Stanley are chasing the League two title and are now 1 point behind Luton (who they play at weekend). They are 6 points clear of Notts County in third and look odds-on for promotion. They have actually won more games than any other team in that division.

They beat Morecambe (as usual) last night and the crowd was just over 1700. John Coleman and the lads must be wondering what the hell they have to do to get people in the ground. I know Accrington is a small town but surely they deserve better than this?

I live just outside of Accy and do go occasionally but I'm not from the town and my main allegiance is to Burnley. I'm not a 'traditional' Stanley fan but still I do make the effort. I'm going with my granddaughter soon as she got a free child ticket from school because they are trying to encourage youngsters. This is a lovely little club who bend over backwards to try to get people in and they are performing on the pitch superbly.

People of Accrington, you have a brilliant little club, get behind it before it goes the same way as the original, next season they could be playing the likes of Sunderland and Birmingham City (or even Rovers - well we can dream can't we). They could be in the unique situation of being the only club in the league whose attendances are made up mainly of away fans and that would be an utter disgrace.

Odd fact: they got far bigger crowds when they won the old Conference to get back into the league - what happened?

Burnley got promoted is what happened, all the glory seeking Accy lot switched sides and hopped on the bandwagon. Our attendance went up while Accys went down. I've never understood Accrington born Burnley fans, they have their own club.

Nothing to do with us getting promoted because we hadn't when they got promoted. They've had pitiful attendances ever since they got in the league and I can remember John Coleman having a right go at people for not going to games in that very first season.

Being between two other successful football clubs probably doesn’t help their cause.

The catchment area is a challenge for us, never mind them. Then when you look at the size of the ground and the facilities makes it even bigger.

Perhaps they should do what Tranmere used to do back in the day - play Friday nights.

I like Accy and if I could I would go and watch them.

But its a small, poor town.

If the used deodorant it might help

Remember they are on top of one of the coldest mounds in East Lancashire. It's bloody freezing up there sometimes even in June! And, like you say, not much of a crowd to keep the wind off you.

Remember they are on top of one of the coldest mounds in East Lancashire. It's bloody freezing up there sometimes even in June! And, like you say, not much of a crowd to keep the wind off you.

And everyone between 20 and 70 grew up with no league football club in Accrington so became Burnley fans or Blackburn fans - they don't change allegiance just because Stanley got promotion.

UpTheClaretsFCBK wrote:Being between two other successful football clubs probably doesn’t help their cause.

Yes but there aren't that many Accy fans who live in Preston.

The same if not worse has happened to Morecambe. They were regularly getting 2000 to 2500 at Christie Park. Their problem is the same as Accy's in that everyone around here supports other teams. At least Morecambe fans have a bit of an excuse, in that their team are near the bottom and play awful football.

Never realised you were expected to support the club of the town you were born in. Must mention to my children and grandchildren to get season tickets for Gigg Lane.

As mentioned most Accy people follow Burnley or the other lot. Another problem is the shear number of immigrants with their own loyalties.... hundreds of Londoners, Scots, Irish and I'd guess a thousand or so Eastern Eurpeans of various ilks beside the the large Asian population (who traditionally don't care much about football). Added to that the financial depression in large chunks of the town and its amazing they do as well as they do in all honesty.

dsr wrote:And everyone between 20 and 70 grew up with no league football club in Accrington so became Burnley fans or Blackburn fans - they don't change allegiance just because Stanley got promotion.

This.
They would probably have far larger gates now, had they not exited the league.

So dad's took their sons to watch us or Rovers, mainly, and quite a few to United and City.

KRBFC wrote:I've never understood Accrington born Burnley fans, they have their own club.

They shut the maternity ward in 1994 so at least nobody under 24 will be baffling you with their allegiances.

They should bring back the milk advert with the 2 scouse lads - free advertising

ClaretTony wrote:Nothing to do with us getting promoted because we hadn't when they got promoted. They've had pitiful attendances ever since they got in the league and I can remember John Coleman having a right go at people for not going to games in that very first season.

Absolutely - the attendances went down from day one in the league.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:The catchment area is a challenge for us, never mind them. Then when you look at the size of the ground and the facilities makes it even bigger.

Perhaps they should do what Tranmere used to do back in the day - play Friday nights.

I like Accy and if I could I would go and watch them.

But its a small, poor town.

They have tried Fridays and it does seem to help but there seems to be some reason why they can't do it all the time.

dsr wrote:And everyone between 20 and 70 grew up with no league football club in Accrington so became Burnley fans or Blackburn fans - they don't change allegiance just because Stanley got promotion.

