The non league scene. | Page 3 | Vital Football

The non league scene.

A little by-the-by :

After the game yesterday, I was a bit surprised to see a couple of fellow Gills fans at Crewe railway station standing near to me - on the North bound platform ! Engaging in conversation I was even more surprised that they were bound for Preston and even more surprised when I discovered they were both fans and regular attendees at AFC Fylde !!!! ( I go to AFC Fylde quite often) So, there are three of us "Gills" who go to Fylde. I usually have a GFC coat/jacket on when I go to Fylde. If the "locals" see my new found buddies in their GFC stuff too - well , they might be a little bemused !

Also saw a Gills fan wearing a Boston Bruins hat yesterday - Mmmmm - this is now becoming spooky. Was it you Prosecutor !!!!
 
Visited another club who've had a fall from grace this weekend. York City, now in a soulless out of town ground. A club who still believe they should be in the football league but find themselves mid table in the Conference North.
As has been mentioned in various place, avoiding Non-league is vital because if we drop into it there are absolutely no guarantees of getting back out anytime soon!

And for those wishing for a new ground,lets hope its not an identikit ground built on an industrial estate. They really are no substitute for a proper ground in the town!

May well be visiting Fylde in April @LancsGordoRoad
 
And for those wishing for a new ground,lets hope its not an identikit ground built on an industrial estate. They really are no substitute for a proper ground in the town!

Only one location on the table isn't there ? If it was to happen we know where it will be (Twydall) but as for the design I would be really disappointed if it was like Shrewsbury or even Doncaster. I don't want a bowl.

Much rather see two symmetrical stands (i.e. both sides the same and both ends the same). I'd like the corners bits boxed (like the RE / MS).

A small version (much smaller) of Colognes stadium.
 
I was going to Barnstaple v Bideford today but it’s absolutely chucking down all morning.
Torrential.
It may well be off or abandoned.
So, the wimp that I have become, I decided to stay home and fire up the log burner.
 
For the record Bury Town (Bury st Edmonds )Drew 1-1 with Stowmarket.They really should have won .A bit of a ploughed field of a pitch not surprisingly top of the table Stowmarket had problems in dealing with it .Bury play right by the river.Bury went ahead then conceded both headers.Bury missed a few chances to win it including a soft penalty.
 
The National League South table looks interesting at present, particularly from a Kent perspective.

Ebbsfleet, Dartford & Maidstone sitting equal second, all with games in hand over the club (Oxford City) 3 points ahead in first place. Could well be a Kent 1-2-3 in this League. Good for Kent football and, if we should find ourselves in L2 next season (sorry), two of these clubs could be just one Step away !
 
The National League South table looks interesting at present, particularly from a Kent perspective.

Ebbsfleet, Dartford & Maidstone sitting equal second, all with games in hand over the club (Oxford City) 3 points ahead in first place. Could well be a Kent 1-2-3 in this League. Good for Kent football and, if we should find ourselves in L2 next season (sorry), two of these clubs could be just one Step away !
With Scally or anyone with similar finances and current crowds perhaps the only way we can get this mythical new ground would be a ground share.Or a outside investment where we rent the ground off a third party. I know which I would prefer renting as Coventry and many others have found is a nightmare that could be the last straw that could send us under .A ground share where two local clubs own half could work it does in other countries. I believe of course you would have to share revenue from a on site bar or school. But given the bar in currently only really open match days anyway.i think any savings would far out weigh costs . I have always felt that better competition would drive up both the quality of players available and revenue. Greater local interest drives up crowds. Yesterday I was in a crowd in excess of 1200 at Bury St Edmonds.
 
That sort of crowd is more than double what Macc got when they were in the EFL - pretty astonishing really. I must have been to 30+ Macc games over the years (they are my local team) and only twice been in crowds that big, once being when Port Vale brought 2k fans and once being a play off game.

i don’t know if actually losing your team and seeing it reborn is something I’d want for the Gills, but it’s certainly galvanised Macc‘s local support.
 
My first non league game was Hastings v Margate in 1966 iirc. Was on holiday in Hastings. First time I'd travelled outside the county of Kent. Felt like watching a game abroad
Strangely I think my first non league match was Hastings as a kid back in the 60s.While on Holiday.
 
I thinl Margate won 2 1 but was unable to research the results.
I think Hastings 6 nil won.It could have been a fa cup fixture. i have a feeling it was a local game against Littlehampton or Arundel and may have been at Arundel or Littlehampton as that's where we went a few times.
 
Having not been to a match since our home defeat to Portsmouth there are a few good looking non league local derby's coming up to choose from. Maidstone v Tonbridge, Ebbsflett v Dartford or Chatham v Sheppy United.
The Chatham match is 1st v 2nd (which I will attend). They are expecting a crowd of around 1500, not bad for SE Counties League.