The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

SouthRushdenJFC wrote:Looking at the club website, and I had to look hard, it seems that there is a 50/50 scheme running. I can't say for certain that it's still running as the page hasn't been updated for nearly a year.

The scheme is still running and is the scheme that the Club is approaching local schools about. If you want to take part this season, please give Gill a call or drop her an e-mail, I'm sure she'll be only too pleased to help out.

SouthRushdenJFC wrote:On the plus side I do understand that the Football in the Community Scheme is being re-introduced, although again there's nothing on the website I can find

My understanding is that a new Football in the Community Officer has been appointed and will take up the post on April 1st, until then the work is being done by the few members of staff we have. They are doing the very best they can right now.

SouthRushdenJFC wrote:penalty shoot out competitions at half-time (this may be done)

I know I keep mentioning them, but Huddersfield have done a few different half time activities that are a bit different to normal. I know they have a bigger attendance so it gets good crowd support..but I haven't seen any half time activity at NP at the games I've been to this year.

My understanding is that a new Football in the Community Officer has been appointed and will take up the post on April 1st, until then the work is being done by the few members of staff we have. They are doing the very best they can right now.

i hear the same and its an intresting appointment if true

They also get a 'bring a friend free' voucher for any home cup match to be used for the FA Trophy/Hillier Cup.....we won't do FA Cup, in case we get man utd at home in rd 3 ;)

Don't think we could do this for any cup games, the away side are entitled to a share of the gate money, there is no way they would allow us to let people in without payment.

SouthRushdenJFC wrote:Aside from the prices there does seem to be a lot that could be done but isn't. Obviously the cuts that had to be made in off the field personnel have made it harder but not everything takes time and money.

As you will see from my username I'm involved in kids football, our club has over 150 kids and dads who spend most of the weekends near a football. We've had no contact from the club in nearly two seasons. We like football, we like playing it, we like watching it. When the England age groups play at Nene Park or Sixfields or Stadium:MK we snap the tickets up, we go in a group and we have a great time. It doesn't cost us anything for the tickets but every child wants a programme and every child wants a drink and a burger, they usually get them as it's not cost anything to get in.

Looking at the club website, and I had to look hard, it seems that there is a 50/50 scheme running. I can't say for certain that it's still running as the page hasn't been updated for nearly a year.

It is. This was mentioned at the Fans Forum on Friday and at the previous one.

On the subject of the website it does the club no favours, it's full of adverts and a lot of the pages have not been updated in years, it looks like it's a defunct website.

To my eyes there is so much potential around the football club that's not being tapped into and I don't think it's totally a question of not enough hours in the day or pennies in the piggy bank. Things like reviving the Diamonds Cup for junior clubs, Club of the Day, penalty shoot out competitions at half-time (this may be done) are relatively time and cost light and would spread the word across the area.

The website will probably have an overhaul. As for your ideas, they sound great. The Beasants asked us at the forum to email any constructive ideas to Gill Wignall, gill.wignall@rd-fc.co.uk (if this is wrong, someone please feel free to correct me). I’d also mention your situation, there’s no way they’ll turn away 150 kids and I believe that something could be worked out.

I do also think that having a ticket office/club shop in Rushden High Street could increase both ticket sales and revenue.

Not sure about this. Rushden High Street is dead unfortunately, so I don’t see it as viable. For me we need to look further afield than Rushden (although not ignore it entirely). On that note and promoting the club, if people go down the town centre, into Wellingborough, if you’re happy to and can, wear a Diamonds shirt. Gives the club a visible presence at no extra cost and makes a change to all those Premier League shirts.

On the plus side I do understand that the Football in the Community Scheme is being re-introduced, although again there's nothing on the website I can find

Community support officer is being appointed 1st April. They’re probably holding off until then.

wynocki wrote: £12.40 but that doesn't really help us out i know. Our club today has to be run like a business with profit and loss the most important issue (sadly).

Mr.Griggs we love you but it wasn't run the same in them days and the break even point was more of an afterthought.

We paid £10 but that wouldn't have been the true cost of a ticket (to the club)

Some interesting points here. Comparing what we were paying on the gate whilst Max subsidised the team to the tune of around £2million a year to now where the team is costing around £400K, where we are sitting in the division is a great achievement. Also comparing the amount of full-time professional clubs in the division at those times as well, it looks even better.

I think we should reintroduce the family ticket which used to operate in the family enclosure in the south stand a few years back. This seemed to be a good way of getting the whole family to attend thus boosting the attendance at a reduced rate on buying individual tickets. :P

Having looked at some of the admission prices at the lower end of the table, i've looked at some higher up also:

Wrexham - £15 on Saturday but had been £17 all season before that unless purchased in advance.
York - £17 to sit, £14 to stand.
AFC Wimbledon, between £16-£18 to sit, £14 to stand.
Luton - £18
Crawley - £17 to sit. £14 to stand.

Suddenly our £17 doesn't seem so bad. Afterall, it isn't our fault we can't offer away supporters terracing and be able to lower the terrace price.

Here's some from BSN/BSS (95% of teams part-time).

Woking - £12.
Bromley - £12.
Chelmsford - £12.50 to sit. £11.50 to stand.
Alfreton - £10
Blyth - £11 to sit, £10 to stand.

And here is League Two - god forbid we ever go up or no-one will turn up!

Gillingham - Catagory A - £25 if purchased on the day (£23 if purchased in advance). Catagory B - £22 (£20)
Lincoln - Catagory A - £19. Catagory B - £18 (£2 saving on both if purchased in advance).
Chesterfield - Between £21-£17 depending on where you sit.
Southend - £18, or £16 if purchased in advance.

I've hammered people on here for being tight, but thet Gillingham pricing structure is lunacy. I appreciate that they are a big club at that level, but the thought of paying £25 to watch that level of football makes me wince.

This 'purchased in advance' thing keeps cropping up. Something to think about? I know the Beasant's said that it would be £15 next season but there might be a way they could work that.

I've seen some people having a pop at our website. Try Altrincham. Infact, try Stalybridge Celtic. I may have had a lapse in concentration or something but I couldn't even find ticket prices on those websites.

On a similar theme, Grimsby tonight is an £18 minimum unless you buy in advance.

Thanks for all the replies and the updates to my points.

I have spoken to Gill with a different hat on so to speak and I think that you have a real diamond (pun intended) in Gill.

Good points about Rushden High Street and Wellingborough, perhaps now with the end of the season approaching and the work still going on wouldn't be a good time to launch. The start of the new season with new hope, new expectations, new belief and probably a new kit would be better.

The website is poor at best, there's too many opportunities to drive people away from Rushden & Diamonds and too many pages that could be out of date. There are at least half a dozen Junior Football Club sites that are better that the Official Diamonds site.

Overall I am sure that the people employed by the club do a great job putting in loads of unpaid hours and they just don't have the time to be pro-active rather than reactive. The leisure facilities we have in East Northants are poor enough so Nene Park is like a shining beacon in a cultural waste land