But they have been in the league long enough now to have gained some younger fans but it's not happening. Maybe it's the modern trend of being associated with success (relatively speaking of course).

Could it be that they live in Accrington?

UpTheClaretsFCBK wrote:Being between two other successful football clubs probably doesn’t help their cause.

Burnley are successful.Who is the other one?

Silkyskills1 wrote:Never realised you were expected to support the club of the town you were born in. Must mention to my children and grandchildren to get season tickets for Gigg Lane.

Strangely enough that used to be more the case. I became a Claret as I was brought up in Rawtenstall and it was a choice, in distance, between Burnley and Bury. At that time Burnley were one of the two best teams in the country so no big choice really, plus my dad was a Claret.
No-one is saying you HAVE to support the team closest to you but I do get bemused by the many Liverpool fans I know who have never lived within 40 miles of the place or all the United fans who couldn't even point to Manchester on a map.

elwaclaret wrote:As mentioned most Accy people follow Burnley or the other lot. Another problem is the shear number of immigrants with their own loyalties.... hundreds of Londoners, Scots, Irish and I'd guess a thousand or so Eastern Eurpeans of various ilks beside the the large Asian population (who traditionally don't care much about football). Added to that the financial depression in large chunks of the town and its amazing they do as well as they do in all honesty.

Good points well made.

dsr wrote:And everyone between 20 and 70 grew up with no league football club in Accrington so became Burnley fans or Blackburn fans - they don't change allegiance just because Stanley got promotion.

I used to watch thru the gates at Peel Park when I was walking home from cubs and Stanley were playing on a Monday night - 7/8 years old.

Then I say Stanley play a fund raising friendly against the Clarets.

Somewhere in this time Burnley played in FA Cup at Wembley.

And, Stanley went bust.....

Before "Accrington Stanley 1968" got started I was already a Burnley fan, going regularly on t'Turf.

Never any choice, as you say, to choose between non-league and the Clarets.

But, always look for Stanley's results and hope they can achieve "league division 3" for the first time ever....

Goings on at Dulwich Hamlet reported elsewhere on site today. They get bigger crowds than Stanley. I've no idea how many divisions lower they are than Stanley....

This:

dsr wrote:And everyone between 20 and 70 grew up with no league football club in Accrington so became Burnley fans or Blackburn fans - they don't change allegiance just because Stanley got promotion.

And the cost isn't to far apart: Family of 4 (2 x Adult, 1 x Under18 and 1 x Under 12)

Accrington Stanley v Newport (£60) (and Standing, with crap facilities)
Burnley v Man City (£85).
Rovers v Oldham (£63)

KRBFC wrote:Burnley got promoted is what happened, all the glory seeking Accy lot switched sides and hopped on the bandwagon. Our attendance went up while Accys went down. I've never understood Accrington born Burnley fans, they have their own club.

I'm an Accy lad but have always been a Claret. When I was a kid Stanley were not much above a pub team. Not that it would have mattered. My Dad brought me up a Claret. Most Accy lads, myself included like to see Stanley doing well. And I'd go to watch them if I wasn't watching Burnley, if i still lived locally. Playing on Friday nights is a good idea. They still have the same problem they had in the sixties, sandwiched between 2 successful other clubs. They deserve credit for encouraging local kids to get involved. They gave a free shirt to every year 8 pupil in the town. 3 thousand kids. I believe they intend to do that anually.

houseboy wrote:But they have been in the league long enough now to have gained some younger fans but it's not happening. Maybe it's the modern trend of being associated with success (relatively speaking of course).

There's still the factor of children going with their parents to Burnley or Blackburn rather than branching out on their own.

KRBFC wrote:Burnley got promoted is what happened, all the glory seeking Accy lot switched sides and hopped on the bandwagon. Our attendance went up while Accys went down. I've never understood Accrington born Burnley fans, they have their own club.

I'm from Accy and support Burnley. When I first went to BFC we were in the fourth division. God knows what division Stanley were in but it would be a bit like not understanding why Nelson or Padiham lads follow the Clarets.

!........Goings on at Dulwich Hamlet reported elsewhere on site today. They get bigger crowds than Stanley. I've no idea how many divisions lower they are than Stanley...."

