Saints official travel club

[warsash saint]

basically 75% of people on this forum are c u n t s

 

& no prizes for guessing which % you fall in

 

Only 4 weeks left of the holidays !

[Chez]

Yeah that is way too simple. That is talking about the actual game and results on the pitch.

 

I'd go as far to say the club would do well to seriously think about subsidising cheap away travel to all games (especially whilst in League One). Free parking at the ground and 5 quid on the coach to any away game - regardless of distance. It would be a loss-leader. In a black and white accountants spreadsheet it costs the club money - out in the real world you would have a lot of happy fans who will be more likely to spend their happy money at SFC.

 

Plus 3,000 people bellowing out 'HAND BALL' is going to get you more decisions than 300. Extra points = higher league position = higher home attendances = more money.

 

Going to football is quite addictive. You need to encourage people as much as possible to get 'the bug'. Not find silly little ways to p*ss them off.

 

As an aside: some will say that travel-club support isn't 'real' support. The 'bingo bus crew' etc. Although they may not be beered-up and jumping around on their seats there are some diehard fans on those coaches. I spect some of the Coach-Oners have good claims to say they've seen Saints at the most grounds possible of the 92. I don't know what her name was but there was always some lady of about 80-ish who had to walk with a stick. Whether it was Pompey or Middlesbrough on a Tues night - she'd be there on the coach. Fair play.

 

I'm loving your post, you're describing a kind of club, a football club if you like.

[jam]

I really don't see how people can not even raise an eyebrow at something going from free, to £10.

 

However, may I suggest as a simple solution that you park at Fleming Park and get picked up from there instead?

 

That'll be a quick way to ensure parking charges at Fleming Park.

[Lets B Avenue]

The bloke next to me at the TO window yesterday, queried the fact that he would have to pay the car park charge whilst using the Travel Club. The kiddy in the office confirmed it and pointed out that they have to pay whilst they are working.

 

No different to say 95% of people that drive to work though. The free lunches are over, folks!

[dune]

The bloke next to me at the TO window yesterday, queried the fact that he would have to pay the car park charge whilst using the Travel Club. The kiddy in the office confirmed it and pointed out that they have to pay whilst they are working.

 

No different to say 95% of people that drive to work though. The free lunches are over, folks!

 

Thats really ****ish to make club employees pay to park whilst they're at work. It's not like the vast majority are professionals earning good money, most are just the likes of ticket office workers earning peanuts. Thank **** I don't work for someone like Cortese. It must really boost morale to know you're so valued.

[Born In The 80s]

The bloke next to me at the TO window yesterday, queried the fact that he would have to pay the car park charge whilst using the Travel Club. The kiddy in the office confirmed it and pointed out that they have to pay whilst they are working.

 

No different to say 95% of people that drive to work though. The free lunches are over, folks!

 

 

Yup, spot on mate. The players also have to pay to park and i personally see nothing wrong with that.

 

I am amazed that so many people have been getting their knickers in a twist over Cortese's "money-making" schemes. Unfortunately, football is (and has been for the last 10 years) ALL about making money. Fans that still want to play the "what about us fans" card need to get real. The days of us fans having a say in anything are long gone. We were forgotten about long ago and that is just the nature of football today. If you don't like that, you should stop watching as you're only going to get more and more wound up, as things are going to get a hell of a lot worse. Especially if you think paying £10 to park for an away game is steep!

[OldNick]

Yup, spot on mate. The players also have to pay to park and i personally see nothing wrong with that.

 

I am amazed that so many people have been getting their knickers in a twist over Cortese's "money-making" schemes. Unfortunately, football is (and has been for the last 10 years) ALL about making money. Fans that still want to play the "what about us fans" card need to get real. The days of us fans having a say in anything are long gone. We were forgotten about long ago and that is just the nature of football today. If you don't like that, you should stop watching as you're only going to get more and more wound up, as things are going to get a hell of a lot worse. Especially if you think paying £10 to park for an away game is steep!

agree with all that except that you think it has been happening for the last 10 years 30-40 IMO

[70's Mike]

Would be interesting to know how many of those who are defending this decision actually ever use the travel club ?

 

I rarely do but when i have done the fans are either young families or OAP's the two areas of society who will struggle to find the £10 on top of tickets, coach costs etc.

 

All these extras seem to be targetted at the hardcore support not the occasional supporter

[Chez]

As I mentioned earlier, I recently spent over 200 quid on merchandise for a club me and my children rarely have the chance to see in the flesh, so I think you should refrain from accusing me of hypocrisy.

 

does this completely irrelevant and totally unimpressive post allow me to deride you with the term `Uber fan'?

