Looking for ideas to bring in fans

A MEETING of East Fife fans is to be held in the lounge at New Bayview at 7.30pm on Monday in order to identify ways the club can be better supported.

It is open to anyone who thinks they may have ideas, no matter how outlandish, that will help bring more people and businesses back.

A spokesman for the organisers said, “It’s great to see the huge upsurge in interest in the last few weeks. We’re sure there are lots of fans out there with good ideas and we’d like them to come along and tell us about them.”

How about terracing behind one of the goals (nearest away end for atmosphere?) similar to Stirling's ground for fans that like to stand. That's what I miss most about Stark's and the old Bayview.

Also...

We have a Former Players Association thing where ex players are invited back on a match basis and introduced to the crowd at half time. I think that they act as hosts for the corporate crowd before and after the match too?

It can be quite good to see old legends or cult heroes again.

Unable to make the meeting but one idea that came to mind would be that every season a local charity chosen and The Club and the fans raise as much money for that charity. The fund raising could take many forms from the charity football matches, Mr Pink and his cronies could go on a sponsored charity bike ride to an away game(hopefully Peterhead or Stranraer)Charity Ball etc,etc,etc

This would firstly show the Levenmouth area what a community minded club we have now become and I dare say all the free publicity would not go amiss

Former players is a good idea. What about the club giving out free tickets for selected games or kids under a certain age can get in free. Also, the first 100 people through the gate get free tickets to future games or EFFC stickers and/or an EFFC scarf.
Check out http://ww2.mlsnet.com/t104/ - always ideas there……..

how about some decent beer at the bar.

jakey joiner

On it's way.

How about going round all the pubs in Leven/Glenrothes/East Neuk and beyond with a small framed photo of the team for behind the bar? And a fixture list to stick up beside it. If nothing else, it marks our territory and says "we're the local team, look out for our results!"

Set up an official East Fife F.C. eBay shop, give the club worldwide exposure.

How about decent beer while watching the game?

I_10...I suggest a whiproond in Row I for one of these...

http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=1388&src_t=sbk&src_id=beer

I will be in London on Monday so can't make the meeting but could the club rethink the refusal to have sky tv in the lounge. The amount of live premiership games and some Scottish games would surely draw in more people for a couple of hours prior to kick off. Oh and a plasma screen tv as well, obviously, and drinks promotions etc etc.

How about a 10 game season ticket which entitles the holder to go to any ten games for say £85, reason being some people can't make every game but know they will make ten of the remainder of home matches.

The work that Jim Beavers and others did last season by getting local businesses and buses to advertise games is also an excellent one which should be encouraged for every home game. Post Brown this should have a real effect in bolstering support locally especially with us flying high in the league.

Contact lapsed season ticket holders from 2 or 3 years back to encourage them back with incentives along the lines of the half season or 10 ticket deal.

Re ideas - What about giving away, say 50 free tickets each to local schools on a "bring a parent basis", split up over the season. Each child has to bring a parent to get into the match. My daughter's school had the benefit of this idea run by Lincoln City a few years ago when I lived nearby. B doing this you capture 2 generations of supporters at the same time creating a greater opportunity for spreading the word and retention of the support. This is an ideal opportunity when The Fife are having a great run -"speculate to accumulate !"

I think that giving free entry to kids would/could entice new supporters. When my own son played his club were invited to send a group of some 50 kids of around 13/14 years old with adult (parent) company to attend games of FC Utrecht in the Dutch league , not the top games I may add. So much so , he reamins a season ticket holder some 12 years on although he still pays himself on a Sunday morning. Go for it.

Thanks for all the suggestions folks.

We're still looking for a good turnout as often it's sharing thoughts in a group that sparks off other ideas.

If you can't make the meeting keep the ideas coming - I'll be taking note of them all.

meeting - Monday 4th 7.30 Bayview all welcome.

Eugene,

Shouldn't that be Monday 6th November or is it Monday 4th December??

I may be treading on toes here or about to piss someone off, but someone really really needs to take a look at the official website and get it sorted out.

It's the first port of call for people interested int he club and it's embarrassing.

The content is a lot better than it used to be (could still be better mind - how about photos of the items on the club shop page?), but the format is appalling.

There must be plenty people out there who could come up with a better design. Or just crib one from some other club.

On another topic, has anyone thought of asking Sainsbury's/etc if they'd be interested in selling merchandise? Asda in Kirkcaldy used to sell Rovers shirts.
When I drive up on holiday, I always stop at Washington services; if it's a Newcastle matchday they always have the match programme on sale in the shop. Could we do that at a few local shops to remind people that there is a game on?

Get the "club shop" to have some home tops in stock. I`ve been trying to buy one for my son for over a month.

