Isthmian Pub Leagues 2016/17

[townsendaround]

http://www.townsendaround.co.uk/steps-3-6/el-insectico-wasps-hornets-and-the-a264-derby/ El Insectico! Wasps, Hornets and the A264 derby...featuring East Grinstead Town and Horsham FC.

A considerably longer (and delayed to allow those who want to buy the paper to have done so) version of a match report I wrote for the West Sussex County Times.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Wow, this thread is looking rather neglected I'm sure it has nothing whatsoever to do with the rather indifferent form of a certain hooped SW London side

Given we're looking half decent at the moment I suppose this is a good time to resurrect it.

Are you voting in the community club referendum Paddy ? Be interesting to hear from anyone else about experiences of going down the community club route (not sure which clubs this might be applicable to)?

 

[Paddy]

Oh haaaaiiii there PP. Yeah I don't have as much motivation to post "we were shit this weekend" every 7 days

But hey coming out of a Tonbridge triple header with 2 wins & a tie was pretty darn good of us! 3 league points & progression in the FA Trophy. Not bad at all.

Regarding community club referendum, I am indeed a registered voter. I am voting no. For many reasons but the main ones stick out as:

• We won't be a community club in the community we represent therefor a community club without a community is just a club.

• There was only a little over 200 people who registered to vote. which is sort of akin to our matchday crowds. That's fucking frightening. We don't have a media wank fest behind us like Wombles or FC United nor do we have the presence of a former team to draw fan base from. 200 +/- fans can not run a football club.

• This isn't even a fan born idea. this is the board of directors pushing the agenda. If the want for fan ownership came from the fans then it holds weight but coming from the board it just smacks of them wanting an escape route.

I think there is a lot to be desired from being fan owned (or community owned as it were, I believe there is a difference in the two terms?) & one day when Kingstonian FC's future isn't as uncertain I'd say it would be a good idea but not right now. If the directors want out then sell the club (but not to a prize prick like Kholsa) to someone who wants to run us & is enthusiastic about it.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Yeah, good post - pretty much mirrors my thoughts. I have the same sort of misgivings (basically imagining it would be nice but thinking that it would probably be quite impractical at this moment in time). Very much erring towards No as a result but have yet to vote (planning on watching that video of the Q&A I wasn't able to attend before completely making my mind up).

On the plus side, a good 4-0 win at Harrow continues the revival!

 

[Paddy]

The Q&A is basically just watching the panel dodge questions that they don't have/can't give/won't give answers too. There's a little bit of new info in there but mostly it's treading old ground that we've already covered.

Although having it confirmed that we WON'T be ground sharing with Carshalton is nice. That leaves speculation back to the more reasonable locations of Corinthian-Casuals, Hampton & Richmond or Met Police (or Leatherhead, Molesey, Walton & Hersham, any other ground in 5 mile radius).

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

I watched it and yeah... it was kind of useful and kind of not. I thought the SD guy was really unimpressive and didn't actually make much of a case for community club status at all! The panel, or more specifically the board members on the panel, were quite evasive and also failed to satisfactorily allay lot of supporter concerns. I think the point at which I definitely decided I would be voting no was when either Fenwick or Anderson (can't recall which) admitted that the whole thing was a "leap of faith". I can't, in all good conscience, vote for that. There are too many unanswered questions about the club's future and the viability of this proposal. I think I'd welcome the opportunity to revisit it at some point in the future but this whole endeavour seems ill-timed and ill-thought-out to me. Sent my ballot off 1st class today.

 

[Aberstone]

So the Glenn Tamplin experiment at Billericay begins - they've signed Luke Moore, Matt Johnson and Danny Fitzsimmons from Margate plus Michael Bakare (who was last with Wrexham from memory).

Good luck gentlemen.

 

[Raymondo316]

So the Glenn Tamplin experiment at Billericay begins - they've signed Luke Moore, Matt Johnson and Danny Fitzsimmons from Margate plus Michael Bakare (who was last with Wrexham from memory).

Good luck gentlemen.

Oh Christ hes talking about having a 6000 seater stadium within 3 years and Football League within 7

http://www.phoenixfm.com/2016/11/16...lin-highlights-his-plans-for-billericay-town/

 

[Aberstone]

Remind me Murphy, why did Daggers turn him down?

 

[Raymondo316]

This whole thing sounds like the Margate shambles and their deluded owner making stupid promises.

Think we can all see how this is gonna end!!

 

[Raymondo316]

Billericay are really going for it.
Just signed Billy Bricknell and apparently Sam Higgins....both should score goals for fun at that level.

