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Posts from the ‘Stockport County’ Category

Sep 1

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Don’t cry for me

An unusual event – a player leaving the pitch, crying from emotions, during the game!  Of course, we’ve witnessed tears from players in winning or losing a big fixture – but apart from injury I can’t recall similar.  One of his own fans, for Trabazonspor in Turkey apparently gave the verbal abuse referring to the player’s recently deceased mother. Now bringing mums into disrepute we know can cause reactions!

I cannot say that we as County fans don’t get saddened by the continuing demise of our Club.  Three goals in four minutes, away against Harrogate sends Stockport County towards the foot of the SKrill North.  It seems that the same old vociferous fans chirp up with solutions but it’s fair to say neither they, former managers or Board Directors/Shareholders seem to have the right acumen.  To that statement, I make one exception, Richard Park (who I approached to get more involved with County) – a genuine supporter; and I have to say, I think targeting Ryan McKnight, existing Chief Executive, is misplaced.  Young he might be, but he has fresh ideas and contacts – that appears more than anyone else is bringing to the “Mad Hatters Tea Party!”

Aug 30

Watch it…..

Use of social media remains under the watchful eyes of consultants and employees in the football industry.  However you feel, it has merits and can be a vital part of the mix of marketing communications.  Of course, there are some like our very own Ryan McKnight that could equally highlight where such tools have been detrimental as have former managers like David Jones who I’m led to believe detested online fans forums and banned players from viewing.

FC Business (and Aaron Syed Jaffery) has recently presented some interesting findings.  I comment on those of interest to my activities in UK and Turkey.  Like any other form of strategy, measurement is critical to assess ROI.  I was intrigued to learn myself, that one client (a major Champions League player in Europe) had three countries above its own with more social media followers!  Attracting ‘Followers’ is not enough and that outlook merely represents vanity or an additional channel of communication.  Activation requires more calls to action and tangible results justifying any investment and assessment.

From a selective sample some interesting findings:

–  Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are top three Facebook numbers with Liverpool a close fourth.  Though recent recruits at Manchester City with social media expertise suggest it will climb in this table also.  Crystal Palace is at the foot.

–  On Twitter, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have top spots with far lower numbers (e.g.  first position Facebook 33M; Twitter 2M).

– Looking across mainland Europe top three FC Barcelona, Real Madrid then Manchester United.  Galatasaray are in fifth though.

– Galatasaray reach third in Twitter however, with 2.7M followers.

Seems appropriate to finish these musings with my Son’s picture sitting on Fatih Terim’s lap in the dugout at Shrewsbury Town as I get starred at for wearing the new County away kit (which apparently resembles a recent Fenerbache away one!).  Watch this space the creativity for social media and tools have no boundaries.

Aug 29

Stockport County Minithon 2011

ACV not AVB

The concept is gaining momentum not least through Supporters Direct’s motivation.  In my tenure as director of Stockport County Supporters’ Co-operative we authorised such an approach to Edgeley Park.  It’s fair to say Stockport MBC had no idea what this meant having never faced such a request before.  At least there are precedents now including: Oxford United to Liverpool.

The main attraction, in theory, is that “under recent legislation if a stadium gets an ACV designation, and its owners later decide to sell up, they must first offer fan bodies or other community groups first chance to make an offer for the ground.”.

A current collective of County fans has sought to reignite this proposition. Will they beat Manchester United to it? What I require to fully appreciate is what this will ‘fans’ or ‘financiers’ do after any such notification, to fund any alternative holding?  It will however, hamper asset stripping.

Aug 27

Aman for all seasons

The ‘Indian’ economy is the World’s tenth-largest by nominal GDP and third-largest by purchasing power parity, yet few ‘exports’ have made it in British football.  I am delighted this Week to have become the sponsor of Stockport County’s latest recruit in Aman Verma – and wish him every success at Edgeley Park.

Aman said to the Manchester Evening News “the size of Stockport County made it an easy decision for him to join the club.”  We certainly need him to be a ‘red hot indian’ after the latest two defeats to Altrincham (away) and to Colwyn Bay (home).  In fairness, having witnessed both I personally felt that only Aman and Adriano Moke deserved any real credit from the performances.

COWS (County’s Official Web Site) states: “The midfielder began his career at Leicester City but having worked his way through their youth academy he failed to break into the first team squad and was eventually released.  Having then played well for Conference North outfit Redditch United he was invited back to Leicester for a trial in December 2008, when he did enough to secure a six-month contract, which was then extended for a further year.  Verma spent spells on loan at Crewe Alexandra, Histon, Kidderminster Harriers and Darlington before joining  Kettering Town for the 2011/12 campaign. Last season the midfielder spent time playing in the Maltese Premier League with Floriana (the Vaughan’s Club!), leaving the club after it ran into financial difficulties.”

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