Wembley FC - running scared?

[mft]

If you didn't have players available then how were you going to play Wembley?

[E&E Rich]

Maybe the title of your topic could've been better.

 

For clarification did molesey offer you a game for the same date as you want to play Wembley?

 

No Lee and mft, the Molesey game was suggested for 15th, the Wembley game was for 22nd.

Edited September 14, 2012 by E&E Ed

[E&E Rich]

They might as well go to Chessington and merge with Athletic.

 

I just dont see why clubs try to survive against the odds by groundsharing , when its financially crippling for so many.

 

How many people still connected with the club were there when Epsom were in Epsom? Some of the players wouldnt even have been born.

 

Firstly, we have a massive history and are close to 100 years old. Why shouldn't we try to survive? Many clubs lose their grounds and some give up the fight, but not many. Maidstone, Chelmsford, Dartford, St Neots are just a few that come to mind. All had to wait a while before getting a new ground but they're doing fine now.

 

Personally, I don't think it's a great idea to do what say, Bookham did, by leaving a ground to take on a clearly unsustainable agreement where another club are the main beneficiaries, but we had no choice. I've been here 32 years and the damage was already done by that time.

 

Secondly, with exception of our Chairman who has been there for 12 years now so is hardly new, and our Treasurer who is coming up for 5 years as a supporter, everyone else connected with the committee and 80-90% of the support ALL watched Epsom and Ewell when we played at West Street. Let's face it, you don't pick up that many new fans when you are playing at other grounds, as any locals would already support the club that is there. I don't see what the players ages have to do with it.

[Weeble]

Before the kebab shop

Apparently there are 16 fast food outlets between Wembley and Twickenham..... Thats what the big guy said on the tele..... Oh by the way anyone else had that exposure...... Just wondering.

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

thanks for that response,e+e ed you are obviously a lot calmer once fed.

 

I think it boils down to "what is the club"

 

If there are 20-30 of you wanting to keep the club going against the odds, good luck to you.

 

But are you looking after the proud 100 year history by spending money that will run out in a few years and cause you to fold?

 

Would it have been better when the ground was sold to have dropped out of senior football until you got a ground?

Invested the money for a day when you could get a ground?

 

would it be better for Epsom and Ewell Fc to have continued at whatever level they could play at within the town or borough and survived to fight another day than to have spent the inheritance money playing at senior level elsewhere?

 

 

Why do clubs hang onto senior status so preciously? the fa cup and vase? Midweek floodlit football?

 

So very few make a success of it against the mass that fail I dont understand it.

 

Im not mocking, because it nearly happened to Dorking and still might unless the sainsbury olympic legacy does kick in.

Edited September 14, 2012 by thespursfan

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

Re: Epsom & Ewell - is there not any land in the area (brownfield) which could be used for a new ground?

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

they havent found anywhere in 20 years that was suitable affordable or available, so no probably.

 

This is my question, why do people battle to survive or aspire to survive at senior level by groundsharing miles away when they could play at their home town down a level or two?

 

Take Horsham, moved to the coast, realised it was folly, groundshare with YMCA. . They are still Horsham, a Horsham fan can walk there rather than an hours train journey. Not ideal but understandable.

 

South Park FC. Could probably have groundshared at Redhill, about a ten minute walk ( for a fast winger)

Stayed at South Park and what a success it is. Terrific.

 

Bookham, groundshared at Dorking to get promoted for a season or two. Own ground ok for intermediate football only. back at that level, nearly killed them....looked bloody silly for Dorking when we were in div 1 and bookham in prem!

 

 

Epsom and Ewell FC , left home nearly 20 years ago , no prospect of return. 100 years history? at what point is it not E+E FC?

 

anyway, any successful groundshares that worked for both clubs ?

[Smudge]

Welling and Erith and Belverdere?

[E&E Rich]

Re: new sites, there is very little in our borough and our Council do not provide much help. However, even if there were sites available, I wouldn't disclose that fact here as we got badly burned around 2001 by another entity that paid way over the odds for a site we had planning permission on but the owners wouldn't sell to us.

 

I very much think we are still E & E FC and I have made efforts in recent years to perpetuate this with a match programme that hopefully raises our profile and a 350 page history book. Without sounding grand, we have spent the majority of our existence at a higher level than this and believe that we can go higher once again. Dropping any lower would have been a real issue, especially if we were no longer the most senior club in the borough as we'd have had even less chance with the council. And no, I don't believe that dropping into abeyance for a year would have helped as it is very hard to get started again. There are also additional complications that I won't go into here.

 

We are still hopeful of returning to Epsom and have a couple of cards left in our hand presently, although time is definitely tight.

[pearcey no.1]

 

Apparently there are 16 fast food outlets between Wembley and Twickenham..... Thats what the big guy said on the tele..... Oh by the way anyone else had that exposure...... Just wondering.

 

I left 2 McDonald's and a pizza hut, 4 fish & chip shop.its minefield for me weebs.

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

Re: new sites, there is very little in our borough and our Council do not provide much help. However, even if there were sites available, I wouldn't disclose that fact here as we got badly burned around 2001 by another entity that paid way over the odds for a site we had planning permission on but the owners wouldn't sell to us.

 

I very much think we are still E & E FC and I have made efforts in recent years to perpetuate this with a match programme that hopefully raises our profile and a 350 page history book. Without sounding grand, we have spent the majority of our existence at a higher level than this and believe that we can go higher once again. Dropping any lower would have been a real issue, especially if we were no longer the most senior club in the borough as we'd have had even less chance with the council. And no, I don't believe that dropping into abeyance for a year would have helped as it is very hard to get started again. There are also additional complications that I won't go into here.

