Expectations & Predictions for 2015/16 Season

[duncs]

I can't believe with your budget and facilities that Windsor are gonna settle for many more seasons in the CCL Prem,surely your club should be in the top 3 at least, what in your opinion is wrong that you are so way off of being the no.1 contender for the title?it would madden me if i was a winsorite to think that other teams were favourites to win this league and you don't even get a mention.

[Rother]

The main thing that is lacking is a playing budget.

 

It's not the be all and end all, because there are also crucial elements missing from the team as well in my opinion - the main one being pace. Especially at the back. And height up top. We can outplay teams with nice slick passing movements, get some great crosses in but not have the pace or height to quite get on the end of them. Then the oppo have a breakaway with a speedy striker outpacing us through the middle and slot home with the keeper stranded - it happens a lot. Whereas we never score like that.

 

Ultimately that's football so I'm not moaning about it - if a team scores more than us, however that is achieved then they pretty much deserve the points - end of.

 

And the real bottom line is that although I believe we consistently play the brand of football that is most pleasing on the eye, ultimately, so far, we've not been good enough to get close to winning the league.

 

Although we've lost a few players this time around, we seem to have brought in a bit more experience, so maybe that'll see us able to see it through when the going gets muddy and tough.

 

Duncs, you said you enjoyed watching us last season and would likely be down to Stag Meadow more often this time around. That still your intention?

Edited August 1, 2015 by Rother

[duncs]

Yes Rother i love it at Stag meadow best ground in the league,you play the best football by a mile but i would say that you need to have a ruthless management team to lead the club to the next level,its not the nice teams that win this league its the teams that can adapt to whoever they are playing against,fitness is a major player and so is a mixture of youth and experience,going to watch Baggy Lea v Farnborough today will be interested to see how the Baggy boys get on this season they may play a crucial part in deciding where the title end up.

[Big J R]

DUNCS !

 

I would be very interested on your views of the Farnborough side, given their 'off the field' problems at the moment.  Cheers.  J.R.

[duncs]

Baggy Lea 6 Boro u/19's, 2 Baggy could of doubled their score easily whereas boro only had a couple of attacks the whole game it really was men against boys and to be honest not very good ones,difficult to judge the teams when a game is like this but the Baggy boys looked very strong and fit and could figure in the shake up come next May.

[Big J R]

Very interesting, and thanks Duncs.

 

I have a strong feeling the Farnborough on-going saga is long from over.

[duncs]

Hi JR hope you are well,I heard that the clubhouse is shutting down after tonight because the alcahol licence has been stopped,it doesn't look good for them does it.

[Big J R]

Hi JR hope you are well,I heard that the clubhouse is shutting down after tonight because the alcahol licence has been stopped,it doesn't look good for them does it.

 

 

Certainly looks like it's going from bad to worse !

[E&E Rich]

Ok my turn!

 

I will stick my neck out and say that Camberley will win this year. Consistency wins leagues and for the last four or five years they have been just that.

 

Behind them have to be Hartley Wintney. They were decent last year and have added the best bits of the Cove side. Cove will regret not applying for promotion last season and it is a cautionary tale for other clubs.

 

Badshot Lea were absolutely red hot for a while in the middle of the season, then fell away. If the good Badshot turn up then they can't be discounted and the same must be said for Ashford.

 

Behind those four I am sure Windsor will be there while it would be silly to expect AFC Hayes or Redhill to finish outside the top clubs, even though we all know what happened to Chertsey and Guildford last season.

 

Spelthorne have lost Atiase while Cove have lost many players. Both will be nowhere near this season's positions and Cove may well face the drop. Also at the bottom Chessington may well look ok in pre-season but all clubs in this league are at the very least ok and they will struggle, having only just come up from Division One. I thought Chertsey would be better after last year's scare but the comments on this thread have me concerned for their safety. Colliers Wood and Raynes Park continue to punch above their weight but for how much longer? Can Guildford escape? Their Youth policy is not good enough to save them. Hanworth Villa will improve but by how much?

 

Of course this is all dependent on three actually going down as so rarely happens, but with so many Step Four clubs having recently dropped into our area recently, I'd be surprised if we see any more this year and with Farleigh and Worcester Park quite possibly blocking the way to promotion from Step Six again, I would repeat the call to relegate three and drop to twenty clubs for 2016/17. However, I understand that Division One may well get some new clubs through this FA "amnesty" to promote any club with the facilities regardless of Step Seven finishing position, so it probably won't happen.

