I still think it is the perception of bad access and parking. Parking at the ground is very difficult. Parking at the school used to be a good option. So street parking is what people believe is the only choice. A more structured approach would be good with promotion of areas where fans would be best to park and not best to park might help.
I saw a fb post from people in surrounding areas moaning about people parking on their streets and some even said they have drives, but they park on the street to stop people doing it.
The fury they would have for the club if they recommended roads to park on would be untold!
The thing about the new road is, surely if 5000 fans means the current access is terrible, 7500 fans with a new road would still be terrible? In other words, there is no real way to have higher attendances AND ease of traffic? Rather the current 5000 fans with less congestion, or more fans with the same congestion?
The ground and run up to the ground always feel a little uncomfortable with anything over about 7,000 as it is. It would have been really interesting how a championship season with loads of presumed 8500-9000 crowds would have gone.
However, there are surely only a limited number of reasons why we have struggled to attract bigger crowds?
Potential new fans might consider some of these as factors ...
Car Parking / Transport issues
Pricing / value for money
Facilities within Adams Park
Football style
Lack of "glory" (eg Cup or League wins against PL teams)
No awareness of WWFC
Proximity of other clubs
No allegiance to WWFC
Other commitments or options (eg coffee shop, cinema, Odds Farm etc.)
We have to tackle those within our control as we can do nothing about some of the factors.
In terms of pricing/value for money, I genuinely don’t think there is a cheaper “paid for”afternoons entertainment than taking my 7 and 9 year old to the football.
I mean, I get in cheap for being the helper of a disabled person as well but even so, kids tickets to get into the football is excellent value and I am not surprised kid a quid isn’t needed. It’s much better to have good pricing every week than a one or twice off per season.
In terms of pricing/value for money, I genuinely don’t think there is a cheaper “paid for”afternoons entertainment than taking my 7 and 9 year old to the football.
I mean, I get in cheap for being the helper of a disabled person as well but even so, kids tickets to get into the football is excellent value and I am not surprised kid a quid isn’t needed. It’s much better to have good pricing every week than a one or twice off per season.
I'm sure for you it's not an issue, but others on here have posted exactly the opposite citing how high the ST prices are for a family.
Personally I think all the reasons I suggested, and probably more, will be a reason for some potential new fans.
Like @glasshalffull I don't know the answer to growing the fan base, only that it seems to me we need to. (I was going to say to be sustainable, but do we know if that's still an objective?).
I'm sure for you it's not an issue, but others on here have posted exactly the opposite citing how high the ST prices are for a family.
Personally I think all the reasons I suggested, and probably more, will be a reason for some potential new fans.
Like @glasshalffull I don't know the answer to growing the fan base, only that it seems to me we need to. (I was going to say to be sustainable, but do we know if that's still an objective?).
Forget Season tickets, if there are any parents that can find any activity that fills most of a Saturday for an under 11 for £5 a pop, let me know.
Not wishing to rub at a barely-healed wound but does anyone know what it was like when the Pests were (allegedly) getting crowds in excess of 8000?
Think there were a couple of reasonable differences.
The rugby lot seemed to stagger their exit more than footy lot, so there wasn't such a rage about the slow exit.
And I'm sure there was some sort of scheme the council forced where some residents couldn't park outside their own houses, so that Wasps supporters could!
I know one guy who was affected by that Booker way but don't know full details and how widespread it was.
Not wishing to rub at a barely-healed wound but does anyone know what it was like when the Pests were (allegedly) getting crowds in excess of 8000?
I lived in one of the roads off Lane end road when the wasps were around , the supporters parked everywhere all over grass verges they didn’t care even if they got tickets . There is insufficient parking for a 8000 crowd even if you do build a road in, only solution is to move to a new ground . The council never thought we would be promoted outside the conference so all common sense went out of the window.
As far as the overall dream, I have zero aspirations of the PL, even if possible. It is a VAR-infested mess that we couldn't actually win anyway. I would love another go round in the Champo, but I could not be less bothered about the NFL-style league above it.
Not wishing to rub at a barely-healed wound but does anyone know what it was like when the Pests were (allegedly) getting crowds in excess of 8000?
I went to most of the Wasps home games in that period, certainly with more than 8,000 for most games. I recall that far more of the firms along Hillbottom Road opened their car parks on matchdays, so parking wasn't too bad, but getting away afterwards still took up to an hour.
