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Post by ballboy on Sept 4, 2023 15:04:13 GMT
C’mon Spitfires I understand that you want to support a local team as well as Eastleigh but our team needs your support on away days as well as at home. Dorking is only one and a half hours away and Stewart is subsiding coaches to make them affordable. Unless more fans use the away travel either Stewart loses out big time or they won’t run in future. Gateshead/Hartlepool I can understand but the likes of Aldershot/Woking and Maidenhead don’t take much of the day and the away day experience with fellow Spitfires takes a lot of beating. Sorry if I’ve upset a lot of people but you know it makes sense. !!
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Post by hantslondoner on Sept 4, 2023 16:16:48 GMT
Some can afford the time but I can't. I can only watch the 'best available' local game on a Sat. When Eastleigh are at home that (just) fits the bill. Otherwise I will look elsewhere. Even Dorking would have been - what? 7 hours there and back including the match? That's a lot when people work hard and only have the traditional two days max break at a weekend (bearing in mind there are many shift workers, etc.) - family commitments, etc. etc. I don't go to Stoneham every other week either. But that's only 3 hours out of my Sat afternoon. Even the Silverlake is 4-5 hours for me because it's a pain to access. But the level of football makes it worth it (the entertainment value doesn't always match it though!).
I appreciate what SD is doing to generate away support (and the breakfast idea is a great move too) and IMO 153 wasn't a bad number last Sat for an away following.
I know many teams in the NL bring hundreds even down here, but they are the traditional 'big teams' and maybe some research can be done to see why they continue to have such a large away following. As has been said before, it's hard to build a tradition when there isn't any, even if the owner is being generous and trying hard to build something. Getting in the Football League would help, of course!
Ask the supporters! You will get many answers, I'm sure.
Probably worth (another) thread on its own. Please feel free to move my comments there if one is created.
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Post by ballboy on Sept 4, 2023 16:50:05 GMT
Some can afford the time but I can't. I can only watch the 'best available' local game on a Sat. When Eastleigh are at home that (just) fits the bill. Otherwise I will look elsewhere. Even Dorking would have been - what? 7 hours there and back including the match? That's a lot when people work hard and only have the traditional two days max break at a weekend (bearing in mind there are many shift workers, etc.) - family commitments, etc. etc. I don't go to Stoneham every other week either. But that's only 3 hours out of my Sat afternoon. Even the Silverlake is 4-5 hours for me because it's a pain to access. But the level of football makes it worth it (the entertainment value doesn't always match it though!). I appreciate what SD is doing to generate away support (and the breakfast idea is a great move too) and IMO 153 wasn't a bad number last Sat for an away following. I know many teams in the NL bring hundreds even down here, but they are the traditional 'big teams' and maybe some research can be done to see why they continue to have such a large away following. As has been said before, it's hard to build a tradition when there isn't any, even if the owner is being generous and trying hard to build something. Getting in the Football League would help, of course! Ask the supporters! You will get many answers, I'm sure. Probably worth (another) thread on its own. Please feel free to move my comments there if one is created. Can’t delete my earlier post I completely agree that it’s not going to be suitable for some but away days are the best and I’m not getting at you hantslondoner but if we got a draw in the cup against say Brighton, Fulham or Chelsea we wouldn’t have enough coaches. Remember Bolton and Swindon
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Post by hantslondoner on Sept 4, 2023 17:34:13 GMT
I went to Brentford a few years ago (it's where the 'londoner' in 'hantslondoner' comes from) and to be honest didn't enjoy the trip, even though travel was subsidised by SD again and was good value. Some of the fans on that one weren't particularly pleasant, not least the ones who were throwing flares in the enclosed away end - this put one or two people I know off from attending again.
Anyway, I hope there are enough fans to suuport this, and as you say SD is doing all he can. I hope they club can find out what would motivate people to go and add to the numbers!
We seem to have quite a lot of younger fans who have appeared in the last year or two - do you know if they attend away trips?
