Forte_Baby Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Go to a local away game with Latics and the away end is always significantly younger than home games - it's because that volume and atmosphere is only experienced at these away fixtures. I believe the Athleticos are trying hard to improve the atmosphere, but it has to be a more inclusive effort by more fans to really make a difference to how flat BP is on an average Saturday fixture. Spot on sadly it should not be left down to the Athleticos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wogghead1 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 The lookers used to have a bar downstairs and the junior Latics lounge next door with pool table etc in it. My dad went for a pint, I went and met my like minded friends and had fun. Why not when the new stand eventually opens have the same sort of thing. A big area where the younger ones can go and play pool, table football, play station, arcade games etc. Put a tuck shop in the corner so they can buy their own sweets and drinks. make it fun so they will tell their friends who then may want to tag along at the next home game. Don't make it all about chaddys gang/boundary blues. Some kids may think they're too cool for that kind of thing. And don't make it all about the football. If that is the only thing the parents are dragging them along to, it won't work. Make it an afternoon for something for them to do rather than just 90 mins sitting outside in the cold. I don't know how good the chaddys gang/boundary blues set up is now but I remember when I was younger I counted down the days to go to junior Latics meetings/Xmas party's with the hope of being picked to be a mascot and I remember they were always sold out. You could meet all the players, there were always activities where some players showed what they did in training, question and answer sessions programme stalls. We used to go and play against other teams (I went to city, Blackburn and Leeds) where we played their junior clubs, again I don't know if this still happens but I still talk about this 25/30 yrs later to my little girl hoping she will feel the excitement that I did about going to Latics! Plant the seeds now and they will eventually bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prendy_1984 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 The lookers used to have a bar downstairs and the junior Latics lounge next door with pool table etc in it. My dad went for a pint, I went and met my like minded friends and had fun. Why not when the new stand eventually opens have the same sort of thing. A big area where the younger ones can go and play pool, table football, play station, arcade games etc. Put a tuck shop in the corner so they can buy their own sweets and drinks. make it fun so they will tell their friends who then may want to tag along at the next home game. Don't make it all about chaddys gang/boundary blues. Some kids may think they're too cool for that kind of thing. And don't make it all about the football. If that is the only thing the parents are dragging them along to, it won't work. Make it an afternoon for something for them to do rather than just 90 mins sitting outside in the cold. I don't know how good the chaddys gang/boundary blues set up is now but I remember when I was younger I counted down the days to go to junior Latics meetings/Xmas party's with the hope of being picked to be a mascot and I remember they were always sold out. You could meet all the players, there were always activities where some players showed what they did in training, question and answer sessions programme stalls. We used to go and play against other teams (I went to city, Blackburn and Leeds) where we played their junior clubs, again I don't know if this still happens but I still talk about this 25/30 yrs later to my little girl hoping she will feel the excitement that I did about going to Latics! Plant the seeds now and they will eventually bloom. There is a matchday club for 6-12 year olds that is only £5 including a match ticket. My little lad went for first time this week and loved it. Perhaps the club should be advertising this more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I accidentally ended up in the Family Stand section of RRE on Saturday. It was great to see so many young fans in there. How many there were in the other sections I don't know. On an aside, the OP refers to advertising on the Met. Due to car problems I got the Met to the ground for the first time on Saturday. Is Westwood the nearest stop? Looked quite close online but was still a 20 minute walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I accidentally ended up in the Family Stand section of RRE on Saturday. It was great to see so many young fans in there. How many there were in the other sections I don't know. On an aside, the OP refers to advertising on the Met. Due to car problems I got the Met to the ground for the first time on Saturday. Is Westwood the nearest stop? Looked quite close online but was still a 20 minute walk. Subsidised shuttle buses wouldnt go a miss from surrounding towns and nearby tram stops, I find it easier to get to some aways on public transport than I do for our home fixtures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitygoo Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Theres nothing for kids anymore...like been said, there used to be somewhere to go in the lookers.. Wheres chaddy? We used to have a mascot that wound up opposition, played up in front of fans and entertained the very little ones pre-match. Never see him these days... What do we give to schools? Pay for a minibus 15-20 kids and a couple of teachers to come down every game. We have the kids on the pitch at half time which is cool but they're local clubs...i think we need to hit schools as well. Half time entertainmeny...had a few different things, now we have nothing... It all just seems like the club have given up on providing any sort of experience. Its an entertainment industry after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deyres42 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Kids don't pay the bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 It all boils down to one thing - having hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twisbrogan Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Chaddy is there every match, spending plenty of time with the kids & the Community Trust do loads for & with local schools when they're open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Is the club doing enough to tap into the local Asian community? