Home Attendances

[The Tomahawk Kid]

I was looking at the NL North recently. What a promotion fight is ensuing! And it got me thinking...

I'm not as fanatical as some Barrow AFC supporters on here (the ageing process possibly being one factor) and have to admit I've always gone to matches to watch both teams - not just The Ziggers

Apart from a lack of interest due to us having no chance of promotion and not being involved in a relegation battle, my own attendance at home games this season has also been dented by what I personally perceive to be unattractive opposition.

With regard to our dwindling home attendances, it makes me wonder if NL North teams such as York, Stockport, Chorley, Kiddderminster, Darlington, Hereford, Alty, Blyth Spartans, Chester, Telford, Southport and FC United might provide more attractive opposition for Barrow AFC fans than some of the current NL clubs?

Opponents such as Bromley, Havenant and Waterlooville, Boreham Wood, Ebbsfleet, Eastleigh, Braintree, Solihull, Sutton, Maidstone and Maidenhead hardly set the blood racing when Saturday comes!

I don't wish to sound negative but now that the initial sparkle of the NL has worn off and our aspirations for a future in the Football League look increasingly limited the thought of playing in the NL North doesn't seem that bleak anymore. And apart from a possible increase in home attendances our wage bill would be slashed too.

Food for thought...

What do others think?

[Adam29]

Last week you said about having a team of locals sitting in the conf north

Now you are saying we would have more glamour ties.

We are in march on 52 pts with 8 games to go. Playing some beautiful football with a manager that has an idea and ambition about this club.
Possibly got one of our biggest profile victories in our time as a national league club beating a title chasing wrexham on their own patch and not just by fluke but by actually outplaying them and deserving the win, yet you want us ti go down a league?

I could understand to a degree if we were having another nightmare season like last season where relegation was a serious threat and with huge uncertainty hanging over the club but not when we are having one of our best seasons as a member of this division with a board of directors keen to right all of the wrongs and put the club in the right direction and with a manager that is getting us playing some of the best football I have seen a Barrow side play

words fail me

[blue nige]

I would have said something similar but not as diplomatic
Sometimes comments on here make me despair!

[Nigel Bamford]

I'll see your York, Stockport and the other also-rans and raise it with Orient, Wrexham, Hartlepool, Halifax and Fylde.
Thanks but no thanks.

[whitty1969]

How do you attract fans if you want to be in the league below just content on staying there with no promotional ambition?

How about improving year on year with a realistic chance of making the playoffs in the top flight of Non League.
We would be having 1500+ gates if we were sat 1 point behind a play off place.......

No brainer for me......AMBITION...

[blue nige]

And I think our new board have plenty the future looks good!

[Jonty]

Erm... no. not for me. The attendance issues are not going to be solved by dropping down a league. There are many factors impacting our attendances but above all it comes down to the current level of fan attachment to Barrow AFC in 2019. The Tues night game against Orient would probably have attracted 3000 just 10 years ago. In 2019, things have changed and to add another 500 on the gate, for any match is going to need a whole new way of connecting Barrow back with the fans. The game and what people want is changing all the time, dropping down to National League north would not improve attendances. And anyway why the heck would you want to drop down a league!!! Look up!!

[Jonty]

Last week you said about having a team of locals sitting in the conf north

Now you are saying we would have more glamour ties.

We are in march on 52 pts with 8 games to go. Playing some beautiful football with a manager that has an idea and ambition about this club.
Possibly got one of our biggest profile victories in our time as a national league club beating a title chasing wrexham on their own patch and not just by fluke but by actually outplaying them and deserving the win, yet you want us ti go down a league?

I could understand to a degree if we were having another nightmare season like last season where relegation was a serious threat and with huge uncertainty hanging over the club but not when we are having one of our best seasons as a member of this division with a board of directors keen to right all of the wrongs and put the club in the right direction and with a manager that is getting us playing some of the best football I have seen a Barrow side play

words fail me

Perfectly put.

