King’s Lynn Town chairman Stephen Cleeve have been left confused by his club’s low attendances ahead of his side’s FA Trophy tie.
The controversial Linnets figure has since questioned if the town has the fan base to support a team at National League level after their recent clash against Dover saw their lowest crowd in recent years.
The club have also massively reduced ticket prices for Saturday’s FA Trophy clash against Nantwich Town as they look to get a crowd in it’s thousands through the turnstiles, especially coming after complaints over the usual costs set for this campaign.
Cleeve reveals, via Lynn News, how he doesn’t understand why the number is as low as it is, saying: “I just don’t get it. We had a new manager in place and we’d just signed a new player but it didn’t seem to make a bit of difference.
“I know we were playing a team below us in the table and it wasn’t a particularly attractive game in the public’s eyes but I was astonished that we got well below the 800-mark.
“It does make you wonder what the people of the town want and whether the club can continue to sustain a team at this level. I appreciate our position in the league table but attendances have got to improve.
“People have either got to support the team or they don’t. If they don’t then having a team at this level for a sustained period of time is a big ask as I can’t keep putting the money that I am in.”
Cleeve does however thank those who have been turning out in the stands but clearly wants to see more through the turnstiles if they are to continue to operate at this level of football.
“It has been fantastic to see crowds back at football matches and underlines how badly fans were missed at the height of the pandemic,” he said.
“We were averaging crowds of 1,500 when we were in the National League North but crowds have been nothing like that this season.
“Fans are happy to pay the prices at Halifax and look where they are in the league table at the moment.
“No disrespect to Halifax, but I wouldn’t exactly describe them as a booming football town but their attendances are so much better than ours.
“Their prices are more expensive, especially when you compare it against what we now charge against the smaller clubs in the league.
“If we are going to move forward as a club and be competitive with the big boys of this league the reality is simple, we need more people through the gates.”
Ticket prices for Saturday’s game are set at £10 for seats and terrace for both adults and concessions with kids allowed in for £1. Yet, things have got desperate for Cleeve’s club.
In the National League table, King’s Lynn sit 22nd, the relegation zone, picking up a bleak 11 points from 19 games.
Social media users gave their reaction with the King’s Lynn chairman left confused by his club’s low attendances…
Darren Ashton: Bewildered??? Is he actually stupid? Shit team and shit prices
Matthew McGivern: Well if he wasn’t a dickhead who dresses like Del Boy, charges the earth, he might get more?
Paul Catterwell: You can’t defend the indefensible Mr Chairman. Seems your ego is far greater than your pickets or your grasp of what infrastructure is needed for a club at this level. Del Boy may still exist in the business world but has been proved so many time Trotters Independant Trading always fails a football club
Jack Leask: Agree with everything he’s said, our pricing is standard for the division we’re in, go to the away games and you’ll see that. Fans expect national league football at UCL prices it just doesn’t work
Jason Lee: Christ me is he for real?! A new manager and players doesnt solve anything, especially this early, team is still a shit-show, in relegation zone and tickets way too expensive for that level of football. Use your brain
Brian D Cobbold: Halifax are not more expensive than Lynn. Their prices include seating. Also look at their Adult season ticket prices compared to Lynn. The pricing structure despite numerous warnings at the start of the season was a disaster. Sensible pricing from the start and things would have been different.
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