Gillingham NO

Scally has a long and unenviable record when it comes to not achieving his goals.

Unless running the only football club to be done for racism was one of them.

Digging around trying to find out more info regarding the Gillingham option........the football club has been in existence in some form or another since 1893. Their biggest crowd (not the current ground format was circa 20+k back in the 1940-50`s).......their current ground is a 11582 all seater........but their average attendace is in the region of 5-6k. So what on earth makes the Broncos management think they can match/exceed these attendance numbers against a team which has been part of the local community for over a hundred years??

Gillingham FC want to move and build a shiny new stadium which is part of an ongoing planning dispute (read following statement from BBC site).......if they are successful in their application then the intention would be to flog the Priestfield site for housing development......so what`s in it for us in moving there??

I think the last line or two of the BBC article says it all i.e. outdated and unattractive to supporters.....DH/Gus read on and please take note.

Gillingham Football Club's plans for a new stadium in Medway are at risk if a new supermarket in Chatham gets the go-ahead, its chairman says.
Paul Scally has written to every local councillor urging them to reject plans for a new supermarket at Chatham Docks.
The Peel Group's proposed development includes homes, shops and offices near the River Medway but it rejected plans for a new football stadium.
A Peel Group spokesman said it was not financially viable to move the club.
The League Two football club had proposed two alternative locations for a new stadium - Chatham Docks and the Mill Hill area of the town.
James Whittaker, from the Peel Group, said: "We have tried to assist in the relocation of the football club."
"He [Mr Scally was estimating that would be in the Premiership within two years, and actually rather than going into the Premiership they've gone down a league.
"I understand the attendance is about 5,000 so it can't be a capacity issue. I don't understand the reason now for a complete relocation."

Mr Scally said planning application the enabling development that would be required to build a stadium in Medway would be lost.
"We have never made representation that we would be in the Premiership within two years, it has always been an aspiration of the club."
He said access to the club's Priestfield stadium was difficult and the out-dated stadium did not attract supporters to matches.
"We can't expand the club any further," said Mr Scally.

Would it not attract new fans? There's not many pro sports teams in Kent. If i still lived in Rainham, i would deffo go to Priestfield.

Quote ="jeffb"Would it not attract new fans? There's not many pro sports teams in Kent. If i still lived in Rainham, i would deffo go to Priestfield.'" The omens aren't great. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Invicta

Quote ="jeffb"Would it not attract new fans? There's not many pro sports teams in Kent. If i still lived in Rainham, i would deffo go to Priestfield.'" The omens aren't great. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Invicta

Quote ="Cowgirl Nostalgist"The omens aren't great. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Invicta'" Well that just about says it all ..........nowt but failure in a move to Gillingham

Quote ="Cowgirl Nostalgist"The omens aren't great. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Invicta'" Well that just about says it all ..........nowt but failure in a move to Gillingham

Hello all,

I've given the club a good verbal kick-in on these boards a lot of times this season because of many things which I feel have been a disgrace from the amateurish kit suppliers and nepotism staff appointments to the appointment and retention of poor coaching and playing staff to the ridiculous signings of ineligible and injury prone players and who want a pension top-up from David Hughes.

Another bone of contention is that we just seemed to make a new badge and do nothing effective to bring in new punters other than the on road games.

But I've had the best day in history with the other 2200 or so who saw us smash Wire and see Powell get the tin tack the same day



Anway I of course want the club to succeed and I truly believe that's what we all want, whether we feel the right direction involves a big marketing budget, Wayne Bennett (rather than Gordon Bennett!) and good players rather than crappy ones.

I'm going to be controversial and state that I think a move to Gillingham makes a lot of sense although I can understand why it may be unpopular and I'm sure to be shot down.

I'd simplify the debate about remaining at the Stoop by stating that in seven years the attendances whether we have been top, in the play-offs, fighting relegation or bottom are not enough.

Firstly, my strong belief is that a London based Rugby Club which does not own its own ground lock stock and barrel cannot operate economically at a full professional level within London itself. The economics simply do not seem to work. The likes of Saracens, London Irish and others have migrated outside the area or stayed within the area playing at the minor levels. Other past RL professional teams in London have become extinct although it is a long time ago of course.

Once David Hughes goes it would be likely or even certain that without getting to 4000-5000 supporters we would share this fate of the old RL teams that folded and the RU clubs in obscurity.