As far as the overall dream, I have zero aspirations of the PL, even if possible. It is a VAR-infested mess that we couldn't actually win anyway. I would love another go round in the Champo, but I could not be less bothered about the NFL-style league above it.
Yeah I’d love the championship, some great away days at big clubs and we’d be sure to take some scalps and ruffle some feathers. Wycombe being in the PL would be funny but a pretty naff experience for all the reasons you outline, I’m pretty happy just winning it every year on football manager
Forget Season tickets, if there are any parents that can find any activity that fills most of a Saturday for an under 11 for £5 a pop, let me know.
Assume you mean outside of the house? As presumably a lot of kids would be happy lying down playing video games and throbbing messages into whatever the latest app for the yoof is.
The biggest issue Wycombe has, is transport and catchment area.
Parking is a joke anywhere near the ground, has been for decades. As a 4 year old I remember having to walk from next to the Verco factory on Chapel Lane to the ground which as an adult I can do in like 25 minutes but as a 4 year old it felt like forever. Getting away from the ground is also a nightmare due to the road network around the ground and regardless of what we do at the ground will always negatively affect the matchday experience. Hour long queues up towards handy cross whilst listening to 5 live are a firm memory growing up. I now live 4 hours away, and whilst I love the m4 dash to get to games I don't do it as frequently as I once did.
A huge portion of the kids who grew up during the O'Neill heyday have left the local area. I know of a handful of the families who I used to regularly go to games with 25 years ago who attend as frequently now.
We need to rebuild the fanbase within wycombe and the local villages and towns, link in with local schools and clubs and see if their youngsters want to do summer tournaments with the wwfc youth teams. Easy way of scouting a load of school kids for the men's & women's youth system and also getting youngsters enthusiastic about attending matches.
In the 90s people were less likely to see a 30 minute walk as a hardship, plus there was an incredible level of excitement around the club that people would put up with such inconveniences. There were also a variety of well-used privately chartered bus routes through the housing estates to the outer reaches of the local area that, for whatever reason, there is no appetite to run anymore.
The novelty of having a brand new ground was also a big factor, having been built just after the Taylor Report. Adams Park stood out as a safe, modern ground you would be happy to bring your family to. Not that Adams Park isn't safe anymore, though it certainly doesn't have a novelty value these days, and doesn't compare as positively against other alternative options for floating supporters in the area as it would have done against the likes of Elm Park, the Manor Ground, Wexham Park etc.
The factor of young people having to leave the area for education and work opportunities is also a huge one. Even if they continue to support the club (in some cases I know, they weren't interested before but look to the club as a way of connecting back to their roots), them leaving will eventually lead to others moving in from outside the area who may already have loyalties elsewhere. Clubs these days struggle to take hold in areas with an unsettled population.
In the 90s people were less likely to see a 30 minute walk as a hardship, plus there was an incredible level of excitement around the club that people would put up with such inconveniences. There were also a variety of well-used privately chartered bus routes through the housing estates to the outer reaches of the local area that, for whatever reason, there is no appetite to run anymore.
The novelty of having a brand new ground was also a big factor, having been built just after the Taylor Report. Adams Park stood out as a safe, modern ground you would be happy to bring your family to. Not that Adams Park isn't safe anymore, though it certainly doesn't have a novelty value these days, and doesn't compare as positively against other alternative options for floating supporters in the area as it would have done against the likes of Elm Park, the Manor Ground, Wexham Park etc.
The factor of young people having to leave the area for education and work opportunities is also a huge one. Even if they continue to support the club (in some cases I know, they weren't interested before but look to the club as a way of connecting back to their roots), them leaving will eventually lead to others moving in from outside the area who may already have loyalties elsewhere. Clubs these days struggle to take hold in areas with an unsettled population.
There is also a very different Wycombe demographic today compared to 1990 when AP was opened.
I would imagine given the statement of intent regarding Harlington, the current ground Adams Park,. owned by F.A.L.L, is unlikely to be commensurate, given its obvious constraints, with the preferred choice of stadium in the medium to long term.
I’ve just ploughed my way through 73 posts, enthralled of course by the neverending saga of the seemingly insoluble problem of access to and from the stadium but I was rather hoping that there might have been the odd additional reaction to the Dan Rice Interview.
It seems the thread has moved from the attractability of Wycombe Wanderers to the intractability of the problem of accessibility.
I’ve just ploughed my way through 73 posts, enthralled of course by the neverending saga of the seemingly insoluble problem of access to and from the stadium but I was rather hoping that there might have been the odd additional reaction to the Dan Rice Interview.
