A couple of non league snippets

[Bernie Gogan]

1 hour ago, Reading Rebel said:

In Spencer Day's post match interview he described Chesham's pitch as a disgrace which only allows for 'hoof ball' and has accused them of spending money on players rather than the pitch. 

Probably correct, but securing NLS status would make sense as a priority. Not sure, however, that Farnborough's pitch is a carpet either.

[Reading Rebel]

On 13/04/2025 at 13:08, Bernie Gogan said:

Probably correct, but securing NLS status would make sense as a priority. Not sure, however, that Farnborough's pitch is a carpet either.

So on that basis did it make sense for us to prioritize ground improvements over the playing budget which has seen us a whisker away from a proper relegation battle?

Edited April 14 by Reading Rebel

[SloughFlyer]

1 hour ago, Reading Rebel said:

So on that basis did it make sense for us to prioritize ground improvements over the playing budget which has seen us a whisker away from a proper  relegation battle?

100% made sense RR. You need strong foundations to build upon. I'll site Ebbsfleet as an example again, they have spent loads on budget for the past 4/5 seasons to end up right back where they started. Compare them to Dorking's business model and their rise through the divisions. Knowing what they bought in through just sponsorships in the 19/20 season, they certainly have it right and but for a minor blip last year (from which it seems Marc White has learnt from) they would have taken 25 years to be at the top of non-league, having started at Step 10.

A strong base and finances to build upon is the way to go, especially for a club without a "benefactor".

[Nathan]

52 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

100% made sense RR. You need strong foundations to build upon.

It's not that the ground couldn't do with some improvements, but I don't see how playing with modern step-1 compliant facilities (assuming that is indeed the ultimate aim) in front of 500 or so people in the Southern Premier could be considered moving the club forward!

Surely aiming to be competitive in the National League South (and it's clear that we'll need a much larger playing budget to do this) and going from there is preferable?

[cufcgeneral]

10 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

In Spencer Day's post match interview he described Chesham's pitch as a disgrace which only allows for 'hoof ball' and has accused them of spending money on players rather than the pitch. 

I think he'd have probably been better off having a word with his keeper who gifted us both goals (but was a great laugh with us fans behind the goal about it)

Our pitch got ruined by two things 1) us playing Hemel on New Year's Day when it was barely playable - it never recovered and 2) we've found that we've got some issues with the drainage system that will be rectified in the summer that haven't helped

The drainage works and some other ground works we've had done have basically spent our cup run money it sounds like from our Chairmans Notes, and I know that we never budget for a cup run in our playing budget (we had a Chairman do that years ago and it nearly killed us)

[Reading Rebel]

Weston v Tonbridge will be replayed tomorrow night with the gate receipts to be shared equally.

If Weston win they will go into a play off position above Maidstone who will drop out.

What a calamity it'll be for Maidstone if they don't make the play-offs and almost certainly the sack for manager George Elokobi.

Edited April 14 by Reading Rebel

[michaelSTFC]

23 hours ago, Bernie Gogan said:

Probably correct, but securing NLS status would make sense as a priority. Not sure, however, that Farnborough's pitch is a carpet either.

How rich of Spencer to accuse other clubs of throwing money around on players!

[Reading Rebel]

I think there's got be a balance between ground improvements and a budget that's sufficient to recruit enough decent players to keep the club in the NLS and hopefully higher up the table.

I suppose you could say it was job done for this season but it was mighty close with only 3 games to go.

Hopefully Scott will get an improved budget for next season because it doesn't look like it will get any easier.

Edited April 14 by Reading Rebel

[Reading Rebel]

Oddly Chesham have already held their end of season awards night with ex rebel Nathan Minhas picking up the golden boot award with 14 goals.

[Nathan]

5 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

If Weston win they will go into a play off position above Maidstone who will drop out.

What a calamity it'll be for Maidstone if they don't make the play-offs and almost certainly the sack for manager George Elokobi.

It's not the most likely outcome as Weston still have to play Truro and Eastbourne, but if Weston, Maidstone and Boreham Wood win all their remaining games then Maidstone would have 83 points but (barring a complete collapse from any of the current top 5) finish only 8th.

To put that into perspective, last season Maidstone finished on 83 points and finished 4th and 73 points was enough to make the play-offs.

83 points from 46 games was also enough to finish 2nd in 2022/23, so whoever misses out should consider themselves unlucky that this year the play-off race is particularly competitive.

[Bernie Gogan]

On 13/04/2025 at 21:36, cufcgeneral said:

I think he'd have probably been better off having a word with his keeper who gifted us both goals (but was a great laugh with us fans behind the goal about it)

Our pitch got ruined by two things 1) us playing Hemel on New Year's Day when it was barely playable - it never recovered and 2) we've found that we've got some issues with the drainage system that will be rectified in the summer that haven't helped

The drainage works and some other ground works we've had done have basically spent our cup run money it sounds like from our Chairmans Notes, and I know that we never budget for a cup run in our playing budget (we had a Chairman do that years ago and it nearly killed us)

Jack Turner used to play for us until he moved to the south coast. Spencer no doubt used his "financial muscle" to lure him back into the area (to our surprise, given that a reason for leaving us was the travelling!).

