Well yes but the way he expressed that point was in a completely obviously WUM-ing manner, I don't mind intelligent debates around things like attendance figures but CBK's post cannot be said to have been contributing to the debate. As for why yesterday's attendance is low, there's a variety of reasons. There's still the battle over Fratton Park so Chainrai is not out of the picture yet and after withdrawing once, I guess people are skeptical of his intentions (understandably so) and so are waiting to see what happens. Furthermore, as 3rd eye says, the enthusiasm that the trust generated has been lost over constant delays and the lack of information (is this prospectus EVER going to come out?) so people are again a bit skeptical. There's also the fact that we have lost 6 games in a row and haven't scored in 5 games and as football is first and foremost an entertainment business, I'm not sure people believe that they will be entertained at Fratton Park. As Hermanator has said, the effects of the last few years have been pretty convincing in destroying any good feeling for the club. There's very little pride in being a Portsmouth fan nowadays due to the actions of the club and almost everyone involved at a boardroom level, from shafting charities (multiple times), shafting local businesses, shafting players, shafting fans and the rampant corruption in the boardroom not to mention terrible results on the pitch, people are unlikely to feel much pride about their club. Restore some pride and no doubt the attendances will start to get better.
It's very difficult. Ideally all fans should rush and support their team, but there is a lot of pain here. People may be protecting themselves by distancing them from the team. I suspect many many will return once the takeover happens. There's the ideal world and the one we all live in.
They HAVE to return when the trust takes over otherwise they are up the proverbial creek without a paddle. The supporters trust need the bums on seats unless there are some men behind the scenes that actually have money. For me the concept of a fan run club is great but i think the overall running of a football is far too expensive. Hopefully im proved wrong and it all works out but i have a feeling you do really need to start getting to the games win lose or draw!
I am sure that once the ownership is settled and BC has gone, attendances will pick up in the short term. So far as getting the JCLs back, then that will depend upon the results. A good run would bring the feel good factor back. A run of bad results and the uncommitted will fade away. That's always the way.
I do recall stating that Fratton attendances would go below 10,000 when they slipped down the leagues (as in keeping with past history) and being derided by Pompey fans on here & 606 for saying that. I am posting this to show that I was right and they were wrong. I am shallow in that way, but hey, no one's perfect, bit like "the world's greatest fans" ;-)
Were the PSTs figures for the continued operation of the club based on them staying in League 1? I imagine all the revenue streams would take a plunge in League 2 plus you can probably knock another couple of thousand off the numbers through the turnstiles.
The spark will be in early December when the court gives the go ahead to PKF to sell the ground at its true value. Then the club will belong to the fans and that surely has to be the best feeling ever. When you say my club is Pompey it really will be.
My mate is a Pompey fan and has read the PST form, he said he won't be putting in any money as it basically won't be run by fans. He said it looks like the fans are just being made to help some fat cats buy the club.
I think and hope many PFC fans are seeing the Trust for what it is.... well meaning, but deeply flawed and being used as a front by people probably just as dodgy as the ones they got shot of. I can understand thinking there is no alternative and the trust is better than nothing... but they need to go into this with their eyes wide open, or not give a **** who runs the club, because there is **** all they can do about it anyway.
I think the key to it is that fans have to be happy to buy a share, comfortable with the chance they will never see their £1k again. I have a colleague at my work who is balls deep with £3k, nutter, but you can't help but admire his dedication and love for the club. I did point out he could give up, come support the Saints, and have a season ticket for 5 years for the same money........my advice wasn't welcome, can't think why
Hence the finance offers, where you pay it out over a set amount of years or the many syndicates that have been set up, where you join up with other people and put it what you wan until it reaches the magic 1k. The latter is what i have done, as I'm a wee un (18 FFS) so I defo don't have grand to splash. Plus i want a motorbike which should be parked outside my front door pretty soon. Now onto your mate who thinks it's just a front for more dodgy people. I'm not gonna pretend to know you mate, although I know a lot of PFC fans so there is a slight chance. Once the club is purchased, it is essentially owned by 2 groups of people. The high net worth individuals (HNWI) and the PST made up of £1000 shares. Keep in mind that the 5 HNWI are all life long Pompey fans and the property developer who is leasing us the ground for a reasonable sum of rent is also a footie fan. Now if the PST shares are fulfilled then that would give the PST the majority share in the club. This as far as I know is based on 75-80% of the shares being converted. The PST have already stated that the club will be ran as usual by finance people and directors, and various other smart with numbers people. But these people are employed by the PST. We chose who runs the club. Add this to the fact that at least 2 PST members have to be in the board of directors group at any given time. Any single member of the PST can run to be on the board of directors. I could do it if I knew WTF to do. Your mate in a sense is right. The PST won't completely run the club. But they/we have the overall control over who does.
And apparently even though Fratton Park will be owned by a property developer, provisions are made for it to be sold back to the club within several years or something like that I think.
