Around the National League.

[Deleted]

Thought I’d check in on the early applicants for the privilege of National League membership.

Surprised at Sutton and Tranmere. Colchester and Doncaster would bring big modern stadiums. 

Has Forest Green’s owner decided environmental activism is more fun than football? What’s going on at wealthy Salford?

Bradford City’s attendances averaging over 17,000.

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Make it past Torquay and Bradford away in the 1st Round proper then. 45% of 17k gate receipts not to be sniffed at.

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Oct 4, 2023 7:30:41 GMT @61666 said:

Make it past Torquay and Bradford away in the 1st Round proper then. 45% of 17k gate receipts not to be sniffed at.

Just a shame that if Bradford got Maidstone at their place, only 8,000 would turn up. Who knows though.

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Oct 4, 2023 9:24:06 GMT grovergreenstone said:

Oct 4, 2023 7:30:41 GMT @61666 said:

Make it past Torquay and Bradford away in the 1st Round proper then. 45% of 17k gate receipts not to be sniffed at.

Just a shame that if Bradford got Maidstone at their place, only 8,000 would turn up. Who knows though.

It's FACup more like 3000.

[Deleted]

To be honest, much as I enjoy a decent Cup run (the key word there being 'decent' - so, most years I don't), if I had to choose this season, I'd go for a league win.

Now the squad has settled down, we're looking like we could be set for a decent season; definitely play-offs, perhaps better. But we're not quite there yet, we still need a run of good results. At the moment, we're pretty much where we were in both our previous NS seasons at this stage, but another win or two would make it look even better. In fact, just one win and we are exactly where we were at this stage in both promotion seasons. And that win is Torquay.

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Much as I want us to do well in the league, were we to win/be promoted again next season -what then? Another depressing season in the NL - a league we are no more ready for than other seasons? Next season brings the need for a new pitch, so little or no money for a proper NL playing budget.
A good cup run might just bring in the Dosh to set us up nicely for a big push the following year. However, fate doesn't allows allow even the best laid plans to work, so probably best to just enjoy the ride.
If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets.

[Deleted]

Oct 5, 2023 7:39:05 GMT @61666 said:

Much as I want us to do well in the league, were we to win/be promoted again next season -what then? Another depressing season in the NL - a league we are no more ready for than other seasons? Next season brings the need for a new pitch, so little or no money for a proper NL playing budget.
A good cup run might just bring in the Dosh to set us up nicely for a big push the following year. However, fate doesn't allows allow even the best laid plans to work, so probably best to just enjoy the ride.
If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets.

If George, in his first ever go at management, gets us into the NL, then let's have another crack at it.

Our last attempt at the NL was doomed, as Hak just wasn't up to it and the owners took their eyes off the ball completely, so that was no real test of our ability to survive in the NL. Our first attempt was very nearly succesful - two pretty good seasons, followed by Jay thinking he was better than he was and the club pulling the rug out from under him. Neither of those seasons point to us not being able to survive in the NL - if we have a decent manmager and the owners learn the lessons from the previous seasons.

[Deleted]

Finish 8th. Draw a big London club away in the 3rd round of the cup. That’s it.

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Oct 5, 2023 11:09:39 GMT Benny said:

Finish 8th. Draw a big London club away in the 3rd round of the cup. That’s it.

Boreham Wood?

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Oct 5, 2023 9:54:35 GMT @johndaubneyslegs said:

Oct 5, 2023 7:39:05 GMT @61666 said:

Much as I want us to do well in the league, were we to win/be promoted again next season -what then? Another depressing season in the NL - a league we are no more ready for than other seasons? Next season brings the need for a new pitch, so little or no money for a proper NL playing budget.
A good cup run might just bring in the Dosh to set us up nicely for a big push the following year. However, fate doesn't allows allow even the best laid plans to work, so probably best to just enjoy the ride.
If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets.

If George, in his first ever go at management, gets us into the NL, then let's have another crack at it.

