Chesham (H)

Redditchbluenose86 Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:37 am

I've decided to venture out of my cave for tomorrow's game.

Few of us are meeting at the Railway Pub near the ground at 1pm for a few pre-match beers to get the vocals influenced, if anyone's interested Beer

See you on the Cedar Road tomorrow, look forward to catching up with everyone!

mattim Sat Apr 20, 2013 2:35 am

I'll be there today but won't get there in time for the Railway session. I'm travelling more in hope than expectation, I cannot see us getting anything today. Chesham one of the better sides in this league plus our lot will be knackered. I will go home absolutely delighted with a draw. I think it's almost more important what happens at Beduff than at the Valley. I think we may have just about saved ourselves with that win Thursday night but we need Beduff to lose one more game.

The weather might bring a few more out so let's hope for a better than average crowd.

Leethall Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:17 am

I went to watch Stratford draw 1-1 with Stourport and clinch promotion. 379 in attendance, if only we could get a crowd of that size!

Terrace Guy Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:30 pm

There's certainly a feel good factor around Stratford at the moment due to their progress up the Alliance this year. Years of steady decline has eroded our fanbase to the point where week in week out regulars can no longer be bothered to go down and who could blame them? Yes we've survived, im pleased at that but as a fan do i want a similar season next time around? God no. I think this pre season could be the most important for years in terms of decisions and showing the fans that there's an appetite for improvement.

UTR

mattim Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:38 pm

Well it was definitely a better than average crowd but pretty much same old same old on the pitch.I actually don't think we are that bad but up front we are almost pathetically bad.

From speaking to a number of old acquaintances on the terraces and overhearing things it seems the following;

As stated we are shockingly bad up front.

Most fans don't think the manager has a clue.

Most fans are beginning to wonder what the Swans are doing and where the club is going.

Most fans wonder just what the hell is going to happen next season because we can't go on like this.

If Chesham are third then there isn't really much to choose between the teams in this league because there really wasn't much to choose between the teams today, apart from the first point I made.

Redditch_Reject Sat Apr 20, 2013 2:45 pm

My opinion on the strike force is that it is good up until the point where the ball needs to go in the back of the net. Hylton and Thompson - Brown makes good runs, and Richards get the ball to them well, but it's just that last, most important act of getting a goal that we struggle at.

Leethall Sun Apr 21, 2013 10:46 am

mattim wrote:Well it was definitely a better than average crowd but pretty much same old same old on the pitch.I actually don't think we are that bad but up front we are almost pathetically bad.

From speaking to a number of old acquaintances on the terraces and overhearing things it seems the following;

As stated we are shockingly bad up front.

Most fans don't think the manager has a clue.

Most fans are beginning to wonder what the Swans are doing and where the club is going.

Most fans wonder just what the hell is going to happen next season because we can't go on like this.

If Chesham are third then there isn't really much to choose between the teams in this league because there really wasn't much to choose between the teams today, apart from the first point I made.

Yesterday I had a choice, I was in Redditch mowing my nans lawns and it was a choice to go and watch Redditch v Chesham then goto watch my cricket club play or goto watch Stratford v Stourport (Rod Brown in charge) then goto the cricket. There was nothing between the distances all round but I thought that the football is so bad whenever I watch games at Redditch I am off to Stratford.

1-1 and a good game of football (even though the Stratford mgr said it was poor) between 2 decent sides who mixed up their football. £6 entrance, a decent cheeseburger and a pint at half time. A crowd of 349 in a game that was played on a fully grassed pitch (bar the goal areas) and decent atmosphere.

Games at The Valley have been depressing, the football is shocking with a lack of direction of how the team should play. The players I believe are scared playing on that surface as they generally do well away from home. The regulars over the last 2 seasons have migrated away and the views I hear from a fair few are until they see some progress being made in respect of the side put out on the field they will not attend and go elsewhere. Right or wrong you cannot blame this view as this season has been an absolute waste of time. Seriously anybody who thinks differently is glossing over the cracks.

The reserves seem to be doing well and have obviously got some talent and I think this is a massive plus for the club. It seems like the Yoof section is being integrated as one and this is a big positive.

