It's Ebbsfleet United FC

[Hempstead Gaz]

Bye, Bye. I'm sure Jason, Liam and the team will miss your dedicated support.

Not.

[Bernard]

Well more the fool you. The club is still the same. Deal with it.

[DarrenGNFC]

Ah, yes, Mr. Genius, I thought I should've re-read the thread before posting that last bit. So, it's going to be bigger in terms of national recognition. It's hard to imagine just how much recognition it'll get. I suppose if the board are willing to change the team's name then they will have thought hard about what effect and power the Ebbsfleet name will have. Like you, I hate the idea of the club being "branded" to attract new sponsorship but I can just about tolerate it if it's relevant and worthwhile. I'm just not convinced this is. If there's to be 9000 new homes, then surely going on the way we've been going for the past 61 years, we'll be lucky to get just 100 of these people through the turnstyles? I still think loads of these people will be mockneys with London allegiances.

 

I do genuinely feel that a lot of people will feel alienated at not having a team in their home town's name anymore and feel less inclined to follow them. I don't personally quite feel that - just highly sceptical at the whole thing.

 

It does bother me a bit though that we didn't get a referendum on this issue and it was just suddenly sprung upon us. Surely season ticket holders and Fleet Trust members should have got to vote on the issue? A debate with people arguing for and against could've been set up, then a week or so to consider all the arguments, then vote. I can only assume that the board doesn't have faith in the fans view on this issue, which can be understandable as frankly the fact that certain members of society are allowed to vote in General Elections doesn't half send a chill down my spine sometimes. So that can be understandable. Some people can't always see the bigger picture on issues, but from what I've heard on the issue so far, I'd like to think I'm not one of those. I'm open to new, progressive ideas, but just remain quite sceptical on this one.

 

We'll see. I suppose we should at least give it a go.

 

 

[Stu M]

Originally Posted By: 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.

If the Gravesend Utd and Northfleet Utd fans all did that in 1946, you wouldn't have had a Gravesend & Northfleet to support 15 years ago...

[Jeff]

I am kind of coming round to that idea Bernard but am not happy about the name change.

 

I fail to see how changing the name of the club would improve its' profile, revenue through the gate and chances of success. Surely that comes from the performance on the pitch.

 

I will also have to get a new coaster for my desk at work!

 

Will it come to pass that this is tied in with some sort of sponsorship deal?

If so, it explains the club getting rid of Austrian Airlines.

 

Time will go I suppose but it certainly won't stop me going to games.

 

 

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Change can sometimes be good although some of us "old fogeys" may sometimes be wary of it - not so long ago, the Personal Computer appeared and the older generation were saying "What the hell??? I'll carry on using pen & paper - I'll never understand a computer" - yet if you look at the position now, there are many older people who have come to accept the computer & the benefits it brings. ok, a Football Club is somewhat different to a computer (although the mainly good, but sometimes inconsistent performance just about matches the team this year!)but the principle is the same - people will grow used to it over time & potentially it can be beneficial to the club in the future. One wonders how these people who are prepared to say goodbye to watching football at our club because of a name change, ever deal with change in their own jobs? Presumably not very well. They're probably the ones that jump ship at the slightest sign of change.

 

We shouldnt forget either that year in and year out the playing squad change regularly - if we were ditching 75% of our playing squad & replacing them, would you still consider the new players to be Gravesend & Northfleet (or Ebbsfleet United)? I bet the answer would be "Yes" - there is little difference in my book between such a situation, and the change of club name - at the end of the day, its still the same management, the same board of directors and, for the time being, the same ground - lets not ditch them just because the name has changed.

 

The club needs us to continue to support them, as well as attracting new fans - this can be achieved, and we need to explore every possible avenue to do this. This includes the change of name.

 

Finally, to say as someone did earlier that no-one knoiws where Ebbsfleet is, is something of a non issuye - letsd face it, if someone said to a southerner, "Where's Leigh?", most would look blankly at them & say "Havent a clue". (I know Leigh are badly supported and its probably not a great example, but you get the idea!!) - Ebbsfleet will become better known I guess as soon as the Station is open properly anyway.

