SLOUGH TOWN v MAIDSTONE UNITED - one month to go

[Shredding Green]

The last time that Maidstone United lost in the league was 0-1 at home to Slough Town on 6th November. Rebels followed that in their next match on 13th November with a 2-1 home win over Dorking Wanderers. In both these matches, Rebels had Scott Davies, Freddie Grant,
Guy Hollis and Matt Lench were on for the whole match with Warren Harris coming on as a substitute. Add on a couple of bereavements and one can see what an extremely difficult job Bakes and Unders have had recently.

In a time as unprecedented as this, the club needs our support more than ever. 

My friend Atma came from Hounslow for both those matches and brought his 8 years old grandson Gavin to his first Rebels match against
Dorking Wanderers. Gavin will be match mascot on 12th March and, just like the club, will be most appreciative of a bumper crowd.  

This week, I have completed my emails to every one I know who might come to the match on 12th March and might be able to encourage a few more people that they know to come. Unfortunately, I had to adjust the wording in the emails that I sent after Tuesday evening's match! Let us join the club in doing everything that we can to boost the attendance on 12th March.

Just to recap :-

Promote the match to all your friends. I know, just as the club does, that it's hard nowadays to get Slough people through the turnstiles but if every Slough Town regular supporter living in Slough could just get two people along to this massive match, a crowd of more than 2,457 is within our reach.

Another massive factor in achieving that is that hardly any of the London and local teams from Southern League Premier Division South and above are at home on Saturday 12th March : just Brentford v Burnley and Wycombe Wanderers v Rotherham United.

So as I say - On Saturday 12th March, Be There ... at Arbour Park!

Edited February 16, 2022 by Shredding Green

[GlenSTFC]

I think this is bordering on obsessive now!!! So what side you supporting in the biggest match of the century?

[Shredding Green]

1 hour ago, GlenSTFC said:

I think this is bordering on obsessive now!!! So what side you supporting in the biggest match of the century?

Potentially the biggest home match of the season but certainly not of the century.

Rebels are my first choice team but like many people, I continue to follow teams of towns I once lived in. 

Don't forget that there were only 531 at Arbour Park on Tuesday evening and we all know that that is not good enough. In a town with 165,000, I would like to see the fans at Arbour Park in much larger numbers, obsessed or not.

Edited February 12, 2022 by Shredding Green

[Irishadrian]

44 minutes ago, Shredding Green said:

Potentially the biggest home match of the season but certainly not of the century.

Rebels are my first choice team but like many people, I continue to follow teams of towns I once lived in. 

Don't forget that there were only 531 at Arbour Park on Tuesday evening and we all know that that is not good enough. In a town with 165,000, I would like to see the fans at Arbour Park in much larger numbers, obsessed or not.

Tuesdays crowd was less than one third of one per cent  of our area population truly disgraceful!

[Shredding Green]

Saturday 12th February : EASTBOURNE BOROUGH  2  MAIDSTONE UNITED  3

The crowd at Priory Lane was 1,810.

Another month to go before Maidstone United visit Arbour Park ... be there!!! 

[Reading Rebel]

I don't think it's bordering on the obsessive, I know it is ?

Being serious good on you Shredding in your efforts to get the attendance up.

[Terry Delaney]

2,457 ?? ?? Dream on Shredding ? even in the hey day of Wexham Park when the whole estate used to wander over to watch a decent Conference team with their mates managing and playing for the team we only got 1,200 ish for most biggish games other than the one off with Wycscum ?? I was there when we had 6,500 against them at The Dolphin and 7,700 against Skelmersdale but I’m realistic enough to know that those days are long gone, the whole demographic of the town has changed completely since then, if you want 2,457 against Maidstone put a cricket square on AP and you might have a chance ?

[Terry Delaney]

Have I missed something also ? Don’t we have massive games with our pals from Welling and Havant and the ever lovely trip to The Village of the Damned before then ? ? can’t wait for Concord ???

[Reading Rebel]

In truth I think Shredding knows that size attendance against Maidstone is pie in the sky but if all his and the clubs attempts to increase the gate size means we get an extra couple of hundred it will have been worth it.

