OPINION: Falling crowds is the Scarborough way

When I began penning stories on Scarborough FC they were pushing for honours in the Conference and yet it was always a struggle to attract people to come through the gate.

I have a vivid memory of people queueing up for and paying their way into a game against Woking just so they could buy their tickets for the big FA Cup tie against Chelsea.

As soon as they bought the cup tickets they left, rather than watching a game of a decent standard that they had paid for.

It has always been a challenge to entice the people of Scarborough to watch football, that is unless it is a one-off, like that Chelsea game.

Scarborough FC did well to last as long as they did and that was down to the magnificent job that Ian Scobbie and Malcolm Reynolds did of shipping the water out of a sinking wreck.

Had they had the crowds then life would have been an awful lot easier, rather than pouring money into a black hole, that was only kept going for fans that often didn’t show up.

The birth of Scarborough Athletic promised new life, as huge numbers of fans made their way to Bridlington to watch a level of football that was only a step or two above the Saturday League.

Bizarrely though, as the club has progressed up to a respectable level of football, the crowds are once again starting to drop off

It is obviously a bind travelling 40 miles for a home game, but why go when Boro were at the lower level and not now?

The obvious problems develop when gates dip, the playing budget has to be discussed and other such issues.

For selfish reasons I want to see the best players playing for Boro as I cover them every week.

The club at the moment possibly have their best squad to date, they are fourth in the table and have a potentially exciting season ahead of them.

What is the point in waiting to see how things go, or just turning up to the exciting games?

Yes, it is a long way to travel, but we all remember how good it was on a Saturday at the McCain Stadium.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could relive those days or at least recreate that atmosphere?