All teenagers are interested in are mobile phones and antisocial behaviour.

On another note though i do think that playing at the Keepmoat is a big problem. It's too big and souless.

You've just described me there.
lol

I would like to see the club maybe do a trial run game at Castle Park to see how viable it is. The Keepmoat is quite depressing with 500-1000 in, especially when you have to walk past facilities that are not open.

I do realise that once we leave the Keepmoat we will never get back in but to be honest that doesn't bother me. I would rather see the Don's in the current division playing against traditional clubs than go bankrupt trying to get into Sooper Dooper League.

Back to the young 'uns they need someone to look upto a "star" player if you like as a kid I remember Audley being used by the council on a road safety poster.

Just look at football, kids wear shirts of the star players, the goal scorers the creators even sometimes the loveable rogues, but rarely do you see people with the solid 100% player who never does anything special. For me that is what the club is missing and exciting/exotic player.

I have no proof of what I am about to say but I would imagine that any Eagles fan with a replica shirt with a name on it has the one of one of their trio Pacific islanders on it...how many do you think have a Peter Green shirt?

As a fully paid up member of the above group also, Jemmo is right. There are no younger fans coming through to watch the game and I think this is a key issue. When we get to 50 or 60 which wont be too long who is going to be there. Weve got a 15000 seat ground with no one in that we need to fill. Im not a fan of the free tickets way of doing things (A previous chairman and Chief exec got there fingers burnt with this) but we have to find a way of getting interest to the little uns and getting them down. The club is possibly already doing things like this though to be fair which im not aware of.


Earlier posts also mention how we cant invest like other clubs. Well other clubs like Sheffield and Fev have people and firms behind them like Ian Swire with Amco and the fella who owns Probiz with Fev. Even though the Eagles get similar gates to us they will be certainly relying on the input of the directors backing the club. The way that John and Carl have been running us over the last few years has been superb and they dont get the credit they deserve.The fact that this year we are even close to the above teams shows how far we have come in the past couple of years.

But the main thing I think which is reducing attendances all over the country , not just at the dons is peoples personals finances. There are a lot of people out there who ares struggling and the first thing to go when people are skint are the obvious things like holidays , nights out and days at the match.To go to a match on your own without kids you need a minimum of 20 - 25 quid.It doesnt sound much but when you have got nowt it could be a struggle and it will be the first thing that goes when people restructure their family finances.

I personally havent been to anywhere near the amount of games this year as I normally do as the job im doing now is 4 on 4 off. In the past i would have put holidays in to go to games but now I work for myself it would cost me too much money. I still have a season ticket though so Im still putting money in but the money situation with other people could be a main factor.

Castle Park would be more akin to the traditional types of ground we associate with rugby league. A move there could perhaps bring a few more people back but the club would have to balance up all the pros and cons, and I suspect there'd be more cons than pros.

I agree that the kids want heroes and that's what attracts them. It takes time for players to become heroes and we haven't had many players stay around for too long over recent years, although the stability is greater now than for a while.

[i=#0000BFHere's a suggestion:[/i Immediately after the game has ended, why don't we get Ray Green to interview some of the players whilst still on the pitch? It would stop fans running off after the match if Ray appeared just as the hooter is about to blow. Surely this would help to build a link between the players and fans?

I'm sure there are a few characters amongst the players and their personalities will shine through.

How about it Dons News? Is this a good starter to help bring players and fans closer together? What does everyone else think?

Anyway, who has got a Sheffield Peter Green shirt? I bet Ray has!



Mike

Good idea. They should look into playing the Eagles game at Castle park and try giving it the big sell. I'm sure this would draw a better than average attendance.

Would they want us at Castle Park. I know some fans who wouldn't go there either.

Why would any one not want to go to CP? Good facilities, close to the action, good value quality food and real ale on tap...
I know on the Knights forum they have said they have been in talks with the Dons before but nothing ever came from it, so i don't think they would have a problem with us using their facilities.
I would certainly be a better atmosphere than what we have now. The Keepmoat is like playing on the moon.

Didn't the Dons sign an agreement to play at the keepmoat last year?, can't remember length of deal, 5 years springs to mind, could be wrong .

I seem to remember something on these lines having been reported. Can't be sure though.

If the Dons and the Rovers are going to be working closer together, and sharing office work, as I also believe was reported, I can't see how we could realistically move away from the Keepmoat.

As I mentioned earlier, there seem to be more cons than pros to moving homes ... this being one of them.

Mike

They wouldn't go to CP because its a Rugby Union ground .