Has This Season Been A Success?

[Reading Rebel]

35 minutes ago, DonnyNo6 said:

When you see it like that makes you realise just how much of a fall from grace Dartford, Havant and even Dover have had.

Not sure on Dover but certainly Dartford and Havant had decent budgets so their demise has to be down to bad management, from the owners down to the manager. 

On the flip side we know Hampton's budget was decent so no real surprise on their large points increase.

With presumably a bottom half budget it does put it into perspective how well we did to finish just outside the play-offs.

No pressure for next season then 😅

 

 

Edited April 25 by Reading Rebel

[Grant Brown]

6 hours ago, Sir Rebel1965 said:

Banny, all I was doing was giving an accurate reply, if you don’t like the facts you can stick with the hype.

It’s not a fact, it’s theoretical. Big difference!

[Holyport Rebel]

 

I came across this 5 minute video on youtube.

I enjoyed it and perhaps some of you might too.

It is an animation showing how the National League South table changed last season on a week to week basis.

It gives us the 3 pts from the Bath game straightaway and doesn't take Torquay's 11 point deduction into account, but apart from that it is quite informative.  

 

 

 

[Reading Rebel]

I'd forgotten that after 7 games we were rock bottom with 3 points and after 14 games we were still in a relegation place.

[Mark44]

 Taunton were top of the league at a point 

[Stan]

The great thing about football at our level is it really is an unknown how a league will turn out . Contrast that with the Prem . Anyone at the start of the season could have easily predicted the current top and bottom 3 . 
But we never know which team is going to come up out of nowhere like Aveley  nor have to contend with a fallen giant like Yeovil . 
I’m more interested in the non playing metrics of success for next season . 
can we get our crowds to 1000+ every game , can we expand even further our awesome away support . Can the club make the necessary changes to cope with bigger crowds but keep the atmosphere friendly and welcoming . 
Of course we want to win on the pitch but when Steve Easterbrook saved this club and set out a long term plan to make us sustainable the current management team are the custodians of that . 
We have been on an upward curve for well over a decade now. Even the move to take the lease at Arbour Park was always envisaged by Steve and the Council way back in 2012 once the club was on a sound financial footing. 
In those dark days of 2007 we could only dream of being in this position . So I am happily renewing my season ticket hoping for success on the pitch but expecting further sound progress off of it. 

[Reading Rebel]

9 hours ago, Mark44 said:

 Taunton were top of the league at a point 

I'm sure if the weather was better Taunton would have finished at least mid table.

[Reading Rebel]

8 hours ago, Stan said:

The great thing about football at our level is it really is an unknown how a league will turn out . Contrast that with the Prem . Anyone at the start of the season could have easily predicted the current top and bottom 3 . 
But we never know which team is going to come up out of nowhere like Aveley  nor have to contend with a fallen giant like Yeovil . 
I’m more interested in the non playing metrics of success for next season . 
can we get our crowds to 1000+ every game , can we expand even further our awesome away support . Can the club make the necessary changes to cope with bigger crowds but keep the atmosphere friendly and welcoming . 
Of course we want to win on the pitch but when Steve Easterbrook saved this club and set out a long term plan to make us sustainable the current management team are the custodians of that . 
We have been on an upward curve for well over a decade now. Even the move to take the lease at Arbour Park was always envisaged by Steve and the Council way back in 2012 once the club was on a sound financial footing. 
In those dark days of 2007 we could only dream of being in this position . So I am happily renewing my season ticket hoping for success on the pitch but expecting further sound progress off of it. 

Getting our gates to an average of 1,000+ will take some doing, mainly because there are still clubs in the NLS who are seen as unfashionable and not attractive opposition, don't bring many away fans and as such some of our floating support will look at these games as ones they can skip and save some money. 

So to achieve the average of 1,000+ the more attractive 'bigger games' will have to exceed this figure.

Clever marketing will play a major role if we are to get anywhere near the 1,000 average and so far our new owners have proven they know what they're doing on that score so fingers crossed it can be done.

