For discussion

[The Town Crier]

Originally Posted By: Ryan.c

Give me a trip to Dorchester over 'Arra bloody Boro/Ashford/Staines/Heybridge any day.

This club needs to be in the Conference South. In order to even start to maximise our potential and be taken seriously by potential sponsors/advertisers and joe public at large, we need to be there. The Conference South is still in its infancy as those clubs that should be there, gradually rise up. In 5/6 seasons time it will be a vastly stronger and more attractive league to be in. Attendance wise we'll more than hold our own, probably top 6/7. IMO, the longer we stay in the Ryman the more stale, as a club, we become.

This is a good post by Ryan, I'm particularly interested in the last sentence as I think it can have several different meanings

I was wondering how many of you agree with Ryan's post, and why.

[Ricydickie]

I am not sure what Ryan means. IMO the club is not stale. Ok we did not get in the playoffs and no silverware, but excitement all the way. Best FA cup run, relagation threat, Management changes, promotion hopes, miss play offs with only 2 weeks to go. and all the above with some of the worst injuries a club could suffer. Off the pitch a great club feel, regular entertainment, good attendances, excellent banter. Stale? I think not!

[Keith.P]

"IMO, the longer we stay in the Ryman the more stale, as a club, we become."

 

I think Ryan is saying that joe public (the floating support) may decide that watching Billericay play year in year out in Ryman prem is "perhaps" a boring thing and possibly turn to other things to do.

 

Next point i make from Ryan would be - Sponsors etc i would think "may" then jump on board more amiably? to the cause as i too think Billericay has the potential to get 700 on regular Saturday games if we were in connie south

 

Before the connie south came into existence we were effectively a division higher, being a feeder league into the national league. At that time we were getting between 6/700 home supporters on a regular basis.

 

I think Ryan is saying that (at this level) we are a very good sized club and it does have the potential to be an attractive club to invest in.

 

For the regulars the club will always be attractive as we can have some good laughs amongst ourselves and a good comradarie is held. But, football is and should be about progression.

 

A good topic nonetheless.

 

 

 

[jl]

I think when the Conference South was formed coupled with the re-organisation of the Ryman and Southern Leagues there probably wasn't too much difference in quality or kudos between the divisions (Conf South and Ryman), as I hazily recall a team that finished as low as 20th in the Ryman could have made it into the Conf South via the play-offs.

 

However over the passage of time (since 04/05) we have seen stronger sides promoted to CS and weaker teams relegated back to the Ryman with the obvious effect of the Ryman becoming weaker. I think this has been hidden to a degree with well supported (in every way) sides bolstering the Ryman, but the gulf between the leagues to my mind grows every season.

 

If you look at Kempsters predicted BS South line-up for next season, barring three West Country teams it virtually is a Ryman league so the increase in travelling times and costs may not be as severe as it was initially.

 

"In 5/6 seasons time it will be a vastly stronger and more attractive league to be in." - So I agree with that completely and even think the timescale might be nearer to now

 

I

[The Town Crier]

 

 

But what do you think Keith?

 

 

 

 

 

[Keith.P]

I would love this club to be in connie south. As i said football is about progression, and i would love Billericay to progress further on the field.

 

Granted we have had some good times in cups but the clubs profile (imo) would be raised if we were able to make a level higher.

 

Would we be able to go any higher after that? Who knows? (maybe/maybe not...But if Billericay does not taste the first level then we will never know.

 

We were there once before and i rather liked it.

 

 

 

[Uncle Urchin]

interesting points and there is no doubt in my mind that ryan is correct in his assertion that connia sarf will get stronger over the next few seasons although apart from half a dozen teams next season I feel that the top 10 ryman premier teams from last season would compete in there quite well..as has been proven with the performance of ryman teams going up in the last 3 seasons...

 

its not the football really tho' is it...? its the higher profile and the satisfaction perhaps of progression from a fans point of view....as a negative though the gates are not much better and the travelling costs are wicked...add to that the more stringent ground requirements and less freedom for the NL fans and perhaps its not as attractive as at first it seems...

 

we would have gone up had we managed to win the play offs but in truth there were not many off the field officials who actually wanted to last season...

 

maybe next...

[Keith.P]

Originally Posted By: jl

but I

[Rick the Dick]

I must be weird

 

I like success for the sake of success. Not because it's one small step on a longer journey. Vase, Trophy or FA Cup; ESL, Isthmian or Conference; the "buzz" of winning is the same.

