St Mirren V Morton Spfl Championship 6/8/16

[Stuart Dickson]

12 hours ago, rabuddies said:

Different times. Most people then were looking for things to do at weekend's. Nowadays folk have a huge choice and family activities for young families probably means two kids doing two different things in two different places. My neighbour takes her 5yo to Edinburgh for ice dancing then back to Clarkston for judo or something in the afternoon.

There's always been a huge choice of things for kids to do though. If you wanted to go ice skating Paisley had its own rink, cinemas like the Kelburn showed Saturday afternoon matinees, my local church had a kids club on a Saturday afternoon; there was rugby on at Haggs Castle near me, and I guess there would be hockey and cricket depending on the time of year round at Kelburn Cricket Club as well. That's on top of the fact that kids were allowed to roam pretty much adult free all day back then, cycling with friends, playing football on the many public park football pitches that were available, and many more activities as well. It's a bit of a cop out to blame the clubs inability to draw in kids on so called "Increased competition" from elsewhere when many of the current generation spend their Saturdays in the pyjamas starting at their iPads or playing some shite game on the Xbox. 

I blame at least some of the disconnect on the fact that football scrapped the lifting kids over the turnstiles for free policy to start charging them admission. Suddenly football became a far more expensive place to take kids that would no doubt be bored rigid and freezing cold. It was a silly move IMO. Free admission to every game for pre teen kids really ought to be a must. 

[Ayrshire Saints]

9 hours ago, Stuart Dickson said:

Tell me Ayrshire - I'm being serious here - what drew you in as a St Mirren supporter? Was it a thrilling win in your first game? Scintillating football? The heady atmosphere in the crowd? My first game was an incredibly dull 1-1 draw versus Partick Thistle on a wet and cold Saturday afternoon, in front of a crowd that as I remember it made no more noise than the 1,000 or so support I'd stood beside at Hampden Park for a Queens Park match the week before. What drew me in was nothing to do with the football being played, even if it was by Fergies kids. What endured with me was seeing the players signing autographs for kids around the pitch during their warm ups. In the match programme there was an advert - "Real Saints Don't Smoke". Also in the programme was photos of various visits to schools that the players had taken part in the week before. After the match I learned - don't know where from - about Fergie regularly being seen in the Piazza trying to drum up support. The impression it gave me was that St Mirren was an open club where the players and the manager were approachable, and very much a part of the community. I liked that and it stuck with me, keeping me loyal as a supporter long after watching dire seasons with Alex Miller, Tony Fitzpatrick, Davie Hay and Jimmy Bone in charge.

My sons both became St Mirren supporters despite my fall out with the club. Why? Well my eldest enjoyed watching Paisley Panda getting up to his antics and in particular the fact that Paisley Panda came over to speak to him, to shake his hand and to give him a signed poster at one of his first matches. We're not talking about the rather tame Panda that wanders around these days - it was one of the funny ones. Either Mk1 or 2, I can't remember. What I do know was that I'd dropped him a message on one of these forums and he looked my son out in the crowd to give him what was basically just a print out of a graphic, that he'd signed and put some paw prints on. Whatever, my eldest was hooked.

My youngest became friends with Jose Quitongo's son, Jai who will no doubt be lining up for Morton on Saturday, at nursery school and was taken along by Jose and his then wife Sharon to watch Jose play for the Saints. In his case the hook was nothing to do with the football on offer, it was the experience of meeting players like Mark Yardley and Stevie McGarry, and sitting with Tom Hendries child - I'm pretty sure it was his daughter - in the stand and having a pen fight with them. 

I don't know how many, if any, followed the club for similar reasons but I'd quite happily bet there aren't many on here who come back week after week because of the results. Now maybe I'm being simplistic, but marketing or not, real or not, I reckon somehow St Mirren NEED to get those kind of impressions out to a wider audience to bring in more supporters. Yeah winning is good, but that's not always sustainable, and it's certainly never guaranteed. But a feeling of being emotionally attached, personally involved, and of being a part of something special.....well I reckon that might draw people in. 

My first game was the infamous Motherwell away cup tie when 20k or so turned out at Fir Park in the late 70s.  That game alone was enough to get me hooked and yes as we know we lost that too.  My uncle later was employed by the club (early 80s) so I used to get into the main stand for nowt every home game and that was me.  I don't live in Paisley and haven't done so since BEFORE my Saints supporting days (moved to Ayrshire early 70s) and we did only live there for a few months (family from Greenock !). I'm slightly different in that I have no real afinity to the town or the community, just the club so perhaps my emotional attachment is different from someone born and living in Paisley but I know there are hundreds like me in that sense.

