2016-17 National League South

[Joe.]

Parkes doesn't want to go full time apparently. Would have left us had we gone up anyway!

Havant at home today in the cup. Will provide a tough test.

 

[Joe.]

7-0.

Wasn't as tough as I was expecting...

 

[Greenacres]

Forest Green have just announced that Scott Bartlett will be combining his current role as Academy Head with managing Weston-Super-Mare in the National League South.

 

[Joe.]

Matt Fish becomes the latest out of favour player to be let go. Feel for the guy, but it appears he never got over injuries suffered. It's affected him and he's never looked the same player, leading to many fans, wrongly, slagging him off.

Hope he finds a club and, more importantly, some form!

 

[Raymondo316]

Margate are in a financial mess and by the sounds of things might not even last the season..
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet/sport/gate-financial-position-horrendous-103631/

 

[Joe.]

Doesn't sound good! Reckon they'll be alright though.

 

[Aberstone]

Just listened to that, I think Margate will be alright too but fair play, he didn't pull any punches and it does sound rather bleak. I have sympathy for their supporters but you do have to question whether the current chairman did sanction their budget in the summer and where they got their figures from? Some mental figures (all alleged) were going round in the summer on the players they brought in.

Back to on the field matters, we're away at Chelmsford City on Saturday. Given how hopelessly out of depth our full backs are and the speed/crossing ability of Baghasan Graham and Robbie Willmott out wide, I fear for us.

 

[Raymondo316]

but you do have to question whether the current chairman did sanction their budget in the summer and where they got their figures from? Some mental figures (all alleged) were going round in the summer on the players they brought in.

Yeah they claimed they were skint, then went and signed a load of players who anyone on the outside could tell would be on big money.....its no surprise their in such a mess.

I read on another forum that they have a load of full-time staff as well...something a club of their size really shouldn't need.

For their sake it would of been better if they got relegated last season and started living within their means, instead of just continuing to throw more and more money at the playing squad.

 

[Joe.]

Weston away for us on Saturday. Working and skint, so twitter updates for me! Be interesting to see if we continue our run of form though, as most of our recent (comfortable, shall we say) wins have been at home, and we haven't exactly had the best results away from home this season.

 

[Joe.]

2-0. Sounded like they played pretty well going by twitter, but we got the goals.

 

[Aberstone]

Chelmsford City 4-1 Wealdstone (Att: 1,465)

We're a mess defensively, so slow.... any team with pace is going to carve us apart. Eddie Oshodi blundered throughout the game, his first gaff leading to Chelmsford's first goal. Tom Hamblin was out of his depth and Jonathan North is an accident waiting to happen at the moment.

Apart from that I quite enjoyed the game. We looked menacing in midfield and up front, granted Chelmsford did deserve to win and they looked a very good side (Shamir Mullings was a nuisance throughout) but had the score been 4-2 or 4-3 it would have been a more accurate reflection of the game.

Jonny Wright also scored our goal of the season:

 

[Raymondo316]

Parkes doesn't want to go full time apparently. Would have left us had we gone up anyway!

I was led to believe you guys were already full-time

 

[Joe.]

I was led to believe you guys were already full-time

Train 3 mornings a week, a few of our players still have other jobs - we're kind of in between!

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

A lot like buses, I don't have a Conference South game for ages and then two come along in quick succession. Both in Hertfordshire incidentally. Bishop's Stortford v St Albans City for me tomorrow.

 

[Joe.]

Decided I'm not going tomorrow. I've lost all enthusiasm this season. If I don't go to the pub, I'll go to Brentford.

Really hope I get it back. All the games I've been at I wished I wasn't there.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

St Albans won 5-1. Should have been more. Bishop's Stortford, on that showing, are every level of fucked and then some.

 

[Aberstone]

Gosport Borough 1-3 Wealdstone (Att: 487)

Shouldn't grumble too much as we got the 3 points but my god was that game not enjoyable to watch. I swear the ball was a ticking time bomb given the countless times both sides gave away possession.

 

[Joe.]

Drew 1-1. A 'good point' by all accounts. Fuck off.

Bath at home next week. If I go, then it's because of the halloween party in the pub afterwards.

 

[Aberstone]

Highlights from yesterday. Go on then everyone else, 2:55 which leads to our 3rd goal - backpass or not?

 

[Joe.]

Highlights from yesterday. Go on then everyone else, 2:55 which leads to our 3rd goal - backpass or not?

Looks to me like he mis-controlled it and the keeper just mopped up. Seen them given before, but not a backpass for me.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Looks to me like he mis-controlled it and the keeper just mopped up. Seen them given before, but not a backpass for me.

