November

[Mark kavanagh]

Only scored 1 in 3 games against us luke, he hardly had a kick in the other 2 games

 

[Railway Blue]

Maybe I'm missing something, but as a supporter I can't really see what there is to celebrate about having an owner willing to massively indebt your club in order to try and gain promotion to league 2. It ultimately means nothing, and winning promotion based simply on being able to outspend everyone else is ultimately pretty hollow and certainly nothing to boast about.

Clubs like FGR are anti-football. They distort the league and devalue the entire competition. The sooner they are gone the better.

Well said sir!

 

[Chris FGR]

No I disagree, it's absolute bollocks, typical of the nonsense that BELT's spout because they think they're entitled to success just because they were lucky enough to get into and be part of the closed shop of the football league for all those years.

At all levels it's the clubs who spend most that do well, and all fans would love a rich owner to come in and help get them up the leagues. Being bitter about other clubs having money when they would be quite happy for their own club to have a rich owner makes them hypocrites in my book. When Crawley were dow here and we were skint, none of our fans moaned about their spending. It's how it is, some clubs have money, some don't. Enjoy your club for what it is.

In our case Ecotricity are getting advertising/brand exposure out of owning a football club, plus the losses are being written off against the companies profits, so it's mutually beneficial in all respects.

 

[Gibber_McGee]

No I disagree, it's absolute bollocks, typical of the nonsense that BELT's spout because they think they're entitled to success just because they were lucky enough to get into and be part of the closed shop of the football league for all those years.

At all levels it's the clubs who spend most that do well, and all fans would love a rich owner to come in and help get them up the leagues. Being bitter about other clubs having money when they would be quite happy for their own club to have a rich owner makes them hypocrites in my book. When Crawley were dow here and we were skint, none of our fans moaned about their spending. It's how it is, some clubs have money, some don't. Enjoy your club for what it is.

In our case Ecotricity are getting advertising/brand exposure out of owning a football club, plus the losses are being written off against the companies profits, so it's mutually beneficial in all respects.

What is a BELT?

I wouldn't love someone like Dale Vince at my club, changing the colour of the kit, changing the way the club works, moving the ground to a slip road off a motorway. Because it would no longer be my club.

And you say it is mutually beneficial. I can't see how doing what he is doing is beneficial to the taxpayer. It's a way of avoiding paying tax, isn't it? It's not illegal but it isn't morally right.

 

[Jemfy]

No I disagree, it's absolute bollocks, typical of the nonsense that BELT's spout because they think they're entitled to success just because they were lucky enough to get into and be part of the closed shop of the football league for all those years.

At all levels it's the clubs who spend most that do well, and all fans would love a rich owner to come in and help get them up the leagues. Being bitter about other clubs having money when they would be quite happy for their own club to have a rich owner makes them hypocrites in my book. When Crawley were dow here and we were skint, none of our fans moaned about their spending. It's how it is, some clubs have money, some don't. Enjoy your club for what it is.

In our case Ecotricity are getting advertising/brand exposure out of owning a football club, plus the losses are being written off against the companies profits, so it's mutually beneficial in all respects.

Except for the company/shareholders (apologies, not sure on Ecotricity's business model), who see significantly lower profits as a direct result. You can get a premier league shirt sponsorship for less than Vince is pumping in each year at FGR, and no doubt much better exposure/advertising as a result.

Also I'm pretty sure when you were skint and Crawley were spending their way to promotion your lot were complaining about it, along with most other sides in the conference at the time. That said you lot were busy making sure Sneaky Peaky could win you the AGM cup

 

[Jemfy]

What is a BELT?

I wouldn't love someone like Dale Vince at my club, changing the colour of the kit, changing the way the club works, moving the ground to a slip road off a motorway. Because it would no longer be my club.

And you say it is mutually beneficial. I can't see how doing what he is doing is beneficial to the taxpayer. It's a way of avoiding paying tax, isn't it? It's not illegal but it isn't morally right.

It's a term which originated on the old confforum (sp?) - Big Ex-League Teams - BELTs. It was used in a derogatory manner.

