MWM Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Quite frankly, and its not just Partick Thistle, beyond the absolute diehards no one, absolutely no one wants to pay the current shitty prices to watch a load of rubbish in the freezing cold. People don't owe anything to a football club, its a form of entertainment, but the authorities owe it to the paying public to provide the best form of possible product possible, and freezing your bollocks off just doesn't really cut it for many. At the very least to avoid possible complications with a full blown Summer move, there should be a shut down until the end of January after the Scottish Cup ties and then play in the better weather until the end of May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dave Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Thank you. I am not having a go at people who miss a game once in a while, who have to work, who are not feeling well etc, Lord knows I have missed a few games in the past for that reason, the people who I am having a go at however are those who can make the game but deliberate choose not to for whatever reason. (Namely because they think since the team are not playing well this season it's not worth turning up.) The people who call themselves Jags fans but never turn up to the games, the club needs the support and I am simply wondering if us Jags fans will unite and at least try to boost attendances for the good of the team on and off the pitch. I'm with you pal, I couldn't believe how few were at the game today. I went along and bought a couple of tshirts a calendar an extra couple of half time draws, pies and a programme just to give the club some extra cash as I've a season ticket. Tried to get a few others to come along but was hit with the " have to do xmas Shopping bollocks or the my kids got a party to go to stuff. Part time fans I'm afraid. If it were the h*ns in a cup tie they would be there in a flash, but I'm afraid we're down to 1500 diehards like you and me who go for the love of the club. I remember our crowds being this bad in the 80's and then they improved again so let's hope that can happen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.C.G. JAG Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 For me if the Club are in trouble, then perhaps it's time everyone pulled together, at least till the end of the Season. Forget slagging off the Trust. Forget slagging off the Board. Forget slagging off Propco. Let's just support the Club for the next 5 months and see where that takes us? This, in bold, underlined and highlighted with a big yellow fluorescent marker, ringed by fireworks with a few exclamation marks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Traveller Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I'm clearly out of step here, but I thought struggling for a more effective and representative Trust, and a more transparent Board/Propco WAS supporting the club. If you want some money chucked into a bucket, then that'll take about 10 seconds. Over 5 months there's plenty of room for other efforts to continue. Multitask, guys, come on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stolenscone Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I'm clearly out of step here, but I thought struggling for a more effective and representative Trust, and a more transparent Board/Propco WAS supporting the club. If you want some money chucked into a bucket, then that'll take about 10 seconds. Over 5 months there's plenty of room for other efforts to continue. Multitask, guys, come on. I took Will's point to be that whatever we do, we should avoid another 5 months of anguished, pointless handwringing, and DO stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWM Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I think its also worth noting Dundee fans only began to pull together when major incidents such as mass redundancies, a points deduction and administration happened. That hasn't happened here (yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Quite frankly, and its not just Partick Thistle, beyond the absolute diehards no one, absolutely no one wants to pay the current shitty prices to watch a load of rubbish in the freezing cold. People don't owe anything to a football club, its a form of entertainment, but the authorities owe it to the paying public to provide the best form of possible product possible, and freezing your bollocks off just doesn't really cut it for many. At the very least to avoid possible complications with a full blown Summer move, there should be a shut down until the end of January after the Scottish Cup ties and then play in the better weather until the end of May. Lot there to agree with (tho' I'm far from convinced about summer football and complete winter shutdowns). I've long believed that the SFL is run incompetently. Their biggest crime being the repetitive nature of the leagues. We can draw up list after list re suggestions about ways we can improve PTFC/Firhill but we don't seem to be able to influence change to the structure of the game. Put another way even if we could make Firhill look more like a football stadium, have a vibrant supporters association and even a team playing entertaining football, we'd still be playing the likes of Falkirk six times, Stirling and Ross Co five times and so on. So I can fully understand folk staying away or cherrypicking games. What I dislike and can't be bothered with are the fans that come on here and make it seem like not attending is some kind of virtue. Where are all those who weren't coming be back till we sacked Dick Campbell? How about those who stayed away while Mssrs Cowan, Hughes & Prentice were on the board making a reappearance? On some new crusade that makes turning up at Firhill unprincipled perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blutarsky Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 The club now seems populated with part-time fans and I make absolutely no apologies for that statement, a football team has to be supported unconditionally, so as far as I'm concerned should we be at the top or the bottom of the league, people should still be turning out to the games. The club needs the fans more than ever and to be brutally honest the poor attendances are killing this club. the 'part-time fans' view, aside from reeking of self-righteousness, is overly simplistic and as antediluvian as those running the sfl. the tipping point for many fans (of almost all sfl sides) was