The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[Superhursty7]

Interesting figures from [mention=72549]Superhursy7[/mention]. Almost a 40% increase year on year. Given how many games were moved for tv from Saturday and our stinking form in the second half of the season I actually think those figures are pretty good! Admittedly, there are definitely more away fans in the Championship vs League One.
Looking back, last season is probably our highest average attendance in the last 10-15 years.
 

The previous season we were in the championship our average attendance was only 1866 so there is evidence that fans are starting to come back it's how we now keep them coming those who have came back and encourage more new or lapsed fans that's the issue.

[eez-eh]

At the start of the season we were consistently getting ~2500. If we’d kept up our form tor longer there’s no reason we wouldn’t have been getting close to 3000. Playing shite and having half our home games in the second half of the season moved to a Tuesday or Friday night didn’t help.

[Parkhouse]

Before the New Year we played 8 home league matches (won the first 5, drew the next 3). The average crowd during that period was 2422, with only one crowd below 2000, Alloa.

 

After the New Year, we played 10 home league matches winning 2. The average gate for that period was 1946. In 6 out of the 10 games the crowd fell below 2000.

 

It’s pretty obvious that when we were playing well people wanted to watch us and when we fell away so did some of the support. No surprise there, happens to virtually every team. However, it’s worth pointing out that there were only 4 of our post New Year games on a Saturday. There were also a few live on TV. So, along with the poorer performances, that will have had an impact on the crowds

 

2 wins in our last 13 home league games, 14 if you include the home play off game is unlikely to attract many new fans or entice lapsed supporters to return.

 

Our average over the season was 2156. How many did we expect to attract in our first season back up?

 

 

[rb123!]

I think part of the issue is the club do very little to publicize themselves, what do we get when the season is on a face book post or tweet with a match preview the guys from AU media do a fantastic but club could do so much more especially in the Social media age how hard would it be to do a quick catch up with McCall in midweek and post it on social media or a quick catch up with the mom from the previous game you don't need to spend lots of money on these things a half decent smart phone will do it will engage the fans more than a bog standard match preview, look at the way Motherwell for example use social media I'm not saying we should copy them and go to that expense but surely we can take inspiration from these kind of things.

Was a bit concerned the other night when Cameron implied that the club did everything it possibly could for marketing. Majority of us bog standard fans of the club can see the advertising of matches is terrible but the ones in power seemingly don't.

I mean in my opinion there should be at least a billboard somewhere in the town like what Morton have outside their ground on the main road saying when the next match is. Don't see why we couldn't have that sort of thing at the grass on Whitletts Road at the lights next to the red chipped stone car park.

[eez-eh]

I don’t think it can be stated how much of a c**t the club have made of PR since the season ended. Rightly or wrongly, the murmurings from the club, McCalls interviews and Cameron’s Q&A have led to a number of fans fretting about next season.

We’re just off the back of our best season and crowds since the Barr era over 15 years ago. Even with the loss of key players we should be looking forward to trying to build on that by consolidating in this division and having another go at the play-offs. There’s a lot of unnecessary knicker-wetting going but at the same time any wee snippets of information coming from the club have done their best to suck out any positive feeling there was around the place. Great way to shift season tickets.

Edited June 21, 2019 by eez-eh

[101]

48 minutes ago, Superhursy7 said:

Crowds did go up, but not to the level that Cameron wants or needs, the crowds nay have been better due to more away fans though

The increase there looks to be pretty much away fans and not that many of them tbh 300 isint that great a traveling support in this league. It's done to death but Ayr like most towns in Scotland particularly in the west have a real problem with folk leaving the town to go to Celtic park or Ibrox, the folk who do this are unlikely to go to Somerset park but you might be able to turn their kids heads, Dunfermline do loads of work with schools maybe something Ayr do already but I think we put a lot of hope that it will give us our new generation of fans.

[Trogdor]

6 minutes ago, eez-eh said:

I don’t think it can be stated how much of a c**t the club have made of PR since the season ended. Rightly or wrongly, the murmurings from the club, McCalls interviews and Cameron’s Q&A have led to a number of fans fretting about next season.

We’re just off the back of our best season and crowds since the Barr era over 15 years ago. Even with the loss of key players we should be looking forward to trying to build on that by consolidating in this division and having another go at the play-offs. There’s a lot of unnecessary knicker-wetting going but at the same time any wee snippets of information coming from the club have done their best to suck out any positive feeling there was around the place. Great way to shift season tickets.

As I mentioned earlier, I think they are trying to manage expectations because we overachieved last year. As you say, they've overdone it and created a bit of a negative vibe.

I still bought my season ticket though and suspect 95% of season ticket holders will do the same.

[pandarilla]

Before the New Year we played 8 home league matches (won the first 5, drew the next 3). The average crowd during that period was 2422, with only one crowd below 2000, Alloa.
 
