first match back home

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darlodaz
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first match back home

Post by darlodaz » Thu Sep 01, 2016 6:49 pm

surely the club have an idea of how they are going to protect the people that are not season ticket /dfcsg etc but regularly go to home games at bishop and will want to be involved at the first match at b/m.
i dont think its right that all those supporters should miss out to the to the ones that aint been anywhere near bishop since we have had to play there or only to the big games even.
any thoughts or ideas?

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divas
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Re: first match back home

Post by divas » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:20 pm

Yes, join the supporters group.

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robsraiders
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Re: first match back home

Post by robsraiders » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:29 pm

This is best way, and all membership fees go back to the club, plus you get benefits of discounts from Virgin East Coast and Ginger Village Inns with more to come, a no brainer I believe

darlodaz
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Re: first match back home

Post by darlodaz » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:52 pm

so what happens to us that can not afford all this join this and that and have to save to go to home games buy programmes 50/50 travel expenses etc.
then there is those that have rail cards and would not go to ginger village inns.

super_les_mcjannet
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Re: first match back home

Post by super_les_mcjannet » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:58 pm

It cost £1.67 a month, if people want to guarantee a ticket then people would join.

Maybe the club could do vouchers for a couple of home games at HP and those guys get an option of the ticket but in all honesty those running the club probably have enough on at the moment.

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Robbie Painter
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Re: first match back home

Post by Robbie Painter » Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:04 pm

darlodaz wrote:so what happens to us that can not afford all this join this and that and have to save to go to home games buy programmes 50/50 travel expenses etc.
then there is those that have rail cards and would not go to ginger village inns.
Then you might miss out.

It's £25 (or £20 to renew) for DFC SG membership. Realistically it'll be 12 weeks+ before we get to BM so that is about £2 a week to save up for a membership - not much of a stretch for most people.

Beano
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Re: first match back home

Post by Beano » Thu Sep 01, 2016 9:47 pm

divas wrote:Yes, join the supporters group.
The best solution.

The club has no need to run convoluted and costly schemes for tickets when it has two entirely appropriate ones: season ticket and the supporters group.

For the record, I am unable to attend all games so did not buy a season ticket and it would not be cost effective (and can't afford to gift the money), but did join the supporters club. Over the season it works out just shy of 50p a week and guarantees me a ticket for almost every occasion, whilst giving the club some revenue.

Genuine value for money.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: first match back home

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:03 pm

The club should reward our long suffering fans and I'm sure they could organise something with ticket stubs for our last 2 or 3 homes games at HP. That would generate large crowds for those games, which would benefit the club financially and on the field.

quakersam
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Re: first match back home

Post by quakersam » Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:08 pm

Darlo_Pete wrote:The club should reward our long suffering fans and I'm sure they could organise something with ticket stubs for our last 2 or 3 homes games at HP. That would generate large crowds for those games, which would benefit the club financially and on the field.
Surely that defeats the object..people could just turn up for 2 games who hadnt even been before
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dickdarlington
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Re: first match back home

Post by dickdarlington » Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:15 pm

Being a member of the supporters club also means you are an owner of the club, and you get to vote on how it is ran.

It's a very small outlay, and worth the sacrifice of not having a drink or buying a programme for a couple of matches.

liddle_4_ever
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Re: first match back home

Post by liddle_4_ever » Fri Sep 02, 2016 12:16 am

darlodaz wrote:so what happens to us that can not afford all this join this and that and have to save to go to home games buy programmes 50/50 travel expenses etc.
then there is those that have rail cards and would not go to ginger village inns.
Buy fewer programs or 50/50 tickets (or 1 less pint every 6-8weeks) it's only £2/month!


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coles
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Re: first match back home

Post by coles » Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:53 am

This is a no brainer, the Supporters Group is the route to ensure the fans who cannot afford a season ticket or cannot justify a season ticket will get tickets for the big games.

We do not need to invoke any other scheme ie tickets stubs etc. We need to remember that as a fan owned club we need to all join the supporters group as this guarantees a yearly income to the club. It is important that we do not switch off the fundraising that must continue if we harbour ambitions of getting back into the football league.

Rob, Jo,Neil, John et al do a sterling job as our representatives on the clubs board but we need to support them.

I have no fears that the fans who turn up week in week out will get a ticket for the first home game in Darlo. 500 club will get priority, then season ticket holders that adds up to circa 750 fans then the supporters group will come next and I would reckon that they will account for a few hundred more. Ensuring 1,200 plus fans are guaranteed a ticket.