Our last attempt at the NL was doomed, as Hak just wasn't up to it and the owners took their eyes off the ball completely, so that was no real test of our ability to survive in the NL. Our first attempt was very nearly succesful - two pretty good seasons, followed by Jay thinking he was better than he was and the club pulling the rug out from under him. Neither of those seasons point to us not being able to survive in the NL - if we have a decent manmager and the owners learn the lessons from the previous seasons.

Glad to see your on the up at the moment. Life in The National League is much harder than I thought, and as you know without decent back up, it's even harder.

[Deleted]

Not doing so well this year. But you need to remember that they have a hefty second income stream from other clubs using their ground. If we had that, we wouldn't be struggling either.

On the subject of promoted teams staying up - apart from Fleet, who are doing OK, the other three promotted clubs are currently occupying the last three places in the NL. Not looking too good for recently promoted ex-non-league clubs in L2 either. Staying up isn't easy.

[Deleted]

Oct 5, 2023 16:28:52 GMT @johndaubneyslegs said:

Not doing so well this year. But you need to remember that they have a hefty second income stream from other clubs using their ground. If we had that, we wouldn't be struggling either.

On the subject of promoted teams staying up - apart from Fleet, who are doing OK, the other three promotted clubs are currently occupying the last three places in the NL. Not looking too good for recently promoted ex-non-league clubs in L2 either. Staying up isn't easy.

You can get pills for that

[Deleted]

Oct 5, 2023 16:28:52 GMT @johndaubneyslegs said:

Not doing so well this year. But you need to remember that they have a hefty second income stream from other clubs using their ground. If we had that, we wouldn't be struggling either.

We have a hefty second income stream of £500,000 a year from the pitch, according to our owners.

[Deleted]

Oct 5, 2023 9:54:35 GMT @johndaubneyslegs said:

Oct 5, 2023 7:39:05 GMT @61666 said:

Much as I want us to do well in the league, were we to win/be promoted again next season -what then? Another depressing season in the NL - a league we are no more ready for than other seasons? Next season brings the need for a new pitch, so little or no money for a proper NL playing budget.
A good cup run might just bring in the Dosh to set us up nicely for a big push the following year. However, fate doesn't allows allow even the best laid plans to work, so probably best to just enjoy the ride.
If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets.

If George, in his first ever go at management, gets us into the NL, then let's have another crack at it.

Our last attempt at the NL was doomed, as Hak just wasn't up to it and the owners took their eyes off the ball completely, so that was no real test of our ability to survive in the NL. Our first attempt was very nearly succesful - two pretty good seasons, followed by Jay thinking he was better than he was and the club pulling the rug out from under him. Neither of those seasons point to us not being able to survive in the NL - if we have a decent manmager and the owners learn the lessons from the previous seasons.

Absolutely have a crack at it. It's a sport. Winners and losers. Likely we will struggle but with a joined up approach we can stay up. How long the idiots on Facebook will put up with it being hard every week is another question.

As for the owners learning their lessons. Id guess they would keep schtum about budgets and how they think we would do. I'd just take the 5th and say no comment to any questions around that as it'll just be a stick to beat them with later.

[Deleted]

Oct 6, 2023 8:47:18 GMT pwoodstone said:

Oct 5, 2023 9:54:35 GMT @johndaubneyslegs said:

If George, in his first ever go at management, gets us into the NL, then let's have another crack at it.

Our last attempt at the NL was doomed, as Hak just wasn't up to it and the owners took their eyes off the ball completely, so that was no real test of our ability to survive in the NL. Our first attempt was very nearly succesful - two pretty good seasons, followed by Jay thinking he was better than he was and the club pulling the rug out from under him. Neither of those seasons point to us not being able to survive in the NL - if we have a decent manmager and the owners learn the lessons from the previous seasons.

Absolutely have a crack at it. It's a sport. Winners and losers. Likely we will struggle but with a joined up approach we can stay up. How long the idiots on Facebook will put up with it being hard every week is another question.

As for the owners learning their lessons. Id guess they would keep schtum about budgets and how they think we would do. I'd just take the 5th and say no comment to any questions around that as it'll just be a stick to beat them with later.

You realise they’ll just be accused of lack of transparency