Off the pitch next season?

[FleetFanatic]

It's all very well saying what players we need,etc.

But what's needed off the pitch?

 

Entrance REDUCED back to £10 adults / £5 child

We can't compete with Charlton / Gillingham as it is,

especially when Charlton have been reducing some matches down to £15 for an adult!

 

MORE FRIDAY NIGHT MATCHES. Like them or loathe them - they would appear to work. It is essential that ANY match that clashes with Charlton or Gillingham should be moved, obviously subject to the agreement of the opposition side.

 

Consider changing the club name to Ebbsfleet, with or without the United/City/whatever gets decided, IN TIME FOR NEXT SEASON. Get the ball rolling in advance & hopefully eradicate the most blatantly non-league aspect that puts people off supporting The 'Fleet.

 

Northfleet end issues rectified, be it the all seater that was announced previously.

 

Any other suggestions?

[Hempstead Gaz]

Price reduction essential. That alone is the main reason for the dip in gates. I wonder whether the board will put the ground move on the back burner, pending significant improvements on the pitch over the next 2 or 3 seasons. Why spend £6 million on

a new stadium if we are loo

ing like a relegation side, when for about £1.5 million our ground could be brought up to 6000 capacity .

[Gate Watcher]

CG, probably 'cos a new stadium would draw in major sponsorship so would probably be more affordable long-term.

[Harry J Allstars]

When are we looking like a relegation side?

 

One month ago we we're coming off the back of a great run of a month unbeaten. Okay things look poor now but that's because of recent results, get York out of the way and we have a couple of games against lower table teams. Plus we're missing Charlie and Jay.

 

Does anyone have a blade so I can slit my wrists...

[Stu M]

Quote:

Harry J Allstars said:
we have a couple of games against lower table teams.

Just as we did four weeks ago. I'm anticipating a 16-point haul.

Oh no, hang on...

[Jeff]

We have been useless for the last four games. I don't think that this can be denied.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Wake up and smell the coffee, Harry. At best we are average, at worst, embarrassing. Have we really progressed, apart from fitness, by going full time. Most indications would suggest no.

[Harry J Allstars]

Quote:

Chatham Gary said:
Wake up and smell the coffee, Harry. At best we are average, at worst, embarrassing. Have we really progressed, apart from fitness, by going full time. Most indications would suggest no.

So we're not relegation fodder then are we? Thanks for answering my question.

[Harry J Allstars]

Quote:

Stu M said:

Quote:

Harry J Allstars said:
we have a couple of games against lower table teams.

Just as we did four weeks ago. I'm anticipating a 16-point haul.

Oh no, hang on...

I know what your saying but we played these games without key players. Our trouble is lack of strength in depth. At our best we can beat anyone, at worst we are midtable mediocrity, not relegation candidates.

[Stu M]

Quote:

Harry J Allstars said:
I know what your saying but we played these games without key players.

Only Charlie, though, to be honest. The defence has been fairly constant and midfield should have and has enough strength in depth to cover for an injury to one of McKimm, Bowry, Slatter, Drury or Saunders.

Hereford were missing about four or five regulars last night, were down to 10 men, and bossed the second half. I'm not suggesting we're relegation candidates either, but there is an alarming lack of... I dunno what to call it... 'excitement' in the air, or anything that makes you want to attend matches beyond the normal call of duty at the moment.

[David Holden]

I never thought I'd say this but <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

 

I agree with Harry, we have a first team that can compete in the league and, with a degree of luck challange for the play-offs. What we need is to be able to increase the squad so that when key players are out we have the necessary back-up.

 

Nothing demonstrates this more than up-front where we are poor without MacDonald. Rawle and Sodje are good players but they are not going to be prolific goalscorers themselves, they will however make perfect partners for Charlie. However another Charlie is going to cost good money at this may have to be to the detriment of the size of the squad and cover in other positions.

 

We can really only square this circle by the use of good quality loan players, which is far from ideal I accept, but with the imposition of the transfer window, there really isn't any other choice.

[BustaGut]

Maybe we should not be attacking the players for not scoring but the way we play, a big kick,and hope one of them manages to get to the ball,when we were having quote our good run, the ball was being played along the floor, the last few games have been a big kick up field, the higher and further the better, and like school boy football all follow the ball, most of lasts nights game was played around the players tunnel.no width or direction, one big clump, with occasional big boot up field.If we had not had a resonable start this season,and we were lower down in the leauge, I believe playing the way we are we would be in fear of relagation, as it has been proven that we cannot beat the lower league teams at this moment in time.You can have a large stadium, hold 100,000, change your teams name.but if your playing badly,people in general will not come and watch you full stop.had my whinge

[REDolent3]

Spot on Dave. Totally agree last night & recent games have been poor but surely we should once again do a reality check (& this is no cop out to avoid the issue). Six years ago we were playing Ryman league teams - today our league position is surrounded buy ex Footall League teams or long established top flight NL Clubs. We have come a long way in a short time & there is still lots to do. Brian stated in the AGM last week what a difficult season it has been with the mix of part & full time players. This will in time change & can only be for the better.

Chatham Gary goes on about putting any ground move on hold - whats the point. The past years experiance shows the Stonebridge Rd needs constant work to maintain standards.

Sure last night was hard to suffer & I enjoyed it as little as most. We did not compete 2nd half & this needs to be addressed but we were playing a team with players who lets face it are better than ours because they can afford it. We were short in midfield, missing McDonald & lost both centre halves in the game.

I am bothered & mystified by the variation in the attendances - if 850 had turned up last night I could have understood it. Look at the other Conf gates last night & work out the percentage drop.

As with many seasons past the problem will be stimulating interest for the remainder of the season.

[Jeff]

Did they both go off due to injury?

I can't believe it was a tactical change.

[Fleetbabe]

Yes, I believe so. Saw Dave Lawson giving them both ice packs as they came off.

[Jeff]

OK, that makes me feel a little better.

I knew from the moment Macca went off, that it was going to be difficult to hold on.

I was ranting about the subsitutions at the time but if due to injury, then fair enough I suppose.

[Hempstead Gaz]

I merely suggested that before the club spend millions on a shiny new stadium, we get things right on the pitch first. I include getting an upward trend in attendances over 2 or 3 years as well. It could prove to be a financial millstone we do not not need.

I would like a new ground as much as everyone, but let's get the team and crowds worthy of it first.

[Stu M]

Ross Smith had treatment about 5mins before coming off. Macca came off right after a superb tackle just in front of the penalty area - don't know whether he damaged himself in that.

[John Pearce]

Quote:

David Holden said:

However another Charlie is going to cost good money at this may have to be to the detriment of the size of the squad and cover in other positions.

Some of the money could come from the ridculous situation where we have two full-time goalkeepers, when quite clearly only one is needed.

How many first team games will Aaron Kerr play this season???

[Hempstead Gaz]

Well, that depends whether we beat Margate Tuesday week. And whether that too is declared a first team game.