 

Perhaps that's what's meant by "stale"; if you've already done it the "buzz" gets weaker, so you're constantly looking for a bigger, better "fix". But where does that end? Why would the BSS, or even Connie National stop that happening. Would several years of "consolidation" in the BSS really please Joe Public more than being a regular "contender" at the current level?

 

I'm not so sure.

 

 

 

[GazzaBTFC]

We all love progression and follwing the season from the last, we were staring promotion in the face and we didn't have the legs. Last season, some choices were made and we didn't perform as we all expected. That doesn't take it away that last season was any less exciting as the previous season. I've siad this before, from bottom of the league to be in a position to challenge for a play off place is an acheivement in itself considering the injuries we had and the players we had available (no criticism of players here, by the way). Expectations were raised, as they always are and memories grow short. Frustrations show up in all sorts of places and some of our supporters are frustrated. We've been the bridesmaid on two occassions (promotion wise) and earned plaudits around the leagues but no prize. That's football and nothing is a given.

 

Ryan always speaks from the heart. There are a few that match his loyalty and his feelings for the club and he (and do all of us) wants the club to "maximise it's potential" and push on to win the prize. We certainly have potential at the club on and off the pitch...but potential costs cash.

 

...now lets open up another can of worms. Our potential from where I see it, is not just our players but the small band of people that help out on match days, support club functions...etc., etc., etc... Now this is a fav subject of mine and I'm sure there will be people "howling with derision" at my suggestion that if we want success that badly, then the majority have to put out more but IMO, that is fact of life for us. It's easy to point fingers at the club and ask "what are you doing to win us promotion / silverware / anything" but it isn't just the club, it's us the supporters. What can we do to help the club maximise it's potential, is my question.

 

As for getting stale...well, I disagree with that. You can't judge on one season and especially last season. There are all so many factors why we didn't and some, not for publishing IMO. You have to look at the WHOLE season to make a judgement, not just the bit that sticks in the momory because it's recent. If we had the same run in as we had the previous season and succeeded, I'm sure we would have had as many supporters at the games, home and away.

[Ryan.c]

"IMO, the longer we stay in the Ryman the more stale, as a club, we become."

 

Maybe I could have worded that better! I was making reference to the level of football we play at and the opposition we play against. IE, Billericay v Newport County/Bath City etc is far more appealing than watching Billericay v Ashford Town (Middlesex)/Harrow Borough/Staines for the upteenth year. Do I think this club is currently stale? No. The last few years has seen us on the brink of financial disaster, relegated, new clubhouse, to a spot kick away from promotion (amongst other things)! But there is a DANGER (IMO), that the longer we stay here that we COULD become stale. The club has progressed enormously over the last few years, both on and off the pitch, but in order to keep that progression going, for me at least, is promotion to the Conference South.

[monkfish9]

I can't see any reason why (with a bit of luck) Billericay couldn't achieve promotion to the Conference South and I think that the club should be going all out to get there.

I hate to say it, but success on the pitch breeds success off it.

Billericay has probably got loads of blokes like me who are relative newcomers to the town and not 'dyed in the wool' Blues fans.

We have big mortgages, a couple of kids and can't afford to pay the exhorbitant prices to watch the premiership teams we support.

IMHO that is a big fanbase to tap in to, our kids are the future BTFC fans.

BTFC is a great club and a great way to escape the Mrs on a saturday afternoon. We need to push on and reach our natural 'ceiling' as a non league club - who knows how far we could go?

Keep the faith......

 

 

[Dillinger]

Originally Posted By: monkfish9

I can't see any reason why (with a bit of luck) Billericay couldn't achieve promotion to the Conference South and I think that the club should be going all out to get there.
I hate to say it, but success on the pitch breeds success off it.
Billericay has probably got loads of blokes like me who are relative newcomers to the town and not 'dyed in the wool' Blues fans.
We have big mortgages, a couple of kids and can't afford to pay the exhorbitant prices to watch the premiership teams we support.
IMHO that is a big fanbase to tap in to, our kids are the future BTFC fans.
BTFC is a great club and a great way to escape the Mrs on a saturday afternoon. We need to push on and reach our natural 'ceiling' as a non league club - who knows how far we could go?
Keep the faith......