Edited April 26 by Reading Rebel

[SloughFlyer]

On 27/04/2024 at 00:33, Reading Rebel said:

I'm sure if the weather was better Taunton would have finished at least mid table.

We were talking about this on the way to Beaconsfield yesterday. It certainly seemed Taunton's team at the start of the season was good enough to at least stay up. The issues they had were all based around the weather of course but the 2 x HMRC winding up petitions, the chairman getting ill and "walking away" along with the amount of players that left when the money did, along with the grueling schedule at the end of the year, it was always going to be mega tough to even think about staying up so I'd say massive credit to Rob Dray and his approach to give them a final week chance of staying up. That was some achievement in itself.

[SloughFlyer]

As for the initial thread question, I think we have had a massively successful season both on and off the pitch. When you look at the circumstances this time last year, we had just about survived relegation, lost our long term manager/s and the majority of the stalwart players for the past few years were or had moved on. We had a new, untried manager (6 months into his time) and were still "owned" by fans helping out to keep the club running. We finished low down in the league, only had just enough points (53?) and were favourites for relegation this year in many peoples eyes.

Fast forward to today, relegation was never on the cards after the Tonbridge game in early September, we have been unbeaten in all comps at home since then, we made the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in a few seasons, finished in the top 10 of the league with an outside push for the play offs until mid-April, now have a manager still cutting his teeth and learning but that is commited to us for the next couple of years at least, a great younger squad with some potential stars in it. Off the pitch we are now owned by IMO some very forward thinking people but that have had the foresight to maintain those fans and support that have built and maintained the club over the last 10-12 years, they have bought in excellent amounts of sponsors, increased attendances very well and put those on an upward curve. We have a new 50 year lease for the ground giving us the stability to develop as a club and, it seems thus far, the right people to make us returning to the top end of non-league football a reality. Not only that, it seems they are also learning from the faults of other teams that may have reached that level too quickly and are looking to do that in the right way.

How anyone can think we haven't had a successful season is beyond me. I sometimes think people forget what is realistic and change their thoughts dependant on situation. Surely if you had offered any Slough fan this position of the club today 12 months ago they would have bitten your hand off for it. The best thing for me is a foundation and platform that has been laid so far to help the entire club from top to bottom continue to move forwards is fantastic and long may it continue.

[3spirit]

Being that I've lapsed from being a regular watcher of Slough Town FC this season I wasn't going to comment on this thread but couldn't resist.Scott Davies deserves huge plaudits for what he's achieved so far with his version of this Slough team. He and his management team have worked wonders in the two seasons they have been in charge. I'm not saying this lightly as I was a big fan of Bakes and Unders [his predecessors] and didn't want them to depart. Credit where credit is due, though, Scott has taken over a difficult challenge and has changed the style of how Slough play and has gone from strength to strength. A tenth place finish and a great FA Cup run is a fantastic achievement in what is only his second season in charge. I can't understand any Slough fan moaning at that.

I do believe the new owners of the club have given Scott better backing than Bakes and Unders got in their final season at the club.

Next season will be about how much money is available to strenghen the current squad because this is going to be a major factor in regards to a play off finish. Still a big ask for where Slough are as a club as a whole,me thinks? 

Edited April 28 by 3spirit

[Scott Davies]

7 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Being that I've lapsed from being a regular watcher of Slough Town FC this season I wasn't going to comment on this thread but couldn't resist. I'm not a big fan of Scott Davies for personal reasons but I do think he deserves huge plaudits for what he's achieved so far with his version of this Slough team. He and his management team have worked wonders in the two seasons they have been in charge. I'm not saying this lightly as I was a big fan of Bakes and Unders [his predecessors] and didn't want them to depart. Credit where credit is due, though, Scott has taken over a difficult challenge and has changed the style of how Slough play and has gone from strength to strength. A tenth place finish and a great FA Cup run is a fantastic achievement in what is only his second season in charge. I can't understand any Slough fan moaning at that.

I do believe the new owners of the club have given Scott better backing than Bakes and Unders got in their final season at the club.