It's not a tax avoidance scheme, i.e. the money that goes in to FGR isn't money that would otherwise go 100% to taxes (or to any higher percentage than the normal corporation tax) - FGR are a private, for profit entity (legally speaking), which means it's an avenue that cannot be used to write off taxes. The only football clubs registered as not-for-profits that I am aware of are some of the fan owned clubs (like ourselves).

 

[Gibber_McGee]

It's a term which originated on the old confforum (sp?) - Big Ex-League Teams - BELTs. It was used in a derogatory manner.

It's not a tax avoidance scheme, i.e. the money that goes in to FGR isn't money that would otherwise go 100% to taxes (or to any higher percentage than the normal corporation tax) - FGR are a private, for profit entity (legally speaking), which means it's an avenue that cannot be used to write off taxes. The only football clubs registered as not-for-profits that I am aware of are some of the fan owned clubs (like ourselves).

The losses racked up at FGR can be used to write off some of the tax that Ecotricity would be liable for, no?

 

[JaredSUFC]

It's a term which originated on the old confforum (sp?) - Big Ex-League Teams - BELTs. It was used in a derogatory manner.

It's not a tax avoidance scheme, i.e. the money that goes in to FGR isn't money that would otherwise go 100% to taxes (or to any higher percentage than the normal corporation tax) - FGR are a private, for profit entity (legally speaking), which means it's an avenue that cannot be used to write off taxes. The only football clubs registered as not-for-profits that I am aware of are some of the fan owned clubs (like ourselves).

I always thought that BELT stood for Bitter Ex-League T**ts

 

[Harrier94]

Getting this thread back on track

3rd Nov Blackpool (A) Draw - I'd happily take a draw and try beating them at Aggborough in a replay
12th Nov Halifax (A) Draw - Tough game against a team in good form
19th Nov Gainsborough (H) Win - Should be an easy win
22nd Nov Gloucester (H) Win - A team in good form but at home we should win

 

[Jemfy]

I always thought that BELT stood for Bitter Ex-League T**ts

I believe it started as big ex-league teams and morphed pretty quickly, but I've seen it explained as both before.

 

[Jemfy]

The losses racked up at FGR can be used to write off some of the tax that Ecotricity would be liable for, no?

As I understand it, and I may be wrong here as I'm not an accountant - it would only reduce tax in the sense that the operating profit would be less and therefore the tax on the company's profits would be less due to these payments. As corporation tax is currently 20% it only saves 20% of what goes in to FGR from going to the tax man directly (n.b. of course this then generates tax as PAYE on higher wages etc, so while it might reduce what the tax man gets in total, it's not by as much as it might initially appear).

 

[Luke Imp]

Altrincham (h) (FA Cup)
Altrincham (h) (FA Cup) W 2-1
Aldershot (h) D 3-3
FGR (a) W3-2
York (a) W 4-1
Maidstone (h) W 2-0
Wrexham (h) W 1-0

Should be looking at progression in the FA Cup and we need to be hitting double figures in the league, too.

Successful month.

Cowley(s) probably MOTM again.

 

[Bigluke]

Only scored 1 in 3 games against us luke, he hardly had a kick in the other 2 games

I thought I was right, check out his winner against you the year you got relegated on you tube, really decent.
Would put link up but not sure how to...it's an age thing!

 

[Bigluke]

As for us, don't think we could have had a much better month to be fair. Still gutted about the FA Cup to be fair, but that apart more than happy

 

[Chris FGR]

So given that the the title race was looking over at the start of the month, I think everyone should thank us for easing off, becoming shit and letting all the also rans think it's an exciting battle again. Or something.

Coops didn't want manager of the month anyway.

 

[Bendubz]

Rochdale (H) (FA Cup) - L
Southport (A) - W
Woking (H) - W
D&R (H) - L
Lincoln (A) - L
Eastleigh (H) - L

Next 2 league games are vital. If we win at least one of them then for the time being we can relax a little (only a little) into midtable obscurity, but if we go winless in the next 2 we could easily end November down in the relegation zone. Would love a cup upset, but I don't see it happening, and if we get anything from the other 3 it's a bonus.

