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Post by nobadspitfire on Dec 13, 2017 17:04:29 GMT
99% of fans care not one bit for facilities, you go ask Arsenal, West Ham, Sunderland, Derby fans which grounds they preferred going to and it wont be the shiny new plastic atmosphere-less ones they're now in. If people want brand new facilities why is the new clubhouse with its 72 plasma Tvs, pot plants and waitress service empty compared to a ramshackle old clubhouse?-its called atmosphere. Eastleigh's ground is already as good as most league 2 clubs so why the push on for somewhere we are never going to get to? 99%? Utter rubbish, willk. More like 5%. Are you really saying grounds with facilities such as we had in the 70s & 80s, were more appealing to 9 out of 10 people than the new stadia? One of the reasons the PL attracts the crowds it does now is that people can watch a game in relative comfort, compared to how things were in the old days. Imagine having the old Clock End at Highbury at a PL game now, people standing out in the rain, any sound made drifting out in the air. Is there any club in the top 4 divisions that hasn't spent considerable amounts of money on their stadia in the past 20 years? Remember how crowd numbers had fallen from the post '66 highs to how they were in the late 80s /early 90s? Any club improving its stadia is doing so for the benefit of the majority of its fans, & if a small minority prefer ramshackle old facilities, there's always a lower level non-league club to support locally. I generally prefer the Hangar (and it's NOT ramshackle) to the downstairs new bar, because they usually show VNL football, but last Saturday, the Hangar had no proper beer so I went to the aforementioned new bar. I would guess there were a similar number of people in both. No waitress service that I noticed & maybe 8 TVs. But it was PL football on, which some prefer. I'm not a rose tinted specs, happy clappy, all positive fan. A lot of the football we've suffered this season has been dire, but in the long term, I trust SD to run the club as he sees fit. He has made a lot of mistakes, will no doubt make more, but it's his money on the line & I think it makes complete sense to continue improving the Silverlake. Interesting that with all the clamour from a few/several about RH, and even fewer criticising the stadium improvements, there is no massed vocal demonstration about either at games. Or, as far as I know, no organised deputation to complain to SD. Just a handful of keyboard warriors sitting at home moaning about it. But then, I guess it's too much trouble or not important enough to them for those nay sayers to organise themselves into any sort of cohesive group.
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Post by michaelefc on Dec 13, 2017 17:39:48 GMT
I belong to the Executive club, and it is nearly always full before matches. Indeed I believe it was sold out before the season began. As a result of having somewhere nice to go before the games, and somewhere decent to sit now, I have had several people come that would not have dreamed of coming before the ground improvements. SD won't stop until the ground is completely revolutionised and compares with anything outside of the championship and good for him, I support him 100%.
As for the reasons for drastically reducing the budget, I believe this to be because the club was realising it was attracting the wrong sort of player, coming for the wrong reasons. EFC are absolutely right to prioritise the ground, those improvements will benefit supporters for decades and are an excellent investment; expenses on players wages, invariably brings little long term benefit, just makes the players well off for a couple of years. As said in a previous post, if you love basic facilities so much, go and watch football in the Hampshire league. Suit you down to the ground. You would doubtless have enjoyed Suttons old toilets, pitch black and a horrible smell of stale urine. Don't you all wish for those lovely old days...your welcome to them.
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Post by hantslondoner on Dec 13, 2017 18:00:53 GMT
As said in a previous post, if you love basic facilities so much, go and watch football in the Hampshire league. Have you been to a Hampshire League game recently? Ever? To cater for average crowds of 30-50, it's fine - there is normally a decent clubhouse, with reasonable facilities and friendly people who put a lot of effort in to keep the club going. Occasionally you might even find a stand too, basic food and drink is usually available, and toilets are clean ;-) These clubhouses are open a lot outside matchdays, because that's how they make enough money to survive. Hampshire games are free to get into and offer a good standard of football. The Wessex league, where Eastleigh was once, even more so. I've certainly seen better games (and been more entertained) in the Hampshire League than some at the Silverlake. That's why I watch games in that league too. Nobody on an inflated salary taking the p**s. They play for the love of the game, and they put the effort in. It you go to a football match to watch the football, it's recommended. The business model above sounds a bit like what Stewart's doing. albeit on a more modest scale. He offers cheapish entrance to attract supporters, who then spend money on other things in the ground too. Personally I'm not interested in the new restaurant/bars, but I accept that he's trying to make EFC more self-funding in case: a) he stops putting his money into the club or: b) spectator numbers fall. A lot of people watch football at places like Eastleigh because the PL has got too big for its boots. Eastleigh FC should remember where it came from as well as look to where it's going. I think generally it does. Maybe being an Executive club member means you've lost touch with the 'real grass roots'? I'd liken it to a difference between designer bars and basic pubs. There's a market for both! Pleased to see people like willk understand this (maybe 99% was an exaggeration, though ;-). I also think we have good enough facilities already for the next few years. We've already seen that you can't buy this league - it will take a while to get to L2 unless we're really lucky, so why bother developing facilities beyond the next level at the moment? Maybe we should develop a sustainable youth system instead, and see progression from there into the first team. Seeing good local players will also bring the fans in, who can identify better with the team, as well as maybe bring in some transfer fees if they're that good.
