It's Ebbsfleet United FC

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

I'm not particularly happy about the change but it has to be said that by and large the board have made some astute decisions in the past few years so I will bow to their judgement on this.

 

I believe that its far more important for us to keep the manager and most of the players we have already got, and for the new sponsor to come up with the cash to move us further up the pyramid. If we have got to live with a name change then the club has got to improve on ALL fronts.

 

I would have thought, however, that a big decision like this would have been better timed to coincide with an announcement of exactly who that sponsor will be? And the new ground should be pushed as quickly as possible to keep the momentum this change will hopefully give to the club going in the right direction.

 

All of a sudden possession of the St Albans programme has taken on a whole new meaning. Its now a piece of history!

[Unrecognized Genius]

I am sad to see the passing of the name, but we have to face certain realities:

 

Ebbsfleet will be bigger than Gravesend in terms of national recognition before very long, simply because of what is going on there in the face of the whole Thames Gateway development, not just the fast rail link to Europe & London. (The pessimists may refer to the deflated balloon which was Ashford International but Ebbsfleet was always going to be the real thing. Ashford was just an interim measure.)

 

Not long ago we were fighting some idiot in a suit's decision to call the new station Dartford International, just as we were resisting Scally's apparent attempt to cash in on the developments on our doorstep & elbow us out the way.

 

We have not changed our name because some megalomaniac with a bit of temporary cash told us to; the board were very clear; it was to stay in front of the game. What would we have said about their inability to keep up to speed if Scally had suddenly announced that he had cut a deal to move into a site within the Ebbsfleet valley & that he was rebranding his team as the Ebbsfleet Gills? What if Dartford had decided that, with all the publicity surrounding Ebbsfleet, that they might try cashing in on a name change?

 

This club's major heritage lies with Northfleet United, who played at Stonebridge Road, over a century ago, in red & white & were nicknamed the Fleet. We will still be the Fleet. We will still play in red & white &, given our choice of name, when our new ground comes it will have to be located very near to where we are now.

 

I can remember walking the streets around the Battle of Britain in the late 1980s selling scratch off lottery cards for the Fleet. One old boy came to the door & said he wouldn't be buying one "because it had all been spoilt down there." When I asked what he meant, he said, "Since Gravesend came in. It was fine all the time it was just Northfleet." Poor old chap was living 40 years in the past. Sometimes you just have to move on.

 

EC

[Gordon T]

Its not fully sunk in yet. Not even with people having suggested the possibility. I don't think it will sink in fully until 3pm on game 1 of the Blue Square Premier.

 

But saying that, I am GNFC through and through and would have prefered to not change the name

[Stu M]

Originally Posted By: Andy Y. (G&NFC)

I would have thought, however, that a big decision like this would have been better timed to coincide with an announcement of exactly who that sponsor will be?

That's what I thought too. I think with all the rumours flying around beforehand, most of us were under the impression that the name change was because of or part of a package related to the new sponsorship deal, but as was made clear, that's a separate undertaking altogether.

So clearly it is a purely business decision aimed at making this club more attractive to investment and sponsorship. A move with the times, which isn't popular with your average reactionary football fan (and we all are to some extent), but as long as we remember the core and soul of our club is unchanged, it's a step we have to support because WE are the club.

So in short:

1. Deep down, do I want to change the name of the club I've supported for 19 years?
No.
2. Do I trust the board's business sense and grasp of the issues at hand, when I have f*** all business sense or real understanding of the opportunities provided by Ebbsfleet?
Yes.
3. Will it be easy to think of myself as an Ebbsfleet fan?
No way!
4. Will I withhold support of my club because part of it has had to move with the times and fall victim to the realities of professional football?
No.
5. Will I miss GNFC?
Absolutely, 100%... but I'd rather support an EUFC with a shout at league football than a struggling GNFC back where they were when I first watched them.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

We don't know the finer points of this move. But if it isn't linked with sponsorship, it is hard to see changing the name will raise more money............Seems like change for changes sake!

