Ok I expect to get some stick for posting today but I have been looking at some possible outcomes for next year.
I would love to see Aveley go up. Not because I like them but because I find Parkside a cold souless stadium with no character.
Unless the FA decide to place them in the Southern League if they win the playoff I would really enjoy a few night in Jersey watching Bulls vs Wings. Hope it is not AFC Croydon as I found their ground rather depressing. From the north Redbridge would be fairly easy by underground or a coastal trip to Felixstowe could be invigorating. Just avoid the containers
Looking at promoted clubs Three Bridges is easy to get to by train from London Bridge or Victoria. Of course we need to hope trains are running. Maldon and Tiptree in the North is 11 miles from Chelmsford Station with an hourly bus service. Last return is 17.45 so hope we have a Saturday fixture. From the South Central Leatherhead could be put in the Southern League or with us depending on what the FA decide after the SE and SC playoffs.
Coming down I would expect Eastbourne Borough and Enfield Town to re visit PVR. Hope we get a chance of revenge on Town after last seasons disaster.
Of the relegated teams this season the only one I am sorry to see go is Cray Valley. Pure selfish reason they were only an eight minute drive from home although now it is ten thanks to the 20 mph speed limit near me.
Got to agree hope aveley go up hate going there and always a Monday night/week day! Love jersey bulls to come up and go in our league what a weekend that would be
I will do a very quick list of some things I would obviously enjoy.
1) Jersey come up. For the avoidance of doubt, Jersey, if it's not during the 'tourist' season is a pain to get to and back in a day on a plane. However, if anyone is interested, it would appear that if 100 people get together and pay about £220 each (which sounds a lot but if you're the last man trying to get an Easyjet return you can often pay £450 due to yield management), you can charter a flight from Southend or Gatwick and actually get to Jersey and back in a day. That's another story!
2) A few more toilets would be nice, and a bit of work on making sure the ones inside the clubhouse are kept fresh during game days.
3) A good cup run.
4) A good number of the existing players being kept about. Sam Smith most notably, and the likes of Troy. They've been proper grafters.
5) A bit of a tidy up and a bit more aesthetics at PVR.
Other than that, perhaps just replacing Alpacalypse with something a bit tastier!
Firstly kudos to Ryan and the management team for the turnaround in our fortunes particularly in the last couple of months. We looked dead and buried a couple of months ago and they have got the squad far better organised, far harder to beat and working hard as a team and everyone deserves huge credit for that. It feels that they are trying very hard to get a feelgood factor around the whole club and Ryan's engagement with the supporters has been very good as well.
However, if we cast our minds back two seasons, Rod Stringer and Kevin Watson kept us in the NLS from a very similar predicament and what happened the following season...?? Prior to the last week of the season we had played 14 matches against the top eight sides in the league and lost every single one of them!! Six of those teams will be here again next season...
And what exactly happening currently off the pitch...?? Last season we were told both ends were being levelled in the close season and metal terracing installed at both ends. Then the following season we would be installing a 3/4g surface but I have heard nothing at all about any of that lately (no coincidence that 7 of the top 8 in this division play on these surfaces) .?? We also need to encourage more fans to attend PVR - our ratio of away support to home support has to be the best in this division but we still need more home fans on a regular basis. The atmosphere recent has beek a lot better (personally I'm not a drum fan) but we have seen more youth at PVR this season and we need to encourage more of them with cheap seasons etc...etc...in my opinion. I believe that this World Cup screening thing also means there will be no pre season games (and no pre season revenue) and once again we will more than likely start the season with a sub standard pitch. I would much rather hear from the CEO on all these matters rather than some fluff about rebranding and a new badge.
Congratulations once again to the new management team on their achievements and righting the wrongs of the first few months of the season but this club has had a decade plus of decline so I'm not going to get too excited about next season until we hopefully see some of these matters are actually being addressed.
No trip to Jersey next season but the delights of AFC Croydon or AFC Whyteleafe will be decided on Friday. Just watched some of the Bulls game on youtube they lost on penalties.
