56 replies to this topic

[Freebird]

i had a brief converstaion with Derek Robinson the other day and a point that came up was the matter or Enfield Town supporters that nevered supported Enfield and would not favour a merger as they would treat Enfield as another club rather than there old club, and every season Enfield Town are going that number may well increase to the stage there are more only Enfield Town supporters than old enfield supporters and then a merger may well never happen.

Just imagine a meeting were after a vote about merger it is defeated and the majority say to the minority go back to Enfield if you want we are staying as Enfield Town.

equally the same goes the other way, Enfield pick up supporters from the ware / hertford area that dont care about Enfield Town so in the same way dont want a merger.

The Answer is the split has happened both clubs apprear to be getting on well on there own, lets leave it that way.

Enfield is big enough for two sides

[Steph]

"Enfield is big enough for two sides"

What rubbish.

Yes Enfield is probably big enough for 8 or 9 sides but none of them would be playing at conference or Football League level!

Enfield Town have the ambition to go all the way to the Football League. I just dont see that at Enfield who seem content to foul it up for others.

It is likely that there will not be a merger and in that event Enfield Town will be streets ahead of EFC in a couple of years.

[The Invisible Man]

Steph's first three sentences are certainly correct.

To try to run two senior non-league clubs at the same level (or very close) in the borough would be suicidal for both clubs.

I don't know what Freebird is saying about what would happen after a vote. If the vote was against a merger, then so be it, there would be no merger and the club would continue on its way. That's what votes are for, and we would (as we do) abide by the wishes of the membership.

[Freebird]

Quote:

The Invisible Man said:
Steph's first three sentences are certainly correct.

To try to run two senior non-league clubs at the same level (or very close) in the borough would be suicidal for both clubs.

I don't know what Freebird is saying about what would happen after a vote. If the vote was against a merger, then so be it, there would be no merger and the club would continue on its way. That's what votes are for, and we would (as we do) abide by the wishes of the membership.

you missd my point, if supporters at Enfield Town wanted to merge and the vote went against them they may well choose to return to enfield rather than stay at Town

most of the people running Town at present were Enfield Supporters, maybe if that changed in the future, the way the club runs may as well.

[Freebird]

Quote:

Steph said:
"Enfield is big enough for two sides"

What rubbish.

Enfield is big enough for two club where did i say they both had to be at the same level.

Go and look through the Non League Paper at the attendances tomorrow everyone is running on low crowds some under 200, and in teh Ryman and Southern League Premier Divisions

Town with over 200 and an Enfield side in Enfield with around 150 could survive, there is enough now companies coming in to gain sponsorship and enough people moving in to attract new support.

Two sides higher up may be differant and i doubt any side in enfield in teh football league would far well with Tottenham and Barnet close by.

There are far to many clubs in London already , but having said that they are all doing well enough to survive so why not a team from Enfield.

[lovely stuff]

Quote:

That's what votes are for, and we would (as we do) abide by the wishes of the membership.

Does that include the vote Enfield FC supporters had five years ago, to set up a new club? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/achso.gif" alt="" />

[Man From Mars]

Quote:

Steph said:




Enfield Town have the ambition to go all the way to the Football League. I just dont see that at Enfield who seem content to foul it up for others.

It is likely that there will not be a merger and in that event Enfield Town will be streets ahead of EFC in a couple of years.

Everyone has made up their minds who they are supporting old friend I dont see how enfield will foul it up for the town . Enfield will most likely attract no more than 150-200 for a home match whilst town will still get the 300+ average they currently get due to the fact that the fans want to part own town . The fans that enfield may pick up will be those that choose NOT to watch town ,At southbury road we got 600- 700 when we were thrown out, Enfield Town do not attract those numbers on a regular basis.Its down to both clubs boards and the council what happens next . Yes town are the bigger club and no one from E's denies that , Town will most likely finish up in the ryman/southern prem possibly conf south, E's will be lucky to stay in the league we currently play in .My view is that I think both clubs could play in the borough and work together not against each other but stay independant from each other.

[lovely stuff]

Town are attracting bigger crowds than we had at Boreham wood before the split.The 700 average, had diminished season by season after the loss of Southbury Rd.The season that we left Southbury rd saw us top of the Ryman premier and with healthy crowds.

One of the main reasons why the new club was set-up was because all us Enfield fans brought up on glory,great football ,and brought up on top flight non-league football, were not going to accept decades of mediocracy and watching poor players representing us.