[The Doctor]

have sunk a few beers since hearing the news, so apologies if this message containts a few 'typos'. I couldn't make the meeting tonight, as have commitments at uni, but want to know the details? If we have sold our name for the sake of a few years sponsorship I will be very very disappointed. If we have sold our name meaning we get a new ground from it, it will be different, although from what I read the new ground plans are in northfleet, so Ebbsfleet would make no sense.

 

What I do not get is...Most of Ebbsfleet is under Dartford Borough council, we are a team from Gravesham. People do not know what Ebbsfleet is. I thought because of the station people people would know, like when I started uni, I described where I lived as being near Ebbsfleet, they didn't know what it was, I then mentioned Ashford(as an existing Channel tunnel link) they still didnt't know that I was on about.

 

I think the only support we could see from this, is from the new homes being built in the thames gateway(ebbsfleet area) etc....

 

What hurts me is, I have been supporting Gravesend for over 10 years and it hurts me to think that if we do ever win the conference or FA trophy etc.... It will be Ebbsfleet that is etched into history, I do not like this thought. God only knows what people think who have been supporting the club for over 40 years(like my dad).

 

 

[DarrenGNFC]

Without meaning to come across as too reactionary, I must ask in the politest tone you can imagine: what sort of person moves into a new area, forgets old loyalties and starts supporting a new side? Are the club looking towards the adults in these new houses or their children who can be indoctrinated into the Fleet way? I know some people change teams based on the nearest club to their current house, but I don't think it's common enough to warrant a name change.

 

Won't a lot of these new house-owners be commuting to or near London for work? Won't they just support a team up there?

 

Someone said that Ebbsfleet will be bigger than Gravesend. Will it? To be honest, although I know roughly where it is, I'm not quite sure of its size. Regardless, surely pandering to this new village/town/life-ruiner () will in time alienate most of Gravesham, especially Gravesend. I mean, if people are that petty that they'll only support the team if it changes its name, then won't those that no longer have a team in their town's name feel less inclined to support them? (I'm not talking about myself there, by the way. Mainly future generations).

 

Or maybe I just haven't absorbed enough of this thread.

 

It's a bit weird being the EU. Still, it's not as bad as when the council considered changing the town's name to Pocahontasville...

 

 

[kieronoliver]

Totally disagree with the name change why can't we stay Gravesend & Northfleet all the time we play at Stonebridge Road then with a new ground new name brand new era would have been easier to stomach, these 9000+ houses arn't going up overnight your still going to have 1100 average attendance or perhaps less till they are built will i go down to watch EUFC play i don't honestly know it will seem very strange it'll look the same but i know it isn't, i enjoyed supporting my local team being born in Northfleet living in Gravesend now EUFC are my nearest team to where i live thats all. I know its unlikely to happen but what happens if the earmarked area for the new ground falls through will it be another name change thats why i think we should have waited till we actually move before changing from Gravesend & Northfleet we are currently still waiting for a partner to help us so is it nailed on?

[mikefleet]

Originally Posted By: DA11

Bloody Hell Mike...you got that quick...Thats what happens when you drink water???

thanks mate haha, i was driving otherwise i would of had a beer

on the name change, im quite sad but gravesend and northfleet will live on and that's all that matters i think.

Got to say i was impressed with Jason and Brian's talk last night the club have thought about this and we will have to wait and see what happens in the future.

United, United

[Unrecognized Genius]

Originally Posted By: DarrenGNFC

Without meaning to come across as too reactionary, I must ask in the politest tone you can imagine: what sort of person moves into a new area, forgets old loyalties and starts supporting a new side? Are the club looking towards the adults in these new houses or their children who can be indoctrinated into the Fleet way? I know some people change teams based on the nearest club to their current house, but I don't think it's common enough to warrant a name change.

If this were the main reason for the change you would be absolutely right Darren. However, at the meeting last night Jason & Brian said that the change was to be ahead of the game in terms of attracting backing & sponsorships from businesses that will be vying to move into what is going to be made a very attractive location for them. The business world is going to be acutely aware of what is going on at Ebbsfleet. I hate the "brand" mentality as much as the next man, but Ebbsfleet will be a name that will have resonance in the business world in a way that poor old Gravesend & Northfleet simply do not.

