Pre-season

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Addison said:

www.wrexhamafc.co.uk

Tour 2026 - Wrexham AFC

The Official website of Wrexham AFC
www.wrexhamafc.co.uk www.wrexhamafc.co.uk

Contrast the two from a preparation and marketing perspective.

Both clubs have USA owners. Both will be competing in the Championship next season. The similarity stops there.

One club with infrastructure employing professional marketing. One employing the Dog and Duck equivalent.

One club playing against EPL quality in Man U liverpool Leeds and Sunderland with trip to Poland and USA Tour. One club with game in Germany against Bundesliga 2 opposition and a make do trip across Yorkshire against lower league teams.

We are light years behind Wrexham off the field. On it they are likely to be well in front of us before we even kick a ball.

What would I have liked to see.

Why cant SUFC also go on a tour of the USA? Do our owners have any sporting connections over there at all? Wouldnt this be a perfect marketing opportunity straight after the World Cup?

Why hasnt a memorial game for George Baldock been arranged against Panathinaikos. Better still a tournament for all the teams he represented Oxford MK Dons etc. with an annual cup.

There seems to be little imagination or desire to promote the Club and secure additional revenue opportunities.

Having just read the Fans Advisory Board statement on pre season it reflects the current parochial approach.
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Were still in the 80s mate, that's how the club likes it👍
 
Addison said:
Why cant SUFC also go on a tour of the USA?
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I think the simple but accurate answer to this is probably that we haven't been the focus of a successful Disney TV series and no-one would give a shit about us so we'd be wasting our time. If we're miles behind Wrexham off the pitch it's because they're owned by Hollywood stars who are using their production company as a marketing agency to maximise their profile. I think it's incredibly hard for other clubs to replicate that model from a standing start and without the celebrity status (and therefore outside interest).

I have doubts about the longevity of Wrexham's strategy. I know what they were asking for their front of shirt sponsorship a few months ago and what the price had dropped to recently. How does the model work if they're in the same division for the next few years and the American TV audience loses interest in the 'fairytale'?
 
cooperblade said:
I think the simple but accurate answer to this is probably that we haven't been the focus of a successful Disney TV series and no-one would give a shit about us so we'd be wasting our time. If we're miles behind Wrexham off the pitch it's because they're owned by Hollywood stars who are using their production company as a marketing agency to maximise their profile. I think it's incredibly hard for other clubs to replicate that model from a standing start and without the celebrity status (and therefore outside interest).

I have doubts about the longevity of Wrexham's strategy. I know what they were asking for their front of shirt sponsorship a few months ago and what the price had dropped to recently. How does the model work if they're in the same division for the next few years and the American TV audience loses interest in the 'fairytale'?
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Yes, I am certain the novelty will wear off.
 
North Riding Blade said:
BB are you sure about this post? You must be aware United leave everything regarding away travel to the last minute just to spite supporters. Happens every year or so I understand from the learned on here.
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I'm absolutely 100% sure North Riding Blade. For a change, I just thought it would be decent to acknowledge the club announcing this fixture early so that interested supporters would be able to make plans for a do-able visit to Bochum and its surrounding cities in Germany. Reading the comments on this thread, it's clear that a lot of forum members, their families and friends have been able to take advantage of the early announcement and booked their travel and accommodation without breaking the bank.

Sadly and given some comments, it's not good enough for a minority on the forum. I appreciate that some would prefer us to copy so-called lesser clubs and transport the team to more faraway places to hob-nob with the elite of European and World football, and because these clubs have more ambitious and wealthy owners than Sheffield United. However, I couldn't disagree more and personally, I couldn't give a fuck about what Wrexham are up to. After all, I seem to remember they are still in the same league as we are next season despite their unlimited wealth?

I'm guessing that a trip to North or South America/ Asia / the Far East for example, would be astronomical for both the club and our supporters. Out of those who are so critical of the pre-season arrangements, it would be interesting to see how many of them would back up their comments and attend a game in the aforementioned places. Above all else, it just confirms to me that whatever the club does to engage with its wonderful support, it's never, ever going to earn any praise from some. It's pathetic really.

Rant over, I'll hope to see some of you in Bochum.
 
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Well I for one am looking forward to my first trip back to the Shay in Halifax to see us since Easter 1981...... what memories that was for those of a certain age on here. We won 5-1 - over 8,000 officially there on an Easter Monday - probably 6,500 Blades ......... officially that is. Living up in Hudds now I've been a few times since & know a few Halifax Town fans who tipped me off about this a few weeks ago. They are looking forward to it ......oh & honestly - they love Wilder from his time at Halifax - when they were virtually bankrupt - so he will get a great welcome.

Oh & best pre-match boozer is 'The Shears Inn, Paris Gates' - probably 15 mins walk from the ground - but tucked away down a cobbled road - fantastic ales on tap!.
 



