General non league chat, match reports, photos etc

[Roger D]

I heard (but can't verify) that Ide Hill have stumped up £30,000 to play at TA's ground for three years. If that's true, I can't see how that's sustainable unless they've got a deep pocketed backer - but even then, they're unlikely to attract anything other than tiny crowds.

That's surprisingly cheap against the market rate. I wouldn't be surprised if the figure is higher or if they have to pay extra if they move to a bigger league, host cup games etc.

Unfortunately the.cost of getting a ground up to step six from next to nothing, assuming planning permission is even possible, is horrendous. Steps five and six are increasingly filling with the sort of zombie clubs not teams the FA are acting against in women s football. It's a problem waiting to happen.

Hopefully they have a long term plan, out this way Badshot Lea grounds shared for years but now play step four in their own ground. That's unusual though.

 

[editor]

That's surprisingly cheap against the market rate. I wouldn't be surprised if the figure is higher or if they have to pay extra if they move to a bigger league, host cup games etc.

Unfortunately the.cost of getting a ground up to step six from next to nothing, assuming planning permission is even possible, is horrendous. Steps five and six are increasingly filling with the sort of zombie clubs not teams the FA are acting against in women s football. It's a problem waiting to happen.

Hopefully they have a long term plan, out this way Badshot Lea grounds shared for years but now play step four in their own ground. That's unusual though.

On Saturday, I doubt if there were more than 10-20 Ide Hill fans at Tonbridge, and that was when they were playing - if I say so myself - one of the more charismatic teams at this level that has some level of support. Take away the small gathering of Peckham fans (who outnumbered the home fans) and it would have felt like a practice game.

I really can't see how they hope to build a following at Tonbridge's ground. It's not like it's particularly easy to get to.

 

[T Corcoran]

Taunton have been given a winding up order and Nuneaton have withdrawn from the Southern League

 

[Bugpowder Dust]

Cray Wanderers announce first game at their new ground. Although they are currently calling it a new pitch, which is fair enough as it looks like the surrounding infrastructure isn't ready yet

 

[Taper]

Stuart Maynard joins Nottingham's senior club.

 

[Nivag]

Possibly soon to be non league news

Troy Deeney sacked after just six matches as Forest Green manager

Troy Deeney has been sacked six matches into his first job as a manager at Forest Green Rovers, just 29 days into the job

www.theguardian.com

 

[Pink Panther]

That's surprisingly cheap against the market rate. I wouldn't be surprised if the figure is higher or if they have to pay extra if they move to a bigger league, host cup games etc.

Unfortunately the.cost of getting a ground up to step six from next to nothing, assuming planning permission is even possible, is horrendous. Steps five and six are increasingly filling with the sort of zombie clubs not teams the FA are acting against in women s football. It's a problem waiting to happen.

Hopefully they have a long term plan, out this way Badshot Lea grounds shared for years but now play step four in their own ground. That's unusual though.

I guess no one else wants or needs to share at Tonbridge. It's a 3G pitch, so it can take the extra matches when it would otherwise be free every other Saturday, therefore £30k a year is an extra £30k TAFC wouldn't otherwise have.

I think Step 5 works quite well, but Step 6 would be better with smaller divisions, more regional divisions, and fewer ground requirements including mandatory floodlights. Step 6 clubs are mostly now excluded from the FA Cup, and now there are no longer Vase replays it's not essential to have floodlights for that competition.

 

[pompeydunc]

I guess no one else wants or needs to share at Tonbridge. It's a 3G pitch, so it can take the extra matches when it would otherwise be free every other Saturday, therefore £30k a year is an extra £30k TAFC wouldn't otherwise have.

I think Step 5 works quite well, but Step 6 would be better with smaller divisions, more regional divisions, and fewer ground requirements including mandatory floodlights. Step 6 clubs are mostly now excluded from the FA Cup, and now there are no longer Vase replays it's not essential to have floodlights for that competition.

Without midweek in darker months though, then divisions would need to be smaller than 20. Peckham has 16 usually at step 7 and with a cup run or postponements it can still lead to crazy amounts of games in April/May. Borden Village won the league by winning their last five games in a row over ten days last season. It looked an impossible ask, but they won it by a point. Couldn't imagine having another eight league games to play!

 

[Pink Panther]

Without midweek in darker months though, then divisions would need to be smaller than 20. Peckham has 16 usually at step 7 and with a cup run or postponements it can still lead to crazy amounts of games in April/May. Borden Village won the league by winning their last five games in a row over ten days last season. It looked an impossible ask, but they won it by a point. Couldn't imagine having another eight league games to play!

I did suggest smaller divisions. Obviously most current Step 6 clubs (if you assume those who vacated grounds without lights to share elsewhere return to their own home) would already have lights. Those clubs would have the option of playing midweek matches, just as the likes of Otford United do in the KCL. I remember watching midweek matches at Beckenham Town with 6.30pm kick offs in April in what is now the SCEFL Premier Division. Play-offs are another problem, because it means all league fixtures must be completed before the scheduled play-off dates. They've only introduced play-offs at Step 6 in the last couple of years, and I don't accept that's necessary. Scrap them and use the extra week for completing league fixtures if necessary.

 

[all to nah]

Cray Wanderers announce first game at their new ground. Although they are currently calling it a new pitch, which is fair enough as it looks like the surrounding infrastructure isn't ready yet

Is it a thing in the UK to build the pitch before the stadium? Completely new stadiums (as well as smaller facilities) over here normally finish the work around and add the pitch at last.