Paul ----Dulwich are in the Isthmian Premier League which is Level 7 in the FL Pyramid ---- Stanley are in Level 4. This season Dulwich are averaging around 1500+ and they are top of the league at the moment

Interestingly I last went probably about five years ago to watch Stanley. Think they played Cambridge. I'm sure it cost at least £15 to get on. Erm, no ta.

Me and my mates used to go all the time when they were non-league. It was about a fiver to get on, you could walk round the ground at half time and generally not take things too seriously. Then they decided they were 'ultras' and got some prat with a drum. Again, no ta.

houseboy wrote:Strangely enough that used to be more the case. I became a Claret as I was brought up in Rawtenstall and it was a choice, in distance, between Burnley and Bury. At that time Burnley were one of the two best teams in the country so no big choice really, plus my dad was a Claret.
No-one is saying you HAVE to support the team closest to you but I do get bemused by the many Liverpool fans I know who have never lived within 40 miles of the place or all the United fans who couldn't even point to Manchester on a map.

Not me who suggested having to support the team in the town you were born in. I lived in Rossendale as a kid and my dad was a Claret. He took me in Nov. 1958 to my first game(a home defeat) and that was that.

The problem is absolutely the price.

I remember going on around 10-15 years ago if I wasn't watching Burnley, and it would be about a fiver and sometimes less. It was a cheap way to spend a Saturday with mates and it didn't matter if you were a fan because you could still have a laugh.

Nowadays an Adult ticket is £20; this is no longer a viable Saturday pasttime.

IIRC the prices went up pretty much as soon as they went into League Two in 2006, and they even ran a promotion in about March 2007 where you could get in for free, first come first served, for a home game against Torquay, so desperate they were to boost flagging attendances.

KRBFC wrote:I've never understood Accrington born Burnley fans, they have their own club.

I've never understand Burnley born Burnley fans bemoaning fans born elsewhere supporting Burnley. As a BBBF I evangelise about my club and welcome all converts. I suspect a lot of fans think their club is special but I know ours is.

UTC!

They'll get more on when they play Rovers next year.

(Pinning all my hopes on Blackburn ******* it up)

Duffer_ wrote:I've never understand Burnley born Burnley fans bemoaning fans born elsewhere supporting Burnley. As a BBBF I evangelise about my club and welcome all converts. I suspect a lot of fans think their club is special but I know ours is.

UTC!

I'm also a Burnley evangelist. When I ask French people which English team they support no matter what the responce I correct them by saying "Burnley" - this continues for a while until I get the correct answer.
£20 is a fair whack for 4th division football.
I paid 12€ for myself and 5€ for my son to watch Rennes vs St Etienne in a league match. I've paid as little as 9€ to watch a league cup match.

Stanley are doing fantastic as a club for me john Coleman is a fantastic manager the club need to do something to get people on the ground good luck Stanley utc

JimmyMac'sMate wrote:Stanley are doing fantastic as a club for me john Coleman is a fantastic manager the club need to do something to get people on the ground good luck Stanley utc

Friday nights could be the answer. Similar to what Tranmere did. I know that Tranmere have gone down hill but at one point I think they were pushing for the First Division (top flight)

PJDM wrote:The problem is absolutely the price.

I remember going on around 10-15 years ago if I wasn't watching Burnley, and it would be about a fiver and sometimes less. It was a cheap way to spend a Saturday with mates and it didn't matter if you were a fan because you could still have a laugh.

Nowadays an Adult ticket is £20; this is no longer a viable Saturday pasttime.

It may seem steep but you have to think that Stanley, like all lower league clubs, rely on their gate receipts to keep going. It might seem back to front but the sad truth is that the premier league clubs could go without gate receipts without it having a huge impact on income whilst for fourth division clubs it is the absolute opposite.

Anyway, last time I checked, walk on tickets at Burnley were nearly twice as much as Stanley. You may argue that the football at Burnley merits it but is that "a viable Saturday pastime" considering the cost?

I'm looking at moving to Accy, am I wise to re think this?????

UpTheClaretsFCBK wrote:Being between two other successful football clubs probably doesn’t help their cause.

Yep Burnley, and Burnley Reserves...

its not on any cold frozen wasteland, the ground is off whalley road in Altham west, trouble is its a dump.
Ive been on a few games in recent years, and its worse than a few non league grounds.
Some improvements made recently, but ultimately, they are usually struggling form wise with little or no money.
Coleman even had a pop at them when they beat us in the cup (the locals i mean) for not coming to watch.
I do know a few who would never dream of choosing Burnley or Rovers over Accy, but i think the combination of us both as near neighbours, and accy being mainly hopeless is all it takes.

