Lindau Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) Copied and pasted from today's Sun. Concerned about his very last statement!! THISTLE ARE DOWN 600 FANS EVERY GAME.....LETS WORK TO GET THEM BACK!! Goals scored are up, they’ve won more home games too. Yet the number of fans coming through the gates are DOWN. Six hundred per game in fact. The Jags aren’t alone in seeing attendances dip. It’s a stark reality facing clubs across the country. But chairman Beattie doesn’t want to stand by and do nothing. He doesn’t just want to talk about what needs done either. He wants action — and he wants it now. Forward-thinking Thistle will roll out some new initiatives in time for next season. But Beattie wants more than that and has urged Scottish football to unite for the benefit of EVERYONE. He said: “We’re in a position at Thistle, and Scottish football in general, where crowds are down. We’ve lost about 600 per game. That impacts on everything. “It can’t continue and in order to do that we as a club, and a group of clubs and as a league, need to find creative ways to attract fans back. “We need to explore new and different revenue opportunities which haven’t been explored before. We need to look at how to improve what happens on a matchday. “It’s not just about the two hours of football, it’s about the whole experience. “We already let Under-16s in for free, we’ve created a kids zone and have Meet The Players sessions after games. “It’s about coming to the football but it’s the whole day out. That’s important for us but it’s important for the whole of Scottish football because fans are down across the board. “We’ve stayed up two years on the bounce and the second is traditionally the one where teams struggle. We’ve seen progression across all the parameters like games won, goals scored, goals conceded, home victories. “But people have voted with their feet. “Look at hospitality and the days of someone turning up for a three-course meal in collar and tie are gone, it’s too stuffy. We’re looking at how to make it more appealing. Can we have carvery days and so on. “We’re looking at events like the fan zone St Mirren did. The best examples are always in America. “People go and spend the day there, they go because their kids will get something to eat, there will be a clown or a bouncy castle to keep them entertained. They’re coming because of the football but they will come back regardless of how the football goes. “You want people to get it into their heads they come at midday and leave at 6pm. They can have a drink and the kids can play on a PlayStation. “It’s about adding to what we do already. Maybe people don’t want to eat pies any more, perhaps they want salad or a bowl of fruit. “We have to look how to maximise the revenue streams from our stadium. Do that and it means we can give more to the manager.” But Beattie doesn’t want to be a lone ranger in his quest to improve things. For the game as a whole to move forwards it needs the game as a whole to work together. He said: “It’s incumbent upon us to work with other clubs and the SPFL to find new imaginative ways of trying to bring the fans back. “Even Celtic closed the top section at Parkhead for their Europa League matches. Would a calendar change lead to an increase in TV revenue because we’re showing games at a different time of the year when there’s less to compete against? “When you are at SPFL meetings there’s will in the room to give these things consideration. “There have been reciprocal agreements with other clubs over ticket prices for away fans which have worked well. “It needs to give added value to your season ticket so it saves you money at a home game but four or five clubs will let you in for a fiver cheaper when you go to the away game. “Nowadays everything is a Groupon or itison deal and it’s about rewarding the season-ticket holders. You can’t just take it for granted you just keep the prices the same. It’s about the extras money can’t buy. “Our managing director Ian Maxwell has had meetings with clubs about central purchasing. “We all use grass seed and nets. Why not go to a company asking how much they would charge if all clubs got together and ordered as one? It has been raised in the past and people are keen but some resource needs put behind it. Everyone needs to share for the better good.” The Jags’ history has literally been a catalogue of ups and downs but in Beattie’s mind they’re going nowhere. He said: “We don’t want to go into a season with our fans wondering if we’ll stay up. “We want to reach the point where they’re almost sure we’ll stay up and it’s about how high we can finish. A club our size, with the stadium and set-up we’ve got and the support base here, should be where we are. “We’re looking to break even every year but we want progress. Same goes for the board. Each member brings a different skillset and we hope to expand that to bring in others who can help us achieve our objectives. “How do we increase sponsorship? WHAT AREA'S OF THE GROUND CAN WE SELL? What other avenues can we go down? We can’t and won’t sit still.” Edited May 12, 2015 by Lindau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) In another article in today's Sun Les Gray,Hamilton chairman, has stated he had long talks with Beattie on Saturday about their surface. Seems Beatts was very interested in knowing costs etc and whether it was worth considering. Maybe this is one of the ways he is considering to get more use out of Firhill! Edited May 12, 2015 by Lindau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 In another article in today's Sun Les Gray,Hamilton chairman, has stated he had long talks with Beattie on Saturday about their surface. Seems Beatts is very interested in knowing costs etc and whether it was worth considering. Maybe this is one of the ways he is considering to get more use out of Firhill! Well Accies certainly managed to get more use out of their pitch on Saturday, 9 minutes 40 seconds to be roughly precise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a f kincaid Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Please, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!!! Unless it is an absolute last, last resort as the liquidators are driving up Firhill Rd, no plastic pitch! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Nixon Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Let's make changes! But not that one. Other ones. Let's stay in the last century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoda-jag Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 hello les hello david i must complement you today on your playing surface, fantastic for injuries, untrue bounces and is such an eyesore surface it looks like it fell off the back of a lorry. thankyou david, it is all these and more. excellent les, how much in a brown envelope to get one at firhill? i have a dream, a vision of the future, to make firhill the biggest abomination of a football ground in scotland, you should see the plans i have for the buildings to surround it, get rid of that iconic main stand and fill the bing with unsightly buildings which have nothing to do with football or enhancing atmosphere. that is an excellent vision david, i thought we had the worst stadium in scotland, but with your vision, thistle will trump all others, you ever thought of running to replace doncaster when he retires, you'd get my vote. i have les, i'll add you to my list of chairman i can count on. now back to immediate business, a pitch as bad as yours, how quickly and cheaply can we get one? