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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2013 18:15:20 GMT
Agree with SS 100%, as much as I cannot go to watch my side not wanting them to win, I have done my time in the league and have no desire to return.
However - understandably - I'd imagine this may disgruntle the powers that be!
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2013 18:35:33 GMT
All the way to the premier league. Anything less will be a failure.
Being honest, the blue square premier is probably our level, based on crowds anyway. I d say that's at least ten years away though.
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Post by jt on May 3, 2013 18:40:32 GMT
I like the non-league side of it all. I have been to every premier and championship ground in london and although the noise is there, there is no real atmosphere.
With non-league I like the closeness of it all. The fact that you can have a bit of banter with the opposition fans and then all walk out after the game without police in riot gear waiting for you.
I would say that some of my best mates go to the footy. Strange thing is I don't even know some of their names (only forum personas).
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2013 18:56:13 GMT
I would say that some of my best mates go to the footy. Strange thing is I don't even know some of their names (only forum personas). His name is "Adrian"
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Post by islandstone on May 3, 2013 20:41:57 GMT
we're not gona win the champions league by skulking round the conference and the like so bring on the segregation bring on the riot police bring on Madrid bring on man who? who wants to play teams from the arse end of sussex? lets bull dose the lot of them, steam roll th leagues, building planning playing come on who's with me? roooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrr.
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Post by jdl on May 3, 2013 21:41:51 GMT
eclipse - when creating your model, bear in mind the area behind the fence that runs behind the Springfield end terrace. I don't know what this was intended for, or is used for, but it appears to be part of the site. If it is ours and could be built on, then we could have a pretty substantial stand at that end.
This, coupled with extending/completing the main stand and replacing the Town end with a bigger terrace/stand, would probably get us to (or beyond) the League requirements.
I'm not sure about expanding the river side though. Everybody seems to assume this could/would be done, but there actually isn't much room to expand there, especially towards the Springfield end. Any meaningful expansion would be very expensive (an awful lot of earth needs shifting), would involve a lot of tree cutting (i.e. not popular) and would leave one exposed corner of the ground very near the river (again, not popular with the public).
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Post by stoneslive on May 3, 2013 22:00:56 GMT
I can't see how we'd manage to get the ground capacity up enough to sustain league football After our Horsham commentary last Saturday, when nws and I were packing up we were talking to Derek Nicholson, who is the project manager at Prime Consultants for building the stadium. He has been tasked by the Club to come up with a stadium development plan which would be used as the Club progresses. He was saying that the minimum capacity for League 2 is 5,000 which he felt would be achievable at the GS. He also revealed his thoughts about (in the long term) eventually developing the town end so that there is a two-tier stand with seats on the upper level and terracing underneath (possibly seats later?).
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Post by StonedProf on May 3, 2013 22:30:33 GMT
eclipse - when creating your model, bear in mind the area behind the fence that runs behind the Springfield end terrace. I don't know what this was intended for, or is used for, but it appears to be part of the site. If it is ours and could be built on, then we could have a pretty substantial stand at that end. This, coupled with extending/completing the main stand and replacing the Town end with a bigger terrace/stand, would probably get us to (or beyond) the League requirements. I'm not sure about expanding the river side though. Everybody seems to assume this could/would be done, but there actually isn't much room to expand there, especially towards the Springfield end. Any meaningful expansion would be very expensive (an awful lot of earth needs shifting), would involve a lot of tree cutting (i.e. not popular) and would leave one exposed corner of the ground very near the river (again, not popular with the public). I think you meant to address this to me, as I'm the one doing the model. The area behind the Springfield end is a nature run which must remain undeveloped as far as I know, although it does contain the attenuation pond for the drains under the pitch, as well as a memorial for long-standing supporter Elvis. The only way I can see this changing is if the Springfield Mill site is sold (which has been rumoured for some time) and the club buy part of it, in which case it may possible to move the nature run onto the newly acquired land and expand the Springfield end. However, I'm not counting on it. The main obstacle to developing the river side is the presence of a water main under that side which serves a large part of the town. This is why the dugouts are of the lightweight, portable variety rather than more permanent structures, and also why the floodlights are behind the goal lines rather than actually in the corners. If I remember correctly, this would cost £150,000 to move. I agree that there isn't that much room, although I must correct you in that there is more room towards the Springfield end. Even still, I think that a 600-seater stand could be built there, which when combined with an extended main stand with ~1,400 seats (current stand is ~30 metres long with 430 seats; pitch is 100 metres long; 430*[100/30] = 1,433) would give us the required 2,000 seats. I don't think that much earth would need moving as it could be built on the bank like the main mtand. I don't think that tree cutting would raise too many objections as the trees are not mature and are pretty similar to the ones that were cut down during the building of the ground. Not quite sure what you mean by "exposed corner" but the corner between the town end and river side wouldn't change much from the current situation - a horrible green fence is all that can be seen from outside. The main stand would be extended towards the Springfield end before we even think of developing the river side anyway. Extending the main stand towards the town end would require demolition of part or all of the clubhouse, so it would make sense to do it only after everything else.