 

As for Epsom? Well, a bit like Horley, when you have a great young goal scorer you will be fine. They have Nadesan we have Kyle Hough who is still only 27. If both avoid injury the clubs will survive. Personally, I am hoping for a top half finish as last year, but we have some tough looking early games as a yardstick so it will be interesting to see how we cope against Windsor, Redhill and most importantly Erith & Belvedere in the FA Cup. If we are still unbeaten after those three I will be more than happy! 

Edited August 3, 2015 by E&E Rich

[Tel]

After reading reports on blogs I'm putting my money on Hartley Wintney who I believe will fight it out with Cambo.

 

Only problem for both clubs is promotion will proberly put them in Southern South West

[Rother]

Rich said: I will stick my neck out and say that Camberley will win this year. Consistency wins leagues and for the last four or five years they have been just that.

 

6th, 16th, 2nd and 2nd.

 

Windsor have finished...

 

2nd, 6th, 6th and 6th. Now THAT'S consistency!

 

See you Saturday!

[E&E Rich]

Ok Rother just for clarity, everyone knows Camberley dropped the budget for that one season when they finished 16th. Windsor have been consistent, but as you and others have pointed out Windsor have certain weaknesses. I don't see the same in Camberley.

 

But no doubt we can discuss on Saturday!

[E&E Rich]

After reading reports on blogs I'm putting my money on Hartley Wintney who I believe will fight it out with Cambo.

 

Only problem for both clubs is promotion will proberly put them in Southern South West

From looking at the figures I did when we had Flackwell Heath messing about during the close season, the costs are not as significant as you might think. They are also a long way west compared to some clubs, so a Ryman trip to Ramsgate or Whitstable or a Southern League Central trip to St Ives or Rushden are comparable in distance and if you throw the M25 and / or the M1 into the mix, they would be better off in the South West.

[Krooner]

Lets get promoted first and then worry where we will be going !

 

I don't like being favourites.  Can we make HW favourites please

[VPCTFC]

"everyone knows Camberley dropped the budget for that one season when they finished 16th"

 

 

Do they? I didn't. I think you mean "everyone assumes".

 

We're not in Southern SW territory at the moment. Fleet are furthur west than us (but not Hartley) and they're in the Central Division. As long as the Western and Hellenic Leagues promote a club this season there'll be no need to move anyone from this area back into the SW Division. In fact, If someone from the Wessex league like Salisbury make it three western area clubs going up there'll be teams transferred back into the Central Division. I would have thought Burnham are first on the list, then Marlow.

But we'll start worrying about this in February if need be....

[E&E Rich]

Now you're being picky Russ.

 

I am certain it was said on here that Camberley took "a season out" or words to that effect.

 

As for Southern SW, regardless of whether or not either club went there next season, you are both vulnerable to being placed there in the not so distant future if you were Step Four. They only moved Fleet out last year because they decided to move the three clubs (less Flackwell) over from Bucks.

 

As you say Salisbury are surely certainties to go up this year and probably to win the Vase as well, so with them, you or HW if it turns out that way and Fleet, they will quite happily move Burnham and Marlow back to the Central to accommodate.  

[Kenda]

From looking at the figures I did when we had Flackwell Heath messing about during the close season, the costs are not as significant as you might think.

 

From recent first hand experience I can tell you that the costs are significant, but then I suppose it depends how big the club concerned is or whether it has a benefactor. At GCFC minibus hire cost us £2225 more than the previous season in the Central division. When we appealed the FA themselves judged the difference in costs between Southern Central and S&W to be nearly £6,000.   Additionally our gates dropped by 20% from the previous year as there were far fewer travelling supporters visiting the Spectrum.  Of course its not just a matter of cost. We found that a large number of players or prospective players were just not able or willing to commit to the travelling, or in reality the time the travelling took for the relatively meagre expenses we were able to offer. Departing Guildford at the latest by 4pm for midweek games (and taking 45 minutes to get to the M4) was difficult for most, and getting home well past midnight unacceptable for others.

[Big J R]

I see that E & E Rich didn't find much work piled up on his desk when he got back from his holiday, then !

 

 

[Big J R]

Here's Glynn's thoughts for the coming season on DFC  web-site, posted yesterday.

 

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dorkingfc/news/building-on-a-strong-foundation-1466635.html

[Smudge]

How Glynn Stephens has kept his job marvels me.Martin Smith is a good signing but will he last out the season? Previous seasons records show he will not.Lets be honest youth reliance did not work,so lets head Croydon way for our new signings,it worked in the past i.e Page,Leacock,Bennett,hardly Dorking born and bred though!!!!!!!!!!