UddersBlade said:
Well I for one am looking forward to my first trip back to the Shay in Halifax to see us since Easter 1981...... what memories that was for those of a certain age on here. We won 5-1 - over 8,000 officially there on an Easter Monday - probably 6,500 Blades ......... officially that is. Living up in Hudds now I've been a few times since & know a few Halifax Town fans who tipped me off about this a few weeks ago. They are looking forward to it ......oh & honestly - they love Wilder from his time at Halifax - when they were virtually bankrupt - so he will get a great welcome.
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Was stood next to my old man at this game when the wall collapsed due to overcrowding. Extremely lucky no one was seriously hurt.
 
HarryHaslam said:
Wasn’t up to them, he had a £15m release clause up to Jan 24.
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He did but the message I responded to seemed to imply he was offered to us and we turned him down.

He had a release clause but that doesn't mean that it was possible he would agree to sign for us. He turned down Ajax that summer.
 
cooperblade said:
I think the simple but accurate answer to this is probably that we haven't been the focus of a successful Disney TV series and no-one would give a shit about us so we'd be wasting our time. If we're miles behind Wrexham off the pitch it's because they're owned by Hollywood stars who are using their production company as a marketing agency to maximise their profile. I think it's incredibly hard for other clubs to replicate that model from a standing start and without the celebrity status (and therefore outside interest).

I have doubts about the longevity of Wrexham's strategy. I know what they were asking for their front of shirt sponsorship a few months ago and what the price had dropped to recently. How does the model work if they're in the same division for the next few years and the American TV audience loses interest in the 'fairytale'?
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Hasn't Sean Bean got some influential co-stars he could coax a few bob out of to replicate Wrexham's model🤔
 
GrunkyPeep said:
He did but the message I responded to seemed to imply he was offered to us and we turned him down.

He had a release clause but that doesn't mean that it was possible he would agree to sign for us. He turned down Ajax that summer.
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Indeed. They'd activated an option to sign him having had him on loan for the previous season, but there was a sell on clause. It was said more as a wistful comment on a missed opportunity that was probably never explored - we were skint after all.
 
In any preseason there's always going to be games v the likes of Chesterfield and Rotherham. These games are competitive as the lower league opposition are playing against a local rival and a higher team and if I was a player for Rotherham I'd be playing out of my skin to attract interest from a club like ours. Ok, they'll be some of their players who wouldn't get a move to us whatever like if they're 35 etc. But it's still a local derby and also it's more accurate to the Championship to be playing Rotherham than playing some Polish team and a squad team from Man U playing at 50% I dare say.

Some might love it if we had more glamorous opponents but I'm not sure it equates to a better preseason. Often we beat foreign sides playing here because they're playing within themselves has always been my experience of watching the more high profile friendlies. Maybe one game v a PL side would be nice at the Lane but these types if teams are probably all going abroad to player higher profile opponents. We're currently skint and not the attraction that a PL club will be. That's my thoughts anyway. I think Wrexhams preseason is for maximum income not for maximum football preparation.
 
Booker4 said:
In any preseason there's always going to be games v the likes of Chesterfield and Rotherham. These games are competitive as the lower league opposition are playing against a local rival and a higher team and if I was a player for Rotherham I'd be playing out of my skin to attract interest from a club like ours. Ok, they'll be some of their players who wouldn't get a move to us whatever like if they're 35 etc. But it's still a local derby and also it's more accurate to the Championship to be playing Rotherham than playing some Polish team and a squad team from Man U playing at 50% I dare say.

Some might love it if we had more glamorous opponents but I'm not sure it equates to a better preseason. Often we beat foreign sides playing here because they're playing within themselves has always been my experience of watching the more high profile friendlies. Maybe one game v a PL side would be nice at the Lane but these types if teams are probably all going abroad to player higher profile opponents. We're currently skint and not the attraction that a PL club will be. That's my thoughts anyway. I think Wrexhams preseason is for maximum income not for maximum football preparation.
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I'm struggling to imagine how playing Halifax n Rovrum equates to "maximum football preparation" Booker.

Didn't we ought to be facing teams we aspire to🤔.
On the other hand,perhaps we are.🙄👍
 
Cheesebored said:
Remember being schooled by Stuttgart? How was that beneficial?
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It showed me Guirassy was an absolute unit and someone who we should have looked at back in 2020. Bizarrely Ricky suggested him and it was a smart suggestion.
 
Bladesman said:
It showed me Guirassy was an absolute unit and someone who we should have looked at back in 2020. Bizarrely Ricky suggested him and it was a smart suggestion.
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Yes looked a good player but not sure we were ever in for him in reality.
 
Slightly annoyed that the chesterfield kick off isn't a noon kick off as I am going to a wedding nearby in the evening and can't get in the rooms until 3!

Other than that what the hell are the moaners moaning about. It almost looks performative...
 
jt64 said:
Counterpoint is that Brussels - Köln train gets mighty busy in my experience, particularly at that time of year, so if doing that you'd be pretty well advised to pay to reserve a seat. Amsterdam's another option if you're looking that far away, lots more flights, real easy to transfer from Schiphol to the city, train to Düsseldorf from there isn't that long and can usually be had relatively cheap
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If you're in Brussels please stay away from the Gare Du Midi station, it makes Kabul look like the Maldives!
 
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