Full details and analysis of the returns from the survey are available on request, will be distributed at the Quarterly Meeting on 22 November. Further details will be available on this website in the next few days.
Survey carried out during November 2003. Total responses 160.
SURVEY
RESULTS
Doncaster Rovers' fans' opnions of the Viking Supporters' Co-operative
Results of the questionnaire distributed to fans during November 2003
A separate colour histogram (a chart showing the results in block form) has been produced which summarises the results in simplified form and indicates to fans the issues which matter most as judged by the survey in descending order, and the approval rating for the Co-operative on their performance as regards these issues.
Please
click on the logo to see the graph representation of the results
However, the full details and analysis of the survey are given below for fans who are interested:
Numerical analysis
of Questionnaire returns:
The first set of marks shown are the importance of these issues to fans,
based on a score system of 1=Not at all important, 2=Not very important,
3=Neither important or unimportant, 4=Moderately important, and 5=Very
important.
The second set of marks shows the rating of the Co-operative's performance
in these same issues, based on a score system of 1=Not at all successful,
2=Not very successful, 3=Neither successful or unsuccessful, 4=Moderately
successful, and 5=Very successful.
In other words, the higher the score from 1 to 5, the more important the
issue and the better the Co-operative are doing.
NOTE: Scoring in bold [eg. 186/171] is weighted, based on +2 points for
a "5", +1 point for a "4", 0 points for a "3",
-1 point for a "2", and -2 points for a "1". It is
these figures that are represented in the histogram. The weighting ensures,
for example, that a "very important" mark from a fan carries
more weight in the result than a "moderately important" mark,
and low marks are deducted.
| Question | Importance | VSC Performance | |||||||||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
||||
1
|
Team
matters |
206/148 |
7 |
7 |
15 |
19 |
104 |
6 |
4 |
28 |
52 |
56 |
|
2
|
Fund
raising |
261/211 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
29 |
118 |
1 |
4 |
9 |
57 |
80 |
|
3
|
Rovers'
board representation |
247/209 |
- |
2 |
11 |
39 |
105 |
- |
6 |
14 |
43 |
86 |
|
4
|
Guaranteeing
board transparency |
221/177 |
1 |
3 |
11 |
46 |
90 |
3 |
3 |
17 |
62 |
62 |
|
5
|
Disabled
issues |
215/175 |
4 |
3 |
18 |
38 |
94 |
- |
8 |
27 |
49 |
67 |
|
6
|
Stadium
project |
295/249 |
- |
3 |
- |
10 |
144 |
- |
4 |
9 |
25 |
114 |
|
7
|
Feedback
to fans |
285/231 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
11 |
139 |
- |
3 |
12 |
36 |
99 |
|
8
|
Newsletter |
217/197 |
1 |
2 |
13 |
61 |
80 |
1 |
2 |
18 |
51 |
75 |
|
9
|
Membership
benefits |
190/180 |
7 |
5 |
13 |
49 |
80 |
6 |
1 |
23 |
45 |
74 |
|
10
|
Quarterly
meeting |
211/199 |
1 |
4 |
20 |
45 |
86 |
1 |
2 |
22 |
47 |
78 |
|
11
|
Social
functions |
109/114 |
11 |
11 |
34 |
54 |
44 |
5 |
6 |
45 |
50 |
40 |
|
12
|
Competitions |
69/110 |
11 |
22 |
42 |
45 |
34 |
2 |
5 |
54 |
49 |
35 |
|
13
|
Providing
volunteers at Belle Vue |
179/171 |
2 |
5 |
26 |
56 |
66 |
2 |
3 |
25 |
54 |
62 |
|
14
|
Liasing
with other Co-ops |
151/133 |
7 |
7 |
30 |
50 |
61 |
3 |
2 |
49 |
41 |
50 |
|
15
|
Accessibility
of directors/officers |
195/172 |
4 |
6 |
16 |
47 |
81 |
1 |
4 |
24 |
56 |
61 |
|
16
|
VSC
website |
215/210 |
2 |
5 |
14 |
42 |
91 |
- |
7 |
15 |
39 |
89 |
|
17
|
Publicising
Rovers |
253/204 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
24 |
119 |
1 |
6 |
17 |
36 |
88 |
|
18
|
Publicising
VSC |
234/188 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
39 |
100 |
3 |
5 |
17 |
49 |
75 |
|
19
|
Ticketing
issues |
246/166 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
31 |
111 |
4 |
9 |
21 |
43 |
70 |
|
20
|
Recruiting
new members |
252-166 |
- |
4 |
7 |
28 |
114 |
3 |
10 |
21 |
48 |
67 |
|
21
|
Resolving
personal problems with the club |
231/169 |
1 |
6 |
11 |
41 |
99 |
1 |
7 |
23 |
58 |
60 |
|
22
|
Consultation
with fans |
262/199 |
1 |
- |
8 |
22 |
121 |
- |
6 |
18 |
43 |
81 |
|
23
|
Receptiveness
to suggestions |
229/192 |
- |
1 |
12 |
46 |
92 |
- |
2 |
23 |
52 |
72 |
|
24
|
Follow-up
on suggestions |
239/193 |
- |
2 |
12 |
37 |
102 |
1 |
2 |
19 |
51 |
73 |
|
25
|
Match
day programme |
260/235 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
68 |
70 |
3 |
36 |
22 |
111 |
||
Statistical analysis:
A total of 160 responses were received, of which 109 were paper forms (mostly from away coaches and the Viking Sports Bar), 43 were from the VSC website, and 8 were by e-mail (using the VSC newsletter version). Despite the huge number of forms available at the ground, only 5 responses were received from this method.
