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Oh, for feck's sake!


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Look at the front page of this week's reporter. "Gills move shock for Fleet fans" - an article claiming Gillingham might be building their new stadium in Gravesend.

 

Have they forgotten April 1st was last Thursday? Actually, if you read it, you'll find it's a load of hot air blown up out of virtually nothing. The real giveaway to how seriously we should takre it is the name of the person endorsing the so-called proposal.

 

You've guessed it, chaps ... Melody Ryall. 'Nuff said.

 

EC

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Gillingham FC have obviously recognised the potential of being located in this new development area, with high-speed train links to London, Kent and the continent. Perhaps GNFC should get in first and explore the options re increased supporter catchment and sponsorship. We don’t want to lose out on this most exiting opportunity. If the Gills do come here we could end up being overshadowed by them and then who knows what will happen…

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they can't afford to sqwuak. £7mill in debt, new stand would cost £1mill minimum, plus at the overdraft limit. scally wants to move because he feels that priestfield is not good enough for the team IF they continue to be in div one. ok so they don't fill it but scally is looking at the situation chelsea-wise. he wants to create a sort of gills village, with a hotel and casino etc. he believes this sort of income is going to better for the club than just fans and success on the pitch. he has been in talks with a las vegas casino firm and i think if any new ground was going to be built then they would have a huge financial input into it. sheff utd are also exploring this avenue (casino). if it means more financial income for BOTH fleet and gills then why cant it work? rail links are ideal, motorway nearby. brand new pitch, nice stadia. surely fleet fans would love to see that!! we have a huge catchment area here as proved by gills fan base at the play-offs. hull city have just moved stadium and are nearly filling that when they never filled their old ground. if gills can be successful on the pitch and so can fleet then both teams would prosper immensely.

 

thanks for reading the essay!!

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This could become a seriously complicated thread as the debate develops.

There are many pro's and many cons to ground sharing with the Gills.

Personally I don't want it.

We have a 10 year lease on the ground, may improve it or get a new one. At present we do nothing more than cosmetic improvements as required by the conference.

We are solvent, and under the helm of Brian, I have no doubt we shall continue to remain so.

Brian has pledge all along that nothing would jeopordise the financial status of the club, and ground sharing with ANY team long term , especially one with massive debts may do us more harm than good. The classic analogy is the Sones sharing with Dartford. Stones sold their ground, paid off debts, but took a huge debt to Dartford, both of whom all but went out of business. Neither have made massive progress since then - still in crap leagues, playing to sparse crowds and neither have a ground they can call Home.

do we really want to take a chance by sharing ?

Any risk, however slight, is in my opinion too much of a risk.

The other factor is whether the Gills would see us as a reserve side rather than a professional team in our own right.

I have no grudge with Gillingham - I live here but do not support them , but I do not dislike then as I do Canvey or Margate. I do wonder whether the whole thing is a Paul Scally ego thing, likening himself to the Abramovich of the lower league.

Time will no doubt reveal all.

 

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Firstly - as I indicated at the start, I think this is The Reporter / Ms Ryall trying to create a story out of some "news" they happened to pick up 4 months after the event. Still, ignoring the clearly discernible sub plot: "Gillingham coming to Gravesend = a real team in the town, as opposed to a Noddy one," at least they see us as newsworthy enough of a front page article. I can remember when The Reporter was first sold to an out of the area concern & whist Dartford & Corinthian had match coverage we got nothing in a week when we'd played 2 games (& when I wrote to the new Sports Editor enquiring why, I got sweet FA in reponse.)

 

Secondly, Gillingham supporters have more to be worried about - it's a real b*stard when your team re-locates to another town. Anywhere outside the Medway towns has to be a bummer for Gills fans.

 

Thirdly, if it has to happen, then in the interests of both clubs, something has to be written into the pre-nuptial agreement which insulates both of us, should the other go bust. Personally, I'd prefer a site which could be split in the event of the demise of one of the clubs: two pitches & separate stands, with certain other faciliites shared which could be sold off, if necessary, together with the assets of the bankrupt party, without delivering a mortal blow to the surviving club.

 

Anyway, all pie in the sky, at the moment - back to reality. Congratulations to Telford for their recent from in the face of adversity, we'll need to be at our best to get anything tomorrow, but I'm confident given our current long term form. Come on you reds!!

 

EC

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Quote:
Chad said:
he wants to create a sort of gills village, with a hotel and casino etc.he has been in talks with a las vegas casino firm and i think if any new ground was going to be built then they would have a huge financial input into it.

rail links are ideal, motorway nearby. brand new pitch, nice stadia. surely fleet fans would love to see that!! we have a huge catchment area here as proved by gills fan base at the play-offs.



They will not be building a huge new casino.As the papers and news were saying last week, no las vegas style will be seen as a limit to the slot machines allowed in such a building is very low. The current companies, the gala casinos and the like had their shares rocketing at this news as they are small time operators compared to vegas casinos. Can't see vegas companies being interested in a small time operation when they already have a huge industry of their own.

It's all very well having a huge catchment area but if they don;t turn up week in week out then it matters for nothing. The good rail links/ road links also mean that access to all london clubs is excellent timewise. And they play a better class of football and this interests the kids more as they get to see the real owens and shearers. Come to think of it, with the shocking state of the A2 from medway to gravesends ground, I would hate to be stuck on there with thousands of other supporters getting to the ground. It is bad enough without that extra traffic.
Nearly all the kids i see at fleet are bored stiff after 45 mins and just run around chasing each other!!! A nice new stadium would be nice, but at the moment our pitch is of an excellent quality and at the end of the day, that is the important bit.
Plus Gills are going down, which is a shame IMO, but there you go.

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