Don’t Throw It All Away Jeff

[Phil Old Boy]

Another fantastic result this afternoon against a team unbeaten at home all season.

The team have had a very good run in and Conroy has started to look a bright prospect for the future.

 

All I would like to say Jeff is that you have fulfilled the dream at playing at a much higher level than the ESL, what an achievement, but now what, is that it?

 

The foundations are in place now for this club to grow, but it never could have grown from its current surroundings at Park Lane which just wasn‘t set up for this level of football? It isn’t inviting and it’s just not visible enough.

 

Don’t know what areas of land you may have tried to purchase to build a new stadium, but assume you have had obstacles put in front of you. There just must be somewhere however that this could happen and probably just off the Island. A new team could be born, Canvey & Basildon Utd say, and still be a conference team. I am sure the appetite for a club to bring in bigger crowds that will pay for the upkeep is here just off the Island.

Up North, you have many clubs within a stones throw of each other, so having West Ham and Southend nearby as an excuse for numbers doesn’t make sense. Southend have managed to increase their attendance by 100% to 10k because of their position, but the fans are there. That 10k will be coming back next season with all those fixtures they will face.

 

It’s an exciting time in this area. West Ham are now back in the big time and going from strength to strength and Southend have turned it around and are in the Championship would you believe. If Grays continue as they are then you won’t be surprised to see them as a league team very shortly as well.

 

What I am saying is that there are enough people to go round in Essex to watch all sorts of levels of football.

 

Where the club has come unstuck is all because of the ground and it‘s location. It needed to be re-located when we at this level of football.

 

I would just like to say Jeff before you make any final signatures, stay and make it a quest to get the club a new ground and stadium, just off the island. The appetite is there and it’s a shame you have brought the club so far only for it to end like this. The club is in great shape, it just needs that damn re-locating and the crowds will come, the appetite is there.

 

Come on, don’t throw it all away. Make it a quest to get this new ground and the dream will continue.

[Yellow Bungle]

Sorry, but it's like finding yer missus in bed with your neighbour. Hitch up yer caravan an' f off to Chelmsford.

[shay500]

Hi, Halifax fan here. Good game and support from your club, wouldn't have wanted anyone else to beat us. We played a poor squad, knowing we are in the play-offs, and you took advantage, well done. Your goalkeeper Potter, is a laugh, a very nice bloke, and you had a great bunch of supporters, Well done on being the only team to beat Halifax Town at home this season, doubt you'll forget it, we won't. I didn't want you guys to resign from the league, perhaps you can get another investor in. If not, good luck in whatever league you are going in, just stand by them, don't go and watch grays, unless you are in the away end cheering on us in the play-offs.

[Phil Old Boy]

Quote:

Yellow Bungle said:
Sorry, but it's like finding yer missus in bed with your neighbour. Hitch up yer caravan an' f off to Chelmsford.

From Sky Sports page 27/4/06
Canvey Island manager Jeff King is hotly tipped to jump ship for Essex rivals Chelmsford City, in a move likely to be confirmed by both clubs within the coming days.
King announced last month that he could no longer continue to support The Gulls, who have seen attendances wane in the Nationwide Conference this term.
City, meanwhile, are a club on the rise, having this season moved to their smart Melbourne Park stadium following almost a decade in the wilderness at Maldon and Billericay.
With current manager Craig Edwards coming under increasing pressure, King is expected to jump on board in an owner/manager capacity.
Canvey's future remains unclear but they are expected to resign from the Conference after this Saturday's final league game at Halifax Town, joining the Ryman Premier Division.

Take note on the statement "the club are on the rise, having this season moved to their smart Melbourne Park stadium following almost a decade in the wilderness at Maldon and Billericay".

Seems it's all about facilities and location.

We could draw in 3,000 or 4,000 for the big games. A fresh start in a more visible location would of been what the club needed and things would have been on the up, just like above.

[shay500]

I don't really know a lot about tour club, but this sounds like a bad idea. If you get someone who wants to move your club and ground, beware, look at MK Dons.

[Phil Old Boy]

Quote:

shay500 said:
I don't really know a lot about tour club, but this sounds like a bad idea. If you get someone who wants to move your club and ground, beware, look at MK Dons.

Only talking of a few miles here, not 100 or so. It's located down at the other end of the Island as you come on. You could live here and not know it was there if nobody told you.

Even if we were to rise from the ashes and reach these heights again, the same problem would still be here. The location and ground just isn't good enough for this level of football.

[kimbles left foot]

i can understand what your saying but location cannot just be the problem...i mean look a Grays hardly a decent location, and as for there ground ???!!

[Ribbit]

So are we still hoping Jeff doesn't pull out then? I know I am.

 

I find it hard to look at how great a sseason we've had this year and then to know that it means nothing, because next season we'll be scrapping around fighting for the club's life. A year ago nobody would have thought that that was even a possibility...

