Chairman's Notes - 21 September 2004

[Palomino]

Our Sponsors at Saturday’s game, David Lane & Associates were very impressedwith the Team’s performance and felt that we deserved to win in what was a really entertaining match. David Lane himself presented Dean Hooper, after the game, with a bottle of champagne for his ‘Man of the Match’ performance and went on to say that he and his colleagues had enjoyed their day and the welcome that we had given them. The discussion that followed was most interesting in that our guests were actually quite surprised that they had been welcomed in such fashion and that the standard of play was not as poor as they had constantly read about in the Press.

 

On Sunday, I went onto our website to see if David Lane’s photograph with Dean had been included and was actually quite pleased to read that St Albans had been involved in a “pulsating draw played at breakneck pace at a very wet Clarence Park”. Wow, I thought to myself, a positive spin on the game which in my view was the truth anyway. Imagine then my dismay on buying the Non League paper to read of a disappointing game and very little mention of the excitement or chances missed.

 

Now, you may all be wondering where this is leading and here is the point. Many of you were kind enough to speak to me on Saturday and confirm your support to both my comments in the programme and the proposed action towards those who misbehave. Taking a further controversial step, may I ask how is it acceptable that anyone who was involved in the drunken misbehaviour at Eastbourne and part of the group which was almost evicted from the ground, should be allowed to write reports on our game for the National Non League newspaper the following week? Is it surprising that the reports are so negative, when I am threatening to ban his so called friends from the ground?

 

You may recall our friendly game at home to Charlton Athletic in the pre season which ended with us recovering from 3 – 1 down to achieve a very creditable 3 – 3 draw against a strong team which included the likes of Matt Holland. Imagine again my surprise when I read the report written in the Observer and included on the website, that we were extremely lucky not to have played most of the game with nine men! I spoke to the Editor of the newspaper later the following week and suggested that this was not acceptable and believe me, it is not!

 

To conclude therefore on this issue and as a follow up to the supposedly hard hitting comments made in my notes on Saturday, may I also add that this Club has got to survive on a commercial basis or it will die. There are very few idiots like me around who will pay through the nose for the benefit of having to deal with this puerile crap. If the troublemakers cause grief then yes, they will be banned but how much worse it is when two or three of our so called supporters who have large chips on their shoulders have the power, confidence and audacity to write with such negativity. People unfortunately do read what is written and if this puts even fifty potential spectators off coming to a game then this is

worth over £12,000 a year to the Club.

 

For those of you who feel abused by my comments then please do something about it in a positive manner without asking me to debate the subject. I can assure you that my comments are not the rantings of a madman but rather some pointed statements by a person no longer interested in being politically correct. If you don’t want to support the Club in a positive fashion then stay away and at least I can then enjoy the games with like minded people.

 

Regards to you all - John Gibson

[gertcha EFM]

What is it they say, something about the league table doesn't lie!

 

From the games I have watched this season we have been poor, so why should it be reported otherwise ?

 

It's obviously easier for Gibson to blame everything on "two or three of our so called supporters who have large chips on their shoulders" than to face up to the fact that we are in real trouble where it matters, on the pitch.

 

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

Quote:

Taking a further controversial step, may I ask how is it acceptable that anyone who was involved in the drunken misbehaviour at Eastbourne and part of the group which was almost evicted from the ground, should be allowed to write reports on our game for the National Non League newspaper the following week?

The chap who writes for the Non-League Paper is Tom Lewis, no?

I'm pretty sure he got a lift to and from the ground with his father that day, and no alcohol was consumed. <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Perhaps I could be corrected if I'm wrong?

[Iron Webbo]

Just like the old days! Crap reporting in the Observor (don't you just love Tav's view on life), usual Lewis stuff on the website (and now in the NLP). Negativity abounds eh?

 

But, of course, when the 'Great' Man's syndicate finally takes over it will all be different - Abe Lincoln my [****!!****]!

 

It shoulda been me, oh lordy lordy, it shoulda been me (shame I aint got no money) ...

[retarded turtle]

Press reports and such like are based on the writers own beliefs and not what certain people want to hear.

Journalists cannot be expected to glam up reports for games which hold little excitement, if people read reports saying that there is excellent fare on offer and then turn up and see the trash that is currently on offer, surely they will be put off for life.

 

Journalism, not fascism palomino!

[Laz]

Here's the report.

 

It doesn't seem too negative to me.

Dorchester Town Report

[Palomino]

Retard.

 

These are the chairman's notes from last night's programme and are certainly not my own views.

[Webbo MFI]

does Ton actually write the reports - I thought someone did it for him

[Rob_the_Saint]

I preferred the other one.

 

Do we know which player owns the H-reg red fiesta that was causing such a 'major' obstruction on Saturday? Surely must have been the wife's car, borrowed while the Ferrari was being serviced?

[Webbo MFI]

Quote:

Laz EFM said:
Here's the report.

It doesn't seem too negative to me.
Dorchester Town Report

and an independant report ...

"

Nationwide Conference South

by Murray Craig

18th September 2004

St Albans and Dorchester played out a very exciting 1-1 draw at a wet and windy Clarence Park. The slippery surface added to the excitement particularly in the second half where the action was end to end.