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellys_discopants Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Chaddy is there every match, spending plenty of time with the kids & the Community Trust do loads for & with local schools when they're open. I notice on their social media that they have given out 100 children tickets at their holiday club? A decent idea, hopefully taken up by a few. Is the club doing enough to tap into the local Asian community? I suppose this would again come under the community section. In the programme there was a small photograph from their Kicks project which involved a team of young asian lads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Mikey Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Personally I think we've failed where Bradford City have succeeded. It pains me to state it but they have far, far more chance of progressing to a higher division and flourishing than we have. Bradford have a much better strategy when it comes to nurturing the fans of the future. The kids. They've been doing it for a decade now and it's starting to bear fruit. Let's face it. We're not poles apart. We've spent most of living memory in the same divisions. We're also geographically similar in working class northern towns. Bradford have a huge percentage of child fans and ours is pitiful to say the least. It's an 'old' crowd. I compare it to my local cricket team who for years have had reasonable success but the band of players are getting on. We had to start several junior sides 5-6 years ago and only now we're starting to see it bear fruit. Without it you just stagnate, and then drop through the divisions. At the Middlesborough match, I just wondered where the future fans were. I've a 2-year old kid who I'll be immersing in matches within 3-4 years. I really don't know where to start though, and I'm not convinced the facilities at Latics encourage it enough. We need to be marketing any ST deals for families like a mother:censored:er. An absolutely blinding price that people will just go for even if they only attend half the games. Something needs to happen on that count. I must disagree and say we are poles apart. Bradford is a one club city with almost twice the population of Oldham. Their nearest top flight competition is the same as ours, they can draw fans in from a catchment area outside of their city whereas many of our fans are drawn to the huge clubs on our doorstep. They have also had some tremendous cup runs. Stockport are probably the nearest we have had for a like for like club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I must disagree and say we are poles apart. Bradford is a one club city with almost twice the population of Oldham. Their nearest top flight competition is the same as ours, they can draw fans in from a catchment area outside of their city whereas many of our fans are drawn to the huge clubs on our doorstep. They have also had some tremendous cup runs. Stockport are probably the nearest we have had for a like for like club. Isn't Oldham's population bigger than Bolton's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Sinnott Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 To be fair, they are currently doing lots to entice children to come to games. Martin Vose is in contact with lots of schools and they send players in and distribute tickets to children... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimeblue Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Is the club doing enough to tap into the local Asian community? I'd have thought you'd have had more bites to be honest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcmetty Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Isn't Oldham's population bigger than Bolton's? No Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I'd have thought you'd have had more bites to be honest... I know - it's gone right downhill this place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Mikey Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Isn't Oldham's population bigger than Bolton's? Stockport being a similar sized town with close proximity to Manchester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) No You are right, by about 50,000. Edited August 24, 2015 by BP1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OAFCM35 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I know - it's gone right downhill this place I was tempted to have a nibble until I saw that you posted it lol Harry Bosch OWTB's top baiter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorrro Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Harry Bosch OWTB's top baiter He's a master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevesidg Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Kids don't pay the bills.Not todayBut they are an important part of the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Not today But they are an important part of the future Thank you Whitney Houston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OAFCM35 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Kids don't pay the bills. Aye not any more they dont, lazy little gits going school and playing out with there mates, what use is that! bring back child labour thats what I say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Aye not any more they dont, lazy little gits going school and playing out with there mates, what use is that! bring back child labour thats what I say Those were the days; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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