The club came to a Downley Dynamos training session when my son was young, about 10 years ago.
There was real excitement at the session with lots of extra parents coming along, even though it was a relatively junior youth coach attending.
I think the kids got to go and do penalties at the game that afternoon and a lot of parents and friends went along to watch them. Many of them still go today.
I know the Couhigs don’t like discounting their product, but this kind of community investment really pays off in the long term
Wouldn't it be nice to think that someone high enough up in the club to make a difference is reading all this !
I agree re the lost generation thing, remember taking my lad when he was young to a training session run by the club, then penalties at half time, they all loved it ! Wasnt long afterwards it all seemed to stop. All those lads are now grown up and can take themselves round the country, but very rarely visit Wycombe.
I remember the thrill of "Wycombe Wanderers" football training back at school.
Might only have been the odd couple of players and a bunch of older teens (no idea who they were, but one supported Ipswich, which as a 10 year old made no sense to me).
Free ticket to a game at the end of the period.
That thrill of a first game was unbelievable.
In fact I can still remember going on a bus as a kid to games and seeing those blue gates at the bottom of Hillbottom that told you the game was close and pure excitement that probably has only been eclipsed by Christmas a kid.
But I remember those little square coloured tickets for the terrace. Little things like that.
Everyone liked the half-time penalties. Even away supporters. Did we ever find out why it was stopped? Was it a case of 'Sorry we hurt your field, mister?'
The bigger question is whether the Couhigs care about the longer term. Free or heavily discounted tickets now may pay dividends in the years to come... but possibly bring in less money this season. If they are looking to sell in the summer, they'll want to maximise their income now rather than down the line.
There were the "proper" pens in the goalmouth, but for a while they had the run in and shoot version on the half way line in front of the family stand didn't they?
If the reasoning was the kids rucking the pen area up, surely the other version didn't have that issue?
And if it was just about trying to reduce any sort of extra footfall on the pitch they wouldn't let sponsors strut across the pitch?
The club is in a tricky situation with the drum. I understand the lack of action on the topic. I think all those suitably ‘in the know’ should understand.
The problem with the drum was that it was always meant to be an aid to the singing, not overpowering it.
But now there's almost the suggestion that there's no singing because there's no drum?
Is it not more likely that the previous singing lot have maybe lost a bit of interest, moved on, got a bit older / changed stand with kids and suchlike?
I’m inclined, if not to agree wholeheartedly, to at least give credence to this view. I cannot help but think that the Couhigs might be looking to move on now and are planning expenditure to best realise that. The push to build the brand does seem to have slowed markedly.
Yes it was, we regularly had players visit our sessions, Josh Scowen as a youth player, was a regular, as was most of the players of the time. Managers some times came as wall, Martin O'Neil, John Gorman, Keith Ryan were great with the kids, Tony Adams not so great. Many players who are not so popular with the fans were outstanding with the kids, Craic Foulcanbridge was a great example.
Do they still take kids on tours through the changing rooms before KO? I did that in about 2002 with a little autograph book and got all the players' signatures.
If I had enormous sums of money that I could afford to throw down the drain, I would love to take a club like us (or Notts County) say up through the leagues. Obviously, other clubs would hate us as we developed an outstanding new stadium in town and 'bought the league' and, of course, eventually after three failed Championship play-off finals the fans would question how real my commitment really was, ask where the money from the Dave Tarpey sale went, demand their club back and threaten to burn down my house...
Ive always thought to myself that if you had endless amounts of money, like a lot of these people have. Surely it would be a lot more fun to take a small club and make/mould them into a bigger club ? Much like what's happening at Wrexham, rather than just go for the obvious already rich/famous club.
@Malone I would say Sir Jim would be able to do it, he would need nowhere near what he is going to shell out and borrow to get Man U. His company makes a few bob every year. I mean I would have to swallow the fact he is a Brexiteer...but he hasn't chopped up a journalist, locked up women for wanting to drive or hanged any gay people so you know...swings and roundabouts.