It would be nice to see some progress from the 1st team as it has been on a downward spiral since Mr & Mrs Swan took over and that is when they brought so much hope!

rawlings09 Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:44 pm

I totally agree with leethal and mattim.

This season was a pile of wank and there's been nothing from the club to show that next season is going to be any different. We can either stick with redhead and have another shocking season of decline, or bring someone else in, which would be our 4th? Manager in 3 seasons(?) and risk another similar season.

del boy Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:48 pm

Leethall wrote:
It would be nice to see some progress from the 1st team as it has been on a downward spiral since Mr & Mrs Swan took over and that is when they brought so much hope!

That’s a little bit unfair on the Swans. The team has largely been on a downward spiral ever since our second season in the Conference North. That is now the best part of 10 years ago!!! In the league, we’ve been poor for years. As for cup runs in the last ten…what cup runs!? All I can think of is one half decent FA Cup run ending against Kettering and one pretty decent Trophy run, loosing at Halifax. League or cup, there has been almost nothing to get excited about in a long, long time!!!

All that said, the Swans have had two and a bit seasons in charge and there doesn’t appear to be any immediate signs that things will improve any time soon. Financially, it goes without saying that they have saved and improved the clubs stability. On the pitch, as for the ‘five year plan’ to reach the Conference, we’ve never been further away.

This season, I persevered as an ever present regular until Christmas. Since then, I have only ventured down on the odd occasion, hoping that things would be better. It never was. It has always been truly dismal. Losing 9-0 at home to Boston was more bearable than some of the shite I’ve seen this season.

I’ve started to get my Saturday afternoon ‘football fix’ from elsewhere. Yes, it costs more and takes up more time…..but on the whole, it’s a lot more enjoyable! I hate saying that because I’d rather be at the Valley, but I’m almost out of good reasons to go.

Bob Marley Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:07 am

Stability off-field was a must...we all know.
That has been 'achieved'...to some extent and no-one is posting on here asking if we will have a club next season!

We are back to the same old subject...to improve the on-field situation, heavy investment is required (until the youth section is mature and producing young talent on a regular basis)...my guess? another 2-3 seasons?

So, how do we pay for it? Mr Swan to invest his own cash and create a situation we had some 2-3 years ago?

Of course the product today can not be compared to the seasons in the conf north when the Directors were spending 3k per week...that is unfair on Mr Swan and Mr Redhead.

Having said that, it is worrying to see so many regulars deserting the ship...this does not bode well, however a young, winning team soon brings the fans back...

I have never been a fan of Mr Redhead...before & present...and the lack of direction on the field is always a reflection of the manager IMO.
We have had some good results this season...we can compete...but we have to go-back to basics on creating a solid spine...GK, CF, CM, CF...invest here with good experience and put the young legs around them.

I take Leethal's point on the cost...it is too expensive...the league has to take stock of falling attendances and this has to be addressed across the board to keep the interest.
With EPL teams offering cheap tickets to fill their stadiums....what chance have RUFC charging $10?

Leethall Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:51 am

del boy wrote:
Leethall wrote:
It would be nice to see some progress from the 1st team as it has been on a downward spiral since Mr & Mrs Swan took over and that is when they brought so much hope!

That’s a little bit unfair on the Swans. The team has largely been on a downward spiral ever since our second season in the Conference North. That is now the best part of 10 years ago!!! In the league, we’ve been poor for years. As for cup runs in the last ten…what cup runs!? All I can think of is one half decent FA Cup run ending against Kettering and one pretty decent Trophy run, loosing at Halifax. League or cup, there has been almost nothing to get excited about in a long, long time!!!

All that said, the Swans have had two and a bit seasons in charge and there doesn’t appear to be any immediate signs that things will improve any time soon. Financially, it goes without saying that they have saved and improved the clubs stability. On the pitch, as for the ‘five year plan’ to reach the Conference, we’ve never been further away.

This season, I persevered as an ever present regular until Christmas. Since then, I have only ventured down on the odd occasion, hoping that things would be better. It never was. It has always been truly dismal. Losing 9-0 at home to Boston was more bearable than some of the shite I’ve seen this season.

I’ve started to get my Saturday afternoon ‘football fix’ from elsewhere. Yes, it costs more and takes up more time…..but on the whole, it’s a lot more enjoyable! I hate saying that because I’d rather be at the Valley, but I’m almost out of good reasons to go.