Out of interest does the club plan to improve the seating accommodation? The ground hasn't really changed much from memory, whilst retaining loads of terracing and therefore capacity, the seating has always seemed very limited.

I like the ground even though we invariably lose btw, nice location. 

[Kaiser Gibbs Batman (KGB)]

19 minutes ago, Bernie Gogan said:

Jack Turner used to play for us until he moved to the south coast. Spencer no doubt used his "financial muscle" to lure him back into the area (to our surprise, given that a reason for leaving us was the travelling!).

Out of interest does the club plan to improve the seating accommodation? The ground hasn't really changed much from memory, whilst retaining loads of terracing and therefore capacity, the seating has always seemed very limited.

I like the ground even though we invariably lose btw, nice location. 

Three memories of The Meadow come to mind from Easter in season 1962/3.

The first X1 losing to a Chesham reserve side in the Memorial Shield on a Good Friday and, with virtually the same team , beating their first X1 in the League the very next day.

Geoff Redford being sent off in the first of those matches for thumping a Chesham forward and being replaced in goal for the next match by Lyn Evans aka our "bearded custodian".

Standing at the far end and joshing Jim Morris from a concrete terrace that I believe somehow later got buried and was only rediscovered when preparing for a major cup-tie. 

[cufcgeneral]

6 hours ago, Bernie Gogan said:

Jack Turner used to play for us until he moved to the south coast. Spencer no doubt used his "financial muscle" to lure him back into the area (to our surprise, given that a reason for leaving us was the travelling!).

Out of interest does the club plan to improve the seating accommodation? The ground hasn't really changed much from memory, whilst retaining loads of terracing and therefore capacity, the seating has always seemed very limited.

I like the ground even though we invariably lose btw, nice location. 

I believe we have plans underway to add additional seating but obviously not in place yet. I believe we need another 220 odd seats to ever enter the play offs at this level (a National League rule rather than a ground grading requirement I believe) - I just hope we don't take the easy option and convert part of the metal terrace at the Cricket Club end to seats like other clubs have done and ruin a perfectly good terrace.

The largest shareholder and Chairman have had plans for a number of years to move grounds but nothing has materialised yet and will likely prove very difficult to find flat land of a sufficient size in Chesham that isn't on the greenbelt or AONB

[Reading Rebel]

If Maidenhead lose away to Wealdstone on Monday it looks pretty certain they will be joining us in the NLS next season.

[Connor McNeish]

21 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

If Maidenhead lose away to Wealdstone on Monday it looks pretty certain they will be joining us in the NLS next season.

If they lose, they’re down. They would only be able to get 6 points. Wealdstone would create a 7 point gap between them. 

[Nathan]

How it started (4 days ago): https://x.com/Dag_RedFC/status/1911834337726595096?t=_LsizaeTrvC_ft5RSAO5Bw&s=19

How it's going: https://x.com/Dag_RedFC/status/1912885425632338372?t=QIx_41XWIqV40xWZ6jdUyw&s=19

How it's going (2) https://x.com/Serrymarwan/status/1913312684209996014?t=X3q6ui29PZEnswL37nVMBw&s=19

Interesting times at Dagenham & Redbridge.

Edited April 18 by Nathan

[Curtis]

I hadn’t looked at the top of our league for a few weeks, & just seen that going into the final round of matches of the season that any one of six clubs could still win the league.

Not only that but we could see Torquay & Truro ending the season with the same number of points, same goal difference & same number of goals scored….. has that ever happened before?

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, Curtis said:

I hadn’t looked at the top of our league for a few weeks, & just seen that going into the final round of matches of the season that any one of six clubs could still win the league.

Not only that but we could see Torquay & Truro ending the season with the same number of points, same goal difference & same number of goals scored….. has that ever happened before?

With the much easier game at home to St Albans and a +2 goal difference, Truro must be the hot favourites to win the title.

[Bernie Gogan]

15 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

With the much easier game at home to St Albans and a +2 goal difference, Truro must be the hot favourites to win the title.

Just one question, where's the money come from at Truro? It's a whole bunch more money if they go up too, not least in ground improvements needed for Step 1.

[Holyport Rebel]

19 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

With the much easier game at home to St Albans and a +2 goal difference, Truro must be the hot favourites to win the title.

 

But then RR, St. Albans (you'd expect), would be fighting for their lives to get a good result to try to keep them up , whereas Hemel Hempstead have got nothing really at all to play for.

(Although some St. Albans fans on their forum are saying that if they were to stay up, it is possible that they would be moved across to the National League North, and they wonder whether it might be better to be relegated than have that happen to them ! )