For me we cannot ever find a new owner if they will need to fund a £100k or greater loss per month out of their own back pocket just to pay the operation costs and without making any progress. That's why Lenagan couldn't find a buyer - he was offering a loss making proposition and wanted to recoup his back losses. No chance!

Secondly, Gillingham offers a community which is at least partly engaged with Rugby League and is collectively open to the concept of Rugby League without predjudice. That is massive for a club which has no roots and a collection of disparate supporters all over the place in no concentration. I believe that these engaged people will step in to replace some of the conditional supporters who will give up. Ultimately there only seems to be about 1500-2000 hardcore supporters which is nowhere near a sustainable figure for now. The risk of moving in my view is acceptable. Maybe move or die might be a way of thinking about it. The truth is we are being pretty much turfed out by all accounts by high pricing.

I guess you could say that Kent Invicta like pretty much every other club that has suddenly been thrown in to another new area failed but we are a 32 year old club going into an area which now has grass roots.

Thirdly, the extra travelling distance to any supporter who comes into central London and out again is proportionate. From Kings Cross St Pancras you can get to Gillingham in under 45 minutes. From London Victoria the existing route takes about 45 minutes but the new journey not much more than an hour so it isn't massively different. Only those from around Richmond and Twickenham will be massively put out I'd think. Away supporters will find it easier to get to games. Home supporters will be annoyed where they are personally impacted and it will be a pain in the backside but most of us are already doing a couple of hours anyway, just a different journey. Careful planning will be needed to minimize the greedy train companies from profiteering too much I reckon.

Fourthly, for home supporters obviously there are only 13 home games in Super League and it sounds like 3 games will be in other parts of London, so it is only 10 round trips to Gillingham a year for a devoted supporter. Even if you live next to the Stoop it would be only about a days total travel time a year to go to all games. So I don't think it is a disproportionate travel distance. I'm sure it will upset people used to the existing travel pattern but in reality anyone who who is not self-employed or unemployed and is based in and around London is likely to be doing a fair travel stint per day anyway.

If the RFL were like the NRL equivalent in that they were a forward thinking strategically minded organization then I'm sure that we'd have a ground and some advantages but the reality is that we are purely funded by one old but great man and are shrinking rather than growing and completely overshadowed by the landlord who is offering to many not a complementary offering but something that cannibalizes potential support.

We have to move out and find a way to grow on our own and let us hope this works. It has got to. Our club must survive and prosper. I'd follow it anywhere. I wish it had a ground etc. But at least it existing has got to be better than us waiting for David Hughes to retire and it disappearing or playing in the fourth division.

Cheers
Rammo

You make it sound almost enticing.

The place is a slum and my travel costs will more than double.

They'll have to give away season tickets for me to even consider it.

I'm not claiming that Gillingham will ever feature on Wish You Were Here but ultimately there seems to be a similar walk to the Stadium as per Twickenham and the Blue Oyster Bar or whatever its called adjacent to the ground so it is not too bad.

The Stoop is a bit better maybe but the plastic pints of horrible Carlsberg at £3.95 and Wetherspoons is all I see of the area plus a short walk from the station through a housing estate!

It will certainly never feature in any licencing criteria.

Broncos sole Super League [iraison d'etre[/i is residing within the M25 environs.

Take that away and you're rolling out the red carpet for Halifax et al.

This is all presupposing the club isn't run like a basket case. All the evidence is that it will continue to be.

Despite what the union bashers say The Stoop hasn't been a failure for attendances because it is The Stoop, but because of the rubbish on the pitch and the club's disconnect with the fans.

If it is all so obvious why Gillingham is such a winner why did we not move there years ago?

I admire your optimism but a move to Kent would be year zero. The silence from the club is instructive, it looks like they have been caught with their pants down. Or GM is having talks with Julian Assange about how to get maximum publicity when stuck in a hopeless position? DH must see this as a way to slide out into retirement and it would explain the lack of marketing this year.

I agree with much of what Mark has to say, but is there more deeper concerns than what some may think here and as I keep saying we are a minute reflection of the small number of loyal supporters the club has. It is claimed today by some in the media that the licence for a Super League Club is for London and not Kent, that many clubs are not happy about the move. Add this to claims from McManus St Helens Chairman that Bradford must be saved at all costs whatever some Super League Clubs may think? It is being said London in crisis, but is the full game of Super League and the RFL not in crisis.