Del agreed that come across really harsh and I did not mean it in the context it was written! What I meant was The Swans came to the club and said they would get in a decent managerial team and use local players and build. What we have had is a managerial go around and we have sunk to the bottom 3 of Glue Stick Southern Prem. that is going backwards and we should be better than that.

I have been in exactly the same position as you since Xmas but I have still been attending quite a few games and I leave feeling the exact same before I went.

oldtommo Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:57 am

Bob Marley wrote:Stability off-field was a must...we all know.
That has been 'achieved'...to some extent and no-one is posting on here asking if we will have a club next season!

We are back to the same old subject...to improve the on-field situation, heavy investment is required (until the youth section is mature and producing young talent on a regular basis)...my guess? another 2-3 seasons?

So, how do we pay for it? Mr Swan to invest his own cash and create a situation we had some 2-3 years ago?

Of course the product today can not be compared to the seasons in the conf north when the Directors were spending 3k per week...that is unfair on Mr Swan and Mr Redhead.

Having said that, it is worrying to see so many regulars deserting the ship...this does not bode well, however a young, winning team soon brings the fans back...

I have never been a fan of Mr Redhead...before & present...and the lack of direction on the field is always a reflection of the manager IMO.
We have had some good results this season...we can compete...but we have to go-back to basics on creating a solid spine...GK, CF, CM, CF...invest here with good experience and put the young legs around them.

I take Leethal's point on the cost...it is too expensive...the league has to take stock of falling attendances and this has to be addressed across the board to keep the interest.
With EPL teams offering cheap tickets to fill their stadiums....what chance have RUFC charging $10?

With all due respect Steve you don't have to watch the dross that is served up on a weekly basis. Players who could play a bit and looked the part have been moved on to be replaced by people that in some cases cannot pass a ball 10 yards to an unmarked player. The last few weeks I feel a fiver to get in would have been daylight robbery! Things won't change as we are now down to a hardcore fanbase of about 100 so I can only see the budget being reduced. I don't see us ever competing at this level with the standard of player we can attract to the club. I think we all agree that we don't want the club in debt, so a more realistic expectation level on the pitch is required. Would it be better to play a couple of leagues lower and to be winning games regular and challenging for a trophy or two, or to carry on struggling in a league which is too tough for us?

Bob Marley Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:36 pm

I'm sure Fingers will fill us in on the perils of the leagues right below us and you miss the potential of the 'midlands' clubs...extra travel costs will not help anyone.

I think this closed season is a crossroads for the club...do we continue on with the current model or do we try something completely different?

I would replace Mr Redhead with a local manager who has great contacts with the youth leagues - Paul Oakes at Fairfield springs to mind.
Try to build a young, local, exciting team that people will pay $6 to watch (prices must come down)...the style of football has to change, even if it is not successful in the short term...ala Swansea etc.

Ask K.Casey to get an experienced spine and put most of the resources in those key positions.

Mrs Moor Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:03 pm

Bob Marley wrote:Stability off-field was a must...we all know. That has been 'achieved'...to some extent and no-one is posting on here asking if we will have a club next season!

You have stability a relegation battle every season, people are not posting about having a club next season because they have already moved on and go elsewhere.

Bob Marley wrote:We are back to the same old subject...to improve the on-field situation, heavy investment is required (until the youth section is mature and producing young talent on a regular basis)...my guess? another 2-3 seasons?

Rubbish, your reserves are a joke and if you do have talent then they will move on because you play in such a poor league.

Bob Marley wrote:So, how do we pay for it? Mr Swan to invest his own cash and create a situation we had some 2-3 years ago?

Of course he should invest his own cash or what was the point of buying the club, what happened to his five year plan.

Bob Marley wrote:I would replace Mr Redhead with a local manager who has great contacts with the youth leagues - Paul Oakes at Fairfield springs to mind

Hold on I thought you wanted the Bromsgrove Manager last week, oh yes he resigned. Now you want Oakes who can’t even win MFC 1 (how many goes has he had).

