I agree.
An example is the switch to free parking,he's listened to the fans and read what's on here.
I'm very much up for the constructive criticism and the club or stadium company should read it carefully and pick out the practical and cost effective ideas.
BUT,we are where we are so whingeing that its not the Willows, or the location is bad ,is hardly constructive.
Koukash and his staff are working hard to improve everything and they should be applauded and supported in doing that

I just think a lot of people have written this season off from the start so are saving their £20 a match to watch a pretty poor team and are looking ahead to next year. There'll be a decent jump in attendances start of next season and then hopefully a few decent results will get things moving. This season feels like a long pre-season warm up for the real thing - if that makes sense.

Perhaps some view it as soulless because there aren't enough souls attending. Closing the stand behind the posts and having it completely empty makes it look worse. I know it will be a cost cutting measure by the SMC but it looks terrible seeing a whole end void of people.

Just over the river is a great catchment area for Salford to take advantage of. I work in Urmston, and so far have seen nothing about the stadium or Salford reds anywhere!!! Nothing in the local press, billboards, through the post, in Urmston... Salford city reds do not exist!! And there is Flixton, Davyhulme, Woodsend, which can also be included. Mr Koukash desperately needs to completely cover this area with leaflets, put some billboards up, get players into the local schools, full page adverts in the local press (not only men and metro). These areas are approx one mile away from the stadium, yet the people who live near where I work know nothing about you.

Matt

Crikey Uncle Rico, for a fan from one of the better teams in the league, you sure do spend a lot of time on our board. I wonder, do you go over and pass your smug comments on Castleford's and London's forums as much?

Dreary me Derek sort yourself out lad aren't visitors welcome? Smug? BTW my tongue in cheek post was a RESPONSE to a bit of anti Warrington banter from Barton Flyer so I feel that I'm allowed a right to reply.

In answer to your question though, I don't regularly post on Castleford's board nor London's for lots of reasons in the main being that I don't live in either place, or know any of their fans that I'm not that interested in those clubs beyond match days

Back again so soon?

Says the guy that responded quicker than Jack Flash. I think we'll leave it there Derek as you're so....rivetting

So, in what way is this different to just about every other season Salford have been in SL?

Are you saying Reds fans will only show up whe you actually have a competitive team???

That's a very poor excuse, and this kind of thinking will only blinker you from addressing the real issues.

I am pretty sure Dr K is much more focused and proactive in his plans for the club.

We don't almost fold and have the spine of our team leave every pre-season though. That's Chorlton Red's point.

I visit this board often, Uncle RICO, as it represents the team I support. I'm a pretty busy guy so don't have loads of time to trawl the boards of other teams unless I feel there is something valid worth commenting on. I certainly don't go and poke fun at 'lesser' team's current misfortunes. If I did I could probably be rightfully accused of being smug...

I have no idea if this is relevant with regard to those who may not be attending for transport reasons,but it makes an interesting read,not only because Manchester Utd are near the bottom of the table,and another European country appears to be ahead of us when it relates to sport.
Perhaps it should be perused when the concept of better parking and a new road is thought to be the panacea for the lack of attendance.A KombiTicket may be the answer -


May 14, 2013
Mid Table Mediocrity
Manchester United may have cruised to the Premier League title, but Old Trafford is relegation fodder when it comes to fans’ transport needs according to new research from Campaign for Better Transport.

With fans taking 39 million journeys to support their clubs each season (3), the research includes a league table of the best and worst clubs for providing transport choices for fans (2) based on a fan survey, supporter club views and assessments of travel information and travel planning:

Transport Champions League – top three

1. St James’ Park (Newcastle United) – Transport champions with initiatives including season-long matchday public transport for just £10

2. Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) - Gunners’ fans make full use of good public transport links, with the club having reduced the percentage of fans arriving by car from 30% to 10% on moving to their new stadium

3. Craven Cottage (Fulham) – Improvements mean a high proportion of supporters combine public transport with walking to the ground

Ripe for relegation – bottom three

18. Old Trafford (Manchester United) – A major ground served mainly by low-capacity public transport, travel planning nearly a decade out of date and without safe walking or cycling routes

19. Loftus Road (Queen’s Park Rangers) – Despite London’s extensive public transport, QPR have no coherent travel plan and offer poor information on how to get to Loftus Road

20. Madejski Stadium (Reading) – Comfortably the least accessible ground in this year’s Premier League - out of town and virtually unreachable by regular public transport

'Door to Turnstile’ includes the findings of a season-long survey of fans. Key findings from the fans’ survey are:

Transport cost

• 23% of fans spend more on travel than they do on a match ticket. Fans traveling by train spend the most followed by lone drivers (most fans share lifts to games). Fans that get to the game by bus spend the least.

