National League 2018/19

[Ronaldo to Wrexham]

How depressing it is seeing the teams in this league. ..Salford our bloody derby. Our defence looms like it is the same as last season but all change elsewhere.

 

[Pliny Harris]

Wow. Five London teams, one on the fringes (Borehamwood), and five from the Home Counties, and one not far off (Aldershot).

Is this the most southeastern Conference/National League ever? Remove half a dozen Northern teams, and it could almost be the old Isthmian League over again.

From a personal point of view, that season where Kiddy/Mansfield dominated was a heyday of sorts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012–13_Football_Conference

Pretty interesting set of teams for this level spread out fairly evenly despite a gaping hole in the southwest (as with this year). Midlands-centric.

Hope the SE sides appreciate what they've got atm, although it's not particularly glamorous. It's just the way the pyramid's organised, although I can see a few of them dropping down in '19.

 

[appletablepenny]

I'm usually pretty positive and think that the doomsayers are overreacting, but this is pretty much an admission that we're not getting any more money from the owner. Budget will be slashed, and I'm almost certain Holt will be the manager:
http://www.barrowafc.com/club-statement-16th-may/

Saw that on our forum, does rather read like an admission of defeat doesn't it?

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Saw that on our forum, does rather read like an admission of defeat doesn't it?

I think it's a bit of a combination of the owner being too ambitious when he came in and not realising what a shambles the club was off the field, and poor judgement along the way with regards to management. The fact that fans have dwindled over the past year or so is partly the shite football, but also the ground being a crumbling wreck - can't see any of that changing any time soon.

Budget will be tiny this year, and there's no chance we can do anything with a locally-based squad - there's probably not even 11 pro footballers in South Cumbria.

Maybe there's a chance we can scrape together a team of tryers and the fans come back, causing the chairman to re-assess - but I can see us limping to relegation and back into mid-table Conference North.

 

[Luke Imp]

I'm usually pretty positive and think that the doomsayers are overreacting, but this is pretty much an admission that we're not getting any more money from the owner. Budget will be slashed, and I'm almost certain Holt will be the manager:
http://www.barrowafc.com/club-statement-16th-may/

Can't work out whether, "Almost £4m have been ‘invested’ in the club and the return on that has been one promotion, a new boiler system, new floodlights and a nice 3rd round FA Cup tie.", is a sarcastic comment or not!

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Can't work out whether, "Almost £4m have been ‘invested’ in the club and the return on that has been one promotion, a new boiler system, new floodlights and a nice 3rd round FA Cup tie.", is a sarcastic comment or not!

It very much is! Think he's basically saying that the club's money has all been spent on keeping us afloat because the fans aren't coming in and the players aren't performing.

 

[GuiseleySteve]

It very much is! Think he's basically saying that the club's money has all been spent on keeping us afloat because the fans aren't coming in and the players aren't performing.

It's pretty much identical to what's happening at Guiseley. Two wealthy owners whom have invested similar amounts during their respective tenures and are now fed up with lining the pockets of managers, agents and footballers who can all talk the talk but fail to deliver results.
Time to invest in infrastructure and revenue creation schemes.

 

[Farleigh]

At the risk of stating the bleedin obvious, £4 million could have transformed a very dated stadium.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

At the risk of stating the bleedin obvious, £4 million could have transformed a very dated stadium.

Could build a state of the art 6,000 capacity stadium with corporate facilities for that.

 

[Bluandwite]

Just noticed that Hartlepool have appointed Mark Maguire as their new Chief Exec. 

See you soon.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Just noticed that Hartlepool have appointed Mark Maguire as their new Chief Exec. 

See you soon.

Nothing on our site or local media about it but then again I've not the foggiest who he is.

 

[DarkSithLord]

New owners for Gateshead who seemed to have had their squad decimated.

BREAKING: @GatesheadFC owners Richard and Julie Bennett have agreed a deal in principle to sell their shares in the club to an overseas consortium, subject to FA and National League ratification.

https://www.gateshead-fc.com/club-statement-ownership-update-2/

 

[Chief Rocka]

Just noticed that Hartlepool have appointed Mark Maguire as their new Chief Exec. 

See you soon.

I don’t get it, granted it seems like the majority of Chester fans hate the bloke, even if the guy is wank at his job do you think Raj Singh is just gonna give him free reign and let him spunk money left and right after everything that’s happened to us this past season, come on now let’s be realistic, unless we’re gonna play him in goal I can’t see one man sinking us to your current depth.

If the bloke is a chancer or clearly not up to it he’ll be out on his arse in no time.

 

[Joseph Smith]

Hmmm no opinion here, but seems a rather hubristic remark considering what hasn't happened at Hartlepool over the last few years. Warning lights don't always lead to disaster but the guy driving the bus who follows the last three drunkards could well do, hope they all weren't recruited from the same pub.

