More Worrying Speculation . . .

[JimGNFC]

Page 2 of The Reporter makes for interesting reading and if they are right about the location of the Gills Super Stadium then G&N ought to be concerned as its right on our doorstep!

 

A summerised version of the Reporter's comments can be found below (Failing that buy a copy!):

 

Mr Burden (Gravesham Borough Council Leader) said:

"I suspect Gillingham will come to Gravesham area and I will welcome them because they will put us on the map in football terms . . . However my support for Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club has not diminished."

 

The Reporter claims Gillingham:

" . . .are expected to submit planning applications in the next few months at which stage the locations of the sites will be confirmed."

 

At last Thursday's press conference Gillingham Chairman Paul Scally indicated for the first time that Gravesham was his top priority venue for a new ground. He said "If I were new to Kent and was looking to build a stadium I would want an area with a dense population and good road and rail links. Ashford and Gravesham satisfy these but I am looking for sites in a 12 mile radius of Gillingham and Ashford is outside that."

 

The Reporter asks "But where?" in Gravesham for the new stadia:

 

"The Reporter believes them (2 locations) to be the Northfleet Embankment and the Canal Basin, Denton.

 

The Northfleet Embankment will become vacant when Lafarge Cement works is decommissioned in 2008. The site looks the most likely of the two . . . The Canal Basin appears an unlikely option because existing plans for redevelopment including 1000 homes with commercial and uses."

 

Hold on a minute . . . Isn't the Lafarge Cement works the large factory at the top of Stonebridge Road itself!? (on the left as you walk up towards The Hill). The Lafarge Cement works has a private road that leads down to The Thamesway and Springhead Road - thereby providing easy access to the A2.

 

That really would be taking the biscuit if they plan to build their stadium on a site that aligns with Stonebridge Road!

[Stu M]

Quote:

JimGNFC said:
Mr Burden (Gravesham Borough Council Leader) said:
"I suspect Gillingham will come to Gravesham area and I will welcome them because they will put us on the map in football terms . . . However my support for Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club has not diminished."

What a crock of shiit. I wish these councillors would just come out and say, "Hey, we want the Gills. We couldn't give two hoots about some mickey mouse non-league side" cos that's what they mean. Gravesham is on the football map - if he considers it's not, then I fear the council will welcome the 'glitzy' Gills with open arms.

[Mepis]

That's just about right, as i said in a previous thread the supporters of both teams will not have a say in this.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Quote:

Stu M said:

Quote:

JimGNFC said:
Mr Burden (Gravesham Borough Council Leader) said:
"I suspect Gillingham will come to Gravesham area and I will welcome them because they will put us on the map in football terms . . . However my support for Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club has not diminished."

What a crock of shiit. I wish these councillors would just come out and say, "Hey, we want the Gills. We couldn't give two hoots about some mickey mouse non-league side" cos that's what they mean. Gravesham is on the football map - if he considers it's not, then I fear the council will welcome the 'glitzy' Gills with open arms.

Exactly what i said elsewhere..Instant Football League team against a team that are in the Conference!

[Mepis]

It will be interesting to see what the Medway News have to say about this on Friday, may also be worth a look at the Gills web site as well, this will drag on for a while yet.

[James]

Mr Burden (Gravesham Borough Council Leader) said:

"I suspect Gillingham will come to Gravesham area and I will welcome them because they will put us on the map in football terms . . . However my support for Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club has not diminished."

 

The interesting point to note is that it does not say from which point his support for GNFC can diminish, one would suspect that if he has no support for GNFC in the first place then he is making a typical politicians point ie he is not lying but the statement means absolutely nothing

 

[David Holden]

That's the sort of posting that would go down well on the Margate Forum.

[James]

Do not ever acuse me of coming out in sympathy with the GIT.

[John Pearce]

Perhaps someone should ask the Leader of Gravesham Council precisely how Gillingham coming to Gravesend will "put the town on the map", particularly as I understand Scally has given an undertaking (for what thats worth) that wherever they move to they will continue to call themselves Gillingham, unlike what has happened to Wimbledon=Milton Keynes Dons.

 

Its early days but already the whole thing stinks!

