Can we resurrect Richard C's thread from last week

[Stu M]

Because this one WAS utter rubbish.

 

Eleven men in red and one in black had awful performances. Southport deserved, but as AFF said on another thread, regardless of whether they're fighting for their lives, we were supposed to be fighting for a play-off place, so how come they wanted it and we looked scared from the word go...?

[Emily]

Today was worse than rubbish. The only player that showed any passion was Sasha. Why did we wait till the 2nd half to make substitutions for an attacking team?

 

And what's happened to Cronin? For someone who was in the National Squad he's been piss poor recently letting in sloppy goals. I guess when he said he wanted League football next season he meant the Ryman league!

[The Doctor]

Yes I think that they wanted it more, and an early mistake put us on the back foot and pressurised, no excuse for what happened though. Seems like we gave up.

 

Nice to see the fickleness and hypocrisy of Fleet fans return though, eg, the people behind the goal, first to jump and have a go when someone walks out early, most of them walked out early today. Also the ironic cheers that came from the halfway line when Quinn was brought off, no need for it!

Alas, it seems that the play offs have escaped us, never mind, what a season it has been! Even though they are not totally out of our reach(see signature). Probably more of a miracle wanter than an optimist at the moment. Wonder if this game will bring out the posters from Riverview?

 

As for the game, thought they wanted it a lot more than us, obviously staying up means more to them than getting a chance at promotion does to us. Thought the ref had an awful game but cannot blame him. The penalty(and resulting second yellow for Sacha) seemed harsh, inconsistency from the ref, Sodje had been being pulled back al game and nothing was done about it.

 

Wonder how many of that extra 200/300 will return on Thursday and hopefully see a proper fleet team in action? Hopefully the majority although I doubt it.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Sadly, it's not mailnly down to the players. our squad is good enough to make the play offs.

Questions have to be asked over the course of the season whether our line ups, formations, tactics and substitutions have been of play off quality.

[Harry J Allstars]

I'm in shock.

 

Just sign up the majority of the squad for next season.

 

People shouldn't have been booing Quinn, the guy isn't my cup of tea but as he is wearing our shirt you should never boo him, you clap him.

 

Good luck to Charlie Macdonald wherever he decides to go.

 

Interested to see who the new sponsors are going to be.

 

See you next season.

[Hempstead Gaz]

How much effort do I make to go on Thursday?

Knee operation Tuesday, can't drive, will have to pay full price for what is a 'pride' only game.

[Emily]

Pride only or not, rubbish game or not. If you can get to the game, you go to the game.

 

Are you saying the St Albans or Daggers fan shouldn't bother going anymore because they're pride only games?

 

We're all entitled to our opinions and to be upset when we lose games like today but you support your team no matter what.

[Hempstead Gaz]

If I was fit and well and could drive of course I would be there.

I am having significant surgery on my knee 48 hours earlier. Won't Be bending my knee, and won't be able to hop far even if I can scrounge a lift.

Are you offerinng?

[Emily]

Being unable to go is one thing. Deciding if you'll go because you have to pay and think there's nothing to play for is different.

 

 

[Hempstead Gaz]

I am not disagreeing, but I reckon there are plenty who would have to pay will stay away.

Fact of life, sadly.

[Bernard]

Originally Posted By: Chatham Gary

If I was fit and well and could drive of course I would be there.
I am having significant surgery on my knee 48 hours earlier. Won't Be bending my knee, and won't be able to hop far even if I can scrounge a lift.
Are you offerinng?

Once more, Gary, why do you need to make excuses for not appearing? I didn't go to Altrincham because my cat needed a shampoo, but I didn't broadcast it on hear (until now!).

[hopeful]

ive got a free ticket for thursday but i wont be going, i dont mind losing if the games good but today was just about as much as i could take.i was up at 5-45am went to work in croydon, left at midday went home to beckenham, got changed and drove to ground.Lots of activity,player of year vote, get free ticket,lots of people buying beer,the suns shining,expectations are huge.Take up place on terrace, not too happy with team selection, we kick off,ball goes straight into the stand(jesus!and i thought we needed the ball to score).Southport player shoots from miles out and it bounces under cronins body, goal, blimey he says if its going to be that easy lets get some more.Meanwhile gravesend players cant tackle, cant shoot, cant pass straight and cant head a ball.in the second half we get the subs on(should have been on at the start)but by now the refs taken over the show and the fans are going home.Now if the players put in the same effort as me on matchdays iwould be happy (win or lose).Even charlie let me down, will they hold up their hand and say sorry, i dont think so.Will LD say sorry for his bad team selection, i dont think so.If they want to stay full time they need to get people through the turstiles and todays effort has sent them the other way.Im not going to waste anymore of my time and hard earned cash on them this season. I will start afresh in august. goodnight.

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

Well I've just got home after a full shift (and a bit more) at work. I've had to miss a few games this season and I hate every minute that I'm not watching.