some years ago, as attendances attest. £17 to watch poorly officiated 'blooter & rush' in mid-winter. games arranged or re-arranged for mid-week, often requiring a 2 to 4 hours commute for the away fans. how many pars fans are going to travel to firhill on tuesday? for their unconditional support, the ones that do are most likely to be rewarded with piles. the season finishes the first week in may. shut down mid-december until after the scottish cup. extend the season to mid-june, where at least the pitches might encourage teams to play something that is recognisable as football. jeez, some fans who apply stringent conditions like wanting to be entertained by their team playing the game in temperatures above 10C might even turn up again. in spite of the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWM Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 the 'part-time fans' view, aside from reeking of self-righteousness, is overly simplistic and as antediluvian as those running the sfl. the tipping point for many fans (of almost all sfl sides) was some years ago, as attendances attest. £17 to watch poorly officiated 'blooter & rush' in mid-winter. games arranged or re-arranged for mid-week, often requiring a 2 to 4 hours commute for the away fans. how many pars fans are going to travel to firhill on tuesday? for their unconditional support, the ones that do are most likely to be rewarded with piles. the season finishes the first week in may. shut down mid-december until after the scottish cup. extend the season to mid-june, where at least the pitches might encourage teams to play something that is recognisable as football. jeez, some fans who apply stringent conditions like wanting to be entertained by their team playing the game in temperatures above 10C might even turn up again. in spite of the cost. Couldn't agree more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norgethistle Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 the season finishes the first week in may. shut down mid-december until after the scottish cup. extend the season to mid-june, where at least the pitches might encourage teams to play something that is recognisable as football. jeez, some fans who apply stringent conditions like wanting to be entertained by their team playing the game in temperatures above 10C might even turn up again. in spite of the cost. Add to that not having to put flood lights or undersoil heating on and you'll be saving more money for the clubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hosie Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I took Will's point to be that whatever we do, we should avoid another 5 months of anguished, pointless handwringing, and DO stuff! I guess we need to make the decision soon as to how much we want our Club to be here in the future. There are huge problems facing Scottish football at the moment but there is little as individuals that we can do to address them. We can, however, do something for our Club. And it needn’t be anything huge. Small things can ad up. I enjoyed yesterday’s game. I thought the players showed commendable spirit and while I see that I’m confident that our league position will improve. I also left the game feeling disappointed. I’ve obviously got an interest in how well the programme sells. Yesterday’s crowd dropped well below the level where it is cost effective to produce a full sized programme. The upshot of which is the biggest loss on programme sales that I’ve experienced in the seasons where I’ve taken charge of print runs, distribution etc. When you factor in advertising income the programme will always show a profit at the end of the season but it should also show a significant four figure profit on sales alone each season. Now that isn’t a big amount of cash but, to repeat an earlier point, the small things can ad up to something more significant. Football is expensive. There is a lot of competition for our disposable income, especially at this time of the year, but I would urge Thistle fans to try and make an effort to buy a programme, a 50/50 ticket, a calendar or whatever. It’s not about who is on the park right now, who the manager is or who sits round the Boardroom table. It’s about trying to make sure that Partick Thistle are always here. I want to be delighted and exasperated by my football team for years to come. I want to worry about the future and not just have memories. Come on Thistle fans lets try and collectively each play a small part in making a future for Partick Thistle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 John Lambie Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I think its also worth noting Dundee fans only began to pull together when major incidents such as mass redundancies, a points deduction and administration happened. That hasn't happened here (yet). So we have to wait until that happens before we act? Acting before to avoid a disaster is far better, but I get the feeling that nothing major will come about until it is as bad as Dungdee, sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 The board might consider more "one-off" raffles at a quid or two a pop, for a range of prizes. How much would it cost them to offer half a dozen hospitality places? Pennies, yet I would buy a raffle ticket for that if I knew the money was going to the club. Christ, even a "free and thorough financial health check" by one of the Board's accountants or the like could be offered as a prize (couldn't it?). Why is there no special range of leisure wear in the run-up to Christmas? As mentioned in another thread, there would be a lot of interest in a new run of Thistle tartan scarves. The club could buy the material at cost price and get some kind of sewing club to do the rest, and come away with a healthy profit. I've never seen the thistle play that was performed, but I'd pay good money to go and see it, and I know for a fact that people with few or no Jags connections would go. Could a company (even amateur) be persuaded to take this on? How about a 50/50 "car boot" type sale inside either the Aitken lounge or the AR lounge (without the cars!?). Each seller pays a fiver, and donates 50% of their sales to the club? Books, clothes, household items, anything goes. Etc. etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 how many pars fans are going to travel to firhill on tuesday? for their unconditional support, the ones that do are most likely to be rewarded with piles. probably none or they'll be rewarded with being at the wrong ground!