Scarborough 5 year plan & Hendon stuff

By Scarborough_Rob9/12/2016 20:19Fri Dec 9 20:19:07 2016In response to Re: Ollie Sprague and five-year plans

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In reply to David H, I can assure him that there was no 5 or 7 year plan at Scarborough. We got lucky and appointed a little heard of young manager called Neil Warnock from Burton Albion!

Loving coming down to SJP. Thanks everyone I've come across who's been so friendly towards my Kingsbury drinking pals and myself. I feel the frustrating inconstancies are a peril of football at this level. Money will always talk unfortunately.

I think it's highly commendable that the board do not overspend, and for what it's worth I don't think they ever should. Scarborough Athletic were formed from the ashes of the old club and in many ways are similar to Hendon; a rich former history, aging support and in exile for about a decade. Fortunately it looks at last like Boro will move home for the start of next season; on a 4G pitch would you believe! Both clubs are owned by the supporters, but my one gripe is that Boro often stretch themselves to the very limit with the playing budget. It's easily done. An expectant supporter base wants success. The board panic if gates and income streams fall so they try and spend a little more to get in the right players and manager. If it goes wrong......

After several years without a home ground, I felt as an outsider looking in that this would be a season of gradual building. It's extremely interesting for me ahead of Scarborough's return to having their own home ground rather than having to share 20 miles away to see how it pans out?

Crowds are obviously an improvement and I'm doing my best to spread the word to get more fellow neutrals involved who probably don't even realise the excellent football on their doorsteps usually served up twice a week from the Dons or Edgware Town.

It's good to stand among fans who generally have sensible expectations. Yes, the play offs and National League South should be the aim, but never at endangering the clubs finances. Purely in my opinion of course. All I ask for when I hand over my admission fee is that I see the players giving 100%, and in the time I've been coming to SJP whether to Hendon or Edgware, it's extremely rare that I see anything less. OK it may be error strewn at times but the effort's definitely there. I think most rational fans are the same, although on my many travels this season I shake my head at a minority who support a side along the Met line and forget the struggles they had to keep their club alive for many years. Anyone who I've brought along, whether lapsed Football League fans or those just fancying a drink and a bit of entertainment are genuinely surprised at the standard and style of play; especially those who last went to SJP to see Kingsbury Town many moons ago!

Well done everyone. SJP feels like a proper home ground more and more each week as it gets worn into. It'll never be Claremont Road, but it's functional and offers good facilities. The bar is warm and welcoming. The beer tastes better by the week. What more could a local non-league or passionate Hendon fan want? OK maybe a home league win!

Incidentally, I'm not a complete newbie. My first Hendon home game was back in 1982-83 against Wycombe Wanderers in the IPL when I was an ailing student based in Borehamwood. I returned another couple of times when I made my move to London in April 1999, living in Willesden Green as well as catching a couple of "home" games at Wembley and then Harrow. I was so happy to see SJP gradually get upgraded and Hendon move in. It's great to roll down that hill, if not as easy going back up with a belly full of pop. Well done whoever put the new ground into the Uber list of addresses!

In closing, welcome to the new players and good luck to those moving on. That's non-league football. Looking forward to seeing Niko make his second debut around Easter!

I can't go tomorrow thanks to shift work, but I'll be following as closely as I can on Twitter, but I'm already looking forward to Tuesday night.

Good luck everyone and thanks again.

Edited by Scarborough_Rob at 20:19:45 on 9th December 2016