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First kick for almost every player in this first half (not sure how much game time Ilias got in the internationals). Many cobwebs to get cleared. Not overly concerned about this. GA is just allowing all players a run and so the combinations are going to be strange. I can see this and the game next Saturday (and perhaps a mid-week BCD game) being just that. Trying out various combinations to see how one player goes with others. At least the youngsters are getting a run.
To all the doomsayers watching this and commenting here, perhaps you have something better to do. This is the first pre-season game. Slavia Prague have played four games already this pre-season. I think they know each other a bit better than we do and what we are seeing is what we should expect to see. If they play like this against Oxford, then be concerned. But now, seriously?
If you watch the video of Kenneth Paal being interviewed while playing table tennis, there is a framed shirt in the background. It is of Lask Linz. Their home ground is Raiffesisen Stadium. Good luck to those going to work out which one it is. However, this means that they are training at Lask Linz's facilities. Lask are in Switzerland today but play two home games next Friday against Hungarian side Debrecen and on Saturday v First Vienna.
Incidentally, we have played friendlies against Lask Linz back in 1955 and First Vienna, in 1933.
I'll be doing the Martin Tarrant Trophy game (Erith & Belvedere v Punjab) tomorrow night with "live DJs, dance troops, candy floss, face painting, ice cream and more!" according to The London Football Guide.
If I'd known that my Saturday appointment was moved to Sunday, I may have organised a double-header out at Dartford. 12pm on the outside pitch Lewisham Borough v Merstham and then at 3pm next door Dartford v Charlton.
Are they really? The number of season tickets sold at this time compared to last year are higher. That can happen with a drop in season ticket sales, well masked by this. Season tickets are not sold out on 30 June, just for those who decide to renew. The question is how many were sold after the close of the loyalty window on 30 Jun 2022. We were looking up last season and started well, which would have induced more to buy season tickets even after the season commenced. Many of those, having now invested in a season ticket for last season, have chosen to renew.
So, let us throw some numbers about. Say we had 7,000 renewed on 30 Jun 2022 and 2,000 new season tickets were purchased after that date for last season then the total season tickets available for renewal was 9,000. If these are close then the number of renewals is up on last season, from 7,000 to almost 8,000 which looks good. However, the number of season tickets sold would be down from 9,000 to 8,000 if almost no one buys a new season ticket this season which is quite likely given the feeling among fans about our prospects. Note these are not definite numbers obviously, but only being used to prove a point that the figures can be (sort of) manipulated to make it look good when it basically it is not that good after all.
This brings up an interesting set of points. Pilley became chairman of Fleetwood Town in 2004. At that time, Fleetwood were in the North West Counties FL, Premier Division. Through his money, Fleetwood slowly promoted through the leagues up to where they are now. Also, in 2004, the Fit and Proper Test was introduced by the League (EFL) for Directors and Chairpersons. Pilley, according to the BBC item, had in 1998 served time for attempting to steal from the post office while he worked for them. That is, he had a criminal record and thus we assume would have automatically failed any F&P test. Obviously the F&P test did not exist for amateur non-league competitions and thus it was easy for someone like Pilley to take over as chairperson. Did Fleetwood know about his criminal record when he became chairperson.
The first question I think that should be asked is upon Fleetwood promoting, why did the EFL not conduct a F&P Test on its directors there and then, and similarly for all clubs promoting from the National League to the EFL? Which brings up the second question - if when a chairperson who owns a club that has just been promoted to the League fails this F&P, can the EFL stop that person from owing the club? If that person is removed from the club then the club may not have the finances to continue until a new buyer turns up and how would he EFL deal with that?
I'm assuming this is the complex sort of between New Eltham and Sidcup, though it is part of Chislehurst and just off the A2. If so, i will look forward to adding it to my collection as it is just a pair of bus trips.
Speaking of moving, Erith Town are now ground sharing at Thamesmead. Their media release intimates that their old ground - Erith Leisure Centre with its running track - was too small. I've been there twice and the crowd total was under 50 each time.
Late decision. Was in Birmingham for the day and so ventured out to Sutton Coldfield Town v Paget Rangers,. The two share a ground. Good quality game but Sutton Coldfield were the better.
I have no idea if this DJ has been mentioned before and I have only recently stumbled upon her - Miss Monique. Here are two random tracks but the full sets are a very good listen as well.