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Post by spitfire9 on Sept 4, 2023 19:30:49 GMT
C’mon Spitfires I understand that you want to support a local team as well as Eastleigh but our team needs your support on away days as well as at home. Dorking is only one and a half hours away and Stewart is subsiding coaches to make them affordable. Unless more fans use the away travel either Stewart loses out big time or they won’t run in future. Gateshead/Hartlepool I can understand but the likes of Aldershot/Woking and Maidenhead don’t take much of the day and the away day experience with fellow Spitfires takes a lot of beating. Sorry if I’ve upset a lot of people but you know it makes sense. !! Not everyone can afford too even at subsidised prices so going to support a local team at half the cost can't see what the problem with this is. Could this not of been a new thread.
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Post by ballboy on Sept 4, 2023 19:35:28 GMT
Unfortunately hantslondoner the cheaper coaches seem to be attracting the creche wanting youngsters that parents seem to be happy to use. We had a flare set off in Dorking high street by one of our fans and a young fan was evicted from the ground in possession of an offensive item. Hopefully this type of fan will be banned by the club and also won’t be interested in longer journeys.
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Post by blackie on Sept 5, 2023 11:50:08 GMT
Unfortunately hantslondoner the cheaper coaches seem to be attracting the creche wanting youngsters that parents seem to be happy to use. We had a flare set off in Dorking high street by one of our fans and a young fan was evicted from the ground in possession of an offensive item. Hopefully this type of fan will be banned by the club and also won’t be interested in longer journeys. Exactly the reason I would prefer to travel under my own steam by either car or train. An afternoon/evening of that is not condusive to a day out!
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Post by ballboy on Sept 5, 2023 12:27:04 GMT
Fair enough but travel by car/train anywhere north of Solihull is expensive and lonely. Hopefully the trouble makers will be sent packing and enjoying travel with fellow spitfires will be the norm.
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Post by eastleighnumber9 on Sept 5, 2023 14:26:28 GMT
It hasn’t just been the younger crowd which has caused problems, been to few away games when the older generation who should know better have let themselves down been chucked out for being drunk, others arrested at certain away games.
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Post by spitfire9 on Sept 5, 2023 19:12:46 GMT
Club not advertising away travel early enough has been the biggest issue so far this season. Is it advertised around the ground? Don't think I've heard it announced on the pa system this season?
Possible other reasons -Not everyone can afford it subsidised or not -Leaves too late -Some fans enjoy having a drink on the way/ before -Pick up location(maybe a 2nd pick up in Eastleigh TC)
Every fan is different. Maybe the club could put out a questionnaire or something to get opinions on away travel.
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Post by ballboy on Sept 8, 2023 13:55:23 GMT
I agree that the club advertises away games too late and I haven’t heard any announcements during home games. Your right every fan is different and on the coach it’s only youngsters that are the problem. At the ground and after a few drinks some supporters young and old cause problems home and away. Alcohol is banned on the coach but is obviously consumed elsewhere. I’m sure some people can afford away travel but their priorities are elsewhere which is totally understandable.
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Post by hantslondoner on Sept 8, 2023 14:17:27 GMT
BTW I see that Eastleigh are offering half-price tickets to Saints and AFCB S/T holders tomorrow. I've seen in the past statements encouraging them to adopt us as their second club (cf Stoneham thread ;-).
Anyway, there are also discounts at the Oxford City game so (in theory) with some big crowds with new faces coming up, this is the time to advertise away travel!
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Post by spitfire9 on Sept 8, 2023 15:04:11 GMT
Unfortunately hantslondoner the cheaper coaches seem to be attracting the creche wanting youngsters that parents seem to be happy to use. We had a flare set off in Dorking high street by one of our fans and a young fan was evicted from the ground in possession of an offensive item. Hopefully this type of fan will be banned by the club and also won’t be interested in longer journeys. Is this anything to do with the tssc stopping stewarding the coaches? Least the club will now have full control and see the different types of fans we have on the coaches and maybe be able to get a better idea of what is needed to improve the away travel experience.
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Post by ballboy on Sept 8, 2023 16:36:26 GMT
I agree the club relys on the TSSC too much for away travel. They were going to arrange travel this season but the club decided to do it. The TSSC a couldn’t afford to subsidise them as Stewart is. It will be interesting to see what happens on the Fylde coach(if it runs).
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Post by sattsy on Sept 8, 2023 18:59:52 GMT
A genuine question, as im long out of it these days, but what does TSSC spend its money on? Also out of interest, how many members do they have?
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