 

IMO you are a hypocrit. The club don't buy players and all I hear is you moaning about it all summer long. Yet now, just the mearest hint of a moan against the management and you suggest ML can't be expected to bankroll the club. of course he can't and that's why we haven't bought anyone yet because the right quality player has not been available at the right budget. So should he stick his hand in his pocket or not Alpine?

 

I respect the dedication of any overseas fan such as yourself and appreciate how hard defeats are for fans that are not at games, but don't come on here preaching to die hard fans that have backed the club with their support and hard earned for 20, 30 maybe 50 years or more about baulking at these previously unheard of charges. Do you think Ted Bates would ever have charged fans to park at the Dell when following the side up to Newcastle? And before you say it, the club has always needed money to buy the best players, so the arguement that the club must run a a business doesn't rub. Besides my guess is that fans are happy to pay for their ticket or season ticket and support the side. What they don't want is to face poxy additional charges (stealth taxes if you like) right, left and centre including paying to park in a car park no one is using, and because they are backing the team.

 

How about you stick to threads that affect you? When they double the price of those ****ty replica tops and your kids are nagging you for three I promise not to come onto that thread and tell you to "suck it up, ML can't be expected to bankroll the club forever". How does that grab ya?

[Chez]

Would be interesting to know how many of those who are defending this decision actually ever use the travel club ?

 

I rarely do but when i have done the fans are either young families or OAP's the two areas of society who will struggle to find the £10 on top of tickets, coach costs etc.

 

All these extras seem to be targetted at the hardcore support not the occasional supporter

 

I could not agree with you more. The whole point of going on the club bus is to save you a few bob.

[70's Mike]

I could not agree with you more. The whole point of going on the club bus is to save you a few bob.

 

and not have to worry where you are leaving your car for hours or how long it will take you o get back to it when you get home at 4 in the morning from a night game at Hartlepool.

[Born In The 80s]

 

All these extras seem to be targetted at the hardcore support not the occasional supporter

 

 

Of course they will be. It would be stupid of Cortese to not target the hardcore fans. At the end of the day, a hardcore fan is going to go whatever the price. Charge them extra for a season ticket, extra for beer, extra for a pie, extra for parking and yet there will always be a certain group that will still turn up. Cortese obviously knows this and he is certainly using this to boost the funds. As i said previously though, i am not in the slightest bit surprised by this, nor am i really bitter about it. That is the nature of modern football ladies and gents. Fans do come last and will get pooed on. Some people on this board really need to get over that.

[70's Mike]

Of course they will be. It would be stupid of Cortese to not target the hardcore fans. At the end of the day, a hardcore fan is going to go whatever the price. Charge them extra for a season ticket, extra for beer, extra for a pie, extra for parking and yet there will always be a certain group that will still turn up. Cortese obviously knows this and he is certainly using this to boost the funds. As i said previously though, i am not in the slightest bit surprised by this, nor am i really bitter about it. That is the nature of modern football ladies and gents. Fans do come last and will get pooed on. Some people on this board really need to get over that.

 

no evidence yet it will boost funds and i think you will find that many clubs look after there hardcore and hammer the occassionals who pick and choose their games based on the success on the pitch

[alpine_saint]

does this completely irrelevant and totally unimpressive post allow me to deride you with the term `Uber fan'?

 

IMO you are a hypocrit. The club don't buy players and all I hear is you moaning about it all summer long. Yet now, just the mearest hint of a moan against the management and you suggest ML can't be expected to bankroll the club. of course he can't and that's why we haven't bought anyone yet because the right quality player has not been available at the right budget. So should he stick his hand in his pocket or not Alpine?

 

I respect the dedication of any overseas fan such as yourself and appreciate how hard defeats are for fans that are not at games, but don't come on here preaching to die hard fans that have backed the club with their support and hard earned for 20, 30 maybe 50 years or more about baulking at these previously unheard of charges. Do you think Ted Bates would ever have charged fans to park at the Dell when following the side up to Newcastle? And before you say it, the club has always needed money to buy the best players, so the arguement that the club must run a a business doesn't rub. Besides my guess is that fans are happy to pay for their ticket or season ticket and support the side. What they don't want is to face poxy additional charges (stealth taxes if you like) right, left and centre including paying to park in a car park no one is using, and because they are backing the team.

 

How about you stick to threads that affect you? When they double the price of those ****ty replica tops and your kids are nagging you for three I promise not to come onto that thread and tell you to "suck it up, ML can't be expected to bankroll the club forever". How does that grab ya?

 

Ridiculous, how you think I could even attempt the Über fan routine whilst living abroad is f**king bizarre.

