Wot, no comments?

[Hempstead Gaz]

Deserved victory today, one or two nerves, but we seemed knackered at the end, which is to be expected after two games in 48 hours.

Charlie absolutely magnificent again today - 4 goals in what may be/probably will be his last 2 home games again demonstrate that he will be (almost) irreplaceable.

No doubt LD will conjure up another striker, but next term the likes of Chukki, Luke and Sodje are going to have to weigh in with 10 - 15 goals each, plus a better return from the likes of Keeling, Long, Coleman, Slatter and the centre backs (when up for free kicks/corners.

 

Cannot wait for the Daggers game, although expecting Burton and Exeter to both drop points at home is a bit fanciful.

So near, yet so far.

If only we had.................................

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Always felt we just about had enough in hand to win today - give St Albans their due though, as they certainly never stopped trying.

 

Both games against St Albans resulted in 3-2 wins - and Charlie got 2 in both games.

 

Yes, getting so close, but (probably) yet so far, we could reflect on the "What ifs", - what if we'd beaten FGR or Southport at home - what if we hadnt had that awful run of 6 points from 8 games late in the season - what if we hadnt conceded that late equaliser against Woking away. These are probably just a few - but if you put this to other teams who make the play offs or just failed, you'd probably get similar reactions from them as well.

 

Lets just take the positives from the season, whatever happens next week - lets face it, its just great to even have a chance of play offs going into the final game - I'm sure sides such as Aldershot and Stevenage, to name but 2, would love to be in our position now, even if we dont make it in the end.

 

Lets get as many as possible over to Daggers next week - the lads deserve it - and to add interest, its effectively a shoot out as well between Charlie & Paul Benson for the golden boot, as both have the same number of goals (25) in the Conference. Benson has 1 extra cup goal, but I'm not sure if it counts or not?

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Kentonline Match Report

 

Keeper went the wrong way for the penalty? Thought he got quite close to Charlies effort actually!

[Hirsty]

OK Liam sorry, CG, what does Sodje need to do to get a start then ? Discuss....

 

Cheers,

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: Hirsty

OK Liam sorry, CG, what does Sodje need to do to get a start then ? Discuss....

He probably has to wish Charlie the best of luck at his new club.
I thought Luke Moore as an attacking midfielder looks a far better player than Luke Moore as one of the front two. Great tackling back, superb energy levels, some excellent touches and best of all a midfielder who can occasionally run ahead of the forwards.
Obviously nobody knows who will sign up for next season or indeed what new players Liam might uncover but Luke playing behind Chukki and Sodge sounds like a pretty good combination to me.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Still not convinced about Chukki.

[KShep]

Chukki, from what I've seen of him, is a brilliant support striker. He hasn't weighed in with tons of goals but that's because he isn't that kind of player- His job, I think, is to create the chances, scrap and fight (especially in the air) and to lay the chances on for a more prolific player. I can't remember a player since Rob Haworth consistently winning balls in the air for us; he gives us that option of 'relegation football' when we need it against the likes of Tamworth, Alty etc.

[1 F in Fleet]

Nor me ... Liam needs to get someone of calibre , like Charlie . Chukki is not that ... and the younger lads like Luke and Onome need to learn from the experience they see when partnered with someone of calibre . To leave them playing on their own up front next year could destroy them , to partner either of them with Chukki next year could be a huge mistake , IMO , as it would over-rely on goals from midfield - I don't think Chukki + anyone would give us the necessary firepower . Make no mistake , Charlie was too class an act for the conference , and I am very very sorry to see him go , and thankful for what he has done for us this season . But he has shown us what is needed at this level in terms of conjuring a goal and a result from a game ... perhaps him giving his boots away at the end was a fair clue that there isn't anyone at the club at this moment to fill them ???

[Hempstead Gaz]

Added to the fact that stikers of Charlie's class rarely stay in the Conference for more than one season - a career in the football league invariably beckons.

I'm not sure that we need to look at another Conference team, though. As Portway proved, a natural finisher will score regardless of whether you are playing against corby Town or Leyton Orient.

Trialling the likes of Hockton, Kedwell, Main must in in Liam's mind.

[1 F in Fleet]

Originally Posted By: Chatham Gary

Trialling the likes of Hockton, Kedwell, Main must in in Liam's mind.

