L2 next season......who do you want?

[pauld]

So ya 

[thepeoplesgame]

I don't like the fact that we have to play them in the League next season.

Nor do I, but that's our fault not theirs.

I don't really get the hatred of FGR: they're a 128-year-old club that survived a disastrous name change where crowds dipped to double figures, then got their house in order and rose organically - with investment, yes - to what seemed the impossible heights of the Conference thanks to some excellent people who worked their socks off on and off the pitch and who also delivered a new ground a few meters from the old one. They then stayed in the Conference (with one lucky escape!) despite tiny crowds and budgets for, what, 12 years before Vince invested? And yet people talk about them like they're Franchise or something.

That said, it's a shame he changed the club colours and wants to move them out of Forest Green. The club will lose something of its soul (perhaps it already has, I haven't been for years), but that is generally the price of success in modern football. If he changes the name back to Stroud FC…

[garethgillman]

Nor do I, but that's our fault not theirs.

I don't really get the hatred of FGR: they're a 128-year-old club that survived a disastrous name change where crowds dipped to double figures, then got their house in order and rose organically - with investment, yes - to what seemed the impossible heights of the Conference thanks to some excellent people who worked their socks off on and off the pitch and who also delivered a new ground a few meters from the old one. They then stayed in the Conference (with one lucky escape!) despite tiny crowds and budgets for, what, 12 years before Vince invested? And yet people talk about them like they're Franchise or something.

That said, it's a shame he changed the club colours and wants to move them out of Forest Green. The club will lose something of its soul (perhaps it already has, I haven't been for years), but that is generally the price of success in modern football. If he changes the name back to Stroud FC…

Exactly, they have been in the conference for 19 years so not exactly been a meteoric rise and they were playing with Cheltenham and Cirencester in the 95-96 season (if I remember correctly). Cheltenham did the same as FGR are doing now, a new owner came in and spent a lot of money to rise them to the league in 3 seasons under Cotterill and then transforrmed their ground (replaced 3 of the 4 stands). The only reason people have a problem with FGR is that it's happening today when Swindon are stagnating but they didn't care 20 years ago when Cheltenham climbed 4 leagues in less than 7 years.

Moving the ground may actually hurt the club but I believe it has to be done if they want to be a successful league club as if you have been to Nailsworth, it's an absolute pain in the ass because of the lack of facilities and the small size especially if you have coaches going up the hill to the stadium. The problem is Nailsworth is in the middle of the Stroud valleys so to get any decent land to build a league standard stadium means moving out of the hills and towards Gloucester, there isn't a lot of flat, expansive land in the Stroud valleys. They could probably get a 15k seater stadium on the land, but there is very little places to park or eat so moving away from Nailsworth would be in the best interests for the town and the club imho.

[Peter Venkman]

Nor do I, but that's our fault not theirs.

That was a tongue in cheek, hugely frustrated in our own lack of ability remark.

[Nomoreheroes]

Exactly, they have been in the conference for 19 years so not exactly been a meteoric rise and they were playing with Cheltenham and Cirencester in the 95-96 season (if I remember correctly). Cheltenham did the same as FGR are doing now, a new owner came in and spent a lot of money to rise them to the league in 3 seasons under Cotterill and then transforrmed their ground (replaced 3 of the 4 stands). The only reason people have a problem with FGR is that it's happening today when Swindon are stagnating but they didn't care 20 years ago when Cheltenham climbed 4 leagues in less than 7 years.

Moving the ground may actually hurt the club but I believe it has to be done if they want to be a successful league club as if you have been to Nailsworth, it's an absolute pain in the ass because of the lack of facilities and the small size especially if you have coaches going up the hill to the stadium. The problem is Nailsworth is in the middle of the Stroud valleys so to get any decent land to build a league standard stadium means moving out of the hills and towards Gloucester, there isn't a lot of flat, expansive land in the Stroud valleys. They could probably get a 15k seater stadium on the land, but there is very little places to park or eat so moving away from Nailsworth would be in the best interests for the town and the club imho.

The problem is that noone in the area wanted the club to change from being FGR to 'Stroud United'.

'Ecotricty Park' sounds like a good idea, insomuch as easily serviced by motorways, and an industrial park providing jobs etc. But, Milton Keynes sounded like a good idea too.

[garethgillman]

The problem is that noone in the area wanted the club to change from being FGR to 'Stroud United'.

'Ecotricty Park' sounds like a good idea, insomuch as easily serviced by motorways, and an industrial park providing jobs etc. But, Milton Keynes sounded like a good idea too.

They either want the club to always be a "village team" or for them to move on, and to do that they need to find a bigger piece of land to grow into. Reading did it, moving from a poor stadium to a newer one, moved to the motorway and it's been instrumental in their rise as they have been able to get a bigger stadium which means more fans, which means more money.

