Carl Curtis : We are going backwards

‘ WE ARE GOING BACKWARDS ‘

In 2005/06 Cardiff City had 6,000 season ticket holders.

If City only shift 6,000 for the forthcoming season, which is not out of the question by any stretch of the imagination, then in my opinion that is bordering on criminal.

To go backwards 10 years is a sad indictment on this football club.

The club must address key issues to engage with supporters and reconnect with its fanbase.

The return to blue has simply not been enough of an incentive to entice supporters back next season. The issues the club have with the fans obviously run deeper than the colour.

Pricing is something I believe needs to be looked at and sooner the better.

Seating configuration within the stadium is another.

Identity is another issue, we don’t have one, fans don’t identify with the club and after the disastrous rebrand to an overnight marketing campaign named Bluebirds for Life was too much of a step in too quick a time.

An identity which can be felt by fans as authentic is needed not some tagline or spin that supporters see right through.

To reconnect with supporters, as a start, I would like to see the club offer two pairs of tickets for every game in the directors box. One pair per game next season offered to loyal supporters who have supported the club for through thick and thin, fans like Eric who have not missed a game for 35 years, or someone like Hef from Holyhead, who has only missed a handful of games over 30 years and that has been through ill health or just no transport on a bank holiday. There are many fans for reasons similar to just the two names I have mentioned as examples but you get where I am coming from.

The second pair can be a fan nomination, maybe someone who does great work in the community, or in recognition of an act of goodwill etc.

For the first time in nearly 10 years our club was not nominated for a single award at the Annual Football League Awards, we are going backwards off the pitch let alone on it.

I hope that the club truly realises the issues it faces and there is work being done to try and repair the good work that has been evident and recognised in the last decade but has been undone in spectacular fashion because of the rebrand.

The football is not inspiring enough to bring thousands through the gates but that is only part of the problem, fans need to believe in what is trying to be achieved but at this moment does anyone really know what it is we are trying to achieve ?