By now you'll know that I am financially 'privileged' to be able to go to virtually all the Gills matches - so any 'deals' or 'freebies' are not critical for me ------ but I do have the interest of other fans at heart - so I note with some interest ( and no small amount of negativity ), details of the Category B games......... the ones where the Club are looking to do you a favour - in their support of "affordable football". I'm just wondering how much thought went into the choice and dates of the games. 1. v Oldham Sat 8 Oct 2. v Walsall Tue 18 Oct 3. v Rochdale Sat 26 Nov 4. v Port Vale Sat 11 Feb 5. v Chesterfield Tue 14 Feb 6, v Scunthorpe Sat 11 Mar Let's skip over the fact that this list should have been out before the season started - to avoid personal pain ! I note that the list of teams are more like Category C games ! ( but, after Scunthorpe I expect a few other teams will share this viewpoint about playing us ! ). Given that the initiative is to provide "affordable football" for cash strapped families - why has the Club got two games in October - only just over a week apart - thus giving little chance for families to 'save up' for the 2nd game - the next Cat B game not for another 5 weeks. THEN you have to wait until the middle of February for the next Cat B game ( almost 3 months )...... and in the lead up to Christmas - when many families have very little money - it might have been a little gift from the Chairman to provide fans with a 'cheaper' game. And have the Club not looked at the calendar ?- Of the 2 Cat B games inside 3 days in February, one of them will be on a Champions league game night - the same night as Valentine's Day ! Is the Club trying to promote domestic disharmony ? It is also notable that last home game against ( such high profile opponents ), Fleetwood ( no disrespect intended ), is not in the Cat B list....... ok - I appreciate that people tend to go to the last home game -- but of the others, I'm not entirely sure that the Club has really engaged with the idea of "affordable football" for the fans - certainly they have demonstrated their lack of Christmas cheer. Well done Mr.Scrooge. Bah humbug
you only get 1 set of free tickets per season ticket holder so does not matter when it is. so looks like only 6 games to chose from .Remember though there will be other offers during the season like kids for a quid(under 12s) and usually Tuesday evening games and a game in December reduced to possibly £15 per adult so don't be to critical to Mr Scally. We are in fact one of the cheapest in league one.
I think most people will agree that we have signed a few high profile, high wage players, add to this the injury nightmare where at least 3 players will draw a wage without kicking a ball, and I doubt the club can afford to have too many deals that could lower the turnover below the fair play threshold. Also ST holders mustn't lose their incentive to buy, the more deals, the more the likelihood of non-renewals for coming seasons. Maybe the best way of rewarding all supporters, ST holders, pick and choose, casual, would be promotions on cup games, that way every supporter can benefit, and it's all extra (un-budgeted) revenue.
grumpygit You have made a good point about deals doing no favours to STH -- who already have lost the 'Friends for a £5' vouchers.... and if the Club is to offer deals to ALL then it will disadvantage STH. On the subject of the 'deal' for Cat B games - I may be missing something - but it appears that they will be 'kids for £1' ( which is limited by age, and accompanying, FULL paying adult ) - is there anything to give adult tickets at lower prices ---- which would be a further reason for STH not renewing !