Well that went completely against expectations
Rochdale Draw (ROBBED!)
Southport Loss
Rochdale Loss
Woking Loss
D&R Loss
Lincoln Loss
Eastleigh Win

Definitely in the scrap at the bottom, but still 5 clear of the drop and hopefully that gap will grow in the next couple of matches.

 

[Pablosammy]

Chester (home) - Draw - it'll be a lot tougher than the last few games against the Cestrians [2-2]
Braintree (away) - Win [1-0]
FGR (away) - Lose. I don't think we've got enough to see them off, but who knows? The style of play might suit us. [2-2]
Torquay (home) - Win [2-1]
Gateshead (away) - Win [1-0]

4 out of 5, and we did better than I expected in the one I got wrong. I'm happy with November.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Aldershot (H) - W - closer than last time but still comfortable, would put us 7pts clear while others play FA Cup. W 2-1
Macclesfield (A) - D - lost 4-1 there year, and think it will be another tough day. W 1-0
Lincoln (H) - W - have a good record v Imps at home in recent years. Think the game will be similar to the Barrow game, but think we'll nick this one. L 2-3
Tranmere (H) - D - bound to be a fascinating game between the two best managers in the league IMO. Think our defences and attacks are of similar standard but in theory FGR midfield should be the difference. However think the outcome willl be same as the D&G game (i.e. we fail to take all the chances that our midfield creates). D 2-2
Wrexham (A) - W - should be comfortable but we don't have a great record at the Racecourse. L 3-1

11/15. Tough month with Eastleigh and Dover to follow in next two games in December.

Well that went a little pear-shaped. 7/15 in the end. My assessment of how I expected the games to play out was pretty spot on, just some of the final results were wrong.
Oh well, let's see if Cooper can turn it around.

 

[GuiseleySteve]

Torquay H win WON
Dover A draw LOST
Barrow A lose LOST
Boreham Wood H draw WON
York A win DRAW

8 from 15 leaving the relegation scrap in our wake

Finished with 7 points, I'll take that

 

[Harrier94]

3rd Nov Blackpool (A) Draw - I'd happily take a draw and try beating them at Aggborough in a replay Loss
12th Nov Halifax (A) Draw - Tough game against a team in good form Loss
19th Nov Gainsborough (H) Win - Should be an easy win Won
22nd Nov Gloucester (H) Win - A team in good form but at home we should win Won
26th Nov Lincoln United didn't predict but we won.

 

[Sparrow]

Our best month of the season so far.

Stockport (A) FA Cup - Won 4-2
North Ferriby (H) - Drew 1-1
Maidstone (A) - Won 3-0
Dover (A) - Lost 3-1
Gateshead (H) - Won 3-0
Bromley (H) - Won 2-1

We're beginning to get going now. Nine points from our last 12 and in the FA Cup second round. Can't ask for too much more than that.

 

[Sparrow]

Player of the month should go to Gozie Ugwu, who has scored seven goals in five games.

(nine goals in six if you include FA Cup)

 

[EnglishRed]

Full house this month

NFU (A) win
Braintree (H) win
Torquay (A) win
FGR (H) win

We are improving every day. By the time FGR come to town we will give them their obligatory nil point from North Wales. A draw at worst.

One out of four ain't bad.

If we took our chances like we did against FGR we'd have won a couple more this month. Still vastly improved from the Mills performances. Onwards and upwards.

And we did of course give FGR nil points. The sweetest victory

 

[Monkey Tennis]

That would mean breaking our unbeaten record - really can't see that happening, and Dagenham is the obvious place for a defeat.
Sun 6th: Taunton T (A) - win DRAW
Sat 12th: Sutton United (A) - draw DRAW
Sat 19th: Solihull Moors (H) - win WIN
Tues 22nd: Guiseley (H) - draw WIN
Sat 26th: Dagenham & Redbridge (A) - loss WIN
Tues 29th: Macclesfield Town (A) - win N/A

Apologies to the other Barrow fans, who I hinted were insane for thinking we'd go the month unbeaten again. Sure, we didn't play the Macclesfield game, but we would've won it anyway.

