Torquay United Fans Forum

http://www.torquaysupporters.co.uk/Lott ... ister.aspx

Link to lottery.

think it needs about 65 players to break even (or 65 entries, each player can buy how ever many tickets they like on a direct debit basis ), but I don't know how many tickets have been sold to date.

How many people enter the Lottery? Does anybody know if it makes money after the prizes are handed out or are we making a loss each month?

Yep, thanks for that, CP/Dave.

However, I still look forward to the day when the South Devon public are able to buy tickets/scratch cards in local shops; I can't help feeling that this is where the TUST will begin to raise larger amounts of money (I can remember in my youth the club sold those old-fashioned instant win cards in local shops) as well as raising its profile in the community.

Cheers, Dave.

Agreed, and done

Gullscorer wrote: It might help if it were made known to supporters where they could buy lottery tickets; for example, which local shops sell them, and whether/when draws are held, how the winning numbers are publicised, and whether instant win scratch cards are available to buy, and if so, where. They should be available to the general public to buy as well as Gulls supporters or TUST members, but people will not buy these tickets if they don't have this information. Where's the publicity?

At this stage, as far as I am aware, it is ONLINE only - understandably to keep running costs to an absolute minimum.

All the information is actually on this very forum. See here ..,

http://forum.torquayfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7887

Mods, I wonder whether this might deserve greater attention? Perhaps it could be made a "sticky" (is that the right word?) - anyway whatever it is that ensures it stays at the top of the forum. 8-]

taxilady wrote:not sure about 'graded' membership & different levels of subscription....but another easy way of raising more money within TUST is to buy a lottery ticket (or two) each month. You might win something (or not, as in my case so far ) but it's all adding to funds !

It might help if it were made known to supporters where they could buy lottery tickets; for example, which local shops sell them, and whether/when draws are held, how the winning numbers are publicised, and whether instant win scratch cards are available to buy, and if so, where. They should be available to the general public to buy as well as Gulls supporters or TUST members, but people will not buy these tickets if they don't have this information. Where's the publicity?

not sure about 'graded' membership & different levels of subscription....but another easy way of raising more money within TUST is to buy a lottery ticket (or two) each month. You might win something (or not, as in my case so far ) but it's all adding to funds !

If you watch the video and listen to what Robin had to say, he illustrates how other 'community' organisations have acquired additional funding, as companies like to be associated with groups that have that community ethos. This view was supported and evidenced by the representative from ECFC Trust.

There are those like Brucie, who want to mock supporters for trying to save their club, or preserve a status quo - a bit like the Scots, who now regret it - when there is a real opportunity for supporters of TUFC to be owners rather than customers. People can mock and pour scorn, naysay all they want, but if they put half as much attention into actually trying to support 'us' owning the club, then we may have a chance. To me it is a no-brainer - I just do not understand why any supporter would be against it.

Good luck folks, from an FC United supporter who was made very welcome in your home town. Would be great for you to take control and own your own club.
Can't wait for us to either meet one day in the league or more likely have a friendly.

Also, how about getting the local business community to join up? There is a real benefit to our area of having a football team and £2 a month for a business is a no-brainer especially if the TUST promotes who is supporting it.

Great original post, summed it up perfectly! About time I signed up really...

As usual an interesting and thought provoking post from Chris - I am in awe judging from the time of the post if it was in the middle of the night! I don't live in the Bay anymore in fact not for over 40 years but I am drawn by some invisible thread to home matches on a regular basis.
Over the 50 years I've been a supporter I have witnessed increased crowds when the team is playing well or there's an attractive higher league team at Plainmoor in a cup match. So yes Burnham Gull has a point when saying there has to be a successful product for people to support but these are now not normal times. Like having a sick relative family get together to rally round. Now the 'sick relative' is TUFC.
For me I'd rather have a team to support regardless of its success or not than no team at all. It is now that those 'missing' fans who have watched the team over the years join TUST as at the very least we, the fans, can have a voice on the Board. With more members and therefore greater financial clout this could be more than just representation.
A point I would like to make is that our situation is not unique. Currently the following non-league clubs are at various stages of joining the 22 supporter owned Non-League clubs in the English pyramid:Banbury United, Bath City, Chelmsford City, Dulwich Hamlet, Dorchester Town and Worcester City. Starting tomorrow from April 11th to 18th Supporters Direct are celebrating the first UK wide Supporter Ownership week. Surely this is the time to jump on board and get more members for TUST.
I joined in early March and was amazed to find out I was member No 97 and at the low cost of only £2 a month. For all those who read this and so by definition must be Torquay fans JOIN up today and help ensure we will still have a team to follow.

To be fair you can go to any town in the country and find kids wearing shirts from the successful clubs. Kids want to be winners, there's nothing wrong with that, but unless results on the pitch improve, the numbers of people attending or showing interest in TUFC will never rise. At the last home game there was a group of 12-14 year old kids near me on the popside and throughout the whole of the half I stood near them they were mucking about chatting and doing everything but watch the game. If we'd be playing well, they just might have watched what they had turned up to see.

200 members of the TUST is low but I'm sure numbers will improve. How much they improve will depend on progress on the pitch.

I have been a ST holder for a number of years and haven't lived in South Devon for 12 years but United will always be my club. I can go and watch football anywhere but it's always United's result I look for first above all others. Last season I came very close to buying a ST elsewhere because I'd had enough of travelling down and watching pitiful performances. Somebody else bought my ST for this season (I haven't forgiven them yet) so I have spent another season turning up and watching more dross. I have no interest in buying one for next season so, at the moment, the club will lose money unless something drastic happens that makes me think it's worth spending every other Saturday heading down the M5.

Interest in the club, membership of the TUST and home attendances will only improve if the product on offer improves.

You can target anywhere you like for members but you have to have a successful product on offer to attract people.