I think if our fan base didn't contain a high proportion of potential Provident customers they would not have sponsored the Bulls. Prodominately white, formerly in the mills - struggling to find a decent wage in our modern shelf stacking economy - just what Provident is looking for.

I think the Provi customer base is always going to be limited to those who can't get 'mainstream' loans from banks, in a similar fashion to the 'payday' market. Let's be honest, why would anyone pay interest at [well over 1000% per annum if they could go elsewhere? I don't think anything like the majority of our fans would be interested - if they are honest!

I agree Bradford isn't the wealthiest of cities but I wouldn't think it's [ithat much[/i out of kilter from most other post industrial areas either, though I totally agree that it's a rising market. That said, I don't find the Bulls' crowd, or RL crowds in general, to be more 'down at heel' than the general population. In all honesty I guess Provident's very welcome decision to sponsor our club is based more on a desire to put their name about a bit more to counter all the publicity being gained by the 'payday' loans companies, and secondly it being a local company.

A bit like the idea that Omar Khan took over the club to encourage fans to visit his restaurants, I can't imagine that fans of the club are really going to be particular targets - though I'm sure neither Omar nor the Provi would turn them down!

Perhaps - but could well be a major factor amoung the lengendary "missing 5000" fans we hear so much about? I also think if you look at the settlements the council is going to receive in the next few years there will be a lot more jobs to go at our biggest local employer.

It's certainly not getting any better is it? It's a fact that discretionary spending is getting harder to find these days.

I notice you put "legendary" and the phrase 'missing 5000 fans' in quotes!! I guess we both know you can't put prices up by 100% and expect to keep the same numbers of season ticket sales. Added in with the club counting all ST holders as present when, in fact, last season many of them had bought tickets when only ever intending to attend three or four times, the "missing 5k", or at least a good few of them, become a bit more visible. Have to say the C 8k we've been announcing this year doesn't [ilook[/i all that much different from the 10 to 11k we were announcing last season.

At the end of the day though, the biggest boost would undoubtedly be on field performances, that would trump everything else, imo.

Unless of course you are a Newcastle supporter - they seem to turn up despite their clubs on field performance?

But I think if we can get 2 points from the Wakey game and have a sniff of the top 8 we might see a few more feet through the gates for the closing matches

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Agreed.

The Wigan fans turned up as well in adversity [I know they've not had [i:2fnaj9klthat[/i:2fnaj9kl much actual adversity but when it really looked like they would be relegated they still turned out and shouted their team home. For some reason many of ours just take their collective bats home don't come back until things [eventually get better, or a few moan of course, a team made up of Bulls' fans could, without assistance from any other club, do moaning duties for England.