OK, so what happened this evening?

[JeremyJacobs]

any news?

[jkmaskell]

The ground is being turned. Amended plans will be ready in the next two weeks along with the business plan. Stadium will take around 18 months to complete. It will mean the clubhouse will be gone but there are hopes that a temporary clubhouse can be found.

 

18 grand donated to the club from MISA this season.

 

Team going as is. As youve seen on another thread, we have a new player. CK still looking for the right players to strengthen the squad. Maybe others can fill in more detail on this bit because CK had a whole range of questions shot in his direction.

[I am Spartacus]

It was just the normal sort of discussion where 90% of the questions were asked by 3 or 4 people. There were no reslly deep searching questions as most people seem to dry up or are to frieghtned to ask questions.

 

Probally the most interesting thing was that it looks that there will be a reserve team next season hopefully playing in the Kent suburban league. CK would like it to be mainly be made up of young players.

[JeremyJacobs]

why not the Kent League?

[superblues]

Quote:

jkmaskell said:
.... Team going as is. As youve seen on another thread, we have a new player. CK still looking for the right players to strengthen the squad...

Does that mean that Kember is a loanee with a view to being signed (or is he just with us to regain match fitness after an injury)?

[MargateFan]

Robbie Kember has come from Crawley, and is a player in a similar style to his dad. He is coming on a loan, but who knows what may develop. He is a midfielder. We have still got the loan gaolie, Charlie is making progress, but is not there yet. Tony Allman has been training hard, but we do not yet know if his hamstring is totally recovered, and it is not certain he will be ready for Saturday.

 

The delay in getting the full business plan finished was to secure an operator for the front part of the development. Work on the turning of the pitch should begin around May. Keith will not contemplate another ground share and is fully confident that work on the site can be acomplished alongside continuing to play home matches at home. He estimates time to commpletion of the new stadium at 18 months.

 

MISA will lose the present clubhouse, but will be looking into having a form of temporary bar facility. This will impact on income, as there will not be the facility for functions, as at present, but they will do everything to try to have something in place that can provide a good income on match days. There will be a much larger clubhouse when the new stadium is built, along with a conference and banqueting room next to it with a capacity of over 250 guests. They still urgently need more volunteers to help on match days, and Keith was particularly keen to get some extra volunteers to help at the forthcoming Wimbledon game. He also expressed his, and his boards, gratitude and appreciation for the work and contribution that a small group of highly committed MISA members put in, week in and week out to give the club such enormous help, both financial and practical.

 

In terms of the Wimbledon game, Keith was insistent that the organisation of this would be done in the correct way, with input from all major stakeholders, including our club, Wimbledon, police etc. He said that no final decision had been made, but asked everyone to remember that there was a huge amount of expertise within the organisation, following big games with big crowds on many occasions in the past, and he had no concern that this match would not be a complete success in terms of safety, secutity, and hospitality.

 

CK was asked some fairly searching questions, and the discussion was frank and open. He did not want to discuss in particular the strengths, weaknesses, future prospects or anything else concerning members of the team, as that can impact on individuals, but he is very confident that things are beginning to come together now. He was extremely concerned, as is the board, about some of the negativity concerning individual players, and asked everyone to remember that whatever result we got one week, he had to lift the boys for the next game, and too much stick was not helpful to him in doing it. He also added that too much stick was not helping in fostering the attractions of the club to prospective players. He was also asked about his apparent lack of animation at some games, and said that you have to tailor what you say to the type of players you have, and that he has some young kids in the squad to develop, for whom ranting and raving would be inappropriate and counter productive. Chris stated very plainly that he would not comment on individual performances in public or the media, and that anything that needed to be said or done within the team should, and does, stay in the dressing room. He did not evade any questions, and responded with much good humour, and I was impressed by his obvious confidence that we are going to see something good growing with the team, and very soon.

 

I must admit that of late I had begun to question where our fantastic and friendly club was leaking away to, but after being in the company of a great many supportive and reasonable core fans, and seeing the total commitment and passion and love of the club of the management and officials last night, I felt very much better about where we are than before the meeting.

 

Bear in mind that I am getting on a bit so total memory is not as good as it was!

[Cookie]

Thank you JUNE.I dont think your memory has let you down much from what your report makes out. Especially the second paragraph up where your memory seems to have served you well on every detail.Thanks again for the report.I'm sure some of us will take note...and act or not act accordingly.

On another thread it has been mentioned about support for all players once the previous weeks comments have been made.That goes without saying,though its now been said again, and as far as I can see that has always been the case.

[BlueGate Alan]

June, that is spot on with what was said last night. I too was pleased to see fans there last night making positive remarks about the team. Plus I thought, personally, Keith & Chris spoke very well last night I thought &, personally, filled me with confidence with the way things are going both on & off pitch

[blueblood]

June,for a older person not taking notes i think your memory is a-one.KP did mention the club would be appointing a community/youth officer type in the next 6 weeks, this person as been poached from a top London club and will i am sure be a big asset.

On the topic of a reserve team and it costs, it was mentioned as an example that playing in the surburban league could entail traveling costs alone of around twenty four thousand pounds per annum. If anyone knew of a coach company that wanted to sponsor a team put them forward. It was also mentioned that the club already have a reserve manager but are looking for a coach,Any ideas.

Sorry to be boring but M,I,S,A realy do need you to help sell tickets for the Johnny Hooper night. If you yourselves or you know of anyone,Its an opportunity to get together, listen to a great musician,enjoy good company, talk football and have a drink. please do your best.

[Coffin Ender]

Who is the reserve manager?

[blueblood]

Didn't say. On the topic of kit sponsorship KP said he hadn't realised it wasn't in the programe but would rectify it.He also took on board comments of a knockdown price being over 1/2 way through.

[MargateFan]

It was also interesting to note that KP said the Suburban League was being looked at because the standard appeared highest.

[Coffin Ender]

That league has a pretty damn good website...

http://www.suburbanleague.org.uk/

[Cookie]

Pretty much out-of-date too with most things on there!

[Wellsie]

I think sonme of the north & west Kent clubs play their reserve team football here too, particulalry those close to London. E.g. I'm pertty sure that Tonbridge do, as do a fair few of the Ryman League teams. Given that, I think the "switch" from our traditional league makes sense unless morem senior sides can play their reserve sides in the Kent League Premier Division. But I think that unlikely.

[MargateFan]

One of the most positive things from last night was that the club certainly seem committed to having a reserve team next season.

Looking at the Suburban League website, there seem to be a good few Ryman clubs in there, plus a fair few clubs in general that play around the southern part of London and also in North Kent. Would fit our cachement area, particularly as CK has expressed a wish for more local players. Plus, I guess, that some of the games would be featuring players destined for rival clubs, or existing players of those clubs that could be encountered returning to fitness, and this would be good experience and preparation for our reserves.