Dramatic Decline

[dougdeep]

Its down to Dick Tight luv, he is Chairman but expects everyone else to foot the bill to keep him in office!

Don't you get fed up with putting the club down at every opportunity?

 

[the right footed denilson]

I'd imagine when DK and the board first moved back to Withdean they were expecting one public inquiry and about 5 years of playing there. Most likely a business plan would have been drawn up following these lines. Along with that back then the lower divisions were awash with Ondigital/ITV money which I believe the board put into the budget as extras rather than as part of the budget itself. When that disappeared overnight in 2002-03 season we weren't as badly affected as some other clubs but it still reduced the amount of money coming in.

My turning point is the failure of the first public inquiry and the reopening of the second one. These were costs that were certainly not budgeted for and resulted in the Alive & Kicking campaign and the sales of Currie and Cullip and later Virgo which enabled the club to survive. It is since that point that we have not been able to replace players.

The balls up of the second public inquiry is just another kick in the bollocks for the club and another point of uncertainty that had been added to the future direction of it. To that end money that could have been released over the last few years is probably now tied up still in the battle for Falmer. And a battle it is - not a nice easy run in guns blazing, bang bang you're dead, let's all go home job - this is a knee deep in muddy water, sitting for years in trenches, barely moving forward type of battle. Dissension among the ranks just adding to the general air of gloom that is filtering down to both players and fans.

What the club needs is invogorating and that can only be done with an affirmative Falmer decision. Rather than pointing the finger blame at people within the club the real enemy sits smugly in Lewes.

I wonder how much of a lift a 'yes' decision would actually provide us all with. Short term it would be great but after a few months, and before the ground is actually built, will we still be on this downward spiral?

Its hard to say...but it would be a shame to have such a lovely ground and only be in the conference.

 

[Dr Bandler]

I wonder how much of a lift a 'yes' decision would actually provide us all with. Short term it would be great but after a few months, and before the ground is actually built, will we still be on this downward spiral?

Its hard to say...but it would be a shame to have such a lovely ground and only be in the conference.

Very good point. On reflection Lewes District Council and Ruth Kelly may have a lot to answer for. On the flip side if Dick Knight appointed another in the long line of good managers and suddenly made funds available for 3 players, would the gloom lift at Withdean?

 

[NMH]

I wonder how much of a lift a 'yes' decision would actually provide us all with. Short term it would be great but after a few months, and before the ground is actually built, will we still be on this downward spiral?

Its hard to say...but it would be a shame to have such a lovely ground and only be in the conference.

That's always a risk that every football club takes. Personally, I think we should have a stadium REGARDLESS of where in the league our local team are anyway. The City deserves to have such a facility available in, or nearby.

Lewes would do well to realise that they don't have that availability for their residents either - and Falmer Stadium would be very suitably placed for them. It would be an asset to both communities, yet they work to prevent it!!

 

[NMH]

The way the FA are going, there won't be all that much point in the 'new Wembley' stadium. I won't be queing for tickets to watch an England team managed by the likes of McClown sinking into the obscurity on a par with the Serbias and Scotlands of football.

 

[1066gull]

I remember Kev saying something on hear about this time last year or around Christmas as he felt 'Something ain't right at this club'.

And it all started with LDC (and Palace beating us)....

 

[7:18]

3. Otaway injured and Carpenter falls off the pace. No midfield control or invention.

This is where we really miss Paul Reid

It's not an excuse, but we have had our fair share of long-term injuries this season.

 

[Blackadder]

I wonder how much of a lift a 'yes' decision would actually provide us all with. Short term it would be great but after a few months, and before the ground is actually built, will we still be on this downward spiral?

Following the setbacks of recent years, a fair few of us won't believe we have the stadium until we actually see the footings been dug out!