Have I missed something. Everyone currently, as of last season, can name 18 players in the lineup, that being eleven starting players and seven on the bench. So, that now means teams can add two more on the bench to select the five subs from. It should only favour clubs, if that, with a stronger second eleven. There are still only five subs that can be made, not nine as I think some here may believe.
That said, the whole idea of allowing five changes, plus more if you have a head injury, is totally ludicrous and has definitely ruined the game. What is next? Interchange?
Darts are at Phoenix on Friday 29th July which I will walk up to. Phoenix just promoted to Isthmian SE, defeating their neighbours VCD in the relegation playoff. The two grounds are a bit under 300m apart. I'm intending to head to watch Erith & Belvedere at PVR next Friday evening when they take on Punjab. E&B also moved up to the Isthmian SE.
A few of us saw Darts lose to Oxford and really; they were not good at all. Steve King (ex-Darts and Welling) left Gloucester but I doubt he'd head back to Princes Park to push them that one more step. They might find it a bit harder this season given two easy wins against Fleet are also no longer a possibility.
As to tomorrow, I'm off to Birmingham and so no London pre-season games for me.
I'm amazed not a single person has mentioned Balogun given he has appeared in many of the training videos. Yes, I know he had a bad last season through whatever you may want to believe but he would be cheap and bar the horrendous finish to his campaign, his early stuff allowed us to get up rather high in the table. Do not be surprised when he is signed.
Being one of those 500 odd, I would love that to be the case. However, how many other games could be considered backs against the wall with a small core of support? I think if anything, there should be some end-of-season bonus for those who attended X number of away games, say more than 11 (almost half) and perhaps some grading for more attended. That would, I think, be a little fairer to reward the hard-core away fans as against those who happen to live nearby and attend a few away games up north.
Also, it is important to note that the number of points shown is not the current total as they do not appear to include the points obtained for renewing your season ticket for 2023-24.
Personally, I think this is the good "Eze-style" business we should be doing with various players. That is, sign them for a few seasons onwards knowing all too well that we expect them gone by the end of next season or even January, but for a good lot more than what we would get for him now. That is, if Dykes continues his performances at national level and starts to put a few in for us, it would be more and more likely that seven figures would not be out of the question for him next year. Some may say I am dreaming, but the scenario is certainly there.
Based on that, it would further be quite likely that a young lower-league prospect will be brought in in a similar style as LD to help with the future. If we retain Martin and Armstrong then we also require a LD-type of player, something neither of the other two are.
I think the club probably worked out that it was necessary, too late. I am talking about the situation with Rob Dickie. To me, the inside of his head turned the wrong way at Dean Court in mid-September 2021. When he made that mistake for Bournemouth's goal, his head went down and stayed down, probably continuing further down as that season and this past one went on. On the odd occasion things would change and perhaps someone finally got to him rather late this last season, especially prior to the miracle at Turf Moor. What I am saying is that had we had a psychologist in the building to work with Rob, perhaps he could have been turned around, mind-wise, and been the defender we really expected prior to that game. And, so, also, that would have meant come sale time we would have got a lot, lot more than what we did when he was sold. So, the loss to the club in not employing a psychologist to work with the players can be almost quantified by calculating the expectant loss through sales of players, a value that is a lot more than the cost to the club for the wages of said psychologist.
True. But occasionally as a one-off these season tickets can go quite cheap. I got one above 3rd base at Fenway for $39 for a Sunday evening game v Yankees. It came on Starhub on Sunday morning and was due to the wife of an old couple not wanting a late night on a Sunday. I am sure you know what tickets to Yankees games can cost at Fenway and this was ten years ago. Generally, it was a lot cheaper at other grounds.
I've been to a number of games in the US and at various stadiums, some that no longer exist. Bar the big games, incl. Boston v Yankees, the cost of a ticket should be very low. This is a marketing play by MLB to get a wider following but also to fleece those who are curious. I won't be going.
Like non-league football I prefer minor league baseball. As they say, Minor Leagues, Major Fun.
It'd be interesting to see how many turn up for first pitch.
Well, sort of. He was with us last season, but is now signed for another year, until next summer. Let's hope we can see a bit more of him this season than we did last. I seem to remember he played well when he came on.
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