Next season will be about how much money is available to strenghen the current squad because this is going to be a major factor in regards to a play off finish. Still a big ask for where Slough are as a club as a whole,me thinks? 

Thanks for the nice bits that you’ve written 3spirit.

Bit confused as to why you don’t like me for ‘personal reasons’. I don’t remember ever meeting you or saying anything untoward on here that would make you feel that way. 
 

During my time at the club, I try to go above and beyond to be respectful, approachable and give my all to the cause. But hey ho!

And as for your other assumption, I won’t comment on that but I think you would be surprised.

[3spirit]

15 minutes ago, Scott Davies said:

Thanks for the nice bits that you’ve written 3spirit.

Bit confused as to why you don’t like me for ‘personal reasons’. I don’t remember ever meeting you or saying anything untoward on here that would make you feel that way. 
 

During my time at the club, I try to go above and beyond to be respectful, approachable and give my all to the cause. But hey ho!

And as for your other assumption, I won’t comment on that but I think you would be surprised.

Thanks for the reply Scott.

I'll PM you on this forum to clear this matter up.

[sdelane2308]

Stu hope to see you back at Arbour Park next Season.                                                                       The club more important it comes 1st 2nd and 3rd.

You have missed a great season cracking good wins comebacks players progressing as time went on you would of been impressed with Jonny Goddard.

Forget the gripes me and the boys will be pleased to see you again.

COYREBELS 

Edited April 28 by sdelane2308

[GlenSTFC]

1 hour ago, 3spirit said:

Thanks for the reply Scott.

I'll PM you on this forum to clear this matter up.

This is intriguing especially as most would never suspect Scott of being anything other than decent and fair. I’ll guess we won’t know unless Scott suddenly quits and cites the reasons being 3Spirit!!!

[3spirit]

2 hours ago, GlenSTFC said:

This is intriguing especially as most would never suspect Scott of being anything other than decent and fair. I’ll guess we won’t know unless Scott suddenly quits and cites the reasons being 3Spirit!!!

It's been cleared up. It was a total misunderstanding by me,as I got it wrong on all levels. 

[GlenSTFC]

3 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

It's been cleared up. It was a total misunderstanding by me,as I got it wrong on all levels. 

Oh do tell we need some news during the boring off season!

[Nathan]

5 hours ago, SloughFlyer said:

Fast forward to today, relegation was never on the cards after the Tonbridge game in early September, we have been unbeaten in all comps at home since then, we made the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in a few seasons, finished in the top 10 of the league with an outside push for the play offs until mid-April, now have a manager still cutting his teeth and learning but that is commited to us for the next couple of years at least, a great younger squad with some potential stars in it. Off the pitch we are now owned by IMO some very forward thinking people but that have had the foresight to maintain those fans and support that have built and maintained the club over the last 10-12 years, they have bought in excellent amounts of sponsors, increased attendances very well and put those on an upward curve. We have a new 50 year lease for the ground giving us the stability to develop as a club and, it seems thus far, the right people to make us returning to the top end of non-league football a reality. Not only that, it seems they are also learning from the faults of other teams that may have reached that level too quickly and are looking to do that in the right way.

How anyone can think we haven't had a successful season is beyond me.

Agreed, though it obviously took us a while to recover from our horrendous start. There were some results that I thought at the time would have serious ramifications for us at the end of the season (e.g. losing 4-3 at Welling), but we went on to be realistically safe from around mid-February and mathematically safe at the end of March, with at least 5 games still to play.

If nothing else, think back to what we were doing just over a year ago: looking over our shoulders and hoping that Concord would stop winning! I'll take 10th place, 23 home matches (and counting) unbeaten and an FA Cup 1st Round replay against a Football League side for a bad season any day!

[Scott Davies]

51 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

It's been cleared up. It was a total misunderstanding by me,as I got it wrong on all levels. 

Had me totally confused but we’ve spoken and it’s been cleared up! Complete misunderstanding is correct! All good 😊 

[Reading Rebel]

Mistaken identity  😂