Who will be the next club who have never played League football to be promoted??

[Shotsfan1993]

No one.

Tranmere and Hartlepool will go up and they'll swap the veggies for
Leyton Orient by league vote, then slam the door shut.

Bit harsh, surely it would be better to swap us for Crawley?

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Here's one for the future keep an eye on this club South Shields? Recently promoted to the Evo-Stik North. I agree could be some way off for the likes of Football League status. A really well supported club,
equivalent to most National League north teams, and I would imagine one or two NL teams?
Highest 2,651 last season, and averaged 1,226.

 

[E10rifle]

Bit harsh, surely it would be better to swap us for Crawley?

Nah.

 

[Silver Stone]

Here's one for the future keep an eye on this club South Shields? Recently promoted to the Evo-Stik North. I agree could be some way off for the likes of Football League status. A really well supported club,
equivalent to most National League north teams, and I would imagine one or two NL teams?
Highest 2,651 last season, and averaged 1,226.

More than Gateshead

 

[Soup Ladle]

South Shields could surpass us if we stagnate at this level for a number of years. My home town Spennymoor are another bankrolled club. Don't live there any more though. They could be in the National League soon. Blyth are another competing well. NE full of bankrolled clubs which is not anywhere near a reflection of how well the area is doing economically.

Fylde will be the first one up though, probably within a couple of seasons.

 

[Mark kavanagh]

Spennymoor is where we got tranmere legend stevie vickers from , for a set of tracksuits i believe.... you dont see deals like that anymore

 

[B2TF]

 

[Farleigh]

Who are all these northern businessmen bankrolling their clubs and where can we find one?

 

[Silver Stone]

Who are all these northern businessmen bankrolling their clubs and where can we find one?

Um, I'm perfectly happy with Messrs Ash and Casey thank you.

 

[GTFCfish]

Here's one for the future keep an eye on this club South Shields? Recently promoted to the Evo-Stik North. I agree could be some way off for the likes of Football League status. A really well supported club,
equivalent to most National League north teams, and I would imagine one or two NL teams?
Highest 2,651 last season, and averaged 1,226.

Didn't they have Julio Arca playing for them last season as well?

 

[Joe.]

Fylde because Danny Rowe is the best non league striker EVER.

 

[Farleigh]

So, a list of bankrolled clubs...

Fylde
Boreham Wood
Dover
Eastleigh
Barrow
Ebbsfleet.

Any others to add?

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Maidstone

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Billericay Town FC
Spennymoor Town

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Didn't they have Julio Arca playing for them last season as well?

Yeah he played last season for them, he's 36-year-old now, which is pretty amazing.

 

[Farleigh]

Maidstone

Yes and no. We have wealthy owners who jointly paid £5 million for the new stadium, but are still owed the money. Any profits seem to be reinvested in ground improvements, but playing budgets are funded by large crowds. Not sure what the 3G brings in; I doubt it is a fortune when replacement every few years is factored in. There is a difference between being a rich man's hobby and someone spunking millions on players without a decent ground.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Yes and no. We have wealthy owners who jointly paid £5 million for the new stadium, but are still owed the money. Any profits seem to be reinvested in ground improvements, but playing budgets are funded by large crowds. Not sure what the 3G brings in; I doubt it is a fortune when replacement every few years is factored in. There is a difference between being a rich man's hobby and someone spunking millions on players without a decent ground.

But the point is, that's no different to a few of the others named above. Us (Barrow) in particular have a reasonably wealthy owner, but he's a local bloke, and investing in the club to clear its debts and ideally make it as close to sustainable as possible. Without getting into the mad obsession with wages and who's got what budgets, we're certainly not splashing as much on players as a bunch of others in this division.
The only difference between you and us is that we've still got loads to do to get the ground up to scratch and the club making money, and yours is more or less there already.

 

[Joe.]

But the point is, that's no different to a few of the others named above. Us (Barrow) in particular have a reasonably wealthy owner, but he's a local bloke, and investing in the club to clear its debts and ideally make it as close to sustainable as possible. Without getting into the mad obsession with wages and who's got what budgets, we're certainly not splashing as much on players as a bunch of others in this division.
The only difference between you and us is that we've still got loads to do to get the ground up to scratch and the club making money, and yours is more or less there already.

