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Post by Tom Bowen on Mar 30, 2024 17:52:02 GMT
So, as we enter the final month with five games to go, one in hand, what's everyone's thoughts?
Can we do it?
I reckon Maidstone at home on Saturday will be the one that tells it all.
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Post by markhardy on Mar 30, 2024 18:29:29 GMT
When you see many clubs struggle as soon as they get into the National League, like Oxford, Kidderminster this season. I think getting in the play offs is an achievement. But, would it do the club any good, if we got to the top flight of Non League football.
Farnborough first entered that division in May 89 and survived just the one season. Now back then, their was just one full time club, Darlington, (who remembers the police horses at Feethams for the 35 who travelled up) only on the fact that they had been relegated from the football league.
Move forward a few years and now there are only tow semi part time clubs, Oxford City and Wealdstone. The rest are what they class as full time professional or fuller time.
Also, you have to think of the travelling costs and hotel bills. I know there are many complaints on here as we had to travel west on a couple of occasions early ion the season for games, but what you could get in the National League is away to Rochdale or Altrincham on a Tuesday night.
Non League football is getting even more expensive to run, especially at the top end. Crowds are on the up, which is good and that is a distinctive trend across all of Non League. Until there are averages of 1500 to 2000 going through the turnstyles regularly, then it will be a struggle.
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Post by Tom Bowen on Mar 30, 2024 19:05:06 GMT
Also, you have to think of the travelling costs and hotel bills. I know there are many complaints on here as we had to travel west on a couple of occasions early ion the season for games, but what you could get in the National League is away to Rochdale or Altrincham on a Tuesday night. Non League football is getting even more expensive to run, especially at the top end. Crowds are on the up, which is good and that is a distinctive trend across all of Non League. Until there are averages of 1500 to 2000 going through the turnstyles regularly, then it will be a struggle. Yes, as an example, I watched Chesterfield v Bromley this season on a Tuesday night in October. I suppose it's not so bad when it's professional clubs! But we don't even have a coach very often because everyone drives and we can't afford it. Aside: Chesterfield v Bromley is similar to us doing Truro away this season at Plymouth Parkway (give or take) - I suspect if that was on a Tuesday night in this division everyone would be fuming. I expect from Maidstone's FA Cup run, if they don't go up this season, they may well blow everyone out of the water with the money they earned. So yes, crowds are slowly creeping up, which is fantastic. We've broken the 1K barrier four times this season, which would've been unheard of recently. However, I think a few more years of consolidating would do us well. If we go up, amazing. TV Money would be brilliant. However, for so many reasons, we just would not be ready. We're getting there. And the club is a positive place. I'm not suggesting we should forget about playoffs. However it is excellent proof of how we've adjusted to life since being promoted. Unfortunately, I don't think I can realistically get to any games before Weymouth on the final day. Keep it going boys. #UpTheF*****gBoro |
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Post by antz27 on Mar 30, 2024 20:10:04 GMT
I’m being optimistic that we will make the playoffs and win or lose that has to be seen as progression on last season. But it also leaves the club in a dilemma as next season fans will expect the same or better.
Now I agree it may be too soon to step up but we also could go up try to spend the same and bank tv money to use the season after.
Crowds are going up and I would expect it to go up more if we got promoted as we will potentially have games against the shots and Woking which will draw local crowds plus I think people are more likely to come watch ex league clubs than no offence Dover or Aveley the likes of Rochdale, Barnet, Southend should have more pulling power.
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Post by boromike on Mar 30, 2024 20:13:59 GMT
I think it’s 60/40 against us making the play offs but those are great odds considering had you asked me at the end of January I would have said 95/5 against.
We all know if we got promoted it would be a colossal struggle, but if we aren’t striving to get promoted then what’s the point!?
For me the play offs would be a brilliant achievement and would mean the season was a success whatever the outcome. I certainly wouldn’t be expecting to win them and if we got through to say the semis would consider that a huge success.
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Post by psimms50 on Mar 31, 2024 9:04:24 GMT
Agree with your thoughts Mike.
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Post by borobob on Mar 31, 2024 11:48:06 GMT
Agree with everything said so faf, and reaching the play offs would be an incredible result for the management and players and the club as a whole. NL has to be the ambition of course, and as a former nameless one said no ambition means going backwards! Like him or not, he was right on that score. I would love the experience of National League, but fear we could copy Oxford of we did manage to clamber up. I would be far happier for the club to continue the excellent work to date and hover around the NLS play off areas for a few seasons more whilst we build. Strong NL clubs are only going to filter down even more which will make this league even tougher. Now if we could choose Dorking and Woking to join us next season that will do just fine thank you. COME ON YOU YELLOWSAA!!
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Post by msgribbin on Apr 1, 2024 22:20:44 GMT
Steady progress season on season is what we need.
Last season we ended with 66 points and, with today's win, we've now matched that tally.
And it's been a tougher league this year.
That's quite some achievement, particularly given the upheavals earlier in the season.
Better yet, we look to be pulling together the nucleus of a strong squad for next season.
Would love to see us in the play offs but, if we fall short, still very pleased with the progress.
Well done all round !!
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superman
Squad member
Old member
Posts: 25
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Post by superman on Apr 2, 2024 9:55:40 GMT
Totally agree that this season we have built on the efforts of last season, making the playoffs is achievable but not the only thing to be considered. Many of us have gone through the times when we thought we didn’t have a club to support, and that was tough. Over the past few years the club has been building up and growing both community wise and in depth.
Don’t under estimate the impact of a great club with a great feel to it and a team that excited and wins, on the newcomers and families, they won’t come if we are in the mire again and spend all our time losing.
Well done Boro you are doing well 😀😀👌👌
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Post by jumaiton on Apr 3, 2024 10:00:44 GMT
The ideal scenario would be making the playoffs to show progression and what we're capable of us, but ultimately falling just short. Dorking, Woking and Maidenhead get relegated. We keep the majority of this squad, get Aaron back, add a few bits of quality, go again, have a few local derbys, cup run, get the crowd regularly over 1000 and aim for promotion.
Like a number have said, whilst it would be amazing to go up, we'd never survive right at this moment. We would need to be on the way to becoming professional with the right financial backing to sustain it and not be an Eastbourne. We've seen so many go up, try to survive, under spend and get tonked, over spend, still go down and struggle for years and even go down again.
As previously mentioned, at the end of January we started looking over our shoulders at the relegation zone so to think we're in the position to consider a promotion charge is incredible.
Bit of a catch 22 really. You want to succeed, you want to see us top of the form table, you want to go up, but it's probably not the right time
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