Pitchero Isthmian Premier League to be ratified by the FA for Season 2023/2024

[Pink Panther]

Do you categorically know that Hayrettin will be in charge next season?

No, but unless there's a good reason to believe he won't, I find it a bit weird and not especially helpful to suggest it will be someone else. The fact is we have a manager and the phrase "new manager, whoever they might be" suggests yet another change is already going to happen. The club desperately needs some stability at dressing room level right now.

 

[AveryDave]

Totally agree on the stability point, and would imagine most would be more than happy for Hayrettin to continue. Until we know one way or another, it’s only natural people will speculate.

 

[editor]

It's going to be great to out-hipstered by Hashtag United!

 

[Pink Panther]

Totally agree on the stability point, and would imagine most would be more than happy for Hayrettin to continue. Until we know one way or another, it’s only natural people will speculate.

I hope Hakan will remain in charge and will assume he's staying unless we're officially told otherwise.

He's had a real double whammy losing his mother, then getting relegated barely a week later. Both must have been possibilities when he agreed to take the job but I imagine he needs some time to recover right now, plus he was sacked by Maidstone after a difficult period earlier in the year. That's a lot of stress for anyone to deal with in the space of a few months.

I'm sure the club will want to retain him unless he feels he needs a break.

 

[Cat Daisy]

It's going to be great to out-hipstered by Hashtag United!

When I watched them, most of their fans didn't look old enough for beards or craft beer. Perhaps they have grown into it since then!

 

[Steve Deltasix]

Do you categorically know that Hayrettin will be in charge next season?

No however fingers crossed

 

[Pink Panther]

In other news, I was reliably informed yesterday that Gary McCann, recently installed at Billericay as manager, has a playing budget of £6,000 per week.

No wonder he’s prepared to travel from Hammersmith (he lives in that area) to the depths of Essex on a regular basis, if he’s got that sort of budget at his disposal.

Not sure who’s bankrolling them these days but it looks like they’re going to be able to outspend anyone else in this league with that sort of money at their disposal.

That should certainly be competitive but it's no more than around the median for National South, so it's probably a top five budget one step lower, but they won't be blowing other top clubs out of the water. Gavin Rose unequivocally stated his budget was £5k a week in a television interview during our last promotion season 5 years ago. I would imagine we were spending (or wasting) a fair bit more than £6k this season and it sounds like we should be able to sustain it. I've no idea whether anyone else will be spending comparable or greater amounts. Chatham have clearly spent a lot on infrastructure and achieving two consecutive promotions with rapidly growing attendances, so they may be another big fish. Hornchurch have lost the play-off final two years running now, while the Sussex triumvirate of Lewes, Horsham and Hastings seem to be the best supported clubs.

I'd take that £6k figure with a pinch of salt though, even if it came directly from the manager. Managers have a knack of downplaying their own resources relative to everyone else, although I did see a comment from a Billericay fan a couple of weeks ago suggesting they'd underachieved significantly on a budget of £6k-£7k

Also, was at the London Senior Cup Final (it’s better than the Turvey) to watch Charlton Athletic U-21s beat Haringey Borough 5-3 aet. Cracking game between two good teams, played at Silver Jubilee Park.

Haringey had about 3-400 very vociferous supporters, who never stopped singing and supporting their team for the entire 120 minutes. Perfectly well-behaved throughout, I hasten to add.

Appreciate it was a final at a venue local to them, so they might not take that level of support every week but they could provide a very loud and colourful support at Champion Hill next season.

Their home average attendance this season was 430 which is the median for the division. I saw them play Hornchurch when there were no trains for our game at Ebbsfleet and it was a good upbeat atmosphere reminiscent of the early days of our own rising attendances a decade ago. I've no idea what sort of away following they normally have but it seems a decent and likeable club.

If the money is coming from the pitch then that's true. However, I fear the rest of the infrastructure will become a millstone in the medium to long term.

