54 replies to this topic

[Loose]

Well, I maybe buy it a bit more but its hard to just take on faith that more locals will attend just because of a shiny new stadium.

How do you research something like that? There are obvious issues as well such as drawing in more family orientated groups.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Originally Posted By: Hempstead Gaz

As an extra, a good analogy is our comparison with Burton albion. both teams promoted to the conference in the same year (2002)both had old, run down grounds, and both had average gates of about 1200.
There the similarity ends. We kept our old ground, they moved into their new shiny stadium. Our gates and progress have stagnated, they have shown a slow and steady increase in crwds and have performed better almost every year.
they are now football league, we are still at Stonebridge Road.
Linked?
Probably, and worthy of a reasonable debate.

Chalk and Cheese, Gary!
Burton are not within an hour of four or five Premier League Teams and several other League Clubs!
I would love to go watch the Fleet in the future at a new stadium, more importantly, I would love to go watch the Fleet! Unless something is done fast, that may not be an option.
Saying the Club will drop a couple of Leagues and carry on, is just a hope at the moment, I have not heard anything concrete on the way that will happen.
I, for one have never blamed MyFC for the current state of the Club, in fact several times I have stated that the last Board were responsible for letting their asperations get way above the size of their wallets! MyFC definitely haven't been the saviours they were(mainly by themselves) made out to be!

[Hempstead Gaz]

I agree our location doesn't help - it was also location (and a greedy chairman) that saw off Maidstone. We can do little about geography.

I think that within a few weeks we realised MYFC wouldn't be the long term savious of the club, merely a way off paying off long term debts and staving off administration.

Most of us who didn't sign up probably look at it like that too.
The club was in dire financial straights long before the name change and myfc, but I feel the board were not entirely to blame - after all they had pumped hundreds of thousands of pounds into the club by way of loans to keep it alive.
It could be argued that their aspirations exceeded the reality of the club, but as in  in life, is there any point in plodding along, stagnating without any amition to improve?
The club for years adopted this policy - going nowhere very slowly. It was that philosophy that has caused the problems we face now, not the newer and more amitious board we've had of late.
Perhaps if the club had made a 10 or 20 year plan a decade ago - which included a new ground , we wouldn't be scratching our heads  what to do for the best now.
Good debate.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

The word that nobody at the Club seems to have taken notice of, for a few years is budget.You don't strive for what you can't afford.
Ten years ago I went to Hawaii, because it fitted into my budget then. This year I only had 4 days in Boston,because I had to be realistic that my budget now couldn't afford Hawaii. I'm sure you and others have had to cut back too.
The Club seemed to blindly stumble from one financial disaster year to another!



ps. If I really wanted to upset you.................I would tell you I am watching Gillingham in the play offs right now!

[Hempstead Gaz]

Like you, I hope they lose!!

[Big J R]

Originally Posted By: Hempstead Gaz

The old one is falling down, within a couple of years, it will need some serious maintainence to the stand roofs. The Plough End was shut for 2 years, and cost around £80,000 to make safe and install 500 seats. The ground is still part of the Thames Gateway development area, and is a prime site for housing. Whilst the plan for 20,000 new houses has been delayed, it is still probably going to go ahead after the recession breaks.
We do not own the ground, the lease has about 20 odd years to go, and the ground, whilst conveniently located for road, bus and rail links, cannot provide a sustainable outside income stream that new stadia can (cafe, gym, sport and leisure on site).

Excuse me fior sticking my nose in AGAIN, and I've probably got it wrong, but...

a. A long lease with 20 years to run.
b. Prime housing potential.
c. It sits on part of the Thames Gateway development area.

SIT TIGHT FOR NOW.

Sooner or later, the developers will be tearing their hair out and trying to rip arms off to get the ground.  Trust me, I know !

They have two options.

1. Find and construct a new ground for you.
2. They have to wait for your lease to expire !!

(p.s. I can recommend a very good property/lease solicitor and barrister !)

[Uncle Urchin]

you have obviously never been there BJR....its so far removed from having housing built on it its a joke....

its on a near riverside run down industrial area on a tight roundabout with absolutely no room for development other than a few warehouses...

20k houses...fck me thats more that the size of gravesend....and if they did build any there they would sell for about a fiver....

fans pipe dreams old boy....long may they/we believe...!!

[kaizen]

And it's pretty rough area too... Just glad I've got locking wheel nuts on my car....

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Originally Posted By: fleetzone

And it's pretty rough area too... Just glad I've got locking wheel nuts on my car....

I'm with you on that FZ! If the new Ebbsfleet housing developement ever gets off the ground(and it doesn't include the Football Ground),I will feel very sorry for the future tennants when the Wallis Park mob go on the prowl!

