Just to cheer you up!

[Chris1]

Here's a BBC match report from the glory days when we topped the Conference: Chester 0-3 Margate

 

What we have been through since then!

 

How long till we do it again? I reckon 4 seasons.

[Gate Watcher]

The ground is the key. Will it go through straight away or drag out? How many changes will be needed to the plans and how long will it take to get them accepted by the council? How long will an archeological dig take? When will the work start? Where will we groundshare next season if as is likely the work (dig + relaying of new pitch + rotation of some sort of Ryman standard facility while the main build is happening around us) won't be complete by mid August? What impact will a groundshare have on the club? Might as well get it all out in the open now as I'm feeling negative. By the way, if we are playing at Hartsdown next season with the works well on their way around us then I think we can get promotion. Then 2 years in Conference South, maybe 1 if we have a good side.

 

PS - Can the club please say if the archaelogical dig would be away from the pitch area so will this or will this not affect the rotation of the pitch 90 degrees and the relaying and putting in place a facility for next season? Was the dig completed last time in the pitch area so this time around it just needs to take place where the comm.dev. will be?

[jkmaskell]

The plans will have to go before Planning and Full Council as a departure from the Local Plan (its on public greenland). I reckon itll take around 3-4 months. but then again if the business plan isnt accepted the plans wont pass.

 

I think you're right that it does need to be answered to get it out of the way. A lot of it hinges on the business plan and whether its viable in the eyes of the Coucil. The plans will probably go through anyway as its for sports and recreation, unless there are serious problems with the plans, perhaps with some more conditions attached.

[Veaney]

Turner, Blackford, Lamb, Edwards, Williams, Porter, Munday, Graham, Braithwaite, Collins, Saunders.

 

Subs: Sodje, Beard, Hafner, Azzoparti, Spencer.

 

memories <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> sodje on the bench lol

[Gate Watcher]

Akpo Sodje, now scoring goals at Darlington with Adrian Webster. He made one appearance against Morecambe. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/doah.gif" alt="" />

[Gate Watcher]

"Margate kept their promotion push on track with a convincing victory over struggling Chester"

 

Oh to hear those words again.

 

Anyone remember this night we went top of the Conference?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/1545911.stm

 

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bounce.gif" alt="" />

[BlueGate Alan]

Sure do GW, hope it wont be too long when we are back up there!

[Northants Blue]

Remember so well. Was on a stag do in Blackpool and was the same day that Becks scored the Free kick against Greece to send us to the World Cup. Everyone in the hotel bar cheered when Becks scored and then again when the 'gate result came up (and I was the only 'gate fan there).

 

Those days will come again - CK will see to that!

[margateshot]

Quote:

jkmaskell said:
The plans will have to go before Planning and Full Council as a departure from the Local Plan (its on public greenland). I reckon itll take around 3-4 months. but then again if the business plan isnt accepted the plans wont pass.

I think you're right that it does need to be answered to get it out of the way. A lot of it hinges on the business plan and whether its viable in the eyes of the Coucil. The plans will probably go through anyway as its for sports and recreation, unless there are serious problems with the plans, perhaps with some more conditions attached.

If it is going to take that long why are the club demolishing the Hartsdown Rd Stand/Clubhouse at the end of April? Will we be in a position next season where we have no facilities whatsoever if building cannot start?

[Margate Martian]

Maybe thats the plan then there is nothing for us to defend! All sounds dodgy to me but time will tell i spose. Just cant beleive we are now all getting uncertain on whats happening again!!

[jkmaskell]

I have no idea why the club is demolishing the ground, unless the truth is that this new plan doesnt really exist and the club is going ahead with the plans given permission last year. But thats very hard to believe.

 

As the new plans will have to go before Planning and Full Council, the plans wont be approved before May 11th for certain as thats the next Full Council meeting. April isnt gonna happen IMO. If they are demolishing the ground in April, its got to be under the last plans approved.

 

I dont know whats going to happen facilities wise...thats for the Directors to decide. KP said a groundshare was out of the question.

[Cookie]

Sandy told me the council have heard nothing about new plans to turn the pitch. He said he has only heard it through the media. Nothing from the club to the council concerning this.He also said it would have to go to c.o.s.e again if indeed the plans have changed.

It would be nice to hear from the club as to the latest developments in any case.

I am still positive that KP & the club are doing things correctly,despite Ezekiels words and that everything is on course for completion.

[rayw]

I cant believe that once again there is uncertainty over the ground. How many plans have been made and changed.And all that time fans have had to put their faith in the club as relegations have followed groundshares.

 

The club need to come out clearly and say they will be at HDP next season and how much of it will be ready for the start of the season.

[Cookie]

I am presuming the pitch will be turned round close season and building works will continue while we play at HP next season.Wasnt that the idea? Please correct me if I am wrong but thats what I thought was going to happen. Had it not been for the pitch re-alignment I am sure building around the pitch as it is would have started by now.Again I dont feel there is anything to be worried about because I too have faith in the club to get this together but I do agree that uncertainty comes about because we are not being kept up to speed. We really need updating on the situation at more regular intervals & not just at an occasional meeting, so that any uncertainty can be eliminated altogether.I would like to know if these new plans HAVE been given the go-ahead thats all,by any relevant parties.

[jkmaskell]

"I would like to know if these new plans HAVE been given the go-ahead thats all"

 

The Council has not approved these latest plans. They must come before Council as I said earlier which they havent yet.

[Cookie]

Then its about time they were submitted! We need to know what the holdup is!

[MargateFan]

I cannot see how all this has arisen, since there has been no official news from either side that I can recall, and it seems to me like a lot of worried conjecture and imagination from somewhat windy folks.

 

It said in the paper this morning that 4 or more cups of coffee a day can lead to heart disease - worry about that one! I have had that by 10am, and am now really scared.

 

On the other hand, I am pretty confident that the club has the ground thing covered.

[Gate Watcher]

MF, I brought it up as I think we do need to know more. It is very concerning that we could be left with no facilities and not be ready for August. I would like to know if the club are definitely definitely (whatever is happening with the plans) going to just realign the pitch ready for August. The rest will happen around us? Correct? But we will definitely have a pitch for August so we can play at HDP?

 

I didn't want to bring it up but I'm afraid as a passionate supporter I just had to at this time. Sorry. I know these things do not help as negativity breeds negativity but it had to be said.

[MargateFan]

I quite understand and accept the concerns, GW. I am sure we would all like to know more, but I think that whilst we wonder, a great deal of work goes on continually behind the scenes to make things happen.

I still take an optimistic view, and recall Keith being adamant at the meeting that a further groundshare was not an option, plus that the club had taken extra time so that the business case was as good as they could make it.

At the end of the day, we have to accept that we will have to put up with disruption next year, but I suppose anything this big and important needs a certain amount of patience and tolerance to see through.

I take comfort from the fact that our 'temporary facility' this year has been streets better than a lot of the established grounds I have had the pleasure of visiting this season, and the same will probably be true of whatever facilities we have next season too.

[Coffin Ender]

The club would not be offering two-year contracts to people if there were any serious problems. In fact, even if the plans are rejected we have a temporary ground better than some that have staged Conf South football. We also have better support than most teams in the Ryman Prem and Conf South. The ground thing would only impact on plans to get into Conf National - however, that is a long, long way off.