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Post by fleetphil on Jan 16, 2019 13:16:59 GMT
If the worse should happen, a massive clear out will no doubt happen. You know who are the ones you'd like to keep, you watch them week in week out, but that day isn't here yet.!!!! I know how despondent you all must be feeling right now, but believe, it's not over yet by a long way.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2019 13:25:29 GMT
What's Nathan Paul up to these days? If we're going down the nostalgic route, Brian Thompson, John Bartley, Noel Ashford and Warren Barton would all be welcome names...
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Post by Better things to do in life on Jan 16, 2019 13:28:03 GMT
I would like to see Bobby Evans come back He would be quite ineffective though as he is probably 70 now Frankie Ovard may still be good for a goal or two. A fighter, too. Probably not quite 70 yet, either. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2019 13:41:10 GMT
Maybe the title of this thread should be "If we go down, which ex-players would you like to see return, that would realistically sign for the club?"
Due to possible financial restraints, would the Stones completely return to a part-time basis for a period of time, where they would be able to attract some of the best part-time players? This seems to be the most likely route, unless some combination of full and part-timers can somehow work together, although that does seem impractical.
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Post by Better things to do in life on Jan 16, 2019 15:10:55 GMT
Part time seems to be better for us until we properly get our heads around the full time world with experienced Football Management - team manager and a DOF. That may well be some time off as we have to relaunch as an excellent semipro club again first.
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Post by Nick on Jan 16, 2019 16:02:15 GMT
If you look at Stones attendance levels, stadium, finances, academy and infrastructure, we are a decent National league club.
National League South has around 50% of clubs with average attendances between 300-600, with just 5 clubs averaging over 1,000.
Of course the 2 clubs with best attendances, Torquay and Woking, are likely to be back in the National League next season.
It's disappointing to read about fans actually talking up the merits of being relegated to a lower level.
Not many football supporters have the business acumen and financial resources to support and develop a National League club.
imo we are very fortunate to have committed owners like Terry and Oliver to deliver an ambitious footballing vision.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2019 16:20:58 GMT
If you look at Stones attendance levels, stadium, finances, academy and infrastructure, we are a decent National league club. National League South has around 50% of clubs with average attendances between 300-600, with just 5 clubs averaging over 1,000. Of course the 2 clubs with best attendances, Torquay and Woking, are likely to be back in the National League next season. It's disappointing to read about fans actually talking up the merits of being relegated to a lower level. Not many football supporters have the business acumen and financial resources to support and develop a National League club. imo we are very fortunate to have committed owners like Terry and Oliver to deliver an ambitious footballing vision. Agree with all that. But I don't think anyone on here wants the Stones to be relegated, however it is a distinct possibility, and therefore a worthy topic for discussion, particularly with regard to the footballing structure going forward, should relegation become a reality. |
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Post by sword65 on Jan 16, 2019 16:38:57 GMT
If you look at Stones attendance levels, stadium, finances, academy and infrastructure, we are a decent National league club. National League South has around 50% of clubs with average attendances between 300-600, with just 5 clubs averaging over 1,000. Of course the 2 clubs with best attendances, Torquay and Woking, are likely to be back in the National League next season. It's disappointing to read about fans actually talking up the merits of being relegated to a lower level. Not many football supporters have the business acumen and financial resources to support and develop a National League club. imo we are very fortunate to have committed owners like Terry and Oliver to deliver an ambitious footballing vision. Agree with all that. But I don't think anyone on here wants the Stones to be relegated, however it is a distinct possibility, and therefore a worthy topic for discussion, particularly with regard to the footballing structure going forward, should relegation become a reality. "Should relegation become a reality" did you not see us last night? We have as much chance of staying up as a certain lower part of my anatomy and with the medication I am on that is ZERO chance. |
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Post by Better things to do in life on Jan 16, 2019 17:33:33 GMT
If you look at Stones attendance levels, stadium, finances, academy and infrastructure, we are a decent National league club. National League South has around 50% of clubs with average attendances between 300-600, with just 5 clubs averaging over 1,000. Of course the 2 clubs with best attendances, Torquay and Woking, are likely to be back in the National League next season. It's disappointing to read about fans actually talking up the merits of being relegated to a lower level. Not many football supporters have the business acumen and financial resources to support and develop a National League club. imo we are very fortunate to have committed owners like Terry and Oliver to deliver an ambitious footballing vision. Are we NL quality? Stadium - no, only two sides really qualify for that and the overall capacity is still low. Finances? No, we have to keep a tight budget. We have good owners but they are not Bill Gates. Academy? Maybe, but we had that in IL and NLS and other clubs have them now as well, I believe, outside of NL. Infrastructure? Not 100% sure what you mean. Yes, we have the attendances and fanbase for NL, and good owners with vision, but that's about it. On all of these threads we have discussed the mercenary money oriented nature of NL pro players and how we have struggled to adapt to buying/loaning in/keeping good players of this mindset. Also, looking at us against all the other NL clubs, how appealing are we to a good NL player? We have to accept that we are more Braintree than we are Hartlepool or Salford. We are in the "likely to go up and down from NL to NLs category", which means no, we are not yet an established NL club. Do I want us to go down? Of course not, but we have to be realistic on two counts 1) If we stay in the NL we are punching above our weight and still have an awful lot to learn about the pro game and 2) The likelihood of us staying in the NL is much lower than is survival, thanks to the outfall from the toxicity of the Dealers reign of destruction. Performance like last night show that. However, its not over yet and we will keep the faith and pray for a win on Saturday, but it would - like our true standing in the NL - be against the odds. |
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Post by Nick on Jan 16, 2019 21:36:32 GMT
Ok, so you really disagree on 2 points.