Make no mistake.Without the formantion of Enfield Town.EFC would not have survived.Laz would not have left.I can't believe that current EFC fans would accept just poodling along in the lower reaches of the pyramid for the foresseable future.Especially when you have the chance of maybe merging with your own past fans to reform at team to be proud of reperesnting Enfield and playing in Enfield.If you joined forces with us, the history of EFC and Town could be incorperated in into one great club,and if there was only one club,i'm sure the 'Town' part would be dropped in the future,once the split had become a distant memory.
The olive branch was and has been offered.As i've said before, without the people who kept EFC afloat, doing so.We could have all backed the new club and we now have been called Enfield FC instead of Enfield Town.It would have been a continuation of the once great club, resurrected by the fans.
This happened at Aldershot 13 years ago.The fans decided not to prop up or support the ailing old club,that was run poorly and slowly dying.They waited for it to fold and then immediatly set up the club 'Aldershot 1992'. Who realises that the current Aldershot are not the old Aldershot? NO ONE. Because they ARE the old Aldershot,they just regrouped to preserve what they had, and look where they are know,back to being as high in the pyramid as they were before and with the same attendances.We had that chance but it has become very messy because of the carrying on of the original club.Just look at the mess AFC Hornchurch would face,if a few of the original fans decided to carry on with Hornchurch FC.

I firmly believe there will be only one club representing Enfield in senior football in ten years time.It could happen a number of ways.Maybe it will be down the actions and dicisions of both sets of supporters to decide how that pans out.

[Sponsor of Beer]

'Maybe it will be down the actions and dicisions of both sets of supporters to decide how that pans out'.

And hopefully that will be done with the interests of football, rather than individuals, at its heart. Otherwise we are all no better than Laz.

I fear that an Enfield side 'with around 150 could survive' is optimistic. Playing out of the Borough and with limited income isn't a long term strategy for survival. Is that in the best interests of (local) fotball?

[lovely stuff]

Don't forget, that FA rules state that clubs that merge must start in the league of the lowest team.So if it doesn't happen whilst both clubs are in the same league it never will.I've a feeling that EFC and its fans will only come to the table once they are in dire straits either financially or league wise.I'm afraid it could be far too late by then.

Saying that, some EFC fans would rather see the club die or permanetly occupy the lower reaches of non-league football ,rather than re-merge with its former fans.Whether thats benificial to football in Enfield ,is a secondry to their stubboness, and the same can be said of some of the Town fans.

[The Invisible Man]

Absolutely right, LS.

It's a very good point about the FA rule of course. Neither club would want to drop a league (or two..or three..).

But as I say it's surely academic as I can't see it happening anyway.

[BladeRunner]

Most E's fans are 50-50 on this one however its not the E's fans decision its up to the board . I would accept a one club enfield if it was for the good of both parties . I do agree with lovely stuff on most of the points he has put forward. If it does happen then the glory days may re-occur . It is most probably 3-4 years away and of course the relocation of both parties is what is most important. I suggest we take it from there and not before. Steve and co and Dave and co and L B of enfield have a lot to discuss in the coming year ,they are the people that matter we should let them get on with it for the time being.

[lovely stuff]

It will probably be too late by the time we both relocate.

[The Invisible Man]

Well, surely that's one of the main points. As it is there are two clubs looking for a potentially Conference standard (or better) stadium in the borough. Wouldn't it be more sensible if there was only one? How about ground-sharing, I hear you cry? Now how sillly would that be? Two clubs with almost identical names, competing for the same customers and sponsorship, in the same league, in the same borough in the same ground! Well OK it works in Milan....

[andyetfc]

We both ground share now, so why not in the future?

[The Invisible Man]

Because we only groundshare because we have to. We get no income from bar receipts, food sales, lettings etc.

If the two Enfield's were to groundshare at another hypothetical ground, there would be an income but it would be split - although so would the ground costs, but the team costs would remain thus there is still less.

Plus, as I said, we would be competing for customers (supporters), agreements with the council, sponsorship deals, and so on.

And of course where would the reserves play?

[lovely stuff]

Or the ladies?

How would you spilt work needed and the time investment into the ground.Who would look after the pitch.

At present Town supporters don't mind doing most of the work at Brimsdown, because we are grateful to be there.If a ground was equally Towns and EFC's, resentment would build if one side were putting more effort into the upkeep that the other.

The only good thing is, is that having to work together to maintian a ground ,could be step closer to a merging of the two clubs.

In summery.If sharing with EFC was the only way to guarantee a conference standard stadium off the council, then yes i would be prepared to share,but idealy i would rather have our own stadium, and i'm sure most EFC supporters feel the same.

[BladeRunner]

Just a point or two about the upkeep of a shared stadium . If as I understand it we do end up sharing then surely the stadium will be brand new (or at least new on 3 sides) So I can not see what needs to be done on laying concrete etc . I'm sure that EFC will have a groundsman and I believe yours does a fine job by all accounts. Apart from the pitch and the odd floodlight bulb what really needs to be done straight away. The other problem is a clubhouse what would happen who would get use on saturday nights or rent it out for wedding receptions birthdays etc . possibly alternative saturdays or whoever is at home that day I guess.

[Sergeant D]

New on 3 sides?

Interesting comment! Does that mean the 4th side is already built (and protected)? I wonder where that narrows down the site to?

[The Invisible Man]

I would think that there would be a single lettings secretary and the proceeds of all bookings would be split. Similarly with use of the bar - a bit rough on Town having more supporters but hey-ho.

I surmise that there is a little more to maintaning a public building than changing the odd light bulb.