Comfortably_numb
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Re: first match back home

Post by Comfortably_numb » Fri Sep 02, 2016 8:46 am

exactly - we have processes / schemes to deal with the majority of fans. when you start catering for the exceptions it gets messy.

comeondarlo
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Re: first match back home

Post by comeondarlo » Fri Sep 02, 2016 8:51 am

I live away and rarely get back to watch games.
This forum and Twitter are my ways of keeping in touch with what's going on and I rarely visit here any more tbh.

On seeing this thread I've joined the Supporters Group, it's a no brainer!

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Mr_Tibbs
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Re: first match back home

Post by Mr_Tibbs » Fri Sep 02, 2016 8:59 am

darlodaz wrote:so what happens to us that can not afford all this join this and that and have to save to go to home games buy programmes 50/50 travel expenses etc.
then there is those that have rail cards and would not go to ginger village inns.
As everyone's been keen to point out above joining the Supporters Group is not as expensive as you might have imagined - even less so if you qualify as a Junior Member.

Here's the form to join - it should only take you a minute to fill it in after which it will take you to a page where you can set up a payment via GoCardless. If that payment option isn't to your liking then just send an email to the membership secretary (Stuart) using the email address you'll find lower down the page and he will explain how else you can pay. Stuart will already have received a copy of your application form so he'll know who you are and will do whatever he can to help you.

http://www.darlingtonfcsupportersgroup.org/join

The rail cards and other offers are of little/no use to me either, and neither are many of the other benefits such as ticketing priority, attending the Annual General Meeting and putting myself forward for election to the board but I, like many others in my position, join the Supporters Group because it is what gives the club its strength... to show my support to the many people who devoted so much time and energy (and continue to do so) to ensure that I still have a club to support.

I also buy a programme subscription, enter the lottery, and take part in as many of the different fundraising schemes as I can afford, just as others like yourself will go to games and give their money to the club in other ways, but the Supporters Group is what makes all of these options possible and I think every single Darlo fan should be members of the DFCSG. This year the number of members will be a few hundred up on what we had last season, which is a great improvement but it needs to grow into the real throbbing heart of the club - linked and in close communication with each and every fan before our club can evolve very much further than we are now.
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Darlo_Pete
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Re: first match back home

Post by Darlo_Pete » Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:23 am

I don't think people should be forced or feel pressured to join the Supporters Group. Some of our fans only turn up for the odd game, but they shouldn't be penalised. Surely the issue will be that our ground won't be big enough to deal with the expected demand, certainly in the short term. What will be the expected capacity be for our new ground, 2500 or so?

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Mr_Tibbs
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Re: first match back home

Post by Mr_Tibbs » Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:32 am

Darlo_Pete wrote:I don't think people should be forced or feel pressured to join the Supporters Group.
True - but regular fans should be made to feel encouraged to do so.
Darlo_Pete wrote:Some of our fans only turn up for the odd game, but they shouldn't be penalised.
Penalised? In what way?

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divas
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Re: first match back home

Post by divas » Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:43 am

Darlo_Pete wrote:I don't think people should be forced or feel pressured to join the Supporters Group. Some of our fans only turn up for the odd game, but they shouldn't be penalised. Surely the issue will be that our ground won't be big enough to deal with the expected demand, certainly in the short term. What will be the expected capacity be for our new ground, 2500 or so?
No one is holding a gun to their head, what we are saying is if they want to guarantee a ticket that's the way to do it. Simple. If they don't want to join, they run the risk. That is the approach the club will likely take, it's no different to other clubs up and down the land where certain groups have priority and those that aren't affiliated with a group take their chance.

What makes these people who only turn up for the odd game now any different to the suppoeters who will only turn up for the odd game when back in Darlo?

Maurice_Peddelty
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Re: first match back home

Post by Maurice_Peddelty » Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:52 am

If there was no SG who would have been able to replace Dave Mills and even sorted the pies? Priority tickets is now one benefit of being a member but individuals can chose their own priorities.

Neil Johnson
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Re: first match back home

Post by Neil Johnson » Fri Sep 02, 2016 5:17 pm

If you pay money to travel to Bishop from Darlington, this will no longer be necessary, so DFCSG membership can be achieved.

Going from 21,000 real capacity at Feethams to 3,000 with loads of gaps at Blackwell Meadows is potential for regular fans being locked out of "BIG" games, so the DFCSG membership is a great opportunity to avoid disappointment.

