Next season ?

[Chris_N]

Would be nice to go back to Enfield - their ground is a modernist curiosity.

That's Enfield Town Russell...who got promoted to Step 2 yesterday.

I'm talking about the original franchise Enfield FC, still going. They're the MK Dons, Enfield Town is the AFC Wimbledon, so to speak. Enfield FC currently ground share at Bishops Stortford.

[RST]

It also says much of what I feel, very frustrating coming home from games every Saturday having lost.

You're not wrong there Chris - 13 consecutive 8am starts to get the pitch ready and going home 9 hours later having not seen a win was a little disheartening!

Funny I was looking through a load of old programmes this morning as I was continuing my loft tidy. I came across a programme from early 2000 when we travelled to Hemel Hempstead in a Herts Charity Cup game. At the time Hemel were two divisions below us. Today they are two divisions above us. Why? What have they done in the past 23 years that we haven't? Can we learn from it? They've been at Step 2 for some time now. And as I see it, this is exactly what Brett seems to be saying: "If they can do it, what's our excuse"? We should surely be punching alongside them.

I was going through some of Dad's stuff yesterday and found a newspaper cutting from the end of the 05/06 season which said that our average attendance was 292. We are definitely improving on that front and let's hope that we can keep that going despite being at a lower level next season.

But if we are to get it right - as I see it it needs everyone to think 5 years on. Where do you see the Club? More importantly, where do you see yourself? If the answer to that is doing exactly the same as you are doing now....you've missed the point.

So not mowing the pitch in five years time should be my target - hooray!

[Brian]

I remember those crowds from the mid 2000's Rupe.

We would do well to get over 200 to home games in August, hover around 300 for most home games and then probably take between 20 - 50 to away games depending on the location. Also I'm guessing 75% of the fan base was over 50 years old

That is testiment to all the hard work put in by the volunteers and officals at the club to turn the club into a family club and we are attracting big crowds compared to those days and also a much lower age ratio.

Credit to Mark Burke in that and Michael Jones. The work they and others have done with the academy has helped bring younger faces into the club and on the terraces.

If we can get the product right on the pitch then the club has great potential.

I guessing although they would never admit it that the local sides like Stotfold and Barton Rovers will secretly be hoping we do fairly well as it will bring bumper crowds to their home fixtures against us.

Last time we were at Step 4 we had crowds of 1000+ for some home games and I remember away at Barton Rovers, you couldn't get a spot behind the goal we were attacking because the away support was two or three deep from one corner flag to the other.

Over to you Brett

[Brian Parker]

If nothing else let's hope for some better football. The plethora of kick and rush that we saw last season was disheartening.

As for a change of personnel, well I think that the back line is basically OK. Yes they made some silly errors but they were always under pressure not to make mistakes as those in front of them were extremely unlikely to score. We were seldom over run but the lack of ability to create chances and inability to put away the few that occurred cost us dearly.

So ideally we need a creative midfielder. Someone who can dictate the play and begin to create the chances that were so lacking last season. Up front we need wholesale changes. At least one but better two strikers with the pace and sharpness needed to snap up chances. We also lacked any aerial power up front, which rendered most corners, set pieces and crosses redundant. Players like Brad Bell and Layne Eadie are useful wing backs but there was no one to feed upon their crosses. Otherwise some thought needs to go into the delivery of a variety of set pieces rather than just hoicking high balls into an area where we lack the ability to make anything of them.

So rather than a wholesale clear out I think it's more necessary to introduce some quality into our major areas of weakness.

[Chris_N]

If nothing else let's hope for some better football. The plethora of kick and rush that we saw last season was disheartening.

As for a change of personnel, well I think that the back line is basically OK. Yes they made some silly errors but they were always under pressure not to make mistakes as those in front of them were extremely unlikely to score. We were seldom over run but the lack of ability to create chances and inability to put away the few that occurred cost us dearly.

So ideally we need a creative midfielder. Someone who can dictate the play and begin to create the chances that were so lacking last season. Up front we need wholesale changes. At least one but better two strikers with the pace and sharpness needed to snap up chances. We also lacked any aerial power up front, which rendered most corners, set pieces and crosses redundant. Players like Brad Bell and Layne Eadie are useful wing backs but there was no one to feed upon their crosses. Otherwise some thought needs to go into the delivery of a variety of set pieces rather than just hoicking high balls into an area where we lack the ability to make anything of them.

So rather than a wholesale clear out I think it's more necessary to introduce some quality into our major areas of weakness.

I read this Brian, and I have to say I concluded by thinking your expectations might be a bit high for starters! We'll be at Step 4 where the standard of football is not what it is at Step 3.