[Terry Delaney]

Fair comment but Mark Baileys excellent work couldn’t achieve that ?? It is what it is I’m afraid , so many that like football go to Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, QPR , Brentford, Reading and dare I risk upsetting my day by mentioning Wycscum ? how do any self respecting Slough people go there just because it’s league football ? Why was there more about Reading in our local paper ( Observer ) in their PL time ? Because hundreds of Slough people had season tickets there , pitiful ? when the ground was in Wexham it was like a social club and people drank there during the week and on Sundays, mates got into the habit of going and as I said local lads we knew and had played with were in the team and Mr. Slough Town was manager who also lived on Wexham , that spirit was destroyed when that numpty Byron locked us out, sadly there’s no real atmosphere in our bar these days, resembles a Departure Lounge at T5 ?? we just have to face it there just isn’t the interest there once was as sad as that may be , 13 years of Windsor and Beaconsfield didn’t help either ???

[Reading Rebel]

The only thing I disagree with is the atmosphere in the clubhouse.

Most times when I'm in there it is busy and noisy especially when there's a game on the tv or the weather isn't good or it's a decent crowd for a big game.

Ok it's not the best shape for a football clubhouse but personally I've got used to it and I think it's ok.

[Shredding Green]

1 hour ago, Terry Delaney said:

2,457 ?? ?? Dream on Shredding ? even in the hey day of Wexham Park when the whole estate used to wander over to watch a decent Conference team with their mates managing and playing for the team we only got 1,200 ish for most biggish games other than the one off with Wycscum ?? I was there when we had 6,500 against them at The Dolphin and 7,700 against Skelmersdale but I’m realistic enough to know that those days are long gone, the whole demographic of the town has changed completely since then, if you want 2,457 against Maidstone put a cricket square on AP and you might have a chance ?

This is an example of where I am coming from Terry : Eastbourne Borough's home National League South crowds in 2022 :-

Saturday 15th January : 663 v Hungerford Town

Saturday 29th January : 682 v Hemel Hempstead Town

Tuesday 8th February : 710 v Tonbridge Angels

Saturday 12th February : 1,810 v Maidstone United

Results in the run up to Saturday 12th March could have a significant impact on the gate :-

Maidstone United : Oxford City (H); Dorking Wanderers (A); Hungerford Town (H); Braintree Town (H)

Slough Town : Welling United (H); Havant & Waterlooville (H); Braintree Town (A); Concord Rangers (A)

Should Maidstone United get a result at Dorking Wanderers and head the table come Saturday 12th March, all I can say is that all my life seeing one's team at home to the division leaders has always been a big talking point in the run up to the match. 

[Bernie Gogan]

On 13/02/2022 at 13:40, Terry Delaney said:

Fair comment but Mark Baileys excellent work couldn’t achieve that ?? It is what it is I’m afraid , so many that like football go to Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, QPR , Brentford, Reading and dare I risk upsetting my day by mentioning Wycscum ? how do any self respecting Slough people go there just because it’s league football ? Why was there more about Reading in our local paper ( Observer ) in their PL time ? Because hundreds of Slough people had season tickets there , pitiful ? when the ground was in Wexham it was like a social club and people drank there during the week and on Sundays, mates got into the habit of going and as I said local lads we knew and had played with were in the team and Mr. Slough Town was manager who also lived on Wexham , that spirit was destroyed when that numpty Byron locked us out, sadly there’s no real atmosphere in our bar these days, resembles a Departure Lounge at T5 ?? we just have to face it there just isn’t the interest there once was as sad as that may be , 13 years of Windsor and Beaconsfield didn’t help either ???

Some things about the bar:-

!) The ground isn't ours so there's a limitation on what can be done in this respect. Not sure full time opening is a prospect anyway.

2) Since Covid I'm not personally willing to spend too much time in there currently. It's great we can take beer out now or buy at the outside bar, but not the same as sitting inside. Others may feel similarly.

3) WP had a ballroom for events. Some of which wouldn't be allowed now btw! 

4) Any prospects of money being spent on the ground/bar(s) in the short/medium term by way of facility upgrade are limited because of the council's financial situation.