 

Without Jeff backing us we've got no hope of getting a new ground, or any real hope of a bigger fan base. How are we going to increase 800 per week when we drop two, three or four divisions?

And all this about us gaining new fans who will be able to watch the team rise to the top again ('from the ashes') and become the next generation of Canvey Hardcore is a load of [****!!****]. The only reason we got where we are is because Jeff King poured a hell of a lot of money into this football club - without him we'd either still be in the ESL, or we wouldn't exist at all. We don't have a lot to thank him for - we have EVERYTHING to that thank him for, no matter how much of an egotist he may be.

 

To think that we can get back to the Conference, or have any amount of the success experienced over the last fourteen years, without Jeff or someone with his money and love of the club, is just naive. All I can envisage is us bouncing between a couple of Ryman leagues, unable to find any real stability or progression.

 

That is the reality... Unless we find 1000 people who want to support us week-in, week-out in the Ryman 2.

[ronin]

Quote:

Ribbit said:
So are we still hoping Jeff doesn't pull out then? I know I am.

I find it hard to look at how great a season we've had this year and then to know that it means nothing, because next season we'll be scrapping around fighting for the club's life. A year ago nobody would have thought that that was even a possibility...

Without Jeff backing us we've got no hope of getting a new ground, or any real hope of a bigger fan base. How are we going to increase 800 per week when we drop two, three or four divisions?
And all this about us gaining new fans who will be able to watch the team rise to the top again ('from the ashes') and become the next generation of Canvey Hardcore is a load of [****!!****]. The only reason we got where we are is because Jeff King poured a hell of a lot of money into this football club - without him we'd either still be in the ESL, or we wouldn't exist at all. We don't have a lot to thank him for - we have EVERYTHING to that thank him for, no matter how much of an egotist he may be.

To think that we can get back to the Conference, or have any amount of the success experienced over the last fourteen years, without Jeff or someone with his money and love of the club, is just naive. All I can envisage is us bouncing between a couple of Ryman leagues, unable to find any real stability or progression.

That is the reality... Unless we find 1000 people who want to support us week-in, week-out in the Ryman 2.

I agree with a lot of what you say Ribbit but i do feel we have a good chance to build our fanbase. When Jeff took over the club i believe the crowds were less than 50 people, as we went up the leagues we have built that up to what we have now, 300-400 fans who go no-matter what. We will start the new era with these fans and with cheaper prices and hopefully winning more games we will should attract more casual fans which we then need to convert into regulars.

[Ribbit]

This is what I mean. We are starting from sratch. Why would we be winning ANY games, let alone MORE? Just because we'll be coming from the Conference, doesn't mean we are going to slaughter everyone 5-0 like we used to in our Ryman days. We might as well forget that we ever existed until now, because that is the way it is.

[ronin]

Well if we are keeping our reserve players i fancy them to give a very good account of themselves in the ESL or Ryman 2.

[Ribbit]

That is our one saving grace... oh and our 400 regulars.

[cangull]

I watched the reserves yesterday.

I have been, and I was yesterday still more impressed by their playing ability. If we can attract them to play for us next term, thenI agree that they will give a very good account of themselves.

[Gully]

Quote:

cangull said:
I watched the reserves yesterday.
I have been, and I was yesterday still more impressed by their playing ability. If we can attract them to play for us next term, thenI agree that they will give a very good account of themselves.

some good prospects there,hope we can keep them and john batch next term.by the way,what was the score?

[Gary Dover]

7-0 against Stansted

[The Great Eckscape]

Apparently they were absolutely flying!

[Halifaxfan]

It's not really my business, but I think the conference will be a poorer league with out Canvey, and It's got to be worth fighting for.

 

We too struggle for support because of more illustrious neighbours, and it's bloody tough going. I think we've all lost count of the number of times Halifax was going to fold. (long before it became a fashion!!)

 

What you've achieved is exceptional, and is in no small way due to the input and support of Mr.King.

But don't under estimate the part every single supporter amongst you have played in that success.

Football is about communities, particularly at this level.

 

I understand that he stood with the fans on saturday, and no doubt the islanders who were there told him their feelings, and the general atmosphere reached him.

 

Anyway, keep the faith, and what ever the outcome I certainly wish you all well, I'd like to think you were going to be visiting the Shay in league 2 in two years time.

[Ribbit]

That was the plan.

[Matt H]

How are the Echo getting away with printing comments like:

 

"(Jeff) King, coach Glenn Pennyfather and another backroom staff man, Micky Bright, will now move on to try and lift Chelmsford City, with a far larger fan base at their new Melbourne Park home, to the highest echelons of the non-league game."

 

When nothing has been confirmed by either Club?

[ronin]

It may not be confirmed but neither club would deny it.