Promotion Question

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Getting back on topic and planning ahead for next season should we secure promotion.

Again, learning from our previous experience on the pitch. Fitness and desire. One thing Flitcroft at Barnsley has done is up the work rate and they have improved their results.

Let's be honest, we will carry the majority of our regular players in to next season and if they are going to be prepared to play at Championship level, they need to be fitter than ever so, they need a short break and then hit the endurance training. I think Mal Purchase would have had this in hand however, we know little about our new fitness fella.

With a few smart additions, also taking today's signing in to account, we could have a really good 'bonded' squad who are prepared to work extremely hard for the cause. Maintain and develop a few young lads in and around the squad, and we will have a product the folk will want to watch. 

[DMnumber4]

Maintain and develop a few young lads in and around the squad, and we will have a product the folk will want to watch. 

Dont want to p*ss on your chips at all, as I agree with the sentiment of your post, but we're nowhere near as attractive a side as we were when we went up to the Championship under SO'D.

I worry that Doncaster can't support a Championship sized club. It should be able to, but seemingly doesn't 

[roversam]

thats what i like to see, a nice positive post 

[hoolahoop]

thats what i like to see, a nice positive post 

However he is talking about the current reality of our situation regarding attendances. I think we need to have a good look at what we're doing , perhaps even seek out those that managed to achieve that at Bradford for their input or even Bury who encourage their unemployed to watch a match for £10 for instance. There must be many ways of looking at the problem other than the IRWT and Community work done at present.
Perhaps it's time for Rovers to be really innovative here and not look at past experiments which have failed but a complete overhaul of how  how we market the club locally, how we measure those results and more to the point when was the last time we actually bothered to  get on to the streets of our town and villages and asked folk what they not us (the converted) want to see from our club. It could be lowered prices, it could be incentives, it could be linking up with major employers, it could be more attractions as well as footy on the day for their kids etc..............we have to talk to them.
Just what is their perception and why are they staying away ? If we don't truly ask or are afraid of the answers ; then they the club cannot meet these aspirations.
Talk to them, I know we give many free tickets to schools etc. but if the parents can't be arsed to bring them then it's a waste of time.
Do DRFC ever turn up with stands at the many festivals and fetes we have to bring the club brand right into their communities ? I suggest not and I'm not demeaning the efforts that the club go to with the 'Rovers in the Community' programme but the message fails to reach those that might take their kids to a game or indeed might go with their mates.
Unfortunately the IRWT exercise (valiant as it may be) is only helping the converted ..........it's the 'unconverted' that we MUST listen to.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Absolutely spot on Hoola. You would hope with all the e-mail addresses that have been captured in recent years and the IRWT surveys we seem to be able to organise, we'd be keen to do one specifically on this subject.

In terms of marketing, clearly the club continues to do good work with schools, but every time I visit on of the massive supermarkets we have around the town, the town centre, I wonder weather this is where we should be taking the 'Rovers Roadshow' in the summer months.

Literally drumming up support with all the trimmings, face-painting, dolly-birds (a la Bet Butler) to encourage folk to sign up. Get some of the players on hand to sign shirts etc. Be prepared to take money off people there and then....and give them a deal if it means a sale !!   

[hoolahoop]

Absolutely spot on Hoola. You would hope with all the e-mail addresses that have been captured in recent years and the IRWT surveys we seem to be able to organise, we'd be keen to do one specifically on this subject.

In terms of marketing, clearly the club continues to do good work with schools, but every time I visit on of the massive supermarkets we have around the town, the town centre, I wonder weather this is where we should be taking the 'Rovers Roadshow' in the summer months.

Literally drumming up support with all the trimmings, face-painting, dolly-birds (a la Bet Butler) to encourage folk to sign up. Get some of the players on hand to sign shirts etc. Be prepared to take money off people there and then....and give them a deal if it means a sale !!   

Exactly, it's been ridiculously hard to get any help in the past from the club. I know things are improving but we do NEED to attack these Summer fetes and see if we can interact with the people of our own town.
We have a town that literally teems with folk on market days let's get some dolly birds to get some feedback and suggestions. Do folk really know what's available from the stadium as a whole in respect of the sports that take place and the events that take place i.e. the dinner dances/fireworks/ bands etc in their Community stadium........I very much doubt it.
Whilst on this point , it's high time that all the stadium staff wore Rovers branded uniforms.....especially in the Belle Vue bars and concourses. Irrespective of who supplies the catering it should have been implemented immediately the opportunity arose and still we have staff working in OUR club bars wearing gold ties and black shirts as if they were at Molyneux ffs what message does this send to folk ? Are we that tight that we are unable to afford to get the staff in there supplied with our colours ? 
Burnley , a small town in Lancashire, get all their local businesses large and small to 'buy' into the club represents the town mentality. We need some lateral thinking here or am I mad ?