Shrimpsvoices

The new University year is upon us in the next week or so and FC United of Manchester are having stalls at various Freshers Weeks in and around Manchester.

Something we could / should be looking at doing?

Lancaster and Morecambe College
Lancaster University
University of Cumbria
Kendal College

http://www.fc-utd.co.uk/m_story.php?story_id=6351

Yes, now is the time to get in there. Building the student support needs to be part of a five year plan IMO.

Hope that someone from the Commercial Department will do something on this with the local Unis/Colleges.....

It didn't work last year!
I think we need to take a different approach!
Get in the student bars when there is a big prem match on!...let them know what we have to offer!

There has actually been reps from the Football Club at Lancaster University for (at least) the last two Freshers. Not much seems to have come from it.

The club (hopefully) still offer a great £5 deal for the Morecambe games to students AND has currently appeared on the University weekly email. I did notice last year that there was more from the club there and I believe/hope there is more coming this year.

The club is definitely doing its part, and has pumped resources into it - long may it continue. I am also doing bits myself. Not sure about the others on that list, definitely should be considered. Onwards and upwards.

That's good to hear, Uni Red.

Thanks for the update!

I think the club put on a return bus from the University campus to globe all of last season as part of a match ticket package. Some weeks they could have sent a taxi!

It was good to see to see not one but two separate stalls promoting the club at Lancaster Uni's Freshers Fair on Thursday. The club are now offering students a match day ticket, return travel from campus and a free pint (always popular with students!) for £10. Hopefully this now catches on and we can get more students down to The Globe on a regular basis to bring some much needed funding into the club and maybe gain a few long term fans along the way!

bigbobshrimp wrote:It was good to see to see not one but two separate stalls promoting the club at Lancaster Uni's Freshers Fair on Thursday. The club are now offering students a match day ticket, return travel from campus and a free pint (always popular with students!) for £10. Hopefully this now catches on and we can get more students down to The Globe on a regular basis to bring some much needed funding into the club and maybe gain a few long term fans along the way!

Excellent offer. If that doesn't work I don't think they could do more.

Just drove passed a stagecoach bus with MFC on the number section, think this is the bus that comes from the university. Not a single person on it!

RedRedWine wrote:Just drove passed a stagecoach bus with MFC on the number section, think this is the bus that comes from the university. Not a single person on it!

probobly gone on a anti fracking protest or something similar.

RedRedWine wrote:Just drove passed a stagecoach bus with MFC on the number section, think this is the bus that comes from the university. Not a single person on it!

They won't have got up yet

Bit disappointing from the clubs perspective if, as implied, they've been up there throughout freshers week and still not been able to attract a single student down to come a watch.

When the subject of ways to increase falling crowds comes up, having a strategy at the University to attract student support is regularly mentioned - I've probably even suggested it myself. Well the club have tried it and have been trying it now for over a season and the offer just isn't being taken up. Time to knock that one on the head I think.

I think the only way to attract long term support is to review our ticket prices. £17 to stand behind the goal with a poor view and substandard facilities is clearly too much for the casual fan or potential new ones to come and watch a losing team.

One thing I have noticed is how many Universities sponsor other sports teams. For example UCLAN are the official university of the Wigan Warriors RL team and there are a host of sports teams that have shirt sponsorships from a local University (Huddersfield Giants RL, Warrington Wolves RL, Northampton Town, Nottingham Panthers (ice hockey - University of Derby). We have two universities on our door step that don't appear to sponsor any club but operate within the community - social contract theory.

RedRedWine wrote:Just drove passed a stagecoach bus with MFC on the number section, think this is the bus that comes from the university. Not a single person on it!

Apparently there was no bus service running from the university today so maybe all hope is not lost!

Single decker passed me at the top of King street yesterday in Lancaster, coming from the direction of pointer roundabout. It had 'MFC' in the number section on front and back, where it would usually say the route number - e.g. 2A. It did not stop at any bus stops and continued on towards Morecambe over greyhound bridge. I pulled alongside it to see if there was anyone on it. There wasn't. Can't think what else it could have been but the private charter bus that the club pays for to pick up at campus and drop off at the globe.... And picks up students after the game and drops them back at the globe. It's been running for over a season now with little or no impact. Time to try something else.

Why would they come?

If I say went to Nottingham Uni, would I watch Notts County? No I wouldn't.

It's a real shame that next week's game against D&R has been postponed as the club had offered free match tickets (50) to students at Lancaster Uni and they had all gone within hours, with the club making another 50 available a few days later. Hopefully they'll all turn up to the rearranged fixture and make some noise!