The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[Broken Algorithms]

5 minutes ago, No_Problemo said:

I’m quite looking forward to hearing Mathie’s take on the free season ticket aspect etc, which I’m assuming will be coming in his next Q and A instalment. 

Certainly not hard to look for positive examples, it’ll obviously be interesting how your crowds look over the season. Do you know how many free season tickets have been given out?

With the hub we at least now have something there in terms of engaging the local community to be around Somerset, and for match day too. 

I've no idea what it ended up with. I can't remember the definitive number which we announced as a record, but it was definitely up on last season overall. 

There's definitely a knock on effect - if you get two kids under 12 getting a free season ticket, there'll be an adult involved too (albeit the community foundation appear to be trialling a scheme where parents can effectively drop the kids off on match day, and they're part of a group so the parents can disappear off until full time). Then you add in the potential of kids being more likely to buy kits, programmes, and generally just being enthusiastic about meeting players to bring their pals along. 

It's been really interesting to watch ourselves go from feeling like we float from season to season without much direction, hoping things might improve, to having a full blown strategy. 

[Thumper]

For all the wailing and gnashing of teeth about crowds, Mathie spent a considerable amount of time pointing out that the club sold 1250 season tickets during lockdown, which was far more than they had in years, and that this has increased in each of the following seasons. Also that the crowds in the Barr era were not significantly higher than they are right now.

Local engagement is obviously much more difficult now that both the town and all its newspapers have died, but the club is actually doing better at getting people to turn up than it has in decades.

You're not going to suddenly see average gates of 4000 after one good season. And indeed the support bounced right back after the Roberts era of 500 people watching home pumpings from Stranraer.

[No_Problemo]

8 minutes ago, Broken Algorithms said:

I've no idea what it ended up with. I can't remember the definitive number which we announced as a record, but it was definitely up on last season overall. 

There's definitely a knock on effect - if you get two kids under 12 getting a free season ticket, there'll be an adult involved too (albeit the community foundation appear to be trialling a scheme where parents can effectively drop the kids off on match day, and they're part of a group so the parents can disappear off until full time). Then you add in the potential of kids being more likely to buy kits, programmes, and generally just being enthusiastic about meeting players to bring their pals along. 

It's been really interesting to watch ourselves go from feeling like we float from season to season without much direction, hoping things might improve, to having a full blown strategy. 

Yeah - absolutely, it is all the little knock on effects. 

Ultimately if even 5/10% of the free season ticket kids each year go on to become regulars when they are older, that is a huge success!

[AyrExile]

21 hours ago, Jeff Venom said:

On the first bit, we don't actually know this yet, do we? We're 4 games into a league season. There is undoubtedly a bit of catching up to do, I don't deny that, given the injuries. And I'd definitely have preferred to have got better at fullback. But what were you really expecting? Him to tear into the players that are barely through the door? What sort of message does that send? It's counter productive at best, fucking stupid at worst. 

You have a point on the second bit but I'm hoping over time with McGeady and Murphy both at the club, two ex-international and top level footballers, they can help attract players further down the line. 

Even without the injuries i think this squad has went backwards. Had he declared funds were being used on the new stand then no complaints. Recent recruitment has added to our problems rather than sorting them.

The days of tearing into people are long gone and there are different ways of getting a point across. There has been reference to the toxic atmosphere at the last few games and there should at least be some acknowledgment or reality as to where we are. A stranger watching that might think all is well whilst many are expecting scenes should we lose by a few tomorrow. 

There are plenty of good things happening off the park where they deserve a lot of credit. On the park is a somewhat different story 

[AyrExile]

9 hours ago, United1973 said:

It of curiosity  what do you think stops more people coming through the door at Somerset Park? 

Admission price is steep even for those who are working. Instead of going weekly people are having to pick and choose their games more. Removal of a cash gate option is another that needs looked at. Whilst it works for some other can't be bothered and we should be removing as many barriers as possible 

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, Broken Algorithms said:

I've no idea what it ended up with. I can't remember the definitive number which we announced as a record, but it was definitely up on last season overall. 

There's definitely a knock on effect - if you get two kids under 12 getting a free season ticket, there'll be an adult involved too (albeit the community foundation appear to be trialling a scheme where parents can effectively drop the kids off on match day, and they're part of a group so the parents can disappear off until full time). Then you add in the potential of kids being more likely to buy kits, programmes, and generally just being enthusiastic about meeting players to bring their pals along. 

It's been really interesting to watch ourselves go from feeling like we float from season to season without much direction, hoping things might improve, to having a full blown strategy. 

Ironically if we were to turn the clock back a mere 8 or 9 months then most of us were saying the exact same things.

We were sitting top of the league, the Hub (new social club) had just opened for business, new and exciting players had been signed, the crowds were up, the club were actively engaging with the fan base and local community and plans were released to revolutionise the old ground by building a whole new stand, with roof, seating, corporate facilities, new toilets and catering, etc, etc.

Basically all that's changed is that our results and performances tailed off and the recruitment in the Summer didn't quite live up to the expectations of some, however the long term plans remain in place and there is indeed a "plan" which is the main thing for me.

