Season Over?

[lovely stuff]

The majority of clubs in our league do not a have rich chairmen but are run on a shoe string.We can compete very well against those clubs because we have a larger fanbase than most of them and are a well run secure club..Unfortunately there will always be a few clubs each season that will be heavily funded by a sugar daddy chairman,These clubs might only shine for a few seasons before the money runs out (or the interest from their chairman runs out),but there will always be several johnny-come-lately clubs that are better funded that the more frugal securely run clubs such as ours in any given season.That is why we need to be top of our game in order to achieve promotion.

Edited December 12, 2020 by lovely stuff

[wilson]

"Reasonable success" as quoted earlier means different things to different people. It's inexorably tied to ambition, for the club, its officials and supporters. In my view there are four levels of ambition within a club-

1. We want to finish at least one place above the relegation spots. There are times when this is a valid ambition, explained later. Surely this is not the ambition of anyone at ETFC currently.

2. What I call the "status quo" ambition. Happy to plod along without any fear of relegation but not much hope of promotion. This where I see ETFC at present. Talk about playoffs but not really expect them and generally OK with where the club is now.

3. "We deserve to be in a higher place" and everything is geared to getting there. I don't sense any unified belief for this exists within the club.

4. Let's find the glass ceiling" The last level of ambition is usually reserved for clubs who have the financial resources to match their lofty ambition - Salford City is a good example - 4 promotions in 5 years and who knows where their glass ceiling is. 

The first level is valid when a club has little financial resources and may be playing higher than their natural level. For example, my club here in Melbourne had a spell a few years ago where within 5-6 years we went from just avoiding relegation in the Victorian State League Division 2, to winning that league undefeated, to snatching promotion on goal difference from Division 1 and finding ourselves among the top 12 teams in the State and playing the next year in the Victorian Premier League. In all honesty our ambition varied through that era but in the Premier League we were very much in category one - we aimed to finish third from bottom or better. We failed by a couple of points but we gave it one hell of a shot with virtually no financial resources.

The issue with ETFC is - is the collective ambition better than "reasonable success". I hope so because the last few seasons have been mundane - promise a bit but deliver less. 

[Steph1]

Getting back to the game.

The substitutions illustrated our manager's mind set. We had 2 forwards who were causing real trouble throught the period when both were on the pitch. First substitution seemed to be necessary because of injury, and it was clear that Britnell was tiring, but when they both went we had nobody to take or harry for the ball in our opponent's half. Result, we were kept under constant pressure and had to succumb.

I thought that Britnell should have not been subbed, although tiring he would at least have given us an out ball.

With regard to the manager he does think he has the quality to close up shop when clearly he hasn't and we are better with an attacking mind set. If we are to change managers then this break is the time to do it. Our 3rd place at the moment is a false position as clubs below us have games in hand.

There is and will not be a rich sugar daddy coming to the club so we have to manage with the board and system we have got. I am sure that the board will always do what they consider is best for the club.

[Out_Of_Towner]

I guess I expected hints of condescending ridicule and sarcasm from a few of you, but  what's new huh  . Don't you all see that a club of our size  should be up to National league South at the very least and the fact that we have only jumped up from two very poor leagues in almost 20 years . Have we ever explored the possibility of finding a benefactor to fund any future success,?? The answer is probably no !!  I am not saying the Inner circle have to leave the boardroom but just stand aside for a business person to push the club on .    It can be done "Concord Rangers"  have risen from where we started and overtook us in a very short space of time. Instead our club plods along competing with the likes of Bowers & Pitsea, Wingate & Finchley , Potters Bar , Chestnuts and next season maybe Wabbey . We should be streets ahead of these clubs not be on the same park as them !!  For Pete's sakes my fellow Towners try to see the wood through the trees , The club in its current format will find it very difficult to gain promotion from this division and  If we do somehow manage it we will likely  struggle badly with our current financial input ...Yes OK we have had a few near misses on gaining promotion but if the extra funding was there we could well of had the momentum and quality to get us over the finishing line , all too often we fall away in the last few weeks of the season and Instead of addressing the root cause of our failures we just blame the manager . Mr Leese has been around this level for many years and to be honest I would of thought he would of just upped and gone by now given what some people think of him here. I believe he is the man for the job but he needs the cash to get the quality here ,and  from where I see it that's not coming soon . 

 

I now await more snipes from some of you.   

 

[Out_Of_Towner]

16 hours ago, lovely stuff said:

Depends what you define as success .Andy Leese became our manager after he took his previous club to 11th and 11th in the league in his last two seasons at this level.He then came 11th and 18th? in his first two seasons with us.

Maybe it's not the structure that needs to change but just more decisive action and braver decisions to be made when they are needed

Andy Leese also took Chestnuts from a level 5 club to a Ryman Prem club , A great achievement for club with a small level of support , Also got the ball rolling at Boreham Wood as well, and guess who is two divisions higher than us with similar crowds . ?  

[4wembleyfinals]

Strange I remember saying a lot of this over 3 years ago especially when we acquired the lease on the QE2. I now find myself having sympathy with both sides of the argument. Why, because both points of view have very little merit unless one side or the other pushes for change. That will I am afraid split the club down the middle.

I have always thought that since the club achieved entry into the Ryman Premier league the majority of members, what ever side they were  on, were happy with the default position of the club retaining the status quo. I believe that is where AL came in and to be fair he has achieved this. 

But that said I often think our motto should be based on the constantly repeated mantra of  "we can't really afford it but look where we are".