It seems the thread has moved from the attractability of Wycombe Wanderers to the intractability of the problem of accessibility.
Excited but also nervous, as a steady as you go sort of chap I’m still processing that mention of the premier league .
I’ve just ploughed my way through 73 posts, enthralled of course by the neverending saga of the seemingly insoluble problem of access to and from the stadium but I was rather hoping that there might have been the odd additional reaction to the Dan Rice Interview.
It seems the thread has moved from the attractability of Wycombe Wanderers to the intractability of the problem of accessibility.
I think the swerve in the thread was due to Dan stating his clear ambitions for the club and what the obvious barriers were in achieving that. We all know that upping our average attendance by 1000 would have a massive impact on our sustainability let alone ambition.
If this thread had not taken a tangent by Pg3 it would surely have been the first Gasroom thread in history to have kept in lane so far down the road. If Gasroomers piloted X-Wings against Death Stars, the increasingly urgent and very ill-advised instruction "stay on target, stay on target" as one of the rebels flew down the trench towards the exhaust port would have fallen on deaf ears. As a hit squad we would have been a shambles there.
In the 90s people were less likely to see a 30 minute walk as a hardship, plus there was an incredible level of excitement around the club that people would put up with such inconveniences. There were also a variety of well-used privately chartered bus routes through the housing estates to the outer reaches of the local area that, for whatever reason, there is no appetite to run anymore.
The novelty of having a brand new ground was also a big factor, having been built just after the Taylor Report. Adams Park stood out as a safe, modern ground you would be happy to bring your family to. Not that Adams Park isn't safe anymore, though it certainly doesn't have a novelty value these days, and doesn't compare as positively against other alternative options for floating supporters in the area as it would have done against the likes of Elm Park, the Manor Ground, Wexham Park etc.
The factor of young people having to leave the area for education and work opportunities is also a huge one. Even if they continue to support the club (in some cases I know, they weren't interested before but look to the club as a way of connecting back to their roots), them leaving will eventually lead to others moving in from outside the area who may already have loyalties elsewhere. Clubs these days struggle to take hold in areas with an unsettled population.
Back in the 90's you also only had Grandstand and World of Sports to contend with rather than a full sky sports schedule in every other pub
If this thread had not taken a tangent by Pg3 it would surely have been the first Gasroom thread in history to have kept in lane so far down the road. If Gasroomers piloted X-Wings against Death Stars, the increasingly urgent and very ill-advised instruction "stay on target, stay on target" as one of the rebels flew down the trench towards the exhaust port would have fallen on deaf ears. As a hit squad we would have been a shambles there.
You may diss the Gasroom's ability to destroy a Death Star but we would have known Darth Vader's favourite cheese and if Emperor Palpatine's preferred crisp was Real Roast Ox flavour (which it definitely would be)
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Comments
Not a chance in hell the council would have done it. The fury it'd provoke from some!
I saw a fb post from people in surrounding areas moaning about people parking on their streets and some even said they have drives, but they park on the street to stop people doing it.
The fury they would have for the club if they recommended roads to park on would be untold!
The ground and run up to the ground always feel a little uncomfortable with anything over about 7,000 as it is. It would have been really interesting how a championship season with loads of presumed 8500-9000 crowds would have gone.
Absolute carnage I'd imagine.
We need to move.
Adams Park is still better than the Darylea Cheese Triangle Kassam Stadium.
Not wishing to rub at a barely-healed wound but does anyone know what it was like when the Pests were (allegedly) getting crowds in excess of 8000?
In terms of pricing/value for money, I genuinely don’t think there is a cheaper “paid for”afternoons entertainment than taking my 7 and 9 year old to the football.
I mean, I get in cheap for being the helper of a disabled person as well but even so, kids tickets to get into the football is excellent value and I am not surprised kid a quid isn’t needed. It’s much better to have good pricing every week than a one or twice off per season.
I’m sure it was as well. Right hand lane had people going up the back way toward the M40 and the left lane into Sands.
Might be the Mandela effect though?
I'm sure for you it's not an issue, but others on here have posted exactly the opposite citing how high the ST prices are for a family.
Personally I think all the reasons I suggested, and probably more, will be a reason for some potential new fans.
Like @glasshalffull I don't know the answer to growing the fan base, only that it seems to me we need to. (I was going to say to be sustainable, but do we know if that's still an objective?).
