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Post by boxxon on Mar 13, 2013 22:27:00 GMT
I here that that Winchester and Sholing are thinking of withdrawing from our league and with their gates it doesn`t surprise me.REcently , non league has lost many teams ,possibly for ever.eg Andover ,Rushden and Diamonds ,Bromsgrove Rovers to mention a few. I read on the Tony Enlish non league website www.nonleaguematters.co.uk that Llanelli are £2.98 million in debt and likely to fold in the next few days.The Welsh Premier League are in dire straits with the large distances involved in this league .There could be only in 2 or 3sides in S.Wales in this league next season. Mid Wales/border side TNS are now merged with Oswestry and I believe actually have their ground over the border in England and may be looking to play their football there.As are other clubs looking to join Merthyr and Colwyn Bay. But in England we have our own massive problems.Players wages and travelling costs are killing the majority of sides. I think the Southern league has massive problems especially with travelling and attendances. Personally ,I think the setting up of the Conference North and South divisions have denuded the Southern League of a genuine Premier Division and teams being promoted into their league are generally strugling and just cant cope with the requirements of operating at that level.Including the rediculous Ground Requirements set by the FA. We need more sensible regionalisation. The same comment actually applies to the Football League-surely its time for first and second divisions need to be regionalised into a north and south set up. I dont think it will be long before many of them go to the wall or come down into the non league, like Halifax. Trouble is the current set up is being ruled over by the "suits and blazer " brigade who aren`t in the real world. Yes we need a pyramid for the realistic ambitious clubs.But they are few and far between-not the majority. Sanity needs to prevail before it all comes crashing around our ears. Scottish football is in a similar position. I hope that our proposed new ground development is our big chance to elevate the club.Obviously we cant stay with the current set up ,so I look forward to CTFC grabing their great opportunity to move into the new "era"with optimism. |
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Post by Big Mac on Mar 13, 2013 23:00:33 GMT
As you know i used to follow Hereford united, they have big money problems too, crowds are falling, getting around 1700 home fans and the have budgeted fot 2500, the cost of going to watch games is a major factor, the cheapest ticket is £16 to go and watch Hereford and the standard of football is shocking, ive seen better games for 6 pound at the causeway than i did at Hereford in the last 3 years.
I think we are fairly lucky with the league we are in, got a fair few teams that aint that far away.
Its all about budgeting properly and not over spending, get the foundations right and the right people working for the club and we will be fine.
I think the new youth teams that Cinderford as started as been a great step forward, ive seen some of the kids dads at games which add to the gate, people are starting to realise that Cinderford have a football club and a really good one at that.
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Post by boxxon on Mar 14, 2013 9:52:18 GMT
We have a great opportunity to progress and it will be down to you guys and the youngsters both supporters and players who will be the future of the club.
Clubs that dont develop or have the chances we have because of the club rebuild, will die.In our league at the moment,we are now situated in a convenient position. In earlier seasons we have been on the edge ,geographically.At the end of the season could see Redditch relegated and as a Worcestershire team that should see them move into our league,which will further assist us. Just hope we dont meet Truro in the future.Talking about Truro ,their situation geographically and financially sums up the problems of non league teams.The sooner we move into our new ground ,which will be able to provide many more income streams,the better.
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Post by youthfootball on Mar 14, 2013 10:19:14 GMT
As well as starting the youth sides we've also been looking into the best way of getting the community more involved in the club. We've been setting up links with schools and advertising the club (not just the youth teams) in the schools. The club have helped us with this as well, as an example the club have given vouchers to Forest View school for the Wimbourne game on March 30th which will hopefully get some kids along and help to both them and their parents hooked and coming back for more.
We're currently looking into how we can get coaching into the schools as well and we may be trialing this at Steam Mills school in the summer to see how well received it is and how it can help get more children into football and interested in Cinderford Town as a whole. The trouble is that all the coaches work full time so it makes it difficult to do anything to major at the moment as we'll be using our own holidays to achieve this.
