The only show in town?
Pen to paper
By David Sindall
October 27 2025
At the weekend we were the only local team, above non-League level, to pick up any points. The red noses are in free fall and having finished the house warmings, the blue noses are returning to last season’s form. Perhaps we will see an upsurge in interest.
I doubt it. Across my life football has changed. To some extent we have all become telly clappers. The Accrington v Rovers game is on Sky. The choice of a night in the warm in front of the box or a night in Accrington isn’t really a choice. I like Accrington’s ground, and if it were a weekend game I might have considered going. Mid week in a wet and windy Accrington doesn’t inspire me. Hats off to those who will make the journey though.
Family commitments, again, mean that I will miss the game against Stockport too. Our next League game at Prenton Park isn’t until half way through the month. After that there are only two games before Boxing Day. The season is evaporating before my eyes. It seems strange. I can only hope that the second half of the season sees me missing fewer home games. The trouble is that life sometimes gets in the way.
To the die hards this must seem like an act of betrayal. Surely supporting Tranmere is about going to every possible game regardless. You mean you didn’t see the Youth match against Curzon Albion? Call yourself a supporter?
I kind of get it. Love is blind, and true love quite possibly doesn’t worry about freezing your bits off watching a meaningless game. It’s Tranmere, what more can you want?
And as I’ll miss the game against Stockport, if I show up for our 2nd round fixture, should we get through, am I a glory hunter? Not that I’ll miss any sleep over that one. People have their opinions and are entitled to them. That’s part of the problem. Pointing the finger at others is all part of the mentality of supporting teams at this level. Fighting amongst ourselves.
Recently, despite my better judgement, I peered into the cesspit that is another forum. Now, whilst the debate on here sometimes gets heated, and we have our disagreements, that other forum took toxicity to a level that couldn’t even be contained at Sellafields. It was a cross between the Wild West and Bedlam. Allegations were thrown around, vendettas were waged, it was a slow motion car crash. Never again.
Which brings me back to where I started. We know we are not the only show in town. People have other options and can go where they choose. I just like this show. It’s calmer. Less frantic, less like being on the Gaza Strip. Surely that can on,y be a good thing?
All views expressed are personal
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We have a population of 300k on The Wirral; 5% of that would equate to 15,000 fans; if we even get close to that number for each home game, imagine the possibilities it could create?
Surely there's at least 5% of The Wirral population that love football enough to attend regularly?
If the crowds could increase, the extra revenue means a better playing, squad, a better stadium & a better all-round matchday experience?
Or is all of this just a pipe-dream?
I can recall a time when home attendances were around the 10k mark so surely not?
The big issue is ownership. That doesn’t like changing soon.
That raises the question which is the better run club?
Quote:DevonExile
Yet when you look at tonight's opponents our gate money should mean that we are significantly better off. If we are not then our expenditure must be greater, but no greater effect as we are in almost identical league positions.
That raises the question which is the better run club?
Yes but they have a smaller ground with smaller costs that is cheaper to run and as a percentage is fuller than ours . Based on capacity to average gate we ate 4th bottom in the 92 of least full grounds. Unfortunately rules state you don't staff a ground to its gate but it's capacity so we have to employ and have in place sufficient safety for near a 17k gate each game. Then of course the utilities and maintenance are higher, PP is a huge wright around the clubs neck.
And At £24 a game we aren't going to invite the curious to the ground to see whats going on.
I suspect we have a much higher non-playing staff contingent than most other clubs at our level.
Quote:Zint
Fair point about the ground size Bored.
I suspect we have a much higher non-playing staff contingent than most other clubs at our level.
I would think so for sure