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Dear Red Passion |
Chris Pinlane responds to your letters
SICK TO DEATH
Dear Red Passion
I feel compelled to write this letter because I am absolutely sick to death of the amount of moaning and sniping indulged in by some so-called 'supporters' of Wrexham FC.
Sitting in the Yale Stand for the Lincoln match, some of the comments I heard were laughable. One person asked how Brian Flynn managed to keep his job when he has achieved so little (ie. taking the club from the brink of extinction to pushing for a place in Division One).
Examine the facts: Last season we had the fourth lowest average attendance in Division Two (four Third Division sides actually had higher average gates than us) and we finished in seventh place, being beaten to a play-off place on goals scored by Fulham who have spent an absolute fortune on players.
Why do people think we should be in the First Division?
A club our size, with our gates, should be grateful we're not in Division Three with the likes of Cardiff and Swansea who, let's be honest, are both bigger clubs than us. For pity's sake, get off the manager's back and get behind the team!
Yours hopefully
P.Williams, Wrexham
CP Says: I can't argue with most of what you said. Not sure though that Swansea are a bigger club than Wrexham.
A NEW WREXHAM FAN (MAYBE)
Dear Red Passion
Recently I was posted a copy of your fanzine, Red Passion, by Stan Watson of the Blyth Spartans Supporters Club.
As a founder member of the Ulster Spartans Supporters Club, he thought I would be interested in the article, "Blyth and Dangerous", by Dave Thompson.
I was very impressed not only by that article, but by the fanzine in general. It is without doubt one of the best fanzines I have ever seen and superb value for money, 80 well-packed pages for only £1.00.
I was particularly struck by the extremely professional way in which the whole package was put together, and although I admit to knowing little about Wrexham Football Club, I learnt a lot about them in this issue and the enthusiasm and passion of the contributors came across on the page and infected me to such an extent that I have no hesitation in sending you a cheque for the next three editions.
I believe I am correct in saying that there is a vague Ulster connection with Wrexham in the fact that they have regularly played Linfield in pre-season friendlies over the years.
If you or any of your contributors have an interest in Irish League football, maybe we could swap videos - Irish League for some Welsh League.
In the meantime I wish you great success with Red Passion and I hope to hear from you soon.
Yours in sport
Richard McCurdy, 100 Old Portglenone Road, Portglenone, Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland BT44 8DL
CP Says: Thanks very much for your kind words. And best of luck to Blyth too!
RANTING ROD
Dear Red Passion,
Well, I'm in the mood for a rant!
Why is it that Wrexham A.F.C is so poor at marketing itself? Since the launch of Red Passion for most home games, I have taken up a position near the away end at the Racecourse in order to help you sell fanzines to away fans. It is only since doing this that I have realised how poor the image of the club is to away fans.
Why are there no programme sellers outside the ground? This seems common at most of the sixty plus other league grounds I have visited. Not a problem I hear you say, we have a programme shop! Well we do have a shop of sorts, "just turn left here mate, then turn right, dart up the alley way, and you can't miss it"
I find myself saying to umpteen away supporters at each match. Christ! Business for the programme shop must have rocketed since I've been standing there. WHAT'S WRONG WITH HAVING A SIGN? A simple "Wrexham F.C. programme shop this way>>>" would suffice.
What is more unforgivable is the lack of marketing to our own potential fans. For the first game of the season, with RUSHMANIA (seems like a distant memory now) at its peak.
Many potential fans were coming out of the woodwork, people who had never visited the Racecourse before. What greeted them on the Mold Road side of the ground? Well no information that was relevant to the big match of the day - Where should I go to buy tickets? Do I need to buy a ticket or can I pay at the gate? How much is it to sit down? Where is the club shop?
These are just a few of the questions that a lowly fanzine seller has to fend off. I should be on commission for god's sake!
Most of this stuff could have been rectified with some large signs displaying relevant information on prices, ticketing arrangements, and directions to the club's hypermarket of merchandise (tongue firmly in cheek).
I only hope that when the new stand is built on the Mold Road, that it's not just seen as something to put people in, it needs to be viewed as a giant advert for all the club's facilities.
Here's looking to the future! Up the Reds!
Rod Jones, Wrexham
CP Says: Maybe the club could respond to this letter?
ANY MORE BLACKPOOL REDS OUT THERE?
Dear Red Passion
I've just finished reading Issue 2 of Red Passion, and feel the need to put pen to paper.
Please accept my congratulations on an excellent fanzine. I bought my copy at the Walsall game, and was unable to stop reading all weekend. It is full of interesting, informative and humorous articles about the football club dear to our hearts.
I am a Wrexham fan of 25 years now living in Blackpool. I attend many home games, and most of the northern away games.
I wonder if you could include something in the fanzine enquiring if there are any other Wrexham fans in the Blackpool/Preston or Fylde Coast areas. I would certainly be interested in hearing from them, and if ther interest is there, a new supporters branch may be an idea.
Congratulations once again, keep up the good work and best wishes for the future.
Up the Reds
Steve Hartley, 18 Stainforth Avenue, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancs FY2 OER
CP Says: Thanks very much for your letter. I hope any Wrexham fans in the Preston-Blackpool region will get in touch.
CLICHE, CLICHE
Dear Red Passion,
I wonder if I am the only one who feels that the standard of journalism in WFC coverage is appalling?
I’m exempting the Daily Post, which I think is pretty good but the work of Lovett and Chamberlain is utterly contemptible.
