Mini Bus To Barrow

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So far no mini bus has materialised this season, largest away support the short trip to Frickley with some fans going on the train!
No supporters club to organise one, so very unlikely to be many fans @ Barrow!
We took over 100 fans up to Barrow in the FA Cup in 2003!
We aren’t really encouraging fans to support the club away from home!
One of the things mentioned at the forum that hasn’t happened yet!

You'll notice that the club are selling the 4 spare seats on the team bus which is a start.

Mis en place

However I'd like to suggest that they add a minibus (or some such) for supporters to run in convoy (as far as possible) with the team coach.

I reckon that this would be a good way of integrating the fans who go to away games (who are really the elite of the fan base IMHO) with the team.

It’s not easy arranging away travel & it isn’t the clubs responsibility to do it really it has to be down to the fans!
Still if something could be arranged between the club & supporters for the odd game when there is enough interest it would be a start!!
Hopefully the interest might increase next season!

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If we can keep a data base of everyone who rings up we could gradually work out if there is enough interest out there to book a mini bus!
It could also be useful information for a new supporters club!

Big Lundy wrote:It’s not easy arranging away travel & it isn’t the clubs responsibility to do it really it has to be down to the fans!

Not sure why you're saying that Big L. Does the club want supporters at away games or not?

If it does then it needs to take some action to get them there. If it's not too bothered, then it can leave it up to ad-hoc fan involvement.

It IS something that could be done by a supporters club though, but it would need the co-operation/involvement of the club. I'm just wondering how many away fans there might be if it was known that there was a bus travelling to every away game, whether it was full or not. IMHO it would require an investment from the club as at the start the bus wouldn't be anywhere near full (I guess) but as people came to realise that the facility was there on a regular basis, there would (in my experience) be an upsurge in interest.

How many more away games would people go to if they knew that their travel was already assured?

The only coaches I remember the club organising in the past were the 3 that went to Goole in The West Riding County Cup final in 1986 and 3 out of the 4 that travelled to Frickley in the FA Cup in 1982!
Every other coach after that has been organised by either the supporters club or T.I.T.S.

Couldn’t make it today!

Did many go?

Yeah me

That’s @ least 5 then who were there!!!
There will always be some Town fans travel no matter when or where we play!
The problem is over the last few years the numbers have dropped to its lowest level I can remember!!!
Cost, distances, performances have all been major factors!
A few of the younger fans were starting to show an interest in going just like we did years ago!
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But they don’t have their own transport, their numbers are low compared to what we had back then (there used to be more spare seats on the team coach) & the cost & time to get home was less in those days!
Their enthusiasm is the same though & if channelled in the right direction these lads could encourage many more of their mates & age group to support Town!
Need to make it to support the TOWN!
If they can create some atmosphere (Town Ultras!) that may encourage some of the old regulars back again & also boost our travelling support for the future!!!!
We used to have crap seasons years ago too, but fans still used to travel to games to enjoy the “Buzz” & “Camaraderie” the away support used to create!