nick
New Member
Posts: 41 
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Post by nick on Nov 3, 2024 9:33:21 GMT
This talk about getting new investors to take the club to the National League seems a contradiction of terms.
Surely the point of investing is to make a profit ?
Minimal risk and maximum returns ?
Other than the occasional fun flutter all my investments follow the same mantra.
What some supporters really hope for are new owners who are happy to pay players seriously competitive National League level wages or higher, subsidised from their personal wealth, amounting to a gift of few £million and accepting a zero pay-back.
How many successful local business men are out there looking to waste their childrens inheritance so as the satisfy the un-fulfilled emotional needs of certain Stones supporters ?
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Post by Harry on Nov 3, 2024 11:40:12 GMT
You have nailed it nick.
If by some unlikely surge in form and performances we managed to fluke a promotion, what then ?
The squad we have is nowhere near good enough to compete at a higher level so it means re-building again.
So another season where the wage bill goes up 20% or so, still not able to compete, admission costs increase, loads of long, expensive journeys to clubs up north and for what ?
Personally I'm happy to be in a league where the club is at least competitive, the stadiums are within comfortable reach, matches can be unsegregated mostly and I can enjoy a decent beer with my mates on the terraces.
Does that make me a bad supporter ?
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Post by jdl on Nov 3, 2024 12:36:21 GMT
We should ban the words 'invest' and 'investors' in football terms, at least at lower football levels.
We want someone who is prepared to put money into the club for the benefit of the club - not expecting any returns, other than the gratitude of the fans and the satisfaction of seeing their club succeed.
That is the reality of most clubs at our level, and probably at least the three levels above.
Oliver and Terry may have talked about an 'investment, in the club and perhaps even hoped that they might manage to get most of their money back one day. But they are successful businessmen, and they know only too well that that 'investment' was really just paying out money to rescue the club and make it financially viable. They will be lucky to get back even half of what they put in.
They are not 'investors', they are just fans who can afford to run a football club. They are living the fantasy that many of us dream about if we won the lottery. The only difference is that they are doing it sensibly and sustainably.
We know what it's like to live the glory years at the expense of bankrupting the club - Jim Thompson was a pioneer in that madness. And plenty of others (Gravesend, Worthing, Dorking...) are following in his footsteps - and will reap similar results.
Thankfully, we have far more sensible owners and stewards, but if that means taking it slowly, living within our means, and being a yo-yo club, so be it. I have lived through the alternative and I don't recommend it.
And it hasn't exactly been a bad ride - three promotions in four years, two championship seasons, being one of only four non-league clubs to ever get to the 5th round of the FA Cup, watching some great football and talented footballers, and seeing some incredibly games, and hosting clubs like Tranmere, Notts County and Orient. And all in one of the best grounds at our level, just a short walk from the town centre.
Who could want an 'investment' better than that?
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Benny
Junior Member
Posts: 80
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Post by Benny on Nov 3, 2024 13:13:14 GMT
If I had money, there’s no way I would put in millions of pounds just to become the subject of endless vitriol from online morons.
I might consider becoming a sponsor or making a contribution towards a stand, then everyone would say what a great guy I am.
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Post by theguvnor on Nov 3, 2024 16:32:05 GMT
Least we can look forward to disappointing “almost but not quite” football again.
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Post by pwoodstone on Nov 3, 2024 17:24:33 GMT
All valid points of view. I can’t agree with…
- Until someone pumps on money, this is our level.
- The current squad is miles off, so it would mean another rebuild.
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Post by loosestone on Nov 3, 2024 20:04:24 GMT
Would have been home to Bromley if we had got through the police will be breathing a sign of relief.
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Post by sennockian69 on Nov 3, 2024 21:37:13 GMT
Would have been home to Bromley if we had got through the police will be breathing a sign of relief. I think it's not just the Peelers who are happy. |
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Post by headstone on Nov 3, 2024 22:08:14 GMT
You have nailed it nick. If by some unlikely surge in form and performances we managed to fluke a promotion, what then ? The squad we have is nowhere near good enough to compete at a higher level so it means re-building again. So another season where the wage bill goes up 20% or so, still not able to compete, admission costs increase, loads of long, expensive journeys to clubs up north and for what ? Personally I'm happy to be in a league where the club is at least competitive, the stadiums are within comfortable reach, matches can be unsegregated mostly and I can enjoy a decent beer with my mates on the terraces. Does that make me a bad supporter ? In a similar vein, having lived through the nightmare late 60s, and then folding in 1992, my main wish is to have a club in existence that I can support, at whatever level. |
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Post by stonematiz on Nov 3, 2024 22:47:12 GMT
You have nailed it nick. If by some unlikely surge in form and performances we managed to fluke a promotion, what then ? The squad we have is nowhere near good enough to compete at a higher level so it means re-building again. So another season where the wage bill goes up 20% or so, still not able to compete, admission costs increase, loads of long, expensive journeys to clubs up north and for what ? Personally I'm happy to be in a league where the club is at least competitive, the stadiums are within comfortable reach, matches can be unsegregated mostly and I can enjoy a decent beer with my mates on the terraces. Does that make me a bad supporter ? In a similar vein, having lived through the nightmare late 60s, and then folding in 1992, my main wish is to have a club in existence that I can support, at whatever level. What happened in the late 60s if you don't mind me asking? |
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Post by headstone on Nov 4, 2024 6:13:11 GMT
We won the KSC in 1966, a big deal then, as we were still amateur, but the team broke up, and due to lack of money, we took on local players. We spent the rest of the decade vying with Dulwich Hamlet for bottom spot in the Isthmian League, rarely winning a match ( eg we lost 9 - 0 at home to Sutton Utd). Then Jim Thompson took us over in 1970, and we never looked back! Until 1992 of course ☹️.