 

I've not worked my way through the other threads yet but I had enough updates today to know we were awful

 

BUT

 

The uncertainty of football is precisly what makes it the great game it is. I would never have dreamed we would get stuffed by this mob...... but we have and thats an end to it. The negative posts I have read on this post alone(from the usual suspects I might add). Are more than enough to make my blood boil. If you can get to games but cant be arsed to go because the team isn't good enough, the tactics are wrong, the players aren't trying etc are obviously supporting the wrong team.

 

I've said it before but it needs saying again. If they can perform to the standards required by some of you THEY WOULD NOT BE PLAYING BLOODY CONFERENCE LEAGUE LEVEL!

 

Its been a long season where we have generally played well above expectations and I suspect its all a bit too much for our young and in-experienced team.

 

Disappointing? Yes

 

Annoying? Yes

 

But lets not throw our Teddies out of the pram just yet. For the most part the season has been a great success, its just we are falling away at the last hurdle.... thats life I'm afraid.

 

It could be worse we could be rock bottom of this league or in administration or just about to fold like Scarborough so lets get things in perspective shall we?

 

And if C.G (aka Alex Fergusson with a limp) mentions formations once more this season I will kick him in the other knee!

 

 

 

[American FLEET FAN No1]

I just wish I could be there, to see them play badly,or otherwise!

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: Andy Y. (G&NFC)

And if C.G (aka Alex Fergusson with a limp) mentions formations once more this season I will kick him in the other knee!

A limp what?

[Bloodnock]

Hear! Hear! AFF, it's the one thing I sorely miss on Saturdays etc., my weekly fix.

The highs and lows are what makes the game compelling,and if you are a true supporter, the lows are to be expected and it makes the highs so much sweeter when they come.

[jc]

Originally Posted By: Chatham Gary

Sadly, it's not mailnly down to the players. our squad is good enough to make the play offs.

It's hard to say this definitively, given that most of us will admit that our knowledge of the depth of other teams squads is limited.

Originally Posted By: hopeful

Will LD say sorry for his bad team selection, i dont think so.

The team he selected was pretty much what I would have chosen, based on recent form. Once the players run onto the pitch, there's only so much a manager can do to influence their performances.

Interesting to note certain individuals posting on here as though getting in the play-offs is all-important, and anything else unacceptable - a bizarre standpoint given our hopes at the start of the season (i.e. mid-table would be great).

If people don't turn up when a result doesn't go their team's way, their loyalty to and support for the club has to be questioned. Equally, the same can be said about those cheering upon Quinn's substitution (such actions won't influence a manager's team selection, so whether you agree with him playing or not, how is barracking him going to help?). I'll be there for the final three games, keen to see us (play-offs or not) finish as high as possible. And even if they all end in defeat, the season as a whole will have been a success given our expectations at the start of it. As John Pearce suggests on another thread, a bit of perspective is needed here.

People are right though about the potential for the heavy defeat to scare off yesterday's newcomers though - that's the most disappointing thing. Thursday's attendance will be interesting.

[Richard C]

Agree - it ill be a low attendance thursday - prob less than the normal 1000. People were throwing their free tickets on the groud when we were leaving! shame that a bigger crowd couldnt be treated to some of the decent home football from erlier in season.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Yes it was extremely poor yesterday - just about everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong - from Cronin's early error, to the dubious refs decisions that led to Sacha's sending off. I dont think anyone was actually claiming a penalty when the ref gave it & then decided immediately on a second yellow card (as has been said elsewhere, he was clearly looking for any excuse to send Sacha off after his earlier reeaction to Stacy winning the ball but being penalised)

 

We should all get over it, though - whether it was team selection or just players letting LD down, or a combination of both, it clearly was one of those days that everyone has from time to time (look at Man U getting stuffed at Portsmouth the other week).

 

We seem to have tracked Dagenham in many respects - similar attendance levels, similar club set up, including the year on year move from part time to part full time to full time - lets hope we continue to track them in this way by winning the league next season!

 

The comment that the squad is good enough to make the play offs is a slight exageration, I feel - we are 2 or 3 players short - we have no-one up front to consistently score goals to support Charlie, we have no goalscoring midfielders, and the rightback position continues to cause us problems.

 

With Charlie likely to go at the end of season, we will definitely need LD to pull a few more "rabbits out of hats" - be that an experienced goalscorer from a higher level or a punt at someone such as Brendan Cass from Dartford or Jon Main from Tonbridge from a lower level.

 

We've done far better this season than many anticipated - its just disappointing that we've come up short just when it matters.

 

Lets just get behind the lads for the final 3 games - and irrespective of how it finishes, they deserve a great reception from us at the final home game next Saturday, and indeed, at the Daggers game the following week, from those that can make the trip.

 

 

[kmj]

A good post Alan. Everyone needs to take a few deep breaths and apply a dose of perspective. As for the sending off, although I am a fan of Sasha's, the truth is he only has himself to blame. His extreme reaction to the referee to a tackle which led to him receiving his first yellow card was what ultimately got him sent off. His disciplinary record (bearing in mind that he hasn't played all season) is poor and second only in the total of yellow and red cards shown in the Conference to our old friend Adam Miller.

 

Also I wish Luke Moore could button his lips too. He has developed into a serial moaner and his bookings are almost always for dissent.