BANBURY UNITED AND THE 3 NEXT STEPS.

Banbury United has experienced a rapid ascent, largely due to the diligence of Andy Whing and his coaching team, as well as the presence of a highly capable and ambitious group of players. Andy Whing's growth mindset has been the driving force of this success, as he has not viewed Banbury as a club that will never exceed the standards of Step 3, but instead has seen it as a project on how to make the club successful in both the short and long term. This is all a product of Andy Whing's growth mindset and his commitment to the club for the past two and a half years.

Since Andy's arrival the culture at Banbury has shifted, leading to a positive ripple effect throughout the club. Attendance figures have increased by 215.3% from the 2015/16 season to the present, which is a testament to the success of the fan-owned model. This surge in attendance has allowed the club to partner with 'The Terrace' to offer a range of products in the club shop, allowing fans to express their identity as a part of Banbury United and that they were ‘born in the Horton general’ when having their first-morning coffee on a Monday morning out of one of the many great mug designs on offer. This partnership has already seen record sales on matchday against Kettering on February 4th, however, in order to support Andy and the players further, further action is required. This blog post will provide my ideas on how to give Andy and the players the best possible chance on the pitch.

1) Banbury United Development Team

Banbury United have had an intermittent presence of Reserve and Development sides over the years, with limited success. It is my belief that it is time to get this right, as this can be the first step in assisting Andy and the players on the pitch. On Tuesday, we face our neighbours Easington Sports, who possess three teams - the First Team, Development Team, and Easington Clan, competing in Steps 5, 6 and 8 respectively, thereby showing a clear pathway for player progression. Having this model in place can help support the development and progression of players, as well as assist the First Team in the event of any injury crises, suspensions, or unavailability. With the rigours of Step 2 travel demands and the intensity of the games, competing in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup is the least of our worries with a threadbare squad due to injuries. However, we have no choice but to put out a First Team who are carrying knocks or need a rest, thereby emphasising the importance of having a Development Side who can aid the First Team when called upon.

I feel that Banbury has a great opportunity to target young, emerging talent in and around the town, which has a population of 54,335. We can also look to reach out further afield, providing support for recently released scholars from local clubs like Oxford United and Northampton Town. This will provide exposure for young players playing at a high standard of men's football playing at step 5/6, and offer them the opportunity to gain experience alongside training at a Step 2 club. At Banbury, we strive to bring in quality over quantity when utilising our budget; however, this has led to limited subs available to us in some matches. Therefore, having a strong development squad can provide support for the first team and ensure that there is a sufficient number of players available if ever needed. For a club/town of Banbury's size, it is crucial to create a successful pathway for the younger players, which should start at junior football level. My own experience of playing for Banbury United in the Witney and District Football League, where we usually finished mid-table, showed me the importance of driving talent identification and creating the best youth sides in North Oxfordshire. At this current moment there are countless of amazing coaches producing the tireless work for Banbury united youth and some clubs now are competing in the best level like the MJPL/Oxfordshire youth league. However, with all this hard work Banbury mens get little reward as when the players reach 16 there is zero link between Banbury united youth to the men's game. By installing a link could help to establish a culture of teams developing together, as they follow a clear pathway from junior football to U18s, to then the Development and hopefully have a few success stories like Jack Harding where they can feature for their local Club. Yet even if that is too far stretched with the junior teams, the development side isn’t, as games like Tuesday against Easington prove otherwise as it can help first-team players to be rested and recovered ready for a big test against a full-time Kidderminster harrier.

2) Social Media

The board do a fantastic job putting in many devoted hours to encompass the success of the club however I believe the social media side is lacking the clinical impetus it can have and something the board probably has put on a back burner as the accounts, Ground safety, fulfilling the National League requirements alongside a large itinerary to get through on matchdays are a priority.

Twitter has an average of 229 million daily users and Facebook boasts 2.93 billion active users monthly, demonstrating the sway social media has on all of us. Banbury has seen a 25% increase in its social media following over the past season, reaching 11.7k followers, which is a commendable following. To capitalize on this, we need to engage the target demographic, which is comprised of 59.2% of users aged between 25 and 49 years old. Advertising a Volunteering role for social media to local college and University students presents a possible win-win situation; Banbury could benefit from an engaging Twitter page with up-to-date trends and regular advertisements, as well as the individual running the page gaining valuable social media experience to build their CV. In the past week, two clubs have informed us about rearranged fixtures before we announced the news on Twitter, and nothing has been mentioned on other platforms such as Facebook, thus omitting information to 4.7k followers and likers. Ultimately, social media is a free marketing tool, and if utilized correctly, this can have a positive effect on attendances, income, and fan engagement.

3) Ticketing promotions

This month will witness seven games, six of which will be held at home within the 28-day period of February. This is unfortunate due to the effects of the weather, which is out of everyone's control. However, with the cost of living, it is difficult for the average fan to attend every game, resulting in decreased attendances. Going forward, if we ever have three home games in a week, the club could offer a package of £36, which would provide a saving of £9 and ensure attendance is maintained, allowing the average fan to still support Banbury during the cost-of-living crisis. This would not detrimentally affect the club's funds, as they would receive more money from the fan attending the three games as part of a bulk deal, than if they attended just one or two games. Furthermore, increased fan attendance can always result in additional income from food/drink and merchandise sales. Overall, I believe this could have a significant impact on increasing attendances, as well as creating a positive atmosphere for the players to generate a home advantage.

Overall

In conclusion, Banbury United Football Club can increase our ever-growing ambitions and engage with the community by spotting local junior talent to join a development team, engaging fans on social media, and rewarding loyal fans with deals to come to games. This will enhance the club's connection with the community and help them to achieve their mantra of "We are United!"

Thank you for taking your time in reading this - WE ARE UNITED❤️💛

UTP

Spencer reds.

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