Brentford and Southend

[daveycrocket]

Always two of my favourite away games over the years; both quite local, Gills always take a large contingent of fans creating a great atmosphere in the pub beforehand and in the ground of course.

I've always regarded these two teams as roughly the same level as us, but look at them now; one in the premier league, one in non league. I suppose with Scally, at least he runs a steady ship, no danger of us heading either of those two opposite directions.

 

[Nobby_66]

Always two of my favourite away games over the years; both quite local, Gills always take a large contingent of fans creating a great atmosphere in the pub beforehand and in the ground of course.

I've always regarded these two teams as roughly the same level as us, but look at them now; one in the premier league, one in non league. I suppose with Scally, at least he runs a steady ship, no danger of us heading either of those two opposite directions.

Absolutely, I may be thinking through Rose coloured specs (if that's even a thing) but I feel we've spent more time looking up than down over my years as a Gills fan.

 

[chris who]

Always two of my favourite away games over the years; both quite local, Gills always take a large contingent of fans creating a great atmosphere in the pub beforehand and in the ground of course.

I've always regarded these two teams as roughly the same level as us, but look at them now; one in the premier league, one in non league. I suppose with Scally, at least he runs a steady ship, no danger of us heading either of those two opposite directions.

It will be interesting to see if Southend can pull out of their nosedive.It is no easy task. If they don't make it first season they may never return. Brentford will almost certainly bounce around the bottom of the league. I often think that the premier league is fairly meaningless as you know the general order they will finish before they kick off the season. I have zero interest in tonight's match.I wonder if teams like Brentford honestly think they have any chance what so ever of finishing near the top of the Premier league next season.

 

[Nobby_66]

It will be interesting to see if Southend can pull out of their nosedive.It is no easy task. If they don't make it first season they may never return. Brentford will almost certainly bounce around the bottom of the league. I often think that the premier league is fairly meaningless as you know the general order they will finish before they kick off the season. I have zero interest in tonight's match.I wonder if teams like Brentford honestly think they have any chance what so ever of finishing near the top of the Premier league next season.

I think the premier league is divided into three league now anyway. The elite who will always be looking at getting into the UCL (with Europa league as a consolation) The strugglers who battle relegation and the rest who fight for top if the "mid table mediocrity" league. The target for all three groups is to get promoted into the mini league above them which happens once in a blue moon (Leicester for example)

 

[valenciagill]

It's worth £180 million to Brentford.

I assume parachute payments too , if they go straight back down ?

 

[daveycrocket]

It will be interesting to see if Southend can pull out of their nosedive.It is no easy task. If they don't make it first season they may never return. Brentford will almost certainly bounce around the bottom of the league. I often think that the premier league is fairly meaningless as you know the general order they will finish before they kick off the season. I have zero interest in tonight's match.I wonder if teams like Brentford honestly think they have any chance what so ever of finishing near the top of the Premier league next season.

I too have no interest in tonight's match, means nothing to me. I've only just realised it's not on BBC, ITV or Sky as a mate just texted to ask if I knew where he could watch it, which I didn't.
Regarding the difference between Brentford and Southend at the moment, I suppose the little sum of £100 million that Brentford's owners have put in could sway it. A bit like Brighton, who also use to be regular Gills opponents going back a few years, but having a billionaire owner is the difference once again.

 

[chris who]

I think the premier league is divided into three league now anyway. The elite who will always be looking at getting into the UCL (with Europa league as a consolation) The strugglers who battle relegation and the rest who fight for top if the "mid table mediocrity" league. The target for all three groups is to get promoted into the mini league above them which happens once in a blue moon (Leicester for example)

Be a interesting experiment for someone running the prediction league. Everybody guessing how league one finish next season. Losing a point for every place in the table your prediction is out .IE You predict Gillingham finish 3rd and we finish 10th you lose 7 points. Doing the same for the premier league it would be interesting to see the point difference as much as anything.
In league one any one of say realistically 14 teams start the season with a chance of promotion.In the premier league about 6 teams have a chance. Same with going down.But if there is the divide like you say then that is possibly the case for most positions in the Premier league from 1st to 20th.

 

[Lark]

I too have no interest in tonight's match, means nothing to me. I've only just realised it's not on BBC, ITV or Sky as a mate just texted to ask if I knew where he could watch it, which I didn't.
Regarding the difference between Brentford and Southend at the moment, I suppose the little sum of £100 million that Brentford's owners have put in could sway it. A bit like Brighton, who also use to be regular Gills opponents going back a few years, but having a billionaire owner is the difference once again.

I believe it was free to watch on Bt Sport’s YouTube channel if you haven’t got BT Sport itself. They have to make the final free to view under the contract for the broadcast rights.

 

[markinkent]

I feel for Southend fans. There fans base has always been pretty loyal and their average attendances are a bit higher than ours. I hope they bounce straight back up but the likes of Stockport, York and Notts Co. show that its not a given.

Bournemouth, Reading and Brentford were all peers when I started watching Gills but they've long since left us trailing.

Rather be us than Southend though.

 

[OneSirKeefy]

I feel for Southend fans. There fans base has always been pretty loyal and their average attendances are a bit higher than ours. I hope they bounce straight back up but the likes of Stockport, York and Notts Co. show that its not a given.

Bournemouth, Reading and Brentford were all peers when I started watching Gills but they've long since left us trailing.

Rather be us than Southend though.

Very true.

My formative years watching Gills were 70’s and 80’s. I think the number of our regular peers from those years are greatly skewed towards now doing worse than us, rather than better than us (at least, a lot better).

York, Grimsby, Stockport, Chester, Aldershot, Notts C, Wrexham and not forgetting Bury. The list is endless of teams that were fairly equal to us but now non-league.

Whereas, the teams waay above (Prem/top champ) is limited to Watford, Brentford, Reading and Bournemouth. I believe all have been heavily bank-rolled.

Teams like Burnley, Fulham and Wolves from the Prem were already fallen giants at the time we often played them in the 3rd tier.