A good example is Farnborough. Various cashed up Chairmen have left them with a ground far too good for their recent Tier Two / Three existence. The club are quite open they'd much rather have less infrastructure in the ground, the maintenance costs are a real issue.

There's nothing at Billericay remotely comparable with the huge white elephant stand at Farnborough. Most of the ground is now covered on all four sides and they've got more seats than they really need but it's not especially extravagant. They did a lot of work over one summer but the new structures are fairly cheap and basic when you look closely and not a lot bigger than what was there before. The social facilities are extensive but you probably need that. Their attendances have held up pretty well at around 800 this season, despite making no real challenge for promotion after a poor start, which is about twice what they were getting as a mid-table side in the same division before Tamplin rocked up.

 

[Roger D]

I believe Chatham picked up a fair few disaffected Gillingham fans. It'll be interesting to see what impact the regime change / investment at Priestfield has on them.

I''m told a fair chunk of Chatham's money comes from non match day stuff, if true they could well be good payers even if the Gills fans drift back to league football. Chatham were certainly paying enough to attract South West London based players last season.

 

[Cyclodunc]

My brother has been taking his kids to haringey borough for a few years now and goes on away trips too. They are a really friendly and well supported club. I joined them away at lewes a few weeks ago and they took a few hundred fans. Sang throughout. Reminded me of Dulwich when our reputation for noisy support was merited.

They also immediately asked my brother and his fellow parents if the children would like to walk on with the players.

 

[Blitzwalker]

My brother has been taking his kids to haringey borough for a few years now and goes on away trips too. They are a really friendly and well supported club. I joined them away at lewes a few weeks ago and they took a few hundred fans. Sang throughout. Reminded me of Dulwich when our reputation for noisy support was merited.

They also immediately asked my brother and his fellow parents if the children would like to walk on with the players.

Yes, they were certainly a friendly bunch and as you say, sang throughout the game and had quite a few original, non-generic football songs in their repertoire. Seemed a nice club and hopefully will bring a lot of support to CH when the time comes.

 

[Moroccan Sunset]

This is a big regret from 10+ years of supporting Hamlet, apart from the FA Trophy run, and the FA cup first round, we've woefully underperformed in cups.

Margate and Chatham are playing the Kent cup final at Gillingham tonight and you can tell from Twitter the excitement from both sets of fans, who have both taken the competition seriously.

Maybe next year!

Completely agree, and I'm genuinely looking forward to having a league cup to play in next season, along with the LSC. If we've got a decent budget we should be able to compete on all fronts. Would be great if we play in a cup final at CH!

 

[Hamlet Pete]

A cup final anywhere would be amazing!

 

[Pink Panther]

Completely agree, and I'm genuinely looking forward to having a league cup to play in next season, along with the LSC. If we've got a decent budget we should be able to compete on all fronts. Would be great if we play in a cup final at CH!

The Isthmian League has always picked a ground with a 3G pitch for its final in recent years. It's been at Aveley for several seasons and they were this year's winners, but now they've gone up. Finals should be on neutral ground for me. I'd be annoyed if we had to play one on our opponents' ground.

 

[Blitzwalker]

In other news, I was reliably informed yesterday that Gary McCann, recently installed at Billericay as manager, has a playing budget of £6,000 per week.

No wonder he’s prepared to travel from Hammersmith (he lives in that area) to the depths of Essex on a regular basis, if he’s got that sort of budget at his disposal.

Not sure who’s bankrolling them these days but it looks like they’re going to be able to outspend anyone else in this league with that sort of money at their disposal.

I cocked this up - his playing budget at Riccay is £9,000 a week, not 6.

 

[liamdhfc]

I cocked this up - his playing budget at Riccay is £9,000 a week, not 6.

I would say that is competitive but probably no different to what a number of clubs will be spending.

 

[Stuart Fordyce]

I would say that is competitive but probably no different to what a number of clubs will be spending.

It's £410 a week if you divide by a 22 person squad. I don't think anyone carries a squad that big tbf but also perhaps that's the gaffer, physio wages included too.

