What Next? | Page 4 | Vital Football

What Next?

A interesting suggestion over 65s excluded??Won't that exclude a lot of the chairman of clubs?
There's no need to exclude over 65's

Let them make up their own minds.
And help the over 65's by providing a Block or two at very low density for the most cautious.

("one-size fits all" is for lazy bureaucrats ! )
 
There's no need to exclude over 65's

Let them make up their own minds.
And help the over 65's by providing a Block or two at very low density for the most cautious.

("one-size fits all" is for lazy bureaucrats ! )
The problem is not only behind the goal of the Rainham end and the limited toilet access .It is worse in the Gordon road stand.There in going to be problems there staying apart with a real bottle neck even with small crowds.
 
If people are there who want to be there and follow instructions it should be fine. Bottlenecks will only happen if people make them happen. If only about 2500 are allowed in and they are socially distanced and are sensible and listen to stewards then hopefully all fine.
 
The problem is not only behind the goal of the Rainham end and the limited toilet access .It is worse in the Gordon road stand.There in going to be problems there staying apart with a real bottle neck even with small crowds.

True, but in mitigation, the RE bogs do have a 'one-way' in/out system with two seperate doors. It's just poorly observed!
 
However, I think the 2 metre suggestion is unworkable in the ground.

What's more likely to dictate social distancing is the legally mandated 1M minimum, and I have even seen this rule enforced in one or two pubs here in London recently, in lieu of the 2M threshold which isn't practical.
 
If people are there who want to be there and follow instructions it should be fine. Bottlenecks will only happen if people make them happen. If only about 2500 are allowed in and they are socially distanced and are sensible and listen to stewards then hopefully all fine.
Some people are just looking for a million and one reasons why things can’t happen.
A bit of sensible thinking can sort most issues.
It’s all possible, it will just be different.
 
Some people are just looking for a million and one reasons why things can’t happen.
A bit of sensible thinking can sort most issues.
It’s all possible, it will just be different.

I agree it's all possible but will be different, more different than some imagine too. I think numbers will be quite low at first for instance. Anyone looking for reasons why it can't happen has the option to opt out so I don't see reluctant, obstructive fans as being an issue.

Far more important for me is the overall set up. What happens if/when there is an outbreak within a club, a local shutdown covering one, or more clubs. Meanwhile in the background the harsh financial realities of lower division football continue and intensify. What happens when a club fails to pay players, or goes into administration? If we apply the current rules as they stand we may have a competition that just fails. Different it will be and it will continue to evolve diferently in the face of external realities.

At the moment we have some concern from the greater football world because our competition interlinks with theirs, because we play in the same cup competitions. We need to make this work while we still have that link. If we blunder in full of bluster and have to think again it could be fatal. Bureaucrats, and good ones, are precisely what we do need at this moment.
 
I saw someone comment above mention the idea of playing pointless low attended cup games first. I think this is a great idea. Why not get the EFL Trophy licked between 12 Sept and October and maybe leave the final for next year when it hopefully can be attended properly? We could also knock out the first 2-3 rounds of the League Cup and start the League in October when reduced crowds can attend. Probably too much like common sense for the EFL.

Generally, I think the proposal of 25% crowds works as will slow 1m between fans. For us, it would mean season ticket holders can attend safely. I think away fans should be banned for the foreseeable sadly - I think it is too difficult to police and steward and I don’t think fans travelling the country at this time should be encouraged.

On a general note, I am surprised at the silence and lack of news from the club. An example is I thought they would want to get the clubshop up and running - even if only only - to get some revenue for the club. For example, I wanted to get a GFC facemask, but there is no way of getting one from the club. I had to go on eBay and pick one up where you can get some decent ones, which is money the club could be pocketing. I actually got an email from a Kent County Cricket Club advertising KCCC facemasks and on social media, it’s awash with adverts for team branded facemasks (although not GFC where eBay was the only option). This is another example of the club not thinking outside of the box and making money when it surely must be needed.
 
I assume all that kind of staff have been furloughed so can't sort it out if we indeed had the idea.
Yes Scally said on Radio Kent the other day that all staff were on furlough for March and April but from May there has been very limited essential staff in including himself, the stadium manager (John Carter I think), Steve Evans and Raynor on odd days like when informing the players who would be offered deals or not, and probably the Chief Exec.
Club shop, ticket office, Priestfield Banqueting facility all still closed with no staff in.
The Media guy seems to be working from home with his Zoom player/manager interviews and past match highlights videos.
 