All I'd say is that not all of us are feeling as "broken" as the common consensus appears to be on P&B......

[diegomarahenry]

2 hours ago, United1973 said:

So qhat your saying is for instance  if I pay at the gate for all the games as I can't afford the one of cost season ticket buyers should get treated better ? 

Well, short answer, Yes. 

The season ticket is money in the bank, regardless of how the season goes, that money is there. 
Season tickets are a gamble for fans. The next 3 months could be incredibly difficult to watch, the weather could be rotten or there could be a recession, pay as you go customers could sack it, like the Roberts era and there is mostly season ticket holders still going. The more people going, the higher the match day revenue. 

The club should be making the price structured better and starting a pay up option by Christmas at the latest to maximise the amount of people buying them. 

[North Terrace Gazza]

38 minutes ago, AyrExile said:

Admission price is steep even for those who are working. Instead of going weekly people are having to pick and choose their games more. Removal of a cash gate option is another that needs looked at. Whilst it works for some other can't be bothered and we should be removing as many barriers as possible 

The lack of a cash gate is a red herring. You can pay cash next to the Hub for a ticket. Just the same as a cash gate 

[Only me...]

How did we manage to let this through the net, especially as both Smith and Mathie follow this page?

[diegomarahenry]

35 minutes ago, WATTOO said:

the club were actively engaging with the fan base

There is more quantity but less quality. The press conferences are a non-event, the transfer activity was being leaked by the panda and players were dropped out the blue one week only to be pictured in a hospital bed a few weeks later. 

As broken algorithms said, the board engaged with their support to see what they wanted. The issue of highlights has been raised several times, we were told at the last Q&A that there would be something announced soon, he said at this one something will be announced soon.

The engagement tends to be after a great deal of frustration is built up by the support and then the response from the club feels resented.

[United1973]

2 hours ago, Iain said:

Yes. The club needs people to buy season tickets to give them a cash injection at the start of the season. It's fair and reasonable to incentivise that. There should be finance options that allow the fans to pay it up, but allow the club to get all the money at the start though.

Okay use are special 

[D'Jaffo]

2 minutes ago, United1973 said:

Okay use are special 

If you can’t see the reasoning behind giving season ticket holders some sort of incentive for buying it then I’m not sure what to say to you. 
 

I’m sure your moans will be better suited to the SRE page. 

[United1973]

7 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

If you can’t see the reasoning behind giving season ticket holders some sort of incentive for buying it then I’m not sure what to say to you. 
 

I’m sure your moans will be better suited to the SRE page. 

Not a moan but why use want something more your happy to buy one don't ask for anything else as the club said we are supposed to be #WeAreUnited 

[UpInTheAyr]

The highlights are a funny one because they would know themselves they were shite, they didn't need the fans to tell them. Yet they were quite happy to let it drag on for about a season and a half at least. Ok Mathie said he was tinkering with it, whatever that means, but feels like they were making a mountain out of a mole hill with that one.

In terms of income streams they seem to be chucking everything at the wall to see what sticks. When maybe there should be a more considered approach when asking fans to put their hand in their pocket.

[United1973]

8 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

If you can’t see the reasoning behind giving season ticket holders some sort of incentive for buying it then I’m not sure what to say to you. 
 

I’m sure your moans will be better suited to the SRE page. 

Also I'll moan where I want okay 

[No_Problemo]

1 hour ago, WATTOO said:

Ironically if we were to turn the clock back a mere 8 or 9 months then most of us were saying the exact same things.

We were sitting top of the league, the Hub (new social club) had just opened for business, new and exciting players had been signed, the crowds were up, the club were actively engaging with the fan base and local community and plans were released to revolutionise the old ground by building a whole new stand, with roof, seating, corporate facilities, new toilets and catering, etc, etc.

Basically all that's changed is that our results and performances tailed off and the recruitment in the Summer didn't quite live up to the expectations of some, however the long term plans remain in place and there is indeed a "plan" which is the main thing for me.

All I'd say is that not all of us are feeling as "broken" as the common consensus appears to be on P&B......

Our fan engagement isn’t remotely the same as that of Raith Rovers and what they have put in place to attract new young fans, it can’t even be compared. I’m not saying there aren’t good things going on, but much more needed to be done to make the most of it. 

The plan in terms of recruitment and encouraging new supporters certainly isn’t clear at the moment - let’s hope it becomes so. 

We’ll see how you are feeling after another loss tomorrow night, and at what point the danger signs start flashing. I don’t know how anyone can watch our performances so far and not concerned tbh!

[UpInTheAyr]

2 minutes ago, United1973 said:

Also I'll moan where I want okay 

Use do that mate.

[United1973]

Just now, UpInTheAyr said:

Use do that mate.

I will cheers 

[muZZa__44]

 

[Sortmeout]

7 hours ago, Hawk89 said:

It was more so the fact someone felt the need to ask that question and the fact it was even put forward that made me thing we must be getting towards the clutching at straws stuff to fill the Q&A.  There had already been plenty of questions around the vision and targets of where the club wants to ultimately get to. 

Yeah I get it. People tend to use these sessions to ask things like “would we ever try to sign X player?”.