If we are going into the National League, then monies must be concentrated on full time players, rather than increasing capacity, so the DFCSG membership will be more sought after.

In 5 years time the capacity at BM may catch up with a new higher demand.

£20 a year is 50p a week......

lo36789
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Re: first match back home

Post by lo36789 » Fri Sep 02, 2016 5:51 pm

Pete your argument is so bad it has to be deliberate. I don't understand who this audience of mad Darlington fans are who don't have a season ticket, don't live in Darlington, attend 2/3 games per season but can't afford £2 per month or £20 per year to guarantee themselves priority.

But somehow they are the ones who should be specially catered for?

Neil Johnson
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Re: first match back home

Post by Neil Johnson » Fri Sep 02, 2016 5:52 pm

DFCSG members will continue to get some ticket priority over other supporters for potential all-ticket games home and away in League, FA Cup & FA Trophy (and maybe the Durham Challenge Cup against Poolie).

Some of the new supporters will probably buy Season Tickets and DFCSG memberships, which is great for the club, but an increased challenge for obtaining tickets for those who cant afford the DFCSG membership of 40p (initially 50p) a week.

Membership is a small price to pay for keeping the club fan owned and having a real say in its affairs from time to time.

If the BM 3,000 capacity were reviewed to a more realistic figure then the short term home game ticketing issues may go away.

Quakerz
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Re: first match back home

Post by Quakerz » Fri Sep 02, 2016 6:01 pm

Neil Johnson wrote: If the BM 3,000 capacity were reviewed to a more realistic figure then the short term home game ticketing issues may go away.
Fuck me I don't know what goes through your head sometimes. :roll: As if we can just "review" the capacity and make the problem go away.

Once the capacity is calculated by a competent and qualified person, then I'm sure that no amount of "reviewing" will change that figure, without further capacity increasing work being undertaken.
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Vodka_Vic
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Re: first match back home

Post by Vodka_Vic » Fri Sep 02, 2016 6:44 pm

And if we go up to the Conference then our capacity will have to be minimum 4,000 whilst demonstrating how we could increase it to 5,000 anyway.

spen666
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Re: first match back home

Post by spen666 » Fri Sep 02, 2016 6:50 pm

Neil Johnson wrote:
Going from 21,000 real capacity at Feethams to 3,000 with loads of gaps at Blackwell Meadows is potential for regular fans being locked out of "BIG" games, so the DFCSG membership is a great opportunity to avoid disappointment.

......
How long was it since Feethams had a capacity of 21,000?

liddle_4_ever
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Re: first match back home

Post by liddle_4_ever » Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:47 pm

Neil Johnson wrote:£20 a year is 50p a week......
20/0.5 = 40

40 weeks in a year?

You must be a teacher! ..... Presumably not maths! Image


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Darlo_Pete
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Re: first match back home

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:53 am

spen666 wrote:
Neil Johnson wrote:
Going from 21,000 real capacity at Feethams to 3,000 with loads of gaps at Blackwell Meadows is potential for regular fans being locked out of "BIG" games, so the DFCSG membership is a great opportunity to avoid disappointment.

......
How long was it since Feethams had a capacity of 21,000?
Probably back in the 60's, when officials didn't interfere in calculation ground capacities. I've seen a couple of games Sheff Utd in the League and Boro in the cup when the crowds were around 10k and 13k and I can't imagine how jammed it would have been with over 20k in Feethams.

lo36789
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Re: first match back home

Post by lo36789 » Sat Sep 03, 2016 7:21 am

21,000 was our record attendance at Feethams (v Bolton Wanderers I believe?) but i'd assume that was when there was zero seating and there was no real regulation around how many you fit in.

Why Neil feels that is somehow relevant to this discussion I have no real idea. The last time we were at Feethams had no where near a 'real' capacity of 21,000.

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Re: first match back home

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sat Sep 03, 2016 7:38 am

Agreed by the end of our stay at Feethams, the ground was in a terrible state. To see areas of the tinshed, taped off because of crumbling terracing, was heartbreaking. I know I'm in a small minority, but I was pleased at the time when we left Feethams, in hindsight it was very much the wrong move, but at the time it seemed the right thing to do.

lo36789
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Re: first match back home

Post by lo36789 » Sat Sep 03, 2016 9:47 am

You agree with my point is the bit you put after confirmation of my point or completely separate?

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