Originally Posted By: DarrenGNFC

Someone said that Ebbsfleet will be bigger than Gravesend. Will it? To be honest, although I know roughly where it is, I'm not quite sure of its size.

If you are referring to my earlier post, what I actually said was that Ebbsfleet "will be bigger than Gravesend in terms of national recognition." It won't be bigger in terms of population but it will be much better known because it will be associated with a national landmark. (However, I'm not sure I'd be so ready to accept this argument if I was a Dartford supporter & my new ground had been built a few hundred yards to the east of its current location, with my directors electing to re-name my club Bluewater Town!)

EC

[Jeff]

It all comes down to money really.

I'm disappointed about the name change but that is the way of the world today.

 

Arsenal don't play at Ashburton Grove do they?

 

Anyone up for forming the Real FC of Gravesend? :-)

[Bill Kent]

No! Arsenal don't play at Woolwich anymore either. Is Arsenal a place. I don't think so.

[Jeff]

I meant that the stadium they play in is corporately branded.

[thatguy]

The name change is a evolutionary step. My main hope is that the name change is in relation to a new sponsorship requirement. I don't care what the name of the team is, I will follow the fleet, now and always.

Plus perhaps now, we will have some new chants for next year

[Hempstead Gaz]

Having slept on it,having thought about it, heard the 'phone in on RK, I am now coming to terms with it.

I suppose my dissapointment will last until the first game. To all those who cannot bring themselves to watch Ebbsfleet, go and watch crap football at a good (but small) ground at Dartford.

You are probably not the true dedicated supporters we want anyway, as you are far too fickle.

I have no doubt you will be replaced in greater numbers by new fans who want to see Conference or better standard football at a shiny new league standard ground.

As was said - we now have to tap into the potential of the area - if it means giving out a free season ticket on exchange of contract for every one of the new 9000 houses , then so be it.

Hopefully some of the new residents will get "hooked", and renew or jiust become regulars.

Not all of the 9000 will be taken up - but even if around 15% become regular fans we will double our fanbase at the end of the building development.

[Frankie100]

I saw what a name change did to my club.

Margate changed their name to Thanet Utd after we were lied to by the local council who said we would get a better support and more money into the club by calling ourselves by the district rather than town name.

It did not work for us and I doubt that the new housing will bring many new supporters.

You will always be Gravesend to me as a Kent supporter and good luck for the future.

 

Up the Fleet

[Hempstead Gaz]

I think our scenarios are different Frankie. For years the Thanet peninsular has been in economic decline - starting around the time you become Thanet Utd. Only in the last couple of years have things started to improve - the dualling of the Thanet Way, Ramsgate, Westwood Cross and it's adjacent retail park.

You are in an area that is now looking up - you are reaping the benefits by way of (eventually) a new ground.

We have no such luxury. Gravesend, Northfleet and Swanscombe are basically run down slum towns (I am Gravesend born and bred).

We suffere from permanently poor crowds, play at a dump of a ground we do not own, and all crowd raising initiatives have largely failed.

Not really sure what alternatives there are - especially with the capital input into the Ebbsfleet Valley.

Ignoring it would be folly and the road to ruin.

 

[Frankie100]

Fair enough Gary as I said though as a Kent club I will always look for your results and whatever you lot decide I wish you well.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Thanks Frankie.

You will know from my regular sorties onto your forum that much as we all profess to "hate" each other, especially during derby matches, all Kent clubs do need to be supportive of each other (Gills excepted), and contributions such as yours are always welcome.

Good luck to you lot too.

[Aaronl]

I would just like to say that I have been a Gravesend and Northfleet fan all my life and been a season ticket holder for 15 years. I, for 1 will be asking for a refund on my season ticket for next season and will never set foot in the football ground ever again.

 

 

I support Gravesend and Northfleet. Always have, always will

 

I am absolutely disgusted with this decision!!

 

Gravesend and northfleet football club 1946-2007 R.I.P