John Yorkston admitted he’s been disappointed by the poor crowds for Dunfermline’s pre-season friendlies.
However, the Pars chairman believes that could be about to change with the start of the league campaign just over a week away.
The Fifers lined up some high-profile opposition, including three SPL sides and a Manchester United XI, in a bid to boost their coffers. However, the reaction from the club’s supporters over the past three weeks or so has been lukewarm, to say the least.
Just over 2500 turned out for the opener at East End Park against Hibs on July 10, which Dunfermline lost 4-0. They then played East Fife away three days later before the glamour tie on home turf against Sir Alex Ferguson’s young side on the 17th.
Again, just over 2500 attended that match, and four days later when they faced Aberdeen that figure had slumped to 1037.
The one competitive game they”ve had so far, against Arbroath in the first round of the Alba Cup, drew 976, while Tuesday night”s win over Hearts was watched by 2195.
Yorkston told Courier Sport, “It wasn’t all about the money, we wanted challenging games as well. Who else should we have got? Do we play second or third division sides, or do we play premier league teams?
“We were meant to play Arbroath in a pre-season friendly, but we had to call that off when we drew them in the Alba Cup, so we’ve had a mix.”
As for the crowds, he said, “It’s holiday time and money’s tight. Obviously we’d have hoped for more than the 2000 we had last night, but it’s still holiday time. We were also expecting more of a crowd against Manchester United, as it was to celebrate our 150th anniversary.
“The timing of our league and Alba Cup games didn’t help getting teams up for friendlies. We’re looking for friendlies when a lot of them haven’t even started pre-season, but we’ll see what happens when the real games start.”Season ticket sales ‘positive’Yorkston added that season ticket sales have been positive so far and he was hopeful the numbers could rise as the league campaign approaches. They are up on this time last year,” he said.
“We’ve sold over 1000 and I think we’ll see a difference come this time next week. We do sell a lot at the turn of the month when people are getting paid.”
He said he is happy with the way the team is playing at the moment, particularly their demolition of Hearts.
“You’ve got to be pleased when you beat Aberdeen and Hearts, even if it is only pre-season,” he added. “But at the end of the day it’s what we do in the league that really counts. Whoever wins the league this season will have deserved it.
“The one thing our fans will see when they come to support us is good football.”
Meanwhile, midfielder Steven Bell has admitted the Pars first-team squad will be devastated to see striker Graham Bayne leave the club after this weekend with his contract not being extended due to a foot injury.
“We are all disappointed at what has happened to Graham,” said Bell. “We were all hoping that he would get fit again and his contract would get extended but it hasn’t and he will have to leave us. We we are keeping our fingers crossed that he gets fit again and finds a new club.”
Dunfermline’s assistant boss Gerry McCabe added, “Big Graham is such a popular guy and a right good player that everyone at the club hoped that his foot injury would clear up over the summer. However, it flared up again and he will be leaving us next week and it is very sad.”