KRBFC wrote:Burnley got promoted is what happened, all the glory seeking Accy lot switched sides and hopped on the bandwagon. Our attendance went up while Accys went down. I've never understood Accrington born Burnley fans, they have their own club.

Do you understand thousands of southerners or even Leaicester folk where I visit quite often, supporting Man U?

I have asked a few people why they don't go and they say that the cost is too high for League 2 football

Another problem for them is of course the rise of Burnley and being located slap bang between Burnley and Blackburn.

Stanley have little history or tradition unlike their neighbours. All newly formed clubs struggle to establish themselves

Top Claret wrote:Stanley have little history or tradition unlike their neighbours. All newly formed clubs struggle to establish themselves

No history? Newly formed? They were founders of the football league and had a brief 4 year spell after they went bust of 'non-existence'. I'd hardly say no history or newly formed. They have actually spent most of their history in the football league.

If you where to fast forward 50 or 60 years I would very much doubt clubs like Accrington Stanley will exist anymore, certainly as a professional club anyway!

They will become dinosaurs like our town centres. There are so many more enjoyable things you could be doing in nice comfortable warm surroundings for the same money as going on to a cold windy environment where entertainment is not guaranteed. Most kids these days are only happy being indoors playing multiplayer games on they're Xbox or PC while multitasking with a mobile and a tablet at the same time. These kids are not going to interested in going to football matches when they are older!

I can see a time in the not too distant future when we only have 2 leagues and lot of clubs going amateur or out of existence altogether!

The present club were not founder members of the league. The original club was called Accrington, they went bust and then were reformed as Stanley and re-entered the league in circa 1920. This club went bust in 1962 and reformed again in 1968, for quite a while they were known as Accrington Stanley 1968.

If the present Stanley incarnation are promoted it will be the first time this has happened within the Football League structure for this any of the two previous club.

houseboy wrote:No history? Newly formed? They were founders of the football league and had a brief 4 year spell after they went bust of 'non-existence'. I'd hardly say no history or newly formed. They have actually spent most of their history in the football league.

They weren't a founding member of the football league. That was a team called Accrington who resigned from the league in 1893. Accrington Stanley were formed in 1891 and didn't join the league until 1921 and went bust in 1966.

Accrington Stanley (mk2) were formed in 1968 but didn't get into the football league until 2006.

edit: claretloup got there before I did.

Promoting self-destruction via the promotion of the Accrington Pals myth (huge banner in town) as reverse cultural subduction ( how much of the British Empire was actually cultural subduction and how much very good civilization (silly and bad civilization about avenging **** and the destruction of the 'white man' (peasant phrase) the Ayrian race (over-used anthropological phrase) the crusader (ancient historic phrase)i.e. for this cultural invasion, don't be silly just lay down and die. It's there in the centre of town on a massive billboard.

The silly peasant islamists with technology are trying to avenge the crusades using Accrington as the battleground instead of Jerusalem. They are using the Accrington Pals story as the crusader myth i.e. you had the spirit but not the right warrior plan and you lost heavily, so don't bother this time, just surrender.

Also in the cinema with an attempt at some sort of cultural mass hypnosis. I'm being made a prat of via mass hypnosis (25 years at least) and then proceeding ins stupidity when I'm an intelligent being. Very tricky when the elite are too 'behind closed doors' and not proceeding well. The natives are getting restless, sir. But do you really need to destroy the UK and aim for total war and destruction for some grad psychological pay-of for Islam and Christianity from 1000 years ago???????????????????????????????????????

In the cinema I went to see 'Transformers' or whatever it was???????????????? They had an advert where it was light and then dark via a telescopic shut-down. I had to close my eyes. I could have died if I had watched, maybe. It's like a closing and opening of a lens faster and then slower and slower till total darkness shut-down. A child may die, have a fit, get schizophrenia, suffer concept import etc. Extremely dangerous graphic technology.

The thing with graphic data is that it has the potential to add-up to an object of form. If MAY be a form of god, but it COULD BE a very convincing illusion:

Currently the Japanese and everyone else are making vehicles-as-pictorial objects, both to fit-in (everything fits-in anyway,it's all there) and to now lead everyone to beleive in Buddhism by a mass Zen illusion as pay-back from Asia about the second world war. I entered a show at John Moores Liverpool and the debit card site was 'World Pay.com.' It's really sinister what's going on and all man-made