60 years on...

[Roy gnfc]

Yes,in 2 years time it will be the club's 60th aniversery,60 years since we entertained Hereford here in front of 6000(3-0)in the Southern League,and where are we now,why,at the same level,60 years later.It's time to move out of Stonebridge Road (much as I love the place)and have a Stadium more fitting for Gravesham,so why not join forces with the Gills and move onwards and upwards.It will happen sooner or later,so why not sooner.Let's grasp the nettle and go for it!!

[Jimmy]

No thanks, Gillingham should stay in Gillingham.

[Jessica]

Totally agree, why should we ever want to share with Gillingham, I didn't see many of them wanting anything to do with us when they were first promoted to the first div and we were in the Ryman, As has been said on loads of post on other threads, I also think we have almost all said let stay in our local area and not share with Gillingham, as we will simply be just that a team that share a ground and have no real identity

[JFW]

If the Club continues to progress in the way that it is and at the rate that it is, we may be inviting Gillingham to ground share with us as our our tenants when we are in the Football League and they are in the Conference South!

 

 

[Vera]

Why should we even think about sharing (being swallowed up) by the Gills when against all the odds we have probably ended higher in league standings than at any time, bearing in mind the high standard of the Conference. We have just got a Supporters Trust launched and how would that flourish if we shared. We know what sharing can mean we have seen it all before. The bigger guys take over and if/when they fail they take the poor relation with them. I was really looking forward to next season and doing my bit financially for the ST but it doesn't feel quite so good now.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

What is the

[Richard C]

I was thinking of the ST and getting more and more involved both financially and other means. Not to sure im even going to buy a season ticket now if we are going to pushed out by the big fish and left as dried up newts!

 

Message for Brian. I DONT want ANYTHING to do with gillingham if i did i would go to Priestfield not Stonebridge Road!

[Gordon T]

I don't think anyone needs to feel pushed around. You should continue with your season ticket and your involvment with the trust as it IS bneficial. I still feel that thses decisions are still in the earlier stages, and also that the gills will get the temple marsh site.

Don't forget the board have been very sensible and done what is best for the club. I'm sure that they will take into account all the arguements and views and do what is right.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Ground sharing is at least 4 years away, if at all. By then we may be pushing hard for the Conference play offs, in front of 2000 - 3000 crowds. Wouldn't seem so attractive then, as we could have a lot more financial clout then, and would be considering a brand new Fkleet staium of our own or a fully renewed Stonebridge Road.

[CeeJay]

Along with many others, I can't see how GNFC could gain any benefit from a ground sharing involvement with Gillingham - surely the financial structures are completely different and sharing a high capacity stadium makes no sense, as, as has already been stated, we'd have very little chance of creating any sort of atmosphere for our games.

 

In any case, I for one, believe Stonebridge Road has the potential to be a quality ground, either in the Conference or in the Third division.

 

 

CeeJay

 

 

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

 

Quote:

Ground sharing is at least 4 years away, if at all. By then we may be pushing hard for the Conference play offs, in front of 2000 - 3000 crowds. Wouldn't seem so attractive then,

 

It does not seem attractive now either....

 

 

It just seems ironic , that just after the news that the Darts have finally been given positive news about a new ground in the borough of Dartford, and are looking to a brighter future on home soil.

 

The Gills announce that they would contemplate moving out of Medway.

 

Its time for all Kentish men to unite and repel those invaders back across the river Medway. Bishop Odo would be proud .

 

 

 

 

[smithyman]

I think we should all remember what happened to Dartford all those years ago when Maidstone's financial collapse almost put them out of existence. Only now are they looking like they will have their own ground again.

 

Tell Scally to p**s off and put any money that it undoubtedly would have cost us into doing up our own ground.

[Graham S]

I think Brian's statement makes it clear that his preferred option is for us to do our own thing, either at Stonebridge Road or elsewhere. I don't have a problem with his being prepared to talk to Gillingham, if their preferred option falls through. However, I would hope that the points that have consistently come out in discussions on this forum are held very much in mind in any negotiations:

 

1. Any deal which means that, if the Gills go out of business, then we lose our ground is an absolute no no. Their financial position is precarious at the moment. Mr Scally has shown himself a shrewd gambler in the past, but I would rather have Brain's judgement deciding our future than his.

 

2. Any ground we develop or move to has to be within the Borough of Gravesham. Moving out is simply not on the cards.

 

3. A stadium which can hold in excess of 10 - 15,000 will destroy all atmosphere at our games & support will ebb away; nobody wants to go to a morgue (Wealdstone at Watford, or even the wide open spaces on the home terraces of the fine Mc Alpine stadium, when we played Huddesfield in the cup & most of their supporters saw it as a nothing game.)

 

4. Any deal guarrantees the absolute independence of Gravesend & Northfllet Football Club. Some people who know nothing see it as an opportunity for a 'real' football club to move in. I remember talking to an old boy, in the 80s, who said it had all been spoilt when Northfleet went in with Gravesend. The poor old chap was living in a no longer existing past. But when we insist on independence today, we are not. Gravesham & Medway are big enough to support their own football teams. Mr Scally probably knows that the balance of power, support base wise, is shifting inexorably towards Gravesham, but that doesn't mean a merger is acceptable. Not now. Not ever.

 

Personally, I'd prefer us to stay where we are & develop, but this may be impossible, given that we don't own the ground & the people who do are sitting on a prime site. Sensibly we've been negotiating with the landlords & the council & Dartford council's generous support of Dartford may encourage ours to follow suit. I don't know when the next local elections are, but I'd be very worried if we hadn't sorted something out before then. Historically, the boys in blue have done nothing for sport in this borough except vandalise it by demolishing one of the finest (if coldest!) swimming pools in the south east.

 

Apologies for the essay.

 

Graham S