[ulysses]

Think Clarkson and Shankland will start again, safest bet. Sutton hasn't looked very dangerous, despite being a physical presence, and Hardie is obviously settling in.

[Stevie88]

Think Clarkson and Shankland will start again, safest bet. Sutton hasn't looked very dangerous, despite being a physical presence, and Hardie is obviously settling in.

Would agree. Only changes I think will be made is Irvine in for Stewart & Langfield for Gallacher in goals.

[shull]

Ah wanna be in that number oh when the whites go marching in. 

COSMFC 

[ron]

Would prefer Shankland and Hardie playing up front. Saw enough from Hardie during his 20 min debut to suggest he gets the nod ahead of Clarkson. WE need pace up front and Hardie hasnit in spades over Clarkson and Sutton.

[Stuart Dickson]

My first game was the infamous Motherwell away cup tie when 20k or so turned out at Fir Park in the late 70s.  That game alone was enough to get me hooked and yes as we know we lost that too.  My uncle later was employed by the club (early 80s) so I used to get into the main stand for nowt every home game and that was me.  I don't live in Paisley and haven't done so since BEFORE my Saints supporting days (moved to Ayrshire early 70s) and we did only live there for a few months (family from Greenock !). I'm slightly different in that I have no real afinity to the town or the community, just the club so perhaps my emotional attachment is different from someone born and living in Paisley but I know there are hundreds like me in that sense.

I was born in Paisley but I've never lived there. I was brought up in Battlefield and Hillington so I don't have much of an affinity with the town too. I don't think we're that different though. I was lifted over turnstiles and watched a football team that often lost too.

The only thing we seem to be disagreeing on here is how you go about making St Mirren a bigger, better supported club. You think it's winning, and I think it's from forging closer community links. We might both be right, who knows. But can you at least consider this... In our time St Mirren have won the Scottish Cup, the League Cup and the First Division title twice in my case, three times in yours. St Mirren have also finished 3rd in the Premier League. And whilst the crowds surged for the big games at the end of those seasons, they soon dropped back soon after. If winning is the key to growing the club why hasn't it worked up till now?

[Eaglesham saint]

I am a newcomer,I took my grandson to Killie ,Hamilton,then I said lets go and see if St Mirren will let us see the cup.we were invited in and made very welcome ,

Johnny was 7 He took the cup down on the park for  photos, that was him hooked.

we bought half seasons and the first game was against Dundee Utd  we won 4-1 

poor wee man thought it was like that every week.

I had lost interest  in live football but I love going with him,ironically he has an invite to a birthday party tomorrow and its his best paL   I suffer from Parkinsons and my wife is my carer to allow us to still go. Jane has taken to it very well. Her first game was the last Morton game, so she is high as a kite at the moment,,, God bless her ,she will soon find out what its really like to be a Saint

[Julian Banjos]

Our soapdodging friends are becoming increasingly disgruntled with the way their squad is shaping up:

http://www.greenockmorton.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=42830&page=92

11 players out, 6 in.

They've had an ex-Cowdenbeath striker in on trial this week but he hasn't signed. If they go two up front then it may well be Jai Quitongo alongside Gary Oliver. Apart from Oliver, they don't actually have a striker who has started a game in the Championship. Under 20's essentially. 

I see QotS did a good bit business this week though, getting Stephen Dobbie back. 

 

[Frank McGarvey' wonky legs]

Looks like the West Stand (our part anyway) will be a sell out as only 120 tickets left, although that is dependant on how many they bring as to whether they need the overspill part but that is looking unlikely. Hopefully decent weather and 3pm kick off will get some extra bodies down to force the attendance towards 5500

 

[Guest]

I was born in Paisley but I've never lived there. I was brought up in Battlefield and Hillington so I don't have much of an affinity with the town too. I don't think we're that different though. I was lifted over turnstiles and watched a football team that often lost too.

The only thing we seem to be disagreeing on here is how you go about making St Mirren a bigger, better supported club. You think it's winning, and I think it's from forging closer community links. We might both be right, who knows. But can you at least consider this... In our time St Mirren have won the Scottish Cup, the League Cup and the First Division title twice in my case, three times in yours. St Mirren have also finished 3rd in the Premier League. And whilst the crowds surged for the big games at the end of those seasons, they soon dropped back soon after. If winning is the key to growing the club why hasn't it worked up till now?

Surely a perfect balance of a winning team which has a strong links with the community is the best we can ask for. That being said supporting the Saints is definitely a labour of love and to think otherwise is naive but what a glorious one to be apart of.


Sent from my iPhone using Black & White Army

[Liverpool Bud]

Match day - can't wait - lets get stuck into the manly mob!!!

