Saturday 21st August

[Stripes]

Terrific 6-3 win on Saturday with FGR playing the best eye-catching football since promotion but FFS only 1,922 in the ground. Unbelievable piss f-ing poor for a team at top of table.
Our near neighbours, Gloucester, who play 6th tier football in National League [North] had 2,034 fans through the turnstiles.

I share your frustration on this, it is inescapably embarrassing in some ways, especially if you've always followed football yourself from a very young age, and followed and attended football at all levels of the game every week. Dyed-in-the-wool support is never a given in these parts. We've had a trend of poor support in August for years, the holiday season always sited as the reason.

If our support demographic is still the older generation then that is doubly bad, because covid is still very real for older people, they won't come back until they can see it's safe. (I'm 60 and have not hurried back, yesterday was my first game for 18 months).

Following on... ...although watching football on that hill top is an uplifting experience in itself, (providing you don't expect very local services, or you're an away supporter) it is an unsuitable site for a football league ground in some respects. Parking is a big problem (although not atm.) I wondered if I'd bother yesterday, because your never sure after setting-out if you will actually get a parking space. That is a bloody hopeless situation when you know the park n ride is not running*... ...*that needs to return). The older you are the more unlikely you are to put up with that situation, especially if the weather is bad, old people or anyone else don't want to walk far to get there. Moving to the new stadium (when ever that will be), will help people believe they can attend safely and in good time.

Another factor is once people are assured the days of robotic football (heavily controlled, pre-programmed thinking) departed with Mark Cooper, (That's not to say he wasn't a good manger in other ways) they will realise how much better it is when footballers are encouraged to press for goals, without first passing sideways and backwards endlessly before getting a shot off. They will want to return to see it for themselves**. (**attitudes may vary with results).

Numbers will return, but as ever, it will take time with us. (Probably should had have said just that, lol).

 

[Robshep]

During 2nd half of match Crawley’s assistance coach approached the 4th official to have words with him.

As he walked away one wag in the crowd shouted out: “Don’t blame him. I’d ignore you as well”

The coach turned towards the wag with a big beaming smile, laughing at the joke.

Within a minute the referee stopped play and went over to the Crawley bench to book that coach.

Bloody hell!!

The assistants and 4th officials are little snitches with their microphones and radio links to the head buffoon now. If you did a survey it wouldn't be a surprise to discover at least 60% of them got bullied at school. Definite school prefect types.

 

[Indian Dan]

I can’t see how any club in this league can think they are a ‘big’ club. Can’t imsgine anyone saying ‘Ooh, look. We’ve got Melchester Rovers next week. Let’s try a bit harder’. Delusional.

 

[Super_horns]

But he’s accused him of not tackling Vernam because they’re mates, ridiculous.

I’ve not seen such a turnaround in a player than the one in Hewitt when he switched to CB, it’s Cloughs fault for not noticing that

Seen the interview - should have taken him off earlier I guess or changed formation ?

 

[FGR Stroud]

Terrific 6-3 win on Saturday with FGR playing the best eye-catching football since promotion but FFS only 1,922 in the ground. Unbelievable piss f-ing poor for a team at top of table.
Our near neighbours, Gloucester, who play 6th tier football in National League [North] had 2,034 fans through the turnstiles.

Since posting this message I have been informed that reason for Gloucester's good turnout is because it is their first match at new stadium.
Apparently FGR's 1st crowd at TNL was 4,910.

 

[Robshep]

Thought we played well and just about deserved the win! looked dangerous every time we went forward and defended well when we needed to, a few really top saves from joe day none more so than the one in the first half from farquarson alex fisher took his goal well and once again ed upson was motm for us, thats 3 motm performances from him in the 4 games he's played for us looks like he just needed to get away from barton to start enjoying his football again.
I thought tranmere were a good side but their ageing midfield and defence looked slow and suspect at times and they really do need a striker (dom telford is available) enjoyed the day out and 6 points from 3 games all away is not a bad start, on to wednesday now and southampton at home and the long awaited return to Dave.

How many did you bring yesterday. Its not important but i guessed at 261 so interested to know if i am still crap at guessing.

 

[Bone Idle]

How many did you bring yesterday. Its not important but i guessed at 261 so interested to know if i am still crap at guessing.

Dont know mate! we hav'nt had the official numbers yet but i would hazzard a guess at about 300.

 

[Indian Dan]

How many did you bring yesterday. Its not important but i guessed at 261 so interested to know if i am still crap at guessing.

Cost me a treble yesterday. Fulham and us plus Tranmere.

Pffft

 

[Robshep]

Dont know mate! we hav'nt had the official numbers yet but i would hazzard a guess at about 300.

According to our supporters trust twitter it was 203. Not bad considering the journey to get here is long and awkward. I once made the mistake of going on a delivery with somebody who couldnt read properly. What the driver thought was supposed to be a short trip to Porthmadog and back from 10am until 1pm was actually meant to be Port Talbot. Got there at 5pm after going through Wales and back home to Merseyside at 9pm. I refused to ever go anywhere with him again unless he let me look at the address first.