Nosey Parker claims the players were told on Wednesday about the move and by Thursday many Agents spoke to him from players not happy.

The RFL has to take most of the blame for the failure of a Super League Club in the Capital, why from the demise of Fulham did they not get involved and understand that a home ground was needed, the right work has been done with producing young players at Amateur rugby league level in the South and they are now feeding through what a disaster it would be if there is no Super League Club.

Wakefield have struggled, Castleford are as well as Salford, many had to sell assets to survive, but no the RFL purchased Odsal in advance so it could not be used to pay off creditors, what have they done for other clubs and they play the game with the Bulls administrator of week after week deadlines being moved, they have turned it into a total farce! and this is all lead by Nigel Woods who some praise in the game, why? and he has been appointed to review the game, a loser or someone who is looking more like a failure being allowed to frame the Future!

Exactly, you can just see it at the next sponsorship negotiations:

CEO bigwig: So Mr Wood I hear what you say about the strength of the game in a small area of the north, but does the game have any national imprint.

Big Nige: Well our flagship southern club is in Gillingham

CEO bigwig: bye!

Positivity or positivism?

Bit highbrow for this forum if it's the latter

Ian Ramsdale (BBC London) thinks Gillingham is unlikely (from twitter)

[iMy understanding is that conversations have been about a repeat of the “On The Road” game happening again in 2013, and that in the future there may be interest in potential ground-share. But it appears not to be an immediate option for 2013.

There has been speculation over the Broncos future at the Twickenham Stoop following comments of chief-executive Gus Mackay ahead of the Broncos win over Warrington on Sky television on Friday. He implied the club were looking at venue options for 2013; including Gillingham, Brentford and Leyton Orient - as alternatives for the Stoop.

My feeling is Medway Dragons - who are based in the area and were very pleased with the highlight of rugby league in the region brought on from the road-game - wouldn’t be too happy with the club moving onto their doorstep. They have ambitions of their own which would be severly dented should the Broncos to play at the Priestfield.[/i

Rammo has made some good points including on twitter if broncos left london they would be unlikely to return and provide our northern cousins a chance to say yet again SL in london is not working.

If that's the case there has to be a mass ST holder boycott of any Gillingham OTR game next season.

Anyone that goes would be actively collaborating in the demise of London Broncos.

Are you privy to the discussions with our current landlords? are we leaving solely just to low attendances is this what you have been told like Stevo in confidence?

The real success at The Stoop was when there was a lot of high profile for Rugby League and The Club and we perhaps have to go back to our first time there, it is not Union bashing, games in the World Club Championship attracted larger crowds due to the Australian involvement and also Capital FM liked the hype! The majority of union fans of Quins have no interest in us and perhaps we are not going to attract and other interest from local residents. How many of the say 2,000 odd supporters we currently have travel to The Stoop?

I am still not convinced with Kent at all! but I will still support the club if there is one next season, if we do fail then it will be it for me, someone born in a rugby league town played with a rugby ball before I even went to school, never thought i would say that! but I will stick with West Ham and the other sports I like, rugby is dying a slow death but that death is speeding up!

Thanks for the slanted questions including the one that made no sense. Are you privy to information that the landlords' demands are so outrageous that we couldn't possibly stay?

The majority of football fans of Gillingham will have no interest in us nor will local residents to Priestfield, particularly if the club produces rubbish on the pitch and makes no effort off it. This will be the case anywhere if it continues the way it is run (unless you are saying we have been watching good rugby at The Stoop and the club could not have done more to get paying customers through the door).

I would imagine 100% of our fans travel to The Stoop. As far as I know no one actually lives at the stadium. I can't imagine it will be any different at Gillingham.

Nice to see you got in the obligatory paragraph about yourself.

It is on Sporting Life now that we are playing at Gillingham next year.

What the hell are you going on about? Is this in written in some sort of code?

The football fans will call us eggchasers and bleat about us ruining their pitch

Would appear to be copied off Skytext. With Ian Ramsdale and the Gillingham chairman casting doubts on this, we'll just have to wait and see, although if we wait for anything from our shambles of a club we'll hear sometime after the heat death of the universe

I'm starting to come round to some of the heartlands way of thinking.... another ground mvoe/name change and I'm starting to wonder if we deserve our place is SL or if we can sustain it.

I heartily predict a year or two in Gillingham and we'll go the way of the Crusaders