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Post by hantslondoner on Dec 13, 2017 18:47:51 GMT
Interesting that with all the clamour from a few/several about RH, and even fewer criticising the stadium improvements, there is no massed vocal demonstration about either at games. Or, as far as I know, no organised deputation to complain to SD. Well there was the booing after the Barrow game....
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hey55
Semi-Pro
Posts: 133
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Post by hey55 on Dec 13, 2017 18:52:58 GMT
There is no way Michael ,being an exec member, (which l wasn`t aware of, but no matter ) would ever loose touch with grass roots footie, or any sort of roots, family mates or otherwise. He has been coming here longer than l and is an Eastleigh stalwart, and he does welcome all comers to this great little club which is getting bigger and better. At the moment we are experiencing a set back, some of the selections of managers last year didnt work,Martin Allen particularly, and SD was as amazed as we were when it transpired what his came plan was. But hey we are here and the future is looking very bright, just keep believing
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Post by hantslondoner on Dec 13, 2017 18:57:31 GMT
Fair enough - but the phrase I quoted from him certainly didn't give me that impression!
As I say, I support the efforts SD is putting into making the club more self-funding, and his efforts to bring the club success on the pitch too. Some supporters will appreciate the new facilities, some don't need them - it's their choice. But it's nicer for those spectators, and brings funds into the club. Fortunes on the pitch depend on a lot of things, but as I say, without a lot of luck we'll not be in L2 yet. Money can't buy you luck, to almost paraphrase the Beatles. Lincoln struck lucky last season with Danny Cowley, and he had some luck with some of his choices of player too.
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Post by willk on Dec 13, 2017 19:37:04 GMT
NObadspitfire, you try telling an old fan who used to stand on the kop, North bank, stretford end with his mates that now can’t afford £50 tickets that modern stadiums are brilliant. Brilliant for the middle class prawn sandwich occasional fan , but not for most.
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Post by back4more on Dec 13, 2017 19:58:14 GMT
Don't forget though willk that apart from the megabucks champagne elite the Premier League has real proper clubs as well. For reasons some will know I went to a fair few Cherries away matches last season and saw brilliant Premier League football at Swansea, Hull, Burnley and Stoke for bargain prices. I saw them at Anfield and Goodison as well and the ticket prices there were not eye watering compared with the London elite.
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Post by nobadspitfire on Dec 13, 2017 20:08:18 GMT
Find me one of those, willk. It's called progress & there will always be winners & losers. As I said, plenty of other clubs he can go & watch. Plenty of disillusioned Saints fans coming our way. Would they have come if the ground was still more or less as when we were in the Conference South? No, they come because they recognise vfm & see SD trying to improve facilities. And aren't we talking EFC here? I'm not aware of anyone being priced out of watching us. Only a handful of saddoes who saw the club changing by moving up the leagues and who decided it wasn't for them.
I still follow my boyhood club, Bristol City, but I wouldn't call myself a supporter any more as I very rarely go that far for games. They made the decision to re-develope Ashton Gate when still in League 1 & now have a fantastic stadium ready for the PL, if & when they get promotion. Last season Lee Johnson was under substantial pressure as the club hovered around the relegation places for 3/4 of the season. The board stuck with Lee and look where they are now. I'm not suggesting the same will happen at EFC, but it could.
"Middle class prawn sandwich occasional fan"...........Lazy stereotyping.