 

[Robshep]

Cost me a treble yesterday. Fulham and us plus Tranmere.

Pffft

After 44 years supporting Tranmere Rovers i would never recommend betting on us.

 

[Fedora Dale]

Seen the interview - should have taken him off earlier I guess or changed formation ?

I wonder if Clough's problems with right backs might stem from the fact that for most of his managerial career he's had John Brayford (who tbf is very good) in that position, and nobody else quite compares...

From all accounts, Corey O'Keeffe had a very decent game for us at Northampton (as a wing back) - from his performances so far I think most Daleys would be happy if we were able to sign him on a permanent deal.

 

[Northenblues]

Pleased with a point oop at the white walkers’ gaff. Obviously not anywhere near our best, but picking up a draw from a tough trip augers well for the future.

Carlisle fans - how was Shad Ogie when he came on? Surprised that Jayden Sweeney started ahead of him tbh because Ogie is that one that has looked first team ready to me.

Sweeney should’ve been sent off in the first half. Ogie looked big and strong but nowt special really. Bringing on Harry Smith changed the game for you really, a big target man is something we need as a plan b but don’t have. The save from Vigouroux in the first half from Dickensons header kept you in it, if that had gone in then it was game over.

 

[Northenblues]

Overall I thought a point was about all both sides deserved today, but we was extremely lucky that we wasn't up against a more potent side in front of goal, because in that first half we were crap and in particular I thought our youngsters got a harsh lesson in playing against a side who play a certain way and whom are hard to get at. On another day the game would've probably been finished by half time.

Jackett made the right subs at half time, Harry Smith made big difference with his height and power.

Our left back Jayden Sweeney was making his full league debut and it was the wrong call to make in the end, he was lucky not to be sent off and got the run around from Joe Riley and George Tanner. Shadrach Ogie whom tbh has always been the superior player came on at half time and performed so well for us in that second half. I heard that Jackett and Conor Wood have had a bit of a falling out already, which was why he was on the bench today and didn't even come on.

Carlisle play a certain way, very tough to get at, but they had a huge wobble I thought after we equalised and again a more potent team may have smelt blood and nicked a win. Carlisle are another side like ourselves, lacking that real cutting edge in front of goal which will probably mean another finish in the top half and maybe top ten again but missing out on the drama of the playoffs.

The penalty I thought was harsh, but those ones always even themselves out as the season goes on.

It was definitely a handball, I was stood just behind it and Beckles’ hand was in an unnatural position. Thought Beckles was awful tbh, Abrahams had him.

 

[Essex2Wessex]

We'll need the park and ride for teams with big away support - getting down that hill after the Sutton and Crawley matches, without it, was as slow and tiring as you'd expect to be when it's Swindon or Exeter visiting. I quite understand the need for the club to keep costs under control at the moment (missing the programmes, too), but some things can't be cut permanently or on all occasions. And the P&R will be essential for some games.

And yeah cracking football indeed. It's good that the South Stand is busy if not quite packed to the rafters (nearly, though), as it often hadn't been before the pandemic, owing to various fallings out with the club or general dislike of Cooper and his approach. But considering yesterday was a "kids go free" day, the North Stand could have been fuller.

I don't think we're the only club suffering from lower than pre-pandemic attendance. Despite the result, I thought Crawley had more than the makings of a decent team about them, and their away attendance was a quite a bit down on their previous visits to TNL. While their two teenage fans singing "Cheer up Stevie Evans" at Stroud station on the way home made more noise than those on the West Terrace....

Think it's gonna be a difficult yet, money-wise, for a lot of us. Even us.

 

[Bone Idle]

According to our supporters trust twitter it was 203. Not bad considering the journey to get here is long and awkward. I once made the mistake of going on a delivery with somebody who couldnt read properly. What the driver thought was supposed to be a short trip to Porthmadog and back from 10am until 1pm was actually meant to be Port Talbot. Got there at 5pm after going through Wales and back home to Merseyside at 9pm. I refused to ever go anywhere with him again unless he let me look at the address first.

Not bad really seeing as it was our 4th away game in 2 weeks.

 

[Chris FGR]

Since posting this message I have been informed that reason for Gloucester's good turnout is because it is their first match at new stadium.
Apparently FGR's 1st crowd at TNL was 4,910.

Our first match at TNL was a friendly against Swindon 12 July 06 I think, the attendance was 1425. The South Stand wasn’t even open yet and didn’t open for several months after we moved in.

Our record crowd is 4.836 v Derby in the FA Cup 3rd round Jan 09.

 

[E10rifle]

Jojo in net had to make 3 or 4 excellent reaction stops to keep the game level. Early days yet but he has all the attributes to be a top keeper, similar to vigaroux without the attitude.

To be fair to Vigs he is also Vigouroux without the attitude these days. Grown up a lot.

 

[Essex2Wessex]

Wollacot was very decent when he played for us, but did definitely have a bit of attitude too - I remember him walking out very slowly almost to the half-way line at an any game against Bradford, basically daring anyone to come on and have him (while leaving the goal unprotected if he did) - he did stuff like that quite a lot, provoking some ire. And he got a silly red card for aggressive play against (I think) Newport.

