[ Sat 10th Dec ] v Lincoln Utd, KO 3pm NPL1S HOME

[sussexdiamond]

Although the old adage is win your homes and draw the aways, you still only average 2pts a game and we are pretty close to that.

Shaw Lane only dropped 2 pts at home. Diamonds only dropped 4 away. Should be quite a game next week.

[Trek]

Lincoln United are a very good and well drilled team whose lowly league position belies their ability. With their games in hand I expect them to continue to rise up the table and would expect them to be there or there about when the play off positions are determined.

Having said that we cannot continue to play Brad Harris 'out of position' at right back against a quality and tricky left sided midfielder that we witnessed yesterday. Brad needed to be in midfield in place of Lewis Leslie who, from the matches that I've seen him play, hasn't the quality for Step 4 football.
Having not seen Ben Farrell play for us I cannot comment but he has played at a far higher level than Leslie and I understand that from those have seen him play in the last few matches that he possesses the necessary qualities and should have been brought on in the second half when the game was there for the taking. I'm disappointed that this isn't recognised by our management.

Sadly the dropping of all those 'home' points that Formic referred to earlier is a reason why we aren't challenging at the top of the table.

[sussexdiamond]

When will Brads and Fazels suspension(s) take effect?

Considering the injuries we have suffered to key players (Oulton, Curtis, Ashton, Newman, Lee, Deeney) and joining a new "unknown" league I believe we have done remarkably well to reach this stage of the season as serious play off contenders and even possible champions.
I did not expect us to make more than a token impact on this league, I was hoping for a season flirting with the play off places but finishing 8th-10th.

Hopefully it will not be long before our central midfield is strengthened with the return of these players and with Ben Farrell now available we can look forward to the New Year.

First we have to get some points at each of Shaw Lane, Lincoln and Chasetown, which is going to be extremely hard but we have shown on several occasions that we are capable of some great results away from home. Our unbeaten run is going to be under severe threat this month.

Yes the home draws have been disappointing but more than compensated by the amazing away form. So far it has been a strange season with us winning games we would not have expected and dropping points to teams we would have expected to beat.

[Trek]

When will Brads and Fazels suspension(s) take effect?

They seem to be applied a lot quicker than last season in the SLC1 so I would suggest they both won't be available this Saturday.

[bozzer]

[Dowlo]

Sadly the dropping of all those 'home' points that Formic referred to earlier is a reason why we aren't challenging at the top of the table.

The dropping of home points, dare I say is also the reason for a dropping in home attendances.

370 there on Saturday which is nothing to write home about. Don't get me wrong it is near Christmas and it was pretty wet and miserable, however the entertainment on offer on the pitch on Saturday wouldn't get the neutral rushing back in a a hurry. I can't obviously comment on recent other home games but chatting to people who go regularly they said that home games have made pretty average viewing.

Fortunately for us our away form has been excellent and again speaking to those who have been going they said that the away games have been far more enjoyable spectacle.

2 tough games coming up in the next week or so. In a strange way I hope we lose one of those games and put an end to this 14/15 game unbeaten run (consisting of a lot of draws). Reason I say that is because a loss around Christmas usually seems to be the kick up the ars* the team needs to go on a long WINNING run. Yes this unbeaten run is impressive, considering the injuries we've had, however we seem to be ambling along. Perhaps a taste of defeat will give the players the push to go out and inflict defeats on every other team they face. (I'm aware this view point might sound odd to some fans!)

[Trek]

The dropping of home points, dare I say is also the reason for a dropping in home attendances.

A point well made and something I was going to mention in my post. I always feel that it is better that we are successful in home matches rather than away matches. OK at present we're probably in the position in the table where we deserve to be but when a team isn't winning at home, on a regular basis, then I agree that the folk that are not dyed in the wool fans tend to give up watching on inclement or cold days and this really affects the club's income.

[bozzer]

so what can we do as fans to help the attendances?, and there must be something otherwise when we do find our sustainable level and we are sitting 16th in a table and not winning even as much as we are now and that time will come at some stage, it could just continue to drop off.

[Formic]

so what can we do as fans to help the attendances?, and there must be something otherwise when we do find our sustainable level and we are sitting 16th in a table and not winning even as much as we are now and that time will come at some stage, it could just continue to drop off.

I think the initial focus needs to be on retaining the fans we have, and then hopefully the steps we take to do that will mean that any new fans might stick around after coming along to see us.

There is a big questionmark over where we might be next season, which make it tricky to suggest any improvements at the Dog & Duck, but maybe its worth establishing some of the issues that we think might be putting people off attending the Dog & Duck - some of which might be solved "at a stroke" if we move to a ground which doesn't have that challenge.

Equally some of the better aspects of attending games at our current home might be lost if / when we move, affecting the attendances in a negative way.

I believe the board did do some kind of Strengths and Weaknesses analysis which they shared with the club members, but perhaps the wider fanbase might be able to provide valuable input / insight into what they see as the strengths and weaknesses of the current matchday offering. Perhaps those most likely to stop coming to games are those who aren't club members, and perhaps a general questionnaire could be issued to those attending the Boxing Day game to see what would encourage people to continue attending games.

[Dowlo]

so what can we do as fans to help the attendances?, and there must be something otherwise when we do find our sustainable level and we are sitting 16th in a table and not winning even as much as we are now and that time will come at some stage, it could just continue to drop off.

I'm not 100% sure of an answer to that. The loyal fans will always turn up no matter what. I don't think the ticket prices are too high either. £9 is a fair price for the level and the food and standard of facilities at the ground has improved greatly ( H's burgers have always been excellent). So everything is in place to attract more fans.

I just honestly believe that people are just more picky as to what games they go to and if a team isn't winning by 3 or 4 goals each week or being involved in 6 goal thriller draws, they won't turn up.

Perhaps a McDonalds coffee type loyality card would work as an incentive to get people in on a regular basis through out the season. "Come to 4 games get your 5th 1/2price or pay what you want" Each fan would be entitled to one of these cards a season. For the regular fan, they'd obviously use it up by the time September came around, but for your floating fan it may take them longer to use it up but it may mean fans coming along at different points of the season, where as in the past they'll come once or twice at the start but not return later on in the season? That's the best idea I have at this moment in time.

I think our level for the next 5-10 years will be Southern/Northern Prem and perhaps pushing for Conference North/South from time to time. You will benefit from more away fans in the 2 levels above so this will naturally attract more home fans and boost the atmosphere and attendances.