 

[Al Cunningham]

I see Billeicay have signed Ade Azeez from Welling. Very good signing at this level .

 

[AveryDave]

I see Billeicay have signed Ade Azeez from Welling. Very good signing at this level .

Yeah, great signing for them.

 

[Roger D]

It's £410 a week if you divide by a 22 person squad. I don't think anyone carries a squad that big tbf but also perhaps that's the gaffer, physio wages included too.

That's one of the many issues when people talk about wages at some clubs. Some club include non playing staff in the figures. Others don't. Some clubs tell the boss you can have X and keep anything you don't spend (probably not this high up the pyramid mind.) And then is it pre or post tax? (Hamlet used to quote post tax to players, don't know these days.)

One 90's player reputedly took a pay cut to move up the pyramid as he didn't realise his new employers were citing a pre tax figure...

 

[Pink Panther]

It's £410 a week if you divide by a 22 person squad. I don't think anyone carries a squad that big tbf but also perhaps that's the gaffer, physio wages included too.

These are obviously just examples. I always think in terms of 20 contracted players for clubs paying serious money in search of promotion, so my rule of thumb would be an average of £450 for a £9k p/w spend. In practice that will probably include one or two top earners on as much as double that figure and a few cheaper players on maybe half the average.

Ebbsfleet blew everyone else out of the water in National South this year and had a squad of around 25. In our last promotion year Gavin Rose stated we were spending £5k a week, while Glen Tamplin gave a series of increasingly high figures to the media for Billericay's wage bill of up to something in the region of £28k from memory. They finished with 4 more points than us over 46 matches: 99 to our 95, with their new manager's Hendon team in 3rd place on 85.

 

[Pink Panther]

One of our likely rivals for promotion are looking for a new manager. Hornchurch were beaten at home in each of the last two play-off finals last year by Cheshunt and this year by Aveley.

Club statement – Hornchurch FC

www.hornchurchfc.com

 

[Roger D]

I presume that's the same Norman Posner who co-founded Purfleet / Thurrock with Tommy South?

Fair play to him of it is, he must be approaching his fifth decade of serving a non-league team off the pitch.

 

[Son of Roy]

I sincerely hope Hakan is staying as he should be signing squad players for next season now. If we are going to appoint another manager and get him selecting players in June/July then would it be any surprise if we struggle again next season?
We may retain some players who might do better at the lower level. I believe Jack Holland is contracted for another season and he is a great captain but he misses a lot of games through injury.

 

[edcraw]

I sincerely hope Hakan is staying as he should be signing squad players for next season now. If we are going to appoint another manager and get him selecting players in June/July then would it be any surprise if we struggle again next season?
We may retain some players who might do better at the lower level. I believe Jack Holland is contracted for another season and he is a great captain but he misses a lot of games through injury.

Article in The Athletic the other day confirmed he’s staying.

 

[AveryDave]

Ollie Bayliss on Twitter confirming the Isthmian Premier for next season - looks all as expected.

 

[baleboy_93]

A little something I've whipped up for you map lovers:

 

[pompeydunc]

A little something I've whipped up for you map lovers:

View attachment 374752

Can't wait for the coast away days. We all know they'll be scheduled for a Tuesday in January though.

 

[peckhamasbestos]

Feb Tuesday night in Canvey, I'm in!

what else is there to do?

 

[liamdhfc]

I sincerely hope Hakan is staying as he should be signing squad players for next season now. If we are going to appoint another manager and get him selecting players in June/July then would it be any surprise if we struggle again next season?
We may retain some players who might do better at the lower level. I believe Jack Holland is contracted for another season and he is a great captain but he misses a lot of games through injury.

Couple of points
No player has a contract beyond this season.

Hak will be in conversation with players now all the matches are completed across all the leagues.

I doubt many of last season’s team will be retained.

 

[Al Cunningham]

Couple of points
No player has a contract beyond this season.

Hak will be in conversation with players now all the matches are completed across all the leagues.

I doubt many of last season’s team will be retained.