TRVMP Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VYbTGhE96w Pretty poor. Lots of half-chances but very little confidence, it seems. Also is it just my computer or is the video really jerky at times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamOakTree Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Winning teams of course increases crowds, but with our dwindling fanbase I'm worried that some of the fans we've lost no longer have any attachment or affection for the club, and are gone for good. I think we maybe saw that in the season we were 2nd to Partick, where despite maintaining a credible challenge up to April and playing good football, we were still struggling to get more than 2,000 for most games. Given our dwindling fanbase, if we get relegated any time soon one of the consequences of the rethink you referred to will probably be going part-time. Getting back up and then going full-time again would be a long, hard struggle. Unless something drastic happens very soon, I'm really concerned our decline is now terminal. I share some of the concerns on this forum, however I'm not sure we have a dwindling fanbase. In my experience of following the Ton since 1964, when we've been struggling our attendances have always been around the 1500 mark at best. At some of those low points we've been slightly better to watch than we have been recently, and yet over recent seasons our average attendances have been quite a bit higher than 1500. On each era when we improved and started to show some sort of potential to make a challenge, the "sleeping" fans have returned in great numbers. I'm still hopeful this can be the case again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingTON Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 I see this week’s post match pearls of wisdom from the manager involve raving about technically great the Highland League is and the number of crack, ex-senior players at Brora. Brora fucking Rangers, now being talked up by a Morton manager as if they were the Harlem Globetrotters of Scottish football. Someone just escort this fucking loser out of the Cappielow gates now. The site is supposed to be a place for the extended 'family' of Morton supporters - having an affinity with people that you don't know, because you share a love of your local football club. It's not supposed to be about point scoring and showing how 'clever' or 'funny' you are, or just being downright rude and offensive to people you don't know, because you can get away with it. Unfortunately, it seems the classic case of people who have little standing/presence in real life, use this forum as a way of making themselves feel as if they are something. It's sad, and I've said that before.. So, having been on Morton forums for about 15 years I guess, I've had enough... well done t*ssers, another Morton supporter driven away. You can all feel happy at how 'clever' you are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hej Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 Are the suspended staff members still being paid whilst the club has to cover their match-day absences? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greacen2000 Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 I share some of the concerns on this forum, however I'm not sure we have a dwindling fanbase. In my experience of following the Ton since 1964, when we've been struggling our attendances have always been around the 1500 mark at best. At some of those low points we've been slightly better to watch than we have been recently, and yet over recent seasons our average attendances have been quite a bit higher than 1500. On each era when we improved and started to show some sort of potential to make a challenge, the "sleeping" fans have returned in great numbers. I'm still hopeful this can be the case again. I haven't been supporting Morton quite as long as you, but been going to Cappielow since about 1986. While I agree that our support in the worst of times has seldom dropped below the 1500 mark, I am still a bit concerned about the damage being caused by the extended period of mediocrity we are going through. The longer this goes on the more our core support is likely to dwindle. We are talking over 30 years since we have had a sniff of top flight football. 2 flirtations with promotion in 95-96 & 2012-13, a league cup semi final, a challenge cup final & a fluke win over Celtic is all we have had to really write home about in this period. I will admit that in all my years of supporting Morton, this is the most apathy I have ever felt towards the club. Yes, DDFR saved the club and the Rae family have put a lot of money into the club over the years, but the past 18 years has also been characterised by chronic mismanagement. Poor managerial & board appointments, spunking money on over inflated transfer fees & wages(and disappearing roofs), and then latterly a period of on field austerity coupled with ill-advised spending on unnecessary new turnstiles. The thread about the team of the decade really is sobering reading and shows the amount of dross we have had to put up with watching. Sadly I do not have the answer, but I am pretty sure that a change of ownership has to be part of it. I have even found myself asking the question if going down would actually be good for us in the longer term - a couple of back to back promotions would at very least get the crowds back up, bring back a feelgood factor to the club, and put us back on an upward trajectory (rather than treading water in mediocrity). Sadly, if this were to happen I am not even convinced that we would be able to come back up again, and fear we would be at risk of becoming another AIrdrie or Clyde. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cet Homme Charmant Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 I share some of the concerns on this forum, however I'm not sure we have a dwindling fanbase. In my experience of following the Ton since 1964, when we've been struggling our attendances have always been around the 1500 mark at best. At some of those low points we've been slightly better to watch than we have been recently, and yet over recent seasons our average attendances have been quite a bit higher than 1500. On each era when we improved and started to show some sort of potential to make a challenge, the "sleeping" fans have returned in great numbers. I'm still hopeful this can be the case again. As per my comments to VT, I really hope you're right and we're just in the bottom of a normal cycle, and we'll eventually recover. But I see now a call for a boycott on one of the FB fan pages, made by a prominent and respected member of this forum, who I've always put well and truly into the 'die-hard' category. I think he's only been to a couple of games this season and won't be attended any more in the foreseeable future, by the looks of things. I fully accept that you and VT are far better placed than me to gauge the general mood of the fans, but I can't help but have the feeling that the current apathy and discontent is at a level I've never experienced before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmdc Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 As per my comments to VT, I really hope you're right and we're just in the bottom of a normal cycle, and we'll eventually recover. But I see now a call for a boycott on one of the FB fan pages, made by a prominent and respected member of this forum, who I've always put well and truly into the 'dire-hard' category. I think he's only been to a couple of games this season and won't be attended any more in the foreseeable future, by the looks of things. I fully accept that you and VT are far better placed than me to gauge the general mood of the fans, but I can't help but have the feeling this level is apathy and discontent is at a level I've never experienced before. Can well understand individuals choosing not to go but I’m not sure what an all-out boycott could achieve. As far as I can tell, GC want to sell so it doesn’t force the issue there. The more pressing problem is the lack of interest in taking it on. Personally I don’t think the debt is all that significant a stumbling block, at least not to parties at least expressing an interest - a debt like that can be negotiated down or negotiated away. The