 

[Al Crane]

Is it a thing in the UK to build the pitch before the stadium? Completely new stadiums (as well as smaller facilities) over here normally finish the work around and add the pitch at last.

I wouldn't say it's normal here to do that. I suspect in Cray's case that by being able to use their own pitch it saves them money on hiring other pitches for their women's matches, mens training and youth teams. I'm not sure what changing facilities are at the new ground, I assume something basic at least.

In effect though this is similar to what was proposed to happen at the new Champion Hill where we will build the pitch and terracing to 3 sides and then the main stand with all the facilities follows.

 

[Roger D]

I watched Prescot Cables on the NWCL at Uni. 18 team league, no lights. It worked. I can't see any justification for lights at the lower levels. It would probably mean the end of some of the newer smaller cups but I don't view that as much of an issue either tbh.

AFC Hayes played six games in the last seven days of last season, despite, being in a floodlit league.

 

[Nivag]

If midweek cup games are still needed, maybe the corresponding FA headquarters can host them all at their stadiums if they have 3G pitches. This will create revenue for them and showcase each regions football teams.

 

[darryl]

Heavily rumoured (on a Charlton message board) that Welling will be leaving Park View Road at the end of the season as the cost of maintenance is too high. This may all be tied in with their plans to redevelop the ground, of course.

Barrie Hobbins, one of the brothers that ran the Wings for years, died this week. Grim week for them all round.

 

[Roger D]

Could be an issue for Erith & Belvedere too, if it happens.

 

[Pink Panther]

Could be an issue for Erith & Belvedere too, if it happens.

I'm sure they're intending to relocate in any case, but I can't remember where now. Even if Welling's redevelopment plans go smoothly they'll need to move out for a season.

 

[Nivag]

Everyone will be want to play at Cray Wanderers

 

[Don't Slow Down]

MAIDSTONE! That is all............

 

[tonysingh]

MAIDSTONE! That is all............

Well that's ruined Match of the Day....

 

[editor]

Well that's ruined Match of the Day....

 

[Paula_G]

It was live on telly at lunchtime! Massive congrats to Dulwich alumnus George Elokobi, all time nicest guy in football.

 

[Pink Panther]

Could be an issue for Erith & Belvedere too, if it happens.

I was reminded today, Erith & Belvedere are supposedly relocating to the old Slade Green ground, which has apparently been dormant since that club folded around a decade ago.

 

[Paula_G]

Walked past that ground during the pandemic and can it’s still there, goalposts as well, just very derelict.

 

[tonysingh]

It was live on telly at lunchtime! Massive congrats to Dulwich alumnus George Elokobi, all time nicest guy in football.

Thanks for ruining the whimsy there Mrs Obvious.

 

[Nivag]

Welling sack Bloor

Welling sack boss Bloor

Relegation-threatened Welling got a much-needed win on Saturday – and then sacked manager Danny Bloor.

www.kentonline.co.uk

 

[Bus Honeygun]

As some of you may know, Torquay United were taken over six years ago by property developers (Clark Osborne and Gaming International with no interest in football and a long track record going back to Bristol Rovers of leaving sports clubs high and dry having got hold of the land for redevelopment and then promising a new stadium which never gets built.

Torbay Council own Plainmoor and they initially rebuffed the club's plans some years ago. Despite this, the owner didn't walk away and continued pumping millions of pounds into the club (although not enough to stop us being relegated to NLS where we currently flounder in seventh place). That left a lot us speculating as to what his game might be. Well, last week they held another 'informal and private' meeting with the council. I wouldn't normally quote from a Tory MP (to be fair, he's been pretty consistent on this issue), but he surmises the outcome:



Where this leaves us now, I do not know. My (and a lot of other fans') hunch is that Osborne will now walk away, presumably writing off his millions and leaving us to get liquidated - unless of course he has some Machiavellian ace up his sleeve or there's some lunatic with more money than sense waiting in the wings.

 

[Nivag]

No more Bratwurst food stall

Dennis Kutrieb: Ebbsfleet sack manager after falling into relegation zone

Ebbsfleet United sack manager Dennis Kutrieb after slipping into the National League relegation zone.

www.bbc.com

 

[Pink Panther]

No more Bratwurst food stall

Dennis Kutrieb: Ebbsfleet sack manager after falling into relegation zone

Ebbsfleet United sack manager Dennis Kutrieb after slipping into the National League relegation zone.

www.bbc.com

I'm not surprised they've struggled at the higher level. His team was very entertaining to watch but tactically naive, relying almost entirely on having superior individuals.

 

[steeplejack]

Surprised he lasted that long- always seemed a pleasant and engaging guy but it's just not working out in the National league.

That club is a financial basket case- haemorrhaging money and the Kuwaiti owners clearly want to see something for filling the black hole every month. If they left tomorrow Ebbsfleet would be lucky to stay in business for two months.

(nice to hear about Erith's plans to re-locate closer to home, but that ground looks like it needs £1.5 million at least to bring it up to standard).

 

[Pink Panther]

(nice to hear about Erith's plans to re-locate closer to home, but that ground looks like it needs £1.5 million at least to bring it up to standard).

The former Slade Green ground will need a total rebuild, much like Dorking after it had been derelict for several years. I doubt there's much that can be salvaged, it's basically just a suitable site for a new modern ground. I think E&B part own Welling, so presumably they'll get some kind of return on vacating. There are all sorts of ways and means of funding a rebuild, grants etc.