Sorry but you are clueless, the Swans need to give the current manager a chance by giving him a budget. People like you who don’t even go to games should stop running him down all of the time after all he is doing his best with the money at his disposal the same can’t be said for the Swans.

rawlings09 Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:54 pm

I struggle to see how we can back a manager who has won 12 games in 2 spells, albeit one spell without a budget.

We supported the manager and team In that cup game at Nantwich town and for what? An almost forced round of applause by one or two players.

It's nice to be appreciated at this level of football especially, fair enough in the premier league they're all rolling in their millions and could play their games behind closed doors and still get payed alot, but it's different at this level, without us, there's no them... It'd be great if the team and club realised that.

Just my bitter opinions after another pointless season is all!

Wink

Bob Marley Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:19 am

Mrs Moor wrote:
Bob Marley wrote:Stability off-field was a must...we all know. That has been 'achieved'...to some extent and no-one is posting on here asking if we will have a club next season!

You have stability a relegation battle every season, people are not posting about having a club next season because they have already moved on and go elsewhere.

Bob Marley wrote:We are back to the same old subject...to improve the on-field situation, heavy investment is required (until the youth section is mature and producing young talent on a regular basis)...my guess? another 2-3 seasons?

Rubbish, your reserves are a joke and if you do have talent then they will move on because you play in such a poor league.

Bob Marley wrote:So, how do we pay for it? Mr Swan to invest his own cash and create a situation we had some 2-3 years ago?

Of course he should invest his own cash or what was the point of buying the club, what happened to his five year plan.

Bob Marley wrote:I would replace Mr Redhead with a local manager who has great contacts with the youth leagues - Paul Oakes at Fairfield springs to mind

Hold on I thought you wanted the Bromsgrove Manager last week, oh yes he resigned. Now you want Oakes who can’t even win MFC 1 (how many goes has he had).

Sorry but you are clueless, the Swans need to give the current manager a chance by giving him a budget. People like you who don’t even go to games should stop running him down all of the time after all he is doing his best with the money at his disposal the same can’t be said for the Swans.

Thank you for your invaluable contribution to the forum and discussion.

Redditch_Reject Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:06 am

Mrs Moor, why do you never stop chatting bullshit?

So we're in a relegation battle, I have a club to support, even if I am watching them lose. I'm a fan through thick and thin and I'd still go to as many games as possible if we hadn't won all season.

As for saying our reserves are sh*t, have you actually watched us this season? Leavi has been an absolute revalation this season, and his work rate and passion is second to none. Hylton is the kind of player that could easily step up a few levels, if he works on his finishing. Catlow is easily the best goalie we've had all season.

We had a chairman who tried speculating to accumulate and where did that leave us. Five minutes from not having a club. A self - sufficient club is important.

And Redhead has split my opinion. Sometimes he seems to know what's he doing, but players like Deards and Hylton need to be given more of a chance, players such as Mark Hands are useless and add nothing to the team.

If you still won't tell us who you are then I must presume that you are not going to matches either. Therefore, you have less right that anybody else to give your opinion.

Mrs Moor Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:20 am

Redditch_Reject wrote:Mrs Moor, why do you never stop chatting bullshit?

As for saying our reserves are sh*t, have you actually watched us this season? Leavi has been an absolute revalation this season, and his work rate and passion is second to none. Hylton is the kind of player that could easily step up a few levels, if he works on his finishing. Catlow is easily the best goalie we've had all season.

I don't think i said your reserves were sh*t, i just don't see them as doing anything for the first team anytime soon. They are currently 9th in a 13 team league, hardly setting the world alight in a poor league are they. I do take your point there may well be one or two gems but on the whole nothing to get too excited about i am sure you agree.

As for "chatting bullshit" my post was a direct response to the forums worst offender and yet he manages to escape your wrath time after time.

He now says the club should be appointing managers from the MFC and using local up and coming players, yet when the club had that structure in place he was the no1 critic. He was all for Hyde and his massive budget and using the likes of Lee Hendry to save the season on highly inflated wages. The current manager has achieved the same result on a shoestring budget yet he is being slaughtered, it simply makes no sense.

Moors Youth ...............Champions !!

Old Bob does more u turns than a Tory cabinet.