The ground move will obviously help move things forward and the facilities will hopefully improve for everyone.
I know for a fact that a few dads are coming along to watch Cinderford now, this will just grow as we add more teams. We're also getting great feedback about how the club have supported us from parents so word is spreading.
It will be good to get some more youth games played before the senior game at the Causeway as well, the game our Under 8's played in November before the Didcot game attracted a big crowd, we had about 100 people watching an Under 8 game and most of them went straight into the bar after the game as well and a good portion hung around to watch the senior game. The club are keen to support this so this may happen a bit more often next season.
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Post by Big Mac on Mar 14, 2013 10:32:06 GMT
Getting non matchday income is the key, i know for fact that there are a few dance clubs, karate, judo, bird clubs who are struggling to find somewhere to hold there groups, the rugbybclubs function room is to small, the miners is ideal but the people who run it seem to have no people skills and set in there ways, oaklands wooden floored area is way to small. So there is a massive market to hit there, also there are loads of clubs that just hold meetings like Motocross clubs, rally clubs, cycling clubs etc and i know a few of them go to the pub to hold the meetings in the week, all get together have a few pints something to eat go home, if we offerd these clubs to use our bar/function room to hold meetings obviously for free but say we will stick a load of baskets of chips on the table for them for free, believe me they will come.
Theres lots of avenues, but we need a good function room, so we can hold bands and show live sport as when the world cup was on i went into glos.
Just need to get the ground move going to try and get the money in.
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Post by boxxon on Mar 14, 2013 13:13:28 GMT
Brilliant.The last two posts are the way forward and shows there are many ways we can create a great club.If anyone else has got some positive thoughts or ideas,please bring them forward,either on this site or at a forum when that takes place,to discus the future of the new club.Make sure you are heard and make sure you step forward and make things happen.
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Post by youthfootball on Mar 14, 2013 14:42:23 GMT
I know Ruardean Hill recently installed a big screen and Sky in their club and apparently it's really pulled people into the club. They have a lot going in there for the games on Saturday and Sunday. It could pull people in to watch the 12:45 game, followed by Cinderford then followed by the 5:30 game.
The only place that really does that in Cinderford is Oaklands which is a fair walk for most people, it could be a good way of getting people in the club drinking although I realise Sky is expensive to install in clubs.
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Post by boxxon on Mar 14, 2013 21:15:56 GMT
SKY say Dunfermline on the verge of going out of business. How many more?
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Post by boxxon on Mar 14, 2013 21:19:31 GMT
The magic question is-if we are to progress , how are we going to attract crowds in excess of 500 to the new ground.? Do we think its possible in the Forest.?
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Post by daver on Mar 14, 2013 21:43:58 GMT
I agree with a lot of the above but if we are trying to attract youngsters and schoolkids to come along then the Causeway Choir behind the goal need to kerb their language. I am not against the singing and its great to have the lads supporting Cinderford but in the second half against Merthyr there was a few minutes of F**k off Merthyr being sung very loudly. If I was a parent bringing my kids along and I heard that I would think twice about bringing them again. Please sing as loud as you can lads but cut out the language.
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Post by Forest Fred on Mar 15, 2013 0:36:47 GMT
I made the comments about the Conference Regional's several threads ago, and the plight of a very homeless Gloucester City travelling all over the North of England to play their games. It's only their supports that have kept their club alive - I have a feeling Merthyr may have taken advice from City at one point. I have a feeling in a ten day period they played Blyth(10miles North of Newcastle) in the League, followed by Lowestoft (Ipswich and beyond) in the FA Cup, then Truro in the Trophy... Hideous or what?
The secret to a successful club is simple - Harmony... Everyone working together - which is very difficult when all factions collide and can't settle differences.