Agreed on both counts Forest Fifer.

Some fantastic suggestions on this thread.

What about a club Lotto ala the Rovers have. Shops in Thornton would display the numbers I remember. Here, local pub/shop owners could sell tickets and display results/winners in the windows/bars ? Could raise a few pennies and raise the club's profile - letting people remember we've a local team to support and be proud of.

How about opening a shop in the Mercat,you know,the one where Rovers and Rangers have tried and failed.

Craig

Thanks - you're right it's Monday 6th November 7.30-9.00 pm Bayview

How about people raise their voices above a whisper at home games?

Forest Fifer - the official web site is currently undergoing a major overhaul and you should see some big changes soon.

Agree that some sort of supermarket presence would be good, lots of junior clubs around me have either merchandise sales or even just a guy selling club lottery tickets. It looks impressive and it's a presence in the community.They all seem to have thriving social clubs too,with bingo for the women, and pool and darts leagues. Shame we dont have the space!

We also need to compete with the professional image of the bigger clubs. What I mean is, I think the club needs a total image overhaul. Our range of merchandise is poor compared to even ten years ago, when you could get EFFC jackets, tracksuits, training tops etc. Even now you still cant get EFFC posters, calendars etc, things that would be popular and relatively cheap to produce. They could be handed out to pubs, as mentioned above. Looking at the longer term, our club crest could do with being modernised, like Stirling & Hibs have done. Something marketable, that looks like some thought went into it. We could do with some rousing music at Bayview as well, and a better P.A.

Terracing.
Terracing terracing terracing terracing terracing.

Would be awesome.

dave

what kind o beer are you getting in?

my personal favourite is tennents but anything would be an improvement on the current wash.

Have to say, I personally love our persent crest. Love it's simplistic design and Scotland flag.
Looks classy.

...the one on the strips not the one on the website which is all out of proportion and cartoony

Naw, I hate the current crest. Looks as if it was stuck together in two minutes (apologises to anyone reading this that designed it)! I don't think it says anything about the club apart from we play football in Scotland. Is that not what the other 39 member clubs do as well? I liked the old crest, the one that had the Thane of Fife in it. You can see the one I mean on e-bay. Look at the East Fife programmes from the mid seventies.

The crest from the sixties was my favorite, not so different from todays crest but it was big and would cover even the fattest blokes tit

jakey joiner

Not dealing with it personally but Tennants and Miller are two of them.Just the last of the present stock to use up and then the change will take place.

John Smiths is another.

Dave, is terracing being investigated by the club at all yet? Just a wee bit would be brilliant and the atmosphere would pick up straight away. I'm sure there would be plenty groups willing to help fund it too.

Terracing would be a good idea if folked did join in with the singing. It's a struggle even at away games, the same half a dozen folk. If they don't sing there's no singing if they do they're the only ones.

cheers dave

Seeing as it was my idea, I want it to me named the Jimmy Nic is God Terracing.

You invented terracing?
Well I never. I thought it was the Aztecs.

Maybe a wee bit before the Aztecs?

how to intice people through the turnstiles? Sorry unable to attend the meeting but
I wrote to Willie Gray c/o East fife a few weeks ago about a couple of options such as giving season ticket holders a team sheet ( a very cheap option) as they enter the turnstiles - a more inviting season ticket e.g include friendlies and cup games - as we used to have. i feel i can comment as i have hardly missed a home game in 35 years and the majority of that time i, and my dad have been season ticket holders but where has the incentive been recently? We are currently season ticket holders as normal but i never even receiued an acknowlegment to my letter - why?!!

Eric

Do not know what has gone wrong there as I know that Willie believes in answering all letters sent to him personally.Will mention this to him when he returns from holiday.

Dave Marshall - I've only posted a few replies on this site and fortunately/unfortuantely you have been the one to rely although they have been directly at yourself. i appreciate the replies and as i have i said it is good to know what is going on although i think you will agree there is still a lot of work to do and i hope you achievethe goal. To me the seaon ticket issue is a major issue as it brings in revenue to the club regardless. i mentioned this in my afformentioned letter. i do not shirk behind my beliefs which are that i have only missed about a dozen home games (league and cup) in the last 30 odd years(as my dad has)and bought a season ticket and have used the bar facilities as my opinion was rightly or wrongly who was in charge the club did not deserve to lose revenue.

Sorry Dave - you can read things countless times and still not recognise a mistake! i meant to say on my previous message "the one to reply although they have not been directly at yourself"
Sorry for any misunderstanding

Eric

As you say,there is a lot still to be done.We all need to do it together.

Bump and 19 good ideas so far.

I'll check this again before I leave for the meeting.

See you all toight