Brett will want players who have the mental toughness to grind out results I am sure, and get us back to Step 3 for starters. Creative midfielder? At Step 4? I thought that was the goalkeeper! Set pieces? Two strikers with the pace and sharpness to snap up chances? Would be good relatively speaking, but if they are that good, and with us at Step 4, be sure that they will be highly sought after.

So far as creative midfield goes, we won promotion last time (2011-12), with a cultured midfield trio of Louis Lee, Callum Donnelly and Luke Gregson. We were lucky with Frendo, and he was backed up by Zak Burke and Jamie Arlick as goalscorers. In that season, what we did have was experienced players with the mental toughness to get the job done.

So for me, getting the heads right, the right characters with a winning mentality, is the first priority surely. And personally I don't see that that can be achieved without a wholesale clearout. The football comes later.

[CanaryHatter]

Wow the forum is alive! Great thread.

Have to say I've hardly been along this season, only managing to get along to a couple, but the atmosphere at the Stourbridge game was fantastic, arguably better than the Leatherhead home FA Cup 4th Qualifying match a few years back. I'll certainly aim to get along to a lot more next season and with relegation comes the option for more away trips too, which I'm quite excited about having never been to Leighton Town, Hertford (Enfield FC groundsharing there too next year, hence them being pushed out the Isthmian), Ware and others.

We're seeing a resurgent non-league game at the moment which is fantastic to see! It's become a real family-friendly, budget-friendly option for people who just enjoy watching a local game and if Brett can put together a decent run on the pitch, I actually think we'll see attendances pushing four figures on a far more regular basis next year.

So many factors are pushing people away from the professional game: the cost of tickets, VAR, the press' constant over-analysing of refereeing performances and the obscene amounts of money continuing to be being thrown around means non-league is only getting to get stronger and stronger. It's an incredibly exciting time for Hitchin Town - I genuinely feel lucky to have such a club, run by such amazing people, on my doorstep!

Bring on 2024/25.

[Brian]

Hi Stewart

It was good to see you at the Stourbridge game.

You are quite correct, if Brett can produce winning performances on the pitch we will see very good attendances.
Unfortunately, it will mean that many clubs will see us as a big scalp and lift their game but like you, I'm really looking forward to next season and a new era.

[DarrenW]

[quote=So far as creative midfield goes, we won promotion last time (2011-12), with a cultured midfield trio of Louis Lee, Callum Donnelly and Luke Gregson. We were lucky with Frendo, and he was backed up by Zak Burke and Jamie Arlick as goalscorers. In that season, what we did have was experienced players with the mental toughness to get the job done.

So for me, getting the heads right, the right characters with a winning mentality, is the first priority surely. And personally I don't see that that can be achieved without a wholesale clearout. The football comes later.

Missed the main one for me in Ieuan Lewis who was brilliant for us around that time.

You hit the nail on the head though. In 2009? We went down with a striker who came good. Has to be a priority signing one. Frendo in the Southern DIV 1? How we didnt win that league I will never know.

Everything else you say about that time I agree with. Tough experienced players.

Real Bedford getting put in the Northern would be a huge bonus. Nothing i'd like more than to see the league title ive waited 31 years for.

[Brian Parker]

Chris. The teams that can grind out results consistently are usually those with the most talented players. There are always going to be days when the star performers are not at their best but the quality throughout the team sees them through, eg recently Man City at Notts Forest and Arsenal at Man Utd.

I myself played week in week out until I was 36 and at a lower level than Step 4 yet there were always players who stood out at whatever level. They may not be able to do it at Step 3 but there will still be plenty that can at Step 4. As you yourself admitted the last time we played at a lower level we had quality both in midfield and up front, so I think Donner's task is to unearth some like that for us.

Yes being able to grind out results is important but far easier if you don't have to do it every week. And it's not just down to the individuals. It's a team game and it's up to the manager to man manage, develop tactical awareness and engender team spirit and his coaches to work on each individual's technical skills. Fail to do any of this and you are unlikely to succeed. So it's not just about bringing in hard nosed experience.

I look forward in the hopes that we can field a side that can grind out results as and when necessary but more often can play a much improved brand of football compared to what we've had to put up with recently.

[Chris_N]

Nice reply Brian and I agree there are players out there who can hack it at Step 4 and will score the goals. We showed that last time we were there, and it's no difference now. Some of the bigger clubs persuade players that have plied most of their trade at a higher level to drop down, and this obviously played dividends for the like of Biggleswade Town and Bedford Town. But players who have the passion to play for Hitchin Town and understand what it is to do so.

We may not get the crowds we did last season at Top Field, largely because the away teams' fan bases will be that much smaller than some of the big boys we encountered at Step 3. But that said...if we can get the crowds we did last season with some of what we experienced on the pitch - imagine if we can ultimately be a winning team? Winning teams always attract bigger crowds.