National League AGM - 8th June 2019

[Curtis]

Little if anything has been mentioned about it, but today is the National League AGM.

This should decide the structure of the leagues for next season, whether Gateshead’s appeal has been successful, which in turn will determine whether we have Aldershot or Truro in our league next season, and rule on any appeals about any other clubs with financial irregularities and who will be in the North & South divisions.

I am surprised Ebbsfleet United don’t appear to have come under any pressure when there have been numerous reports of late payments to players, outstanding payments for their training ground, winding up orders from HMRC, and their annual accounts being significantly overdue at Companies House...... all despite having a multi-million pound owner.

It would be interesting to hear any updates from this weekend, but I don’t expect more than a few photos of our representatives in attendance on twitter today.

[Reading Rebel]

It has been mentioned a few times that we should know the outcome of Gateshead/Aldershot at the AGM on the 8th June (today).

On pure footballing terms, fingers crossed for Gateshead.

[3spirit]

Just seen this on the Hampton forum,so not sure it is gospel but a fan says that at the agm this morning Aldershot have been reprieved, Gateshead have been demoted to the Conference North and Oxford City have been reinstated to the Conference South.

[3spirit]

24 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Just seen this on the Hampton forum,so not sure it is gospel but a fan says that at the agm this morning Aldershot have been reprieved, Gateshead have been demoted to the Conference North and Oxford City have been reinstated to the Conference South.

It's official. Good to see Oxford back. Shame that we won't lock horns with Aldershot but you never know they might end up back down next year!

[GlenSTFC]

To be honest I think that’s the best outcome for us if we have ambitions of a top 7 place. I wonder how Oxford went about their signings not knowing for sure what division they’d be in. As it’s a massive difference in travel especially as there’s no Truro. 

[Irishadrian]

2 hours ago, 3spirit said:

It's official. Good to see Oxford back. Shame that we won't lock horns with Aldershot but you never know they might end up back down next year!

3Spirit You're assuming that we'll still be in Nat South

[Irishadrian]

Gateshead have announced that they intend to remain a full time outfit with a view to bouncing straight back and of course to retaining as many as possible of last seasons squad I can't see any downsides for us in the new decisions

[3spirit]

7 hours ago, Irishadrian said:

3Spirit You're assuming that we'll still be in Nat South

I don't believe we will go down and I don't believe we will get promotion, so yes, Irishadrian, I have faith that we will still be in the National South for season 20/21. 

[Reading Rebel]

20 hours ago, Irishadrian said:

Gateshead have announced that they intend to remain a full time outfit with a view to bouncing straight back and of course to retaining as many as possible of last seasons squad I can't see any downsides for us in the new decisions

The downsides are the amount of away support that Aldershot would have brought compared to Oxford City and of course the crowd and atmosphere playing at Aldershot.

[Reading Rebel]

13 hours ago, 3spirit said:

I don't believe we will go down and I don't believe we will get promotion, so yes, Irishadrian, I have faith that we will still be in the National South for season 20/21. 

3spirit, why do you think we won't get promotion?

3 points off the play-offs last season, virtually the same squad with the addition of a 6'4'' center forward and a left sided player who can cross a ball like Dobbo.

Add in the fact that we won't be playing Aldershot and there are a few sides with new managers who have had to re-build their squad.

Personally I cannot see how anyone can dismiss us from getting into the play-offs at the very least.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Reading Rebel

[Reading Rebel]

Happy with the outcome from yesterday's AGM.

Certainly anything other than having Truro back is a bonus.

[Irishadrian]

3Spirit

With a strengthened team our aspirations for next season should be the playoffs

If you hope only for more of the same then you'll pretty much get it

 

We came very close to the playoffs last time and beat the eventual winners  Our undoing was the dreadful run in Jan/Feb which produced very few points 

Also look at how many teams have announced reduced budgets and have lost managers and key players as a result

IMO There's no reason we can't be in playoffs this time

[Neil Baker]

To be fair IA the few that have reduced and  are potentially reducing budgets this season, are counter acted with teams like Dulwich, Eastbourne, Hemel etc who have gone the other way.

As usual our aspirations will be the play offs, but with the same mantra of being hard to beat week in week out, which comes first and foremost from workrate.

[3spirit]

5 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

3spirit, why do you think we won't get promotion?

3 points off the play-offs last season, virtually the same squad with the addition of a 6'4'' center forward and a left sided player who can cross a ball like Dobbo.