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Post by OldBoy73 on Nov 4, 2024 17:10:09 GMT
All valid points of view. I can’t agree with… - Until someone pumps on money, this is our level. - The current squad is miles off, so it would mean another rebuild. According to George on KOL, this year ALL other clubs raise their games 10-15% against us because of last years FA Cup heroics..........which may be true, but doesnt explain our current squads much worse performances this year, league position or early KSC and early (For us) FA cup exits...............surely? |
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Post by pwoodstone on Nov 4, 2024 17:25:56 GMT
All valid points of view. I can’t agree with… - Until someone pumps on money, this is our level. - The current squad is miles off, so it would mean another rebuild. According to George on KOL, this year ALL other clubs raise their games 10-15% against us because of last years FA Cup heroics..........which may be true, but doesnt explain our current squads much worse performances this year, league position or early KSC and early (For us) FA cup exits...............surely? I am sure they do but that's an oft repeated line managers use to defend themselves. I dont buy it. As for the reasons for being 5 points off last years tally at this stage - I think we can all appreciate that we are likely a goal scorer away and have turned the corner in terms of form. I hope we peak at the end of the season having finished in the play offs. The cup defeats will be due to playing stronger sides. Welling are stronger than Gillingham Youth and Solihull much stronger than Winchester or Steyning. The reasons are all in our own camp. We have a much better squad than last season. Levi / Faal in this years side would make it a great team for this league. They, and Lucas are the only players who have not been improved upon (I am claiming Blair as an upgrade on Rush). |
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Post by OldBoy73 on Nov 4, 2024 18:01:53 GMT
According to George on KOL, this year ALL other clubs raise their games 10-15% against us because of last years FA Cup heroics..........which may be true, but doesnt explain our current squads much worse performances this year, league position or early KSC and early (For us) FA cup exits...............surely? I am sure they do but that's an oft repeated line managers use to defend themselves. I dont buy it. As for the reasons for being 5 points off last years tally at this stage - I think we can all appreciate that we are likely a goal scorer away and have turned the corner in terms of form. I hope we peak at the end of the season having finished in the play offs. The cup defeats will be due to playing stronger sides. Welling are stronger than Gillingham Youth and Solihull much stronger than Winchester or Steyning. The reasons are all in our own camp. We have a much better squad than last season. Levi / Faal in this years side would make it a great team for this league. They, and Lucas are the only players who have not been improved upon (I am claiming Blair as an upgrade on Rush). I dont buy it either Woodstone, and I still struggle listening to Georges post match interviews as they never seem real world enough to me. I agree we are also lacking up front, and our problems aren't that INDIVIDUALLY our players look good on paper - they do - but as a "Grooop" they still seem to struggle, and we are running out of games to ensure play offs. Dorking will prove if we have truly turned a corner on that one. I dont buy that the Cup sides we have lost to are stronger than last year (Barrow? Stevenage? Ipswich?) nor that this is a better squad than last year - I don't think it is - and Rushy and Blair are the same level in my view and both need a performing unit around them to score freely. If it is a better squad why hasnt it yet been convincing? Time will tell and lets see if we turn it on at the Meadowbank. I dont buy it that Dawking are a bogey side for us as most of this years squad werent with us for previous Dorking games so they should just be another opponent to them! We will see tomorrow. COYS! |
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Post by pwoodstone on Nov 4, 2024 18:25:52 GMT
I am sure they do but that's an oft repeated line managers use to defend themselves. I dont buy it. As for the reasons for being 5 points off last years tally at this stage - I think we can all appreciate that we are likely a goal scorer away and have turned the corner in terms of form. I hope we peak at the end of the season having finished in the play offs. The cup defeats will be due to playing stronger sides. Welling are stronger than Gillingham Youth and Solihull much stronger than Winchester or Steyning. The reasons are all in our own camp. We have a much better squad than last season. Levi / Faal in this years side would make it a great team for this league. They, and Lucas are the only players who have not been improved upon (I am claiming Blair as an upgrade on Rush). I dont buy it either Woodstone, and I still struggle listening to Georges post match interviews as they never seem real world enough to me. I agree we are also lacking up front, and our problems aren't that INDIVIDUALLY our players look good on paper - they do - but as a "Grooop" they still seem to struggle, and we are running out of games to ensure play offs. Dorking will prove if we have truly turned a corner on that one. I dont buy that the Cup sides we have lost to are stronger than last year (Barrow? Stevenage? Ipswich?) nor that this is a better squad than last year - I don't think it is - and Rushy and Blair are the same level in my view and both need a performing unit around them to score freely. If it is a better squad why hasnt it yet been convincing? Time will tell and lets see if we turn it on at the Meadowbank. I dont buy it that Dawking are a bogey side for us as most of this years squad werent with us for previous Dorking games so they should just be another opponent to them! We will see tomorrow. COYS! You aren't buying much  The cup run was an exception and I don't think you can really use that as a yardstick to judge. Otherwise no Maidstone team will ever be as good again (or any other non league team likely). I reckon we might had beaten them at home. I know you rate some of that team highly but I think we have upgraded almost everywhere. I think we have been good as a group in the last month. I think the start to the season was poor and it is now much better and I reckon we will be in or close to the playoffs by Christmas. This is a different trajectory top last season. Dorking are in form. It will be hard. they've beaten us 4 times out of four. It's away. It'll be tough. I would also wager than Blair will end up with more goals than Rushy did. |
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