New Clyde Column In Cumbernauld News
A new weekly column devoted to Clyde began today and another major Clyde and Cumbernauld-related feature will be published once a month.
The first of the articles in the Cumbernauld News series ‘View From The Stands’ is reproduced here.
Last season Clyde completed their most successful season for twenty-five years when they finished fifth in the country’s second best division, making them Scotland’s seventeenth best club. With two games to go this season they again sit in fifth position.
It’s a satisfactory state of affairs for everyone at Broadwood but it’s seen as a base to build from, not the height of Bully Wee ambitions. The Club’s new manager, former Republic of Ireland internationalist Alan Kernaghan, has stated that his number one priority to is to add to the strength of his squad over the next two months. He’s finalised his list of targeted players for next year, now it’s just a case of waiting until the players in question are out of contract before speaking to them
Thirty-four year old Kernaghan has already impressed everyone with his mix of approachability and authority and his considerable reputation as a player will greatly help Clyde in the battle to win publicity – he’s already survived a battle of wits with Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan on Radio Scotland’s ‘Off The Ball’!
Kernaghan’s aims for next season are threefold. His prime target is to get good results but he intends to achieve that by playing an attractive passing style of football and in doing so hopes to increase the crowds for home games in Cumbernauld. It’s an on-field approach which merges completely with Clyde’s recent off-field moves to increase support for Clyde at Broadwood.
It’s now just three months since the Bully Wee invited ideas from supporters and members of the general public on how Clyde can increase its support at Broadwood Stadium and it’s already beginning to produce results.
‘Target 2K’ – Clyde’s long-term attendance-building initiative which is run by Bully Wee fans – made suggestions to improve the present Season Ticket package for home games at Broadwood and the attractive Clyde Season Ticket offers for the 2002/03 season are the result.
Already the signs are that Season Ticket sales will exceed last year and not only will the number of non-adult season ticket holders grow, as was expected from the youth-driven package, but the amount of adults season tickets sold has shown an increase on the same period last year.
The new Under-18 season tickets priced at £20 and £40 are proving to be a great hit with Under-12s and Under 18s and their parents and the reaction so far has been tremendously encouraging for everyone who cares about Cumbernauld’s senior football club – now the aim is fourth top or better!