So Salford part owned by Gary Neville were held to a 2-2 draw today, by Nigel Clough's Mansfield Town. That draw mean Neville's Salford will miss out on the play-offs and will have to visit the delights of our away stand next season. Mansfield likely to be in the play-offs. Elsewhere scummy Port Vale were beat at home by Newport County, though County will be remaining a L2 club, while Vale's destiny is still unknown. Out of L2 we will also lose Forest Green the vegan club, and Exeter City, I bet @alwaysright will really miss a trip to the latter - only to be replaced by Carlisle Will Evans stay at Stevenage I wonder, maybe we will have another one of our Cup Finals as the ole wind bag once called it or words to that affect. Feel free to add to the list and any thoughts on teams mentioned...
Leyton Orient is a good away day. My first away game was at Brisbane Road so I'll look to put that one on the calendar. League Two remains very much a northern league however with Wimbledon, Crawley Town, Sutton United & Colchester United being the only other South Eastern clubs we will have to face. I honestly hope we can play a good style of football under Harris in League Two next season because I hated some of the horrific ties we endured whilst we were there last time.
brb - I have a certain 'fondness for St. James' Park (( I wish it was for the Newcastle one ! ) - Exeter is a ground similar to Priestfield (( in terms of 'quaintness.' )) - although, it now has a roof over the away section. The last time I went to Exeter, I started out with a puncture - before I left my home - then, on the motorway, I was 'passed' by a car at 90 degrees to the road - as it skidded on the icy surface before crashing into the central guard rail in front of me (( pebble-dashing my paintwork with debris. )) Leyton Orient - I won't forget the nightmare journey - going to an evening game...when I had to abandon my car due to heavy traffic (( and, unbeknown to me, I left it unlocked with the driver's door window fully 'down.' )) - I had to take two underground tubes - before arriving just before half time (( which was earlier than some of the Gills players managed that night.)).. and to top it off, I believe we lost 1-3..... I almost felt like joining the poor chap who threw himself off a bridge in London that evening - causing the whole of London's roads to be closed! As for Port Vale - I think their supporters' coach should be made to drop off at The Strand at 2.55pm - see how they like having to walk up the hill (( you'll know what I mean. )) Stevenage ( if Evans hasn't been sacked ) -- well - I expect the Gills fans to show him more (normal) hatred than experienced by Mr. Scally. Colchester United - soulless since moving from Layer Road.... and for utter madness - look at their ticket price policy - you'll need to be Einstein to work it out. Swindon - the most stupidest stewards I have known. AFC Wimbledon - my advice is get your (( eticket )) early - their collection protocol is worse than Gills. Crawley - maybe Evans might return for a replay of the World Cup final ! Crewe, Mansfield, Walsall - all similar set ups to The Gills (( border-line crap )) ..... forgotten which other teams' grounds I shall grace with my presence - all equally forgettable. I shall consider my choice of away travel more carefully next season.... It's not the expense that is a problem - I am increasingly begrudging the waste of time - when there is zero entertainment value - long punt upfield, hoping to win a throw-in (( at least Jackson won't be there in August. ))... The prospect of Carlisle, Barrow, Hartlepool, Harrowgate, Tranmere on a freezing cold Tuesday night does nothing to inspire me to get out of my comfortable armchair - whilst Champions League football is on the television.... No - I will admit that, if any of the above games are on a Tuesday night, I will 'do' ifollow -- probably at my son's house where (as previously mentioned), he has an 82'', and it won't involve arriving home about 6 - 7am from Cumbria !
What we won't get......... The large away following that some clubs brought. Plymouth 822 Portsmouth 1435 Ipswich 2073 Rotherham 2256 Sunderland 2300 Charlton 2400 Sheffield Wed 3295 That little lot ( over 14500 ) helped to boost the average Home attendance to just over 5100 (( pathetic ))... In fact, without the 'Away' support, the average number of Gills fans was a little over 4200 . It's going to get worse in L2 as 'customers' won't want to pay stupid money for dire entertainment..... but - maybe income isn't going to be a problem for Mr. Scally --- when Gills were last relegated to L2, Mr. Scally said that net income wasn't going to be adversely affected - after costs were adjusted (( obviously not his consultancy fees )) - and I bet he won't trade-in the blingy BMW for a more appropriate vehicle - a Reliant Robin.
To be fair the Rotherham support was pretty exceptional, I've never seen them with that sort of away support before. I remember one particular cold November day, when the grand total, you could probably have counted on both hands, I don't think the actual attendance itself was much over 3k. But other than that, yeah I agree it's a lot of lost revenue.
@alwaysright I did a little search this morning, to see if I could find the game I referred to in my previous post. I was wrong!....BUT only about the month the fixture took place... Tuesday 21st Febrauary 2012, L2 Gillingham v Rotherham at Priestfield. Attendance: 3,248 Away fans: 57
It was the lowest Home league attendance for 14 years.... just as well as it was a really boring game - with no creativity by either side.... The fans who didn't turn up missed nothing -- unlike what happened just 7 days later - can you remember ??
I did a review on the Rotherham game back then, and purely from memory, I think it ended 0-0, but rather than being a drab affair, Hessy had played the youngsters, I think due to injuries, am I correct in thinking, it was one of the youngest average age sides we had ever fielded. As for what happened 7 days later, weren't they nicknamed the Bulls...
@alwaysright looks like you will be visiting the stupidest stewards you have every known next season, Swindon just got dumped out on penalties by Port Vale.