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWM Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 The club should definitely be thinking about part-time football anyway. Infact I know an ex-Thistle player now playing part-time at another club and he claims the fitness barrier barely exists, its more the fact part-time clubs just have smaller and less talented squads. Even with a part-time squad I'd still expect us to have a much bigger budget than teams like Stirling Albion, Cowdenbeath and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Incredible Adam Spark Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Part time football used to be an anathema to me, but I think it's the way forward. That, or a hybrid full-time/part-time squad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Part time football used to be an anathema to me, but I think it's the way forward. That, or a hybrid full-time/part-time squad. We had some pretty slick mixed squads in the past, e.g. the League Cup winning side, and for a couple of seasons afterwards. I wouldn't be against a sprinkling of part-timers if they were good enough (the last one we had was Des McKeown, who was a fit as they come). Completely part-time is another kettle of fish. Such a team would never win the 1st division against full-time outfits, and would be more likely than not to be yo-yo-ing between the 1st division and lower. That would not attract nearly as many punters as now, and would rapidly lead to the Clyde-isation of Thistle, with crowds of around 500, in even more of a footballing wilderness than we're in now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 That, or a hybrid full-time/part-time squad. I think thats the way forward for most teams. Look to have youth/younger players making up the majority of your squad as well and I think thats where we are heading to next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Incredible Adam Spark Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Completely part-time is another kettle of fish. Such a team would never win the 1st division against full-time outfits How many clubs do you realistically think will be in a position to remain full time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 How many clubs do you realistically think will be in a position to remain full time? There are other ways to go before switching to become a team of players who play simply as a hobby. Part-time and junior; pretty similar imo. How many realistically can stay full time? No idea. All of the SPL clubs can; even though they're all millions in debt, they have sufficient turnover to keep it going. And it's the teams who keep that model who will have a chance of joining them. Do you reckon that Cowdenbeath might one day make it to the SPL? If not, why not? I'd suggest that they have no ambition ever to make it there. They're a part-time outfit, already happy to be where they now are. I think that the part-time mentality would soon permeate every aspect of PTFC if it happened, from playing staff right down to supporters, who would become even more part-time than most of them currently are. And yes, I make no apology for saying that most self-proclaimed Thistle supporters are indeed part-timers, or even less. Or crowds show that to be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Incredible Adam Spark Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 How many realistically can stay full time? No idea. All of the SPL clubs can They can? Sorry, I disagree. The may have the turnover necessary to support day-to-day costs, but there isn't a historical focus on paying off debts or debts being called in as there is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennythistle Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 As well as Xmas I think the weather we have had in the last week will have played a factor in yesterday's attendance. I had to take the kids up to dunblane to see their grandparents yesterday. A week after the snow fall and the place is in some mess. How many county fans were there yesterday ? Perhaps a good few of our fans had similar problems where they stay and opted to give the game a miss. I am worried with the tone of yesterday's announcement. Seems things are getting tough. Agree with those on here who say we should rally round, do what we can, when we can to ensure there is a Partick Thistle to follow. I've other things on the go just now that means the jags have to take a backseat at the moment, but by end of Jan i'll be trying to get back to games. In meantime I'll do what i can to give the club some extra cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 As well as Xmas I think the weather we have had in the last week will have played a factor in yesterday's attendance. I had to take the kids up to dunblane to see their grandparents yesterday. A week after the snow fall and the place is in some mess. How many county fans were there yesterday ? Perhaps a good few of our fans had similar problems where they stay and opted to give the game a miss. I am worried with the tone of yesterday's announcement. Seems things are getting tough. Agree with those on here who say we should rally round, do what we can, when we can to ensure there is a Partick Thistle to follow. I've other things on the go just now that means the jags have to take a backseat at the moment, but by end of Jan i'll be trying to get back to games. In meantime I'll do what i can to give the club some extra cash. Why didn't they organize a couple of stupid Jags-related Christmas hampers as prizes, for God's sake? Couple of bottles of wine, some tinned ham, mince pies etc. etc; throw in a ball or a kid's jersey or two, and raffle them at a quid. Cost to the club? Peanuts. Income generated? Probably a grand or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blutarsky Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 probably none or they'll be rewarded with being at the wrong ground!!! ha, ha. missed yesterdays game but didn't realise my interest had waned that much. whit a tit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKennan Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Christ, even a "free and thorough financial health check" by one of the Board's accountants or the like could be offered as a prize (couldn't it?). Okay okay. Enough with the hilarity already. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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