Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

[Seven Saxon Kings]

With a rumoured budget of £10k a week, Terry Brown as manager and a host of ex-league players in their ranks, Margate have obviously won the league, leaving the rest of us scrapping for the playoff positions.

We've got a new manager this year and have kept most of the squad that came 2nd, apart from striker Ryan Moss who was poached by the aforementioned Margate. Who do others think will make the playoffs?

[Gangster Octopus]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

It feels strange not to care...

Anyway, good luck to you and Dulwich.

[slackster]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Well, this thread took some searching down in the bowels of OTF archives.

Paid one of my occasional visits to Longmead on Saturday to see Tonbridge Angels v Billericay Town on Saturday.

Apart from the bizarre sight of Angels' "what the fuck is that?" mascot looking curiously unheavenly during the remembrance stuff (see the mascots thread for a pic), it was a game won 1-0 by the visitors in tricky, windy conditions. I can't see either team troubling the top end of the Ryman Prem this campaign, as even half-decent strikers were in short supply on both sides. Angels have just lost their only decent forward who had already bagged 17 goals this term - Billy Medlock - to Sutton Utd on an initial loan basis, and without him they had no cutting edge.

There was a great Billy Smart's moment late on when Angels had 3 stabs at scoring within the 6 yard box, only for 2 of their players to fall over and miss the ball completely. Billericay looked a bit better, and tucked away their best chance on the counter in the 2nd half.

I was with another local Os fan who knows the Angels chairman (Colin Fry) so we got to sample the biscuits in the posh portakabin exec lounge at half-time, and I had a good chat about the trundling efforts to "sell" the club to the fans with the mediation of Supporters Direct. It's taking an age to complete, but is still expected to happen.

[LibertéEgalitéFrattonité]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Has anyone ever been to a Met Police home game? I am curious about the amount of fans they have.

[Ray de Galles]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

I've been to a few as they are five minutes from my house. Next to none.

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[Seven Saxon Kings]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Harry Truscott wrote: I've been to a few as they are five minutes from my house. Next to none.

.

Indeed. But neither are they a proper works team. A thoroughly pointless entity wasting a league place that could go to a football club.

[Paul S]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Would you say the same about Cammell Laid, Vauxhall Motors and VCD Athletic? If not, why not?

[Ray de Galles]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

I recently discovered that Imber Court houses an inkwell made from one of Billy's (The 1923 Cup Final "White" Horse) hooves mounted in silver.

.

[Felicity, I guess so]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Would you say the same about Cammell Laid, Vauxhall Motors and VCD Athletic? If not, why not?

Cos they're not fucking coppers..?

[Gangster Octopus]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

How do they know? They could be fucking under-cover coppers...

[Grimmer]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Gangster Octopus wrote: How do they know? They could be fucking under-cover coppers...

Why would we care who they sleep with?

[Gangster Octopus]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Because we'll be reading about it in The Guardian in twenty years time...

[Seven Saxon Kings]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Paul S wrote: Would you say the same about Cammell Laid, Vauxhall Motors and VCD Athletic? If not, why not?

It's a bit different when they're private companies not public bodies throwing money away.

[Ray de Galles]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Met Police aren't funded by public money though, are they? I was under the impression that they're funded by proceeds of the policeman's lottery.

[Gangster Octopus]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Summer postponed...

[Ray de Galles]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

What a fucking shambles, have the FA made any comment on the issue yet?

[Seven Saxon Kings]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Harry Truscott wrote: Met Police aren't funded by public money though, are they? I was under the impression that they're funded by proceeds of the policeman's lottery.

It is, in that the police lottery funds the Met Police Athletics Association. Surely though, the purpose of this should be to provide sport and facilities for actual serving police, so they can be fitter and better public servants, rather than pissed away on overpaying semi-pro journeymen for the amusement of the few retired bosses that watch Met Police games.