 

[Di Phelpsio]

Add to that the fact that Cheltenham are in Division One this season, offering yet another opportunity for people to take in a live game...competing for occasional or floating supporters could be a challenge this season, although it is pleasing to see three teams from the county having success, regardless of rivalries...the rugby season hasn't even started yet, which is an other issue entirely.

A floating FGR watcher wouldn't be going to watch a Cheltenham game surely?

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Agreed. I still wear a mask in shops because i am not a selfish dickhead and understand that there are still people at risk. If they could make a microchip small enough to fit through a syringe why not just put them in food or drinks and save all the bother. Anybody who listens to David Icke and thinks he is right needs looking at. Tools.

I've been double jabbed,but still tested positive on Thursday,its bloody awful.
I hope everyone of those idiots contract it & realise how bad it is.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Our first match at TNL was a friendly against Swindon 12 July 06 I think, the attendance was 1425. The South Stand wasn’t even open yet and didn’t open for several months after we moved in.

Our record crowd is 4.836 v Derby in the FA Cup 3rd round Jan 09.

I knew about the Derby gate but was misled by someone who was at 1st gate at TNL.
Guess their memory is playing tricks - it was after all over a decade ago.

 

[Chris FGR]

Crap scoreboard - the discarded one was far, far better.
The Teams names are not on display!!!!!!
FGR no longer offer match day programmes or team sheets so scoreboard is only method for team lists [I don't have a mobile phone] but new scoreboard is less than useless in trying to find out who is playing.
For instance Western-super-Mare who are in 7th tier football has a better scoreboard than at TNL.
Our near neighbours at Cheltenham have a brilliant scoreboard and one FGR should have imitated.

They sell team sheets for 50p in the club shop I think.

Agree new scoreboard is shit. Might as well have kept the old one.

 

[GTFCfish]

Promotion favourites, just relegated, Barton as our manager - that alone is enough of a target for teams/fans to put that extra bit of effort in.

You are kidding yourself mate, nobody in this league is gonna raise their game because massive Bristol Rovers are in town ffs.

 

[Lancs@(Bantam)]

I've been double jabbed,but still tested positive on Thursday,its bloody awful.
I hope everyone of those idiots contract it & realise how bad it is.

Same mate, double jabbed and just tested positive other day, been rough as fk with it too. I'm not old, reasonably fit and no underlying health issues

 

[RLC]

Going briefly off topic, even at this early stage it is difficult to look past Bradford and Mansfield for automatic promotion, particularly if Bradford sign Bogle this week. When you consider the striking options they have and the experience of their managers, they look nailed on for the top three unless something peculiar happens.

I think other clubs, probably including ourselves, have as much strength in other areas of the pitch, but goalscorers make the difference at this level, as we discovered with Norwood in our last season in League Two.

I would put Salford in the same bracket, but they will hopefully underachieve spectacularly again (their start certainly suggests they will).

 

[valefan16]

You are kidding yourself mate, nobody in this league is gonna raise their game because massive Bristol Rovers are in town ffs.

Yeah agree on this, bit of delusions of grandeur there. Not like a Bolton or Portsmouth coming down is it? They’ve rattled around this level for decades now with the odd spell a league above and even one below.

Pundits have had mixed views on their chances some for the title some for mid table, like I said with Bolton it’s hard to stop the losing mentality after such a bad season and will take time to turn it around. Being favourites didn’t help Notts County though (or us last season for that matter but not to that degree luckily).

Salford, Bradford and Mansfield have been favoured most seasons they’ve been at this level in recent years so it’s generally hard to call this league. This year especially seems so open.

 

[valefan16]

Going briefly off topic, even at this early stage it is difficult to look past Bradford and Mansfield for automatic promotion, particularly if Bradford sign Bogle this week. When you consider the striking options they have and the experience of their managers, they look nailed on for the top three unless something peculiar happens.

I think other clubs, probably including ourselves, have as much strength in other areas of the pitch, but goalscorers make the difference at this level, as we discovered with Norwood in our last season in League Two.

I would put Salford in the same bracket, but they will hopefully underachieve spectacularly again (their start certainly suggests they will).

It’s an odd one because all I hear on this forum is “if we just had a decent striker” Tranmere, Carlisle, Vale fans have been saying it, think they Rochdale fans were bemoaning it before yesterday for example and does seem the case!

Next week or so could be huge for these types of clubs if they want to be challenging.

 

[Soup Ladle]

You are kidding yourself mate, nobody in this league is gonna raise their game because massive Bristol Rovers are in town ffs.

What you talking about? During the pens v Torquay all I could think of was winning so we could play newly-relegated-Bristol-Rovers-with-Joey-Barton-in-charge.

 

[GTFCfish]

Every League 2 manager prior to playing ‘promotion favourites, just relegated with Joey Barton as our manager’ Bristol Rovers:

 

[Conker]

Mansfield need to get this CB signing right first.

Danny Johnson is getting in good spots every game but he’s not scored from open play yet, once he starts scoring we’ll look even better offensively.