[Aaronl]

How can you say it is still the same club? Ebbsfleet united didn't play aston villa in the fa cup or win the ryman league title!! I am sure AFC Wimbledon fans would tell you that MK dons is not the same team that won the fa cup.

 

I knew I was going to get slated by some people when I posted what I did on the forum but this forum is all about letting people express their opinions. My opinion is that I could never support ebsfleet united. If you are going to support them good luck to you but dont tell me that they are still the same club because they are not!!

[American FLEET FAN No1]

I think a little more undserstanding might be in order guys. Some people have been going to the Fleet for many years. This is a significant change, that people are going to be upset about. When Gravesend and Northfleet United were merged people were up in arms then. Some probably vowed never to go watch the club again then. People make statements in the heat of the moment, that they regret later.

Making comments like that are not going to help the situation. Now more than ever is a time for ALL supporters to pull together. Jason and the board hopes this change will INCREASE the crowds, time will tell. Infighting will definitely not do that!

The Club has a long history, let's just hope it has an even longer future!

UP THE FLEET!

[eufckev]

Originally Posted By: 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

Yeh, run away cos you don't like a name change!
I know others who do not approve of this, but they have told me they will keep coming to watch "The Fleet".

Originally Posted By: Stu M

If the Gravesend Utd and Northfleet Utd fans all did that in 1946, you wouldn't have had a Gravesend & Northfleet to support 15 years ago...

Good point there Stu. Maybe "Aaronl" should bear this in mind.

[Aaronl]

Originally Posted By: Stu M

If the Gravesend Utd and Northfleet Utd fans all did that in 1946, you wouldn't have had a Gravesend & Northfleet to support 15 years ago...

I take your point but at least they incorporated the names of those teams into one team. No mention of "Gravesend" or "Northfleet" now just Ebbsfleet.

Its like starting all over again and forgetting about the history of your club or the local people in the area.

Again, i stress this is just my opinion

[Stu M]

Originally Posted By: Aaronl

How can you say it is still the same club? Ebbsfleet united didn't play aston villa in the fa cup or win the ryman league title!!

Depends on your point of view I guess, but technically it IS the same club. Like Newton Heath and Man Utd are the same club. Like New Brompton and Gillingham are the same club. It's not like a merger nor is it anything like MK Dons, where the club was moved lock, stock and barrel from its locality to another town and county entirely, changed its name, and a rival club grew in its place.

Quote:

I knew I was going to get slated by some people when I posted what I did on the forum but this forum is all about letting people express their opinions.

New posters always mistake disagreement as 'being slated'. I wasn't slating you, I was merely disagreeing with you as you are perfectly entitled to do the same with me.

[eufckev]

We must all remember as Fleet fans, Ebbsfleet United still has "Fleet" in the name, and forever will be. The soul of the club will always be here.

[DarrenGNFC]

We've heard about the ground, the kits and the badges but what about the mascot? Hmmmm?

 

I don't think I'd lose too much sleep if we got rid of Hooky, but if the board want some more support behind this name change, then having all of them donning a train costume with a carriage designated for each board member and choo-chooing around the pitch before the opening game of next season would certainly get my vote. I think that would prove they're serious.

 

Or perhaps not. Perhaps we'll stick with plucky old Hooky. Although now we're Ebbsfleet he no longer has the River Thames to contend with, does he? It's just that Ebbsfleet river now, where he can only really go for a quiet fish. Jimmy Bullard is a keen fisher. Perhaps we could get him to come along on the first day of the season and then after prancing about for ten minutes to the usual apathetic crowd, he could whip off his Hooky costume to the delight of the home faithful.

 

See, every cloud...etc.

[Sth_London_Fleet]

Now the big question, do i have my tattoo changed? or leave it and have another one, never mind i'll still be there come rain, snow, sunshine and name changes.....

 

you would have thought a new badge would have been ready (or have i missed something) for such ground breaking news.....

[John Pearce]

Couldn't make last nights meeting due to being away on business. However I have now read most of the contributions to each of the threads on this forum and read the press release as placed on the club's official website.