1 You don't think the stadium is up to National League standard.
You are entitled to think what you like, but factually the stadium is up to National League standard (albeit a way to go for EFL).
2 You don't think the club has the necessary finances to compete in the National League.
Again thanks to 3G and ex business management of facilities plus well above average attendances, the club achieves regular operational profits and supports a wage bill that is average in the League (according to the owners).
Don't let the facts get in the way !
ps I agree with most of your other points
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Post by wolvesstone on Jan 16, 2019 21:51:44 GMT
The guys to get back are the ones who won the National South for us. A great team, the Gallagher rocking every week: Worgan, Mills, Lokko, Coyle, Bobbie-Joe, Flish, the legendary Joe Healey, Pax (already back), Frannie and big Jay May. There's a few on that bench who would have played their hearts out all season too - Richards being one of them.
Still, I think we've got a few good guys out there now. Just need a few clean sheets, gritty draws, the odd goal win and seven or eight steps up the table. You'll see.
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Post by jdl on Jan 16, 2019 21:52:29 GMT
If you look at Stones attendance levels, stadium, finances, academy and infrastructure, we are a decent National league club. National League South has around 50% of clubs with average attendances between 300-600, with just 5 clubs averaging over 1,000. Of course the 2 clubs with best attendances, Torquay and Woking, are likely to be back in the National League next season. It's disappointing to read about fans actually talking up the merits of being relegated to a lower level. Not many football supporters have the business acumen and financial resources to support and develop a National League club. imo we are very fortunate to have committed owners like Terry and Oliver to deliver an ambitious footballing vision. Agree with all that. But I don't think anyone on here wants the Stones to be relegated, however it is a distinct possibility, and therefore a worthy topic for discussion, particularly with regard to the footballing structure going forward, should relegation become a reality. Stop posting sensible things! It could start a dangerous trend. |
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Post by pieman1982 on Jan 16, 2019 22:12:43 GMT
The guys to get back are the ones who won the National South for us. A great team, the Gallagher rocking every week: Worgan, Mills, Lokko, Coyle, Bobbie-Joe, Flish, the legendary Joe Healey, Pax (already back), Frannie and big Jay May. There's a few on that bench who would have played their hearts out all season too - Richards being one of them. Still, I think we've got a few good guys out there now. Just need a few clean sheets, gritty draws, the odd goal win and seven or eight steps up the table. You'll see. I don’t want to be picky, But... We didn’t win the National South! Lokko never played in the National South for us. Frannie was found wanting in that League. Just saying |
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Post by sword65 on Jan 16, 2019 22:13:12 GMT
The guys to get back are the ones who won the National South for us. A great team, the Gallagher rocking every week: Worgan, Mills, Lokko, Coyle, Bobbie-Joe, Flish, the legendary Joe Healey, Pax (already back), Frannie and big Jay May. There's a few on that bench who would have played their hearts out all season too - Richards being one of them. Still, I think we've got a few good guys out there now. Just need a few clean sheets, gritty draws, the odd goal win and seven or eight steps up the table. You'll see. Aah! It's a cracker. It's the way you tell 'em. 🤣 |
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Post by Nick on Jan 16, 2019 23:36:11 GMT
Not ro mention we fluked the play off against a team that looked and played better than us for much of the season.
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