Todays Thanet Times

[BlueGate Alan]

For those of you who live out of the area an interesting bit in todays paper.

 

Keith Piper says the club should rethink their transfer policy. He is not sure that the route to take is lining up big name players for next year. He believes we have got to start delivering players from a lower level. He points out that CK put a side together with Jay Saunders, Paul Sykes & Phil Collins all obtained from lower levels. He says its not about paying piles of money to land players you assume will win things. He adds that it is a situation the board are very mindful off.

 

I for one cant argue with him on that thinking, spending loads of money does not automatically bring success as we have seen with other clubs.

[Coffin Ender]

Is that a tactful way of saying we are skint?

[BlueGate Alan]

I hope not???

[Hempstead Gaz]

I think the same appplies to every semi and full time club in Kent.

There is not one rich club in the county, no mega rich sugar daddies bankrolling anyone.

Which is a good thing, as experience has shown time and again, it ALWAYS end up in tears!!

[I am Spartacus]

No I think it sends out a few messages:

 

1) The transfer policy of this season of "I want you get it for me" has gone.

 

2) The new manager will not be coming from a Conference club but will be one who knows the lower structures of the game.

 

3) With a reserve side next season it makes sense to develop our own talent to rise up the league's.

 

KP also said in the article that he had met with a Conference player who's contract expires this year and was to be recruited by CK and, they are are still interested in coming.

[BlueGate Alan]

Yes Joseba you are right but I got the impression that it may not happen if board think too expensive?

[Gate Watcher]

Good idea although it is important to get a blend of experienced wise heads from higher leagues and ambitious players with everything to prove. If this Conference player is still interested and if he good then why not bring him in? But then look to make the signing after that one from a lower league to balance it out. In the Ryman Premier simply a squad of inexperienced players will not get you anywhere in particular. If Ramsgate do not strengthen they won't do better than midtable. Siging somebody like Protheroe is crucial because he has the class and know how to dominate at this level and importantly the consistency to deliver every game. Players do cost money for a good reason but I understand that you cant throw money at every player.

 

Leigh Bremner who is Crays top scorer is only 21 and I think he would be a good signing. Wouldnt mind seeing Steve Hafner brought back from Dartford either.

[Number6]

I think Mr Piper is right, the club needed to rethink its transfer policy. Need to use less players next season and get people who really want to play for the club.

Younger local players would be good.

[BlueGate Alan]

Well a reserve team made up of some young local talent would be a start I guess?

[Coffin Ender]

The problem was the demolition of Hartsdown meant we could not have a reserve team and youth set-up. It's good that will now be put right. But it will take a few years for that to bear fruit.

We gained a reputation as a club that does not pay its players. Hopefully that is fading, but mud sticks and attracting players down to this end of Kent may not be as easy as it was in the past.

[Gate Watcher]

As long as the players continue to train in west Kent there should not be too much of a problem attracting players. Obviously the club has to shell out quite a bit in expenses and a bit more for wages to encourage them to drive here for games. Training locally would not be a good idea. Nobody wants to drive from London to Margate and back twice a week and again on match days when they can choose a load of other London or Essex clubs. I am fairly sure it is not possible to get out of the Ryman Premier with purely local players. There has to be a balance.

[I am Spartacus]

True, but you are a keen, ambitious, talented and hungry footballer.

 

Now where would you prefer to play Heybridge infront of 288 ETU infront of 177 or the GATE infront of 689 with a chance of silverware.

 

Or would you prefer to play for a wanabee football manager at Bromley (Mark Goldberg) or for a good manager at the GATE with footballing ambitions.

 

I know where I would prefer to play if I was 21 again (No it was not last century).

[BlueGate Alan]

Close tho Joseba ehh?? lol Good point you make though

[Coffin Ender]

Footballers, like most people, are motivated by money first and foremost. Whether they play in front of 200 or 800 is not high on their list of priorities.

[Eastside Urchin]

don't agree

[Gate Watcher]

Correct CE in the majority of cases money comes first then once they join the club they want to do as well as they can for that club. In some cases the player gets lazy and is happy to do very little for his money. Even with local players there is no guarantee they will perform out of their skin. Ramsgate have a few players who under perform. Ian Pulman has hardly played since he went there and is one example of a local player you dont touch. What Ramsgate have done well at is offer their players win bonuses and bonuses for getting into the play offs. Sadly at this level experienced players know that they can go to club X and be guarenteed £300 a week which is a better option than club Y where they can pick up £200 basic and £100 win bonus. Young players from lower leagues will take that but even then it can take years to get the right players with ambition as Ramsgate have taken years. Im droning on I know but Im concered by KPs comments in the paper. We still need to be signing proven talent from a higher league plus maybe two or three hungry young players from the league below.

[Boney Crisp]

Quote:

Coffin Ender said:
Footballers, like most people, are motivated by money first and foremost. Whether they play in front of 200 or 800 is not high on their list of priorities.

Playing Football is like performing and players would prefer to play infront of a bigger crowd as they would impress more people and also they will know that the club is bringing in money that will help pay wages. The reason why we could not pay out wages was because we had to pay to use Ashfords alotment and we were only getting about 300 through the gates.

[Chris1]

I got the impression Mr Piper was putting the brakes on some of the expectations expressed on this message board.

 

The official comments in the press do seem to respond to points raised on here fairly closely, from which we can take it the fans are actually listened to. That can only be a good thing.

 

The club has even given us detailed information about the proposed stadium.

 

This amount of feedback is better than any other club I know of, league or non-league. It will do wonders for building up the fan base.

[Boney Crisp]

after all the negativity we have had for 3/4 years some good news is finally coming out. Just shows good things always come out of bad. Lets hope i have not spoken to soon like i did about 4 years ago saying that the ground would get built.

[MargateFan]

Ah but Alex, it WILL get built. You were just a bit off on the timing!

These things always take longer than we expect or want them to.