After the New Year, we played 10 home league matches winning 2. The average gate for that period was 1946. In 6 out of the 10 games the crowd fell below 2000.
 
It’s pretty obvious that when we were playing well people wanted to watch us and when we fell away so did some of the support. No surprise there, happens to virtually every team. However, it’s worth pointing out that there were only 4 of our post New Year games on a Saturday. There were also a few live on TV. So, along with the poorer performances, that will have had an impact on the crowds
 
2 wins in our last 13 home league games, 14 if you include the home play off game is unlikely to attract many new fans or entice lapsed supporters to return.
 
Our average over the season was 2156. How many did we expect to attract in our first season back up?
 
 

I think I expected a good bit more considering we were winning, playing good football, and challenging at the top of the league.

Maybe that's unrealistic but I reckon of we want to be considered a solid championship team, as opposed to one of the smaller teams in the division, we need to get that over 3000 when doing well.

I'm thinking of teams like Dunfermline or Falkirk. Hopefully we can slowly grow and build a slightly bigger home support. But as we've all said, it really can't go any better than it did last season (up until December).

[Finlay21]

14 hours ago, Hectorhero said:

Is the bounce game against QP still on at Lesser Hampden on 02-07-2019? Anyone know kick-off time and whether its open to the public?

Still on but NOT open to public 

[Finlay21]

Believe shop open 10-2 Saturday for renewal or new season tickets along with very limited supporters club tickets and also the new home and away shirts 

[RandomGuy.]

17 hours ago, Hursty said:

I notice Lachlan mentioned a sizeable cost going on Project Brave - I have to admit i've never really paid any attention to it and assumed that was money coming in rather than going out.

It costs an absolute fortune to meet their standards. St Johnstone qualified as one of the top tier teams, and said at the time there will be a shortfall between the amount they spend and the amount they receive, but it's a huge drawback to attracting young players if you're not part of it.

Requirements, for us, were three full time coaches solely for the development team, access to an indoor 3G pitch of a certain size. Working physios on every training day, and for every team on their match day. Doesnt sound a lot but it all adds up, especially the physio stuff.

Not sure if your requirements are the same.

[RedEd]

1 hour ago, RandomGuy. said:

It costs an absolute fortune to meet their standards. St Johnstone qualified as one of the top tier teams, and said at the time there will be a shortfall between the amount they spend and the amount they receive, but it's a huge drawback to attracting young players if you're not part of it.

I was under the impression that St Johnstone were a Progressive Performance academy, the same as AUFA, rather than Elite. I stand to be corrected though. 

 

[RandomGuy.]

Just now, RedEd said:

I was under the impression that St Johnstone were a Progressive Performance academy, the same as AUFA, rather than Elite. I stand to be corrected though. 

 

Yes that's a mistake on my part. If we're the same then you'll have the same requirements.

[Hursty]

I've had two different people message me today both saying that there will be a new signing on Monday so my hopes are officially up.  

Edit:  that's 3 folk now and they have all named Kris Doolan so must be something in it. 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Hursty

[Trogdor]

58 minutes ago, Hursty said:

I've had two different people message me today both saying that there will be a new signing on Monday so my hopes are officially up.  

Edit:  that's 3 folk now and they have all named Kris Doolan so must be something in it. 

I'm thankful for news of a new signing. I've been sceptical of Doolan but hopefully McCall can get the best out of him.

[AUFC 1910]

With all the moaning and groaning about the lack of commercialism, marketing sense and positivity for the season ahead, i would love to set up a marketing team, made up if talented supporters, who can spare a bit (not too much) time to put some ideas together and bring them to life.

 

I'm thinking along the lines of the socials (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), so content would need to be created, updated and released consistently. 

 

We as fans should be getting whipped up into a frenzy about the season ahead, and every season beyond.

 

We should be bombarded by emails, links, media and messages about supporting the team, the season ahead, all in it together, United, etc etc etc.

 

Instead we are waiting patiently for a trickle of possibly some smidging of a rumour in the bloody Ayrshire Post.

 

It's 2019

 

Engage

 

If the club can't do it, maybe it can via us?

Thoughts???

[D'Jaffo]

I'm thankful for news of a new signing. I've been sceptical of Doolan but hopefully McCall can get the best out of him.

Doolan would be a decent imo. It wasn’t long ago he was scoring a respectable number of goals in the top flight and the last 2 season Partick have been a bit of a shambles.

Considering McCall was the one who brought him into the senior game it makes sense he’d be the one to get him going again. I reckon he’d be more use with someone like Forrest or McCowan behind him rather than another out and out striker.

[the west curve]

Kris Doolan is a Killie fan.

 

[Panda Pies]

Kris Doolan is a Killie fan.
 

I like cheese.

[D'Jaffo]

Kris Doolan is a Killie fan.
 

And what?