Thats a top post , there is a generation of under 20's that could be lost to football altogether the days of getting up on matchdays & deciding to go to the bridge have long gone , people cant afford to be paying 60 or 70 pounds on a regular basis to watch overpaid prima donnas , I started taking my lads over Melbourne & NL prior to that , they go with their mates now as it's naff to be seen with your 'old man' but they prefer it to going to SB to be honest (Voice drops to a whisper) I like Ricay as a club and for all the banter I would like to see you in BSS.

[monkfish9]

Agree 100% Dillinger

[Blue fan]

Monbkfish9 and Dillinger, great shouts,before i went behind the goal i use to sit and stand around the sides, and the number of people who gave up on the big clubs ,arsenal, chelsea ,westham and others who would come to the lodge, it supprised me over time who did come , like my self i was a westham supporter gave it all up for the reasons you both mentioned, my only regret i should have done it years ago i do believe there is a gap in the market for these supporters,i think we should do kids for a quid, or vouchers for free entrance, maybe in the gazzette or echo papers, and we must not forget the mums as well, a market to tap into .BF

[Dillinger]

 

After typing that I had a surf round the net and see that we have paid 16.2 million for a bloke I have never heard of a right back for gods sake Some right back I believe that football at the top level will eat itself , overpriced , no atmosphere , players remote from the fans , I only make a couple of trips to the bridge nowadays and each time I go makes me realise how bad it has gotten , was my field of dreams in my youth but over run with new footie people nowadays , there is a definate opportunity for the City's & BTFC's to generate some real growth through the gates.

[Keith.P]

Originally Posted By: monkfish9

I can't see any reason why (with a bit of luck) Billericay couldn't achieve promotion to the Conference South and I think that the club should be going all out to get there.
I hate to say it, but success on the pitch breeds success off it.
Billericay has probably got loads of blokes like me who are relative newcomers to the town and not 'dyed in the wool' Blues fans.
We have big mortgages, a couple of kids and can't afford to pay the exhorbitant prices to watch the premiership teams we support.
IMHO that is a big fanbase to tap in to, our kids are the future BTFC fans.
BTFC is a great club and a great way to escape the Mrs on a saturday afternoon. We need to push on and reach our natural 'ceiling' as a non league club - who knows how far we could go?
Keep the faith......

I like that post ! Honest stuff and i reckon applies to the majority of football fans from any town up and down the land.

I like it during summer you can often see young kids wearing Ricay shirts around the area. Like you Monkfish i believe the kids are the future. Persuading the adults to bring em is the tough bit.

[The Town Crier]

 

Monkfish

 

Just a question, I'm interested because I want to know how our fans perceive the club, it's important if we are to move forward.

 

"should be going all out to get there"

Does this mean you think we haven't gone all out, and what do you think we should do differently?

 

 

Blue fan, it IS a

[monkfish9]

TC, I didn't want to imply in my post that Ricay aren't actually going 'all out' to achieve promotion.

 

I really think that with a bit of luck with injuries and a few quality additions to the side Billericay will be there or thereabouts next season especially with Joe Flack and Matt Game back in the squad.

 

You have a great Junior membership scheme in place, turnstile prices are competitive (cheaper than Canvey I believe) and a very good clubhouse.

The difficult bit is making people aware of all this.

I don't know if an advertising campaign in the local press would work, or free tickets for local schools, or chucking a bit of money at the website would make a difference, it's easy for me as I don't have to pay for it!

I'm sure there's a lot of potential punters like me out there.

 

Keep up the good work and roll on next season.

 

 

 

[The Town Crier]

 

OK thanks for that Monkfish, we are always willing to give free tickets to schools, scouts, youth groups etc.

 

Giving away free tickets is harder than you think, a couple of seasons ago we had someone who contacted different types of adult groups, nurses, fireman, police etc, as well as schools scouts, guides, and offered free tickets, very few took up our offer.

 

Watching football on a Saturday is habitual, as is going shopping, doing the gardening, cleaning the car etc.

 

Breaking a persons habit and getting them to form another is difficult, but if we are to succeed, then I thinks its important we do that during the good weather period. Taking a newbie to New Lodge on a wet cold windy Tuesday night isn't going to work imo. We have to get them before the cold dark weather sets in.

 

So if everyone can bring along new people during the good weather months, and those new people have a comfortable enjoyable day, then we just might hook them.

 

550 x 2 x 2 etc, who knows where that would take us.

 

Rick...I'm with you, I just like winning, for the sake of winning

 

 

Still the same contributors, and two of those are non Billericay,

At this rate it could be 550 +7 + 7 +7