bigger crowds expected

[fiz]

After reading last nights EP the exec must be preparing for a surge of new committed supporters through the turnstiles. 1800 petition all pleading with the club to stay at Ingfield.

Now that the exec have pandered to these im sure real and committed individuals and promised to develop the ground to accommodate this influx we will no longer have to endure the chant of s**t ground no fans from opposing supporters.
Happy days ;D

[thomo]

The 1800 petition mentioned was a clutching of straws for reasons to stay. As I've said before neither the shoppers nor the members new the extent of any offer because it has never been presented. The YEP & Wakey depressed have both reported in error as they say a vote was taken regarding Tescos, not so just a vote about developing Ingfield.

Martin Voakes quoting succesful seasons from seniors and Juniors is extremely disrespectful from a vice-chairman.
The senior success over the last 5 years is down to a) the players and in part b) Gary Brook,Steve Richards, Steve Kittrick, Pete Wilkinson. This has been done despite the help of the members not because of it. The first team who finished in their highest position ever trained about twice at Ingfield. They prepared for games at Wakey College (a Pete Wilkinson arrangement) and Dewsbury Rams (my arrangement) One of the reasons crowds are low IMO is people like to see attractive football but it is extremely difficult on a pitch like ours- the worst in the league. Although there was a clear admission that nothing had been spent on it in the last few years it has now been vertidrained at the end of the season. Although the academy had a game called off last year by groundstaff 'cos "the pitch has been vertidrained"?

As for the Juniors success - I would be surprised if Mr Voakes really knows the extent of the success of the juniors sides probably just the under 16's. However i can attribute our success down to several years training at Highfield school Gawthorpe and last year training under lights at Dewsbury along with Gawthorpe. The only thing Ingfield had to do with our success was after winning the county cup we came back to the club for a drink - not one single executive committee member were there to watch us or welcome us back.
Please don't believe these people w ho try and take credit for past success as they clearly have their plates full on delivering promises and ensuring future development and progression. The members who use the club as a social facility are valuable people at the club, however if football's not their bag any more out of respect to the people who have put in the work they should have abstained

[spoff]

I don't feel the club do enough in the centre of Ossett to advertise the games.

I appreciate this needs people to do this, but surely a few of the local shops would be willing to print a sheet of A4 advertising the next game and stick it in their window.

Or how about spend £x.xx in a certain shop and get free entry to an OT game.

Free tickets to kids at Ossett schools?

Once people are in they are going to buy food and drink, a programme or scarf.

I appreciate this requires peoples time, something I cannot offer. But if I can think of things like the above there will be smarter people than me involved who can get the wheels in motion.

UP THE REDS!!!

[albiony]

Spoff
There is no reason to give free tickets to local school children, we must have 250+ on our books , these boys and girls all pay £35-00 'membership' maybe £2-00 a week plus generating other incomes through sponsorship and raffles yet the club still want to charge £1-00 admission to home games. A pretty small minded blinkered decision.
All junior 'members' should go to home games FOC, then who knows , Mothers and Fathers may go along buy even more food and drink , exactly as you say above

[xed]

i'm not sure its the club itself that is charging each junior player £35 a year, i know someone will correct me if i am wrong but as i understand it each junior team has to pay a fee to Ossett Town each year to be allowed to use Ossett town's name; its then down to each junior team's management how that money is raised.

some of the teams are very successful at raising money, so much so that some teams regularly jet off to spain or where ever for a week's training or to play in a tournament etc.

Obviously there's a lot of very talented and dedicated people amongst the juniors, its a pity they are not encouraged to help the senior club; one or two have come forward down the years, tim Asbury, Phil thompson etc but there definitely is a "them and us" attitude amongst people in both juniors and seniors, some of the seniors think the juniors were pushing too hard for the move to dewsbury, some of the juniors think the seniors are just using them for extra revenue.

Personally i think it needs someone like Peter Wilkinson with his diplomatic skills to bring the two sections together, rather than the likes of Graham firth and Martin voakes, who are too narrow minded and too confrontational.

[spoff]

Good call on Peter Wilkinson, he is one of the most level headed people, and general nice guy, I have ever met.

I still think it is worh going out to local schools.

With the cost of watching the pro game if we can get them in Ingfield before their parents take them to Elland Road, Galpharm, Riverside etc a new generation of fans could be born.

[townman]

The Senior Club at Ossett Town do not charge any junior player a fee. that is made by the Junior section. A charge is made to the junior section for the facilities on offer.

Numerous times tickets have been given to junior schools etc. with very little take up. The club do try. Junior members for a £1 is a very good deal - Junior Managers have been given half price admission in the past why?

[ladiesman]

Let's be clear on the subject of junior fees. The junior club sets a level for subs for each player and this season it will be £35. The junior club then pays a season fee to the senior club for name and facilities etc.

This season the fee has had a substantial increase. In March the juniors wrote to the exec asking that they keep their promise and meet with the juniors to inform them of the future visions for the development of the club - this promise was not kept. The juniors have written asking for a scope of improvements in facilities in light of the EGM vote and the increase in fees - as far as I am aware an answer is still awaited.

[albiony]

£1-00 for juniors is not a good deal. They bring more coffers in to the senior teams than the senior teams themselves. Will this seasons reserves be charged to watch the first team. A good deal is FOC like our friends at Ossett Albion charge , probably called investing in the future.

[xed]

i think there should be free admission to the reserves games for everyone.

By throwing open the gates to everyone, you may encourage a lot more people to visit the club on those Saturdays when the first team are away. Of course, you will still have to find the money to pay the ref and linesmen, but extra revenue over the bar would cover that. Also, instead of wasting little Dave's time standing at the gate trying to get admission money, why not let him go around the ground selling raffle tickets? you will get more money that way than charging admission.

I was going to suggest re-opening the tea bar under the sponsors lounge, so at least you could sell cups of hot drinks and some basic snacks on reserve match days, but then i just remembered that someone told me that a self employed committee man was using the tea bar to store all his gear, rent free.

[Grog]

townman said:

The Senior Club at Ossett Town do not charge any junior player a fee. that is made by the Junior section. A charge is made to the junior section for the facilities on offer.

Numerous times tickets have been given to junior schools etc. with very little take up. The club do try. Junior members for a £1 is a very good deal - Junior Managers have been given half price admission in the past why?

Let's get this into perspective and not get into semantics. The seniors levy a charge to the junior section - fact. The junior section is funded by the parents of the junior players - fact. That means for 2005/6 season, each player's parents paid approximately £12 to the senior set-up - fact (and that's before the price hike for 20006/7). And, that's before a ball is kicked and we take account of all other contributions made by junior parents/families to the club. Re schools, I cannot comment other than to say my two kids have never once come home saying Ossett Town tickets have been on offer - o.k. they're relatively young but one has been in school since 2000! Re a £1 being a good deal - yes it is excellent, long may it last. re why Junior Managers get in at half price - good question, in my view it recognises the significant contribution I and others make to Ossett Town FC and the community. Indeed, please explain why Ossett Town seem to have such a downer on the junior section?

[Now that's off my chest, can I say that I've being reading this forum for weeks and am sick to the back teeth of the drivel that has been posted - I've refrained from responding, but have obviously succumed tonight - it may not have been intended, but as a parent and manager of two junior footballers with Ossett Town, I did find this message particulalry irritating]

[xed]

just out of interest, do the relatives of the committee still get free admission into the ground?

[skeetah05]

xed said:

just out of interest, do the relatives of the committee still get free admission into the ground?

Don't know but if so thats crap!!!! They should have to pay the same as any other

[shaunb]

i agree with u dom!!!