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Post by daveu on May 3, 2013 23:05:08 GMT
What I wanna know is when are google and bing gonna update their aerial photos so we can see the stadium on there rather than just a derelict piece of waste ground?
Just noticed it is on streetview, just not on the aerial shots yet.
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efit
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Post by efit on May 3, 2013 23:49:49 GMT
If Accrington Stanley and Morecambe can maintain League Football, I've no doubt Maidstone United can.
It is absolutely imperative however the team wins tomorrow to keep the momentum going from the return, any sort of stagnation at what is a very poor standard of football will see the fairweather fans begin to drift off.
Given the crowds the club is generating in a league with non existent away supports and the money the club is generating through the 3G pitch, I'd like to think a full-time setup isn't too far away. Not just now, it isn't worth the risk, nor is it necessary as we are a number of years away from playing full-timers on a consistent basis.
I'd like to think Maidstone in 5 years time will be a full-time Conference club averaging gates of 3-4k. In the medium term future, the main stand needs to be extended. The ground is already bursting at the seams.
I'd also be extremely interested to see the club coughers after this year. Crowds are well above what what was reportedly budgeted for, the stadium generates cash on non matchdays and the club will have had 3 sellout gates to close out the season, including 2 play-off matches which may well not have been budgeted for.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2013 5:37:42 GMT
I'd also be extremely interested to see the club coughers after this year. Ahem ahem
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2013 6:58:04 GMT
If Accrington Stanley and Morecambe can maintain League Football, I've no doubt Maidstone United can. It is absolutely imperative however the team wins tomorrow to keep the momentum going from the return, any sort of stagnation at what is a very poor standard of football will see the fairweather fans begin to drift off. Given the crowds the club is generating in a league with non existent away supports and the money the club is generating through the 3G pitch, I'd like to think a full-time setup isn't too far away. Not just now, it isn't worth the risk, nor is it necessary as we are a number of years away from playing full-timers on a consistent basis. I'd like to think Maidstone in 5 years time will be a full-time Conference club averaging gates of 3-4k. In the medium term future, the main stand needs to be extended. The ground is already bursting at the seams. I'd also be extremely interested to see the club coughers after this year. Crowds are well above what what was reportedly budgeted for, the stadium generates cash on non matchdays and the club will have had 3 sellout gates to close out the season, including 2 play-off matches which may well not have been budgeted for. 5 years? No chance. You re in cloud cuckoo land. Ten years at the very least, if it even happens at all.
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Post by StonedProf on May 4, 2013 9:02:44 GMT
I'd also be extremely interested to see the club coughers after this year. Crowds are well above what what was reportedly budgeted for, the stadium generates cash on non matchdays and the club will have had 3 sellout gates to close out the season, including 2 play-off matches which may well not have been budgeted for. From what I've heard (and I stress that this has not been confirmed officially), matchday crowds are twice those expected, but non-matchday revenue is not quite as high as expected, and running costs are a little higher than expected. Also, I would hope and imagine that any profits are going into paying off debts and future investment in the ground. If we go up, I'm not sure we'll fly through the Isthmian Premier like some people seem to expect. Step 3 is a much higher standard than step 4. Getting into the Football League would also be very difficult, as many ex-League clubs are finding.
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Post by nws on May 4, 2013 9:22:29 GMT
Anything that doesn't start leading to segregation etc etc To be fair you've caused a fair bit of them & us segregation. Does this mean you'll kindly bore off? Not fair at all and no I won't. More twaddle from you.
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Post by nws on May 4, 2013 9:38:35 GMT
Segregation is necessary at Conf S grounds I think (Bedford's ground had a dividing fence, with the gate open when we visited). So shall we just stay in the Ryman League forever? I think we'll be a strong Conf side in 2020 alongside Dover and Welling, by which time I'd expect Dartford to be in League 2 (and G*lls!). I think it's the fun friendliness bit that was the main part. We had segregation at AFCW, as I remember (We don't need no segregation - Pink Floyd The Wall). This season we have seen minor instances of beer being thrown over away fans or away fans being abused and one of someone trying to have a pop at a referee. I enjoy mixing with away fans such as both sets singing side by side at Chelmo, home to Dover, away to Winchester. Why oh why would I want to go back to experiences similar to being caged in against Newport County in the cup etc
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