Ok. Here's the National League South thread!

[Bored Of Education]

A hiding to nothing really as I am terrible at updating such things. Anyway, here goes, Bath City have an unbeaten start - beating Braintree, who were relegated from the National League, at home 2-0; drew with promoted Weymouth away 1-1; beat fellow play-off losers Welling 3-0 away after they beat us home and away last season. We have about 7 ne regular starters including previous loanee Tom Smith signed permanently from Cheltenham and other ex-pro Ryan Brunt signing on for another season after moving to Bath. Both didn't have the greatest seasons last year but high hopes for this season with improved contracts and circumstances. Perennial super sub Ross "Craig Bellamy of the South West non-league" Stearn - last season's top scorer with 12 mostly from the bench - has once again started the season as an influential player - although he was injured for the Welling victory and most of the Weymouth draw. Jerry Gill is a canny judge and manager of players and I expect that our target is the play-offs again this season.

As far as the rest of the league goes, Billericay are stupidly spending again so it's the usual car crash I expect there but the bookies have them highly placed. Havant should be up there for re-promotion. Our old friends,Wealdstone and Dulwich Hamlet look like they are Slough, Hampton & Richmond, Tonbridge Angels and Braintree are all pointless. Can't really understand why the latter are down there as, aside from a 5 minute brain fart, they weren't bad, certainly that bad.

Anyway, that's it for now, here's Tom with the weather...

[Nesta]

Is it still the same guy at Billericay or some new muppet?

[Bored Of Education]

Ray De Galles suggested as much on the "...Summer Transfers..." thread and he is a better informed man than I.

[Uros Predic]

I went to the Dulwich-Wealdstone match on Tuesday night last week. Was a close-run thing and probably could've gone either way, but Dulwich seem to have added an ability to battle to their squad since I last saw them, which may see them grind out a few more results this season than they managed last.

[Ray de Galles]

Is it still the same guy at Billericay or some new muppet?

Yes, the same absurd herbert. Expect him to sack the manager/appoint himself/sack himself/withdraw funding/put the club up for sale/leave Twitter/go back on Twitter/spend more money from dubious sources etc. every fortnight ad infinitum.

[slackster]

I’d be pleasantly surprised if Tonbridge Angels manage to stay up this season. Now they are a fan-owned community club they will struggle to compete for decent signings at this level with better funded local clubs like Maidstone, Dartford & Welling hoovering up the better options. Will be looking to pop over to Longmead for a few games, especially now they’ve relaxed their no-pints on the terrace rule.

[RobW]

Gutted that Concord v Billericay is on Boxing Day. I would have liked to have seen Rheady in action.

[Bored Of Education]

Now they are a fan-owned community club they will struggle to compete for decent signings at this level with better funded local clubs like Maidstone,

I didn't realise that they are community-owned. I was out with our club expert on community ownership the other day and he said that we were the only community owned club in the division now and I thought that didn't sound right. Having checked out their website, they are as bad as us at providing information on this aspect of the club. That area is one of the most (C)conservative areas I have ever known so well done to them for getting that off the ground. Mind you, Bath is hardly socialism central.

The name always reminds me of a 1980s glam revival band more than a football club and, when I was in a band down there, there were quite a few bike clubs so that gives another connotation

[Patrick Thistle]

Yes, the same absurd herbert.

This made me giggle.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The name always reminds me of a 1980s glam revival band more than a football club and, when I was in a band down there, there were quite a few bike clubs so that gives another connotation

For some reason even though it's a perfectly legitimate name for a club "Bath City" always makes me think of an out-of-town discount bathroom furnishings warehouse that would only advertise on local radio.

[Bored Of Education]

Yes, I know what you mean - next to World of Leather and Kitchen Universe or some such. As you can imagine, a fair few retailers do the Bath pun with a running show retailers called Running Bath, the half-marathon publicity going with "Run the Bath", a pub called the Bath Tap etc.

We supporters stoically ignore such fripperies. It's bad enough we have a pig as a mascot.

[Patrick Thistle]

Surely a rubber duck would be a better mascot?

[Bored Of Education]

Yes, probably.

[The Mighty Trin]

I was at Bath v Tonbridge on Saturday. What an absolute belter of a ground. Poor 0-0, dreadful penalty miss and keeper off his line, but the walk from Bath on the canal path was splendid and it was a superb day out, albeit with a vigorous hangover.

The true highlight was the shitter bang in front of you as you walk through the terrace turnstiles...

[Gangster Octopus]

Stones top of the league!

[Bored Of Education]

I was at Bath v Tonbridge on Saturday. What an absolute belter of a ground. Poor 0-0, dreadful penalty miss and keeper off his line, but the walk from Bath on the canal path was splendid and it was a superb day out, albeit with a vigorous hangover.

The true highlight was the shitter bang in front of you as you walk through the terrace turnstiles...

Really glad you enjoyed and, yes, that walk is a great way of doing it. You missed a couple of good pubs but, having a hangover, that may be a good thing.

i am away but my mate who took my season ticket reported the match much the same as you.

Really pleased you liked the ground, it really is a lovely old place. Next season, we are moving out for a year and having the side you entered in redeveloped and a 3G pitch laid. Both moves are to provide us with hopefully more off-field and non-match day revenue as well as making the matchday experience even better. Us being a community owned club now, there has been extensive consultation about all elements of this - including a Supporters’ vote on the 3G pitch- and there is another round starting soon regarding the interior fit-out and design.

However, I can’t remember where the North side toilets are going to be in relation to the turnstiles. Even though it is on the opposite side to where I stand, I use the South Bath End ones as they have windows so you can urinate standing while not missing any of the (in)action. As my mates and myself notoriously miss kick-offs as we are still in the pub/club bar, I am not sure why this is important but it is.

[Ray de Galles]

Where are they playing next season then?

[Bored Of Education]

Still to be decided - not least as it could change were we to be promoted.

[Ray de Galles]

I presume the situation with shirt numbering in the Conference South is up to each individual club?

I saw two games from the division at the weekend and at both one team had 1-11 while the other had squad numbers but no names.

It was frustrating (at least for someone with a touch of OCD about these things) that there wasn't any consistency. As a league either go 1-11 across the board or full on squad numbers and names.

[Bored Of Education]

Oh, I assumed everyone had squad numbers. Didn't realise anyone was doing 1-11 anymore. I suppose that there is the outside chance that both teams happened to be fielding their first 11 but I doubt it. No-one has any names, I don't think.

[Gangster Octopus]

Are Tonbridge going to be able to finish the season? Their pitch is obviously not fit for purpose.

[Gangster Octopus]

Stones top of the league!

Oh, and this...

[slackster]

Are Tonbridge going to be able to finish the season? Their pitch is obviously not fit for purpose.

As a community club Angels are going to struggle with cash flow after so many home postponements. Longmead has always been prone to waterlogging and this winter’s deluges have done for them. They are trying to raise 35k for pitch drainage repairs - presumably to be carried out in summer. I may chip in with a couple of quid.

https://www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk/co...our-pitch/1171

[Gangster Octopus]

Rejoice! Rejoice!

[Diable Rouge]

When were you last in the fifth-tier?