Trust the Future

[Antony Moxey]

There may be some truth in what he says in that it might be considered to be "uncool" to follow City by some teenagers. Anyway, it would be interesting to know the breakdown of the age groups of CIty fans. How many fans under the age of 20 do we have, for example. The club should have these details

No there isn’t. A 15 year old today is no different to a 15 year old 30 years ago, and City’s standing in the football world as a lower division provincial club is no different to how it’s always been. To think it’s just today that teens might find us uncool or that we’re suddenly unattractive compared to MU or Liverpool is, as I said, utter nonsense.

 

[IndoMike]

No there isn’t. A 15 year old today is no different to a 15 year old 30 years ago, and City’s standing in the football world as a lower division provincial club is no different to how it’s always been. To think it’s just today that teens might find us uncool or that we’re suddenly unattractive compared to MU or Liverpool is, as I said, utter nonsense.

Well maybe you need to examine your own opinions if you think mine are nonsense. Neither of us has stats to back up what we're saying so if my opinion is nonsense then so is yours. But I think the average football kid/teenager in Exeter and district identifies more with Liverpool or Man U etc rather than City. The truth is although we do have young fans they hardly come to city games in droves.

 

[Antony Moxey]

The point being they’ve ALWAYS done that, it’s not a new phenomenon. Nor is it because we’re an unambitious side as Northern Red likes to suggest, that’s what I’m saying is utter nonsense.

 

[Legohead]

Antony makes a good point about youngsters being the same today as they always have been. When i was a teenager, myself and school / college friends regularly went to watch Sheffield Wednesday who were then a big club managed by Ron Atkinson then Trevor Francis. They had players of the likes of David Hirst, Chris Waddle, John Harkes, John Sheridan etc and we watched them because they were the nearest 'big' club to where we were which was just north of Doncaster. They were on telly all the time and playing the big teams such as Man U, Chelsea etc.

Other peers supported either Sheffield United, Leeds or other non local big clubs such as Liverpool and Everton. I knew a couple of lads including one of my best mates who supported Barnsley who then were in the second tier but that was it for the smaller local clubs. I knew of nobody who supported our local club Doncaster Rovers who back then were seen as a joke club always struggling in the bottom division and playing in a dilapidated ground, the old Belle Vue.

This is where Indomike also makes a valid point because back then we all saw Donny Rovers as 'uncool' and a joke. We used to go and watch them a lot but it was more for a laugh than actually being serious about the result and the performance. I think not knowing any of the players was a key factor too. I could go and watch Sheffield Wednesday v Spurs and know most of the players on both sides because they were on telly and in sticker albums but when it came to Donny v Blackpool then i'd have been hard pressed to name a couple.

We used to make jokes at our sunday league club who we all played for when it came to our end of year awards presentations and we used to get Rovers players who nobody had ever heard of doing the presenting. We had Big Colin Douglas one year with his huge mullet but we did buck the trend once when we had Dave Basset who then was managing Sheff U.

I'd imagine nowadays though that Doncaster Rovers with their new ground and forward thinking strategy would have a much better chance to get youngsters in than they did in my day. I never once saw anyone from the club visit our school let alone get free tickets or anything. Today most clubs are so much more pro active and have a community presence.

Perhaps it was different for me due to living within close proximity to some big clubs and therefore the smaller clubs like Donny and Rotherham got laughed at, so i think Exeter have an advantage in that respect as there really only is Argyle to compete with to get local youngsters in to watch live footy. I can't see anybody now wanting to go and watch Torquay so it's either one or the other really.

So i'll act as peacemaker, sit on the fence and say that i agree with BOTH Antony and Mike for the reasons above.

 

[IndoMike]

Antony makes a good point about youngsters being the same today as they always have been. When i was a teenager, myself and school / college friends regularly went to watch Sheffield Wednesday who were then a big club managed by Ron Atkinson then Trevor Francis. They had players of the likes of David Hirst, Chris Waddle, John Harkes, John Sheridan etc and we watched them because they were the nearest 'big' club to where we were which was just north of Doncaster. They were on telly all the time and playing the big teams such as Man U, Chelsea etc.

Other peers supported either Sheffield United, Leeds or other non local big clubs such as Liverpool and Everton. I knew a couple of lads including one of my best mates who supported Barnsley who then were in the second tier but that was it for the smaller local clubs. I knew of nobody who supported our local club Doncaster Rovers who back then were seen as a joke club always struggling in the bottom division and playing in a dilapidated ground, the old Belle Vue.

This is where Indomike also makes a valid point because back then we all saw Donny Rovers as 'uncool' and a joke. We used to go and watch them a lot but it was more for a laugh than actually being serious about the result and the performance. I think not knowing any of the players was a key factor too. I could go and watch Sheffield Wednesday v Spurs and know most of the players on both sides because they were on telly and in sticker albums but when it came to Donny v Blackpool then i'd have been hard pressed to name a couple.

We used to make jokes at our sunday league club who we all played for when it came to our end of year awards presentations and we used to get Rovers players who nobody had ever heard of doing the presenting. We had Big Colin Douglas one year with his huge mullet but we did buck the trend once when we had Dave Basset who then was managing Sheff U.

Perhaps it was different for me due to living within close proximity to some big clubs and therefore the smaller clubs like Donny and Rotherham got laughed at, so i think Exeter have an advantage in that respect as there really only is Argyle to compete with to get local youngsters in to watch live footy. I can't see anybody now wanting to go and watch Torquay so it's either one or the other really.

So i'll act as peacemaker, sit on the fence and say that i agree with BOTH Antony and Mike for the reasons above.

No need for a peacemaker, Lego.

 

[IndoMike]

The point being they’ve ALWAYS done that, it’s not a new phenomenon. Nor is it because we’re an unambitious side as Northern Red likes to suggest, that’s what I’m saying is utter nonsense.

But to say that something is utter nonsense means that you are 100% sure that your argument is correct and 100% sure that the different argument is wrong, That now really is nonsense!
I'm not Northern Red. My view is that teenage kids nowadays are more concerned with their image than in bygone years and for them it's not cool to watch Exeter City. Of course, not every kid is like that but I think many are. When I was in the grandstand 16 months ago nearly everyone was in their 30's plus. Yes, some kids go onto the big bank - maybe a thousand?. So we do need to attract more youngsters but need some special ideas to do that in addition to the good ideas that the club is already employing.

 

[Legohead]

I know Mike. I can see where both you and Antony are coming from though.

 

[Antony Moxey]

You crack on and argue for the sake of it if you like but you’re missing the point spectacularly. It’s not about the use of the word ‘nonsense’ but if you feel that’s the entire crux of the thread then knock yourself out.

 

[IndoMike]

You crack on and argue for the sake of it if you like but you’re missing the point spectacularly. It’s not about the use of the word ‘nonsense’ but if you feel that’s the entire crux of the thread then knock yourself out.

Now that really is the pot calling the kettle black. Is it a joke?
I'm not missing my point, which is simply that it's harder to attract youngsters nowadays because it's not cool to follow a small club like Exeter City, there are far more diversions than there were 20 years ago, and I guess we can add the cost, too. But more positively, how can the club attract more in addition to what it's doing already.

 

[Antony Moxey]

Your point is nonsense.