Our owner has also (and still is) investing in every aspect of the Club, rather than just the playing squad. Cleared our debts when he came in, and the money he's spent has not been loans. Crowds are continuing to improve, we've got more sponsors than we've ever had, and we will be making money on the ground when it's fully redeveloped.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Our owner has also (and still is) investing in every aspect of the Club, rather than just the playing squad. Cleared our debts when he came in, and the money he's spent has not been loans. Crowds are continuing to improve, we've got more sponsors than we've ever had, and we will be making money on the ground when it's fully redeveloped.

Yeah, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. That's the approach our guy is trying to take - the big problem being that our ground is an ancient wreck/fucking dump, so it'll take a hell of a lot to get that sorted, and an apathy towards non-league football from our Man United-supporting locals.
My only issue with this thread is the holier than thou attitude of anyone who's already reached the promised land of sustainability, now preaching how they're so much better than those clubs who are trying to get there. Big crowds funding your playing budget (Maidstone)? Well lucky you. I doubt that was always the case though...

 

[GuiseleySteve]

But the point is, that's no different to a few of the others named above. Us (Barrow) in particular have a reasonably wealthy owner, but he's a local bloke, and investing in the club to clear its debts and ideally make it as close to sustainable as possible. Without getting into the mad obsession with wages and who's got what budgets, we're certainly not splashing as much on players as a bunch of others in this division.
The only difference between you and us is that we've still got loads to do to get the ground up to scratch and the club making money, and yours is more or less there already.

That's exactly where we are in our evolution too. Limited space to expand the viewing experience in the ground though, it will have to be upwards.

 

[Joe.]

Yeah, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. That's the approach our guy is trying to take - the big problem being that our ground is an ancient wreck/fucking dump, so it'll take a hell of a lot to get that sorted, and an apathy towards non-league football from our Man United-supporting locals.
My only issue with this thread is the holier than thou attitude of anyone who's already reached the promised land of sustainability, now preaching how they're so much better than those clubs who are trying to get there. Big crowds funding your playing budget (Maidstone)? Well lucky you. I doubt that was always the case though...

Always the way though. A bit of money and people's opinion of your club suddenly changes. We've always been a fairly well respected non-league club and was an established premier side for the best part of the last decade and a half (until recently of course!).

Unless some of the surrounding businesses are purchased by us, we can't increase the capacity too much, unfortunately. Think it'll increase to around 6-7,000 when fully completed, which is perfect now and for the next few years, but who knows what the future holds! Our crowds are steadily improving, averaged 1,350 last season with next to no away fans coming. Fully expect that to rise to 1,500-1,700 this season.

Maidstone have only got the crowds since moving to the Gallagher. Same thing happened with Dartford. Fair play to them for that, but if they stagnate and/or suffer a relegation, those crowds will slowly decline again, just like Dartford.

 

[Silver Stone]

Dartford's crowds were barely half ours Joe.

Yes, there's no doubt we got a boost from the new stadium, but it's more than that. Maidstone is a fair size town, bigger than most at this level, potential support is there and we've made good inroads into it since the Gallagher opened. We were also one of the biggest clubs in non-league prior to moving out of town and inevitably going belly up. All this together with some sustained success and well, of course we pull in great crowds. I think if the Gallagher had opened at the same time Wycombe's and Yeovil's did, we'd have had similar success to them - but we had Jim effing Thompson.

I'm not naive, I know what our owners have done and continue to do for us, and I am eternally grateful for them, I just don't think us being called a moneybags outfit is quite right when our playing budget really isn't all that big.

 

[Joe.]

Dartford's crowds were barely half ours Joe.

Yes, there's no doubt we got a boost from the new stadium, but it's more than that. Maidstone is a fair size town, bigger than most at this level, potential support is there and we've made good inroads into it since the Gallagher opened. We were also one of the biggest clubs in non-league prior to moving out of town and inevitably going belly up. All this together with some sustained success and well, of course we pull in great crowds. I think if the Gallagher had opened at the same time Wycombe's and Yeovil's did, we'd have had similar success to them - but we had Jim effing Thompson.