[geobarrovian]

We are presently 11th in the league above, there has been a weird fetish on here with certain users of almost resigning ourselves to be playing in the division below and it is incredibly bizarre.

[Jonty]

We are presently 11th in the league above, there has been a weird fetish on here with certain users of almost resigning ourselves to be playing in the division below and it is incredibly bizarre.

It is almost as if nearly 50 years of non league football and lack of success and growth off the pitch is so deeply engrained in the mindset that some cannot think it can ever be anything else and that this is as good as it could possibly get.

[McMark]

Well put Adam, theres nothing much more to say whilst ambitions are being met by all concerned!
Ultimately though it's the fans that will decide what level we play at by attendances and other revenue streams. It's up to us all to embrace and seize the day before its too late and passes us all by.

[whitty1969]

We are presently 11th in the league above, there has been a weird fetish on here with certain users of almost resigning ourselves to be playing in the division below and it is incredibly bizarre.

It is almost as if nearly 50 years of non league football and lack of success and growth off the pitch is so deeply engrained in the mindset that some cannot think it can ever be anything else and that this is as good as it could possibly get.

Jonty, we were in the meeting last week with the directors and we talked about a lot of things and improvements.
Let's just say things are changing and there will be lots of improvements off the field before we kick a ball next season.
Ian Evatt is making plans for next season already and with the off field improvements I'm confident we are on the up finally....

[Jonty]

It is almost as if nearly 50 years of non league football and lack of success and growth off the pitch is so deeply engrained in the mindset that some cannot think it can ever be anything else and that this is as good as it could possibly get.

Jonty, we were in the meeting last week with the directors and we talked about a lot of things and improvements.
Let's just say things are changing and there will be lots of improvements off the field before we kick a ball next season.
Ian Evatt is making plans for next season already and with the off field improvements I'm confident we are on the up finally....

Agree we are close to being a top 7 side. If Evatt gets the backing and the players he wants to stay with us do stay. Just need that little bit of quality added. Mind you the way we took our goals against Wrexham, maybe it’s just a confidence thing in front of goal that can be worked on.

[chipmunx]

we are almost certain to lose 4 southern teams relegated this season - and hopefully Orient too (going up) and gain only the 2 teams southern coming up from NLS - so that could well be 3 extra Northern teams in this league next season.
Hopefully the 2 NLN teams coming up will be Chorley and Stockport, both of which are attractive games and who would bring more fans here than even Orient of the potential lost teams and more than the other 4 (relegated southern teams) combined.
Should that happen most of Tomahawk's arguments would be gone anyway.

[Hitthebar22]

I was looking at the NL North recently. What a promotion fight is ensuing! And it got me thinking...

I'm not as fanatical as some Barrow AFC supporters on here (the ageing process possibly being one factor) and have to admit I've always gone to matches to watch both teams - not just The Ziggers

Apart from a lack of interest due to us having no chance of promotion and not being involved in a relegation battle, my own attendance at home games this season has also been dented by what I personally perceive to be unattractive opposition.

With regard to our dwindling home attendances, it makes me wonder if NL North teams such as York, Stockport, Chorley, Kiddderminster, Darlington, Hereford, Alty, Blyth Spartans, Chester, Telford, Southport and FC United might provide more attractive opposition for Barrow AFC fans than some of the current NL clubs?

Opponents such as Bromley, Havenant and Waterlooville, Boreham Wood, Ebbsfleet, Eastleigh, Braintree, Solihull, Sutton, Maidstone and Maidenhead hardly set the blood racing when Saturday comes!

I don't wish to sound negative but now that the initial sparkle of the NL has worn off and our aspirations for a future in the Football League look increasingly limited the thought of playing in the NL North doesn't seem that bleak anymore. And apart from a possible increase in home attendances our wage bill would be slashed too.

Food for thought...

What do others think?

To be perfectly frank, rubbish.