Well with Bricknell a lot depends on if hes motivated, when with us he looked/played like he really didn't give a shit

 

[Kim Mitten]

Well South Essex has seen all this before with Canvey Island and Fat Jeff. This will end one of two ways - the Hornchurch way where they end up starting again or the Canvey way, where they get to the Conference National before realising 90% of people in South Essex support West Ham and the other 10% Southend and even doing well there just isn't the fanbase to build a viable , sustainable top level non-league club unless you are willing to throw hundreds of thousands of pounds away each year. Fat Jeff of course wasn't willing and ended up trying the same schtick with Chelmsford and it didn't work there either.
Billericay is a decent club so a shame this has happened to them, they only need to look at Concord and East Thurrock from their own patch to realise you don't need to throw money at things to have a decent set up.

 

[Paddy]

Oh good so we'll have AFC Billericay propping up the Essex Senior League table in 2019/20.

Best news of the year... Kingstonian fans reject the boards attempt to push their escape route agenda of fan ownership. On paper simply rejecting fan ownership in favour of board ownership doesn't seem like the 21st century thing to do but with K's in the circumstances we find ourselves in now was defiantly not the right time to add more upheaval off the pitch.

Going forward, who knows? The board already said if the result was a NO then they'd end up putting in less money each year, so our already not super competitive budget (which somehow sprung to get Ryan Moss back on board) will be even smaller next time.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Yeah, right decision. Far too many unanswered questions at the moment and the process seemed very rushed. Perhaps sometime in the not too distant future providing there's greater clarity and we're a bit more clued up on all manner of things...

 

[Aberstone]

Oh good so we'll have AFC Billericay propping up the Essex Senior League table in 2019/20.

Best news of the year... Kingstonian fans reject the boards attempt to push their escape route agenda of fan ownership. On paper simply rejecting fan ownership in favour of board ownership doesn't seem like the 21st century thing to do but with K's in the circumstances we find ourselves in now was defiantly not the right time to add more upheaval off the pitch.

Going forward, who knows? The board already said if the result was a NO then they'd end up putting in less money each year, so our already not super competitive budget (which somehow sprung to get Ryan Moss back on board) will be even smaller next time.

So in other words, blackmail. Nice....

I'd like to think that given the history of both clubs in recent years, AFC Wimbledon would be willing to provide loanees to cover any budget reduction that K's may have.

 

[Paddy]

So in other words, blackmail. Nice....

I'd like to think that given the history of both clubs in recent years, AFC Wimbledon would be willing to provide loanees to cover any budget reduction that K's may have.

I think the general consensus would be we wouldn't want to rely on loan players from AFCW, for which of course would appear ungrateful. I was worried at the beginning of our beautiful relationship that we would end up actually being some kind of feeder club to them but fortunately we've only really taken about 5 or 6 players on loan over the years if that & as far as i can recall we have only provided them with Christian Jolley in return.

I'm hoping any budget reduction would see us at least be competitive in the bottom half of the Isthmian Premier table. While we are in the wilderness years (& to be fair even if/when project Chessington) if we drop back down to Step 4 I think it will start a downward spiral & don't think there will be anyway back this time.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Not seen us much this season but results lately haven't been good enough. Williams should walk imo - plainly not a very good manager.

 

[JaredSUFC]

Not seen us much this season but results lately haven't been good enough. Williams should walk imo - plainly not a very good manager.

Williams got lucky with Thurrock's points deduction when he was manager of the bobbins. However in K's current situation who would want to come in? I'm not being antagonistic but the situation at K's is far from stable. Dwindling crowds, not knowing where you're playing next season and I would imagine limited funds don't create the most enticing of job opportunities for a manager coming in. Even if the guy you have now is poor, could anyone do better under the current circumstances?

 

[Paddy]

Aside from imminent homelessness it's not too dissimilar from when we had Stuart McIntyre in charge. He was mates with the chairmen, like TW, & was taking us on a trip down to the Combined Counties. We didn't think we could do better, we just wanted change in the hope it was better... then in steps Alan Dowson & the rest was history.

I don't know if we can do better. I don't know who would be better. I just know that we either roll the dice to find out or we stick with TW & continue as we are. Next season we will most likely have a vastly reduced budget & even more reduced crowds due to playing fuck knows where (& indeed, no one actually still knows this information) so in my opinion we need a fresh start in the dressing room to reignite hopes... even if those hopes only last until the end of pre season. Personally I'd like to see us look down to county level managers & give someone (who is at least proven at that level) a chance as they'd be more adapt to getting the most of what you have. TW is not this person, he's already shown that.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Williams got lucky with Thurrock's points deduction when he was manager of the bobbins. However in K's current situation who would want to come in? I'm not being antagonistic but the situation at K's is far from stable. Dwindling crowds, not knowing where you're playing next season and I would imagine limited funds don't create the most enticing of job opportunities for a manager coming in. Even if the guy you have now is poor, could anyone do better under the current circumstances?

