Tonight, we welcome Truro City to the Mangata Pay UK stadium. May I wish their Directors, Manager, players and supporters an enjoyable time with us and a safe journey home later.
Well, it’s been another frustrating 10 days for the club since we exited the FA Cup on penalties against Leyton Orient – that was after deservedly dragging ourselves back from 2 down to 2-2, then scoring a “goal” in injury time to win it, but having it chalked off for offside.
The dressing room response since that cup tie has again been very mixed with a win against Farnborough and then a disastrous loss away to Aveley, who sat bottom at the time we played them.
This evening will be another strong indicator regarding peoples’ attitude, discipline, desire and character, as we entertain a very good Truro side in a game that will test our resolve.
As an aside, I explained in my last notes about my plans to build the South End of the ground over the next few years. I hope to achieve the near impossible and start and finish the first two phases of the away end of the stadium by August 2026.
These plans will involve intensive talks with my architect, contractors, Hertsmere Borough Council, residents and all stakeholders – if I’m correct it will be a three phased affair but in my opinion they will happen.
As such, I must now produce realistic plans with the detail incorporated and with everything fully costed. In truth I must also be financially sure in what I’m doing as it will take huge investment on my side to give our supporters a completed stadium and, as I said, this will need a three phased approach, with a full planning application completed sometime in the early spring of 2025.
Regarding my short-term plans on the football side, it was very simple, we needed promotion, promotion, promotion and everyone knew this. This squad in truth hasn’t shown anywhere near the desire or consistency required to remotely achieve that.
As such, our crowd averages have plummeted and a return to part time football for this club gets ever closer. That would genuinely break my heart, but nobody should be surprised by that statement, as we are at present a very average National League South team, and our crowds have dropped off a cliff this season.
NO club owner should be expected to maintain a top budget to remain full time at this level, with a dressing room that seemingly lacks desire and commitment, and on crowd averages of less than 750, while losing hundreds of thousands of pounds.
I have shown the home average league attendances in these notes, and you can see that if league placings were based on average home attendances, we would at present be in a relegation place….. “so your honour I rest my case”.
I’ve done my very best for the last two seasons to support this squad and I don’t think anyone can question my loyalty to this dressing room.
I hope both players and staff alike read what I’m writing and understand exactly what I’m saying as it will not change, but it does affect everything in my life, including my own footballing ambition which still burns brightly.
I’m hoping my honesty and transparency in these recent programme notes provokes conversation and perhaps even gets a positive reaction from both staff and players, but until now the dressing room have shown me they are a win one, draw one, lose one group and that doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
I hope people think seriously about what they actually expect from me and our local football club going forward. I hope my notes really do concentrate peoples’ minds and I’m hoping this very talented and expensively put together dressing room, and our loyal ‘old school’ supporters (who I adore), know it’s now you not me, who hold the key to our clubs’ full-time future – it’s in your hands.
That statement does bring a time pressure on us all to succeed, but pressure must be embraced if we want success. Pressure must be enjoyed if we want league titles and a season is not just about magic moments in the cup.
If we really do want sustained success, then that has to be aligned with attitude, discipline, desire and good performances on the pitch. These are the only things that will improve attendances and at present we are nowhere near good enough or anywhere close to being successful.
Trust me, our club, staff and dressing room are well backed financially, it is also cared for and loved, but at present it’s full of unfulfilled talent and some weak individuals.
The budget is a great budget for this division, our training facilities are top class, our infra-structures are built and our work force is in place…….there really are no more excuses that I can stomach, because for many years we have eaten, trained and travelled like all good professional football clubs should.
In all honesty we’ve had squads here that were nowhere near as talented
as this dressing room – but they would overrun this lot, simply through their desire, their togetherness and their work rate alone.
In truth for the rest of this season, we’re going to see if we have the focus, motivation, character, attitude, discipline and desire on top of our undoubted ability to even try and get back to the National League this season, because at present that looks a long way off.
Whoever you support, let’s hope for an open, attacking game and may the best team win.
Take care,
Danny.
