cleveland steamer Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Not sure if it's been mentioned before, but could we be in line for an increase in local support after the death of Rangers? I saw a former Rangers fan on Pie And Bovril talking about bringing his boy to Firhill as an alternative. Even brining along his father-in-law. If we can push the Glasgow thing in the press, along with the free entry for under 16's again, we could get quite a few of the (hopefully) non-knuckle dragging element of their support onto our side. So is it a good or a bad idea to have us play Celtic on Saturday then? It's good to have a Glasgow Derby, but we don't want to give the idea that we're just the convenient way to shout bile at the Celtic fans (not that I haven't done that a few times in the past to both sides ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) If we get anything more than an initial boost it will be because we are doing well, winning games and challenging for promotion. Actually I'd guess that the kind of Rangers fan who'd come to Firhill is also the kind who'd support his team in the 3rd - i.e. not one of the bigots/glory hunters. Though that may change if there's a second collapse. Still more to come on this story though thankfully we are now unlikely to be affected by that and can concentrate on our own team. If some new fans want to come along, fine and well, but the most important thing is the team gets off to a good start. That will bring in more folk than anything else. Edited July 17, 2012 by Mr Bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 If we get anything more than an initial boost it will be because we are doing well, winning games and challenging for promotion. Actually I'd guess that the kind of Rangers fan who'd come to Firhill is also the kind who'd support his team in the 3rd - i.e. not one of the bigots/glory hunters. Though that may change if there's a second collapse. Still more to come on this story though thankfully we are now unlikely to be affected by that and can concentrate on our own team. If some new fans want to come along, fine and well, but the most important thing is the team gets off to a good start. That will bring in more folk than anything else. Yes, but they won't all travel, and in fact some of the grounds might not be able to take an away support, so quite a few might go along to see Thistle at home. I remember in the 60s and 70s if a match had been postponed, for example, quite a number of supporters from the teams whose match was off would turn up at Firhill, some even wearing their own team's scarves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWM Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 No. People ask this most years. People asked this when McCall replaced Campbell. People asked this when we started kids go free. People asked this when we were clinging on to St. Johnstone's coattail. It'll be the usual 2k give or take a couple of hundred turning up most weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Incognito Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 I have always said I would welcome non-knuckledragging defectors from either half of the OF and that remains the case. Had Rangers died completely, as opposed to undergoing their Frankenstein's monster-esque resurrection, then I think we would have picked up some new fans, although not in any great number. However, as things stand their core support will still turn out to watch Sevco, while the glory hunters will cheer on the likes of Man City, Chelsea and Real Madrid from the comfort of their own living room/local boozer instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willjag Posted July 17, 2012 Members Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 You might get kids turning up because it's free, but cost of entrance these days is prohibitive. There's never been a better time for the Club to promote the Kids go free offer though. With smaller grounds in the lower divisions, any parent that previously took their kids to watch Rangers may look for an alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig-W Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Doubtless everyone has had a variation of "haha, what do you support them fir? They're pish" line thrown at them at one time or another. The vast majority of people who supported Rangers only did so because they won everything. Unfortunately we're still Partick Thistle, the great unpredictables, winning one week and totally humped the next. It'd be nice to get some new converts but a lot of people will drift away for the years it takes to get Sevco back to playing the other arse cheek again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 The club ought to have a strategy to attract fans of the club formerly known as Rangers, especially those living within a few miles of Firhill. One example would a trade-in offer for old Rangers strips against new Thistle strips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Doubtless everyone has had a variation of "haha, what do you support them fir? They're pish" line thrown at them at one time or another. The vast majority of people who supported Rangers only did so because they won everything. Unfortunately we're still Partick Thistle, the great unpredictables, winning one week and totally humped the next. It'd be nice to get some new converts but a lot of people will drift away for the years it takes to get Sevco back to playing the other arse cheek again. A lot of Rangers supporters were brought up to support the club. A significant number will be disgusted by the events of the past year or so. Their loyalty has been stretched to the limit. If we can mount a challenge this season, we will be an attractive alternative to Sevco in Division 3. It appears that the SFA is planning to saddle Sevco with a transfer embargo as a licence condition. With more players planning to leave, Sevco will have only a few senior players plus the youngsters, e.g. Cole, Hutton & Naismith. How many will want to watch them at home to Elgin or East Stirling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig-W Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 If we can mount a challenge this season, we will be an attractive alternative to Sevco in Division 3. That's the thing isn't it - if we win, then they will come.... easier said than done of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uberteeb Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Yes, but they won't all travel, and in fact some of the grounds might not be able to take an away support, so quite a few might go along to see Thistle at home. I remember in the 60s and 70s if a match had been postponed, for example, quite a number of supporters from the teams whose match was off would turn up at Firhill, some even wearing their own team's scarves. Can't see that happening these days £17 (is it going up to £18?) for 1st division football is enough to put off any casual fan or anyone who happens to want to take in a game. I sure as hell wouldn't pay that to see another team if Thistle went out of existance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 A lot of Rangers supporters were brought up to support the club. A significant number will be disgusted by the events of the past year or so. Their loyalty has been stretched to the limit. If we can mount a challenge this season, we will be an attractive alternative to Sevco in Division 3. It appears that the SFA is planning to saddle Sevco