 

My point was that I helped finance the club in the only tangible way possible for an overseas fan, by buying merchandise. So I have accepted what ever pricing policy NC has attached to that aspect of the business.

 

If you local fans want to go to home and away games, you have to do the same, I am afraid.

 

And you can cut out the schlong-measuring contest about years supported and games attended and evoking the name of a sadly-departed hero who would have struggled to understand the pressures of the modern game and business; it doesnt impress me.

[eharty9]

oh so you must be one of the ******s who make up bull **** all the time and don't have a clue

[Smirking_Saint]

Thinking about it, re the empty car park thing, it wouldn't even be so bad if they said its free until 8 in the morning, then you have to pay.

 

But they havn't, and thats a bit sh*t really.

[St. Jason]

How on earth is Markus subsidising the fans??

 

The Saints carpark is empty, no one other than sfc staff / visitors use it. Fans have purchased away tickets, they have paid for the travel club which all makes the club money, why on earth should fans then have to pay another £10 to park? If the carpark was being used by shoppers and or visitors to the city and the club had to close a section to accommodate fans then yes, charge, but to charge fans, your own fans to park in an empty carpark is poor!!

[Thedelldays]

How on earth is Markus subsidising the fans??

 

The Saints carpark is empty, no one other than sfc staff / visitors use it. Fans have purchased away tickets, they have paid for the travel club which all makes the club money, why on earth should fans then have to pay another £10 to park? If the carpark was being used by shoppers and or visitors to the city and the club had to close a section to accommodate fans then yes, charge, but to charge fans, your own fans to park in an empty carpark is poor!!

 

 

will be honest here..I used to use the car park when going to town...I used to pop into the megastore then slip off over the bridge into town to the shops....seriously

[revolution saint]

It always makes me laugh when football is described by chairmen as a business and then when you're fighting relegation they need your help, we're all in this together etc etc.

 

Well if football is a business then price it accordingly - if i go and see a film then I have a high degree of probability that I'd be satisfied. If I see and a game and we've lost or drawn then I'm disappointed. If I support an average side then that's a 66% chance of disappointment and I shouldn't have to pay full price to endure that - i'm a customer not a fan and the company has let me down ergo I won't go again. Ludicrous isn't it? We are fans and we endure the bad results - little things like charging to park in what would otherwise be an empty car park when you're already paying to use their coach isn't going to encourage people to go away and it won't bring in much money. It'll do more harm than good.

 

I'll say it - I'm glad of Marcus Liebherr but Cortese? Not sure. His decisions are becoming increasingly bizarre and if he talked to the press I wouldn't be surprised to hear a Klingon reference.

[St. Jason]

it happens all over the place, theatre / gigs etc etc...dont hear you moaning about that!

 

Funny, i took my little girl to watch Toy Story 3 the other day down @ Leisure World and guess what, I parked for FREE!!!!!

 

I guess that as good business people they are thinking 'lets make it as easy as possible for our customers to use us and stay with us the more we'll make' makes perfect business sense to me!

[saintchrissy]

Was surprised at the parking fees when I went to mega store, I asked about staff parking, and was told by the staff in the shop they have to pay£100.00 a year to park and the money was taken out of their pay £50 this month and £50.00 september (no refund if you leave early), the part time staff have to pay £2.00 a day to park - staff are getting round it by taking mopeds (no cost) park somewhere free and using Cycles to come the last couple of miles.

 

This is in some respects is cheap to park for the whole year I have to pay £500.00 for season tickets for either Winchester or Fareham for a year - however I feel that this is one more extra cost that I dont want to pay on top of away ticket coach for one adult and one child and then the extra ticket costs so will mean I will probably drop a couple of away matches this season due to additional costs, where needs must I am sure that people including me will find away around these additional costs and there will be no extra mone going to the clubs coffers - there is a recession on!

 

 

Anyone know if the players have to pay to park, I have heard that they have to pay a set fee per season but cannot substantiate this.

[Smirking_Saint]

The bloke next to me at the TO window yesterday, queried the fact that he would have to pay the car park charge whilst using the Travel Club. The kiddy in the office confirmed it and pointed out that they have to pay whilst they are working.

 

No different to say 95% of people that drive to work though. The free lunches are over, folks!

 

I park for free at work, and at any other depot i go to, and any substation that has car park access as long as i can dump it out of the way, which is pretty good really.

[Big John]

Have Princess and Avencis still got the contract? I noted that they are advertising pitchside so I'm guessing so.

 

Well done if so lads, a decent local company providing a decent service.

[Lets B Avenue]

I park for free at work, and at any other depot i go to, and any substation that has car park access as long as i can dump it out of the way, which is pretty good really.

 

Lucky you. I guess that puts you in the other 5%.