Doing it since 2017 (seems a lot longer) after I had a fall out with the lovely Belgians. It's 24/7 owning a club at this level and it's very very time consuming. The club is now very strong throughout all elements....just throwing money at it is not the answer, but it does help!
As good a reason as any to do your own thing! There is way, way more to it than money which seems obvious but was still surprising to me quite how important it is to find other ways to make stuff work. There are plenty of clubs with cash who are going in the wrong direction. I spent some time at Corinthian Casuals and they have almost no budget at all, but like you, find ways to attract players without waving cash at them!
Am surprised to see Casuals struggling at the bottom of step 4 now , I know obviously they do things differently but whenever I saw them with Worthing they were always an awkward side to play against and quite often had a few loanees from AFC Wimbledon dotted in their side.
I was there briefly when Tony Reid was in charge, he had about 50 players signed on and things didn't go well. They've been on the slide ever since. I get the amateur thing is more important to them than success, and they don't want to become just another paying club but it's hard to see them ever getting above Step 4 now.
What’s gone wrong with Dartford? I don’t follow that scene closely but Thought they were a pretty stable club and must have a decent enough budget for that league?
It's a serious drop off from a side that have always been promotion contenders, finished 2nd last season and were a penalty shoot out away from the play off final.
Since they beat Welling away on Boxing Day they've only won once and picked up just 8 points in 18 games. You'll struggle to find a side with a worse collapse in form at any level in recent years.
I didn't like the football played under Dowson when I saw Dartford, but sacking him in January has just hastened the dramatic slump. Just 6 points in 15 games have been gained since he went.
Dartford have sacked manager Alan Dowson after a poor run of results. The Darts sit 16th in National League South– seven points from the play-offs and 10 points above the relegation zone with 34 points from 27 matches.
Tonbridge would be a pretty awful solution although as a short term thing I guess needs must. But that is a horrible journey and will hit attendances I'd guess. Sadly I can't think of a better option in the area, although maybe Cray Valley Paper Mills would be an option short term?
Ground has to hold in excess of 3k for NLS
It's likely Welling won't be in the NLS next season though.
Tonbridge would be a pretty awful solution although as a short term thing I guess needs must. But that is a horrible journey and will hit attendances I'd guess. Sadly I can't think of a better option in the area, although maybe Cray Valley Paper Mills would be an option short term?
Ground has to hold in excess of 3k for NLS
It's likely Welling won't be in the NLS next season though.
Sorry, but couldn't resist giving this another airing.
Absolute car crash of a season for Dartford. Hard to see from here just how this slump occured - things were already going badly when Dowse got the push - there were no wins as far as i recall in the long seven week search for a replacement while Tony Burman took charge, and nothing since the new guy took over. You'd have to say player recruitment (and the revolving door of loanees) has been on a scale even Charlton cannot match. It's likely dartford won't be in the NLS next season
Dartford's season mirrored ours very closely. Both sets of well intentioned owners backed a manager that went spectacularly wrong. But when we appointed Jones, they got Tony in as caretaker (previously successful in a couple of stints) and then the current incumbent (as Ken says after a long delay), who has had zero impact. Where Darts are now could very easily have been our fate if the owners had got the managerial appointment wrong.
Apparently, come what may, Torquay are going to go semi-pro next season. It is farcical that a team in this league still think they are a pro side. The expenditure must be massive, and for that, I have no respect.
Ditching their professional status will bring them into a new nucleus of players. Those who are happy with this ideology (not affecting their work) and those who depend on full time football employment. At this level, for the money semi pros can earn, it can be quite fortuitous being semi pro. Those who earn a decent 9-5 salary, but just enjoy football. It gets rid of the budding player who's agent is on 40% telling his next Ronaldo, that he is actually, pretty shit.
Having had the depression of relegation last season and the general depression of Charlton this year,I've not been much to Dulwich Hamlet. We started this season looking like we could make it a double relegation, but turned it around raced towards the play offs. 3.45 pm last Saturday we sat neatly in the last play off place ... however 43 minutes later we lost a 1-0 lead and 1mi ute later were 2-1 down, Easter Monday we lost 3-0 away and today .. wiyhout checking the final score, we trailed 4-0 at home .. play off dream over!
So next season with a bit of luck ..Charlton and Hamlet promoted.
Ditching their professional status will bring them into a new nucleus of players. Those who are happy with this ideology (not affecting their work) and those who depend on full time football employment. At this level, for the money semi pros can earn, it can be quite fortuitous being semi pro. Those who earn a decent 9-5 salary, but just enjoy football. It gets rid of the budding player who's agent is on 40% telling his next Ronaldo, that he is actually, pretty shit.
I imagine that jobs that can be held down alongside football commitments are harder to come by in Torquay than in London and the home counties.
Having had the depression of relegation last season and the general depression of Charlton this year,I've not been much to Dulwich Hamlet. We started this season looking like we could make it a double relegation, but turned it around raced towards the play offs. 3.45 pm last Saturday we sat neatly in the last play off place ... however 43 minutes later we lost a 1-0 lead and 1mi ute later were 2-1 down, Easter Monday we lost 3-0 away and today .. wiyhout checking the final score, we trailed 4-0 at home .. play off dream over!
So next season with a bit of luck ..Charlton promoted.
I Disagree. Local businesses will more interested in local football clubs.
A seaside town and indeed area like Torquay has a very seasonal economy. There will be plenty of jobs in the summer, but they dry up once the holiday season finishes.
My new local team Hornchurch have today been promoted from the Isthmian Prem to National League South, as champions. They beat 2nd place Chatham Town 2-1 in injury time.
Have enjoyed a few trips to Hornchurch since moving there. Decent support.
My new local team Hornchurch have today been promoted from the Isthmian Prem to National League South, as champions. They beat 2nd place Chatham Town 2-1 in injury time.
Have enjoyed a few trips to Hornchurch since moving there. Decent support.
Hope they can afford it this time... Remember Hornchurch buying their way to the National Leagues, what feels about a decade ago - They didn't last long
Comments
The last 15 games form table:
Welling are 4th with 27 points.
Dartford bottom with 6 points.
Since they beat Welling away on Boxing Day they've only won once and picked up just 8 points in 18 games. You'll struggle to find a side with a worse collapse in form at any level in recent years.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/sport/darts-sack-boss-dowson-299896/
Dartford have sacked manager Alan Dowson after a poor run of results. The Darts sit 16th in National League South – seven points from the play-offs and 10 points above the relegation zone with 34 points from 27 matches.
It's likely dartford won't be in the NLS next season
https://wellingunited.com/2024/04/rod-stringer-and-kevin-watson-commit-to-wings-for-2024-25-season/
Massive win for Dartford
It is farcical that a team in this league still think they are a pro side.
The expenditure must be massive, and for that, I have no respect.
Probably be cut back to training twice a week in evenings and no players on full time contracts.
Those who are happy with this ideology (not affecting their work) and those who depend on full time football employment.
At this level, for the money semi pros can earn, it can be quite fortuitous being semi pro.
Those who earn a decent 9-5 salary, but just enjoy football.
It gets rid of the budding player who's agent is on 40% telling his next Ronaldo, that he is actually, pretty shit.
So next season with a bit of luck ..Charlton and Hamlet promoted.
Local businesses will more interested in local football clubs.
Have enjoyed a few trips to Hornchurch since moving there. Decent support.
Including the game they played today that's 8 games in 14 days. Ridiculous.