If the mighty Argyle made it to the Championship

[phil thefluter24]

I can always remember back in the noughties when we were in the Championship we got friendly on holiday with a family who were Norwich supporters who at that time had just got relegated into lge1. They said they had renewed s/t along with nearly 20000 others, this from a team just relegated, its the kind of support am afraid we can only dream about yet their location is rural very similar to ours!

 

[Rush Goalie]

I can always remember back in the noughties when we were in the Championship we got friendly on holiday with a family who were Norwich supporters who at that time had just got relegated into lge1. They said they had renewed s/t along with nearly 20000 others, this from a team just relegated, its the kind of support am afraid we can only dream about yet their location is rural very similar to ours!

Right, so Argyle could (should?) be Norwich but there are a few key differences. Norwich have spent a good chunk of their existence in the top flight - and recently. Their fanbase expects to be challenging for promotion to the Premier League at a minimum. They've won 2 League Cups, reached the final twice and played in Europe.

Argyle, by comparison, have won nothing.

We would be as well supported as any mid-size club like Norwich or Pompey - or any of the big clubs, in fact - if we shared similar levels of success.

 

[Biggs]

Yes exactly, once you've had a taste you want more. Plus just knowing it's possible, makes it more exciting and real rather than just a pipe-dream.

I currently have no chance of dating Scarlett Johansson as I've never met her, so unless I'm very odd I'm probably not about to fly to LA to try. But if I'd met her at a party and she gave me her number... get me on that plane :thumbs:

(my mind may be drifting slightly...)

 

[phil thefluter24]

Its all about ambition. Our "pipedream" has become just getting back in the Championship :sad:

 

[Green Flash]

Seems to get a sticky large crowds we need to be in a position where football fans in the city and surrounds naturally support Argyle, we need some sustained success to achieve that - a few mid table seasons in the championship is not enough

 

[loyal1970]

not every game but there are a lot of new supporters around now and football has become more fashionable, I still think the capacity is too small even posh are building a new 20000 capacity ground.

 

[phil thefluter24]

Seems to get a sticky large crowds we need to be in a position where football fans in the city and surrounds naturally support Argyle, we need some sustained success to achieve that - a few mid table seasons in the championship is not enough

Entirely agree

 

[Johnny Paradise]

Yup first few seasons would be decent then the Janner 'Bleddy rebbish Argo!' mentality would creep in, along with many staying home to watch Liverpool on TV as that's their 'big' team :roll:

 

[JannerinCardiff]

If argyle made it to the championship in the next couple of seasons do you think we would have a full capacity stadium week in week out, I find it hard to believe we will get 7/8,000 fans extra each week, it will be very interesting to see what the attendance will be like once we are all allowed back through the gates.

I truly believe that something big is happening at Home Park. Ryan Lowe, Simon and Jane Hallett are a big part of that. New grandstand with additional revenue opportunities and a new club ethos on playing passing attractive football as our mantra...

I think we’d have plenty of sell outs at Home Park if we were in the championship..

 

[JannerinCardiff]

not every game but there are a lot of new supporters around now and football has become more fashionable, I still think the capacity is too small even posh are building a new 20000 capacity ground.

If we start getting more sell outs I would expect we would look to build out and up on the existing horse show that has the possibility to be extended.

 

[mervyn]

It’s important to remember how Devon demographics have changed. When I moved here in 1983 and regularly visited City, Torquay and HP, all the accents in the crowds were Devonian. At the company I joined I was the only non-Devonian out of 50 people.

Since then Devon has received the most movers from other counties than any other county, and most of these are to South Devon. Many of these, like me, would simply not consider being anywhere other than at a match during the season. It’s very noticeable to me how many south east and midlands accents you hear at HP nowadays.

So, it may just be that the previous janner apathy referred to is dwindling, with a bigger commitment to STs than was the previous norm in the Championship.

 

[Argylegames]

I still think the capacity is too small even posh are building a new 20000 capacity ground.

We are only 1400 below that!

 

[ghost of hughie reed]

I am excited by the Hallett era and as has been said 'there is more to buy into' and 'this isn't the same old Argo'. Our attendances have been on the up for several seasons and I think initially we could be selling out the ground in the Championship ...but there could be 2 checks on that, first being the possibility of £30 and more a ticket, and the second would be the likelyhood of poor form relative to that division. I mean unless there is an upheaval in footie finances ( see below ) we will struggle to fund a Championship squad. So I would guess big initial demand for tickets but not sustained...sound familiar ?

At the same time I have some additional concerns...first off we have assembled a top quality backroom organistation and have had no choice but to recruit, and recruit quality on the playing side, and yet here we are with our main income stream decimated. If things dont turn around we definately will trip over the lack of money problem eventually. Also if people lose the habit of attending, move on to other things in their spare time?

On top of this It is quite possible we will see the mother of all global recessions arrive within the next 18 months ( the seeds were sown long before Covid ) and consequently attendances around the country will plummet, including Argyle's of course.

I hope history records we got a vaccine, grew a team of super kids and blasted our way up the pyramid with Home Park packed to the rafters,but I fear the head winds to those big gates remain considerable.

 

[Lancastergreen]

For me it's about cost, I would assume is true for many others too.
Once upon a time when I was a kid I attended Argyle for £2.50, this is some 27 years ago, as I was young and working I took three others with me for a tenner every single home game.
Then as time went on my games became dearer as I was an adult but I picked a game here and there but was just about affordable.
Now it costs how much?
I would love to watch Argyle regularly and attend an away match which I've never done but the cost is too high, so instead I refer to my phone and watch the updated scores and attend non leagues matches around Devon and Cornwall.
It isn't always about being plastic, sometimes you want isn't always possible.

 

[Baughly]

For me it's about cost, I would assume is true for many others too.
Once upon a time when I was a kid I attended Argyle for £2.50, this is some 27 years ago, as I was young and working I took three others with me for a tenner every single home game.
Then as time went on my games became dearer as I was an adult but I picked a game here and there but was just about affordable.
Now it costs how much?
I would love to watch Argyle regularly and attend an away match which I've never done but the cost is too high, so instead I refer to my phone and watch the updated scores and attend non leagues matches around Devon and Cornwall.
It isn't always about being plastic, sometimes you want isn't always possible.

Just for comparison sake. What was the average hourly wage back then? Because now tickets are £25 and average hour wage around £10. Be interesting to see if tickets have increased against hourly wage.