 

We are still hopeful of returning to Epsom and have a couple of cards left in our hand presently, although time is definitely tight.

 

how can you be the most senior club in the borough? You havent played in it for 20 years.

Youre only one season away from losing that title anyway.

 

Personally I would prefer a club to stay at its origins, if it means dropping leagues, so be it.

If the club can thrive, be a community asset , be a success on and off the pitch in its original town, it puts pressure on councils etc to help them.

Clear off outside the borough for twenty years without the good people of epsom and ewell complaining about the lack of senior football in the town and why do you expect the council to help you out any more than they should help epsom athletic or racing fc?

[pearcey no.1]

 

 

No Lee and mft, the Molesey game was suggested for 15th, the Wembley game was for 22nd.

 

So you couldn't do short notice but expect us to drop what we have at short notice to play you, double standards anyone

[NICE GUY]

Re: new sites, there is very little in our borough and our Council do not provide much help. However, even if there were sites available, I wouldn't disclose that fact here as we got badly burned around 2001 by another entity that paid way over the odds for a site we had planning permission on but the owners wouldn't sell to us.

 

I very much think we are still E & E FC and I have made efforts in recent years to perpetuate this with a match programme that hopefully raises our profile and a 350 page history book. Without sounding grand, we have spent the majority of our existence at a higher level than this and believe that we can go higher once again. Dropping any lower would have been a real issue, especially if we were no longer the most senior club in the borough as we'd have had even less chance with the council. And no, I don't believe that dropping into abeyance for a year would have helped as it is very hard to get started again. There are also additional complications that I won't go into here.

 

We are still hopeful of returning to Epsom and have a couple of cards left in our hand presently, although time is definitely tight.

 

E&E Ed. Out of interest, the money you got for selling the land, the interest alone would have helped E &E pay for their groundshare costs and still does I would have thought ? .... but what income have E&E getting ?... I cannot imagine that much, so when the money does dry out,what then ? Perhaps it's not wise to get a new ground 'cos E&E don't have the money....or do they ? Interesting........

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

It depends, NG, when land prices dipped at the start of the last decade (and more recently with the global recession) it can derail plans that clubs wishing to relocate may have.

 

Plus, with an unhelpful council (a bit like my local one!) it makes Epsom's chance of moving back 'home' look slim.

 

Maybe a field could be developed at the University of London for use by Epsom?

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

unhelpful council?

why should they spend hundreds of thousands for twenty or so guys?

 

adam , a field at the university of london? wtf are you on about?

 

freeman city of london land? its all ski slope mate.

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

Or could land at Epsom Racecourse not be given over to Epsom & Ewell and Epsom Athletic?

 

Ascot United have a ground within Ascot Racecourse, and Pegasus Juniors used some land at Hereford Racecourse in the mid 90s-early 2000s.

[NICE GUY]

It depends, NG, when land prices dipped at the start of the last decade (and more recently with the global recession) it can derail plans that clubs wishing to relocate may have.

 

Plus, with an unhelpful council (a bit like my local one!) it makes Epsom's chance of moving back 'home' look slim.

 

Maybe a field could be developed at the University of London for use by Epsom?

 

So E&E ED its looking unlikely that E&E will have their own griound/stadium so where does that leave E&E ? You haven't actually answered my question with regards to how you will survive if the money you got from the land is dwindling away or is it ? Are you surviving on the interest alone ?

 

With the future groundsharing rules will E&E be around, if so for how many years....... until the money dries up ?

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

It would be very hard, if not impossible, for E&E to survive without money and council backing NG. As for surviving on interest you'd have to ask their finance person.

 

Epsom and Ewell are too big to not have a club representing them in their area.

[Chubby Brown]

Seriously Adam, are you even on this planet??! Do you not think that E&E would have explored all possible options for new land over the past 20 years?? I can see you are only trying to be helpful but you are simply just becoming annoying!

[hammer59]

Three points I can add to this debate, as it covers some varying subject matters.

 

Firstly, Pearcy - I take it that was the low calorie burger you were eating on the way to the game last Saturday when we were both on the A316!!!!!

 

Secondly, I spoke with Lyndon on the Tuesday of their game at Dorking about shifting the Boxing Day game to today as I do family things then and would personally prefer that to happen. We did tell their people that evening as well, but to be fair it was the managers call in my opinion, and he got back to me to decline as he had a few injuries and would rather keep things as they were. End of story and no problem from my side, so it's off to watch our reserves play.

 

Finally - our pitch. Without going into too much detail, we are having to revert to our original pitch, as the deadline to get all the legal and practical issues completed was 1st October. The new pitch will need new lights and this was not something that could be guaranteed in time. The CCL have been very helpful over the fixtures but we could not expect the situation to be allowed to continue indefinitely, so there has been an effort to get the existing pitch up and running for our first game on October 2nd. The area behind one of the goals is now open as the stand and fencing have gone, but the rest is pretty much the same. We did have a game on the pitch Tuesday and there have been a couple of reserve and youth games held there. As Smudge has stated, our away form last year was quite good, so I had hoped that the fact that we will have had 9 CCL games - 8 league and1 cup -away would not effect us too much. So far it's not been too bad, but it has been hard work and I am looking forward to our first home game against Hanworth Villa.