Attendances and the next generation of fans

[Midlandgull]

Lincoln fan here. I often have a look on this forum out if general interest and because you are a former league team and a club I have always had a lot of time for.

Just 18 months ago LCFC had a near 400k bank overdraft with the Co Op which they wanted back. Not only that there was a real danger we would lose all our banking facilities. Things started to change for us when an overseas investor got ob board. We're not talking big money but without him we wouldn't have got Danny and Nicky.

Those two are someting else. The community work. The way they can engage with absolutely everyone. They are tireless. I'm sure they have visited every school within 30 miles of Lincoln at least once.

This was Wednesday morning after the Chelsea game...

Check out @Fossewayacademy’s Tweet: https://x.com/Fossewayacademy/status/96 ... 59968?s=08

The transformation is down to them. Yes of course results and the cup runs have helped, but they are absolute diamonds. Irreplaceable when they finally move on to better and bigger things.

Thanks for sharing - a great example of how a club can turn things around and engage the community to move together as a force. It just takes vision, dedication and persistence. Three things that are not on the agenda here currently but must be addressed to go forward. As another poster said we can build a fan base where the results are secondary - right now we rely on results and try nothing else and of course it is failing.

[westyorkshiregull]

Barnsley is a step up , bigger club , good youth setup and likely I would think playing a higher level season

[SuperNickyWroe]

Lincoln fan here. I often have a look on this forum out if general interest and because you are a former league team and a club I have always had a lot of time for.

Just 18 months ago LCFC had a near 400k bank overdraft with the Co Op which they wanted back. Not only that there was a real danger we would lose all our banking facilities. Things started to change for us when an overseas investor got ob board. We're not talking big money but without him we wouldn't have got Danny and Nicky.

Those two are someting else. The community work. The way they can engage with absolutely everyone. They are tireless. I'm sure they have visited every school within 30 miles of Lincoln at least once.

This was Wednesday morning after the Chelsea game...

Check out @Fossewayacademy’s Tweet: https://x.com/Fossewayacademy/status/96 ... 59968?s=08

The transformation is down to them. Yes of course results and the cup runs have helped, but they are absolute diamonds. Irreplaceable when they finally move on to better and bigger things.

welcome to the forum mate.
I also like Lincoln and applaud the development that you have achieved.
However, the way we were treated by supposed Lincoln "fans" when we visited on Good Friday last season, was totally unacceptable with their behaviour and abuse to certain fans of TUFC. Most of the said "fans" were situated behind/above us in the stand behind the glass windows...

[Impster]

welcome to the forum mate.
I also like Lincoln and applaud the development that you have achieved.
However, the way we were treated by supposed Lincoln "fans" when we visited on Good Friday last season, was totally unacceptable with their behaviour and abuse to certain fans of TUFC. Most of the said "fans" were situated behind/above us in the stand behind the glass windows...

In the exec boxes? Probably a few too many shandies! Sadly we do get a few idiots, like most clubs. Probably more now because a lot of fans don't get it - they weren't around when we were scrambling for points to avoid relegation to step six in front of 2,000 thoroughly miserable people

[Impster]

Thanks for sharing - a great example of how a club can turn things around and engage the community to move together as a force. It just takes vision, dedication and persistence. Three things that are not on the agenda here currently but must be addressed to go forward. As another poster said we can build a fan base where the results are secondary - right now we rely on results and try nothing else and of course it is failing.

He comes from a teaching background, as does his brother Nicky. That certainly helps. But it's the willingness to work their nads off.

[Dave]

Taking this one right back the original post. Over years we've had this discussion so many times, even placed 2nd in league 2, when the product was still good, we were talking about, how to get the gates from 2,800 up to 3,800.

Taking the club ownership to one side, the lack of trust supporters have right now (justifiable) So much of what's asked for to help attract young fans, and new fans is or has been done over the years.

The club today, advertises the games on Breeze radio, including the £40 family ticket, the football in the community scheme are in schools, and run holiday clubs, they give out free tickets already.

Over the years, they've kids birthday parties, invited pioneer youth clubs to match's, done 2 for 1 offers, 6 game season tickets, half season tickets, and so and on.

Right now, even if you get families to the games, the atmosphere at plainmoor of late has been toxic, hardly going to attract them to come back. Think parents are part of the problem, couple of season ago, when I was still working in youth football myself, the club I was involved with went to a TUFC match, the general view from the parents was, great it's free, lets go, none had had any intention of ever going back when they had to pay.