Redditchbluenose86 Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:32 am

Saturday was my 3rd/4th game of the season, and my first in a fair few months. It was also a reminder of why I no longer feel the urge to come down anymore (when I'm free).

The Valley is such a depressing place to spend a Saturday, let alone a tenner.

Poor game of football due to an ever-poor pitch.

No atmosphere, due to poor football.....due to a poor pitch.

Whilst it's great catching up with the very few people that still attend, I don't really feel emotionally attached to the club anymore.

I will still come down, but only when I have nothing else to do. Hats off to the hardcore that still attend, but I just can't justify my reasons to attend anymore.

I'm tired of hearing proposed plans that never materialize. What is the current status of the rumoured potential ground move mentioned a few months back in the Standard? 3g Pitch? 5-year plan? Sleep

Unless plans/changes are made during closed-season, I don't plan on becoming a regular once again.

Changes such as:
Pitch (performances will improve on a better surface)
Experience in the squad
Stadium (needs refreshing/tidying. Flatten the green stand, replace with something very basic like the Moor's driving range stand)
Matchday entry (I'll be happy to pay £10 if the above improves)

My attitude maybe the wrong one to have, but asking for 90-mins of watchable football for £10 is not a lot to ask.

Red86 Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:34 am

I'm the same as Redditchbluenose if thing's don't get better next season i'm done just no fun going down the red's anymore.I know the club want to live within its means but surely a time has to come when they need to up the wage budget bring in a few good players try and give it ago next season maybe have a good cup run never forget the FA trophy run a few years ago when we beat teams much bigger then us then ended with a defeat to Halifax away.Give the fans something to shout about try and bring some of the old faces back

Terrace Guy Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:56 am

Yep. The difference between Reds and Stourbridge is that one of them has had two great
cup runs in the past few years whilst one hasnt been into the first round since 1990.
Also, despite the fact this may pee a few off, i believe that if Villa got relegated then all the non league clubs could use it as an opportunity to sweep up some fans who will no longer be able to watch every match on WackyIraqi sports etc in the comfort of their living rooms. Before this gets slammed, take a look at Nunny and Leamington. A fair few of their fans will be fed up Cov supporters, if not a large chunk of each fanbase....

oldtommo Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:29 am

John Frendo playing for a mediocre Hitchin side (finished 13th) joint top league goal scorer with 29. Redditch just staved off relegation with 32 league goals!! Is this evidence that a prolific striker is a must for next season if progression is to be made??

mattim Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:03 pm

Totally agree with you Tommo. Put Mr Frendo in our team and we are in the play offs no problem. The irony is that Hitchin strike me as being a decent well run club who don't spend money they haven't got which means I bet he's not on a massive wage. What the hell is it about us that we can't do the same ?

del boy Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:56 pm

Lets not forget that in any other season, we would have been relegated. The Southern Premier normally relegates the bottom four clubs. It’s only because the division is being increased from 22 to 24 clubs that we’ll be here again next season. Even with this, we were still only one point and one goal away from being one of the bottom two. One of the bottom two was Kettering with their well publicised problems. Since the Kettering game, we have failed to score in 12 of the subsequent 16 games.

Sorry, but this is not good enough. Avoiding relegation in these circumstances is nothing to be proud of. We were so close to playing ‘village football’ next season. I’ve been a regular for 25+ years and this is as bad as I’ve ever seen. In the paper this week, Redhead admitted that he should have done better, despite the financially constraints. Not good enough, he absolutely has to go.

RedJeff Sat Apr 27, 2013 2:33 pm

mattim wrote:Totally agree with you Tommo. Put Mr Frendo in our team and we are in the play offs no problem. The irony is that Hitchin strike me as being a decent well run club who don't spend money they haven't got which means I bet he's not on a massive wage. What the hell is it about us that we can't do the same ?

the irony is they have a average of 338 Att apposed to our 191,there lowest Att is more than that. So who pays for said striker? We all know we need 250 Att just to operate. I said that most of those banging on two seasons ago about not wanting someone to come in and plough money in and be sustainable would end up being bit on the bum!!,I was right. You see if you wanted that you got to stick with the rough until it comes good,yes complain but staying away won't get that striker and even when you have said striker your only a few places above where we are now!!! It ain't brain surgery. So again who pays for said striker.

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