Belles and Rovers

[graingrover]

I remember the considerable advantage to Rovers, during neotiations with the Council ,that our club 'adopted' the Belles . It helped further our cause for a Community stadium to be built .
   I am unsure as to what the concrete ties are with the Belles but it is clear that they have need of our full support for the last home game of the season v Birmingham City on 23 September at 14 .00, at Keepmoat. One of the central strategies in building a Community Rovers must be to give our support to the Belles .  They have been unbeaten in their last three games but have yet to meet Brum, Liverpool and Arsenal. If Rovers could help them swell the gate from the 500 in attendance at the last home game to 750 it would be great . Any ideas ... like free entry to Rovers season ticket holders .... distribution of match tickets to schools free for Belles v Birminghm and Rovers v Chestefield?

[A9]

They gave free tickets away to Rovers fans at the last home game but it didn't help the attendance. I think you either like the standard of womens football or you don't. Its a bit like the Dons. I want them to do well but I wouldn't go to watch them if it was free because I just don't like the sport. Perhaps both the rugby and the Belles need to target the youngsters more to get them interested at an early age.

[graingrover]

yes I know ... but the Rovers game finished at 16.40 and the Belles game kicked off nearly two hours later ... it's a lot to ask folk to hang around Keepmoat for nearly 2 hours before the next match. I agree about the yongsters and there were lots at the Belles v Bristol game .It is unique that this town has a professional team in the same league as Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton ... let's try to hang on to Super League status that the Rovers nor Dons have ever achieved . The FA applauded the club's initiative for trying to help the Belles .   

[Mr1Croft]

I think the Arsenal game would have been better if the Rovers were on after, not before. If for example the Belles kicked off at 3, and we kicked off at 5:25 more would have turned up for the Belles.

[WestYorkshireRover]

GraingRover, you are wrong about the Dons they competed in the Stones Bitter Championship in 94 which is now know as the Super league. We were even top of the league for a short while after beating Widnes live on Sky. They were good days.

[newyankee]

Agreed West Yorkshire Rover, but they were ruined by a crook of a Chairman, a certain Mr Desmond, say no more, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

[Spud]

As a st holder, i'll be at the Keepmoat on the saturday. Then i manage my lads junior team on a Sunday morning.
Our lass would be well chuffed at the suggestion :-/
Would love to give support to the Belles but have to prioritise am afraid.
I guess my case isn't unique.

[Barmby Rover]

A 12.00 kick off for the Belles would be good, I would watch them before the main match. The longer people are in the ground the better, and it would encourage people into the ground before 2 minutes before kick off. The build up to games wold improve. When the Belles don't have a game maybe we could see the junior team in action in the same time slot.
Would the groundsmen have a fit about it though?

[Dagenham Rover]

A 12.00 kick off for the Belles would be good, I would watch them before the main match. The longer people are in the ground the better, and it would encourage people into the ground before 2 minutes before kick off. The build up to games wold improve. When the Belles don't have a game maybe we could see the junior team in action in the same time slot.
Would the groundsmen have a fit about it though?

That is possibly a very good idea

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Completely agree about the Belles benefitting from being the warm up match however, as so many of us like a pre-match pint before the main event then attendance will always be limited...unless they relax the rules on being able to drink in your seat a la Rugby.

[RobTheRover]

Thats an FA rule I'm afraid, so that would be a no.

I went to the SoccerAid game at Old Trafford in the summer and it was weird having a beer and watching the match.

[Milepostuk]

Completely agree about the Belles benefitting from being the warm up match however, as so many of us like a pre-match pint before the main event then attendance will always be limited...unless they relax the rules on being able to drink in your seat a la Rugby.

If Belles went on first it would cause problems in terms of them getting an income from the game. When they went on second most of the crowd paying for that game entered the ground 5.30 - 6. If they went in first how would you ensure that anyone buying a ticket for that game only left the ground before the Rovers match.