 

First reaction : Some consultation? Decisions already made!

 

Second reaction : Absolutely and totally appalled.

 

Reasons:-

 

(i) The new name makes no reference to the town that the club represents and has represented since 1946.

 

(ii) Whatever is said, Ebbsfleet (or certainly 90 plus %) is in Dartford.

 

When Scally was talking about bring Gillingham FC to Gravesham he insisted that the club's name would remain Gillingham Football Club. Wherever the 'Fleets new ground is to be, there is absolutely no reason for the club to give away its traditions and links to the towns of Gravesend and Northfleet by changing its name to somewhere that is to be a construction site for the foreseeable future.

 

It is not a case of not wishing, or indeed refusing to 'move-on'. Football is a game heaped in tradition, in years to come who will give a damn that a club called Gravesend and Northfleet once played Sunderland in the FA Cup, who will give a toss about the day out thousands enjoyed at Villa Park, who will want to remember, or care that players like Jimmy Logie, Ronnie Hall, Dave Bostock, Steve Portway etc.etc.etc. who once played for a club called what??

 

Sometime ago I argued for and got slated on this forum for even suggesting that a name change might just help the club to improve its image and possibly act as part of an overall strategy to attract new support, so I am not totally against a name change. But I say it again, that name must reflect the town that the club represents. Gravesham United or Gravesham Borough would have been an acceptable change, Ebbsfleet United a definite NO!

 

Sad to say, but I honestly do not think that I can continue to associate myself with a club that has a name that means nothing to anybody. Over time my view may well change, but for now I remain disgusted, disappointed and quite frankly bloody well annoyed.

 

Anyone wishing to set-up a local league side with the name Gravesend and Northfleet FC would gain my full support!

[Alan ( GNFC )]

I must admit having not lived in the area for over 20 years I agree with John. What a kick in the b*ll*cks.

61 years of history wiped away and exiled supporters trying to explain affiliation to a chav housing estate / railway station.

Bizarre.

Despite being a vice president /shareholder I struggle to see this as anything than a decreasing circle.

 

[jc]

Originally Posted By: 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!

I, like most others, am sceptical at least to a degree. This is pure speculation, but a potential problem for the board is that they may have sponsorship and/or new ground contracts virtually signed and sealed, and these may be tied in closely with the change of name - who knows, the change of name may even be a pre-condition. However, they may not be able to inform the fans of the finer details, owing to required confidentiality. Therefore, they may be unable to sell the name change to us in its fullest form, leaving several of us remaining sceptical.

The sudden nature of the change (i.e. coming into effect immediately), without real consultation with the supporters ('consultation' frequently being a misnomer in this New Labour age), implies that this change may well be closely tied in with the new sponsorship/ground. If not, and the name change is a purely speculative move, its merits suddenly look a lot more uncertain.

Happily, despite lack of genuine consultation with supporters, the decision has been made by a board that has been running the club for some time, and with great on-field success, rather than by a fly-by-night owner who has just taken control. I'm still not sure what to make of the change all in all (June 5th's sponsorship announcement may shed a little more light on matters), but one thing is certain - I'll be there at the first match of next season.

[Robbo]

I sent an e-mail to Jason Botely this afternoon expressing my disgust at the decision. To be honest though, I'm getting the feeling that out of the loyal fans, the majority are for the change? Which is shocking to say the least.

 

Some people I've talked to who either go occassionally or don't go at all are very confused at the decision and feel like they've been let down by their local club. I'm extremely concerned at the effect this namechange is going to have on the infamous 'floating fans' which I would estimate make up about 200-500 according to our form. If your someone who only comes to watch gravesend just for the sake of them being gravesend, will they come back next year?

 

 

[David Holden]

Originally Posted By: Robbo

Some people I've talked to who ....... don't go at all are very confused at the decision and feel like they've been let down by their local club.

I'm sure that the club feels just as let down by them.

[Robbo]

Yeh I know we do, but atleast some people still show an interest in the club even if they don't go. There's atleast the potential they'll come one day and then want to come again. Will people even be bothered now?