Plus the transfer fees involved ... Charlie is off for no benefit to the club - he's out of contract . It really does leave Liam a crater to fill as far as I can see . This new sponsorship money needs to be very very well spent ... if it doesn't extend to a big name proven striker ( as I would hope ) , or one of your aforementioned hopefuls ( although to a lesser extent - you're asking a lower league striker to jump up the ranks AND take charge over the forward line ), Liam has got his work cut out again this summer . He proved us all wrong last summer with some terrific signings on a very limited budget - let us all hope his work has been made easier by our league position this year .

[jc]

Originally Posted By: Alan W (GNFC)

Lets get as many as possible over to Daggers next week - the lads deserve it - and to add interest, its effectively a shoot out as well between Charlie & Paul Benson for the golden boot, as both have the same number of goals (25) in the Conference. Benson has 1 extra cup goal, but I'm not sure if it counts or not?

MacDonald actually has 27 league goals and one cup goal. According to the NLP, Benson has 28 league goals.

[David Holden]

Quote:

Trialling the likes of Hockton, Kedwell, Main must in in Liam's mind.

 

Kedwell is going to Grays, Main is being trailed by a number of League clubs, and I think Hockton has a year left on his contract, and I can't see Margate letting him go for peanuts.

 

We need to find someone that hasn't yet come to anyone's attention, which is something Liam is very good at.

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: 1_F_in_Fleet

Originally Posted By: Chatham Gary

Trialling the likes of Hockton, Kedwell, Main must in in Liam's mind.

Plus the transfer fees involved ... Charlie is off for no benefit to the club - he's out of contract . It really does leave Liam a crater to fill as far as I can see . This new sponsorship money needs to be very very well spent ... if it doesn't extend to a big name proven striker ( as I would hope ) , or one of your aforementioned hopefuls ( although to a lesser extent - you're asking a lower league striker to jump up the ranks AND take charge over the forward line ), Liam has got his work cut out again this summer . He proved us all wrong last summer with some terrific signings on a very limited budget - let us all hope his work has been made easier by our league position this year .

I would be absolutely amazed if we pay a transfer fee and/or high wages for a big name proven striker, much more likely that Charlies replacement will be released by some other club, possibly but not definately Charlton reserves, in the next few weeks and after trialling unsuccesfully at other clubs will turn up on our doorstep in July.
If he does as well as Stacy Long. Mark debolla, Omone Sodge or Mark Ricketts who all pretty much went that route last summer then I am looking forward to seeing him play.

[Roy gnfc]

I'm mystified as to why so many seem to think Charly Mac will be off at the end of the season.The chances are that he will be,but who knows,who's staying,and who's going!

I too have reservations about Chukki,he looked in his first game,to be able to fit in well,but has been less impresive since,though he seems to have his fans.

[BustaGut]

Was just going to ask the same question Roy has it been officaly announced that Charlie is not going to sign ? as I stated in a previous post,can or will higher placed league clubs suffer his injurys problems ?

[kieronoliver]

no one has mentioned Varney does he deserve a go next season i haven't seen him play what do those who have think? that would still leave us with 4 strikers at the club and no transfer fees

[Gordon T]

He hasn't had a huge amount of time. I've only seen him twice. Kidderminster away and Stafford away. Scored a cracker at Stafford but thats about it...

[John Pearce]

Originally Posted By: kieronoliver

no one has mentioned Varney does he deserve a go next season i haven't seen him play what do those who have think?

As already said, he scored a cracker at Stafford....

The problem is he ain't no Macdonald.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Just checked football365 website Football365 - Fleet 2006/7 and Football365- Dagenham 06/07

 

I agree Benson has 1 more league goal than Charlie - 28 v 27. Still makes it interesting next Saturday.

 

As has also been noted, Benson has 2 cup goals v 1 for Charlie, so I reckon the Golden Boot will be Benson's if Cup Goals are included, but if its only league goals, lets hope Charlie can score at least 1 goal more than Benson next week & earn at least a share of the Golden Boot - he deserves it.

[Stu M]

Originally Posted By: Roy gnfc

I'm mystified as to why so many seem to think Charly Mac will be off at the end of the season.The chances are that he will be,but who knows,who's staying,and who's going!
I too have reservations about Chukki,he looked in his first game,to be able to fit in well,but has been less impresive since,though he seems to have his fans.

There's enough idle talk around the terraces to assume MacDonald won't be staying. OK, that's not fact, but any league club would be mad not to take on a striker for free who costs nothing bar his salary and has had an injury-free season and been top scorer/second top scorer in the division below.

As for Chukki, are people's reservations that he isn't MacDonald, because that's hardly fair? Chukki isn't here to be a 25-goal-a-season man and I'm sure Liam knows it and is looking for that kind of player. But as a support striker, Chukki's worth holding on to.