How do we get out of this I am not sure but one thing I believe we certainly won't progress if we are not ready to give it a try. What is the worst that can happen, demotion.

With an ever ageing membership one has to look towards the future. Consequently very soon we will be required to encourage more younger supporters to join as full members. However, with their present mind set I feel they will not tolerate their team standing still.

Edited December 12, 2020 by 4wembleyfinals

[The Crowing Cockerel]

We need cash to allow a manager to put together a squad which is capable of not only achieving promotion but being a force in National South. I understood ETFC's raison d'etre was to recreate the past glories associated with Enfield FC. A club which was arguably the biggest and best in non-league football - and should have reached the Football League. Is that completely unrealistic? Well, it has been said that a man's reach should exceed his grasp.

Being a little more serious than my tongue-in-cheek post earlier, it seems to me that there are only 2 ways in which ETFC can obtain the finances needed to progress:

1. Punch above our weight in the FA Cup and earn £100k+ from a bumper 3rd Round tie;
2. Find a wealthy benefactor who is content to be completely hands-off and donate simply for the love of the club.

We have had opportunities to bring in some money in the FA competitions. For the most part we have failed. Notably last season when we crashed out against Chichester City in the FA Cup (- a competition they went on to make over £150k from). In that respect the manager hasn't set the world on fire when looking at possible revenue generation on the pitch.

What we need is a hungry young manager who can work wonders with our resources. We need some real luck in the FA Cup/Trophy, and then an opportunity to build on that in the National League.

[lovely stuff]

11 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

We need cash to allow a manager to put together a squad which is capable of not only achieving promotion but being a force in National South. I understood ETFC's raison d'etre was to recreate the past glories associated with Enfield FC. A club which was arguably the biggest and best in non-league football - and should have reached the Football League. Is that completely unrealistic? Well, it has been said that a man's reach should exceed his grasp.

Being a little more serious than my tongue-in-cheek post earlier, it seems to me that there are only 2 ways in which ETFC can obtain the finances needed to progress:

1. Punch above our weight in the FA Cup and earn £100k+ from a bumper 3rd Round tie;
2. Find a wealthy benefactor who is content to be completely hands-off and donate simply for the love of the club.

We have had opportunities to bring in some money in the FA competitions. For the most part we have failed. Notably last season when we crashed out against Chichester City in the FA Cup (- a competition they went on to make over £150k from). In that respect the manager hasn't set the world on fire when looking at possible revenue generation on the pitch.

What we need is a hungry young manager who can work wonders with our resources. We need some real luck in the FA Cup/Trophy, and then an opportunity to build on that in the National League.

I think the ambition to get back to the top of non-league football may be unrealistic.Not because we couldn't recreate what the old EFC had in terms of attendance figures and income (through building an entertainment venue in the mould of the old Starlight Rooms),BUT because the game has moved on a lot since ETFC were formed.That blueprint of 800-odd fans and revenue through a small entertainment venue would not be enough to dominate the non-league game,as it was 30-40 years ago..Nowadays the top of the non-league game is all about rich chairmen and full time staff on full time wages.

Saying that i still believe we can make it to National league south level with the structure and finances we currently have.

Edited December 13, 2020 by lovely stuff

[4wembleyfinals]

Success breeds success!!! It seems at last a number of members are now really trying to come to grips with the realities of our position. 

Taking the last two posts I find myself in agreement with the following observations.

1 hour ago, lovely stuff said:

Saying that i still believe we can make it to National league south level with the structure and finances we currently have.

12 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

What we need is a hungry young manager who can work wonders with our resources. We need some real luck in the FA Cup/Trophy, and then an opportunity to build on that in the National League.

To me the most important one is contained in CC comment. It is similar to the one which I wrote at the time when AL was appointed. I believe the  other two rejected candidates were younger, but one highly successful as an assistant manager at a much higher non league level. But probably deemed to have no experience of managing a tight budget. However, AL obviously was. But where has that got us. CC has again answered this question.......

13 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

We have had opportunities to bring in some money in the FA competitions. For the most part we have failed. Notably last season when we crashed out against Chichester City in the FA Cup (- a competition they went on to make over £150k from). In that respect the manager hasn't set the world on fire when looking at possible revenue generation on the pitch.

 

He might also ask what revenue has our cup runs this year achieved??? 

However, all of the above may be problematic if no or little football resumes in the near future because of the virus. But the question as to what are the aspirations of the club will have to faced sometime and a course of action decided upon.

 

[old towner]

8 hours ago, 4wembleyfinals said:

Success breeds success!!! It seems at last a number of members are now really trying to come to grips with the realities of our position. 

Taking the last two posts I find myself in agreement with the following observations.

To me the most important one is contained in CC comment. It is similar to the one which I wrote at the time when AL was appointed. I believe the  other two rejected candidates were younger, but one highly successful as an assistant manager at a much higher non league level. But probably deemed to have no experience of managing a tight budget. However, AL obviously was. But where has that got us. CC has again answered this question.......

He might also ask what revenue has our cup runs this year achieved??? 

However, all of the above may be problematic if no or little football resumes in the near future because of the virus. But the question as to what are the aspirations of the club will have to faced sometime and a course of action decided upon.

 

we have been told by the fa we can resume  i think its the leagues/chairpersons dont want to continue 

strange as ALL OTHER LEAGUES have resumed

then they leagues will want all games played in 10 days !!!!

[Bottoms Up]

All leagues haven’t resumed unless I’ve misread something ?