Non League Bound?

Quoted from GrimRob

If we stay in this division indefinitely we're bound to go down eventually. With four promotion places though we should be challenging at the other end some if not most years.

I agree with this - sooner or later we'll have a shocking transfer window where after a mid table season our best players don't sign new deals. We don't land our targets. The ones we do get get injured. We get unlucky in our first few games and then were rock bottom and it's hard to survive from that position. We may get away with it but new players will be reulctant to join us the following season as they view us as "going backwards". This is why next season we need to actually have a proper go at going up.

Quoted from horsforthmariner

I agree with this - sooner or later we'll have a shocking transfer window where after a mid table season our best players don't sign new deals. We don't land our targets. The ones we do get get injured. We get unlucky in our first few games and then were rock bottom and it's hard to survive from that position. We may get away with it but new players will be reulctant to join us the following season as they view us as "going backwards". This is why next season we need to actually have a proper go at going up.

With what? A budget based upon 1500 season tickets and average home gates of nudging 3000?

A club that looks like it's going backwards on and off the pitch to prospective signings?

With a disenchanted dwindling fanbase whose patience has already been stretched to the absolute limit?

With Slade, who seems like he can't keep our most skilful players happy or even at the club?

With 37 year old centre backs? With Hooper, Kelly and Dixon?

If this is what we've got this season based upon last season's attendance figures, how are we going to attract anyone decent next season?

Would we be more attractive than Accrington for geographical location, Yeovil, Cheltenham for the surroundings etc etc?


The bigger picture is we are in the crapp already. It's just a question of how long it takes for every fan to realise it. We can look at it game by game but it's pretty pointless. Anyone think that five wins in a row (it's never gonna happen) would get BP bouncing and packed to the rafters again? We've got inherent problems much deeper than crossing our fingers for a seventh striker on the books in this January window..

As we stand at present as a club, we haven't got a hope in hell of going for it next season..

If home gates continue on trend to stumble around 3k, being pragmatic, we'll be gripping on for our dear lives with a budget 30-40% less than this season..

Well I know it's only the 4th day of the transfer window but plenty of our opponents have already signed or lined up new players.

We can't seem to sort out the ones who are already contracted never mind getting new ones....worrying

Quoted from Bigdog

With what? A budget based upon 1500 season tickets and average home gates of nudging 3000?

A club that looks like it's going backwards on and off the pitch to prospective signings?

With a disenchanted dwindling fanbase whose patience has already been stretched to the absolute limit?

With Slade, who seems like he can't keep our most skilful players happy or even at the club?

With 37 year old centre backs? With Hooper, Kelly and Dixon?

If this is what we've got this season based upon last season's attendance figures, how are we going to attract anyone decent next season?

Would we be more attractive than Accrington for geographical location, Yeovil, Cheltenham for the surroundings etc etc?


The bigger picture is we are in the crapp already. It's just a question of how long it takes for every fan to realise it. We can look at it game by game but it's pretty pointless. Anyone think that five wins in a row (it's never gonna happen) would get BP bouncing and packed to the rafters again? We've got inherent problems much deeper than crossing our fingers for a seventh striker on the books in this January window..

As we stand at present as a club, we haven't got a hope in hell of going for it next season..

If home gates continue on trend to stumble around 3k, being pragmatic, we'll be gripping on for our dear lives with a budget 30-40% less than this season..

I feel depressed after reading that!

We both know where the blame lies for our struggles over the last 15 years or so, but how do we address it is the problem.

If he wont commit to "walking away" under a controlled set of circumstances that sees a compromise on the money he feels he is owed, meaning that other interested parties would be tempted, then what do we do?

One answer is that he ups the anti by paying for players that we actually want. First choice players who will be swayed by some ambition and of course wages. I don't agree about we cannot get good players to come to this area. Very few actually live here anyway, it is just a commute.We have had plenty of great players in the past and we will in the future - if the wages are right.

It is a chicken and egg situation for Fenty. Does he do little or nothing proactively and keeps letting football fortune keep kicking him in the teeth, or does he do something about it? It is his responsibility to either put more investment in or move aside.  

If we had 18 decent players on decent money and a few youngsters it would be far better than having 30 odd mediocre or cast offs in the main with 3-4 you could look to use as a base.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

I just want some clarity and a real statement of intent from the Football Club on where we are going? If they come out and tell me they expect to tread water for a couple of years whilst the ground gets built I don`t really like it BUT I would support it because it`s for the greater good long term.

Keeping the fans in the dark with pish poor player recruitment and an awful brand of football on offer most games whilst squabbling over things that don`t matter off the field is driving the fans away.

Large swathes of the support are angry,frustrated and worst of all fed up with what`s going on.Somebody please step up and tell us what the masterplan is for the next 3-5 years?

I doubt they'd tell us they have the intention of treading water for a few years as nobody would buy a ticket.
Your right about what their intent is though , If we had  a statement saying where they expected us to be in the next couple of years we'd be able to hold them to account and tell them that they had failed if they did not achieve their aims

Quoted from grimps

I doubt they'd tell us they have the intention of treading water for a few years as nobody would buy a ticket.
Your right about what their intent is though , If we had  a statement saying where they expected us to be in the next couple of years we'd be able to hold them to account and tell them that they had failed if they did not achieve their aims

15 years ago being told we were going to crash through the divisions and spend 6 years in non league would have been unthinkable to compound it with Lincoln doubling our gates with ease in the same division 2 years after getting back Unforgivable.