• The average fan spends £55 on game day, with £13 going on travel, while train travellers spend £74, with £26 of this spent getting to the game.

Transport mode
• For home games, 43% of fans drive, with 35% taking the train for at least part of their journey.

• For away games, 57% take the train for at least some games, 44% drive and 20% travel by coach.

Future improvements
• Train travel is by far the most popular mode that fans ‘would like to use more’ (36%), followed by the bus (23%) and the tram or tube (17%).

• Of the people who said they would like to use public transport more, cost was the most common barrier with ticket prices named by 28% of those who gave a reason.

Sian Berry from Campaign for Better Transport, and co-author of ‘Door to Turnstile’ said

"Our research shows that after match tickets, transport is the biggest cost that fans face. Any club worth its salt should be working hard to lessen that blow. While the likes of Newcastle and Arsenal are doing exactly that, fans of teams including Manchester United are often condemned to a weekly pattern of expensive parking and endless traffic jams."

Malcolm Clarke, Chair, Football Supporters' Federation said

"Fans go to enormous lengths to see their team play home and away. It’s far easier to commit to that level of support if public transport to games is accessible and affordable. The FSF would like to see clubs and transport authorities working together to offer fans genuine travel options.

“Many fans prefer to leave their cars at home and enjoy the day without hassle. Making match day travel more convenient, pleasant and affordable would benefit everyone involved in football, and we hope to see these ideas employed more widely in future.”

Report recommendations

• National Government: Should take the lead in setting up free public transport with match tickets. This could be modeled on the popular and well-used ‘KombiTicket’ in Germany (4).

• Clubs: All clubs should have a travel plan that includes plans for new facilities to improve access by walking and cycling and clear information about getting to the ground without a car (5).

• Local authorities: Should actively work to link clubs, the wider community and transport providers and promote free or discounted travel for fans, as in Brighton, Newcastle and Sunderland.

• Transport operators: Should offer tailored matchday services and investigate a national Football Supporters’ Railcard with more flexible conditions.

Sian Berry said

“With two teams in the Champions League Final, German sides have given everyone a football lesson this season. Off the pitch, there’s a lot to learn, too. Including public transport in the price of the match ticket is effective and popular with fans and transport operators alike. There is no reason why fans in this country shouldn’t be similarly well looked after.”


Notes.

1. ‘Door to Turnstile: Improving travel for football fans’ was researched and will be published by Campaign for Better Transport.

Based on a fan survey, supporter club views and assessments of travel information and travel planning for each club, it examines areas including:

• How easy top flight grounds are to access
• Transport choice fans have in how they get to games
• What steps clubs should take to make transport easier

2. Ranking of accessibility for 2012-13 Premier League grounds based on a fan survey, supporter club views and assessments of travel information and travel planning:

1 Newcastle United
2 Arsenal
3 Fulham
4 Tottenham Hotspur
5 Southampton
6 West Bromwich Albion
7 Liverpool
8 Aston Villa
8 West Ham United
10 Sunderland
10 Norwich City
12 Chelsea
13 Wigan Athletic
14 Manchester City
15 Swansea City
16 Everton
17 Stoke City
18 Manchester United
19 Queens Park Rangers
20 Reading

3. Fans made in excess of 39 million trips to attend league football matches in England and Wales in the 2011/12 season. This figure is an aggregate of attendances in the top 4 divisions in England and Wales over the season. It does not include attendances at cup matches or at non-league or non-competitive games.

4. The Kombiticket: Match tickets for the German Bundesliga and lower leagues can be used as a ‘KombiTicket’ covering free travel to the match and back on local (and many regional) rail, tram and bus services. This approach was extended to match tickets for the 2006 World Cup, which resulted in 57% of spectators travelling by public transport and just 23% arriving by car.

5. A Travel Plan is a land use planning tool consisting of a package of actions designed to encourage safe, healthy and sustainable travel options. By reducing car travel, Travel Plans aim to improve health, reduce congestion and make a positive contribution to the community and the environment.

6. The Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) is the democratic organisation representing the rights of fans and arguing the views of football supporters in England and Wales.

Great post SCR. Get the product on the field right and people won't be put off by transport issues, if they want to go they'll find a way. I've been to games at United in the hospitality midweek and not arrived home until 12:30 am on a Thursday morning due to traffic congestion, despite only living a few miles away.

I read that report and smiled to see that both venues (outside Wembley) chosen for all-team RL events are in the bottom half