: Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:32 pm  

It might be more advantageous for you to run sessions at the LSV and invite schools to visit you there, assuming there's a space in which you could do it.

That way you'll be getting kids into the new facility, which will have the wow-factor, and can reward them for completing tasks with tickets for the next home game.

They're far more like to use the free tickets, and bring paying parents, if they've actually been to the ground and 'tasted' the facilities whilst taking part in learning activities.

You'd still need to find a player or two to show their face I suppose, but could run it with other club staff instead - the wow-factor would come from the stadium rather than the actual player.

: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:25 pm  

Fatboys Limb wrote:

It might be more advantageous for you to run sessions at the LSV and invite schools to visit you there, assuming there's a space in which you could do it.

That way you'll be getting kids into the new facility, which will have the wow-factor, and can reward them for completing tasks with tickets for the next home game.

They're far more like to use the free tickets, and bring paying parents, if they've actually been to the ground and 'tasted' the facilities whilst taking part in learning activities.

You'd still need to find a player or two to show their face I suppose, but could run it with other club staff instead - the wow-factor would come from the stadium rather than the actual player.

I really think you are underestimating the power of the player as a marketing tool for thier own club. It`s the most important asset any club has.I have been involved in education for over 30yrs and I can tell you players attending any kind of function and speaking to children will get them coming along to watch.Once there it is up to the matchday experiance that will keep fetching them back.Of course speaking to kids does not come naturally the Aussie players appear to be best at it as there is lot more importance played on players promoting thier own club.There are certain skills that can be taught however and I am pretty sure some kind of promotion work will be in a players contract now.I honestly think players should help to promote clubs more for the money they are paid.If I had any money and had anything to do with players contracts at a club, I would build in a bonus system for crowd increases into a contract so they got extra money if they increased the crowd.You would soon see the players out and about at galas ,schools and anywhere else they might get a few more punters from.
Quite a few years ago when Bradord won the league and Deacon moved in as there promotions manager I answered my phone at school and it was Bradford asking when our school gala was I asked them why and they said "Well we`re sending a couple of players a signed ball and the "Bulls Roadshow" you will make money and we`ll give free tickets to the kids.I declined and said you shouldn`t` be poaching over in someone elses patch. But the papers were full of schools who took them up on it they were also at every junior awards night. The rest as you say is history they did "think out of the box" and took the rewards .

: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:03 pm  

If clubs were full time i would have written into contract about the working in schools jnr clubs etc I have said it before a good idea with full time (and thats a laugh with the hours they do -or don't do) personell but not with playes who work through the day as they have no time and those who do wish to do so usually coach or assist at their local clubs, its not a new idea we were doing it years ago when more of our players didnt have full time jobs.

: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:22 pm  

FredParky wrote:

If clubs were full time i would have written into contract about the working in schools jnr clubs etc I have said it before a good idea with full time (and thats a laugh with the hours they do -or don't do) personell but not with playes who work through the day as they have no time and those who do wish to do so usually coach or assist at their local clubs, its not a new idea we were doing it years ago when more of our players didnt have full time jobs.

No I know it`s not a new idea every club did it but it`s to how benificial it`s done. There ought to be more clubs taking up the grants you can get them for cheer leading as well. The grants would help pay for the players to be full time, it helps promote the club and gives the kids at schools a treat.

: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:44 pm  

Kids respond to players, we need players in schools to get the kids to games.

: Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:26 am  

johnny freeman fan club wrote:

No I know it`s not a new idea every club did it but it`s to how benificial it`s done. There ought to be more clubs taking up the grants you can get them for cheer leading as well. The grants would help pay for the players to be full time, it helps promote the club and gives the kids at schools a treat.

Lynda , you do know that we have Hannah who was at Fax back in 2002 running our community dept , we do loads in the schools all around our area and beyond , as I posted earlier the player involvement in this basically stopped when Mr Abrams [ D day ] took over the riegns at our club

Yes in my opinion we need to get them more involved F/T or P/T but it seems at bthe moment nothing in life is that simple

So you were a teacher Lynda

: Sat Mar 28, 2009 7:39 am  

The club has been into my daughters school for the last few Thursdays, think it was Hannah but under the Centurions Moniker.
I think 'Arty' needs to be in attendance though to give it the wow factor for the kids.
Saying that though, my daughter loved the sessions!!

Well done Hannah and the club!

: Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:55 am  

The pies came over to my daughters school in westhoughton

Tapping into the Bolton market?

: Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:06 pm  

Another bad decision made by Leigh - I think that for a player you get working in the community on a full time contract (dual contract playing and community) you get an extra (it's in the rules) £10,000 on your salary cap. So if Halifax have six players, they'll be allowed an extra £60,000 on top of the £400,000.

I was at a meeting the other week with 'big names' in football and they said that the main principle that they work from (this was Premiership Football Clubs) is to get players and club officials into the community. They have to have contact with the Club - whether it be coaching, education etc.

Every young child in our borough should have contact with our club at least once a year - contact by going to the LSv for lessons, players going to their school, officials going to their school, etc

[Dick Jones]

: Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:42 pm  

We used to do this , Paul Rowley, Pat WEisner, Richard Marshall, Rob Smythe have all worked for our community Dept.