The London Resort today published plans and further information about the mega project currently underway near Northfleet.

A delve into the documents and plans accessible via the London Resort website provides an oversight as to the scale of the enterprise. A look at the massive infrastructure planned suggests that movement of large numbers of people in the area will not only be totally viable, it`ll be fun too !

Can`t help thinking that somewhere along the line that same infra-structure could be utilised by a partner Stadium in the general area of the Resort.

Is it really just a coincidence that the owners of Ebbsfleet United are involved in the new resort project ? Ebbsfleet United, still has plenty of time to establish itself as an EFL team - notwithstanding the clubs slide this past season.

But if Ebbsfleet don`t head in that direction could this vast project be enough to stimulate some long term interest in potential buyers of GFC ? After all, GFC doesn`t have to stay in Gillingham, does it ? If you`ve billions to invest, a future Stadium in or near to the Resort sounds like a viable business venture.

After a very slow start, the Resort project now seems well under way and has been designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) by UK Government. The first area of the new resort is scheduled to open in under five years, with the site in full operation some four or five years after that.

Good luck to them.
 
Generally, I think the proposal of 25% crowds works as will slow 1m between fans. For us, it would mean season ticket holders can attend safely. I think away fans should be banned for the foreseeable sadly - I think it is too difficult to police and steward and I don’t think fans travelling the country at this time should be encouraged.

See no reason why it can`t be 33% of capacity. Hope you`re not right about away fans - though I can see why it would make sense.
 
Word is it's between 17 & 30% and Grimsby chairman has said he expects League Two to be nearer the lower figure. Link to Rochdale site on previous site indicates their chairman expects to admit fewer than last season's average (3,500 approx). Their capacity is similar to ours maybe 400 less. I assume he has looked at top end figure of 30% and realised that even that will entail selecting, who will be allowed in.

Our average attendance in the truncated season was 5207 so we will be in a similar, if not worse, position. I expect them to allow a lower percentage when fans are first admitted because it will need trialling live, the authorities are cautious at present and it will not be us making the decisions. The Sports Ground Safety Authority, which I had never heard of before, is at the centre of the process.
 
Word is it's between 17 & 30% and Grimsby chairman has said he expects League Two to be nearer the lower figure. Link to Rochdale site on previous site indicates their chairman expects to admit fewer than last season's average (3,500 approx). Their capacity is similar to ours maybe 400 less. I assume he has looked at top end figure of 30% and realised that even that will entail selecting, who will be allowed in.

Our average attendance in the truncated season was 5207 so we will be in a similar, if not worse, position. I expect them to allow a lower percentage when fans are first admitted because it will need trialling live, the authorities are cautious at present and it will not be us making the decisions. The Sports Ground Safety Authority, which I had never heard of before, is at the centre of the process.
If we were looking at half way between 17 and 30% we would probably be looking at around 2,500 at Priestfield which would probably not get all the season ticket holders in the three permanent stands.Which would mean of course next to no revenue coming in in match day ticket sales.
 
The London Resort today published plans and further information about the mega project currently underway near Northfleet.

A delve into the documents and plans accessible via the London Resort website provides an oversight as to the scale of the enterprise. A look at the massive infrastructure planned suggests that movement of large numbers of people in the area will not only be totally viable, it`ll be fun too !

Can`t help thinking that somewhere along the line that same infra-structure could be utilised by a partner Stadium in the general area of the Resort.

Is it really just a coincidence that the owners of Ebbsfleet United are involved in the new resort project ? Ebbsfleet United, still has plenty of time to establish itself as an EFL team - notwithstanding the clubs slide this past season.

But if Ebbsfleet don`t head in that direction could this vast project be enough to stimulate some long term interest in potential buyers of GFC ? After all, GFC doesn`t have to stay in Gillingham, does it ? If you`ve billions to invest, a future Stadium in or near to the Resort sounds like a viable business venture.

After a very slow start, the Resort project now seems well under way and has been designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) by UK Government. The first area of the new resort is scheduled to open in under five years, with the site in full operation some four or five years after that.

Good luck to them.


I hope it opens for very selfish reasons as its part of my retire early and take a part job working up there !

I can't see a stadium being included anywhere near their plans. Every spare square metre will be used to sell something to the theme park public.