Rumours are he won't pay the £5 billion the Glazers want...I reckon just a billion would sort us out and get us rocking up the leagues...
@Malone Enormous would mean I could throw it about without the risk of me and Mrs W ending up in a cardboard box if we were not making profits every year...it was a fanciful observation not a business plan...I don't want @DevC joining in and demanding exact figures, where I planned to put the stadium (with proper planning permissions), the transfer budget and asking me to show all my workings out.
Ahem ... I went out canvassing for Vote Leave in 2016, sometimes accompanied by Steve Baker MP. Also had a board displayed in my front garden.
Not only was it a fantastic result to finally throw off the shackles of the rotting corpse that is the EU, it was also a great money making opportunity - the bookies still had Leave at 10/1 even after the first few results came in, clearly indicating that the Remain vote was not holding up as well as those in the Metropolitan Elite assumed it would.
You are entitled to your view @bargepole . The damage is done now in my view - realistically no way back now - so little point in having the argument again. Have to say I would have a little smirk if Baker loses his seat next autumn though.
That's what I was thinking too. It's this comment and the reference to the 17" laptop monitor on the matchday thread which confirmed this as a parody account in my mind.
Comments
The club came to a Downley Dynamos training session when my son was young, about 10 years ago.
There was real excitement at the session with lots of extra parents coming along, even though it was a relatively junior youth coach attending.
I think the kids got to go and do penalties at the game that afternoon and a lot of parents and friends went along to watch them. Many of them still go today.
I know the Couhigs don’t like discounting their product, but this kind of community investment really pays off in the long term
Wouldn't it be nice to think that someone high enough up in the club to make a difference is reading all this !
I agree re the lost generation thing, remember taking my lad when he was young to a training session run by the club, then penalties at half time, they all loved it ! Wasnt long afterwards it all seemed to stop. All those lads are now grown up and can take themselves round the country, but very rarely visit Wycombe.
I remember the thrill of "Wycombe Wanderers" football training back at school.
Might only have been the odd couple of players and a bunch of older teens (no idea who they were, but one supported Ipswich, which as a 10 year old made no sense to me).
Free ticket to a game at the end of the period.
That thrill of a first game was unbelievable.
In fact I can still remember going on a bus as a kid to games and seeing those blue gates at the bottom of Hillbottom that told you the game was close and pure excitement that probably has only been eclipsed by Christmas a kid.
But I remember those little square coloured tickets for the terrace. Little things like that.
DeSouza in his first few months, unplayable etc.
Everyone liked the half-time penalties. Even away supporters. Did we ever find out why it was stopped? Was it a case of 'Sorry we hurt your field, mister?'
The bigger question is whether the Couhigs care about the longer term. Free or heavily discounted tickets now may pay dividends in the years to come... but possibly bring in less money this season. If they are looking to sell in the summer, they'll want to maximise their income now rather than down the line.
There were the "proper" pens in the goalmouth, but for a while they had the run in and shoot version on the half way line in front of the family stand didn't they?
If the reasoning was the kids rucking the pen area up, surely the other version didn't have that issue?
And if it was just about trying to reduce any sort of extra footfall on the pitch they wouldn't let sponsors strut across the pitch?
Maybe they could sit him on the roof so he doesn't (t)annoy anyone
The club is in a tricky situation with the drum. I understand the lack of action on the topic. I think all those suitably ‘in the know’ should understand.
The problem with the drum was that it was always meant to be an aid to the singing, not overpowering it.
But now there's almost the suggestion that there's no singing because there's no drum?
Is it not more likely that the previous singing lot have maybe lost a bit of interest, moved on, got a bit older / changed stand with kids and suchlike?
Bring back the half time penalties. My kids took them and are now season ticket holders…it works!
I’m inclined, if not to agree wholeheartedly, to at least give credence to this view. I cannot help but think that the Couhigs might be looking to move on now and are planning expenditure to best realise that. The push to build the brand does seem to have slowed markedly.
