it is just to try and pick an argument with me. Maybe you should be removed from your moderation duties as you clearly just want to try and wind folk up.

[Sticky-Rover]

Didn't the club give tickets away for a game in the Championship? (V Palace I think) The ground still wasn't full to capacity.

[MrFrost]

Didn't the club give tickets away for a game in the Championship? (V Palace I think) The ground still wasn't full to capacity.

It was a "sell out" though. If people didn't turn up, they'd lost nothing.

The Swansea game attracted about 13600 if I remember rightly (£10 a ticket). About 5000 more than what we'd usually have got for the fixture, but it was marketed extremely well.

[RedJ]

Didn't the club give tickets away for a game in the Championship? (V Palace I think) The ground still wasn't full to capacity.

It was a "sell out" though. If people didn't turn up, they'd lost nothing.

The Swansea game attracted about 13600 if I remember rightly. About 5000 more than what we'd usually have got for the fixture, but it was marketed extremely well.

there was also one block for segregation in both of these games obviously which will have had an effect

[Sticky-Rover]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-13120577

Well according to the link 8k tickets were offered. I'm taking a wild guess but i'd imagine couple that with season ticket holders for that season and away fans it would work out around 13-14k. I don't think the actual attendance was between that number.

Could be wrong its all from memory and a quick search.

[Donnybax]

It took us 75 minutes to have our one and only shot on target today. That's awful absolutley awful. The movement infront of the back 4 is non existent at home games time an time again

[bobjimwilly]

I'm sure we are trying, but if people have no money what can you do

Lower the price. See my example above.

You reckon by halving the price we will double the amount of people paying on the day??

 

Do you have any evidence to suggest it won't?
Like I said it would be dependent on a strong marketing campaign hence me giving the Swansea game as an example.

Marketing and business isn't your strong point is it? Most of the time when you post, it is just to try and pick an argument with me. Maybe you should be removed from your moderation duties as you clearly just want to try and wind folk up.

Wind your neck in will you. I don't pick on anyone on here. It just so happens I disagree with a number of your posts. Why should I have to have evidence to counter what you said, when its you that keeps coming up with, quite frankly, ridiculous assumptions based on little or no practical evidence to back up your theories.

[MrFrost]

I'm sure we are trying, but if people have no money what can you do

Lower the price. See my example above.

You reckon by halving the price we will double the amount of people paying on the day??

 

Do you have any evidence to suggest it won't?
Like I said it would be dependent on a strong marketing campaign hence me giving the Swansea game as an example.

Marketing and business isn't your strong point is it? Most of the time when you post, it is just to try and pick an argument with me. Maybe you should be removed from your moderation duties as you clearly just want to try and wind folk up.

Wind your neck in will you. I don't pick on anyone on here. It just so happens I disagree with a number of your posts. Why should I have to have evidence to counter what you said, when its you that keeps coming up with, quite frankly, ridiculous assumptions based on little or no practical evidence to back up your theories.

I gave evidence to back up my proposal.

[Rovin Reporter]

What an absolute pathetic performance this evening!! Enuff said!!!

For Cottrill who hid on the right side if the pitch through out the game and didn't want to get involved. For Harper who probably made more side ways passes then any player in history , he brought nothing to the game and gave the forwards no chance with his negative play making. 

[bedale rover]

i have been to both matches this week for my sins!

the contrast between them both was fascinating

against crewe we were unable to pass the ball yet created 2 or 3 good chanced making the goalie earn his corn
against  bournemouth we passed the ball much better but barely created a chance

in my opinion saunders picked the wrong team today
cottrill was clearly unfit to play he had one good cross but generally couldnt keep the ball and wasnt able to retrieve the ball after he lost it and his free kicks were wasteful in the extreme
he went with hume paynter and brown up front with hume down the left side but then changed it to have paynter playing left side of midfield it did improve the situation and we did get more control but he should have picked blake
he was instrumental in the improvement in the 2nd half v crewe and should have started but then when he did introduce him it was far too late

honourable mentions are due to clingan (better than i thought he would be)
griffin a better full back than quinn
quinn a better centre half than full back
brown worked his socks off but (as per stevo) no one within cooee when he was able to win the header

we almost need 2 teams an expansive  team to pay at home
and an obdurate team for away games
me have the second we need the first

[Rovin Reporter]

IMO we don't put good performances at home because our record of conceding early goals has become an incentive for teams to throw everything at us early doors and is too tempting for them  to ignore. This should be recognised by Saunders and can capitalise on their belief of this weekness at turn it in our favour bu NOT defending too deep as this results in long balls being played too often resulting Rovers loosing possession and inviting yet another attack etc etc.