1946 club

[blueandwhite]

I see a new supporters club has been set up. Anyone know anything else about it?

[usspitfire]

From FB:-
Welcome to The 1946 Club.
For all Eastleigh FC Fans.
Further details and information with arrangements for memberships and incorporated incentives will be made available in due course. See less
Public
Anyone can see who's in the group and what they post.
Visible
Anyone can find this group.
History
Group created on 16 May 2024

it is replacing the Spitfires Supporters page so I'm guessing it's an "instead of" rather than "in addition to" TSSC?

[Will]

This was the introductory post on the old supporters' group:

Exciting News!


‘The Spitfires Supporters Club’ will be undergoing a new rebrand and identity.


Off the back of extremely positive meetings with the newly installed supporters engagement group and taking onboard various comments and ideas, the decision has been made to align with Eastleigh FC’s vision and ambition to improve fan involvement, opinions and values.


Introducing ‘The 1946 Club’ – your new supporters club.


A committee run members supporters club for all at EFC. The transition from the ‘TSSC’ to ‘The 1946 Club’ will remain seamless, with all previous members and new members welcome with open arms. A supporters club which will listen to the view of Spitfires fans, whilst actioning opinions and ideas involving all aspects in a collective manner for the benefit of those with a shared passion and love for Eastleigh Football Club.


We see this as a positive and necessary step in the right direction, which aligns with a new era at the football club, enabling the fanbase’ voice to be heard as we see Kelvin and the team push forwards with the new project. We feel an engaging and active supporters club can and should be an integral part of the football clubs success and will re-energize and galvanize the entire fanbase.


We appreciate that without the fans, a football club is at a loss. This is why ‘The 1946 Club’ endeavor to work hand-in-hand with the football club in a pro-active ethos, to further enhance an all-inclusive fanbase experience through our passion and loyalty.


Our first mission is to refurb and update ‘The Hangar’ and what we feel is an integral part of our history in an ever advancing and progressing stadium environment. We feel this should be a hub for fans - The 1946 Club headquarters. An area where like-minded EFC fans can collectively share stories, reminisce on past and current topics and have an experience which feels like home for Eastleigh fans on match days and beyond. There has been an superb uptake on generous donations for memorabilia to enhance the environment and we are still looking for more. Let’s celebrate our history and be proud to see reference to this.


Likewise, we will be looking for volunteers to help us re-decorate ‘The Hangar’ very soon, whether that be painting, skilled labour, cleaning, hanging pictures, flags and scarfs etc. For those who are willing to help with this process, we would welcome your interest and availability in the comments section below. We would love for this to be completed before the start of next season and envisage work to begin imminently.


In the meantime, please head over to the new ‘1946 Club’ Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/827974886029224 to get involved in what is an exciting new supporters club era. We’re proud of Eastleigh FC and our fans, it’s time to be involved now more than ever!


Further details and information with arrangements for memberships and incorporated incentives will be made available in due course.


Up the Spitfires!

[blueandwhite]

Cheap PR by the club, is is there substance behind this? We will see

[championspitfire]

Morning all,

As someone who is part of the 1946 club just to shed some light…

Due to no one’s fault a vast majority of feedback from fans was that the existing supporters club needed a change. Some felt it wasn’t effective anymore and the very low numbers of memberships over the past season and 2 proved that.

We felt a new start was needed. A number of fans met with the club via the Supporters engagement group to see that if we dedicated time what could the club give us to improve fans experience whilst providing support to the club itself.

Obviously we’re still working this through whilst things develop over the coming months. The first goal is as above regarding the Hangar, which has been the biggest issue amongst supporters. We want to bring it back to life and provide a space for us fans to go to on match days, and give it that same vibe it had a number of seasons ago. We’re also looking at the supporters club membership and the benefits of joining etc.

Just for context, I’m a fan and have been attending matches for almost two decades now so I can assure you those involved have nothing but good intentions and it is nothing to do with club PR nor is it being run by the club.

Of course, all help is needed so if anyone would like to get more involved please let us know.

[loudnproud]

Forward together Paul. Top post sir

[tenacres]

Good stuff, very best of luck with to all involved.

Have always thought an Eastleigh FC supporters club has fantastic potential. Not sure TSSC every quite realised it, for whatever reasons(s).

Onwards and upwards!

[unknownquantity]

I think that several  years ago we had an active supporters club that raised money for the club with various projects including sponsored walks, had in excess of 100 members, supported away travel and had regular meetings for all members to attend. We also had a Last of The Summer Wine club that consisted mainly of retired people who spent a lot of their spare time doing various jobs around the club and a couple of this group received a national a3ward for their voluntary work at the club, but I think that some of the work they did has now been done by paid employees.  However in more recent years the supporters club has had much of a lesser role in the club.

WE did have a meeting of the supporters club not too long ago, when a new committee introduced and  ideas for potential  speakers were amongst the items discussed, but I think it was the case that use of the Hangar had to paid for and I expect that this may have reduced the potential for further meetings.

As the Hangar is used by many long term supporters of the club and is an important part of my matchday experience for the matches I attend, so I welcome the plans to redevelop it.  However I do think that this would have been a good project for the members of the Last of THE Summer Wine club to be involved in and I think that with the club last season becoming very corporate last season it is important that fans using The Hangar who have a strong historical link to the club are not regarded as of secondary importance to those who pay money to use the corporate facilities on match days, but may not necessarily have an interest in the football.

It is though good that people are keen to get the supporters club up and running in a positive way though.

[bomber]

The only addition to the Hangar should be reusable hard plastic beer glasses. They're only £45 for 100. So come on EFC. Dont be tight arses...also reduces landfill! www.mbswholesale.co.uk/econ-rigid-reusable-plastic-beer-glasses-ce-atpint-100-pack/

[ajc]

The reusable plastic has already been discussed for the Hanger

[usspitfire]

There seems to be some animosity between the moderators of the Spitfire Supporters Club & the 1946 club on Facebook? I thought it was the same thing, just a new page? Why didn't they just change the name of the page & keep the followers etc?

[Will]

Jun 13, 2024 16:14:40 GMT usspitfire said:

Why didn't they just change the name of the page & keep the followers etc?

I thought the very same. Crazy to start afresh and lose probably a large proportion of the 4700+ followers the old group had.

[loudnproud]

Jun 13, 2024 16:14:40 GMT usspitfire said:

There seems to be some animosity between the moderators of the Spitfire Supporters Club & the 1946 club on Facebook? I thought it was the same thing, just a new page? Why didn't they just change the name of the page & keep the followers etc?

Ask the moderator on here Mark. I have been told that. He wouldn't give up the moderating on the Supporters club Facebook page. So they had to start/open a new one. We have seen said moderator throw his toys before. Just ask Mr Satts. I'm sure mr Mod will come on here and tell his side of the story? 

[tenacres]

Nope, no one spoke to me about changes to the 4.7k group. The new group started without my knowledge and absolutely no reason why it shouldn't. Eastleigh FC is plenty big enough to support 2 online chat fan groups which will likely development their own differences/characteristics as time moves on.

As I suggested above I'm all for a rebrand/refresh of the supporters club. I really hope it can be a positive hub of activity to help get the hangar into shape/provide fan events/coach travel to games etc etc. Really looking forward to seeing membership going live and what it has to offer in due course as Pre season starts and the new season approaches.

[rocky]

Think we have missed a trick not showing the England games at the club. Could show the QF maybe? Be good for fans to get together

Any more news on the SC?