Add in the fact that we won't be playing Aldershot and there are a few sides with new managers who have had to re-build their squad.

Personally I cannot see how anyone can dismiss us from getting into the play-offs at the very least.

I would love to see Slough promoted but I believe there will be at least, 5 teams battling it out for the title and Slough won't be one of them.

I think Slough will be pushing for a play off position and might sneak into it but still a tall order for our current team. I hope I'm wrong and we win the title but the way I view things currently, is that the club as a whole isn't quite ready for the National League yet. Our attendances need to rise, sponsorship needs to increase, and our footballers will need to be nearly full-time to get close.

Unlike most fans, I prefer the amateur game than the professional one, and so for me being in the National South is one I'm savouring and I'm in no desperate rush to see Slough promoted. I take heart when semi -pro's beat professional sides. I like when teams don't overspend and still compete with the best. To me we have the right managers at the helm and a good collection of players and as long as we can compete,try our best,play good passing football and put on an entertaining show in most games I'm happy with that. Don't get me wrong I love to see Slough get one over the Woking's and Billericay's of this world. I'm not a fan who tolerates those that don't give it a go on the pitch but I'm a realist, I don't fool for all the hype , and I don't expect the players to be superb every week [every other week would be good, ha ha ha].

Slough as a club are in a great place, the best we've been for years. We're solvent, afloat, debt free, have a ground of their own,our crowds have steadily increased and we are at our highest level for years, so what's the rush?  I want to enjoy the ride not rush to see the club get themselves over-stretched financially, or gain promotion with a team not ready to go up and stay up .

[SloughFlyer]

3spirit - best post I've read for some time that one mate?. Couldn't agree more.

[3spirit]

22 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

3spirit - best post I've read for some time that one mate?. Couldn't agree more.

Cheers SloughFlyer, I'm not used to praise on here ! ? I better watch out it might go to my head ! ? 

[SloughFlyer]

??, I'm sure it wont last, but on that post I think you are spot on?

[Curtis]

7 hours ago, Neil Baker said:

To be fair IA the few that have reduced and  are potentially reducing budgets this season, are counter acted with teams like Dulwich, Eastbourne,

So, would you say Dulwich & Eastbourne are good value at 25/1?

[GlenSTFC]

2 hours ago, 3spirit said:

I would love to see Slough promoted but I believe there will be at least, 5 teams battling it out for the title and Slough won't be one of them.

I think Slough will be pushing for a play off position and might sneak into it but still a tall order for our current team. I hope I'm wrong and we win the title but the way I view things currently, is that the club as a whole isn't quite ready for the National League yet. Our attendances need to rise, sponsorship needs to increase, and our footballers will need to be nearly full-time to get close.

Unlike most fans, I prefer the amateur game than the professional one, and so for me being in the National South is one I'm savouring and I'm in no desperate rush to see Slough promoted. I take heart when semi -pro's beat professional sides. I like when teams don't overspend and still compete with the best. To me we have the right managers at the helm and a good collection of players and as long as we can compete,try our best,play good passing football and put on an entertaining show in most games I'm happy with that. Don't get me wrong I love to see Slough get one over the Woking's and Billericay's of this world. I'm not a fan who tolerates those that don't give it a go on the pitch but I'm a realist, I don't fool for all the hype , and I don't expect the players to be superb every week [every other week would be good, ha ha ha].

Slough as a club are in a great place, the best we've been for years. We're solvent, afloat, debt free, have a ground of their own,our crowds have steadily increased and we are at our highest level for years, so what's the rush?  I want to enjoy the ride not rush to see the club get themselves over-stretched financially, or gain promotion with a team not ready to go up and stay up .

I guess we all have different aspirations but I’d like to see Slough progress as far as possible. Sure not all the trappings of professional football are ideal but it’s the way it is and you have to accept it. I’d love to see us battle Wycombe again in a league match and play the likes of Oxford United, Swindon Town and AFC Wimbledon. Plus see Arbour Park develop even more impressively and see bigger crowds and atmospheres.

[GlenSTFC]

13 minutes ago, Curtis said:

So, would you say Dulwich & Eastbourne are good value at 25/1?

Dulwich I don’t think have yet publicly announced any new signings and Eastbourne although have made a few signings, none stand out as big name/money signings (I may be ignorant on that part as I’ve not researched!). I think Eastbourne will finish higher than Dulwich who I see as more of a mid table to top 10 contender. Although Dulwich with their crowds should have the financial muscle to sign some decent players.