I know people want us to spend money, I know people think Scally has undergone a personality transplant, I just thank my lucky stars that we've got him. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50346714
Yet another club. Sadly the introduction of the Prem League has done nothing to help twart the blight and plight of Lower League clubs. They believe it's their money and they owe us nothing - which in part is true, but what gets overlooked it has created a new generation of football supporter. One where demands are high, because they see it on their TV near enough day in, day out. That takes away the cash flow from smaller clubs because they cannot meet the new expectations, if they attempt to and spend big, they are reliant on success that season, to prevent them going to the wall the next. I watched the enquiry regarding Bury, it was shocking to hear that there is no communication whatsoever between the FA and Bury Football Club until they finally were booted out the league. It's not their problem, who exactly is managing the game these days, this affects communities and it's about time the Government stepped in with new regulations. We can all blame ruthless owners but the fit and proper tests need to be as ruthless.
Who cares anymore ? People like brb, grumpygit & timupnorth and I will be well qualified to give a collective sigh when we read of stories such as these - because we 'care'-- but --- Have we (( football fans / customers )), evolved ? I submit that, gone are the days when people would 'blindly' go to watch their local Football League team - regardless of results. History will show that in the old Division 3 South and Kent League, Gills would regularly attract 10,000 + to games -- we couldn't do that in the Championship ! As we know, football has become a business, and fans are now customers. Sadly, I suspect that in the next decade ( or less ), we will get many more clubs who will face the real prospect of extinction...... .......and football probably only has itself to blame. It allowed itself to be prostituted by the pimp that is Sky ( BT etc ), in pursuit of money. The FA & people at the Top, couldn't have cared less for teams in the lower leagues - who have (( and will continue )) to struggle to even dream of competing. A lot of Clubs outside the EPL have stupid match day prices. These ( and the poor value-for-money / crap football ),does nothing to retain the loyalty of the fans ---- sorry, I meant customers. I have previously stated that small town-centre shops have suffered at the hands of Hypermarkets - with customers looking for better value for their money. Football fans are customers have been used and abused by a massive shop opened in 1992. Sky & BT have become a cartel which is impossible to break. In my household, we used to get fruit & veg, meat and bread from independent traders. We used to get milk delivered. We used to be customers of British Gas etc etc-- but -- now I collect Confused Meerkats who are Classical musicians !! -- and benefit from a huge choice of cheap, but quality products ( and I haven't got to take out a mortgage to pay for parking. ) ----- I am a fan who has evolved. I am able to afford to go to my local High Street as well as shop via the Tv and other Hypermarkets --- I am a dying breed - but the real worry is that -- how much longer will it be before I evolve into a modern football fancustomer who no longer care about Bury, Bolton, Southend, Gillingham etc etc - especially if they moan about a lack of money - but still living a pampered lifestyle . The FA haven't seen fit to care about Clubs, and if it hasn't seen fit to change the distribution of its' wealth. When we hear of stories about clubs with money troubles - who, among us really care ?
Enjoyed some great one liners in there, by far the best that I've ever seen was... 'Prostituted by the pimp that is Sky' - I'm going to have to use that as a thread title one day, I know, I know, strealing copyright and many more great one liners in there, you've exceeded yourself this time mate, has someone hacked your account?
I am surprised that you doubt the provenance of my cynicism - although, sometimes I hoped I was wrong - whilst it will be sad to lose teams like Bury - people will adapt and survive......... the reaction by Gills fans, of the quality of football at Priestfield, over the last three and a bit seasons, indicates that it would be very few dinosaurs who would be crying in their beer glass if GFC become extinct.
The world has moved on (not always for the best) and there are far more leisure activities available (and demanding on the wallet) than watching one's local football team.