stumbling block is the significant risk of taking on a running six figure deficit that, when put in context of the division as a whole, seems to be the condition of FT football at this level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingTON Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 I don't see how someone calling for a boycott now is any different from what people say every time this (or any other) club is dung and in a downward spiral though. Secondly, I strongly suspect there's a generational aspect going on here as well: it is entirely normal for a section of the fanbase to grow in apathy as they get older and have other demands on their time and interest on a given Saturday afternoon. While at the same time there are young teams popping up from nowhere (usually with an annoying drum or some other novelty for a wee while) who replace the once 'diehards' from an older cohort. This natural replenishment is boosted by winning games even at a lower level, which is why stagnation is the real threat to the size of a club's core support and not relegation. The site is supposed to be a place for the extended 'family' of Morton supporters - having an affinity with people that you don't know, because you share a love of your local football club. It's not supposed to be about point scoring and showing how 'clever' or 'funny' you are, or just being downright rude and offensive to people you don't know, because you can get away with it. Unfortunately, it seems the classic case of people who have little standing/presence in real life, use this forum as a way of making themselves feel as if they are something. It's sad, and I've said that before.. So, having been on Morton forums for about 15 years I guess, I've had enough... well done t*ssers, another Morton supporter driven away. You can all feel happy at how 'clever' you are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cet Homme Charmant Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 I don't see how someone calling for a boycott now is any different from what people say every time this (or any other) club is dung and in a downward spiral though. Secondly, I strongly suspect there's a generational aspect going on here as well: it is entirely normal for a section of the fanbase to grow in apathy as they get older and have other demands on their time and interest on a given Saturday afternoon. While at the same time there are young teams popping up from nowhere (usually with an annoying drum or some other novelty for a wee while) who replace the once 'diehards' from an older cohort. This natural replenishment is boosted by winning games even at a lower level, which is why stagnation is the real threat to the size of a club's core support and not relegation. Not sure I 100% agree with the generational thing, I know plenty of fellow coffin dodgers who are as committed now as they were in their teens. I think a bigger factor in depopulation of Inverclyde, currently ~80k whereas 30 years ago it was well over 100k (~120k IIRC). That's a huge chunk of the potential fanbase lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton4life Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 Also is it just my computer or is the video really jerky at times? Good pic on my £100 tablet. New computer needed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRVMP Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 Also is it just my computer or is the video really jerky at times? Good pic on my £100 tablet. New computer needed! Yeah, I figured it might be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HamCam Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 My take on the attendances is that the older generation/diehards make up the majority of our crowd. The concern for me is the generation that has only known under-performance and failure - they are the ones who appear to be chucking it. The disconnect between the club and the fans is a chasm. I do though agree that it could all change if we had a winning team on the park - at the moment that is not looking likely, therefore, expect many more bed-wetting threads on the disappearing crowds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton in Shawlands Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 The underachievement bit is a myth. Morton with a few exceptions hovered between about 8th to under 20th in Scotland for most of the last 100 years, there's been exceptions, mainly the Rooney years, but we've almost never been a consistent top 10-12 team even when the league's were bigger. The real issue is we never punch above our weight anymore, always below Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton4life Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 What below out weight. Just checked Brora has a population of around 1100 We must be playing imports and a bankrolled outfit. Sorry fully backed and bankrolled. What are their attendesses like all the locals must go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_Partridge_Ton Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 What below out weight. Just checked Brora has a population of around 1100 We must be playing imports and a bankrolled outfit. Sorry fully backed and bankrolled. What are their attendesses like all the locals must go. I’m sorry Ton4life, that was just a noise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRVMP Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 They are indeed bankrolled, have been for a few years now. They won the HL a few years back before losing to Montrose in the League playoff amidst dubious circumstances (their chairman, whom I presume is named Tormod or Sandy, pretty much came out and said he didn't fancy league football.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 They are indeed bankrolled, have been for a few years now. They won the HL a few years back before losing to Montrose in the League playoff amidst dubious circumstances (their chairman, whom I presume is named Tormod or Sandy, pretty much came out and said he didn't fancy league football.) Aye, it was the same year we won League One. Was at the second leg in Montrose when they went in 1-0 up from the first leg. They could barely fill a bench with guys away on stag dos and I’m sure I read one of them celebrating his mum’s birthday (it might’ve been Ross Tokely). Anyway, they took a first half lead and were denied a stonewall penalty IIRC, and star striker Steven McKay (now the manager) got booked for his protests. In the first minute of the second half, McKay was sent off for a brutal kick on the half way line which was completely unnecessary. Montrose got their equaliser but still needed another and the capitulation didn’t really happen. It was only with about 8 minutes to go Marvin Andrews scored a header from a corner which looked like taking the tie to extra time before Gary Wood settled the tie late on with a screamer. I was wanting Brora to win that day in order to see some change at the bottom of the league system but the tie did leave a sour taste from the neutral’s point of view. A positive I would take from it though is that Montrose have gotten the finger out since then- they were protected from joke club status for years by East Stirling’s hapless inadequacy, so I suppose being forced into actually working for their league place has seen them actually go on and make progress, which is an unexpected consequence of the pyramid. Been there once, a couple of months after that play off game for a friendly which we won 1-0, pretty sure it was Stefan McCluskey that scored that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Another 7-0 win for Brora today- their fourth of the season, away to our old pals Turriff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigB Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Do they play on grass or artificial surface? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbobton Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Do they play on grass or artificial surface?Mud probably St Johnstone are as Sh.te as us so win this game and we have a chance of an upset A better chance than I thought when the draw was made A decent manager would get us through Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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