Most liked posts in thread: Question For Those Currently Not Intending to Renew [Trolls Not Required]

I've held a season ticket since my old man started taking me since the age of 3, barring a couple of seasons where I had external things going on.

I've made my mind up not to renew due to a complete lack of confidence in Ryan Sparks knowing what's required to take this club forward. That lack of confidence is also in Rupp who himself is disinterested and is happy to let an incompetent CEO run the ship, so long as it is staying afloat. It's a morbidly grim outlook on our current situation as a club and that grim outlook is translated to performances on the pitch.

I would renew with Rupp as owner only if he replaced Sparks with someone who gave us genuine confidence they knew what they were doing short and long term in running a football club; outlining their plans and how they intend on delivering them as well as some kind of guarantee that a decent consistent investment will be made, as promised by Rupp years ago, to get us out of the mess his business partner created and to take the club forward.

As things stand, Sparks is merely rolling the dice week by week hoping that we don't go down and that we have enough money in the kitty. It's quite literally just a case of keeping your head above water awaiting rescue from somewhere without knowing how to swim to shore and move on.

I haven't attended since the Stockport game and I can hand on heart say I've not felt like i've missed anything. It pains me to say it but my Saturday's have been more productive and certainly more enjoyable. All I hear from my social circles of those who have been going is just constant moaning about how bad and dull it is at VP, everything from the match, the crowd, the matchday experience, everything is on its a*se and there's no incentive or appeal whatsoever at the moment in going again.

As others have alluded to I would happily pay on a match by match basis if things improved behind the scenes over the summer and that was translated onto the pitch but for now I'm out.

 

I didn’t renew this season for the first time in over 20 years.

Initially I told myself I wont renew still Sparks has gone, this changed during the car crash that was the ‘fans forum’. When the remit was to basically stay in the football league and stay financially viable. I can’t get on board with that, a football club, like many other things in life should always have ambition and striving to be better and that isn’t going to happen under the current regime as ambition would come at a financial cost which the owner clearly isn’t willing to foot. So removing Sparks and replacing him with someone else who would have the same remit isn’t really going to change anything, so for me Rupp and Sparks have to go before I put another penny of my money into the club, I have even stopped purchasing I follow passes now.

Saturday afternoons became so boring and I have found far more interesting things to do with my time than sat there watching some well paid so called footballers run around not doing a great deal.

I fully understood that season ticket prices had to go up but the timing was just so so poor when the product on offer is absolutely dire, pair that with the torrid condition of the pitch. If Rupp had any ounce of interest in the club he would have used his own coin to get stuff put right between now and this time next season then increased the prices of the season tickets and it would have felt justified.

That’s just my 2 pence worth, whether it’s right or wrong who knows but it’s what a forum is about right!

 

Whilst I don’t want this to become a pile on of you or anyone else, you must see why Jon said what he did.

I think it’s fantastic that you post on here and we get insights we wouldn’t normally get don’t get me wrong, but liking that comment was totally unprofessional and uncalled for. Yes you are a fan but people also know you and you are a representative of true club and should act accordingly, create a second account if you want to act like that.

If I liked a controversial post on twitter for instance using my identity and customer’s complained I’d be sacked no ifs buts or maybes.

Try to remember you are talking to the customers of the company you represent, rather than piss them off more maybe see where certain areas of the fanbase are coming from and try to make a positive impact on the club, you are in a position to have those at the tops ear, something most on here would kill for. To me liking that comment just about summed this club up atm though, I hope for change.

 

What a disgusting post this is. I have had a season ticket for 20 years and have a 400 mile round trip for every home game. Yet if I choose not to continue to perpetuate the incompetent running of this football club by not buying a ST, then I'm not a committed fan according to you? You should be ashamed of the nonsense you post on here.

 

The club desperately needs a new direction. I'm undecided yet as to renewing but if a new owner came in I wouldn't even be thinking about it. It will be six seasons in league 2 next season with just one disastrous playoff spot to show in that time. If that isn't a damning indictment on the the utter shitshow this club sees itself in then I don't know what does.

 

For those who go next season, I genuinely hope it is. I know what action I believe supporters need to take in order to force change, but im not judging anyone who chooses to buy. I hope its an enjoyable experience, though our record under this regime strongly indicates it won't be.

What you need to wake up to though Park, is that the loss of floating, and even long standing fans, isn't something to be celebrated in some veiled manner, as though it shines a positive light on the 'hardcore'; its another nail in the coffin, and a strong marker of our ongoing cycle of decline.

