: Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:18 pm  

Well said! Having started the thread I am amazed at the level of response and pleased at how many suggestions for improvements there have been.

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:43 pm  

davo1979 wrote:

Well, I like the new ground.

I don't have to huddle under the TS stand when it rains.

I can pee without getting my feet wet.

I get a great view of the game.

I can hear the tannoy (most of the time)

There is a great club shop, with some very good merchandise and quite reasonably priced.

I bought a season ticket so it doesn't cost me a great deal more than it did last year. Probably even a bit less with the extra game and free challenge cup ticket.

East and miners look to have benefitted from there being no supporters bar, which is good IMO.

IIRC the only games at HP over the last few years with real atmosphere, have been against the big guns.

The club did it's bit in trying to get people into the stadium with the season ticket offer. Nobody bothered with it.

My opinion is at the moment that I'm gonna get behind the club, no matter what. Only one way the club is gonna get bigger and better is by getting more fans in. Instead of justifying reasons why I can't go to games. I just go, enjoy it for what it is, and I can go home feeling like I have in some way contributed to the club I love.

Trouble is for everyone like me there are three people who will stay at home because they heard a pie costs £2.70.

Which is why we will never be a superleague club!

Hit the nail on the head. We all show our frustrations with the club and they do make mistakes, but are they flogging a dead horse?

There seems to be some idealist memories of Hilton Park as well. Would anyone really have enjoyed Sunday's game any more if it was at Hilton Park???

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:55 pm  

I like the new stadium but I feel several things have to change.

Open up the west stand central area. It will stop the empty terrace view and create more noise. Also the west stand has a great disabled platform let some people use it free and then they will probably bring a helper.

Get some cover over the ticket office or open 1 cash turnstile per stand for the last minute supporters. Make it easy to get in rather than an effort.

Offer, not individuals, but groups of people a free ticket to visit a game. A complete class from a school (sorry if they do this already), fire service, nurses, British Legion etc. Maybe once they have been they will come back again.

Have a supporters bar selling reasonably priced food (like the MM bar). I use the hotel at the moment £5.50meal deal (food and a pint).

Get rid of the rest of the scaffolding around the stands. Put some shirts or posters up. Make the concourses friendlier where supporters can chat.

The new stadium is a great opportunity but if not careful it may turn into a bureaucratic white elephant.

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:46 pm  

Kids......

At HP, they could wander round a bit, facepaint and bouncy castle beforehand, our Alex (9yo) enjoyed the afternoon out with a couple of mates. A couple of drinks in the MM, meeting a few players, it was a safe enough haven for them to learn a bit of social independance.

At a younger (and controlable) age they just want to move about and explore a bit, follow Parky or whatever its called now, wander over to the tunnel when the players are going through, that kind of stuff.

Now and again they'd watch some of the rugby too. But every home game they looked forward to it.

Now they sit on a seat for 80 minutes watching rugby that can test the patience of many a man. Its free, yes, but its bloody boring for them too.

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:50 pm  

I have been told your caterers come from Huddersfield,no wonder it is a rip off, i understand the Park Inn is the best value for a pre-match meal thats where i will be heading on our visit.

[Dick Jones]

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:54 pm  

We go Leigh East cheap food and beer and a stone throw from the ground. Also amatuer rugby being played there every Sunday, for prematch entertainment.

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:57 pm  

Alexs Dad wrote:

Kids......

At HP, they could wander round a bit, facepaint and bouncy castle beforehand, our Alex (9yo) enjoyed the afternoon out with a couple of mates. A couple of drinks in the MM, meeting a few players, it was a safe enough haven for them to learn a bit of social independance.

At a younger (and controlable) age they just want to move about and explore a bit, follow Parky or whatever its called now, wander over to the tunnel when the players are going through, that kind of stuff.

Now and again they'd watch some of the rugby too. But every home game they looked forward to it.

Now they sit on a seat for 80 minutes watching rugby that can test the patience of many a man. Its free, yes, but its bloody boring for them too.

Not being funny but it is a rugby match not a fun day i can understand certain issues but it is all well and done shouting you dont like etc just stop moaning or just don't go its our new home and i for one like it, it is better than the old Hilton park by a country mile we have to move with the times when the ground does fill its a good atmosphere take the Wigan friendly that had the atmosphere but we are a long way from those days yet the club needs support not constant moaning of we don't like this and that its the first season at the venue for gods sake there are bound to be issues but as a club it needs support!

[mish]

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:15 pm  

I know someone who's company has paid over £5000 for a box for the season. This company is a good sponsor for Leigh, and had been for quite a while.
They don't normally eat in the box because it's too expensive so they've been going to the hotel. However on Sunday they had some guests and asked if they could have the Mother's Day meal. 'Certainly Sir, that'll be £35 per guest' was the reply and my friend went on to explain that he already had a match day ticket and had already paid for a box and couldn't he just pay for the meal? 'Sorry Sir you'll have to pay £35 to have the meal!
My friend and his clients were appalled - is this the way to treat one of our biggest sponsors? I think not!!

BTW, £35 was the price for a ticket and meal in the Mothers Day package!


How can you run a business like this?

[Dick Jones]

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:18 pm  

Problem is Mish that the club are suffering because of this and its not their fault. Their hands are tied on what they charge?

[mish]

: Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:24 pm  

Dick Jones wrote:

Problem is Mish that the club are suffering because of this and its not their fault. Their hands are tied on what they charge?

I know, and the management company are going to run the club down to the ground unless someone gets a grip of what's happening there.

I just can't believe what's happening TBH. The whole thing seems to be turning into a nightmare!