Enfield Town v Kingstonian

[Barney]

I've often spent time mulling over this subject - given the supporter owned model that we have (which I'm a huge fan of - we're ultimately in control of our own destiny), I think that this step is where we should be at the moment, and is the correct level for us. We're competing at the right end of a difficult league, and are slowly building attendances and investing in the club infrastructure to build a platform that will hopefully eventually allow us to compete at the next step up the pyramid. I think it's a realistic ambition to want to be in the National South, but it might be that it takes 10 years or more for us to get a foothold and establish ourselves in that league. That's not to say that we can't go up before then, but I look at some of the sides up there that are at the wrong end of the table and I fear that if we went up before we are ready, we'd be straight back down, and potentially struggling to establish ourselves as a challenger in this league immediately (e.g. Cheshunt over last few of seasons). That's not to say it wouldn't be amazing to win a play off final, or to see us playing a load of new sides, and having some interesting new away days, but I still think that the time needs to be right.

Without wanting to sound contrary, what level do people think we should be at in the very long term? National South? National League? Into the Football League? I do feel that it's human nature to want more - if we did change our ownership model, and quickly achieved promotion(s), wouldn't we just be in the same situation in a higher league, wanting to progress to the next step and the next? There's no harm in aiming high, and wanting to move up, but without the infrastructure in place (facilities, revenue streams, well established academy, attendances etc.), if the money taps were suddenly turned off, we'd see ourselves dropping down the leagues just as quickly. I appreciate that for some, that's a risk willing to take, and the excitement of a promotion or two is worth the potential downside, and maybe it's me being naturally risk-averse in wanting us to only go up when we're completely ready. There's something very satisfying to say that we've achieved what we've achieved ourselves (and I appreciate there are board members, and volunteers who have given way more in terms of time and money than I can ever dream of doing), and we do need to remember that in just over 20 years, we've built our club from not much more than one team using park facilities to having our own home in the borough, an academy, multiple sections, community projects, plans for better infrastructure, and a team which in my view is something to be proud of.

Appreciate this is all just my opinion, and there will be others who view it differently (if we all agreed on everything, this would be an incredibly dull forum), but I did feel the need to make the counter argument at least.

Edited February 26 by Barney

[lovely stuff]

The old EFC competed at the top level for decades not because of big investment from the chairman but because the chairman was willing to invest all the money from the clubs entertainment venue (The starlight Room) into making the club successful at the top level. Plus investing all the money from cup runs.

ETFC need to keep the same structure we currently have in order to guarantee long term security for the club. What we need is to somehow find the funding to build a new 'Bar/Entertainment Venue' within the grounds of the stadium in order to sustainably fund progression. I know this has already been muted within the club and various locations within the ground have been looked at as possible viable areas.

Edited February 26 by lovely stuff

[andyetfc]

All down to that five letter word, ‘money’, and there’s very little of that around..

[DonnyNo6]

On 26/02/2024 at 09:23, Barney said:

I've often spent time mulling over this subject - given the supporter owned model that we have (which I'm a huge fan of - we're ultimately in control of our own destiny), I think that this step is where we should be at the moment, and is the correct level for us. We're competing at the right end of a difficult league, and are slowly building attendances and investing in the club infrastructure to build a platform that will hopefully eventually allow us to compete at the next step up the pyramid. I think it's a realistic ambition to want to be in the National South, but it might be that it takes 10 years or more for us to get a foothold and establish ourselves in that league. That's not to say that we can't go up before then, but I look at some of the sides up there that are at the wrong end of the table and I fear that if we went up before we are ready, we'd be straight back down, and potentially struggling to establish ourselves as a challenger in this league immediately (e.g. Cheshunt over last few of seasons). That's not to say it wouldn't be amazing to win a play off final, or to see us playing a load of new sides, and having some interesting new away days, but I still think that the time needs to be right.

Without wanting to sound contrary, what level do people think we should be at in the very long term? National South? National League? Into the Football League? I do feel that it's human nature to want more - if we did change our ownership model, and quickly achieved promotion(s), wouldn't we just be in the same situation in a higher league, wanting to progress to the next step and the next? There's no harm in aiming high, and wanting to move up, but without the infrastructure in place (facilities, revenue streams, well established academy, attendances etc.), if the money taps were suddenly turned off, we'd see ourselves dropping down the leagues just as quickly. I appreciate that for some, that's a risk willing to take, and the excitement of a promotion or two is worth the potential downside, and maybe it's me being naturally risk-averse in wanting us to only go up when we're completely ready. There's something very satisfying to say that we've achieved what we've achieved ourselves (and I appreciate there are board members, and volunteers who have given way more in terms of time and money than I can ever dream of doing), and we do need to remember that in just over 20 years, we've built our club from not much more than one team using park facilities to having our own home in the borough, an academy, multiple sections, community projects, plans for better infrastructure, and a team which in my view is something to be proud of.

Appreciate this is all just my opinion, and there will be others who view it differently (if we all agreed on everything, this would be an incredibly dull forum), but I did feel the need to make the counter argument at least.

As a Slough supporter, we were having the very same conversation on Saturday when in the bar over at Tonbridge about potentially pushing for the National League and all that comes with it and it was a really mixed viewpoint again mainly around money/travelling/players/supporters and the impact on the ground and the match day experience.

Obviously we all want to drive on but what I will say is the National league South itself is relentless and brutal at times with all the travelling and commitment for everyone and there are some big full time clubs in this league alone that we are all up against.

Definitely food for thought for us all as it can be a poisoned chalice.

[lovely stuff]

1 hour ago, DonnyNo6 said:

As a Slough supporter, we were having the very same conversation on Saturday when in the bar over at Tonbridge about potentially pushing for the National League and all that comes with it and it was a really mixed viewpoint again mainly around money/travelling/players/supporters and the impact on the ground and the match day experience.

Obviously we all want to drive on but what I will say is the National league South itself is relentless and brutal at times with all the travelling and commitment for everyone and there are some big full time clubs in this league alone that we are all up against.

Definitely food for thought for us all as it can be a poisoned chalice.

From where our club is located i don't think there is that much difference in overall travelling times between the National South over the Isthmian Premier.

[DonnyNo6]

1 hour ago, lovely stuff said:

From where our club is located i don't think there is that much difference in overall travelling times between the National South over the Isthmian Premier.

That's not the current NLS

We've got Bath/Taunton/WSM/Truro/Torquay/Yeovil/Weymouth

[lovely stuff]

3 hours ago, DonnyNo6 said:

That's not the current NLS

We've got Bath/Taunton/WSM/Truro/Torquay/Yeovil/Weymouth

Blimey..I was presuming Enfield Town would go in the NL South if promoted? But who knows.

[DonnyNo6]

13 hours ago, lovely stuff said:

Blimey..I was presuming Enfield Town would go in the NL South if promoted? But who knows.

Oh I'm sure they would but that map is about three years old.

Apart from Slough/Hampton/St. Albans and Hemel its pretty much all west country or Essex/Kent in this seasons NLS.

Bath/Taunton/WSM/Truro/Torquay/Yeovil/Weymouth/Chippenham all West

Chelmsford/Braintree/Aveley/Dartford/Tonbridge/Maidstone/Welling/Dover all Kent/Essex

Worthing/Havant/Eastbourne all South 

Plus Farnborough

[andyetfc]

15 hours ago, lovely stuff said:

Blimey..I was presuming Enfield Town would go in the NL South if promoted? But who knows.

Tell that to Bishop Stortford.