Having the best facilities isn't the b-all, look at Rushden and the Stadium of Doom - Nene Park, 6200 capacity, with 4000 undercover seats... now unused and also the stumbling ground of Kettering Town who are in trouble after moving off their own ground. They were then kicked off Nene, and now play at Corby. Just down the road, Coventry City who now can't afford the rent at the Council owned Ricoh Stadium, were looking at Nene but are seriously looking at Hinckley, who also I believe have financial issues. And this is the most outrageous -The Darlington Arena - 25,000 all seater built for Darlington FC who went to the wall. The stadium now belongs to Darlington Mowden Park to played at yes... Dockham Road Cinderford just a couple of seasons ago. The apparently purchased the stadium for just £1 million.
How much more evidence do we need to see? The structure is inefficient, we play too many games, and it's all breaking the bank. Regarding our move - we have to set targets, but can only be as ambitious as the funds allow us to be. Boxxon mentioned TNS, top of the Welsh League... Take a look at their website - they are proud to advertise more than football, 10-pin bowling and many other things, they're ground is actually at Oswestry Shropshire England - and plastic. Also take a look at the reviews by opposing teams who play there. Something to think about.
In reality on a good day, Town will be very lucky at the moment to attract 150 paying fans, that's roughly 300 less than just down the road at Dockham. Promotion of more so - an FA Cup run, may attract more, but enough to sustain the extra travelling and expenditure?... Like TNS, there are a lot of things you could add to the ground to increase revenue, and scores of ideas that may work like encouraging Youth Football, and more local players in the team. All achievable you'd like to think.
For me - A themed club that looks more like a sports pub. A km of tarmac around the ground so runners can run, cyclists can cycle, people can promenade, campers can camp, and car booter's can car boot, and a community can commune... Stadium of the Forest? where everyone wants to play in a Cup Final. A Stadium within a Stadium where everyone whatever sport, wants to play their final... Grand idea but very possible if the site is right.
Over and Out
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Post by boxxon on Mar 15, 2013 10:21:14 GMT
As we are in the planning stage all your suggested Income streams are achievable and necessary.What a great dream to have THE STADIUM OF THE FOREST.Why not?Its about time this part of Gloucestershire had a "standout"facility.We need a campaign to make people listen and help.
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Post by youthfootball on Mar 15, 2013 10:47:29 GMT
Currently local league cup finals all seem to be played at grounds nowhere near the quality of the Causeway. Places like Broadwell, Viney etc. I've played in cup finals at St Briavels and Westbury, people would much prefer to play these games at the Causeway and they always bring decent crowds of people.
Having a 4G pitch would allow for many more of these games to take place although in theory there would be nothing really stopping this happening with the pitch that's there now.
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Post by discodave on Mar 15, 2013 17:58:51 GMT
what are 4g pitchs like these days, do they still burn your legs off!!!
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Post by Forest Fred on Mar 15, 2013 20:33:52 GMT
Have a look at Saracens Rugby website Disco... They've just moved from Vicarage Road, Watford FC, to their new 10,000 capacity, all weather stadium in Barnet, North London. They have a new plastic pitch which cost £500,000 to lay and all the rugby world is looking to see the results. Early reports say that scrumaging is safer, and kit is much easier to wash, and generally good. A groundsman has reported " that the sooner we all move to plastic the better"
The issue is that there are several types of plastic pitches, and although all weather, they are apparently not cheap to keep. Saracens will pay £18,000 p/a in maintenance for the first year. Interestingly Barnet FC are in the process of moving off their current Underhill Stadium(biggest slope in the football league) to a new one - I wonder if that will be plastic? I doubt it...
The sounding bell with artificial turf is when either Man Utd or City look at it, because unless the big boys back it - it's going nowhere. I'm all for modernization but have my doubts about the performance of plastic, and whether it will appeal to the spectator. That's a personal by the way and not a negative.
Boxxon - "Stadium of the Forest"... You like it? What about "The Forest Arena" and Exhibition Centre?... The first non league team to have it's own renewable energy source - timber and wind power from it's own woodland... Now that would be a first...
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