Tweet yourself!
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 09 February 2011
TURN UP FOR £2. . . Athletic players Reuben Reid (left) and Cedric Evina lend their support to the campaign.
Cyberspace can help boost Latics crowd, says Thomas
ATHLETIC fans are spreading the word about next week’s bargain-entry Carlisle game.
Fans can walk up and gain admission to the club’s npower League One clash with the Cumbrian side on Tuesday for the cost of just £2.
And Athletic fan Martin Thomas — whose idea prompted the scheme, which is being backed by the Chronicle and several local businesses — believes that the world of cyberspace will help with boosting the crowd figure at Boundary Park on the night.
“It is all over Twitter, Facebook and various other sites,” Thomas said.
“Hopefully we will also get fans of other clubs to come to the game.
“I am hopeful we can get a crowd of 6,500 and I really believe that if we can do that, we could add an extra 500 to 1,000 to the gate for our next home game.”
Athletic have been delighted with the overall response to the venture so far.
As well as the businesses who have come on board to help bridge the financial shortfall on the night, one mystery fan yesterday promised to add £500 to the pot and another late last night pledged £200.
Athletic’s season ticket holders have also responded positively to the initiative, with several supportive comments lodged on the Chronicle website.
The hope is that the crowd figure against Carlisle will at least double that of the Hartlepool game last week, which saw little more than 3,000 fans inside the ground.
Any businesses wishing to get involved — each will have their company promoted in a full-page Chronicle advert on every week night building up to the game — can contact Alan Hardy on (0161) 6244972.
ATHLETIC fans are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance for Saturday’s derby clash at Huddersfield.
Though fans can pay on the day, tickets are available from Boundary Park and each one bought will earn the club a slice of the proceeds.
A SUPPORTERS coach will leave for Huddersfield at 1.15pm, with tickets priced at £15.
