The supporters clubs do a brilliant job taking our fans to away games but with demand up to high level, should the club start arranging coaches?

The supporters clubs struggle with sourcing more coaches/stewards and turn plenty away for most games.
And with trains being useless at the minute, too many travel by car.
Around 500 of the 3500 following at Blackpool will have gone by coach, which is quite low compared to other clubs.

They possibly should. With the demise of Colne and Earby Clarets we now probably have the least number of supporters clubs running coaches and Accy are usually turning people away every game. Most PL and EFL clubs organise coaches/trains for their fans. For the Rovers Cup tie at Sheffield Utd they are offering 50% discount on their coaches, so just £10.

Asking a lot though, we can’t even get the ticketing system working, imagine the carnage

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:22 am

Asking a lot though, we can’t even get the ticketing system working, imagine the carnage

Coach times and prices announced 10 minutes before departure.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:23 am

Coach times and prices announced 10 minutes before departure.

Coaches would arrive two days later at the wrong ground

For games in London and beyond I think putting a train on would be a good idea. Might encourage more to travel (not that we are having an issue at the moment) if you could get back quicker, and also allows you to see to town/city you are visiting a bit more.

Joking apart, they have all the facilities for booking and paying upfront.

I think a train might be too complicated, I know Chelsea do one for their fans but with it being a football special they can't drink on them.

We have fans like us based all over the country and car travel is our only viable method from Wokingham to Burnley
We were quoted £84 each with a railcard for travel via Reading to Piccadilly then we would get a free (curtesy of our bus pass)to Burnley
It's around £100 by car and that includes brews each way.Rail travel is now beyond the average fans budget.

We also used to have South West Clarets bringing a coach to some home games.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 8:52 am

The supporters clubs do a brilliant job taking our fans to away games but with demand up to high level, should the club start arranging coaches?

The supporters clubs struggle with sourcing more coaches/stewards and turn plenty away for most games.
And with trains being useless at the minute, too many travel by car.
Around 500 of the 3500 following at Blackpool will have gone by coach, which is quite low compared to other clubs.

Discussed in a meeting earlier this week - many clubs run coaches but that's it at many of those clubs, no supporters clubs running them. At Burnley it's been the opposite of that with the supporters club kicking it off in 1984/85 with coaches to every game.

The one thing supporters clubs will do too is provide pick up points at various places - from Lancaster to Rochdale.

But it is a worthy point that. A lot of fans are now finding it difficult to find coach seats due to Accy filling up and other supporters clubs limiting their numbers.

Leisure wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 10:52 am

We also used to have South West Clarets bringing a coach to some home games.

Living in Cornwall catching a coach at Exeter was brilliant. Meeting fellow clarets led to lasting friendships. Happy days.

It also ticks a box for being a greener club , getting more fans to travel by coach

3,500 to Blackpool: I remember Boxing Day 1973. There must have been 10,000 of us there.

I think it is a good idea especially coaches , I remember going on train organised by the club to Palace which was great other than a few clowns but I wouldn't see them doing again on today's world.

Clive 1960 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 1:17 pm

I think it is a good idea especially coaches , I remember going on train organised by the club to Palace which was great other than a few clowns but I wouldn't see them doing again on today's world.

I think that must have been for the 0-0 FA Cup game in 82/3 which I was on as well. The only 2 other occasions I can recall travelling on a special train were to Leicester in 73/4 and as incredible as it now sounds, to Blackburn for a 'Friendly' in 70/1.

yes let's bring back the soccer special train, must be easier to organise than all the coaches. someone at the club should do an exercise on the cost. I am sure a lot of supporters would prefer the train

Pommieclaret wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 1:42 pm

yes let's bring back the soccer special train, must be easier to organise than all the coaches. someone at the club should do an exercise on the cost. I am sure a lot of supporters would prefer the train

I think special trains are virtually impossible to fit into the timetables nowadays.

Let the train take the strain.
https://youtu.be/NBkgS5L_NRQ

dsr wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 1:44 pm

I think special trains are virtually impossible to fit into the timetables nowadays.

Given that they struggle enough running actual timetabled trains I suspect you're right.

Club should do it!

sjb wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 1:25 pm

I think that must have been for the 0-0 FA Cup game in 82/3 which I was on as well. The only 2 other occasions I can recall travelling on a special train were to Leicester in 73/4 and as incredible as it now sounds, to Blackburn for a 'Friendly' in 70/1.

Yes it was the uneventful 0-0 game there but enjoyed the day out on the train.

Clive 1960 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:03 pm

Yes it was the uneventful 0-0 game there but enjoyed the day out on the train.

loved special trains
i was on the one to Filbert st

It was uneventful but i seem to recollect Vince Hilair e missing a sitter .

sjb wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 1:25 pm

I think that must have been for the 0-0 FA Cup game in 82/3 which I was on as well. The only 2 other occasions I can recall travelling on a special train were to Leicester in 73/4 and as incredible as it now sounds, to Blackburn for a 'Friendly' in 70/1.

There was one to Hull 27th August 1983.

Trains also to Grimsby f a cup 3rd round & semi final 1974.

They run the club shop and the ticket office like they do, and you want ‘em organising transport to away games?

Best of British to ya…

With the cot of petrol and electricity these days, if introduced they might look more like this with our american owners