If Ineos don't get Man U the Couhigs should get on to Jim Ratcliffe he would not need loans to buy us.
Yes it was, we regularly had players visit our sessions, Josh Scowen as a youth player, was a regular, as was most of the players of the time. Managers some times came as wall, Martin O'Neil, John Gorman, Keith Ryan were great with the kids, Tony Adams not so great. Many players who are not so popular with the fans were outstanding with the kids, Craic Foulcanbridge was a great example.
Do they still take kids on tours through the changing rooms before KO? I did that in about 2002 with a little autograph book and got all the players' signatures.
Jim Ratcliffe is far too busy to waste his time looking down the back of his sofa for loose change.
If I had enormous sums of money that I could afford to throw down the drain, I would love to take a club like us (or Notts County) say up through the leagues. Obviously, other clubs would hate us as we developed an outstanding new stadium in town and 'bought the league' and, of course, eventually after three failed Championship play-off finals the fans would question how real my commitment really was, ask where the money from the Dave Tarpey sale went, demand their club back and threaten to burn down my house...
But what a ride.
I'm with you @Wendoverman - buying Wycombe is the first thing on my list if I win the lottery.
The only problem is that I never enter the lottery!
Ive always thought to myself that if you had endless amounts of money, like a lot of these people have. Surely it would be a lot more fun to take a small club and make/mould them into a bigger club ? Much like what's happening at Wrexham, rather than just go for the obvious already rich/famous club.
Anyway, I'm with you @Wendoverman
What counts as "endless" money though?
Say you have 20million. That's huge. But that wouldn't actually take you very far at all if you're intending to make serious inroads into the leagues.
And then how does financial fair play impact things?
Not the farcical stuff we see at tops of the big leagues, but there's a limit versus your current status isn't there in terms of wages etc?
Am sure the Couhigs / Gaz suggested we'd "maxed" our budget wage wise before? Something like that?
@Malone I would say Sir Jim would be able to do it, he would need nowhere near what he is going to shell out and borrow to get Man U. His company makes a few bob every year. I mean I would have to swallow the fact he is a Brexiteer...but he hasn't chopped up a journalist, locked up women for wanting to drive or hanged any gay people so you know...swings and roundabouts.
Rumours are he won't pay the £5 billion the Glazers want...I reckon just a billion would sort us out and get us rocking up the leagues...
Anybody dreaming of winning the lottery and buying a small team should remember Gretna
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretna_F.C.
@Malone Enormous would mean I could throw it about without the risk of me and Mrs W ending up in a cardboard box if we were not making profits every year...it was a fanciful observation not a business plan...I don't want @DevC joining in and demanding exact figures, where I planned to put the stadium (with proper planning permissions), the transfer budget and asking me to show all my workings out.
I think Torquay were owned by lottery winners at one point too, but the husband sadly died, if I remember correctly.
Ahem ... I went out canvassing for Vote Leave in 2016, sometimes accompanied by Steve Baker MP. Also had a board displayed in my front garden.
Not only was it a fantastic result to finally throw off the shackles of the rotting corpse that is the EU, it was also a great money making opportunity - the bookies still had Leave at 10/1 even after the first few results came in, clearly indicating that the Remain vote was not holding up as well as those in the Metropolitan Elite assumed it would.
Wow! Doing that is one thing @bargepole but admitting to it! Explains so much about the predicament we now find ourselves in.
You are entitled to your view @bargepole . The damage is done now in my view - realistically no way back now - so little point in having the argument again. Have to say I would have a little smirk if Baker loses his seat next autumn though.
Gone a bit too far with this one.
Well played so far because it wasn't obviously a parody account. Until now
That's what I was thinking too. It's this comment and the reference to the 17" laptop monitor on the matchday thread which confirmed this as a parody account in my mind.
Cotton Traders and Hargreaves Lansdown was good though. Stinks of the keen jogger from NYC