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 there will be a clown I agree with Beattie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 This is not to be trusted! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 This is not to be trusted! Why? Because it's in the Sun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) Lyle not very happy with the pitch and what he thinks about his future! http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/partick-thistle/thistle-star-taylor-was-fearful-of-injury-on-embarrassing-new-douglas-206392n.125736866 Edited May 12, 2015 by Lindau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Why? Because it's in the Sun? No! I meant to type ' This MAN is not to be trusted' Look at his recent record! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Gums Murphy Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 No! I meant to type ' This MAN is not to be trusted' Look at his recent record! You & I haven't agreed on much I know but with this I agree 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 No! I meant to type ' This MAN is not to be trusted' Look at his recent record! I certainly wouldn't disagree with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoda-jag Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Lyle not very happy with the pitch and what he thinks about his future! http://www.eveningti...6392n.125736866 the amount of (at times, frightening) quotes from lyle in that article, highlighting how bad a playing surface accies pitch is, and artificial pitches in general, is a clear indicator of between lyle and beattie of who knows what they are talking about when it comes to football, and who should be keeping his gob shut, his nose out, get back in his bunker, and leave footballing decisions to those who know about football. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z88 Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Just saw a preview of Reporting Scotland. There us going to be a piece on artificial pitches in Scottish football A snippet of our match on Saturday was shown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) Can't argue with anything David Beattie has said. Presumably he's got the backing of all the various interested Jags parties at the regular quarterly get together. Or am I merely having a gigantic Olympic level leap of faith? Edited May 12, 2015 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Can't argue with anything David Beattie has said. Presumably he's got the backing of the all the various interested Jags parties at the regular quarterly get together. Or am I merely having a gigantic Olympic level leap of faith? It would certainly make sense if he wants the fans to turn up to ask us what we want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Pundit Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Beattie is the best chairman we've had in my time supporting Thistle. Sure, the bar's not been set particularly high; however it's worth remembering that before choosing every opportunity to badmouth him. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim slavin's lunchbox Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Beattie is the best chairman we've had in my time supporting Thistle. Sure, the bar's not been set particularly high; however it's worth remembering that before choosing every opportunity to badmouth him. Couldn't agree more. It's interesting that those who are taking the opportunity to criticise David Beattie (for having the audacity to consider different ways to move the club forward) are the same who during this season have been calling out others on this forum for their negative views on our manager. Just so I get it right...... Archie is not allowed to be criticised on this forum but David Beattie is fair game. Ok got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Scimmia Rossa Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) why fans are staying away? Why not ask them. The club have state of the art entry system. They have the information. Call them up. Email them. Rather than jump to solutions. Work out the problem(s). Edited May 13, 2015 by La Scimmia Rossa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 why fans are staying away? Why not ask them. The club have state of the art entry system. They have the information. Call them up. Email them. Rather than jump to solutions. Work out the problem(s). Careful! You're starting to talk sense there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Artificial pitches are far from perfect. If they aren't watered regularly they can be just as bobbly unpredictable as a bad grass pitch due to the rubber crumbs. Watching back Saturday's highlights you can see that Taylor's miss was partly due to a bobble before he hit it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Artificial pitches are far from perfect. If they aren't watered regularly they can be just as bobbly unpredictable as a bad grass pitch due to the rubber crumbs. Watching back Saturday's highlights you can see that Taylor's miss was partly due to a bobble before he hit it. Similarly did anyone count how many kneed/thighed back passes to the keeper? Normally you get one perhaps once a game on average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allyo Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Artificial pitches aren't even mentioned in the article. I think it's a very positive article and it's a shame that such negative spin has been put on it here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Artificial pitches aren't even mentioned in the article. I think it's a very positive article and it's a shame that such negative spin has been put on it here. It was Lindau who brought it up as the Hamilton manager was interviewed also: In another article in today's Sun Les Gray,Hamilton chairman, has stated he had long talks with Beattie on Saturday about their surface. Seems Beatts was very interested in knowing costs etc and whether it was worth considering. Maybe this is one of the ways he is considering to get more use out of Firhill! I will add that some of Beattie's other ideas seem worth looking at - but I think it's perfectly fair to point out that something else he is apparently considering has a serious downside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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