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Post by bermudastone on Nov 11, 2018 20:25:38 GMT
Not one mention of his save to win the Macclesfield game ?! Out of the cup without that ?
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Post by HartleyHare on Nov 11, 2018 20:30:25 GMT
Spot on, cos it looked a goal for certain. Outstanding double save.
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Post by stoneman on Nov 11, 2018 21:28:05 GMT
He's a top keeper and that was a top double save. Last year when some were getting airated about Worgs and us 'needing' a replacement, Smith or Loach (Hartlepool) were the only two in our league I would have wanted to take over from Worgs. Hope we get to keep Grant past his loan and for the season, and ideally beyond.
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Post by jdl on Nov 11, 2018 22:21:32 GMT
I'd love to keep him, but he must be one of the top four or five keepers in the NL, so how do we hold on to him?
I guess the answer is pay him more than others offer, and/or persuade him that we're serious about making it to the EFL.
Sadly, I can't see us managing either of these things - and plenty of other clubs will/can.
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Post by sword65 on Nov 11, 2018 22:31:21 GMT
I'd love to keep him, but he must be one of the top four or five keepers in the NL, so how do we hold on to him? I guess the answer is pay him more than others offer, and/or persuade him that we're serious about making it to the EFL. Sadly, I can't see us managing either of these things - and plenty of other clubs will/can. It's not all about money we would need the owners pledge that should we be in a position to go up that they are willing to rip up the 3G surface and lay grass but I fear Oliver & Terry will be too obstinate to do that.
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Post by Nick on Nov 11, 2018 22:46:14 GMT
Nothing much was made of Grant Smith's double save because it was pretty much expected of him
He's that good !
Simply nuts to describe Oliver and Terry as being too obstinate.
So unfair and not relevant to the issue of retaining Grant.
Like Turgott, he's well worthy of a premium payment, which hopefully the owners will agree.
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Post by cowdenbeathnil on Nov 11, 2018 22:59:45 GMT
Although a legend due to his long service, previous promotions and generally being a great guy, Lee Worgan moving on has made a big difference to the teams solidity.
Grant smith is gaining us points and the defence are gaining confidence. Unbeaten in three now and I don’t feel like we will lose stupid goals at any moment due to poor positioning/not commanding the area/poor throw outs/being caught in no mans land etc......
I really hope we can keep Grant, but if not Harry seems well connected and is bringing in good players from all parts of the country. I don’t expect miracles this year....I think we will definitely stay up, but I can see Harry doing well at Maidstone.....both he and the club have great potential together.
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Post by sword65 on Nov 11, 2018 23:00:50 GMT
Nothing much was made of Grant Smith's double save because it was pretty much expected of him He's that good ! Simply nuts to describe Oliver and Terry as being too obstinate. So unfair and not relevant to the issue of retaining Grant. Like Turgott, he's well worthy of a premium payment, which hopefully the owners will agree. I disagree if the pledge to remove 3G was made then we would or could attract the type of player to get the club up but at the minute the players know that should we win the next 20 games and win the play-off that they will all have to look for another club because I doubt any of them including Smith will be willing to play in the National South and we certainly would not be able to keep them. Before you go and say how negative this is I am only stating the FACTS as they are now the EFL are not and likely never will be interested in allowing 3G and this is where I get the obstinacy from because both Terry& Oliver are proud men and will not accept defeat in any way shape or form and will keep banging their heads against the EFLbrick wall.Ami wrong well let's see how many years did it take to get automatic promotion instead of the northern biased re-election system ? A bloody long time and Hartlepool would have been a non-league club 40 years ago.
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Post by jdl on Nov 11, 2018 23:53:33 GMT
Rather distessingly, I find myself in agreement with both the last two posts. I thought Lee was the rock on which Maidstone were built, but the change has been so dramatic since Smith came in. Respect to Lee, not just for his brilliant keeping and all he did for the club, but recognising himself that it was the right time to move on. And I'm also starting to think that 3G isn't a cause worth giving up promotion for - if we get the chance, we should take it, even if that means abandonng the 3G model. It's served us well, but it's not the ultimate answer.
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Post by Sennockian69 on Nov 12, 2018 1:38:55 GMT
Rather distessingly, I find myself in agreement with both the last two posts. I thought Lee was the rock on which Maidstone were built, but the change has been so dramatic since Smith came in. Respect to Lee, not just for his brilliant keeping and all he did for the club, but recognising himself that it was the right time to move on. And I'm also starting to think that 3G isn't a cause worth giving up promotion for - if we get the chance, we should take it, even if that means abandonng the 3G model. It's served us well, but it's not the ultimate answer. I think you are bonkers in thinking we are possible promotion contenders. You're fanciful musings are just that. Fanciful. We are not promotion contenders so your and swords' posts are redundant.