Forget Season tickets, if there are any parents that can find any activity that fills most of a Saturday for an under 11 for £5 a pop, let me know.
Think there were a couple of reasonable differences.
The rugby lot seemed to stagger their exit more than footy lot, so there wasn't such a rage about the slow exit.
And I'm sure there was some sort of scheme the council forced where some residents couldn't park outside their own houses, so that Wasps supporters could!
I know one guy who was affected by that Booker way but don't know full details and how widespread it was.
I lived in one of the roads off Lane end road when the wasps were around , the supporters parked everywhere all over grass verges they didn’t care even if they got tickets . There is insufficient parking for a 8000 crowd even if you do build a road in, only solution is to move to a new ground . The council never thought we would be promoted outside the conference so all common sense went out of the window.
As far as the overall dream, I have zero aspirations of the PL, even if possible. It is a VAR-infested mess that we couldn't actually win anyway. I would love another go round in the Champo, but I could not be less bothered about the NFL-style league above it.
Birdwatching?
I went to most of the Wasps home games in that period, certainly with more than 8,000 for most games. I recall that far more of the firms along Hillbottom Road opened their car parks on matchdays, so parking wasn't too bad, but getting away afterwards still took up to an hour.
Yeah I’d love the championship, some great away days at big clubs and we’d be sure to take some scalps and ruffle some feathers. Wycombe being in the PL would be funny but a pretty naff experience for all the reasons you outline, I’m pretty happy just winning it every year on football manager
Now that Harry is over in the US, surely there is a Chinook going spare*. We could use it to airlift folk in .
*assuming it isn't already property of Reading FC that is
Trainspotting
Assume you mean outside of the house? As presumably a lot of kids would be happy lying down playing video games and throbbing messages into whatever the latest app for the yoof is.
In the 90s people were less likely to see a 30 minute walk as a hardship, plus there was an incredible level of excitement around the club that people would put up with such inconveniences. There were also a variety of well-used privately chartered bus routes through the housing estates to the outer reaches of the local area that, for whatever reason, there is no appetite to run anymore.
The novelty of having a brand new ground was also a big factor, having been built just after the Taylor Report. Adams Park stood out as a safe, modern ground you would be happy to bring your family to. Not that Adams Park isn't safe anymore, though it certainly doesn't have a novelty value these days, and doesn't compare as positively against other alternative options for floating supporters in the area as it would have done against the likes of Elm Park, the Manor Ground, Wexham Park etc.
The factor of young people having to leave the area for education and work opportunities is also a huge one. Even if they continue to support the club (in some cases I know, they weren't interested before but look to the club as a way of connecting back to their roots), them leaving will eventually lead to others moving in from outside the area who may already have loyalties elsewhere. Clubs these days struggle to take hold in areas with an unsettled population.
There is also a very different Wycombe demographic today compared to 1990 when AP was opened.
I would imagine given the statement of intent regarding Harlington, the current ground Adams Park,. owned by F.A.L.L, is unlikely to be commensurate, given its obvious constraints, with the preferred choice of stadium in the medium to long term.
I’ve just ploughed my way through 73 posts, enthralled of course by the neverending saga of the seemingly insoluble problem of access to and from the stadium but I was rather hoping that there might have been the odd additional reaction to the Dan Rice Interview.
It seems the thread has moved from the attractability of Wycombe Wanderers to the intractability of the problem of accessibility.
Excited but also nervous, as a steady as you go sort of chap I’m still processing that mention of the premier league .
I think the swerve in the thread was due to Dan stating his clear ambitions for the club and what the obvious barriers were in achieving that. We all know that upping our average attendance by 1000 would have a massive impact on our sustainability let alone ambition.
If this thread had not taken a tangent by Pg3 it would surely have been the first Gasroom thread in history to have kept in lane so far down the road. If Gasroomers piloted X-Wings against Death Stars, the increasingly urgent and very ill-advised instruction "stay on target, stay on target" as one of the rebels flew down the trench towards the exhaust port would have fallen on deaf ears. As a hit squad we would have been a shambles there.
Back in the 90's you also only had Grandstand and World of Sports to contend with rather than a full sky sports schedule in every other pub
You may diss the Gasroom's ability to destroy a Death Star but we would have known Darth Vader's favourite cheese and if Emperor Palpatine's preferred crisp was Real Roast Ox flavour (which it definitely would be)
We would definitely have our Basic Chewie Knowledge well sorted.
I'd go with Ewok flavoured monster munch.