Trust Ade No 5 2009/10 - Now, can the away form be turned.

 Trust Ade No 5 2009/10 - Now, can the away form be turned.

Sitting here a week on from my last article, I can’t quite believe that Town made such a good start. The match on Tuesday was an absolute classic, and probably the best match so far seen at the Prostar. But Saturday’s opener against Burton, showed Town in a new dimension.

Playing three up front after long spells of a lone striker last season was a joy to behold. And although Town lost on the possession stakes (44:56), the quality that was shown raised a few hopes that this season wont be the wash out some of us predicted have predicted.

There of course is still hell of a long way to go, and one match or indeed two doesn’t make a summer, but the signs were encouraging, and now Town just need to sort out that away form.

In Barnet, never an easy place to go to, Town will be tested to the hilt, but if we are going to do anything this season, the results in London over the next four days, will tell us a lot of our possible progression.

We can only hope and wonder.

I won’t be going to Barnet on Saturday as my brother is getting married. I did raise an eyebrow when he told me the date Kat and him, were to be betrothed. What makes it even more startling is Kat is a massive football fan (Chelsea..there again, maybe not!), and is a former player and top coach for Asfordby Amateurs, just outside Melton Mowbray.

The game (sorry service) kicks off at 4 p.m. For Kat, Chelsea have moved their game to a lunch time kick off, but us Salopians will maybe jumping in the aisles if big Nathan put one in the ‘onion bag’. Melton Mowbray you have been warned!

Seriously, to both of you, congratulations, best wishes for the future, and I’m looking forward to what should be a really cracking day.

I was disappointed with the article in last Saturday’s Shropshire Star, which basically came from the angle that the Buses provided under the Travel Plan were seemingly failing.

The Oxon Park and Ride service saw a significant drop in numbers last season. Nobody knows why, especially as crowds actually rose, but they had dropped so significantly from this venue, that they just weren’t viable.

Unfortunately the Trust co-ordinated ‘Inn On The Green’ bus, also stopped following Saturday’s game, due to Andrea leaving and this obviously made for a story.

From a press release that aimed to promote the scheme and enhance the successful loaded coaches we co-ordinate from The Prince of Wales, Dun Cow and The Beeches, we basically got the ‘club doesn’t care angle’, which is certainly not the truth.

The Football Club believes passionately in the Travel Plan, but it can’t expect to run coaches full of air from different parts of the county.

I’m surprised that the Oxon bus fell off so bad, and it’s interesting that people have mailed, spoken and PM’d me, to state that this wasn’t the case. However statistics don’t back that up.

The good news is that Chris Smith, who match days runs the long distance coaches from around the county has arranged for the Oswestry bus to stop off at the Oxon P and R site. You have to book in advance, but at least you have the option. Contact Chris on 01952 604742 to do so.

The Trust is also looking at resurrecting the Inn On The Green bus, and looking at making another stop en route to the Prostar. This is very much in the vain of the Sky Blues Trust (who we looked at closely when launching our buses) where one bus does a circuit of pubs and goes to the ground. Ideally we are looking at the Radbrook, Longden area and will hope to have something in place for the Chesterfield game, so watch this space.

The bus would have to be viable, and numbers above 30 are really the minimum. I’m pleased to say some people have already contacted me with regards using this service, so we’ll keep you posted.

But can I also remind you that the Prince, Dun Cow, and Beeches would love to see you on their buses, and who knows the possibility of two coaches running from these venues could happen.

The advantages of using the buses are simple. Enjoy a pre match pint, straight to the ground and straight back, no hassle.

So, if you are struggling with ever increasing parking restrictions, why not give it a go.

I was looking across the message boards this week, and gauging what the big issues were, and where we as a Trust stand on those issues.

Loggerheads or Clip Art Lion.

As you know the Trust has the Loggerheads badge as part of its logo, and we certainly don’t see the need to change that.

I personally was part of a campaign to get the Loggerheads back in the early 90’s along with Blue and Gold (we at the time thought saying amber was funny..how rude!) organised by ‘A Large Scotch’ and as we all know in 1992, back it came.

The thing with the new logo is this. Personally I love it. I think it’s striking, bold, dynamic, says everything that is Shrewsbury. Proud as lions, and I hope that when opposition players see that big ‘clip art thing’ racing towards them, that a slight soiling of underwear garments takes place.

The problem is this. The way that the design came out, the finding of a very similar if not identical image on Microsoft Clip Art, that had even the most ardent of lovers of the new logo scratching their heads and saying why?

Those that believe the club has sold it’s sole in the new commercial world that is football, have latched onto the ‘Clip Art’ issue like an anti-road campaigner latches onto newts, in the hope of stop an £80 million bypass.

Those that seemingly don’t care either way are seen as not having their true belief in Town, and are almost seen as a new breed of fan to be despised. At yet on the boards we see people that love the ‘shrew’ logo, and I believe it’s all to do with the time you start watching Town or when they are successful.

One thing that struck me Tuesday was a little lad, walking to the Prostar with his Dad and Granddad. In his hand he had a hand drawn A4 poster, with Shrewsbury Town written on it. But also apart from the copious blue and amber was an almost perfectly drawn ‘Clipart’ Lion logo.

I imagined in 20 years time, this chap writing on the virtual version of Blue and Amber arguing passionately for the newly promoted Premier League Two winners not to ditch the ‘Clip Art’ in favour of what ever the latest fashion is at that time.

It is important to fans, but kits and logos change almost as often know as replica shirts. Is it right? With my Trust head on, no, but with rationale, such as the copyright issue, it was the time to change. I hope that this logo lasts and if it doesn’t then the Loggerheads comes back. If we change again for the sake of it, then I would question, the need, and the desire. You damage the brand basically, and a change to a further design would do that. If the Loggerheads can be brought back and meet the criteria of today’s world, I’ll back that campaign, but as yet I haven’t seen a good case to do so, both from a fans point of view and commercially. And those two criteria must be met.

Hibbo or not to Hibbo. That is the question?

After two cracking goals, and the shrewsTRUST merchandise ready to go on ‘Dave Hibbert – Goal Machine T-Shirts’ the renaissance of our striker has certainly caused some bubble amongst the on line communities. For me Hibbo has always been a trier but whether he had the class was questionable. Now, he has an opportunity, and after THAT goal against Ipswich, the future is looking good. If Simmo continues to play with three upfront, the system that allows Elder, Robinson and Hibbo to play could be the guys making. I hope so, because like many, I thought he would be on the way out. However, if a Town fan ever likes to be wrong, then this is the occasion. Keep going Dave.

Shrewsbury Flower Show – Good or Bad for Shrewsbury?

I’m certainly in the ‘good’ camp on this one. I think the Flower Show is an event that brings people to our Town, helps our economy, which in turn provides jobs, and repeat visits from visitors which maintains those jobs.

Some Salop fans see it as an event that almost rivals STFC, attended and put on by those that hate STFC, but this couldn’t be further from the truth, and I bet tomorrow, there will be a few gathered round the Radio Shropshire stand listening in on Dunny and Cross going mental at Underhill (or how many tube trains they have seen!).

People will always moan about the noise, the fireworks etc, but the Flower Show for me promotes Shrewsbury. STFC promotes it for longer and to a wider audience, but I’d never get rid of the Flower Show, or Darwin, or the Castle or the River Severn…..(or the Loggerheads L)

And finally I was going to right about my Trust colleagues this week, but I still haven’t gathered enough information. Although my spies tell me snippets. Which Trust Board members falls asleep after half a pint of cider will have to wait until next week.

Yours in Trust

Ade Plimmer

Contact me at media@shrewstrust.com