I agree with that. I understand though why the referee has given it.

 

[Joe.]

I agree with that. I understand though why the referee has given it.

Yeah, I can see why the referee has given it. After mis-controlling it, the guy has made no attempt to make up for it and get it clear, which gives the ref the option to view it as a backpass.

Unfortunate, but it happens!

 

[Aberstone]

Looks like we're all in agreement then as I thought it was harsh in real time, I also wasn't the only supporter behind the goal to think that either. Scoring from it just rubbed salt into the wounds.

 

[Joe.]

Looks like we're all in agreement then as I thought it was harsh in real time, I also wasn't the only supporter behind the goal to think that either. Scoring from it just rubbed salt into the wounds.

It all equals out. Later on in the season you'll have a decision (not exactly that, but you get what I mean) go against you at a vital time. It's extremely harsh, but it happens!

 

[Raymondo316]

Sounds like Margate have made Elliott Buchanan available.....must be finally cutting back on the high spending.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet/sport/thalassitis-leaves-blues-114644/

 

[DarkSithLord]

I see Gosport have been served with another Winding up petition their second in 3 months with another to come too. Didnt know they were in such a mess. Anyone know the story?

 

[Aberstone]

I see Gosport have been served with another Winding up petition their second in 3 months with another to come too. Didnt know they were in such a mess. Anyone know the story?

Basically the two basket case clubs from last season (Gosport and Margate) haven't learnt lessons. As I stated on the OP 'Gosport Borough have already announced the signings of striker Chris Flood from Basingstoke Town and goalkeeper Martin Rice who arrives from Truro City. Alex Pike has gone on record in the past few days stating that their cash flow problems are over, new sponsors will give them cash in the bank and a £250,000 budget to work with (nice for some). Perhaps due to problems at Privett Park last season, the majority of the squad has been gutted.'

Well as it turned out, their sponsor or benefactor was a no show which immediately put an alleged £40,000 black hole in their budget. I'm sure Alex Pike didn't forecast that as they were handing out 2 year deals left, right and centre to players coming in. Rice and fellow ex-Truro player Aaron Dawson travel from Exeter ffs and it was confirmed before the season started that we were in for Chris Flood.

Then they were knocked out at the first hurdle of the FA Cup in which there was a picture posted on Twitter of Gosport chairman with his head in his hands for a good 20 minutes. Discontent from players on Twitter with at least one insinuating that there wasn't a likelihood of being paid on time. Pike is being heavily linked with the AFC Totton job at the minute too, so all in all it's a bit of a circus down there at the minute.

This may be considered selfish but the thing I'm worried about most is those 3 points we won on Saturday being expunged.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Basically the two basket case clubs from last season (Gosport and Margate) haven't learnt lessons. As I stated on the OP 'Gosport Borough have already announced the signings of striker Chris Flood from Basingstoke Town and goalkeeper Martin Rice who arrives from Truro City. Alex Pike has gone on record in the past few days stating that their cash flow problems are over, new sponsors will give them cash in the bank and a £250,000 budget to work with (nice for some). Perhaps due to problems at Privett Park last season, the majority of the squad has been gutted.'

Well as it turned out, their sponsor or benefactor was a no show which immediately put an alleged £40,000 black hole in their budget. I'm sure Alex Pike didn't forecast that as they were handing out 2 year deals left, right and centre to players coming in. Rice and fellow ex-Truro player Aaron Dawson travel from Exeter ffs and it was confirmed before the season started that we were in for Chris Flood.

Then they were knocked out at the first hurdle of the FA Cup in which there was a picture posted on Twitter of Gosport chairman with his head in his hands for a good 20 minutes. Discontent from players on Twitter with at least one insinuating that there wasn't a likelihood of being paid on time. Pike is being heavily linked with the AFC Totton job at the minute too, so all in all it's a bit of a circus down there at the minute.

This may be considered selfish but the thing I'm worried about most is those 3 points we won on Saturday being expunged.

Oh Dear that sounds terminal and far worse than the farce at Margate.

 

[Aberstone]

Oh Dear that sounds terminal and far worse than the farce at Margate.

In fairness, it sounds like a consortium is prepared to come in and take over the club provided Mark Hook and his board of directors quit. Who knows, I'd imagine they'll survive.

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

In other news, Welling will beat us on Saturday now that Jamie Day is back involved at the club and Hemel away a week on Saturday has been segregated. Oh goody...

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

I'm off to St Albans tomorrow. I seem to have been doing a little tour of the Conference South in Hertfordshire over the last month or so; Hemel Hempstead, Bishop's Stortford and now St Albans.