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FLEET FIRST PETITION...

behindthegoal
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Vera Newbie

Vera

Posted
Posted

This isn't strictly about The Reporter's petition, but is relevant to the same topic.

At the beginning of February I emailed Chris Pond and received a reply. Here is a copy of both of our emails:

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Vera

Sent: 01 February 2005 00:03

To: POND, Chris (MP)

Subject: G. & N. F.C.

 

 

I understand that you are in favour of our local Football Club being settled in their own stadium. I appreciate this as being a fan of the club for over 30 years, by being a fan I mean actually going to all their home matches and in the past when I was able going to away matches some of which were many miles away. I am convinced that to go in with Gillingham as the leader of your council thinks would be such a wonderful idea, would in fact be a disaster. Whenever clubs have done this in the past (unfortunately quite a few of them Kent clubs) they have invariably gone to the wall. There are no winners in these situations and it is obvious that Mr Scally just sees this as a way of making big money. He doesn't manage the affairs at Gillingham that well, as they do not have a very strong team and do not fill their present stadium. It is possible that if he moved into the Gravesham area the whole idea could be a failure. Where he gets his thousands of supporters that would go to watch from I really don't know. I think Gravesend council would do far better to support their own local team, as indeed Dartford Council appear to be doing.

 

I really do think that given the right support our local team could achieve far better rewards for the town than a club who have no interest in the town at all, only, they hope as a way of making money, which is very unlikely and it would probably mean the end of both clubs in a bid to fulfill this man's fantasy.

 

I really do hope that the council will support their own club.

 

Vera Sidwell (Mrs)

 

From: POND, Chris \(MP\)

Date: 02/25/05 15:04:28

To: Vera

Subject: RE: G. & N. F.C.

 

Dear Mrs Sidwell,

 

Thank you very much for your e-mail concerning Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club. I apologise for the delay in responding.

 

Like you, I fully support G & N F C's bid to stay in Gravesham and believe it is central to both the future of the Club and the town.

 

I am writing to let you know that I have forwarded your e-mail to the Leader of Gravesham Borough Council, Cllr John Burden, as I feel you make some very important points.

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write to me. If there is anything else I can do to help then please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Best wishes,

 

Chris.

 

I feel it is very important to keep the debate alive, as there are people who would rather we forget all about it.

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Harry J Allstars Newbie

Harry J Allstars

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Unrecognized Genius said:
Given that he's a junior minister he could prove a useful ally in the future as, spin or no spin, he's indicated that he's behind what we want.

No point in being too cynical. We're going to need people with clout on our side.

EC


No, he's not answered the question has he? We don't know what side his on. He knows were passionate about Gravesend so tells us what we want to hear, he'll do the same for Gillingham. If asked the same question by them he'd say I am willing to do anything in my power to keep Gillingham alive.

These people are polititions they listen to one thing MONEY. They will side with the one who has the most.
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Graham S Newbie

Graham S

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Harry J Allstars said:

No, he's not answered the question has he? We don't know what side his on. He knows were passionate about Gravesend so tells us what we want to hear, he'll do the same for Gillingham. If asked the same question by them he'd say I am willing to do anything in my power to keep Gillingham alive.

These people are polititions they listen to one thing MONEY. They will side with the one who has the most.


But "these people" are the ones who will ultimately make the decision on our stadium, so broad assertions that they're all the same & all corrupt isn't going to help at the end of the day. One way or another, we have to find a politician with clout who will back our case.

I think you'll find that Mr Pond does have a much stronger affinity for a club bearing the name of his constituency than one from the Medway towns & this is what we have to exploit. I think I've posted it before, but this was his reply to me just before Christmas:

"Thank you for your letter about Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club. As you may be aware, I have supported the Fleet's development plans for many years, including helping to raise funds for the ground improvements needed to help them move into the Conference League. I have also been discussing their plans for the future with Brian Kilcullen more recently and have offered my full support.

My view is that every major town or city needs a football club to share its name to help put it - and keep it - on the map. Its for this reason that I have both supported the Fleet and insisted that the International Station is indeed called Ebbsfleet, not Dartford."

Yes, he does say something very encouraging with one breath, then equivocate in true politician's style with the next, but does that mean that we tell him to get lost, we don't need to sully our hands with his sort? I think not.

Graham S
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Stu M Newbie

Stu M

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Margate got a pretty healthy amount of signatures for their petition (albeit it's easier to win sympathy if you're in imminent danger of going bust than what we're facing) but we should at least be bumping this list up above 260 given our average attendance.

 

I'm gonna send it to 10 friends... why don't we all do the same again? 10 x 10 x 10... etc etc. People love an email chain letter!

 

Link below:

Petition

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Unrecognized Genius Newbie

Unrecognized Genius

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Vera said:
We can argue for ever about the answers we get from politicians, but I think it is very important we keep the pressure up on anyone we can whom may have any influence at all in this matter.


Absolutely. Trust a woman to talk good, plain common sense.


Quote:
Stu M said:
Margate got a pretty healthy amount of signatures for their petition (albeit it's easier to win sympathy if you're in imminent danger of going bust than what we're facing) but we should at least be bumping this list up above 260 given our average attendance.

I'm gonna send it to 10 friends... why don't we all do the same again? 10 x 10 x 10... etc etc. People love an email chain letter!

Link below:
Petition


Good idea. Any chance of the moderators fixing the petition link so it's always visible? Otherwise it will be off the page in no time.

EC
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WhiteBucket Newbie

WhiteBucket

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It's about 300 names strong so far, which can certainly be improved on if we all spread the news, make other non-GNFC fans aware (even if they're yoour work colleagues, etc) and get it moving again. I think we need to be looking at the four-figure mark before we do anything with the petition so it at least matches our average attendance!

 

As regards what's being done with it - the whole situation's gone through a bit of a lull lately, but the petition will be available for the club to use when they require it. That depends on whatever developments occur and we take our lead from the club on that.

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Guest

Guest

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Report to Jessica in the club shop EARLY on Saturday with a couple of pens and I am sure she will give you some petitions to be filled in by the visiting supporters/offials/players or whoever turns up.

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