[Big J R]

That's me informed, then !

[cody]

Quote:

Well, I maybe buy it a bit more but its hard to just take on faith that more locals will attend just because of a shiny new stadium.

How do you research something like that? There are obvious issues as well such as drawing in more family orientated groups.

How do you research something like that ?

My god have you not looked 4 miles down the road where a club that is two leagues lower than you has a new ground and pulls in bigger crowds than you do . Not just at home but their away support is 300 plus. I know for a fact that their biggest attendance for a league match this season was over 2000 (paying fans) and even had over 1900 for a mid week league match.

[Loose]

Originally Posted By: cody

Quote:

Well, I maybe buy it a bit more but its hard to just take on faith that more locals will attend just because of a shiny new stadium.

How do you research something like that? There are obvious issues as well such as drawing in more family orientated groups.

How do you research something like that ?

My god have you not looked 4 miles down the road where a club that is two leagues lower than you has a new ground and pulls in bigger crowds than you do . Not just at home but their away support is 300 plus. I know for a fact that their biggest attendance for a league match this season was over 2000 (paying fans) and even had over 1900 for a mid week league match.

Well, yes, thats what I'm asking..

Actually, I'm pretty sure that the people leading this development have done some serious research, they are after all, serious people. What you are saying is ok if it is backed up by the research that says Club "A" moved to an upgraded stadium during such and such a time period, and their attendances rose immediately by such a percentage, after 5 years this same attendance stabilised at that same level or increased to..blah blah, which represented an initial increased percentage of ..., and after 5 years the percentage increase over original attendances was....

Then repeat that by every non league club, and higher league club that has moved to new stadia in the last 30 years. Good and bad.

The point is that the people currently funding this club and needing to raise their funding level need to see the future and have a bit more belief in it. They need to be convinced by this research. Not just take it on faith and anecdotal advice.

Thanks though.

[Loose]

Sorry, but this is the sort of thing that should outshade every other type of [****!!****] proposal to good idea currently being pushed on MyFC at the moment.

People could be led to see the longer view, the bigger picture that says "Okay, times are tough,all sorts of Football Clubs are struggling, its a (shh) recession thats causing it, but you know what, we come out of recessions and the club will still be here and its got a glowing future. Get behind this one initiative and in 3 years, 5, or whatever it will be stronger, funded at a higher level by attendances and you will kick yourselves for not being in on the ground floor".

You can't unify people behind a thousand ideas.

[PatMan]

Originally Posted By: cody

My god have you not looked 4 miles down the road where a club that is two leagues lower than you has a new ground and pulls in bigger crowds than you do . Not just at home but their away support is 300 plus. I know for a fact that their biggest attendance for a league match this season was over 2000 (paying fans) and even had over 1900 for a mid week league match.

Fact?
Largest home attendance - 2013 (All paying? Not 100% sure, but Dartford are very good at promoting themselves to local schools so would assume a good few giveaways)

Next largest - 1,781 for first home game of season to Dover

Only midweek evening game to break 900 was AFC Hornchurch...

Dartford average home attendance for 08/09 - 1,118
Ebbsfleet average home attendance 08/09 -    1,203

All FACTS taken from this site!

[billy nick]

Originally Posted By: PatMan

Originally Posted By: cody

My god have you not looked 4 miles down the road where a club that is two leagues lower than you has a new ground and pulls in bigger crowds than you do . Not just at home but their away support is 300 plus. I know for a fact that their biggest attendance for a league match this season was over 2000 (paying fans) and even had over 1900 for a mid week league match.

Fact?
Largest home attendance - 2013 (All paying? Not 100% sure, but Dartford are very good at promoting themselves to local schools so would assume a good few giveaways)

Next largest - 1,781 for first home game of season to Dover

Only midweek evening game to break 900 was AFC Hornchurch...

Dartford average home attendance for 08/09 - 1,118
Ebbsfleet average home attendance 08/09 -    1,203

All FACTS taken from this site!

Only midweek evening game to break 900 was AFC Hornchurch...
Wrong, the Dover match was played on a tuesday night, had it been played on a saturday the attendance would have topped 2,000.
But the fact remains that Dartford have had better crowds than Ebbsfleet in two out of the past three years, despite them being 3 divisions below the fleet at the time, which is remarkable.
Ebbsfleet's crowds just topped Dartfords this year  for a number of reasons, 30,000 odd MYFC members coming on the scene, the FA Throphy success and the 2 for 1 tickets at the beggining of the season.

There's nothing to stop Ebbsfleet from promoting themselves with the local schools is there?

Normal service will resume next season and i predict better crowds for Dartford, especially now Ebbsfleet have put up there prices many a floater will come watch the Darts instead.