Other football clubs across the country have been adapting to change since the end of the pandemic. There has been a big rise in football popularity with increased attendances and in-flow of revenue across the leagues.
What concepts from other clubs have impressed you and which of these concepts could we adopt to make us more competitive on the pitch or off it?
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Bradford City - Not sure what the current ticket deals are but its essentially cheap season tickets in a large catchment area gives them a better income overall and a growing fan base. I think 37th in the country!
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Plymouth Argyle - They operate an âevergreenâ concept which gives fans priority for tickets and discounted merchandise but more than that they outline where that membership money goes specifically⌠i.e break down the costs for scouting, youth team / academy purchases⌠its abit like a welfare fund for club improvements and seems popular. Plymouth also have a strong analytical and scouting set up. Seems to be going well down there winning the league with lower resources than other clubs in League One.
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Portsmouth - They operate a scheme alongside Portsmouth University which allows them use of sports science facilities and labs for performance and data improvement and enable the sports science students to gain paid for scholarships working with the club across the academy. Younger players can also develop coaching quals and other educational qualifications with this agreement. Mutually beneficial. They also work with the Royal Navys sports facilities and once a year do some military leadership activities at HMS Collingwood.
Just some interesting concepts which bind those clubs closer to the community or the fan base.
What ideas could we adapt or suggest that have worked elsewhere?
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Say good bye to Pomlett Mole and Whalley
Keep Gamble I like him.
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Buy a ticket and get 20% discount at the market 
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My number one improvement idea: stop signing tat like Williams, Abraham, Cashman and DJT and pay for some quality!
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Loose the âon the cheapâ tag which applies to 99% of everything the club does. Players, merchandise, food, everything.
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Agreed but these type of squad fillers should really be budding prospects from our academy. Been cheaper that then frees you that part of the budget towards first team.
The decline in our academy has adversely effected our club more than most realise. However there will always be squad filler players when we are running to a budget and we have long term injuries.
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What ideas have we seen from other clubs, innovative exciting concepts that we could copy and make our own?
Yes, you would expect a few squad fillers but when they comprise the majority of the squad then you end up 16th in Division 4.
But the ones you quoted were not Abrahams left DJT bench filler, Williams experienced but mainly one the bench. Agreed to close to first team but thatâs due to 30% of the budget on injuries that leaves very little to chance their arm with.
Cashman did well at Rochdale, Williams vastly experienced Abrahams yeah well pace and worked with MF before DJT brought in when another injury hit. Agreed we need to grow better but I do think the budget had gone and we needed bodies in during this period. MF was backed but the mantra from the board was still we donât spend more than we earn.
If you take 30% off a top ten budget say you end up with a lower mid table team thatâs what we got
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Whoever is manager next season, he will fail unless heâs allowed to sign better players.
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Well if Artell gets appointed he has a wealth of academy experience, Crewe were renowned for their academy development where they produced good young hungry players that developed into 1st team regulars, they also accrued decent money when players left, this wasnât luck, this was a developed strategic environment that Artell was a part of. I think his input regarding young players development would be crucial if he is offered the managers role, plus he did get Crewe promoted and generally playing decent stuff, I think we could do a lot worse than giving Artell the job, just my opinion of course, still bloody hate Crewe.
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Better drainage for the toilets and people who can cook a sausage roll and a pie without it being charcoal
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You ask a good question, thing is most of us are only follow WFC and are not aware of what goes on at other clubs.
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There are numerous issues that need to be addressed.
The ground (toilets, food quality etc)
A new approach from the club to the fans
(Regular updates on players injuries and their progress)
Instead of acting like the KGB.
Invest in the team especially the creative side.
It wonât be achieved overnight but as Trivela are in it for the long haul start with a statement of intent as regards the team.
That one thing alone will put bums on seats.
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Wonder when they will announce plans for saddlers club
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With all of the injuries wouldnât a thorough review of the medical/sports science dept (if we have one) be a good starting point.
I donât remember a season where weâve had as many issues with injury as we have in the last 18months. Just look at the way Whitney, when Physio, used to get players on the pitch instead of being on the treatment table
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As has been pointed out a few times over the last few months, this season they have mostly been freak and serious injuries rather than the usual common or garden muscle strains and hamstrings that a good physio can keep at bay. You just canât legislate for that or avoid by coaching or improving fitness.
But I agree that having a good physio/conditioning coach who can keep those niggling minor injuries down (like Whitney did) is worth their weight in gold to clubs like us (without massive squads with plenty of depth) as they can keep key players fit who would otherwise miss a few games here and there - or play on with an injury that stops them from being as good as when theyâre 100%.
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Great point. Portsmouth as an example use the university to great effect tapping into the sports science undergraduates and therefore into the skills labs and facilities available there. We have Walsall Campus (for Wolverhampton University) on our doorstep with a massive physiotherapy, sports science school and probably on far facilities.
A link with them would be beneficial IMO. Even if only to begin to poach the most promising graduates or give them a placement location, supported by our own professionals to experience a EFL element to their trade. Could even get a nutritionists in for occasional work.
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A really good thread, shame it only took the first reply for someone to use it as an opportunity to bash the board again.
Personally think the 2nd and 3rd ideas are really good and something we should explore further, particularly given our proximity to the sports campus at University of Wolverhampton.
I think the one around Bradford and their season ticket prices is a bit of a non starter however. Every club outside the PL is wrestling with the same two fundamentals of wanting to fill their ground to capacity or as close as possible whilst at the same time maximising the revenue they can generate from ticket sales. We already are one if not the cheapest club for families/kids where they effectively can get a season ticket for free and yet our average crowds this season were only 12th highest in League 2. I think we could slash season ticket prices in half and we would not double our sales and match by match income would fall significantly too.
I do think we can look at ease of access and transport to the ground. When Charlton were particularly successful in the PL 20 years or so ago they used to provide free buses from various places around Kent/South London to try and grow their fanbase. Perhaps something we could look into from towns particularly to the east of us Brownhills/Lichfield etc? Or try and look at subsidised travel on the train line into Bescot on the Rugeley Trent Valley line, this could be opened up further when the new stations at Willenhall and Darlaston are completed.
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