A Message From Phil Parkinson...
We Need Your Help
Altrincham's Vanarama National League campaign has only just finished, but the quest for an even better one next season is already underway - and Phil Parkinson needs your help.
Adding new signings to his squad is high on the Alty manager's list of summer priorities, but he is adamant that recruiting new as well as existing season ticket holders is right up there as an objective of similar importance.
"Buy A Season Ticket Now And You Will Be Giving Me The Best Chance To Make Our 2023-24 Squad More Competitive Than Ever."
Phil Parkinson
Altrincham Manager
Phil has helped revitalise the club from top to bottom since arriving from Nantwich Town with Neil Sorvel at a time when turning professional and mixing it with former EFL clubs on a regular basis in non-League's top tier must have seemed the most distant of prospects to Alty diehards.
Never one for resting on laurels, he wants to maintain the momentum and keep the club moving in the right direction, but he freely admits he can't do it without your help.
Such is the importance of summer revenue from season ticket sales that a grateful Phil took time out earlier this month to put his appreciation into words by penning a personal letter of thanks that was emailed to each and every season ticket holder for their invaluable contribution to the 2022-23 campaign.
The club are approaching a critical juncture in our preparations for next season, with the playing budget at Phil's disposal still being formulated and season ticket sales one of the factors that will determine the final figure.
These are exciting times to be an Alty supporter, with local derbies against Rochdale and Oldham Athletic featuring on what will be another fixture list to savour, so it's little wonder so many fans have already taken the decision to reserve their place at every home game next season.
For those still unsure, please take a moment to read the heartfelt thanks Phil expressed to all those who pledged in advance their support for the whole of last season.
That's how much it meant to him - and, remember, by committing to a season ticket now, you will be contributing directly to the playing budget and increasing Phil's chances of bringing the best available talent to The J.Davidson Stadium for the start of the new campaign.
A Letter from Phil Parkinson
Football is all about decisions, with success often the product of an important call being made, and I can think of two examples of that at Altrincham over the past 12 months - the club turning professional and you committing to a season ticket.
It scarcely needs saying that the first of those two was on a scale of its own, the most momentous in the club's entire history, but no-one should underestimate the relevance or importance of the second.
By pledging your support for the whole of the campaign in advance, you provided us with extra finance and added certainty for the crucial pre-season planning process, and I'm writing to you now to thank you personally for a commitment I value greatly.
It has been said before, but it's worth repeating, that income received during the summer months has a direct bearing on the size and quality of the squad we are able to assemble, and I can't thank you enough for your input.
And what a campaign you contributed to in 2022/23!There were frustrations along the way, but I would have no hesitation in labelling it a success story for the way we embraced full-time professional status and went about
ensuring the club continued to move in the right direction. We more than stood our ground in the ultra-competitive world of the Vanarama National League, not only adding a few more notable ex-League scalps to our growing collection but entertaining everyone and gaining new admirers in the process.
In the Isuzu FA Trophy, we rolled back the years and revived golden memories of the 70s and 80s with a run that captured the town's imagination and took us to within a penalty shoot-out of Wembley, and, in the Cheshire Senior Cup, we went one better by going all the way to the final for the first time in a decade.
Our off-field fortunes have been on the same upward curve, with average gates at The J.Davidson Stadium topping 2,000 for the second successive year. Who would have thought that when Neil and I walked through the door in 2017, just as a second relegation in a row had been confirmed and the challenge of turning things around in the Northern Premier League loomed large? There was an understandable mood of despondency around the place, with attendances hovering around the 800-mark, but just look how far we have come in such a relatively short time.
On top of that, our talent-packed Academy is thriving, with highly-promising young Alty teams doing the club proud in their various leagues and cup competitions and some
emerging prospects already feeding through to the senior squad.
These are exciting times to be an Alty fan. Ambition runs right through the club, from top to bottom, and we are already looking to recruit the best we can this summer to add strength and stability to the squad and put ourselves in optimum shape to continue striving for improvement.
Unity is another distinguishing feature at Alty. There's a real all-for-one-and-one-for-all mentality that is so integral to our success, and we need that level of support and backing from fans who again showed a commendable capacity for sticking by us to continue.
So, in thanking you for reading and wishing you a pleasant and enjoyable summer, I'd also urge you, please, if you possibly can, to renew your ticket and book your place at The J.Davidson Stadium for the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign. If you’ve already renewed, thank you! Don't forget, there's an Early Bird offer available that can save you money. It's for a limited time, so act now.
I've always said that together we can go places, and that resonates now more than ever, with the team going from strength to strength, our fans filling the stadium and travelling in numbers and the board working tirelessly and innovatively to provide the funds needed for continued progression.
You have played your part, and I wanted to place on record my gratitude for that and my heartfelt wish that you will be back, season ticket in hand, when we resume in August.
Thanks again, have a great summer and here's hoping for another memorable campaign in 2023/24.
All the best,
Phil Parkinson, Altrincham FC Manager