Tonight

[Guest]

At last we had our bit of luck this year thought we deserved our win.<p>Nice ground good pitch, BUT the only downside charging kids £5.00 to get in no wonder not many there, don't deserve it with those prices, get the kids in and the adults will follow.

[Rob_the_Saint]

Agreed the win was deserved but 3-0 was a bit flattering. I've seen better Aldershot sides in the past but on the night you were bigger, stronger, and generally quicker to the ball so no complaints apart from the officiating. We can play better than that so hopefully it will be closer down at the Rec.

[ESG]

Have to agree, on a "level playing field" Aldershot would probably ( more physical, always an advantage at this level, ) have won ..BUT the "referee" was truly abysmal, it makes you wonder where they get them from.

A tip, a knowledge of your job always gives you an advantage I find.<p>looking forward to the return <img src="graemlins/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="[rolleyes]" />

[Guest]

I was going to raise this issue with the chairman last night, but by the end of the match all I wanted to do really was get out of the ground of a club that doesn't really seem to want me there. In last night's programme notes, Mr Gibson made explicit reference to people from EFM who did "the occasional charity walk thinking that means that they can behave exactly as they like".<p>Do they now? <p>For the two or three of you who don't know who I am, I'm the chairman of EFM FC and, by coincidence, I walked to Borehamwood for the Enfield game. Maybe Mr Gibson would like to correct his implication that I have been involved in trouble at City matches this season. I have NEVER been involved in trouble at any City matches, home or away. <p>He can contact me at iking10@ford.com should he wish to discuss the matter further.

[Guest]

Could someone perhaps reproduce Mr Gibson's comments on here as I didn't see last night's programme.<p>As one of those who did the walk, I'm slightly miffed that our efforts appear to have received little appreciation from the new board! <p>It's a shame that all have been tarnished with the same brush because of a couple of stupid individuals!<p>If my assumptions are wrong, please feel free to correct me!

[Guest]

Nostradamus - Thanks for that.<p>Most of what Mr Gibson says I'm sure most people will agree with. He must realise though that it is just the odd one or two who are the causes of the recent incidents. <p>Don't tar everyone with the same brush!! <p>I trust the NEW ground regulations regarding the ban of alcohol will be posted where everybody can see them!

[Webbo MFI]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>I will not prejudice the possibility of families refusing to come back to Clarence Park because of the prats who can't hold their drink.<hr></blockquote><p>

Agreed, but would you say that paying £5 for a child might put families off coming back to Clarence Park??

[Guest]

I think paying £7 for an adult puts people off going to the park. Especially when you can go and watch Watford / Luton for a £10

[Nos]

The last time I went to Watford was in December and it was £18 to sit in the Rous Stand so I don't think £7 is unreasonable, a few Ryman clubs even charge £8. Where I think there is a huge problem is the price for concessions. Hendon and Harrow are both £3 and I think they have it dead right. If an adult brings 2 kids with him at the Park he pays £17 before any extras and that is ridiculous. It does nothing to encourage the new and younger support we are attempting to attract. They are our future. How about the club introducing something like a family ticket?

[Guest]

Interesting points made by one and all. Glad to see that I wasn't screamed down by another pointless EFM debate. The point about the childrens admission fees is very well made - 5 pounds for kids is excessive. The point made about Watford is, I feel, particularly relevant. As anyone who so much as went in a pub in St Albans last winter will be more than aware, Watford classified about a dozen or so of their matches as potential low crowd matches - they printed beermnats and delivered them all over the area - two for a tenner for selected matches, so long as you purchased them from the club. <p>In OUR town, where we have OUR OWN football club, they were out there, publicising themselves and, I daresay, nicking a considerable number of our potential punters. It's a cold November afternoon - Watford against, say Sheffield United: two tickets for a tenner to sit or City against, say Harrow Borough two tickets for fourteen quid, extra if you want to sit. I'm not saying that it would make any of us switch allegiance, but for the "floating voter"... no contest, I'd have thought.<p>I could give you a list of people as long as my right arm who wouldn't go to the Park because they think it's too expensive. I don't expect anything to be done about it, because I really am starting to think that this club's new management regards us as little more than walking living piggy banks, to be raided when it suits them. He's said that he sees the club as a business opportunity, but the economics of football are different to any other business - Gibson has a captive audience, but it's a dwindling one (just look at the average league attendances for this season), and it'll take more than a ban on alcohol and swearing to get bums on seats and feet on terraces. He needs a winning team and he needs the loyalty of his existing fan base. <p>As for "tarring everyone with the same brush", I couldn't agree more. Certainly, any ideas that I had about buying a season ticket for the first time have completely vaporised since last night's programme notes. He seems happy to categorise us all as "young lads who can't take their drink" (I'm 30 this year) to please a mythical hoard of wealthy families who'll only turn up at the club if EFM are banned. This may or may not be a microcosm of the biggest issue that football has faced over the last twenty years (getting rid of the "undesirable" fans and replacing them with a supposedly more "image-friendly" version), and there's one thing I can say for sure: if I personally am no more welcome at Clarence Park, I'll take my hard-earned elsewhere, and I don't see too many other people lining up to take my place, do you?

[Guest]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>I was going to raise this issue with the chairman last night<hr></blockquote><p>Trevor, I think you'll find he's not quite the ogre you seem to imagine. A good rant can be very beneficial for the soul but it is never going to solve anything long term. Don't let things fester, go and see him. You never know.

[Nos]

Here goes G.Q.<p>We won 6-2 at Harrow on Saturday but rather than talking about that, I feel obliged to discuss last weeks game at Hendon which was overshadowed somewhat by the idiot who threw a can onto the pitch. <p>There has been much debate subsequently on the bulletin board of the web site and I have made a lengthy comment myself, using the cleverly disguised alias of "Geordie Boy". The point I wish to make is very simple. There are a few young people who claim to be true supporters of the Club, possibly because they do an occasional sponsored walk and in doing so, believe that this gives them the right to act in an appalling fashion. Who will pay the fines as a result of their action? Who will face the indignity of having to face a formal enquiry, if a complaint is made? The answer again is simple and that is me.<p>May I therefore remind everyone that cans and bottles (or for the benefit of anyone thinking they are clever - containers of any sort which are hard enough to hurt if used as a missile), containing alcohol are not and will not be allowed in the ground. Anyone sneaking alcoholic drink into the ground will face a lengthy ban and I would ask all of the truly true supporters to report any character that breaks this rule. I will not prejudice the possibility of families refusing to come back to Clarence Park because of the prats who can't hold their drink. The fact that most of the young lads in question, couldn't fight to save their lives and have too much bravado for their own good, is really irrelevant, as the parents of the kids who come to the games, do not know this and are genuinely intimidated. Please, let this be an end to the matter and let us all calm down, drink less and enjoy the football. Now there is a sobering thought!<p>Having got the negative thoughts out of my system, may I now talk briefly about the positive. We have now managed to add Barry Fry and his Peterborough United side to our list of pre season friendlies and the game is pencilled in for Thursday 18 July 2002. With the Watford game being played earlier in the same week it should be an ideal opportunity for us to judge how our players will fair next season and the likelihood is that Gary and Steve will have a few new signings on display. <p>To conclude, may I emphasise to everyone that our Management Team is hoping for a larger budget next year, to bring in better players. This budget can only be increased if our attendances also increase. As a consequence, therefore, if you want to support a successful team, the you must not scare off the punters. An old adage comes to mind, i.e. " Don't cut off your nose to spite your face".<p>Regards to you all - John Gibson Chairman.