As I walk around town......

[cosmic74]

.......I can't help but notice that there is no evidence to suggest that Torquay has a football club. In these times of low crowds and Buckle harping on about the club belonging to the people of the bay, surely there should be an existence in the town centre. Now I know a club shop in town would probably not be financially viable, but in saying that most clubs do have them in league 2. But surely selling merchandise in JJb would not be out of the question ( I am sure JJB in Cheltenham sells Robins merchandise). The fixture posters that the club send out are great but you only see them in garages and takeaways! Why not put them up on the bus shelters and empty shop windows around town?

What I am trying to say is, I believe the club and the town need to be proud of the fact we have a league club and shout about it around the town. Sometimes it as if the town is almost embarassed about having the the club!

Andy

[HRG]

Here Hereford United have an agreement with a local clothes shop who's manager is a fan. Might be cheaper than working with a national brand like JJB.

[Jeff]

I've often thought this, but not exactly sure what the club can really do. resorting to fly-posting hardly seems like the best solution.

One example that has stuck in my mind is that of Doncaster Rovers - a club we would do well to follow the example of in many ways. When we played up there in our (and theirs!) promotion season, i think we went there in november time - so at a stage in the season when it was clear that Donny were competitive but not running away with the league just yet.

Anyway, walking round the town centre, literally every business had some sort of Doncaster rovers mechandise in the window. Lots of places had fixture posters too. What struck me was that it seemed that all the businesses were proud of their team and wanted to be involved or affiliated with them. What do we have to do to get more than a couple of takeaways and cab firms to back us?

[cosmic74]

That's the sort of thing I am talking about Jeff, fixture posters, club colours in shop windows. it would just be great to walk around town and feel like the town's people are proud of the club.

Andy

[MidDevon]

Tony Pryce Sports Shop in Tiverton sells Tiverton Town shirts, both home and away as well as a large range of Exeter City merchandise.....whenever I go in there I always ask the staff where the Torquay merchandise is!

[cosmic74]

Now I could be wrong, but I am sure that the Animal shop in Torquay is part of the Tony Pryce chain of stores! Maybe this could be a possibility for selling club merchandise. Can anyone confirm my suspicians?

[bobby93]

i was actually in town at about 1pm today wearing a bright yellow united shirt and got asked by two separate complete strangers if we were playing today.

so i think perhaps some sort of greater presence in the centre might be a good idea.

but compare us to our local rivals in this respect. for example, exeters ground is right in the city centre and is well signposted. plainmoor is neither of those things and i do think that has an impact on both the club and the town centre on matchdays.

[MidDevon]

i was actually in town at about 1pm today wearing a bright yellow united shirt and got asked by two separate complete strangers if we were playing today.

so i think perhaps some sort of greater presence in the centre might be a good idea.

but compare us to our local rivals in this respect. for example, exeters ground is right in the city centre and is well signposted. plainmoor is neither of those things and i do think that has an impact on both the club and the town centre on matchdays.

Great idea, next time you ae in town have one of those boards, a bit like this smiley and walk up and down the high street with it!

After all Subway and the like seem to think it works!

[Starcross_Gull]

That's the sort of thing I am talking about Jeff, fixture posters, club colours in shop windows. it would just be great to walk around town and feel like the town's people are proud of the club.

Andy

You can now download fixture posters from TUFC official site to post in your local area etc, the March poster is there to be downloaded, sorry I do not know how to post the link!! Click on 'more news' and you will find it!!

[PlainmoorRoar]

You can now download fixture posters from TUFC official site to post in your local area etc, the March poster is there to be downloaded, sorry I do not know how to post the link!! Click on 'more news' and you will find it!!

http://www.torquayunited.com/page/News/ ... 86,00.html

[usagullmichigan]

To be honest though the club are not the best at promotion, Torbay completely suck at supporting the club. When Torquay went down to the BSP the council were quick enough to moan about the loss of income to the area. Why can't the council have a bilboard on the main road by Sainsbury's with some Torquay players on it with a slogan like HEROES. Lame but something at least. You never see anything in town but also there is no players signing autographs and having photos taken outside Tescos, etc. Here we have a baseball team called the Traverse City Beach Bums. They are what I would call Truro City football team standard but the whole area supports the team. They get better crowds than Torquay, they create a buzz and an atmosphere for home games. There is no reason why Torquay cannot get 4000-5000 a game easy but its like when you are job hunting you have to find the job because they are not coming to find you. There are a lot of people in Devon from all over the UK and world and the kids grow up supporting their dad's teams: Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal etc. Get the players into schools to mingle with kids and play a match with them, make them idolise you as a player.

I always get talking to yanks and the talk about soccer and I ask them to check Torquay out. I am pleased to see a few USA YELLOW ARMY not many teams have that.

HAVE A BLOODY NICE DAY

[Dutchgull]

Spot on usagullmichigan the club seems to be scared to push itself into the mindset of the local population. Too many people at Plainmoor are resting on their laurels rather than being bold and making a real big push for it . O.k the local economy is buggered up but lets have some creative thinking and go with some ideas about bringing people to Plainmoor. Discounted tickets to local companies Tescos Sainsburies whatever ... Cheap tickets to local schools ..bring a parent ..whatever but get off your bums at TUFC and work & think to get people in by whatever means !!!

Lets have a Commercial manager with real ideas and a creative mind !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[robc]

Dutchgull - Your last sentence seems to be the most pertinent to me, at the end of the day, private sector commercial directors, even in small to middling businesses get salaries between 40-60k. My point being that I doubt very much that the club offer anywhere near that, and therefore it is inevitable that we do not get the calibre of person we need. (no offense at all meant to whoever is currently in the position, as I have no idea as to their experience or personality) The sheer lack of enthusiasm and outwardly positive noises from the club, not just now but in my whole time supporting them (1995 onwards) has always really annoyed me, and usamichigangull is spot on, there is absolutely no reason at all why we can't get regular crowds of 5000, with the demographic available within the greater bay area largely untapped. If I was 10 years older I would seriously consider offering my services myself...

[Fletch]

there is absolutely no reason at all why we can't get regular crowds of 5000, with the demographic available within the greater bay area largely untapped. If I was 10 years older I would seriously consider offering my services myself...

Rob, theres several "demographics" to account for here. Compared (for example) to the greeks, we have quite a dispersed population in terms of density within, say, 2 miles or 10 minutes of the ground. Add to that the income level in the area, with the big bias towards seasonal employment, the current financial situation, and we really are on a hiding to nothing. Saying that, a bloody big sign by the Willows would catch the eye, particularly if it had a bit where it said "next game, Saturday 12th March v Shrewsbury" on it. Might jog the memory for some...

[Southampton Gull]

Good point Fletch. You can't drive on any of the main roads around Eastleigh without failing to notice who they're playing next. Things like that are cheap and help raise the profile of the club within the community.