Um, I dunno really, but I'd like to think so (can't say my knowledge of non-league matters outside Ks is exactly exemplary). Thing is, Williams was a very underwhelming appointment to begin with. He's never really done anything much and managing with a (what you'd imagine to be) reasonably useful budget this season and last he's achieved sod all. Given our predicament it would be nice to have someone who maximised our opportunities. Instead we have, this season, been dumped out of both the FA Cup and FA Trophy by lower league opponents (if we'd beaten those competitors we should have beaten in the latter competition we would have drawn Tranmere) and our performances in the league are beyond frustrating (a more inconsistent team you would struggle to find). Given all the shit that's going on with the club at the moment (or indeed, not going on, given the inactivity of the board) a new manager may be some way down the list of priorities for us at the moment, but I still can't help but think that TW isn't really very good.

 

[Lurchin Urchin]

Well. This thread is in a parlous state of neglect. So it needs to be bumped.
I have very little to say about the Mighty Urchins, other than we are looking OK for a play off place. Maldon are far too good for the rest of us, so we'll be farting about with Thurrock, Brightlingsea and the like for the spare spot. Could well be an all Essex top five, (though given the make-up of the league, that's not a massive surprise I guess). That will cheer up the Ryman Prem as they just LURRRRVE a trip to the Essex badlands.

BUT - more importantly, I have TWO major questions that only this thread can answer ...
1) Purple Ks - WTF?
2) Hendon v Sudbury abandoned due to serious handbags - WTFF ?

I expect an answer within 2 months

Keep Up the good work
LURCHIN

 

[rudebwoyben]

The Hendon - Sudbury fracas seems to be a case of the referee losing control and a certain Hendon player who has had a past history of getting involved in this sort of thing, being the spark. This player had been substituted some 25 minutes before and had been given a last chance by the club after a previous misdemeanour.
It certainly looks like Hendon's first season back 'home' is not going to end well.

 

[DarkSithLord]

The Hendon - Sudbury fracas seems to be a case of the referee losing control and a certain Hendon player who has had a past history of getting involved in this sort of thing, being the spark. This player had been substituted some 25 minutes before and had been given a last chance by the club after a previous misdemeanour.
It certainly looks like Hendon's first season back 'home' is not going to end well.

Is the player you refer to Kevin Mclaren? Statement from Hendon here - http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/hendon-release-maclaren-52688/

 

[rudebwoyben]

Is the player you refer to Kevin Mclaren? Statement from Hendon here - http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/hendon-release-maclaren-52688/

That's the guy!

 

[Paddy]

Hey LU.

Purple K's... well... it's an interesting thing.

It started off as one dude who was very vocal about his concerns regarding our board (something a lot of us felt, including myself, but no one was really rocking the boat). At our recent away game at Leatherhead it then turned into a group of people with t-shirts advertising who they were & smoke bombs/flares - which may or may not have been set off by people from this Purple K's group, they deny it was them.

It is a 'movement' (their words) of fans who have had enough of the boards inability to promote the club & secure our future. It's been alleged that the board have flat out turned away potential sponsors & investors for no reason, which is another of the initial reasons for Purple K's frustration.

Long & short of it... don't really know but it's at least entertaining to watch from the outside in what is otherwise a miserable last season in Kingston for us.

 

[doveranddover]

after that billericay influx of money & signings they seem to have gone further downhill
losing to hendon tonight atm

 

[rudebwoyben]

after that billericay influx of money & signings they seem to have gone further downhill
losing to hendon tonight atm

Luckily for them the match was abandoned because of fog.

 

[Aberstone]

One of our supporters had caught onto a post on the K's forum about how to best go about promoting crowds which prompted some responses on Stonesnet (which can be found here). The options put forward were do K's try and increase crowds via going down the route of Dulwich (hipsters), Lewes (families) or Wealdstone (lads).

Firstly, I should be privileged to be associated in the lad crowd because rest assured, I'm not. What I would say is that analogy is rather simplistic on explaining what is a 300% increase on average home attendances compared to 10 years ago. There's an argument to be made that lad culture has helped our crowds increase, it can be incredibly hostile at home games and I maintain that our atmosphere is better than most others in the league but it's not a continual 90 minutes of singing. Away games, especially long ones just end up in one day long session (train, beer, football) which I think entices PL/FL supporters who are used to a similar culture but for various reasons don't go to games anymore.

