I got a phone call from Pools last night, about 5:45pm, giving me the hard sell on Pools World because my subscription is up soon. Offering me a deal on the full package for £1 for the first month.

I've not renewed my season ticket yet but I've had no phone call about that.

WHY NOT?

I'm finding it bloody difficult to get the money together to be honest. Off to the states on Sunday so it's an expensive week.

In the good old days of the early bird discount I'd have had my money together before the end of June. But now there is a saving of just 4.1 games and I'm going to miss the first one as I'm away (if we'd have been home first I wouldn't have missed the game), there has been little to encourage me to part with my hard earned.

I know what you mean, but the playoff semi tickets and other big all ticket away days must sway you a bit?

times in the jungle are tough as well. Jane has told Tarzan to cut his loin cloth accordingly.

That sort of thing doesn't sway anyone. If you are on the ball you don't miss any big games. There is always a stub system in place these days anyway. And no one is going to buy a season ticket just on the off chance that Pools make the play offs, just so they have priority are they?

Yep.

Even when I was working away and couldn't get to the midweek games I bought a season ticket so as to get away tickets and play off tickets easier.

Not really, it's a sad fact that I may have to give up a few home games to get to some of the bigger away games this season. Carlisle/Leeds/Huddersfield.

That's the way football is going I'm afraid, it's a costly sport to follow these days.

That is ok for you, you may have the money to do so. But the lack of an early bird discount makes it hard for many people to justify to their families spending such a large lump sum in one go.

Anyway, the reason I posted the original message was because I can't understand the phone call to chase my £35 Pools World subscription but no call about my £350 season ticket that I haven't renewed.

I think the guy wasn't really from Pools, I think he was from PTV and just pretending to be from Pools, I should have asked him who he'd start in goal on Saturday.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there like.

i got a similar call end nearing the end of last season and i may be wrong but i believe pools world is run from a company in London or at least the sales pitch people are???

Same here, I had the money in May and would have ghot a season ticket without a shadow of a doubt. However, the lack of an early bird discount meant I decided to wait to give them my money and things in June and July meant that the money was used elsewhere. The club, in my opinion, scored an own goal in stripping yet another perk off getting a season ticket.

Hmmmm.......I wonder how much the promotion bonus's were??

I wonder how much Ian Moore's wages are?? I can't imagine Robbie Elliott's cheap?? How much is relaying two pitches for this season?? Don't we pay loanees wages?? Godwin Antwi plays for Liverpool.....

Cake and eat it??

It's definately not a protest on my part.

I remember when the money from season ticket sales was seen as vital to carry the club through the summer months when there was no income from gate receipts. Then you had a 10% discount in the club shop, the early bird £50 or whatever it was, and the nice letter from the chairman thanking you for your support in the previous year.

Now I get a couple of free games and first choice at buying more 18 quid tickets for cup games. It appears the season ticket money is not as important to Pools as it once used to be. It now appears to be more important to get people signed up to Pools world.

The revenue streams have changed in football, that's why average premiership clubs can spend millions on players and reduce their season ticket prices.

4000 season ticket holders and 1000 paying at the gate is worth less to Pools that 5000 paying at the gate.

The only protest I made was to keep my money until July. It just happened circumstances took over. I would still be tempted to get a season ticket on my credit card but the 4% (I think) surcharge makes it even less value again.

A five year season ticket, I like the sound of that.

We'd the need the fyst elite group though!

Who said it was a class thing?? Who said it was right or wrong?? Calm fookin' down.

It's not even an argument, the whole debate on here has been about class signings for the last three months and whether these players are any good or whether we need a 20 goal a season man or a better goalkeeper.

Who the fooks paying them??

YOU ARE you daft gets, that's how it works in entertainment and that's what you're talking about. You pay peanuts you get monkeys. You can all do the maths, 5000 x 20 quid x 23 = what??

26 professionals + 20 staff/directors + overheads = what??

Divide the first by the second, should equal 0. If it doesn't, think about it.

Shouldn't that equal 1 Kev, if I am following your argument correctly. If you divide one by the other you don't end up with zero

I wasn't going to bother with a season ticket this year, but after grafting my tits off in June I got 60 odd hours paid overtime in my July wage and the mrs insisted that I spend my extra money on a season ticket. If I didn't get one I know for a fact that i would have had to miss some games down the line, especially as we have 4 home games not including cup games in December.

I have other priorities for my money now as well and the mrs has cut her hours so that is even less of an income between the two of us.

any news on the making a family front mr fens

Yeah the mrs is 16 weeks pregnant, due back end of January some time

nice one well done and congrats to you and the missus

The only Pools game I've ever been unable to get tickets for was Blackpool in the playoffs and that's because their Chairman was a tit. Priority tickets for away games and semi's is absolutely no incentive to buy a season ticket as you'll get one anyway.

Pools will only have about 500 season ticket holders who would go to any such away games and we generally get at least 1000 tickets so you'll always get a ticket if you want one.

Each to their own. You pay your money and take your choice.

I know that you can probably get tickets by going and standing in a five hour queue, but personally I don't have the time or patience for that so would rather pay for the season ticket to make it that bit easier.

Maybe four or five years tarting around in mid table with no big games to worry about would change my mind, but at the moment I'm sticking with the season ticket option.

With regards to somebody's comment regarding hindsight at Pools showing them this years plan was a bad idea, when I went in to buy mine about a fortnight ago I was told that they'd already sold more than they had by Christmas last year.

Equally, out of the lads I stand with (about 8 or 9 of us) this season we all have season tickets, whereas last year about 3 of us did.

Well they would say that wouldn't they, I'd never expect them to say sales were down.

It doesn't sound bad to me either MJ.

But then again I'm not as negative as some...

Ah but no matter how much the credit scheme was derided on here, surely a good number, yes, however insane they are, yes, will have taken advantage of it. Tick's a way of life to people now. Lot's of people will just have chucked it on the credit card as well.

Maybe.....

Good accountant me eh??

I've never stood in a five hour queue either, I've hardly even queued!