True on some aspects but football in lower leagues in general is still watched by a lot of people. In fact I believe going up last few seasons. Certainly higher than the 80s. We at Gills are losing supporters which is partly due to Scally not spending on players for a number of years and poor home form. This country lower leagues can attract more than certain top leagues in other countries
gioblues I understand your sentiments. You have given a couple of reasons why, at GFC,we are continuing to lose fans. It is mainly these ( by now ), ex fans, who I suggest would not really care if Gills went bust. I also don't expect to get much sympathy from fans of other clubs. ...... My example of people using supermarkets for their shopping further illustrates that people might pay 'lip-service' to the demise of a small High Street independent trader, but the bottom line is that most of us cannot afford to pay High Street prices - and the consequences are not our problem....... that is why I say that (( very few )) would be left to really care....... and I have given some reasons why Football, has only itself to blame. I accept that Mr.Scally and GFC may be an unwitting victim of the cancerous carbuncle called Sky TV, but if Mr.Scally's High Street shop is left trying to sell the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel - at premium prices, is it any wonder that Priestfield stadium is going the same way as Gillingham High Street.
Even our years in the Championship didn't attract large crowds, in fact allowing for the opposition crowds often being 2,000 plus, home support wasn't even good by league 1 standards. People have complained that the high prices put people off, yet with £300 season tickets crowds still haven't increased, league leaders, or relegation strugglers also doesn't seem to change things. I don't claim to know the answer, we certainly have a large number of exiles which could be the lack of employment in the area, it could be the large London influx who support EPL clubs, the bottom line is we are a small club and expectations need to match that.
You blame sky but many clubs in league 1 still have big average attendence. We don't. We also have low uninployment compared with some areas of country. We don't charge more than most clubs. We had a very good season ticket price. Not sure what else we can do apart from fight for promotion.
gioblues Television is still to blame ! I do not blame Sky exclusively. Despite your 'claim' - if you choose to look at the statistics -they will show that average attendances in the lower leagues are well down (( if you compare them with post war years -- you'll have to ask timupnorth for exact numbers. ))I have been talking in terms of this 'longer' picture. Society changed a lot in the 60s. People's habits changed. They started to buy television sets - which advertised many luxuries they never had ( with which they can now not do without ). Credit became easier for people to obtain. Money was suddenly available - to truly bring an end to the austerity of WW2- People started to go on foreign holidays. People bought cars, and could travel. Supermarkets opened up - allowing people to fill their new freezers with cheaper products..... but there was a 'payback' for this social revolution - wives had to go to work to bring in a second income to pay for all the fancy new stuff -- but it was worth it - to be able to afford their package holiday in Spain each year -- certainly a lot more attractive than going to see a crappy performance by Gills on a wet miserable Tuesday night. With having to work more, and sacrificing some family time in midweek, people became more discerning with their time and money at weekends. People didn't have to tolerate measly rations - they were a thing of the past. People demanded better quality from their time and money - THIS no longer involved routinely always going to see their local team on a Saturday afternoon to be served up the aforementioned crap !.............. and, apart from the 'glory' years around 1966, attendances, especially for MOST in the lower leagues, have fallen a lot (( I remember being disgusted when a Gills attendance was announced at just under only 9000 )). Sky came along quite a long time after the social revolution started. They saw a way of exploiting the new-found wealth of the nation. They took a risk - and it paid off. Some would say; " Good luck to them." They have certainly been able to use their persuasive powers to create almost a monopoly on TV rights of football....... and what is that 'persuasion' ? - money - but only for the big boys --- and the FA and Government have allowed themselves to be ' prostituted by the pimps that is Sky & BT (( i put that in for the benefit of brb ))........The FA had a chance to dictate a better distribution of Sky's money - but the FA DID NOTHING -- they couldn't have cared less about the lower league clubs - and that is why I said that football has only itself to blame for the consequences (( the consequence is manifesting itself in clubs like Bury ,Macclesfield, Southend etc )) Sky & BT are the modern day Hypermarkets - who have ruined it for small traders ( L1 and lower ). They are providing a service that fits in with the changing habits of our society. They give people a lot of top quality goods at very affordable prices -- all within the comforts of your home - and with out wasting time away from family. You will tell me that Premier League grounds are full - despite the ridiculous ticket prices -- well -- the last time I looked in Oxford Street, Harrods was still going strong --- but NOT with the same customers every week -- and that is basically the same in the EPL - and spreading quickly in the lower leagues -- and I do not see that situation changing any time soon........................ .................. I had better stop here ( some would say I should have stopped on line 1 ) - I'll just sigh ( along with brb, tim and grumpygit ), and say " Those were the days." ps - as for the Gills conundrum - realistically - without a new - much wealthier Mr. Scally, things won't change for the better - put up with the crap - or watch more television.