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Post by sword65 on Nov 12, 2018 4:16:14 GMT
Rather distessingly, I find myself in agreement with both the last two posts. I thought Lee was the rock on which Maidstone were built, but the change has been so dramatic since Smith came in. Respect to Lee, not just for his brilliant keeping and all he did for the club, but recognising himself that it was the right time to move on. And I'm also starting to think that 3G isn't a cause worth giving up promotion for - if we get the chance, we should take it, even if that means abandonng the 3G model. It's served us well, but it's not the ultimate answer. I think you are bonkers in thinking we are possible promotion contenders. You're fanciful musings are just that. Fanciful. We are not promotion contenders so your and sword posts are redundant. You are right this season that is well beyond us though not mathematically but come next season the players will want to know we are a progressive club and as things stand we can progress no further, now in Grant Smiths case, other than getting regular football, why would he want to sign on full time to a club that does not match his ambitions purely because we are unwilling to give in to the authorities on the subject of 3G. Who wants to sign for a club that can realistically only go down. Seeing that 3Gis not even on the EFL AGM agenda should tell everybody that they do not even consider the subject worth talking about let alone changing the rules to accept it. I therefore see the revolving door of players continuing as many will use the club as a stop gap to prove they can play at a decent level and then hope someone in the EFL snaps them up. I wish I was wrong on these points and maybe one day I will be, miracles do occur, but I will not go holding my breath in anticipation just yet.
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Post by Benny on Nov 12, 2018 7:04:33 GMT
Nobody has signed for Harry with play offs in mind. The one thing we have learned is that our success does not depend on one player or manager. Nobody is indispensable. To criticise the owners is nuts, although with another cup run I hope they consider their massive cash investment has yielded up enough fun-factor to counteract the day to day challenges of running a football club. I personally wouldn't mind if we never join the EFL, although history suggests few stay in this league long term, except maybe Wrexham.
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Post by daveu on Nov 12, 2018 8:18:56 GMT
Nothing much was made of Grant Smith's double save because it was pretty much expected of him He's that good ! Simply nuts to describe Oliver and Terry as being too obstinate. So unfair and not relevant to the issue of retaining Grant. Like Turgott, he's well worthy of a premium payment, which hopefully the owners will agree. I disagree if the pledge to remove 3G was made then we would or could attract the type of player to get the club up but at the minute the players know that should we win the next 20 games and win the play-off that they will all have to look for another club because I doubt any of them including Smith will be willing to play in the National South and we certainly would not be able to keep them. Before you go and say how negative this is I am only stating the FACTS as they are now the EFL are not and likely never will be interested in allowing 3G and this is where I get the obstinacy from because both Terry& Oliver are proud men and will not accept defeat in any way shape or form and will keep banging their heads against the EFLbrick wall.Ami wrong well let's see how many years did it take to get automatic promotion instead of the northern biased re-election system ? A bloody long time and Hartlepool would have been a non-league club 40 years ago. I think you're wrong about Oliver and Terry. If it comes to a choice between relegation and ripping up the 3G I think they will rip up the 3G. I was chatting to Oliver at supporters evening a couple of years ago and he said straight out that relegation wasn't an option.
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Post by Tstone on Nov 12, 2018 8:28:16 GMT
Another option should promotion occur is to replace 3G with grass or hybrid, then tackle the 3G issue once we have voice in the FL.
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Post by 61666 on Nov 12, 2018 8:52:37 GMT
Good though it was, I think Smith's double save was the sort Worgan also excelled in. However, where Smith is making a real difference is his physical size (Worgan on the small side for a keeper, especially in a league with basketball eligible forwards and centre backs) and especially his distribution. On Saturday, showed he was capable of punting the ball box to box, though most of the time he favours accuracy for distance and kicks well within himself. His kicks are up to 30 metres longer than Worgan's and this buys defenders important seconds to set themselves should the ball come straight back. Let's hope we can keep him until the end of the season. As for the sub plot in this thread - where the club is going - it seems our rapid promotions up to the NLP still have some folk thinking we could launch again. Bluntly, we cannot. This league, and maybe even the one below, are the dividing lines between different ways of operating as a football club. Yes, they can be breached if you have a sugar daddy owner, or are an established club, looking to bounce back. We are neither and unless we suddenly acquire a sugar daddy, are not going to break through any time soon. 1. The ground is not ready 2. The pitch is not suitable 3. Even with Harry's arrival, the infrastructure off the pitch isn't yet good enough either. It is clear how much we have struggled in the last three seasons, mainly because Jay got us promoted ahead of our time/beyond our means. If we did somehow go up to the EFL, then, barring miracles, we would almost certainly drop straight back down again. FGR struggled in their first season as Macc are now. Others will disagree, but for me, we first still need to consolidate. Continue the business model, finish off the ground and in the meantime, do what Sutton have been doing - consistent on the pitch, secure in the upper half of the league and some decent cup runs to bring in more money. Probably a five year plan, staying in this league and building for the future. There is the potential to achieve the same as Burton or Fleetwood and aspire eventually to League One or even the Championship, but it ain't going to happen overnight and even if it does, Maidstone United will be a very different club by then, not necessarily for the better in terms of what long term supporters know and love.
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