 

COYS

[Ayrshire Saints]

15 hours ago, Stuart Dickson said:

 

I was born in Paisley but I've never lived there. I was brought up in Battlefield and Hillington so I don't have much of an affinity with the town too. I don't think we're that different though. I was lifted over turnstiles and watched a football team that often lost too.

The only thing we seem to be disagreeing on here is how you go about making St Mirren a bigger, better supported club. You think it's winning, and I think it's from forging closer community links. We might both be right, who knows. But can you at least consider this... In our time St Mirren have won the Scottish Cup, the League Cup and the First Division title twice in my case, three times in yours. St Mirren have also finished 3rd in the Premier League. And whilst the crowds surged for the big games at the end of those seasons, they soon dropped back soon after. If winning is the key to growing the club why hasn't it worked up till now?

 

Average crowds in league winning seasons were better but it's the inability to sustain winning beyond one season that kills us. Every peak seems to be the forerunner to a slump, it's inconsistency that has always been the issue. Enhanced match day experience might attract new customers but if they ultimately see a shite product on the park it's unlikely they get hooked (unless the matches experience is outstanding which in Scotland we just haven't mastered). We have been discussing how to get more people to watch Saints on a more regular basis for as long as I have been a supporter. It's extremely difficult for every club in Scotland more so a few miles from Glasgow, I still maintain the product on the park will always be the deciding factor.

[djchapsticks]

On 05/08/2016 at 0:28 AM, Stuart Dickson said:

Tell me Ayrshire - I'm being serious here - what drew you in as a St Mirren supporter? Was it a thrilling win in your first game? Scintillating football? The heady atmosphere in the crowd? My first game was an incredibly dull 1-1 draw versus Partick Thistle on a wet and cold Saturday afternoon, in front of a crowd that as I remember it made no more noise than the 1,000 or so support I'd stood beside at Hampden Park for a Queens Park match the week before. What drew me in was nothing to do with the football being played, even if it was by Fergies kids. What endured with me was seeing the players signing autographs for kids around the pitch during their warm ups. In the match programme there was an advert - "Real Saints Don't Smoke". Also in the programme was photos of various visits to schools that the players had taken part in the week before. After the match I learned - don't know where from - about Fergie regularly being seen in the Piazza trying to drum up support. The impression it gave me was that St Mirren was an open club where the players and the manager were approachable, and very much a part of the community. I liked that and it stuck with me, keeping me loyal as a supporter long after watching dire seasons with Alex Miller, Tony Fitzpatrick, Davie Hay and Jimmy Bone in charge. 

My sons both became St Mirren supporters despite my fall out with the club. Why? Well my eldest enjoyed watching Paisley Panda getting up to his antics and in particular the fact that Paisley Panda came over to speak to him, to shake his hand and to give him a signed poster at one of his first matches. We're not talking about the rather tame Panda that wanders around these days - it was one of the funny ones. Either Mk1 or 2, I can't remember. What I do know was that I'd dropped him a message on one of these forums and he looked my son out in the crowd to give him what was basically just a print out of a graphic, that he'd signed and put some paw prints on. Whatever, my eldest was hooked. 

My youngest became friends with Jose Quitongo's son, Jai who will no doubt be lining up for Morton on Saturday, at nursery school and was taken along by Jose and his then wife Sharon to watch Jose play for the Saints. In his case the hook was nothing to do with the football on offer, it was the experience of meeting players like Mark Yardley and Stevie McGarry, and sitting with Tom Hendries child - I'm pretty sure it was his daughter - in the stand and having a pen fight with them.  

I don't know how many, if any, followed the club for similar reasons but I'd quite happily bet there aren't many on here who come back week after week because of the results. Now maybe I'm being simplistic, but marketing or not, real or not, I reckon somehow St Mirren NEED to get those kind of impressions out to a wider audience to bring in more supporters. Yeah winning is good, but that's not always sustainable, and it's certainly never guaranteed. But a feeling of being emotionally attached, personally involved, and of being a part of something special.....well I reckon that might draw people in.  

Excellent post to be fair. I'm guessing with the new regime around you can now publicly call yourself a Saints fan again, Stuart?

 

The only issue I take with your posts content is that community unfortunately no longer exists in the guise that it used to. The club is at least trying to use up new initiatives like Street Stuff, but unfortunately in terms of attracting dads and mums,  there are just no ears to lend to our cause in the centre of Paisley anymore. Back in the days of Fergie,  a megaphone in the town centre would reach thousands of people,  now it rattles between a handful. It's hard to get the message out to an empty Street. 

