A director of National League North club Curzon Ashton has issued a plea to the town for feedback on how to increase their average attendance.
Curzon Ashton want to hear locals' views on how to get bigger gates
The club's gate of 236 for their opening day 3-0 win against newly-promoted Needham Market was the lowest in National League North - nearly 100 fewer than the 327 at Peterborough Sports vs Chorley.
Hereford came out top of the attendance table as 2,888 saw them beat South Shields 3-0 at Edgar Street.
For Curzon, on the outskirts of Manchester, 27-year-old director Oliver Newall put out a post on the Ashton-under-Lyne Community Group on Facebook, which has nearly 29,000 members, and has received hundreds of comments after asking locals what they wanted from the football club.
Newall, who is also the club's stadium director, said: "Curzon Ashton have just started our 10th season in the NLN which is step six of English football. We are competing in a league with some huge clubs with massive finances and fan bases. Last season we got [to] the playoffs after a wonderful campaign.
"We have the facilities, the team, the stadium what we don’t have is the fan base. Our crowds range generally from 200-400 but we are competing with teams that get 10 times that amount.
"My question is… what do you the community want from a football club? We are the best chance Tameside has of achieving a football club in the EFL but we can’t progress without you. We are and have always been affordable and are struggling to think of what more we can do."
As reported by Fan banter, tickets cost £17 adults, £12 concessions, £2 kids, while the membership scheme for 2024/25 (£20 to sign up to) is £184 for a season ticket, £10* pay as you go (*plus TicketCo service charge 5 per cent per game), and free for under 16s.
One group member, Nicholas Michael said: “17 quid a ticket for non league quality football is a joke. Stockport County charged £10 tonight. For little over double that you can watch top class premier league football.
Newall replied: “Nicholas Michael £10 for members. We are one of the cheapest in our league and unfortunately we’re not backed by a multi millionaire or blessed with 6/7000 fans. The £17 is necessary for general admission as most away fans are happy to pay it (and more at most other clubs).
"If we dropped it to £12 we’d get no more home fans and lose £5 on every away fan. That’s why we have our membership scheme. Also think people underestimate the level we are playing at and the general price for the league. Stockport we’re charging just as much relatively when they were at this level a few years ago.”
Another group member Joseph Boothman added: “Oliver you can’t really compare your club to Stockport. We have the history and fanbase. We are one of the clubs you mentioned getting 10 times your attendance. I believe some games 6,000 in NLN.
"Look at what County do, what City do. The fan zones are good. Little outdoor bar, a local band/singer playing, make it a get together and not just turn up, watch, leave. Little competitions for being a mascot, win tickets etc. Done any school drives to try and get into the heads of local kids early? Take a player or two along and give the kids a little memory that might just attach them to your club?”
A third group member, Anthony Sumner said: “Lower prices are a must. Just because other clubs get those prices doesn’t mean you can. They have the fan base, you don’t. The club membership isn’t worth it for a lot of people right now. New fans will want to come to the odd game and not want to commit to buying a membership. After time some of them will come more regularly. You need to be building a fan base and then you can look at the prices more.
"Putting the prices up because the current fans say it is okay isn’t thinking of the bigger picture. What does being a member even get you, other than cheaper tickets? Is there an official supporters association that you can work with on this? If not then you should look to the fans that are regulars and see about setting something up. Maybe work with local businesses to help out too.”