Having a home after 17 years in exile (inb4 still in exile, playing in Ruislip) saw crowds jump up by 100 or so just in the first season. Solid foundations and a really successful 3 years in the Isthmian accelerated the boost in crowds. What I would say is that the club this year with a lot of success have aggressively targeted a younger demographic. Kids under 16 free, Junior Stones cards going around at the minute where a gift is awarded having had their card stamped 6 times. The double benefit to the latter is it often forces parents along too who add to the club's coffers.

K's just need to offer something that goes against the status quo and market the hell out of it on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter. The Board of Directors need to make sure wherever they decide to groundshare has some covered terracing, just to make some kind of conducive atmosphere.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking at the league table and seeing Havant not top of the league is hilarious, how Lee Bradbury remains in a job is a mystery to me.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Well. This thread is in a parlous state of neglect. So it needs to be bumped.
I have very little to say about the Mighty Urchins, other than we are looking OK for a play off place. Maldon are far too good for the rest of us, so we'll be farting about with Thurrock, Brightlingsea and the like for the spare spot. Could well be an all Essex top five, (though given the make-up of the league, that's not a massive surprise I guess). That will cheer up the Ryman Prem as they just LURRRRVE a trip to the Essex badlands.

BUT - more importantly, I have TWO major questions that only this thread can answer ...
1) Purple Ks - WTF?
2) Hendon v Sudbury abandoned due to serious handbags - WTFF ?

I expect an answer within 2 months

Keep Up the good work
LURCHIN

As a regular lurker, but not poster, on the Ks forum and an infrequent attendee at our matches the Purple Ks stuff has me QUITE BAFFLED. Dunno if it's one guy, multiple guys, who he/she/it/they are, or anything very much really. Having not been to a game for a while I was hoping to get a bit more of an insight on Saturday but that was THWARTED by the weather. Ah well, had a nice time visiting some old Kingston haunts with some non-Kingstonian mates instead.

One of our supporters had caught onto a post on the K's forum about how to best go about promoting crowds which prompted some responses on Stonesnet (which can be found here). The options put forward were do K's try and increase crowds via going down the route of Dulwich (hipsters), Lewes (families) or Wealdstone (lads).

Firstly, I should be privileged to be associated in the lad crowd because rest assured, I'm not. What I would say is that analogy is rather simplistic on explaining what is a 300% increase on average home attendances compared to 10 years ago. There's an argument to be made that lad culture has helped our crowds increase, it can be incredibly hostile at home games and I maintain that our atmosphere is better than most others in the league but it's not a continual 90 minutes of singing. Away games, especially long ones just end up in one day long session (train, beer, football) which I think entices PL/FL supporters who are used to a similar culture but for various reasons don't go to games anymore.

Having a home after 17 years in exile (inb4 still in exile, playing in Ruislip) saw crowds jump up by 100 or so just in the first season. Solid foundations and a really successful 3 years in the Isthmian accelerated the boost in crowds. What I would say is that the club this year with a lot of success have aggressively targeted a younger demographic. Kids under 16 free, Junior Stones cards going around at the minute where a gift is awarded having had their card stamped 6 times. The double benefit to the latter is it often forces parents along too who add to the club's coffers.

K's just need to offer something that goes against the status quo and market the hell out of it on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter. The Board of Directors need to make sure wherever they decide to groundshare has some covered terracing, just to make some kind of conducive atmosphere.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking at the league table and seeing Havant not top of the league is hilarious, how Lee Bradbury remains in a job is a mystery to me.

Good post. Assume it's probably in reference to a comment on this forum thread which in turn relates to this blog post (which I think is very good and contains a lot of really useful thoughts). The hipster/families/lads thing does seem like a bit of a crass generalisation in relation to those three clubs but I think it's probably a worthwhile thing to think about from a marketing perspective. You do get fairly distinct demographics at football games these days and it's probably worth thinking about who you're targeting and how you're pitching your product. As you say, a lot of it probably comes down to original ideas and aggressive marketing, as well as having somewhere attractive (in one sense or another) to play football.

 

[Lurchin Urchin]

Thanks for the answers chaps/chapesses.

I had a quick glance at the K's forum and yes, it is very entertaining. At least you have sufficient fans who care that you don't actually know the people involved. That wouldn't be the case at many clubs. We have quite a lot of passionate fans at Hornchurch (don't laugh - we really do!), but if one of them started wearing a purple tee-shirt and staging protests I would know exactly who they are, what car they drive and whether they are real ale, lager top, or cinzano and lemonade.

Meanwhile - that Kevin Maclaren fella sounds ideal for Billericay... Just the sort of player for Mr Edwards.