I agree with your general viewpoint though, personal touches get fans, kids especially,  hooked. I was a ball boy back in 1996. And things like talking to the gaffer when I went down early, big Iwelumo giving me the thumbs up when he got his first goal after me telling him he was scoring on his debut, Combe handing me his goalie gloves after last game of the season. They kept me hooked and made me love the club more and more. Still the only job I've ever had that I couldn't wait to go to. ;)

Edited August 6, 2016 by djchapsticks

[Guest]

Excellent post to be fair. I'm guessing with the new regime around you can now publicly call yourself a Saints fan again, Stuart?

 

The only issue I take with your posts content is that community unfortunately no longer exists in the guise that it used to. The club is at least trying to use up new initiatives like Street Stuff, but unfortunately in terms of attracting dads and mums,  there are just no ears to lend to our cause in the centre of Paisley anymore. Back in the days of Fergie,  a megaphone in the town centre would reach thousands of people,  now it rattles between a handful. It's hard to get the message out to an empty Street. 

I agree with your general viewpoint though, personal touches get fans, kids especially,  hooked. I was a ball boy back in 1996. And things like talking to the gaffer when I went down early, big Iwelumo giving me the thumbs up when he got his first goal after me telling him he was scoring on his debut, Combe handing me his goalie gloves after last game of the season. They kept me hooked and made me love the club more and more. Still the only job I've ever had that I couldn't wait to go to. ;)

I don't know if the "empty streets" thing might be changing. I don't know for a fact as I don't even live in the country anymore but I was back home in Paisley visiting family for the first time in three years and I was shocked at how many people were walking around the town. Just out enjoying the weather. There are still some empty bits no doubt but for the first time in the last 15 years the town felt like it had a bit of life and "community" to it. That is purely my narrow and subjective opinion though.


Sent from my iPhone using Black & White Army

[whydowebother]

Match day - can't wait - lets get stuck into the manly mob!!!

 

COYS

Manly ?

That's complimentary

[Guest TPAFKATS]

Manly ?

That's complimentary [emoji14]

Mibees he meant Manly in a Roddy way?

Sent fae ma fone

[Liverpool Bud]

Thank you gentlemen for pointing out the obvious fat finger typo !

clearly meant manky mob but in this enlightend period in which we live I don't doubt there will indeed be some well honed specimens of manhood playing for the opposition 

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

On the ferry so looking forward to the game.

[faraway saint]

Suggested to a mate over here were a good bet to win today, 23/20.

Don't let me down.

[Liverpool Bud]

Build up continues - breakfast rolls demolished - heading through to Paisley to buy my match tickets and pre match pint - looking forward to catching up with friendly faces and popping to Smisa event after for ( celebratory ) pint

[Dani G]

Down from Shetland for the match, fine being able to walk around in t-shirt weather.

[Mykey]

Gallagher

Baird    Webster

Naismith    McKenzie    Irvine

Walsh      Morgan

Hardie    Mallan     Shankland

 

3-0 Saints (Shankland 13,36. Hardie 48)

COYS

[shull]

COME ON THE PAISLEY WHITES 

GET INTAE THE GREENOCK SHITES 

[Stuart Dickson]

Excellent post to be fair. I'm guessing with the new regime around you can now publicly call yourself a Saints fan again, Stuart?

 

The only issue I take with your posts content is that community unfortunately no longer exists in the guise that it used to. The club is at least trying to use up new initiatives like Street Stuff, but unfortunately in terms of attracting dads and mums,  there are just no ears to lend to our cause in the centre of Paisley anymore. Back in the days of Fergie,  a megaphone in the town centre would reach thousands of people,  now it rattles between a handful. It's hard to get the message out to an empty Street. 

I agree with your general viewpoint though, personal touches get fans, kids especially,  hooked. I was a ball boy back in 1996. And things like talking to the gaffer when I went down early, big Iwelumo giving me the thumbs up when he got his first goal after me telling him he was scoring on his debut, Combe handing me his goalie gloves after last game of the season. They kept me hooked and made me love the club more and more. Still the only job I've ever had that I couldn't wait to go to. ;)

Well according to the web the population of Paisley is 75,000. Renfrewshire as a whole is 362,000. So the community hasn't gone anywhere. They might not be shopping in Paisley but they are still there. The club just needs to find them.

Those of you who are local will know better than me but I reckon a typical primary school will have 300 - 400 pupils. A secondary school must have close on 1000. If Renfrewshire is like Lanarkshire there will be at least a few juvenile football clubs with at least 300 registered players. They should all be easy targets to be going on with. And don't just turn up with a trophy and dish out some free tickets....get involved.