Bentley leaves Fleet to join Dagenham

[FleetFanatic]

Quote:

Sorry Super Daz couldn't miss an opportunity like this, I suppose a
yawn will be coming along soon.

Wrong, as this is about the real club issues unlike the other stuff that I did find boring.....still each to their own.

Feel free to make it personal.

[mikef]

So the running of the youth setup isn't a real club issue?

I agree that the 1st team is the prime issue of the club but surely there should be a good, strong, well run! youth section to hopefully supply the 1st team with players in the future. There is also the added bonus of club exposure to the youngsters (future paying supporters) & their families in the gravesham area.

The playing of these youth matches gives the opportunity for publicity via newspaper reports & word of mouth by the kids at schools etc also the parents who have the enthusiasm to support the kids & their teams may be encouraged to come to a 1st team match by their sons & bring along some friends. I'm sure that more than a few of the club supporters have come to their first G&N match via this route.

 

Maybe (and I hope I am wrong) that your simple statement is indicative of the feeling at the club itself that they don't consider the youth setup as part of the real club thus allowing the insensitive shambles that ended this years U13 season, hopefully they will get it right next season!

 

Regards

 

Mike F

[Stu M]

Leaving aside whether youth players progress through the ranks or not, I think one thing here is important - that these kids are linked with GNFC in some way, thereby increasing attendance at first team matches (two kids = two parents = four fans times by a couple of youth teams could provide a lot of future supporters for the club). That's one reason why I think it's important that the club support any youth teams that bear the name or have some association with GNFC.

[chris blanc]

Andy said in one of his Manager's reports that they were thinking of stuff like kids for a quid. So getting the Kids in is obviously important to the club, as it also brings in the parents.

 

As for the youth team, we should support our own. If the team bears the name of GNFC, they should get our support I think

[Nike Trainers]

Up to the new U14's there are I think at least 70 youth players. If each brought at least one adult along, didnt use the car park, or buy a programme thats still £700.

Hmm....give each of these kids some promotional leaflets to give out to their neighbours, schoolfriends etc. offering 1/2 price addmission. Each kid gets 20 leaflets 5% of recipients turn up thats another £350.

Thats over £1000 and I havent even got out of bed yet!

Then drop the kids when they are older and undo all the good work.

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

Quote:

Up to the new U14's there are I think at least 70 youth players. If each brought at least one adult along, didnt use the car park, or buy a programme thats still £700.

Hmm....give each of these kids some promotional leaflets to give out to their neighbours, schoolfriends etc. offering 1/2 price addmission. Each kid gets 20 leaflets 5% of recipients turn up thats another £350.

Thats over £1000 and I havent even got out of bed yet!

 

Lets hope the new chief exec looks at the ideas that generate on this board. Theres been plenty in recent months , and the majority could make the right impact on our attendances, and most of them, Like the one above involves very little financial outlay, but just a bit of vision and effort.

 

Keep the ideas coming thick and fast..

[BERGMAN]

Hallelujah, 'children are our future - treat them well etc. etc' Of course you can tap in to the kids in the Youth section their mates at school, mums dads etc. They are a resource, not only through the gate, but to distribute and promote the club. Charlton do it very well. The points made earlier re the under 13's obviously bored the pants off certain folk, but it is really part of the bigger issue. If you have to release players, due to someone believing rightly or wrongly that they are not good enough, then do it respectfully and allow them to retain their dignity. Basically don't take the p*ss out of them by pretending there is some kind of policy that makes it inevitable to replace them with players who are no better. The club needs all the support it can get from the community, from young to old and doesn't want to be hit by adverse publicity. The club should ensure that the fiasco that has taken place this year, does not happen again.