Reply With QuoteNot sure what difference that makes to us struggling on the field Mike ?
Hall Of Fame
I find it amazing that the population of Crewe and Nantwich has gone up by tens of thousands over the last few years and we seem unable to attract them to the club. Is that due to cost ie ticket prices or quality of the football? Or other reasons? ie doing the shopping with the family etc? Nobody at the club seems to want to explore these questions or do anything to attract them.
Hall Of Fame
Not sure what difference that makes to us struggling on the field Mike ?
Moderator
The 'situation' is that we are not attracting, nor are ever likely to attract, gates that will bring in cash for proper spending.Originally Posted by MikeSB
I've just done an anoraky-type Google:
Crewe - population 68,000 - average gate 4,122
Swindon - pop. 182,000 - average gate 6,795
Chesterfield - pop. 104,000 - average gate 5,747
Derby (Champ) - pop 250,000 - average gate 33,079
Leicester (Prem) - pop 329,000 - average gate 31,759
Crewe is, and will remain, a small/medium town. Thankfully the Alex attracts die-hards from Somerset, Shropshire, the Isle of Skye, Derby and, yes, Lei
Hall Of Fame
There are several teams in the FL who operate in League One with similar or even lower attendances than Crewe who seem to be able to buy and attract players from other clubs? Discuss ?
Moderator
That is a little peremptory, even with the question mark.
Yes, we currently have problems; and yes, they need to be solved. However I would not like the Alex to change the entire business model (i.e. no investment in the Academy and instead a foreign, fly-by-night sugar daddy) for the sake of short term gain.
I'm hurting just the same as every Alex fan, but do I want us to see club's like Notts County as the way forward! Fear of liquidation is a great driver. I'd rather have temporary uncertainty on the pitch than long term fear and uncertainty in the Boardroom.
That said, I'd like to see some clarity and open comments. Unfortunately some fans will never be happy no matter how much they are told. For some it's a case of: 'If I were you I wouldn't
Hall Of Fame
Colchester have a Cat 2 academy and have lower crowds and but haven't had millions of pounds worth of player sales yet they can afford Freddie Sears wages of 4k a week and have many players on higher wages than us so they can be competitive in L1... Starting to think the "academy drains all our money" plea from the board is b******s and something else is happening to our money (hassall.)
Hall Of Fame
Well maybe I was, but what I'm saying is I'd like to see a pie chart of our distribution of income opposite that to one of similarly supported clubs.
Moderator
And wouldn't we all? :-D
Somehow I don't think it's going to happen. I agree with your point, though.
Hall Of Fame
Us that the Colchester that are one place and one point above us in the league?
Moderator
Colchester is an interesting case.
Club bought by multi-millionaire Robbie Cowling in 2006, and he remains Chairman with Richard Cowling Chief Exec.
Ploughed millions into the club, personally subsidised the wages of two managers, had a spell of success in Championship.
Three years ago said he was going to gradually withdraw some of the cash he put in (£300k a year).
So a club teetering on the brink (as are we) in football terms, is at the will and behest of one man? Sounds too much like Port Vale to me.
Posting Permissions