Saints fielded an experienced line up with ex-Football League stalwarts Steve Castle (the player manager) Chris Zorich (a Kiwi international) and Miguel de Souza. Also making his debut was Lloyd Opara signed from Swindon although in contrast to the above his league experience was limited to one appearance in the Coca Cola League Cup. Visitors Dorchester fielded a pair of Spaniards in Juan Ugarte and Joseba Barandiaran.

The first half was fairly uneventful. Neither team dominated but Dorchester created more chances. Saints keeper Robinson made a couple of good saves and Matt Groves put a shot just wide of the post after a sweet turn. Saints had two bookings, Castle for a shuddering tackle and debutant Opara for kicking the ball away after a free-kick had been awarded against him.

St Albans went ahead through an Alex Browne own goal just before half time. I am afraid I missed it as I was distracted by action on the City bench. There had been a couple of announcements about a red Fiesta causing an obstruction in the car park. It turned out that it belonged to one of the St. Albans players who was waving at the bench who in turn were trying to get one of the reserves in the stand near me to go and move the car!

The second half started with a bang in that Dorchester equalised almost immediately, Ugarte ran straight through the retreating Saints defence before slotting home very neatly. Saints responded well to this and enjoyed a period of pressure, they came close to regaining the lead from a corner which Magpies keeper Bradshaw missed completely, luckily for him an alert defender cleared the danger. Saints had a good shout for a penalty with Opara being upended in the box but by then the play had moved on and neither of the officials saw the offence.

It was not one way and Dorchester had several opportunities, both Groves and Ugarte fired shots straight at Robinson and another effort was athletically tipped over the bar. Ugarte nearly scored with a curling free-kick that Robinson did well to parry, Radcliffe had an open goal but fired over the bar.

Opara contrived to miss a great opportunity at the other end where he contrived to hit the bar and then a defender all from about a yard out. The Saints faithful behind the goal were adamant that the ball had crossed the line at some stage of the melee but their shouts were again ignored by the referee.

Several substitutions interrupted the flow of the game but Saints finished the stronger team particularly after the Magpies dominating centre-half Andy Harris limped off. Miguel de Souza was pushed up front and the last action of the game was a Saints free-kick whistling just wide of the post.

To conclude an entertaining draw in difficult conditions but a result that still leaves St. Albans perilously near to the bottom of the table. Perhaps Dorchester can do Saints a favour as on Monday night they visit struggling Carshalton.

Full Time 1-1
Half Time 1-0
Attendance 292
Goals Browne og (St Albans), Ugarte (Dorchester)
Pyramid Football M.O.M Miguel de Souza

[CANV EFM]

50 people..? 12 grand..? er isnt that about the number who get in for free..? none of my business mind.. just a passing comment..

personally i reckon you need to jazz up the bar a bit to get more people in

[Webbo MFI]

we need a new ground...

 

oh - shags...

[JKiF]

first and foremost WE need a new manager,

everything else follows

 

 

sucess breeds sucess

winning team , bigger gates, more takings, move up the Pyramid

 

ITS NOT F"IN ROCKET SCIENCE, PEOPLE

[Canary Saint]

 

Have been wondering how anybody with an ounce of nous could tolerate the current situation on the pitch at city. Now having read the above programme notes it's all starting to become clear.

 

As for "puerile crap" - I have been a city supporter for over 30 years so I think I have earned the right to feel a little negative.

 

Is SC the worse manager in city's history yet ?

 

Even a blindman could see......................

[AFF]

I have read the Chairman's programme notes from the Newport matchday programme carefully. I note, in particular, that he makes it clear that he is not prepared to debate any part of them.

 

I have said on another thread that there is far too much division at Clarence Park. I stressed my view of the need for us all to put the past in the past and to find ways to try to find unity to work together in order to take the club forward.

 

In all of these circumstances, I will make no comment on here concerning the Chairman's programme notes.

 

If anyone at Clarence Park wishes to discuss any of the match reports that I write, or indeed any other matter, including the alleged behaviour of my son, I hope they know that I am more than happy so to do in the appropriate place.

 

 

[Webbo MFI]

bring back unity, Homer and Awayday

 

those were the days

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

I find this unbelievable. What exactly is he asking our reporters to write here?

 

Certainly when I was working for the NLP, I was told to write a balanced, unbiased report from a neutral point of view. I thought that was what decent journalism was about anyway.

 

I rarely bother buying the NLP (sorry GHA!) but I've always found Tavs reports in the Observer to be pretty accurate.

 

 

[DJ Ozzy Bin Laden]

The chairman has clearly lost it, he has an obsession with us all that isn't healthy.

 

When he goes on about these 50 fans that we appear to be keeping away, where exactly do these people hear about drunken antics, they aren't in the press the only place they are discussed is on here and in Gibbos warped mind. So 50 supporters check on here every week so that some drunken people attended an away game so choose not to attend the home games or do they subscribe to gibbos programme notes - The man is a idiot!

 

I showed his article to a friend of mine and all he said was he's hasn't actually said anything in his article it's just purile crap as a great man once said.