Typical non-league farce over Enfield (now where did my thread go about falling out of love with non-league?). Hope Enfield keep their points, not just because it's right and proper but also it prevents any chance of that farcical 'football club' Met Police wasting a space in Conference South.

Hope Margate go up, not because they deserve to but just so we don't have to worry about them when they go full time next season.

What a joke of a manager Terry Brown is. Third in the Ryman with AFC Wimbledon and about ten times more fans than anyone else, then third with Margate and a £10k a week budget.

[Ray de Galles]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Seven Saxon Kings wrote:

Met Police aren't funded by public money though, are they? I was under the impression that they're funded by proceeds of the policeman's lottery.

It is, in that the police lottery funds the Met Police Athletics Association. Surely though, the purpose of this should be to provide sport and facilities for actual serving police, so they can be fitter and better public servants, rather than pissed away on overpaying semi-pro journeymen for the amusement of the few retired bosses that watch Met Police games.

All true, though I still don't see how it is "public money" that is funding them?

[Seven Saxon Kings]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Well, it's not literally public money. But it is (an arms length entity of) a public body, and it is money that should be being put to the public good by helping police officers to be fitter and therefore more effective in their jobs.

[Seven Saxon Kings]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Incidentally the few serving officers in the team get to count it as working time, so to that end it is partially public-funded.

[slackster]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Ton Angels avoided the drop and are indeed moving to a supporters-owned model this summer. I may even bung 'em a few quid. Nice short video to announce it recently:

[Ray de Galles]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Margate v Dulwich Hamlet play-off semi-final now postponed as well, pending Enfield's situation being resolved. Presumably to avoid any team having an advantage prior to final, what a cock-up.

[Favourite Worst Nightmare]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Seven Saxon Kings wrote:

What a joke of a manager Terry Brown is. Third in the Ryman with AFC Wimbledon and about ten times more fans than anyone else, then third with Margate and a £10k a week budget.

I'd say you're being somewhat economical with the facts there Seven Saxon Kings.

Terry Brown did indeed finish third in the Ryman in his first season in charge of AFC Wimbledon, thus securing a play off spot which resulted in a victory over Staines Town in the final.

The following season he managed AFC Wimbledon to the Conference South title.

A season of consolidation in the Conference National followed, with a respectable eigth place finish.

The second season in the Conference National ended with a second place finish, which culminated with a victory in the play off final,and a place in the Football League, when Luton Town were dramatically beaten in a penalty shoot out.

Prior to all of this he also took Aldershot into the Football League.

[Seven Saxon Kings]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Favourite Worst Nightmare wrote:

What a joke of a manager Terry Brown is. Third in the Ryman with AFC Wimbledon and about ten times more fans than anyone else, then third with Margate and a £10k a week budget.

I'd say you're being somewhat economical with the facts there Seven Saxon Kings.

Terry Brown did indeed finish third in the Ryman in his first season in charge of AFC Wimbledon, thus securing a play off spot which resulted in a victory over Staines Town in the final.

The following season he managed AFC Wimbledon to the Conference South title.

A season of consolidation in the Conference National followed, with a respectable eigth place finish.

The second season in the Conference National ended with a second place finish, which culminated with a victory in the play off final,and a place in the Football League, when Luton Town were dramatically beaten in a penalty shoot out.

Prior to all of this he also took Aldershot into the Football League.

He didn't take Aldershot into the Football League, Gary Waddock did. He did win the Ryman with them though, so at least he's won it with one of the three clubs with whom he's had a massive structural advantage over the rest of the league. As he did when you won Conference South.

The one really significant achievement is getting you promoted into the Football League, though you're being 'economical with the facts' yourself in not mentioning that you sacked him when it looked like he'd get you relegated back out of it.

[Crystal Staples]

Congratulations Margate - Ryman 14/15

Not sure if this doubles up as the thread for D1(S) as well, I'll probably go along to the final at Folkestone on Saturday, hope they can do it after a second consecutive 2nd place finish. Merstham won the other semi on penalties, to deny Faversham the chance of an all Kent final.