On probably a similar scale to FGR, Cirencester moved from in the town to the far outskirts (but not 10 miles) many moons ago now and the club has flourished as they had land to build multiple pitches (for the kids), build an indoor arena and build a bigger stadium, it also has room to expand in the future if they gain promotion to the conference. FGR will be on a bigger scale with the business park but moving out of the town hasn't hindered Cirencester as they were stuck in a tiny parcel of land on a roundabout fenced in by a graveyard (dead centre jokes a plenty).

[Tails]

Reading is a massive town with a huge surrounding area. It was more than just moving to a new stadium which helped them to grow. And even then, they were in the Championship in their last season at Elm Park.. which they still are (providing of course they don't win the playoffs!)

Cirencester's average crowd is what, 150? 

Madejski was also a Reading fan. Vince just wanted a project. It does make a difference.

[pauld]

On probably a similar scale to FGR, Cirencester moved from in the town to the far outskirts (but not 10 miles) many moons ago now and the club has flourished

Just announced they're effectively closing their Academy due to massive financial cutbacks:

http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/sport/15188991.FOOTBALL__Cirencester_Academy_diminished_by_financial_cuts/

HTH

[thepeoplesgame]

They either want the club to always be a "village team" or for them to move on

Despite being delighted for them yesterday, I admit a big part of me leans toward the former. That doesn't meant they should step down their ambitions to please me!

Besides, they were mostly in the Beazer Homes League when I used to go regularly, so arriving down the single track lane from Nympsfield and parking on the housing estate over the road was less of an issue than it must be these days.

[Batch]

Cirencester moved from in the town to the far outskirts (but not 10 miles)

No they didn't, they moved from Tetbury Road, as much as the outskirts as you can get really, unless you live in Chesterton it was as much a distance to get to as the new ground.

Bow they are next to the Beeches. No different.

it was about the land availability, not the location.

ps. are you related to Ruth, Verity et al?

[pauld]

ps. are you related to Ruth, Verity et al?

We've already established his lineage in the other thread:

Buying a player is like buying a house

You're Bob Holt's unacknowledged bastard offspring, aren't you? Suddenly it all makes sense

[theakston2k]

They either want the club to always be a "village team" or for them to move on, and to do that they need to find a bigger piece of land to grow into. Reading did it, moving from a poor stadium to a newer one, moved to the motorway and it's been instrumental in their rise as they have been able to get a bigger stadium which means more fans, which means more money.

On probably a similar scale to FGR, Cirencester moved from in the town to the far outskirts (but not 10 miles) many moons ago now and the club has flourished as they had land to build multiple pitches (for the kids), build an indoor arena and build a bigger stadium, it also has room to expand in the future if they gain promotion to the conference. FGR will be on a bigger scale with the business park but moving out of the town hasn't hindered Cirencester as they were stuck in a tiny parcel of land on a roundabout fenced in by a graveyard (dead centre jokes a plenty).

In terms of distance and journey time this the equivalent our mooted move to Chippenham in the Diamandis days, would you have been happy with that for so called 'progress'?

[garethgillman]

No they didn't, they moved from Tetbury Road, as much as the outskirts as you can get really, unless you live in Chesterton it was as much a distance to get to as the new ground.

Bow they are next to the Beeches. No different.

it was about the land availability, not the location.

Tetbury road is right in the town centre, they were <2 minutes from the town centre, the new ground is around 25 minutes from the town centre so yes they have moved to the far outskirts. (walking distance that is).

I used to live around the corner from the old stadium and my new place is <1 minute from the new stadium so know the 2 places well  

I know it was about the availability of the land, they just happened to be on the far edge of the town (officially they aren't in Cirencester anymore, they are in Preston). The club needed to move as the old land was tiny and boxed in by the graveyard and roundabout, they now have massives of land to grow into if needed. I spent many years playing in the youth leagues up at the old ground and the new one I remember playing on the astroturf 5 a side they had at the old ground in the car park, now it's all indoors and much better on a cold Tuesday in January  

[garethgillman]

Just announced they're effectively closing their Academy due to massive financial cutbacks:

http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/sport/15188991.FOOTBALL__Cirencester_Academy_diminished_by_financial_cuts/

HTH

Yep, but that's down to places like Hartbury taking all the players now, majority of the Ciren' acadamey players go to Hartbury college and play for their college team rathern than Ciren' college. They just don't have the money and resources to compete anymore.

[garethgillman]

Despite being delighted for them yesterday, I admit a big part of me leans toward the former. That doesn't meant they should step down their ambitions to please me!

Besides, they were mostly in the Beazer Homes League when I used to go regularly, so arriving down the single track lane from Nympsfield and parking on the housing estate over the road was less of an issue than it must be these days.

It's not as much hassle as it used to be as they do a park and ride to the ground to relieve traffic but it's still not easy to get in and out of Nailsworth at the best of times.