Gislasson.......

[markscfc72]

...... is on SC world for those of you who have it, for those of you who dont some of the interview is on the official site

He adds: “We think it can be done. We see 10,000 season tickets as a realistic achievement.

“We had a tremendous response from our supporters to the Potters Pledge, and of the 9,043 forms returned 3,177 were new applications for season tickets.

“There were just over 500 of our existing season ticket holders who did not respond, but we feel they will renew their season tickets because they have shown tremendous loyalty to the club down the years.

“In that case we would then be looking to add around another 500 new season ticket holders to hit the 10,000 mark next season.

“It’s a challenge for us but we believe it is possible. We are moving forward on and off the pitch as a club and building up our season ticket base is an important part of our progress.”<br>
www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestDetail/0,,10310~496042,00.html

[markscfc72]

he also says that Johnny Rudge is currently looking for players to loan

[Lakeland Potter]

He also says they want to strengthen the squad for a playoff push!

Says a lot depends on ST sales - can't work out if this is just a sales pitch or if they really think there is a chance of the playoffs? Either way it makes a pleasant change from last year.

[dude]

I would be stunned if we got 10,000 ST holders. Even if PP bought all his staff one we'd still struggle.


nice to know even on a good run we are still looking for players.

Interesting that every time GG in the country we seem to makes moves in the transfer market.

Lomas would have been nice.

[domstoke]

I wouldn't be all that suprised if we sold 10000.

I'd be even less suprised to see us sell 10000 and then still only get 12- 14k crowds most games next season.

[onewaynebiggins]

What is the most ST we have sold in the last 15 years?

onewaynebiggins

[Lakeland Potter]

7000 ish

[Deleted]

onewaynebiggins said:

What is the most ST we have sold in the last 15 years?

onewaynebiggins

7,363 in 1993/94 I'm led to believe

[adesgonnagetyer]

Yeah, it'd most certainly not be a surprise if the increase in STs had no impact on the general level of attendances next season.

Unless we look at matchday prices, we could just see ST Holders become a greater percentage of of our stable 12-15000 'regulars', and we'd end up losing a bit of money?.

It seems odd that Forest can afford more of a contribution to Lomas's wages.I thought they were in a financial mess possibly even worse than ours?.

He would have given us a really experienced spine with Taggart and de Goey.

Also, didn't TP say on Tuesday that he was reasonably hopeful that Eustace would make it on Saturday?.

Has he had a further setback?.

[ks]

I would have thought the crowds will go up next year, although not by the same margin the season tickets have. Most are people buying a season ticket where they wouldn't have previously, but would still have attended a decent percentage of matches on a casual basis.

But 9,500 STs sold, plus 3,500 casual fans and 1,500 away fans is still an improvement on your run of the mill gate (not including the big 20,000 gates that contribute to the inflated average).

And it's money in the bank to speculate on the transfer market with. Give a couple of loan/fringe players away on frees, free-up their wages and we may be able to get a couple of players in to bolster the team.

I believe this pledge scheme is what is is shudderingly referred to as 'thinking outside the box', and is certainly a first amongst English clubs. Well done the board.

KS

[Lakeland Potter]

I understand a lot of clubs are watching the pledge scheme with interest. The proof of the pudding, of course, will be the number of Season Tickets sold. If that does meet expectations and is close to 10,000 and if pay on the day supporters doesn't drop off too much, we can expect similar initiatives from other clubs with big stadia less than half full.

Of course, if we DID get to the Prem for next season, the success or otherwise of the pledge scheme will be almost impossible to judge - given that ST purchases would have risen anyway. The last week before the deadline will be interesting as people try to predict what division we will be in.

[OldStokie]

I think the board are also thinking about the 'feel good factor'. 10,000 ST holders will generate more interest in the club and team. The new ST supporters will bring along some of their mates who wouldn't normally go unless....etc...in turn this will create a rolling affect on attendances. I believe that's what happened at Norwich and their season ticket sales are far more than ours. They also get much higher attendances than us on a regular basis - I think.

Mind you, according to Winger, they only know things about fish!

OS.

[Nonum]

I think the pledge system may well boost attendances more than you think.
Out of the 4 pledges my dad put in, only one was for an existing ST holder, 2 for very rare attendies (2-4 matches a season) and one hasn't been a match in about 4 years!
This scheme could hopefully pull in more "lurking" fans than people may think!

[Lakeland Potter]

I think most of were quite surprised by the number of 3,100 "new" pledges. If as you say, many of these were very rare attendees then we may indeed pull in bigger crowds next seasn than we expect.

Someone told me a weird story on Tuesday night. Apparently he has a mate who refused to sign the pledge and won't get a Season Ticket as any price because he "usually misses 5 or 6 games a season!!!!" In vain the bloke telling me the story tried to tell is friend that an ST would still be good value even if he missed 10 matches. There is nowt as queer as folk - especially some Stokies. ;D