[Blinkjim]

Is i pointed out on a previous thread, i feel we need to show the council what we want and that we are not willing to be understudies to a team from outside of the area.

 

We need to let them know that gillingham are not welcome here by us and never will be!!!

[Richard C]

My letter to the council is in the post!!!!!!! seriously though if we all did send a letter ...............

[Blinkjim]

what about a petition to be signed during the next season and then drop it on the doors of the council, to show our anti-gillingham stance.

[Fleet_Fella]

Interestingly, on the S*itingbourne forum, they are talking about an article in tonight's Kent Messenger stating that Swale council are interested in working with Gillingham. Would make more sense for them to go there (Or would that be that we would like them to go to Swale!!).

 

S*itingbourne Forum

[Hirsty]

Are not certain Council meetings open to the public ( I am sure thay used to be !)....

 

so....no matter what meeting it is...pop down there....you may even see Mr Burden so you can ask a question....if he is not too busy with

speed cameras and double yellow lines !!

 

Now is the hour !! Rise up ye faithful !

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

[Hempstead Gaz]

Gordon Bennett Hirsty, you sound like a good candidate for mayor!!!

[John@TheFleet]

He's got my vote! No Gillingham FC in Gravesend and free cider for all!!!!!!!

 

Seriously, though,it's all very well talking the talk on a web site but what we need is action. When I was involved with the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) some 10-12 years ago, we were fed up with Brussells trying to interfere with our way of life so, along with our brothers in Europe, we sent 20,000 bikers to Belgium in'92 and 250,000 (unconfirmed!!) to Paris in '94 to protest. They left us alone!! People power won! OK, different subject and different mass appeal but the principle's the same. If we scream and shout and knock the door down, they will listen: they'll have to listen. If we do nothing, then we're losers and have no-one to blame but ourselves.

 

Letters are ok but we need loads of them, flood them out with them (it's a ploy MAG used to startling effect when thousands piled through the letter-box of one politician in the space of a few days!). We need to lobby the Council in person, lobby Parliament, lobby the FA, lobby the BBC, LOBBY EVERYONE!!. We need to be seen to be doing something. Letters can get 'lost in the post' but people can't. We need to be there, in their faces.

 

I've got my hackles up now so if anyone's up for it, I'm in there!

 

BRING IT ON!!!!

[Red Neck]

I concur with FF. It's early days yet, so I don't feel us G&N fans need worry to much. These things take years, the Margate fiasco is a prime example.

 

Bare in mind that Gillingham are already £3-4 million in debt, at the moment. That they can't even fill a supposedly 'inadequate' stadium. And, they only missed relegation last season on goal average.

 

With no disrepect to Andy and the boys, but the chances are far greater that Gillingham will achieve relegation before we become a League club. I am sure in the knowledge that we will finish the season higher up the table than we did in 2003/2004, possibly in a play-off position. And, I'm confident that we will deservedly gain promotion in the very near future. But, how will Mr.Burden feel about his welcome to Gillingham when they are in Division 2 and we are in Division 3. Just one level apart instead of three levels as it is at present. Not such a fantastic dream, and not so alluring with two full-time teams trying to out do each other. Not just in the same county, but the same borough.

 

Think again Mr. Burden, look a little further than the end of your nose. Look at the big picture, say ten years from now.

[Ray ellingham]

I have heard that the Gills are going to a site near Kingsnorth Power Station. anybody else heard that?

[Mepis]

If that is true the road system there will have to be upgraded, that road the A228 has got to be the most dangerous road in Medway if not North Kent, mind you there is plenty of room especially if the power station is closing down, take a look Mr Scally.

On the protest front would not the 24th July be the day for both Fleet & Gills fans to show how they feel as i believe we have the annual friendly that day.

[John@TheFleet]

Quote:

Ray ellingham said:
I have heard that the Gills are going to a site near Kingsnorth Power Station. anybody else heard that?

A new road is already being built, I believe. But more interestingly, the old power station behind Kimberley Clark on the river-front burnt down yesterday evening and is in fact still alight as I write. Wasn't that one of the sites Scally had proposed for his new stadium? Coincidence? Conspiracy? We'll see.......