For me, I moved into this area in 1980 aged 11, next door were huge TUFC fans, and they took me to my first game, loved it and was hooked. Didn't want my son to become a glory hunting, shirt wearing, down the pub shouting glory songs at the TV arguing about who's the biggest club with another moron who's never been to game or even knows where the stadium of the club they support even is.

I wanted him to support his local club, so I took him aged 6 to his game, now 20, he still supports TUFC, althoguh as player himself, doesn't get to so many games.

What's the answer, we've seen how ambition at the likes of Shrewsbury and Burton has grown to support base for those clubs, and we've seen how fan ownership has worked for the likes of Exeter and Wrexham, and others, ambition for us is a million miles away, as is, a great product, so could the later work.

[Midlandgull]

Taking this one right back the original post. Over years we've had this discussion so many times, even placed 2nd in league 2, when the product was still good, we were talking about, how to get the gates from 2,800 up to 3,800.

Taking the club ownership to one side, the lack of trust supporters have right now (justifiable) So much of what's asked for to help attract young fans, and new fans is or has been done over the years.

The club today, advertises the games on Breeze radio, including the £40 family ticket, the football in the community scheme are in schools, and run holiday clubs, they give out free tickets already.

Over the years, they've kids birthday parties, invited pioneer youth clubs to match's, done 2 for 1 offers, 6 game season tickets, half season tickets, and so and on.

Right now, even if you get families to the games, the atmosphere at plainmoor of late has been toxic, hardly going to attract them to come back. Think parents are part of the problem, couple of season ago, when I was still working in youth football myself, the club I was involved with went to a TUFC match, the general view from the parents was, great it's free, lets go, none had had any intention of ever going back when they had to pay.

For me, I moved into this area in 1980 aged 11, next door were huge TUFC fans, and they took me to my first game, loved it and was hooked. Didn't want my son to become a glory hunting, shirt wearing, down the pub shouting glory songs at the TV arguing about who's the biggest club with another moron who's never been to game or even knows where the stadium of the club they support even is.

I wanted him to support his local club, so I took him aged 6 to his game, now 20, he still supports TUFC, althoguh as player himself, doesn't get to so many games.

What's the answer, we've seen how ambition at the likes of Shrewsbury and Burton has grown to support base for those clubs, and we've seen how fan ownership has worked for the likes of Exeter and Wrexham, and others, ambition for us is a million miles away, as is, a great product, so could the later work.

Some of the things may have been done over the years, but has there been a consistent aggressive push to do this? Example, we have an academy now so boxed ticked isn't it...wrong! The academy is no where near the level required to develop genuine talent. What I mean by this is just because we've done it over the years doesn't mean we are good at it - the marketing and community engagement has to be a million times better than it is now.

We're lacking a clear vision from the top which for me is the ultimate problem, coupled with a lack of fan ownership or even fan representation on the board. When/if we get those things right the rest can follow a lot easier, right now I agree it is a difficult task.

[Impster]

Barnsley is a step up , bigger club , good youth setup and likely I would think playing a higher level season

He was on the Channel 5 programme tonight...


Colin Murray: 'So basically what you're saying is if any club come calling including Barcelona.. You're not interested?' DC: 'Correct'

What a guy!

[Parkys People]

He was on the Channel 5 programme tonight...


Colin Murray: 'So basically what you're saying is if any club come calling including Barcelona.. You're not interested?' DC: 'Correct'

What a guy!

That's good to hear. It strikes me as basic steps to take.

Any manager or player, if things are going, don't leave room for confusion or speculation, knock it on the head completely and solely focus on your club. Hypothetical talk just allows focus to slip and then there's room for confusion.

It's rare people do it though, so good work by Cowley. I rate him!

[Louis]

I wanted him to support his local club, so I took him aged 6 to his game, [highlight=yellow]now 20[/highlight], he still supports TUFC, althoguh as player himself, doesn't get to so many games.

8-o wow I feel old now

[westyorkshiregull]

Makes me feel very old then
..aged 6 I was watching Bruce rioch

Aged 9 Stuart Morgan

Aged 17 kevin Hodges ......aged 39 owers ...

[Impster]

Sorry to post about this again and Danny Cowley in particular. But this is a prime example of the person he is.

[Rjc70]

Sorry to post about this again and Danny Cowley in particular. But this is a prime example of the person he is.

Comes across as a top bloke.