Wow, nothing like saying it how it is.

Think we need some new fans like a team needs new players . I go to all home games but donot travel to away much these days !

COYD

Family commitments have curtailed my chances of getting to many of the longer away trips these days, I'm afraid.

The first steps to getting more away fans is to probably get more home fans. Let's hope the good result will encourage a decent turnout on Sunday. It'd be great to see 1,000+ there.

If home attendances increase, the demand for a bus to away games will grow too.

Agree lets get the numbers up at home & hopefully more will travel.

Come on you Dons fans !

I thought at first glance that i could not remember writing a post, then spotted it was RUGBLYMAN and not my good self RUGBYMAN.

There is only one RUGBYMAN lol

Think you would have been more diplomatic Baz.

What does everyone think to the comment of Rugblyman does the topic want a separate thread ?

I was at workington and support what Rugbly is saying about being embarrassing and would say his estimate of 20 about right. Some diehard away regulars were not there and I dont doubt for genuine reasons.
I am not sure how to encourage new, workington people to travel and as mentioned it might come with an increased home fan base. To be honest the team have exceeded expectation over the last two seasons and crowds havent increased so not sure that its going to happen.
The best experiences have been on away grounds - Fev, batley, halifax and sheffield so have some of the worst swinton, york, hunslet but as they say you have got to experience the lows to appreciate the highs.
I know that a bus is put on for some games, do people think an official supporters travel club would be a way forward to encourage and take more supporters, just a thought.

'workington people' oops! dont what happened there, but they would be welcome

My earlier comments weren't directed at any individuals, as a group of supporters we appear to be less interested in our team than other clubs, I can remember a time when we would travel in good numbers as a percentage of our overall fan base, and be very vocal, I appreciate we can't all make every single game , I will probably miss 5-6 games this season in total.

It may just be me but I believe we have the lowest away support of any club in the league, admittedly there were a few due hard fans missing for good reasons last week.

As a club we have had a successful spell in the last 2 seasons yet we still won't turn up and support the team.

I may be very lucky and have an understanding wife who as always been happy for me to attend home and away even when the kids were young, and I've been happy to spend any spare money on most live sport.

Let's hope this Sunday we will turn up in numbers to cheers the boys on for another win.

I agree the home support is more important as a club to move forward and become financially viable, unlike football rugby league clubs rely heavily upon gate receipts and not TV money, even though Super league clubs receive in excess of £1m per year from the broadcasting deals the RFL have agreed, I believe championship clubs receive circa £130k, not sure if this figure is correct this season, which doesn't cover the wage bill of any of the clubs in our league with maybe one exception.

My issue with away support is the lift it can give the players especially in close games, in the past we have achieved this, and I remember only a few years ago we would moan about the lack of away support coming to our home games, it's now other clubs saying the same of us.

I just can't understand supporters not making more effort and at least attending a few away games, other clubs with a comparable home support surely don't have more time and money than we do, or have less family commitments than we do. What's happened to the away support we had?

It's gone away.
lol
Sorry, I couldn't resist!

I'm sure more people would go to away games if buses were laid on but as I'm sure the real Rugbyman will confirm, it's not easy organising and running buses with the small fan base we've got.

Maybe a positive step forward would be to have an email list of supporters who would be interested in going by bus to away games, making it somewhat easier to fix up any travel arrangements? Interest could be canvassed through mailshots to supporters a couple of weeks before games and buses laid on where there is sufficient demand?

I agree that would be a good idea, I know Tracy works hard with support from a few others to try and get a bus to most away games, again I'm not having a go at anyone , just trying to understand why a few years ago we took a higher percentage of our fan base to away games than we do now, and I'm sure it made a difference to the players, as it's past and present players that have said as much.

Its money for me, rising cost of living, petrol, road tax and insurance going up coupled with a rise in the price of admission, parking, programs.

It also the reason I am selective about home games to.

Steve get a season ticket , plenty of free parking around the lake & donot buy a programme .

Solved ! so you will be attending the game on Sunday then . Could even share a car with your Dad.