The former writes entirely in footballing cliché and feeble pun (‘Big Brian Carey...tower of strength’, ‘Roberts is Goal-den boy’) and the later simply constructs sentences out of match statistics (‘So far Wrexham have drawn five matches’, ‘Last season the result against Walsall was...’).
They are barely in touch with reality let alone what fans feel. Remember Lovett writing how the fans had turned on Benno with the ‘Chester Reject’ chant? He was actually stupid enough to think this was serious !
I have sent this letter to the Leader but it remains to be seen if it gets printed. I doubt it will produce any result as Chamberlain is about 150 years old and if they haven’t noticed he’s clueless by now they never will, but at least I’ll have got it off my chest.
Jonathan Crewe, York
PS - To the Leader: If you’d like I’ll write the Les Chamberlain column for you at half his fee using only the last home WFC programme and the final one from last season to get the statistics. Also I won’t have to rely on second-hand accounts from ‘my mate on the Kop’ as I’ll actually go to games
CP Says: I wonder how Mr Lovett and Mr Chamberlain would respond to your letter? And what about the Wrexham Mail?
IS FOOTBALL REALLY COMING HOME?
Dear Red Passion
I have sent you a snippit from Wales on Sunday (18.10.98):
and I would like to make two points about it:
and
From an avid Wrexham and Wales supporter
David Jennings
CP Says: Got to say I agree wholeheartedly with you (if it's feasible to stage internationals at the Racecourse)
And finally...
WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN (SADLY THIS LETTER LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DATED NOW)
Dear Red Passion
I've just read Issue 1 of your new publication and was overwhelmed by the quality and size of the thing. As you had something in from a Blyth fan, I've scribbled this little article on your new signing from The Toon, Stuart Elliott. A steal at £100,000!!
Best wishes
Ian Cusack, Newcastle
Stuart Elliott
I doubt many of your pulses would have quickened at the prospect of a 21-year-old reserve from Newcastle's reserve team for £100,000, especially not when Tommy Burns' collection of Newcastle cast-offs were propping up the division. However, in Stuart Elliott you have, potentially, got yourselves an absolute jewel.
Admittedly, the 21-year-old Londoner never got onto the pitch in a first-team game, though he did make the bench for the Champions League encounters away to Barcelona and at home to Kiev last season, as well as for the Coca-Cola Cup game at home to Hull.
That said, he captained the reserve side last season, as well as for the start of this one, which is presumably how he came to the notice of Ian Rush - although I presume it was the reserve game between the two sides at Newcastle Rugby Club's Kingston Park ground that set the wheels in motion.
I was at that game. Couldn't believe the sight of Joey Jones still playing. Mind you, he'd lost a bit of pace, especially when trying to keep up with Paul Dalglish.
Elliott leads by example, strong tackling, committed and honest. He thought nothing of bawling at the likes of John Barnes, Steve Howey and Keith Gillespie to make them do their job properly.
At first glance, he could be a body double for Steve Watson and, whilst not as versatile or accomplished a player as him yet, Stuart has the potential.
Personally, I was disappointed to see him sold, especially when there is so much dead wood at St.James' Park to start with (Try this team of rejects: Perez, Barton, Pistone, Albert, Howey, Barnes, Gillespie, Hamilton, Speed, Andersson & Guivarc'h).
I thought that an extended loan spell would be of greatest benefit to young Stuart, as first-team opportunities are still limited for him on Tyneside.
However, if he's been told there's no real future for him, he's best off leaving.
I hope it works out for him.
Ian Cusack
CP Says: Many thanks for your letter and your piece on the Man-Who-May-Have-Changed-Our-Season .We'll never know how good he was...
Red Passion is very grateful to the above correspondents. Keep those letters coming. Red Passion is keen to increase its Wrexham-related footie letters, so please think about the following topics. If you have anything to say on them please do write to Red Passion
· Which current Wrexham fan/fans have watched the most consecutive Wrexham games?
· Do we need five coaches?
· Do you live, or have you ever lived, close to a Wrexham player's house?
· The Skinner/Chalk debate: both, either, or neither?
· Who's the best left-back: Brace or Hardy?
· Which two strikers should Flynn perm from Roberts, Spink, Connolly, Rush, Russell?
· What is Connolly's best position?
· Have you got a very strange, unusual or unique Reds souvenir?
· Have you set off for a Wrexham match and never arrived?
· What is the most bizarre sight, or experience, you've ever had at a Wrexham match?
· Have you got any amazing 'where are they now?' stories - Wrexham players only?
· Have you ever met a Wrexham player in a strange place?
· Who should be club captain: Humes, Carey - or even Hardy?
· What is the strangest mode of transport you've utilised to get to a Wrexham game?
· Who are the up-and-coming stars of the Wrexham reserve team?
· Which Wrexham game have you enjoyed the least?
· If Wrexham FC was a drink/food/item of clothing, what would it be?
· As a Wrexham fan, which other football teams do you have a soft spot for?
· Which recent Wrexham strip have you liked or disliked the most?
· Any Wrexham player, past or present, for whom you've had a passionate and, perhaps, irrational dislike of (they may even have been a decent player)?
· As a fan, what are your matchday superstitions?
· Pound for pound, who is Flynn's best - and worst - signing?
· Have you ever got into a Wrexham game without paying? If so, how?
· Have you ever spotted any famous people watching a Wrexham match?
· Have you ever 'stolen' anything from the Racecourse - and still got it at home?
· What type of car does each member of the current Wrexham squad own?
I want to know! Keep those letters coming - on any of the above subjects, or any other!
Chris Pinlane