 

[chipmunx]

Sun 6th: Taunton T (A) - win
Sat 12th: Sutton United (A) - win
Sat 19th: Solihull Moors (H) - win
Tues 22nd: Guiseley (H) - win
Sat 26th: Dagenham & Redbridge (A) - draw - but only because fans on their forum are so defeatist at times
Tues 29th: Macclesfield Town (A) - win like last season.

13/15 - any more than that and we'll end up winning the league....

after the Eastleigh game someones gonna get a right stuffing this month - I'm guessing Solihull or Guiseley

well if you ignore the Macclesfield game as it was postponed we got the 10/12 i predicted and won in the cup (after a replay) - so not too bad.
The stuffing surprisingly went to Dagenham

 

[DarkSithLord]

Newport (H) (FA Cup First Round) Draw (Win Replay) DREW, LOST REPLAY
Gloucester (H) Draw LOST
Bradford PA (A) Win LOST
Altrincham (H) Win WON

FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round TBC (Gainsborough (A) DREW, WON REPLAY

Big money spinning tie in the FA Cup this month along with some very winnable league games. 7/9 in the league plus Cup progress would be fantastic, FA Trophy is a bonus.

A poor month in the league including an awful loss at Bradford and somehow beating Altrincham at home.

Heroic effort in the FA Cup only going down in Extra time. Contrast that though with a really poor FA Trophy tie with Gainsborough were we only prevailed after extra time. A mixed month.

 

[Jemfy]

Tues 1st - Spalding United (A) - League - Lose Won 2-1
Sat 5th - Stocksbirdge Park Steels (A) - League - Draw Won 3-2
Tues 8th - Rugby Town (A) - League - Win Drew 1-1
Sat 12th - Lincoln United (H) - FA Trophy - Win Drew 3-3, lost replay 2-0
Tues 15th - Corby Town (H) - League Cup - postponed 3 times - FAT replay and weather
Sat 19th - Lougborough Dynamo (A) - League - Win Won 3-0
Sat 26th - Market Drayton (H) - League - Win [or FAT 3Q Round] Drew 1-1

A tough month for us. Two very tough league games to start the month, followed by a potentially tricky tie away to Rugby who have pretty much changed their entire squad from the start of the season as best as I can tell! I think we'll win that one though as they still only have 5 pts. The FA Trophy game I really should be predicting us to lose given Lincoln United's cup exploits so far this season, but I just think we'll sneak it for no good reason whatsoever. The last couple of league games should be relatively easy, Loughborough have a staggering -20 GD already, while we are currently level on points with Market Drayton having played 4 games less. If we do play in the FAT 3Q round, then I expect us to bow out at that stage.

Well a lot of that didn't go as expected, not by a long shot! We won the early tough games and dropped points in games we expected to win, though at least we didn't lose any. Overall the points tally for the month was predicted at 10/15 and we picked up 11/15, so averaging better than expectations, and there is something to be said about taking points off of rivals at the top end ahead of bottom teams in terms of the final shake up, but then end of season tables tend to be based on who is consistent - and the surest points of consistency come from taking maximum points from the bottom sides. That said I think we've been learning that the big difference in this division compared to the SLD1C is that the bottom sides are a lot better, while the top sides may be a little better/about the same.

Also it should be noted that Rugby Town seem to have turned the corner and have picked up several decent results at home - beating Leek (playoff contenders, currently behind us on GD) and Newcastle Town (preventing them going top). This contrasts with the disappointing home draw with Market Drayton who are in free fall - it was literally their only point of the month.

 

[McMark]

Another month of quietly getting on with the business and hopefully nobody has noticed us yet!

 

[Pablosammy]

Another month of quietly getting on with the business and hopefully nobody has noticed us yet!

We've seen your sub, you just haven't seen our depth charges... mwahahaha.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

1 point out of 15 (and that point was when we were 3-2 up in the 96th minute). Disaster and season over