Not down to football on television. People have more money now to spend on other things. Who used to go to Gym. Computer games Netflix. Eating out. You cannot compare to win we got double figures average.
gioblues for absolute clarity - when I say that television is to blame - I do mean that it started with television's power of advertising. This evolved in the 60s and 70s - by which time people started to have money in their pockets. Sky and BT have developed a product ( which is delivered by television ), that suits modern lifestyle preferences ( which no longer include the routine trudge to Priestfield. ) Television is such a powerful tool to appeal to our desires and lifestyle choices - ultimately with a view to making us part with our money for a particular product. It is no coincidence that all the top brands fall over themselves for a slot before, during and after matches screened on Sky and BT. - Who pocket so much money, that they can easily afford to give the EPL a whole load more money ( and so the circle goes around again ).
But if you don't go to Priestfield, you would miss days like today. Good crowd, good atmosphere, good performance, good result,
I have commented on our performance - on another thread. As for the 'good' crowd ((( REALLY -- 5567, including 400 + or so from Lincoln ))). Are we now saying that circa 5000 is now a GOOD number for Gills fans ??? ............. and did you know that we only achieved 5567 because Mr.Scally gave away hundreds of free tickets to local schools --------- and I wouldn't have minded so much if the tickets were for kids with a 'paying adult' - BUT - the people in front of me said that the tickets were NOT age specific ----- doesn't that cheer you up if you paid £24 on the day?
Our last 5 home games (league) Wycombe........4,814. Ipswich............7214. Southend.........5,097. Peterborough...6269. Rotherham.......4893. Both of the higher numbers were large away followings, so anything over 5,000 home supporters this year is good.
Totally agree money from tv should be more evenly spread out to all the leagues. The money players earn from top division to bottom is mind blowing.
Good - I can blame it all on VAR grumpygit - I was going to say that I have no wish to argue with your good self regarding your statistics and damned lies - but I realise that, with your subjective use of the adjective 'good' , I wouldn't actually be paying you much of a compliment. It may surprise you to be told that English is not my 'first' language, and with that in mind I decided to check my dictionary. I couldn't find, anywhere, where it states that a crowd of about ( nearly ) 5000 is now considered to be good ! If I dare to remind you that for the Rotherham game, we had 'kids for a £1' --- and still failed to achieve a good attendance ! --- you will only say that this gives credence to your affirmation of the status quo at Priestfield --- but it is a sad time in which we live, if we have to rely on heavy discounts and freebies to distort our attendance - to falsely make them seem ( what is now called ), good................... and it's all the fault of VAR ! VAR will now make it necessary for the people at the Oxford English dictionary to completely rewrite a whole bunch of definitions -- starting with Offside, Accidental & Deliberate handball ( depending on if you are a forward or defender), Interfering with play. Foul ( that would need a whole volume on its own.).... etc etc............. well, grumpygit - do you fancy a job ? (( you could do it on a Saturday afternoon ))..................... anyway, I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend - have a good one !
I have to be sensible with which games I attend. I'm not a sth and have never been in a position to commit to one but have been able to go to about 10 games a season for the last few years. My personal circumstances have now changed somewhat but I am still going tomorrow night for the Sunderland replay. My decision on whether I attend games considers a number of factors including how we're playing, my own commitments on Saturdays, the incumbent management and also the financial implications of attending the match. I know that STH's aren't often fond of the cut price games the club occasionally does but I've always been in favour of them as one, it means I'm more likely to attend but it should also bring more bums on seats. I've been less inclined to attend this season due to my personal opinion of Steve Evans and I know I'm not the only one who has frequented Priestfield less due to our current manager. With the games I've witnessed being extremely underwhelming I still question if he's any improvement to Steve Lovell but nevertheless I shall still attend as I love my team. I benefit from the ticket deals that the club has done in the past and I hope that they carry on but do feel the club doesn't do enough to advertise itself around the rest of the county. If you're the only football league team around then you should be an attractive prospect for potential new fans but sadly I just don't feel we are at the moment. More has to be done to improve our attendances.
