This Transition Period

[DA11]

It's a bit strange really. Drove past the ground yesterday and saw they had taken the G&N FC boarding down. It feels a bit weired because I wear a football shirt of a team that officially doesn't exist anymore and in conversation when asked who I support, I say a team that officially I have never seen play. I need councelling.

[Riverview Supporter]

You could just say "The Fleet"

 

It is a transistion , and things will take a time to get used to , but with same colours , a fair few players staying , will things really be that different.

 

Maybe in a years time , Ebbsfleet United will be a non league force to be scared of , and then we will al be proud.

 

As for counselling. We will all need taht with a lack of footie for 6 or so weeks.

[kaizen]

The new name is getting known though, I attended a professional meeting last week and during the idle chitchat the topic of football came up and 3 of the 4 people present were aware of the new name, the reasons behind it and were in general approving

[ColtheJock]

Well I was speaking to my Uncle in Scotland at the weekend, and even he had picked up on the name change, so at least it is spreading across the whole country!!!! I still have a away strip from a couple of years ago which I wear, and I will treasure it because of the badge. It will take a little while to get used to the new name next season, but in essence it is the same club, same badge, mostly the same players, and will be supported by the same people.

 

:-)

[Hirsty]

I see there were a couple of "anti" letters published in The Distorter today. Whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, mine is that I can't understand why people say that they will never watch another 'fleet game again ? It seems to be move forward or die time ....my preference would be to move forward.

 

Having said that, I still refuse to watch Man Utd ! Bring back Newton Heath !

 

Cheers,

 

[David Holden]

There is one in the Messenger as well although he doesn't say he isn't coming again.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

I hear these people have started up their own fan club.........

'The Gravesend & Northfleet Luddites Supporters Fan Club'!

[Charles Webster]

Seems to be the same bloke.

[kmj]

Man Utd! What about Sheffield Utd Hirsty?

 

Would you watch them play?

[Hirsty]

I must admit to you KMJ, seeing as you seem to have a fixation with me & my thoughts on Sheff Utd, that I have seen Sheff Utd play, in what I must admit was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced at a game of football. For your benefit, and yours only KMJ, I will continue, as others will find this very boring ( apologies to others, but he did ask !!)

 

3 April 1993.....Wembley ( old version obviously !) FA Cup Semi Final.....Owls 2 ( Waddle, Bright ) Blades 1 ( old chap with a grey beard ). Also, seem to remember that I was on crutches ( which was fun...not ...still managed to get a few in though !!)

 

Hope 'fleet get through to the 3rd round of FA cup this year and play at home to Sheff Utd ( and win !), but it won't be as much fun now that that nice Mr Warnock has left. I had my seat reserved behind the away dugout and everything !!

 

Anyway, I digress. Thanks for your interest.....if our paths ever cross in a pub, I could bore you all evening.....as my mates will testify to !

 

But, never forget your roots....

 

Up the 'Fleet....here's to future success....( opens can of Strongbow at this point...glug,glug.......

aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... first pint refreshment !)

Crisps anyone ?

 

Onwards & Upwards !

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

[American FLEET FAN No1]

At least nobody can accuse you of jumping on a successful, popular teams bandwagon!

More power to your elbow, Hirsty!

[Stu M]

Originally Posted By: American FLEET FAN No1

At least nobody can accuse you of jumping on a successful, popular teams bandwagon!

Certainly not after witnessing the 1993 FA Cup Final. God, what a miserable couple of hundred minutes football that was!!

[Hirsty]

...yep....nearly as miserable as watching that heap of sh*t last Saturday......and they are the best two teams in England !! ( the table doesn't lie Brian....regretfully !).

 

Cheers,

 

[Bernard]

The Sheff Wed v Arsenal game was a classic! Morrow's broken arm exuberance...

[Hirsty]

You've started me off now. Morrow's broken arm was the league cup final of the same year ( between the same teams & same result for the benefit of younger readers ! ) Remember the "fell off a donkey" jokes ?....anyway, I missed the said incident as I had to dash back to the Wembley Hilton for continued enjoyment of a free bar courtesy of the sponsors ! Apart from the result, another great day out ! Funny how you tend to drink more when you don't have to pay for it !! That's life Esther !

 

Cheers,

 

[Harry J Allstars]

I remember Waddles tears...

[Hirsty]

Now we don't want that sort of talk Wilson !!