 

[Kaiser Gibbs Batman (KGB)]

On 13/02/2022 at 13:40, Terry Delaney said:

Fair comment but Mark Baileys excellent work couldn’t achieve that ?? It is what it is I’m afraid , so many that like football go to Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, QPR , Brentford, Reading and dare I risk upsetting my day by mentioning Wycscum ? how do any self respecting Slough people go there just because it’s league football ? Why was there more about Reading in our local paper ( Observer ) in their PL time ? Because hundreds of Slough people had season tickets there , pitiful ? when the ground was in Wexham it was like a social club and people drank there during the week and on Sundays, mates got into the habit of going and as I said local lads we knew and had played with were in the team and Mr. Slough Town was manager who also lived on Wexham , that spirit was destroyed when that numpty Byron locked us out, sadly there’s no real atmosphere in our bar these days, resembles a Departure Lounge at T5 ?? we just have to face it there just isn’t the interest there once was as sad as that may be , 13 years of Windsor and Beaconsfield didn’t help either ???

Wycombe Wanderers had something of an allure about them even back in our amateur days, aside from the impression that for a time at least signing for them was the only way a good enough Slough player could get an England international cap from the FA's Mr Charles Hughes. I recall engaging in (polite) banter with some Wycombe supporters during the 1968 B&B cup final (that one where Wycombe scored a goal after the ball was cut back from what seemed like the front row of the terracing behind the Slough goal) and being a tad surprised that they happily told us they were all from Langley but could never support a "team like Slough". And two of the best footballers from my years at Slough Grammar School did not join many of their contemporaries in playing at the Dolphin but certainly appeared at Loakes Park. I've (almost) got used to living with it.

[Shredding Green]

19th February 2022 : MAIDSTONE UNITED v OXFORD CITY

From the Maidstone United FC website : "A huge game awaits at The Gallagher as both the second-placed hosts and third-placed visitors look to keep pressuring Dorking Wanderers as the National League South title race continues to heat up."

From me : Huge game - I expect a huge attendance!!!

And another at Arbour Park on Saturday 12th March!!!

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Shredding Green

[Shredding Green]

23 hours ago, Shredding Green said:

19th February 2022 : MAIDSTONE UNITED v OXFORD CITY

From the Maidstone United FC website : "A huge game awaits at The Gallagher as both the second-placed hosts and third-placed visitors look to keep pressuring Dorking Wanderers as the National League South title race continues to heat up."

From me : Huge game - I expect a huge attendance!!!

And another at Arbour Park on Saturday 12th March!!!

A disappointing crowd at The Gallagher of 2,126 but they did have the 5,197 at Gillingham v Plymouh Argyle to compete with.

 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Shredding Green

[Shredding Green]

Dorking Wanderers home National League South crowds in 2022 :-

Saturday 8th January : 905 v Braintree Town
Saturday 22nd January : 2,142 v Ebbsfleet United (new Meadowbank attendance record)
Tuesday 1st February : 1,445 v Oxford City
Saturday 5th February : 1,504 v Tonbridge Angels
Saturday 19th February : 1,096 v Chelmsford City
Saturday 26th February : ALL TICKET (ground capacity 3,000) v Maidstone United

[Shredding Green]

22 hours ago, Shredding Green said:

 

I have just watched the match highlights. Quite a feisty second half with three separate punch-ups between players resulting in Booty (Maidstone United) being sent off on 74 after the first punch up and Bradbury (Oxford City) on 90+5 after the third punch-up. Difficult to see why no one got sent off for the second one!

[Reading Rebel]

34 minutes ago, Shredding Green said:

I have just watched the match highlights. Quite a feisty second half with three separate punch-ups between players resulting in Booty (Maidstone United) being sent off on 74 after the first punch up and Bradbury (Oxford City) on 90+5 after the third punch-up. Difficult to see why no one got sent off for the second one!

Maidstone certainly look good going forward but maybe a bit shaky in defence.

The first sending off imo deserved a straight red but was a second yellow card for an over the top tackle from ex Notts County and Huddersfield player Regan Booty.

The second sending off at the end looked like for violent conduct from Oxfords Harvey Bradbury.

I didn't see any other 'punch up'.  

[Shredding Green]

47 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Maidstone certainly look good going forward but maybe a bit shaky in defence.

The first sending off imo deserved a straight red but was a second yellow card for an over the top tackle from ex Notts County and Huddersfield player Regan Booty.

The second sending off at the end looked like for violent conduct from Oxfords Harvey Bradbury.

I didn't see any other 'punch up'.  

The second one is 5 minutes 59 seconds into this match highlights video. On second viewing, it would appear that no one was sent off because it was a confrontation involving pushing and shoving by up to sixteen players. Happy viewing, RR!!!