Hythe Town launch "In For a Quid" scheme to increase gates

HYTHE TOWN expect to attract their largest crowd of the season, having reduced their admission prices to JUST ONE POUND for their home clash against Tunbridge Wells on Saturday week, writes Stephen McCartney.

The two sides meet at Reachfields Stadium in a Bulmers Cider Kent League clash next Saturday, 7^th March, and the club have tonight launched their “IN FOR A QUID” initiative as they bid to increase crowds and their profile.

Paul Fisk’s men are one point clear at the top of the Bulmers Cider Kent League table and with 12 league games remaining, secretary Martin Giles explained why the club have taken this measure.

Despite the prospect of playing Ryman League Division One South football next season, Mr Giles says he’s disappointed with crowds so far this term, which average just 144 this term.

“The reason is to just promote local interest,” Mr Giles told www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight. “Obviously, in our position we need to increase our crowds and increase our profile as much as we can and encourage more sponsorship and to get people through the door.

“We were going to make it free, but we decided that’s unrealistic, so we’ve made it a pound each and that’s going to be good value.

“We’re hoping that families will come and people like that and we’re also hoping to attract people from outside the area, perhaps some Tunbridge Wells supporters’ who wouldn’t otherwise come.

“We’re hoping for a crowd of anything up to 300 on the day.”

Mr Giles admitted the club are struggling to attract new supporters, with the credit crunch to blame.

“I think you’ve got to continually push yourselves into people’s minds,” he said.

“People are very much staying at home, they’re not doing anything, they’re not going out to pubs, they’re batten down the hatches. I think we have to fight for our share on what there is about.”

Mr Giles says the bigger the crowd the better chances of increasing their fan-base in years to come.

“It’s always easy to build off a reasonable base,” he said. “It you have 30 people at the match and you play well, only a few of them come back, it doesn’t grow as there were only 30 people spreading the word.

“The more you have, if you have a good product, the more the word spreads around the town.”

Hythe Town are no strangers to these kind of initiatives.

“We did it last year with Herne Bay, we had a lottery in the town and sent out free tickets to the lottery holders and to some people who promoted our posters and we had a gate of 300 there,” Mr Giles recalled.

“Some of those supporters that came to that game are still coming down. Even if it’s five or six it’s nice and it all makes a difference at the end of the game - you notice it.”

Regarding season tickets and League passes, Mr Giles added, “We’re hoping everyone chips in a pound, obviously if people do present their pass we’ll honour it, as we would normally.”

Visit Hythe Town’s website: www.hythetownfc.co.uk