There’s no doubt the last few days have provided a rollercoaster of emotions for everybody associated with Scunthorpe United, but the overriding feeling here at the club is one of pride and excitement as we head into a run of six final games to decide our season, with one trophy already in the bag and promotion back to the National League very much in our own hands.
It is an exciting prospect for Iron fans, and if there is one thing the last few days have confirmed, once again, it is the incredible passion and commitment this community has for its football club.
This was never more in evidence than last Saturday, when our Community Day broke the National League North attendance record with a mind-blowing total of 8,274 fans, and our players produced arguably their best performance of the season to put us in the driving seat for the title. It was amazing to see so many smiling faces and especially new young fans in the crowd. I’m sure the experience will keep many of them coming back for life.
There are many people to thank for their part in the day’s success, from the charities, small vendors and local businesses that came down to create a party atmosphere outside the ground in the build-up to the game, to the musicians that (mostly!) brought the good vibes and the stewards, security staff and volunteers that ensured a safe event.
A special personal thank you though has to go to James Moody, Glyn Sparks, Jake Pullan, Julie Taylor and our new Stadium Manager Martin Hopper for their tireless work behind the scenes before, during, and after the event to make it the success it was. Our team is small in number but in terms of heart and commitment, there is none bigger.
In my view, every home game at the Attis Arena should feel like a Community Day, and this is what we will be working together to achieve in future with some exciting new fan-zone proposals already in the pipeline. These kinds of initiatives are crucial to the club’s future sustainability, but we simply can’t do it without your support. Any feedback – positive or negative – is always gratefully received as we build new strategies to improve our fan engagement.
Another special mention at this stage of the season has to go to Andy Butler and his coaching staff, who are also small in number but more than make up for that through their professionalism and dedication. It is easy to forget that Andy is still in his first season as a manager but with the full support of the board he has proved his mettle and galvanised a team in his own resolute, resilient mould.
As well as Andy, John and Muzzy, huge credit has to go to our physical performance team of Ash, Ciaran and Rosie, who despite a couple of injuries out of their control have (touch wood!) kept the boys on the pitch, healthy and happy and posting some insane numbers throughout a tough winter on some demanding surfaces, including our own. Their hard work will be invaluable during this final push.
Producing a much-improved playing surface for next season is one of our main priorities for the summer, but before we do that the final act for the current pitch will be the hugely-exciting Stadium Weekender set to take place on Bank Holiday weekend of May 23-24-25.
This will the first time a concert of this magnitude has happened in Scunthorpe and as a club we are delighted to be playing our part in bringing it to the town. Like anything we do at the Attis Arena, our main focus is the community and an event of this size and scale – lining up internationally-renowned artists alongside homegrown talent, attracting investment, creating new jobs and generating a buzz around the town – is something for us all to celebrate.
Again, it can only be a success with the support of local people and there are some announcements on the way that should get everybody excited. We all want the Stadium Weekender to be a celebration of everything that is good about Scunthorpe, as the town looks to generate new economic growth and builds towards the future.
As a football club, we have a huge role to play in that journey and the summer festival is just the first of a series of exciting community events that we will look to host in and around the stadium, with more due to be announced in the coming months.
Of course, our most important work as a football club happens on the pitch on a Saturday afternoon and when that whistle blows at 3pm tomorrow it will be great to see the Donny Road End bouncing again and everybody pulling together to give Andy and the boys that big final push that they so deserve.
Up the Iron!
