Well, for better or for worse (probably the latter), I'm back. Having taken a long sabbatical from this forum I decided in the taxi on the way to the ground that it was time to break that, so .. hello again. However, same old, same old. So, here I sit, several pints later, reaffirming that the reason I go to matches isn't for the football but for the comradery. OK, this is a football forum, so I'll get that bit out of the way simply by saying that if you play the same players, you'll get the same game. None of the new signings played, Last season's players gave last seasons performance, some better than others, but believe me, there's nothing to get excited about on the basis of this performance. We managed to scrape a draw without, I think, a shot on target. I'm sure others will give a more detailed report, so I won't dwell on the game further. Thank heavens for the pre, during, and post match 'entertainment'. On the plus side, before the match I had a great chat with someone who had emigrated to York, who's really a West Ham supporter but supports Kent generally so had turned up to watch, and after the match we met some lovely blokes who we hadn't met before who we'll hopefully see at Oldham and Keds (yes him) facetimed Beth after the game, just after his team, Croyden, had won - magic moment. Sod what happens on the pitch, it's all about the people who watch it.
Hello mate, big welcome back. I sort of guessed you'd had enough of the same dross week in, week out. I'd gone pretty much that way as well, rarely get along to games these days, as well as health being a big hinder, but we soidier on. I hadn't kept up with any of the preseason friendlies, I watched the womens football and that was about my limit. Well done the ladies btw. Anyway to the point, I looked up the team before the game and I was like, ok what's changed, the answer to that was a big fat nothing, with the exception of the new man at the helm. Prem don't start for a couple of weeks, so it meant everything could be televised - I did tune in and I kid you not I promptly fell asleep. I woke up for the second half and saw us go one down and I thought here we go again, same ole, same ole. Tbph I expected nowt more than a draw today, and got my wishes with a delightful equaliser. I can't really comment on performances because my brain wasn't really into it, I was merely hoping for an equaliser and the final whistle so I could turn the damn thing off So here we are again, what now... Well this season I'm setting myself more realistic targets of us finishing midtable, and anything else is a bonus. It's not that I don't have any faith in the manager or the new owners because I do, but sometimes I think I've expected too much and been disappointed, so I'm going for reverse psychology this season and see if it works. All the best to you and your family. As you say mate, it's about the people (comradery), the football is just a reason to get together and if you look at it like that, it makes it worth the while. Sometimes I even wonder if I should take a sabbatical, but when you get a new season and people still turn up to predict or comment (which is really nice), it makes me remember that it's worth hanging around for and it's not time to turn the lights out just yet.
Thanks for all of that, and good hear from you, although sorry to hear about your health problems. If I were being totally flippant I'd say that probably everyone who supports Gillingham has got a health problem, but even without knowing full details I know that yours is more problematic than that. It was actually the combination of Evans and Scally that made me give up on this. I knew that I would never be able to post in a positive frame of mind, and so thought it better not to post at all. I've still been going to the usual Northern away games, but never again to Priestfield while Scally was in charge. There's always 'new season' optimism, and my thought before yesterday that we should be good enough for the play-offs, but that it might be a stretch to get automatic promotion. On the basis of yesterday's performance - admittedly a very limited sample size - even your mid-table target might be a stretch. On the positive side, the defence looks broadly capable, and Andrews was undoubtedly a handful when he came on, but I'm struggling to see where the goals are going to come from. It's a big season for Gbode. Potentially he's a match winner, but this is the season when he has to stop showing promise and actually deliver. Yesterday there were some good moments, but no significant end result. It's still early days, and Accrington actually looked better than I was anticipating after recent reports of their problems on and off the field. And they've finally got the new dressing room building built!! Next up for me will be Oldham, by which time an early pattern should have been established. For better or worse I'll keep going to games as long as the legs and liver hold up . If you ever get the inclination to travel up to this end of the country again there's an open invitation for you to stay with us. We've actually got a spare bedroom now...!!
I watched the first 20 minutes, Dancer Dack, think his best days are gone and he should sign for Chatham. Little, still hacking his way around. Morris, I thought, was OK, not that he had much to do. And another game with a draw, and the other side scored both goals. Gbode with help will start scoring. I heard that some of the new signings are injured, hence they are not on the sheet. Let's hope it's not another season of paying wages for injured players. I have a wedding next Saturday, so I will miss the match. My Gaffer Lady says they always play better when I am not on the touchline shouting from the Algarve. She always says. THEY CANT HEAR YOUUUUUUUUU But the Portuguese neighbours love my enthusiasm