I'm not naive, I know what our owners have done and continue to do for us, and I am eternally grateful for them, I just don't think us being called a moneybags outfit is quite right when our playing budget really isn't all that big.

I'm not disputing there's aren't the same as yours, but it's the same principle. They were getting close to 2,000 at times in this league, now they're struggling to pull in 1,000 for a fair few games. And to think they were bragging when their crowds were slightly higher than ours when in the Premier (while we were in the South).

 

[Farleigh]

But the point is, that's no different to a few of the others named above. Us (Barrow) in particular have a reasonably wealthy owner, but he's a local bloke, and investing in the club to clear its debts and ideally make it as close to sustainable as possible. Without getting into the mad obsession with wages and who's got what budgets, we're certainly not splashing as much on players as a bunch of others in this division.
The only difference between you and us is that we've still got loads to do to get the ground up to scratch and the club making money, and yours is more or less there already.

The biggest difference is Maidstone are run along strict business lines and make a surplus each year. If we can't afford it we don't have it.

I read that Barrow lost a million last year, which is about average for bankrolled clubs in this league, and could have built a modern stand bigger than our new one.

I don't begrudge wealthy businessmen supporting their local club, but we undoubtedly have missed out on players due others operating at a loss. Sooner or later, the books have to balance.

 

[Farleigh]

I know someone who has rejected stupid money for their business near Ebbsfleet's ground. They don't want to employ his staff, or create space for a non league club with 1,000 fans. It's all about the tacky theme park with minimum wage jobs. Paramount have already pulled out. I sincerely hope Ebbsfleet will be OK if it comes to nothing.

 

[Camborne Gills]

Spennymoor is where we got tranmere legend stevie vickers from , for a set of tracksuits i believe.... you dont see deals like that anymore

Cascarino from Crockenhill to the Gills was pretty much the same

 

[SomeMightShay]

Billericky.... help me with the spelling please southerners

Close enough

 

[SomeMightShay]

For the interest of the missinformed, Halifax are NOT a new club, they are a reformed one - a distinction made and acknowledged by the FA at the time. Thus we were exempt from the moratorium applied to NEW clubs and were not required to defer entry into the FA Trophy and the FA Cup for 2 and 3 years respectively. We thus have a continuous and unbroken history since 1911.

This is the last time I will explain this and will certainly not be engaging in any further discussions with Tin Potters who appear to believe they have authority to overturn a judgement made by the supreme national football executive.

That is all.

Until the next time.

 

[B2TF]

Time will tell. I feel an obligation to educate the ignorant. Where there is darkness, I will shed light. Where there are Tin Potters, I will kick ass.

 

[Joe.]

I know someone who has rejected stupid money for their business near Ebbsfleet's ground. They don't want to employ his staff, or create space for a non league club with 1,000 fans. It's all about the tacky theme park with minimum wage jobs. Paramount have already pulled out. I sincerely hope Ebbsfleet will be OK if it comes to nothing.

Not sure if we're talking of the same business, but one wanted 8x the value of it when originally offered double, so we pulled out. That's common knowledge this way. This is the reason the plans for the Ploughed changed. The hotel wasn't supposed to be a part of the stand, it should have been separate, but due to not being able to purchase the land it's now part of it due to insufficient space.

Paramount was a mutual decision from both parties, but the plans for the theme park are still there. It just won't be named Paramount. It's only the naming of it that's changed.

The Dr has investments all over the place. Of course Paramount is his biggest and ultimately the one that he will benefit the most from going forward, but he's not just going to walk away from us at the drop of the hat. All the money he's put in has been equity, not loans. I'm not saying we'll be able to run as we are without him, but in the long run, his plan is to be able to reduce the amount he puts in.

As I've said before, there's always risks. We could hardly tell him to sod off when he approached us. We wouldn't have had a club, and I'll admit I was more than dubious at first, but as soon as Varney was appointed (could do with a bit of PR training mind), I had no fears. His work with Charlton was brilliant.

You never know what's going to happen in the future. It's clichéd, but just take each day as it comes.