Haddow

[Guest]

I'd be surprised if Yeading want any Slough players after the way they took you apart in the cup!

[Matt]

And you support...?

[Guest]

Hayes, probably Matt.

[DECORUM]

Quote:

The money the tie with Newcastle is going to generate is going to more or less wrap up their promotion and develop their ground somewhat as well I would imagine, and good luck to them.

Absolutely, and success for other Ryman clubs like Yeading can only enhance the reputation of football at this level and assist the aspirations of other clubs who may wish to follow them in the future. It's not good to claim that any club at this level is incapable of advancement, no-one deserves to have their ambition ridiculed. Talk them up, not down, it may help.

[GarySTFC]

Woking have built themselves up from playing in front of 100 people to an average of between 1500 & 2500 and in front of an impressive stand, so it's proof it can be done.

 

Once we get ourselves set with our own ground, I would hope we can build up to the same sort of standard whilst at the same time being financially viable.

[brighton_rebel]

And years ago Dagenham had hardly any fans either despite merging with four other clubs.

As for Haddow, one reason Matty Miller came to Slough from Yeading was because of the crowds we get...players like playing in front of a crowd, even if it is in front of a bunch of squatters! (well sort of squatters, we do pay £25,000 a year)

 

brighton rebel

[brighton_rebel]

...and Lewes were getting just 50 people six seasons back, now up to 4-500

 

brighton interesting rebel

[Barry Scott]

windsor were playing in front of 50 people a few years ago, and now... oh sh*t

[GarySTFC]

Just goes to prove, proper management with a bit of luck thrown in and it is achieveable.

 

BR, bringing up that point about Dagenham could be a backwards step though as of course it is one of the preferred options for us from our beloved council leader, Richard Stokes.

 

Might be worth noting that those four clubs that they merged with were effectively killed off and have only recently reformed.

[Guest]

Quote:

Might be worth noting that those four clubs that they merged with were effectively killed off and have only recently reformed.

Right, Gary, proving that those clubs did want to retain their own individual identity despite what might have been communicated at the point those clubs were merged.

[brighton_rebel]

I was totally against the mergers at the time, and i seem to remember we all hated Dagenham for it - Leytonstone, Ilford and Walthamstow Avenue all had a decent non league history. But the mergers didn't increase crowds at the time,

Dagenhams crowds only really started to improve after their good cup runs of recent years.

 

brighton rebel

[Guest]

Merged clubs will primarily only attract fans who were not a fan of any of the clubs pre-merger or, in a case like Dagenham, where one club was the predominant survivor.

 

If we were going to attract Slough residents who don't currently attend games to watch a club there's a far greater likelihood they'll do so to support an established club with history and tradition, rather than a fabricated and soulless entity.

 

Cllr Stokes wants to merge the football club with another and has suggested doing the same with the town to resolve financial issues. With such a lack of pride in the name and history of Slough you have to question whether he's the right person to be let loose anywhere near the leadership of the council. Maybe he should return up North to support Manchester United if he's interested in soulless football clubs.

[DECORUM]

This is threatening to turn into a merger thread. -Of course, attachment to a football team is an emotional decision and entirely subjective. Those who would propose mergers usually do so for unemotional and objective reasons. Human beings tend to reject dispassionate debate about subjects they are passionate about. They are more likely to support emotional arguments, especially when these reinforce the perceived values of the object of their passion. Conclusion? Mergers are always likely to alienate the most committed supporters, and they are likely to react strongly and negatively to even the suggestion that such a course should be considered. Tribalism rules.

 

Incidentally, both teams at Stag Meadow owe their current constitution and history to (at least)two previous mergers each.

[Martin]

You are obviously spot on about the emotional and passionate responses to proposed mergers.

 

However, I suspect there was no objective reasoning behind Councillor Stokes' proposal.

 

He said at the time that the topic of securing the future of Slough Town FC was the one about which he had received most letters, calls and had spent most time on since coming to office. (This was admittedly within the first few weeks). Simply put the supporters wanted the council to assist in locating a suitable site to house STFC within the borough. Please note that all we wanted was help in finding a location. Not money. However they could not and would not commit to this. Then Stokes floated a merger as a possible solution. Why? Not because it is the best way forward for the club but because it was a good way for him to get the supporters out of his hair and to ultimately remove the club from the borough permanently.

 

I believe that both the previous mergers that lead to the formation of Slough Town were of sides based in Slough. Less of a loss of identity that way.

[Guest]

SO... is it merge with Windsor.... or merge with Yeading?

[GarySTFC]

It's merge with no-one. We can attract a potential fan base large enough to support ourselves once we have the right backing from the right people.

[brighton_rebel]

I think its good that people get emotional and passionate about footie - its not a bloody business, no matter how much the premiership clubs want it too be.

And Gary is right,we are big enough to survive on our own

 

 

brighton rebel

[Matt]

Crowds of 2,023 and 2,418 (approx. 2,000 supporting Slough) prove that. And hopefully more big crowds to come in the Trophy, on the 27th and at Easter.

[Woody SUFC]

Matt those fa cup fans won't come back for a conference game let alone a Ryman Prem game.

[Matt]

Maybe not, but for bigger games they would. We used to get anywhere between 700 - 2,000 for Conference games.