 

I didn't make the replay, so watched it in my padded cell.....I think I would have shed a tear had I been Waddle and had to lose to an Andy Linighan goal ( who ?) when Woods could ( & should !)have saved it & Bright also missed a golden opportunity !!

Not disimilar to Liverpool last night ( no jokes please !!) They were the better side, had the better chances but didn't take them and, in my opinion, Reina maybe could have done better for the second goal. Crouch should have been brought on earlier. But it's a game of opinions Brian !

 

Anyway Harry, you could have only been about 5 in 1993....so how can you remember Waddle's tears ? or have you worn well ?

 

Cheers,

 

[Stu M]

Originally Posted By: Hirsty

Anyway Harry, you could have only been about 5 in 1993....so how can you remember Waddle's tears

I'm starting to suspect Harry is in fact a Time Lord.

[Harry J Allstars]

I was ten.

 

The first FA Cup Final I remember was 1991 Forest v Spurs, yet more tears, I didn't remember Sunderland v Liverpool in 1992 but can vividly remember 1993. I can remember how boring it was watching the same teams in the finals all the time that year.

 

I remember 1994 very well along with my tears this time. Peacock hitting the bar, Frank Sinclair announcing his retirement during the game and then deciding to take up Rugby instead and started that very afternoon in May. Ellery then took leave of his senses and gave another penalty, wrongly, against Eddie Newton, who would later get his revenge on the Cup Final and Wembley.

 

1995 Paul Rideout's header.

 

1996 Eric Cantona jumping backwards somehow on one leg to score that amazing goal, oh and Liverpool’s suits. OUCH!!

 

 

1997 Of course the greatest FA Cup Final there ever was. Now I wanted to go to the game but oh no according to my dad it was tradition to watch the build up on the telly. Di Matteo's, I met him on Saturday, goal after only 42 seconds, Zola's wonderful back flick to give Newton his revenge on a plate.

 

1998 Arsenal v Newcastle, not a lot happened but then what did you expect, Newcastle were playing.

 

1999 Manchester United won the cup which gave them a Treble that was so important to them that the following season they decided to ignore one third of that treble for money.

 

2000 The last final at Old Wembley although the Cup final actually happened about a month before the actual match. It was called the FA Cup Semi Final between Chelsea and Newcastle, Newcastle were all over them however Chelsea, thanks to a Gus Poyet brace, won 2-1.

 

2001 I was working, this must have been the first final I missed for at least 9 years. Oh and the last.

 

2002 We don't talk about this in my house except to say that Ray "Charlie Dimmock" Parlor couldn't do that again if he tried, lucky twat.

 

2003 Arsenal v Southampton. The dullest of the dull, oh and why was the roof closed?

 

2004 Dennis Wises abysmal record against Manchester United in the FA Cup continues.

 

2005 Now wait, this was actually the dullest of the dull.

 

2006 The "Gerrard" Final. When that goal went in if you listen carefully you could hear 1,000 London Cabbies, Shoe polishers, Chimney Sweep's, Evening Standard sellers and Dick Van Dyke wannabes scream.

 

2007 And so t'was then that on Saturday last I went to my very First FA Cup Final. Not a brilliant final I admit but then you get what you pay for. If like me you watched Nottingham Forest v Yeovil last Friday then you would have already had you great game for the weekend. Not many Fleet games this season have been that great but as the Drogba goal went in last Saturday I clapped, didn't cheer as I didn't care but I did feel really proud for my parents who were sitting in the goal just opposite me, I was sat up the other end in the Club Wembley tier. I felt proud for them as they were the fans at the club who were fans through thick and thin and were fans of the club the last time Chelsea played Manchester United in the Cup Final back in 1994, Chelsea average attendance for that season? 20,000. Where’s my Cup Final Ticket? Chelsea home attendance on a May Wednesday evening against Coventry, only ten days before the Final in 1994, 9,000. Forty years etc...

 

Now wheres them nasty Darleks...?

[gaspode]

Originally Posted By: Harry J Allstars

my parents who were sitting in the goal just opposite me

They were sitting in the goal? Blimey - them tickets must have been really expensive.

Having dozed through that excuse for a 'great showpiece final' and seen the lack of any goal mouth action, sitting in the goal would have been the safest place in the stadium, they certainly wouldn't have had to worry about being hit by a football.

Oh, and how are things at work, Paul?