MATT Royle has hit the ground running in his new role as Altrincham’s marketing manager - and is already confidently forecasting the imminent return of 1,000-plus gates to Moss Lane.

A fervent Alty fan, university graduate Matt admits he is living the dream in his new role and says he never tires of seeing his name and job title alongside each other on the club’s website.

His appointment is no ego trip, though. Fiercely driven, he has devised and implemented a string of ideas that have already helped revive attendances, with Saturday’s gate topping 800, despite Solihull Moors bringing only a handful of fans with them.

Solihull are not the only ones who travel light, in terms of support, but there are even plans in place to address that.

"I’ve got a degree in business and management, specialising in marketing, from Aston University, and I’ve always been an Alty fan, so this really is like living the dream,’ he said. ‘Just seeing my name on the club website - Matt Royle, marketing manager, Altrincham FC – honestly, it’s a real buzz. Fantastic. I love it and feel so proud.

"I love watching Alty, because it is proper football. I remember coming to my first game and being hooked straightaway, because it is so different. I love being able to stand so close to the touchline and listen to the players. I stand near the halfway line or behind the goal.

"Generally I follow the mob. I must admit I don’t join in the chanting, but I love being in amongst them, savouring the atmosphere.

"It really is proper football, and that is something I use as a marketing tag. It’s cracking to be so close to the action and to feel the passion of the fans and the closeness that exists at this club. You don’t get that at other clubs, and it really is how football used to be.

"Coming to Alty is like returning to the roots of what football is all about, and I want more people to experience what that feels like. I noticed attendances had dropped off a bit, so I came up with a marketing plan and contacted (chairman) Grahame Rowley to see if I could possibly try and help the club out a bit.

"I want to get numbers back up, and the social media area of the club is what I’m concentrating on. It’s about increasing exposure to make sure people are fully aware of the club and the games we are playing.

"Facebook and Twitter are ideal for us, not least because they are free, and even simple things like posters advertising games are so effective.

"Facebook followers have already gone up from 1,270 to 1,370, while on Twitter, it has gone from 850 to 1,300, so instantly the message is getting out there, and, as a result, attendances are improving. It’s a case of putting out information, and it is working.

"The aim is to break the thousand mark by the end of the season, and we are on course. We are targeting away fans as well. Via their websites, and Facebook and Twitter, I’m getting the message across that it’s a great day out at Alty. It’s local clubs for now, but from next season, I’ll be extending it to clubs further afield and trying to sell the idea of a weekend in Manchester, based round the game at Moss Lane.

"Why not? Manchester has so much to offer, with so much going on, and you get to see your team play Alty into the bargain. I love the banter with away fans, and it saddens me when you’ve got about four standing in acres of space behind the goal.

"We are also looking at pricing schemes, and how we can make them work. I’ve got the turnstile operators filling out attendance sheets to give me an idea of the age groups coming through the gates, and I’m trying to tap into the student market as well, at Manchester Uni and Trafford College.

"That is the main objective – to get people into the ground – because once someone has sampled their first Alty game, I know they will come back."