 

I won’t be renewing and it’s purely because I refuse to give Rupp another penny of my money.
I don’t hold it against anyone who does renew but for me it doesn’t feel like my club at the moment.
We have nothing. No soul, no leadership, a terrible team, nothing to call our own. A stadium we are paying through the nose for on a pitch that is the worst in the EFL.
I don’t like anyone at the club. I don’t like the players, I don’t like Gent, I don’t like Sparks and I don’t like Rupp. Why would I waste my hard earned money to be continually let down? Not anymore. I’ll be back when I feel like I aren’t having the piss taken out of me.

 

A little success would be a good start, I don't believe for one minute people attend games at Valley Parade only because our season tickets are cheap they obviously have some connection to the club some more than others.
If the product on the pitch was better than it has been for many years dare we say with a promotion thrown in fans wouldn't care who owns the club or is CEO, I'd think.

 

I'm not going to renew for exactly that reason. This season has beena real chore to go and watch City. I've actually been glad games have been cancelled so I've had an excuse not to go.
I couldn't face going on Tuesday night. I knew the result before we kicked off. That's nothing to do with GA but we've been shooting ourselves in the foot with games like this all season. Just when we need a result we f##k it up.
I've been going to games at other clubs, including a few Halifax and last week decided to go watch the Dumfrieshire derby between Annan and QoS. I'm looking at maybe doing a few games in Europe too. I'd rather travel hundreds of miles to a game than go to VP. My loyalty has been ground away in the years since Rahic and Rupp took over and the decline this club has gone through.
I will POTG next season. I've totted up the home games this season I've attended and plus those I've paid to watch on I follow and it probably would have cost me the same if I'd POTG.
If we do well next season I'll go to more games, so the club will actually be up on me not renewing.
I'm not bothered about Rupp et al. I just want to see us win and compete for promotion.

 

I will only renew when Rupp & Sparks are gone.
A DOF will only get controlled by Sparks anyway.
Walking away is hard after years and years, I have seen worse times on the field but never in the boardroom.

 

I will not buy another ST without material change in the ownership and executive leadership at the club.

I have zero interest in investing my time money and more importantly my time, in an unambitious, amateur operation.

 

Agreed Steve that post is bang out of order, i guess im one of the unclean that Parks on about but honestly mate its water off a ducks back, I've said my piece why im not renewing, and i respect why people are but in turn i hope people respect why people arent, we all have the club at heart its just doing what supporters think is the best in the long run.

 

We have to remember that although the product on the pitch will be a significant reason for not renewing, there will be other factors too, not least the impact of the increasing cost of living on families. The one positive I can say about the club at the moment is thankfully they have kept the direct debit payment option.

Waving good-bye to fans who are not renewing for whatever reason, is not good news for anyone, least of all the Club, and trying to suggest otherwise is misguided, nor is it vaguely funny.

 

But Dave the product has been generally shite because of the owner and his strategy! Or lack of one.

That’s the issue at hand.

 

I blame Rupp 1000% percent. He hires he fires. He funds or doesn't fund. His choice. Ultimately he doesn't give a shit and that is showing loud and clear across the whole club. Survival being the only objective.

Without financial injection your last sentence from "If he sold up" won't ensure any more success ( or lack of) than we have right now.

However I get why he isn't investing any funds I doubt he trusts Sparks to spend it wisely.

What a shitshow.

 

The club won't be seeing another penny of mine until Rupp and Sparks are gone. As things stand there is absolutely no incentive to waste a Saturday afternoon or weeknight going down to watch whatever tripe gets dished up, and nothing will change with these two at the helm

 

What I can’t understand is the sheer lack of any clear planning for the future. We don't just only buy a ST for entertainment and progression for one season. If anything our admins and problems in the past should have taught us to always be two steps ahead. That kind of planning requires experience and talent to take this club forward.

However, before we can do that we have to evaluate the past. Let’s be honest we have miserably failed for 5 seasons. We have to unpick that and accept that massive mistakes have been made and be prepared to acknowledge short comings from the top down. That is what successful businesses do.

Bumbling along with our fingers crossed is no way to run a business.

 

Exactly, the bottom line with all fans is what happens on the pitch, it puts bums on seats and smiles on faces.
If we had a bit more success than the garbage we've had served up over the last six years or so, then they'd be no calls for anyone to sell, and they could be as reclusive as lord Lucan, no one would care.

As regards season tickets, if I had the option of a free season ticket for Anfield or paying to watch City where Scunthorpe are now. I'd honestly opt for City every-time. Going to VP on a Saturday, then out with pals for a few is ingrained in me. It is a part of my social and leisure time I thoroughly enjoy. I wouldn't swap it for anything.

Yes, we're crap, and I'm as cheesed off as anyone else, and if Mr Rupp would sell up and do one, then great.
However, back in the early 70's when I made my first trudge down VP, we were as crap then.
I have an older Sister that used to try and coax me to Elland road to see a team in their pomp. Even then as a 9 year old boy, it wasn't going to happen.

That isn't me being a super loyal fan or anything, it's just how I roll