 

[Bluandwite]

I don’t get it, granted it seems like the majority of Chester fans hate the bloke, even if the guy is wank at his job do you think Raj Singh is just gonna give him free reign and let him spunk money left and right after everything that’s happened to us this past season, come on now let’s be realistic, unless we’re gonna play him in goal I can’t see one man sinking us to your current depth.

If the bloke is a chancer or clearly not up to it he’ll be out on his arse in no time.

Up to you. We thought the same when Stockport fans warned us to be fair.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Up to you. We thought the same when Stockport fans warned us to be fair.

Chief’s maybes got a bit defensive there and I know it doesn’t look good on paper but I’ll keep an open mind. There’s no choice but to. Really depends how much autonomy raj gives him, Raj has said before his focus is on his care home group and wants someone to do the day to day stuff. On paper not the best appointment and noises on twitter suggest the same but at this moment in time, what can we do? Just gotta sit and and hope that the current set up have the best intentions. Fingers crossed like, Hartlepool as a club and town really needs something to get behind again.

 

[Joseph Smith]

Out of interest, what do these roles 'do'? And how much are they paid?
Holding hands up as a tinpot club where these jobs don't much exist, that said hard wrk fro my mangement boardroom and volunteer level seems to ha e worked thus far, just sceptical as to what someone does for a fat pay packet and whether it helps at this level.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Chief’s maybes got a bit defensive there and I know it doesn’t look good on paper but I’ll keep an open mind. There’s no choice but to. Really depends how much autonomy raj gives him, Raj has said before his focus is on his care home group and wants someone to do the day to day stuff. On paper not the best appointment and noises on twitter suggest the same but at this moment in time, what can we do? Just gotta sit and and hope that the current set up have the best intentions. Fingers crossed like, Hartlepool as a club and town really needs something to get behind again.

I also said as much in another thread, we can’t do anything about it but hope Raj has put the right bloke in charge to handle his affairs.

 

[Luke Imp]

Is there a need for a Chief Exec at NL level? That was the first position we got rid of when we got relegated and the first we brought back on promotion.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Is there a need for a Chief Exec at NL level? That was the first position we got rid of when we got relegated and the first we brought back on promotion.

It’s horses for courses I guess?

Our owner’s main focus is his business away from football, which he’s said from day one, if he needs someone to run it in the day to day then I guess a chief exec is needed in this case, jut turns out that we’ve appointed one who is historically poor at the job.

 

[E10rifle]

Is there a need for a Chief Exec at NL level? That was the first position we got rid of when we got relegated and the first we brought back on promotion.

Depends on the club. Bit of a necessity at the bigger operations. Certainly need one at Orient, as our owners live in the US and I don’t want Martin Ling having to sort out advertising, staffing and sponsorship on top of his other duties.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Confirmed - the 2018/19 season starts on August 4th.

 

[DarkSithLord]

I see Luke Garard has signed a new 3 year contract at Boreham Wood

 

[The Terminator]

Wonder how deep Danny Hunter had to dig into his Arsenals pocket, to get the cash to secure that!

 

[Shotsfan1993]

From a personal point of view, that season where Kiddy/Mansfield dominated was a heyday of sorts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012–13_Football_Conference

Pretty interesting set of teams for this level spread out fairly evenly despite a gaping hole in the southwest (as with this year). Midlands-centric.

Hope the SE sides appreciate what they've got atm, although it's not particularly glamorous. It's just the way the pyramid's organised, although I can see a few of them dropping down in '19.

To rebalance the geographical spread of the league, I propose that us and Orient should be let up to League 2 at the end of next season.

 

[Inactive]

For any Leyton Orient fans in here, here are some highlights from the legends event held at Brisbane Road featuring ex-players Gary Alexander, Matt Lockwood and John Mackie

 

[B2TF]

Ive just worked out since Wrexham were relegated out the league in 2008;

Mansfield
Luton
Grimsby
Lincoln
Macclesfield
Barnet
Bristol Rovers
Cheltenham
Tranmere

Have all followed Wrexham to non-league but have since bounced back. Say what you like about Wrexham but their fans and the town need a football league club. Hopefully they can follow us up next year.

Why what's special about Wrexham? WE need a Football League club too. So do Chester, Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockport, York (apologies if I've left any of the Brotherhood out). You might also have pointed out that ourselves and Chester went to hell and back in the time Wrexham have been here. Wrexham will always be held back by the limitations of the fan owned model.

 

[chief]

Wrexham will always be held back by the limitations of the fan owned model.

Just like promotion winning Wycombe and play off finalists Exeter yeah?

 

[joethegill]

What a great looking travel map for a division. I mean, if you ignore who the teams are, it looks like a belter. I did wonder where all the south-eastern teams were, cause there's a distinct lack of them up in League One!

 

[B2TF]

Just like promotion winning Wycombe and play off finalists Exeter yeah?

Yeah.