UPDATE: How fans can watch Beaconsfield Town for free next month
You would think that a football team’s stadium which is situated near a motorway service station would be the perfect place for fans to visit.
You can have a pre-match drink/meal before the match starts, it’ll be a short drive to the game, and if you’re feeling peckish, you can always go back and get a bite to eat.
That team will then be referred to as ‘the one near the services’, which could get people talking.
However, in Beaconsfield Town FC’s instance, they seem to be invisible despite their prime location.
READ MORE: Stuart Pearce officially reopens Beaconsfield Town's stadium
The Rams, who play their games at Holloways Park in the Southern League Premier, have struggled to reach more than 100 spectators on multiple occasions this season, despite having their stadium renovated.
Currently at Beaconsfield Town as they gear up for the official reopening of their stadium. Stuart Pearce will do the ribbon cutting tomorrow night before the fixture against Walton Casuals. pic.twitter.com/QqEI9ADHYd
— James Richings 🏴🇲🇾 (@James_BFP) October 17, 2021
Town have spent just short of £1m on getting their home improved over the summer and autumn months of 2021, which saw them play 22 of their first 25 games of the season away from home.
A new 3G pitch, floodlights, along with other improvements are just some of the features that have been worked on at the ground.
And with a bar, burger van, as well as funky merchandise on show, it seems that the club have got everything going for them.
So, why are the South Bucks side, who sit 14th in their league, struggling to bring in the numbers following their big renovation?
Peter Bromage, who is the club’s vice-chairman, said: “I think part of it is historic.
For 2 weeks in a row we are on the road, this time heading to Salisbury!
— Beaconsfield Town FC (@BeaconsfieldFC) February 13, 2022
🏆 Pitching In Premier South
🆚 Salisbury
📆 19/02/22
⏰ 3:00pm
🏟 Raymond McEnhill Stadium, SP4 6PU#BTFC #UPtheRAMS 🐏 pic.twitter.com/DqqLoZDub5
READ MORE: Can Non League crowds increase in Buckinghamshire?
“Beaconsfield as a club has been associated with Slough Town which was all good, but people didn’t really see Beaconsfield as a Beaconsfield club.
“It was a combination of Beaconsfield and Slough.
“When we took over the club in 2016, we broke with the Beaconsfield/Slough connection and we reformed as Beaconsfield Town.
🚨Exciting opportunity🚨
— Beaconsfield Town FC (@BeaconsfieldFC) February 15, 2022
If you’re interested in signing your child up for the new season, then register your interest NOW! https://t.co/qRbfw8gltW#BTFC #YoungRAMS 🐏 pic.twitter.com/B4oXsfDVpm
Compared to just some of the teams in the county, Chesham United have been reported to attract around 600 people to home games, Risborough Rangers have been pushing the 200 mark, whilst Flackwell Heath saw 400 spectators attend one of their matches in January for charity.
In fact, Non League fixtures have seen an increase in crowds following the lift of coronavirus restrictions.
Yet despite this boom in fans visiting matches below the Football League, Beaconsfield are missing out.
READ MORE: Getting behind the Non League teams across Buckinghamshire
This is in spite of all the work they currently do in the community, which ranges from sixth formers being able to study with the club, to introducing a youth section for under 12s to under 18s.
Peter continued: “Our goal is to make this into a community interest club.
“We’ve got a bit of way to go, but we’re focusing on growing our fanbase and getting involved in the local community.
🚨TICKETS ON SALE NOW!🚨
— Beaconsfield Town FC (@BeaconsfieldFC) February 14, 2022
🏆Joins us as we meet @MKDonsFC of Football League 1 in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Quarter Final at Holloways Park in what will be the highest competitive opponent in Beaconsfield Town History!
🎟️ https://t.co/zfJlPxzSHL#BTFC #UPtheRAMS 🐏 pic.twitter.com/7s9NfeSol8
“We have great facilities, we’re always busy with functions, parties, weddings, wakes, so we’re always busy.
“However, now we have made an investment in the ground, pitch, and the facilities available, we are desperately keen to grow our fan base.
“We have our educational academy here for girls and boys aged 16 to 18 where they can study for a BTEC in sports, where they can play football every day which is always very popular.
“We play at a high level which is step three in the Non League pyramid, and we operate off a limited budget for our players who are paid, and we can fight above our weight in that regard.
“It has been a very expensive project thanks to our chairman’s funding, but the pitch is superb.
“The surrounding of the pitch has been resurfaced and it’s a very comfortable place to come and watch football.
“We also decided to invest in a 3G pitch which is the highest for FIFA’s standards.
“We’ve also introduced the youth section a year ago which gives us youth players from under 12 to under 18, and we’ve introduced a reserve side.
READ MORE: Wycombe boss encourages fans to attend Non League fixture
“And next season, we will be introducing an under sevens to under 11s sides.
“All of this is about generating interest from children to adults, and we’re hoping that by engaging more within the local schools and community, people will attend our games.
“We’ve developed a relationship with Beaconsfield School, and they come to our ground three times to week with different age groups who train with our coaches, and we hope this can be a long-term relationship.
“We’re hoping to get into other schools to let people know that we are actually here because, people who live Beaconsfield don’t even know where we are.
“They know where the services are, but they don’t necessarily know where we are and that is something that we need to improve on.
“My challenge is to try and get our numbers up from the poor numbers we have at the moment, to what ones we would expect.
“We play teams such as Truro and Taunton and the latter will have around 800 to 1,000 people at each of their home games.
If you’re currently in year 11 or 12 and interested in joining our academy for the next academic year, then keep an eye out for upcoming trials and open evenings to secure your place.
— Beaconsfield Town FC (@BeaconsfieldFC) February 14, 2022
For more info, feel free to check the link in bio. #BTFC #YoungRams 🐏 pic.twitter.com/Vl48yZEpeu
“So you can imagine the difference that will make for a football club, and how that could be used for playing staff or facilities.”
The club’s official re-opening for their stadium was on October 18, 2021, when they hosted Walton Casuals at Holloways Park.
Former Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, and West Ham United left-back Stuart Pearce did the official ribbon-cutting, but the Rams would go on to lose 4-2 to the side from Surrey.
Town are also in this season's Berks and Bucks Cup, and will play Milton Keynes in the quarter-final stage of the competition on Mach 1.
The visit of the North Bucks side will be their highest competitive opponent in the club's history.
For more information, go to www.beaconsfieldtownfc.co.uk.
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