137 respondents identified themselves and will be entered in the free draw.
103 fans said "yes" they were VSC members although 20 of these could be identified as not being (and are assumed to be Supporters' Club members). 3 identifiable fans who did not fill in this box are members, and 20 who did not fill in the box are not members. 49 fans correctly stated they were not members. Therefore, approximately half (86 out of 160) respondents were VSC members.
Further comments on the analysis:
1 A number of respondents answered every item with a "5". This has the effect of flattening the peaks but does not skew the results.
2 Three overseas respondents appear to have no connection with the club, and their marks are somewhat random, although they are all included.
3 The relatively low number of full marks for match-day programme importance among paper copies is attributed to the absence of a box in this column, although some respondents placed a tick here regardless (final scores for the histogram have been adjusted accordingly).
4 The category selected as most important was the stadium. This also received the highest number of top marks for performance, and was highest rated on performance overall.
5 The remainder of the top ten were (in descending order) feedback to fans, consultation with fans, fund-raising, match-day programme, publicising Rovers, recruiting new members, Rovers' board representation, ticketing issues, and following up on suggestions. These were also marked highly on performance (moderately or very successful).
6 Social functions received quite a high performance rating, despite the fact that we have never run any! This was one the only category where approval exceeded importance.
7 Liaising with other Co-ops was also marked quite highly for both importance and performance, again surprisingly as this is not an area we have been active in.
8 The importance attributed to liaising with other Co-ops and team matters would suggest that these are two areas where we should appoint a specific liaison officer. (We are already in the process of appointing a Disabled Liaison Officer).
9 Overall, provision of social functions and competitions did not seem major concerns. Membership benefits were also marked low, and were matched by performance so presumably equalled fans' expectations.
10 One of the largest discrepancies between importance and performance was in the area of board transparency. This is difficult to explain unless the question was misunderstood, as the mere presence of our own director should guarantee this. By comparison, Rovers' board representation was marked higher on performance.
11 Perhaps surprisingly, disabled issues was well down the importance priorities, and, perhaps equally surprisingly, was marked quite highly on performance.
12 A few respondents omitted to mark under some categories, and several marked only importance, leaving performance untouched. This explains the discrepancies in the total number of marks cast.
13 Follow-up on suggestions was marked slightly higher than receptiveness to suggestions, which does not really make sense.
14 Accessibility of directors/officers and providing volunteers at Belle Vue scored surprisingly lowly.
15 Overall, approval ratings were good.
16 We appear to have selected relevant categories to assess.
Suggestions
Many suggestions were just general ideas rather than suggestions as to
areas the Co-operative should be involved in, as was intended. The following
are reproduced exactly as they appeared in the forms:
Give good notice of all-ticket games
Special offers on club memorabilia
Have a female Donny Dog (thrice mentioned)
News on transfers
Members outings (twice mentioned)
Bring back Tris!
Penney out!
Putting bins in
Making ground safer
Club should recognise supporters better
Standing at Town End
Hange (sic) Mr. Linney "twice" [joke]
Standing and seating; plenty of places for disabled
More meetings with players/management
Mark bus numbers, use score board (Dons nos.) advertise red bag to programme
or (coat) sellers
Club outings eg. Old Trafford
Having plenty of programmes available for people arriving at games near
kick off
Improving programme to standard of others in League - more articles/features
Continue giving information to fans as well as you are doing
Keeping a club representative at the meeting
Need more than 10,000 in new stadium. I would like a standing area in
the new stadium
New stadium details (size) etc.
Administration Office needs reorganising
Rovers' jewellery, ie. pendants etc.
Andy is doing a very good job
Better players, better referee
If you get a lot of negative responses, don't be disheartened, it is always
easy to criticise.
This form would be better as a web form [Ed. it WAS available on our website]
Too much bad press about VSC. Liney should not have gone to Turkey.
A good start, but we should recruit more members
Overall, VSC are doing very well; "Hats off to you all for your work",
my long overdue membership is in the post!
Why take a standing poll, then announce it's going to be all-seater anyway?
Co-ordination of fans' input into Rovers' affairs.
I feel that ALL the above are important, but found the task of completing
the form daunting.
The following are
brief summaries of much longer comments:
This should be a two-way process (ie. have the club's input as well)
A document of guidelines covering the role of a board director should
be provided
Improve atmosphere at Belle Vue by rallying fans with songs, flags, etc.
starting with youngsters on Town End
We should have regular updates on how we are doing at fund-raising, create
a "can do" atmosphere, report if nothing is coming in and "name
and shame" fans into giving
Increasing the membership is now more important than ever, we should write
to businesses, schools, and social clubs to try to enrol them. Well done
to the VSC, your efforts have been well appreciated by the fans
Why are no programmes sold in the Main Stand? Bring back "Golden
Goal", half-time draw has had it's day. As an incentive to buy season
tickets, why not have a draw for someone to be "Guest of Honour"
at a game (at no cost to the club).
I don't attend meetings so my assessment is based on what I've read on
the websites, etc.
My perception is the VSC support the club well with fund-raising and volunteers.
The VSC is a body to represent the fans individually or as a group and
a platform for positive ideas.
Several further fans who responded using the e-mail version of the form commented at length on every issue, and their comments were too extensive to be included here. These fans have all been replied to in detail individually, and their views will all be taken into account
A BIG THANKS to all Rovers' fans who took part in the survey!