with a transfer embargo as a licence condition. With more players planning to leave, Sevco will have only a few senior players plus the youngsters, e.g. Cole, Hutton & Naismith. How many will want to watch them at home to Elgin or East Stirling? Besides, if some of the darker, impending court case consequences result in Green's cabal not owning Hunbrox/Slurry Park, then a good few of them will chuck it: it's one thing for them to watch (tolerate) Div 3 home games in comfort, an entirely different thing watching it at eg a Juniors groundshare. As we know, they still might have their life support machine turned off altogether by the courts at some point, so we might even pick up a few that way too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKennan Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Nah. We'll have a couple of great promotional ideas from the club; we'll talk about them here and they'll go down like a burning Spitfire with the people they're supposed to attract. The club should try keeping the customers it has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Incognito Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Can't see that happening these days £17 (is it going up to £18?) for 1st division football is enough to put off any casual fan or anyone who happens to want to take in a game. I sure as hell wouldn't pay that to see another team if Thistle went out of existance. I think it all depends how desperate you are to see a game of football. £17 is a lot of money though, relatively speaking, and can be used to purchase many other things, so for me personally I think I would have to be in a position where I really, really wanted to watch a game of football in order to part with that much cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 £17 is a lot of money though, relatively speaking But it's not a lot of money relative to what Rangers fans are used to paying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) Can't see that happening these days £17 (is it going up to £18?) for 1st division football is enough to put off any casual fan or anyone who happens to want to take in a game. I sure as hell wouldn't pay that to see another team if Thistle went out of existence. There's certainly a case for the league to try to get some sponsorship dedicated purely to reducing gate prices. Or divert some of what's coming in to that purpose (although recent shenanigans by the SFA/SPL mean they'll be struggling to keep current sponsorship). Not to mention they don't have the brains to see how insisting some sponsorship be used to lower prices would actually help build the game up. Edited July 17, 2012 by Mr Bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Incognito Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 But it's not a lot of money relative to what Rangers fans are used to paying. No, but it is to regularly watch a team that you are not really fussed about, in addition to what you are paying to watch your 'real' team. I'd probably do it every so often but I am not sure I would be prepared to spend that much money on a regular basis unless I really cared about the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin1876 Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) £17 is a lot of money, but when you consider how much it cost to get into Ibrox in the past (£20 upwards) it's pretty reasonable if you're a converted supporter. It would probably take Rangers collapsing completely for us to notice any major increase though. We're probably in for another season of 2.5k, maybe up to 3k if we're doing well. Edited July 17, 2012 by Lin1876 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Stevenson Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 it's one thing for them to watch (tolerate) Div 3 home games in comfort, an entirely different thing watching it at eg a Juniors groundshare. If they were homeless they would receive an offer to play at Firhill pretty rapidly..... We did lodge at their gaff once upon a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 If they were homeless they would receive an offer to play at Firhill pretty rapidly..... We did lodge at their gaff once upon a time. Hmmm true. Catering arrangements would have to change on alternate Saturdays though, to deliver that 'straight from the abattoir' experience that I'm sure many of them would crave. Furthermore, the post-match clean up operations might prove a shade costly when factoring in all the grazed knuckle skin which would have to be removed from seats, the aisles, the concourse and the bogs to make the JH habitable again for our next fixture. Yeuch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willjag Posted July 17, 2012 Members Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Flip it! How many Jags fans would go to watch Morton for arguments sake if we went to the wall? (forget the geographical location for nnow). I wouldn't pay 1st division prices to watch a team that wasn't 'my team'. I'd be an occassional Pollok spectator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagsman411971 Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 £17 to get in may seem a little steep if you are on your own, but if you have a couple of kids in tow, its a bargain. The club need an advertising blitz, letting people know about the free kids, because not everyone will know about it. It could bring in some much needed extra income. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrantB Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 To come and watch us, they should first be made to go through some form of bigotry de-tox programme. Maybe the club can get together with The Priory and offer some kind of deal with a Jags season ticket the goal after a weeks residential treatment with compulsory electric shock therapy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick bateman Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 It will probably be cheaper to go to ibrox next season than firhill so don't see us getting any of their fans other than the one's who already watch the odd thistle game . I assume there is a limit to what you can charge each division so it might cost just£15 to go to ibrox . They'll probably do some child schemes as well and more rangers fans might be inclined to take their kids . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 This former Rangers fan is a classical example of whom we should attract to Firhill - http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/179709-one-for-the-partick-fans/ "I am, well was a Rangers fan until their demise. I don't agree with the nonsense that's went on and I've vowed never to set foot in Ibrox again. my son has just turned 7 and is showing a keen interest in the beautiful game and is badgering me to start taking him to the footy... "So after an extensive search that took me at least 5 minutes and some jammy dodgers I've decided to make the long journeys from the East End of Glasgow up to Firhill everything I've seen so far seems to suggest its a perfect environment to introduce my lad to football due to the lack of halfwits and general bile spouted by the supporters add to that Thistles open stance against all the keek that you would expect at other certain clubs means I'll be trying to tempt him with Partick, heck they might even start to rub off on me after a while with any luck." It's an open goal!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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