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Utterly Depressed


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By last night's result? No.

 

As Stu M says, remember our win at Barnet in our 1st season. We evidently had the more accomplished footballers last night, but Stafford were the better team on the night by some distance. They imposed their style of play on the game & we couldn't wrest it back. No point crtiticising their direct approach. They are a newly promoted part time team. They have to play in a way that will nullify the advantages of the full timers. Their priority is survival & they look well equipped for that. They have a manager who can do his homework & make the most of what he's got. When they have consolidated & gone full time, they'll no doubt play the pretty football (& occasionally lose to newcomers playing long ball with a big team.)

 

I was disappointed with the result, but was genuinely pleased for their directors as I looked across at the end. No swaggering wide boys there, just guys who looked like they'd been with the the team for years; no gloating, just real pride in their boys. Nice to see.

 

So what's with the "utterly depressed?"

 

The attendance. 800 odd & playing the way we had been up until last night.

 

No point abusing the people who choose not to come. It's their choice. What it shows is that, at the end of the day, the people of Gravesham don't care if they have a decent team in the Conference National or not. The attendance was that of a reasonable team in the Conference South or a side from a big town in the Ryman Premier pushing for promotion. We cannot possibly support a full time team on 1100 on Saturdays & sub 1000 on weekdays. I remember pulling in 800 odd in the 80s, when we were lying about 4th in the Beazer Homes League South. I will always support the Fleet, as I have done for 35 years. But if I was Liam or one of the players, I'd be thinking what's the point? Let's go somewhere where they want a team, because they clearly aren't that bothered here.

 

EC

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Unrecognized Genius said:
By last night's result? No.

As Stu M says, remember our win at Barnet in our 1st season. We evidently had the more accomplished footballers last night, but Stafford were the better team on the night by some distance. They imposed their style of play on the game & we couldn't wrest it back. No point crtiticising their direct approach. They are a newly promoted part time team. They have to play in a way that will nullify the advantages of the full timers. Their priority is survival & they look well equipped for that. They have a manager who can do his homework & make the most of what he's got. When they have consolidated & gone full time, they'll no doubt play the pretty football (& occasionally lose to newcomers playing long ball with a big team.)

I was disappointed with the result, but was genuinely pleased for their directors as I looked across at the end. No swaggering wide boys there, just guys who looked like they'd been with the the team for years; no gloating, just real pride in their boys. Nice to see.

So what's with the "utterly depressed?"

The attendance. 800 odd & playing the way we had been up until last night.

No point abusing the people who choose not to come. It's their choice. What it shows is that, at the end of the day, the people of Gravesham don't care if they have a decent team in the Conference National or not. The attendance was that of a reasonable team in the Conference South or a side from a big town in the Ryman Premier pushing for promotion. We cannot possibly support a full time team on 1100 on Saturdays & sub 1000 on weekdays. I remember pulling in 800 odd in the 80s, when we were lying about 4th in the Beazer Homes League South. I will always support the Fleet, as I have done for 35 years. But if I was Liam or one of the players, I'd be thinking what's the point? Let's go somewhere where they want a team, because they clearly aren't that bothered here.

EC


thanks for your kind comments about our club, at last someone reconises that we are part time and with our small squad we have to play to what strengths we have. i just wish some other supporters in this league would realise instead of spouting out the same crap every week about how poor we are.
your comments about our directors could'nt have been truer, they feel every defeat and celebrate every win with gusto, there are no big time charlies amoungst them and they are all real supporters who have supported the club since they were ankle biters and they will have enjoyed that victory last night as much as the small band of fans that travelled.
it's just nice to hear a good honest report from a obviously clued up football fan, good luck for the rest of the season, i dont think you have any fear of relegation this season. thanks.
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Yep, there's no point in denying it - our support, in terms of numbers, is pretty rubbish. Arguably, while we are now more likely to pick up floating fans now and again, our true hardcore support hasn't grown vastly since the Ryman days.

 

It now seems clear that, with the novelty value of us having reached the Conference having long since passed, it would need a truly exceptional performance (i.e. being top of the Conference for several weeks) to get attendances of 1500 or more on even a reasonably regular basis.

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it would need a truly exceptional performance (i.e. being top of the Conference for several weeks) to get attendances of 1500 or more on even a reasonably regular basis.

 

 

 

We sat on our hands, PR wise , for far too long after promotion.

I know hindsight is a good thing, but work should have started on a prolonged campaign at getting more people down Stonebridge when the good times of promotion were with us. we wasted opportunities as far as I can see.

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Don't lose heart guys I have a feeling the attendances will be higher come the end of the season.

 

I notice Woking is kids for a quid. This, in my opinion, is a bad idea unless you do kids for a quid when accompanied by an adult otherwise the club turn into a baby sitting service. Well done to the club for managing to drop the price to try to bring in some extra income, what more have they got to do?

 

Personnally I think we could do the if you have got a season ticket at a Premiership or Championship club and you can't watch the next Stan Collymore wannbe due to internationals then come do to watch the 'Fleet for a fiver. I took up this option at Brentford a few years ago and I think this is where I first saw the joys of lower league football. Due to Chelsea and Brentford being quite close they used to alternate being home and away so the following season I was going to start going to Brentford when Chelsea were away. Unfortunatly, or perhaps not, they changed this around and swapped Brentford with QPR so I decided to go to the 'Fleet instead.

 

I know this is a potential for fully paying fans to say that it's a bit out of order that they have to pay the full price just because they don't have a season ticket at the Arsenal but if it brings in extra income would we not be insane not to try it out? And who knows perhaps one or two will, like me, get bored with watching 98 year old Stan Collymore in his wheel chair and give up the Premeirship and become fully fledged payed up members at the Fleet?

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I am praying that we reach the first round of the FA Cup, the pass two years have been depressing for cup runs, maybe hence lower attendances since Notts County three years ago, dispite a good run to the Quarter-finals in the FA Trophy in the 2004-05 season.

 

The FA Cup weekend on the 28th should see those extra people turn up for the game (home or away, hope it is a home tie).

 

And let us not lose to underdogs for the third season running. We are Gravesend, we have an FA Cup record to our name!!!

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X-Orange Jacket said:
Shame that conscription doesent happen anymore, otherwise on match days each of us could knock a passer by unconsious and drag them into the ground, instantly doubling our home attendance by 100%. to all those literal people, that was a joke!!!


and to make the joke work simply substitute 'the press gang' for 'conscription'.
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