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Post by fairoakfan on Dec 13, 2017 20:27:30 GMT
Find me one of those, willk. It's called progress & there will always be winners & losers. As I said, plenty of other clubs he can go & watch. Plenty of disillusioned Saints fans coming our way. Would they have come if the ground was still more or less as when we were in the Conference South? No, they come because they recognise vfm & see SD trying to improve facilities. And aren't we talking EFC here? I'm not aware of anyone being priced out of watching us. Only a handful of saddoes who saw the club changing by moving up the leagues and who decided it wasn't for them. I still follow my boyhood club, Bristol City, but I wouldn't call myself a supporter any more as I very rarely go that far for games. They made the decision to re-develope Ashton Gate when still in League 1 & now have a fantastic stadium ready for the PL, if & when they get promotion. Last season Lee Johnson was under substantial pressure as the club hovered around the relegation places for 3/4 of the season. The board stuck with Lee and look where they are now. I'm not suggesting the same will happen at EFC, but it could. "Middle class prawn sandwich occasional fan"...........Lazy stereotyping.
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Post by fairoakfan on Dec 13, 2017 20:30:48 GMT
I agree, I am disillusioned with the prices and quality of football in the top league, would I have started to watch EFC with 200 or so souls and hardly any cover or good viewing area available, no I wouldn't. I love how the club had been built. I am a latecomer and enjoy the league as I have said.
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Post by willk on Dec 13, 2017 20:43:28 GMT
I don’t think people come to Eastleigh to marvel at the facilities, they come because a season ticket at st marys is £700-800 Progress? Pricing the ordinary fan and youngsters out the game , yep, real community progress that.
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Post by michaelefc on Dec 13, 2017 20:47:43 GMT
I don't think I'll ever lose touch with the "real grass roots". I live in a very modest council house in Swaythling (rented), and I walk up Stoneham Lane to every game rain or shine, and will continue to do so as long as my body allows me. I also go to Loftus Road to watch Championship football, and I watch a fair bit of Premier league and Spanish Football on TV. I love all of it. I think the Premiership gets a bad press, the football is fantastic, of course the ticket prices are high and of course your ordinary working person can't go to many games, given that they earn £8, £9 or £10 an hour. That's the system we live in, most ordinary folk can't drive a Bentley, or shop at Harrods either.
I'm a little luckier than some in that I run a fairly successful business. This enables me to spend a little money on things I love, and one of those is Eastleigh. I actually purchase 3 Executive club tickets a year, and 1 or 2 of those is often unused. Feel free to see me and you can join me. We need to not make this into a them and us thing. We all want Eastleigh to do well and there are lots of ways we can do that. Just do what you can and I'll carry on doing what I can, and who knows what the future may bring. 25 years ago I started following Eastleigh on a journey which has seen attendances increase 30 fold, and they have gained 3 promotions. Do the same again in the next 25 years and we'll be playing in the championship in front of 50,000 people. Who knows, but I will be Eastleigh until I die, and I hope you will be too.
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Post by willk on Dec 13, 2017 20:58:37 GMT
Lovely post Michael, very hard to argue with any of it really
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Post by hantslondoner on Dec 13, 2017 22:05:54 GMT
Find me one of those, willk. It's called progress & there will always be winners & losers. As I said, plenty of other clubs he can go & watch. Plenty of disillusioned Saints fans coming our way. Would they have come if the ground was still more or less as when we were in the Conference South? No, they come because they recognise vfm & see SD trying to improve facilities. And aren't we talking EFC here? I'm not aware of anyone being priced out of watching us. Only a handful of saddoes who saw the club changing by moving up the leagues and who decided it wasn't for them. I still follow my boyhood club, Bristol City, but I wouldn't call myself a supporter any more as I very rarely go that far for games. They made the decision to re-develope Ashton Gate when still in League 1 & now have a fantastic stadium ready for the PL, if & when they get promotion. Last season Lee Johnson was under substantial pressure as the club hovered around the relegation places for 3/4 of the season. The board stuck with Lee and look where they are now. I'm not suggesting the same will happen at EFC, but it could. "Middle class prawn sandwich occasional fan"...........Lazy stereotyping. 'Only a handful of saddoes who saw the club changing by moving up the leagues and who decided it wasn't for them'. Lazy stereotyping.
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