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Investment update
at 18:08 19 Apr 2024

An excellent statement that identifies what needs to improve and initial routes to achieving this. The golden share which helps to safeguard the ground is a standout feature.

We’ve gone from fearing what losing control to outside investors would mean to some certainty should the deal progress as we all hope.
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Fa Cup replays
at 20:11 18 Apr 2024

Alternatively, without the income from the Spurs (and Newcastle two years later) replay we could have been in even bigger financial trouble earlier than we were.

Or we could have lost on pens to Millwall the round before.
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Boreham Wood at home take 3!
at 22:07 16 Apr 2024

McNulty is going to start overthinking himself into real trouble. There’s nothing to indicate we know what works for this team and what makes us look pedestrian and non descript.

Could spend forever going into the details but if he honestly believes weeks of playing a midfield two and front two which limits the abilities of all involved, then he’s not watching the same game as the rest of us.

Not giving Henderson sufficient time on the pitch since Christmas has cost us a chance of the playoffs. Not giving him any time tonight was a shocking decision.
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Dorking
at 21:47 13 Apr 2024

The ultimate ‘football teams to death’ came against the likes of Bradford and Rotherham when we played direct, attacking football with defenders who knew to get into the forwards.

Prior to that we’d done it three years previously when we were near the bottom of the league. The game has been over-thought and confused in my opinion. Should we choose to commit to ‘total options’ and go against the grain, it’ll rip up the modern football rulebook. McNulty has that opportunity.
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Dorking
at 21:32 13 Apr 2024

I don’t know or really care. Because the emphasis should be on effective football.

The game is far removed from what I think is entertaining or effective these days, so maybe I’m the dinosaur. But even now I truly believe there’s a way to play in a skilful, productive way that helps to make players better.

If Keith Hill circa 2007 was around today, he could change the entire game at lower levels. Now that might sound like hyperbole, but it is what’s required in L1/2/NL to actually see a real shift away from clubs/boards/managers who believe that all of a sudden there’s one way to play.

That Keith Hill would have us or any team causing havoc. Unfortunately, that Keith Hill got lost within the changes in the game too. There’s still a chance for that Hill-type person to step up now though.
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Dorking
at 21:24 13 Apr 2024

Oh I know, there is little hyperbole amongst a majority of the fanbase hence my comments about how the manager has to recognise where he’s falling short of the “total options” we were told we’d witness.

Can hyperbole be negative? Genuine questio. Some do that! Then disappear… but not those who post their valid concerns about what we are seeing.
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Dorking
at 21:12 13 Apr 2024

See above, James. Some people, including the manager, are overthinking the whole situation. Any club with a board with little football knowledge are irrelevant at present.

Understand the fanbase, understand your players, understand what works.

It’s that simple.
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Dorking
at 20:57 13 Apr 2024

While there are some on here who clearly think I’m a McNulty apologist to make up for their own lack of knowledge about the game or our club, I’ll be the first to admit on how far short he falls. Especially when it comes to understanding how much of the fanbase are getting frustrated around the insistence to stick to a “method” which actually deviates away from the “total options” we were told was our way of playing.

Go back over a year to Wimbledon away and you’ll see some of us were all over the manager (McNulty) whose tactics didn’t mirror the routes towards positivity the fans were crying out for. This simply cannot be deviated away from, and the amount of goals we’ve scored this season by being effectively direct support this. As do the goals we’ve conceded by passing unnecessarily at the back.

McNulty has no excuses should we choose to play ineffectively. And yet, lost in the discussion today, is the fact he produced the most attacking substitutions of the season and a possible game changer at this level. A forward came on at LB, Henderson replaced Gilmour and we suddenly were playing a 3-1–4-2 formation that almost became a front six at times with more efforts at goal than we managed in the entire game previously. Adding Sinclair only enforced this message. It was unique and we can only hope it’s not an end of season thing.

What do we do? Hard to answer. The ball is in McNulty’s court as he knows what supporters want and what makes us more effective. Can he do it? Yes. Will he do it? Therein lies the biggest questions.

Hyperbole on either side will not help our football club.
[Post edited 13 Apr 21:02]
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Dorking
at 17:39 13 Apr 2024

Can’t argue with a lot of that. We are very average but before the season and after what we’ve endured off the pitch, that’s where we are. The decline has been halted somewhat.

We now have to improve.
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Dorking
at 16:50 13 Apr 2024

As frustrating as our performances are, our home record has improved significantly this year.
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NL next season
at 10:48 7 Apr 2024

They’re no Colne.

Ten games to be played by the 20th April. FA wouldn’t allow them to extend the season before yesterday... when their game was called off again.
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Club Appeal Red Card..
at 15:22 6 Apr 2024

On the game management, let’s hope we all remember next time we’re going mad at other teams wasting time because you can understand the Oldham fans’ annoyance.

Tactically McNulty made mistakes today. Forget the overpassing, it was continuing with 4-4-2 (4-2-4) when it was obvious we needed someone in behind a centre forward. Harrison McGahey ran the game with little pressure and when either Rodney or Mitchell dropped deep they weren’t able to make any impact. Henderson should have come on much earlier but on Tuesday it would be good to see us return to a three man midfield.

On the other topic of this thread, and it’s ironic that Mitchell escaping a ban actually helped influence that tactical mistake, the errors and poor communication should be learnt from. It would be a crying shame that if we do get potential investors on board that anyone thinks forgetting the past wouldn’t lead to the same things happening again.

Change in attitude and approach is vital.
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Club Appeal Red Card..
at 11:38 4 Apr 2024

Totally on board with that. We’ve already illustrated that we aren’t capable of spending wisely when budgets have been “significantly increased” in the past anyway.

It’s vital we secure the club’s future first. Then we need to get the right people in to take it forward.

Off the pitch before on it.
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Would you watch a live stream against Southend in Ratcliffe kick off 12:30
at 15:50 3 Apr 2024

Yeah, which is great of the Trust, was wondering how successful it’s been in terms of bar takings should enough turn up.

Would think a few will do.
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Club Appeal Red Card..
at 15:41 3 Apr 2024

What was ridiculous about the keeper kit was that they didn’t just make him wear a training shirt or at least different colour shorts and socks.

Made the fuss about us changing almost pointless. Worth noting that although I might personally have hated us wearing blue stripes when they were, if we’d worn our home kit in its entirety against their predominantly white strip, there would have been no real problem distinguishing between the two sides.
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Club Appeal Red Card..
at 15:35 3 Apr 2024

There is certainly a real conversation to be had around the messaging that has come out over the last couple of months. Would hope this is not forgotten once we hopefully get a deal done around securing investment soon.
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yellow shirts
at 15:30 3 Apr 2024

We discussed around visibility when a kit looks too dark, as mentioned. Detail was provided in how this can be solved by ‘lightening’ the strip with different design elements including the use of white trim. It’s certainly not a new thing amongst supporters who have tried to improve the process over the years.

If you’d like many ideas you have taken forward for future meetings, happy to do so. Presumably the Trust would facilitate this too as they had a rep present too.

It was a short meeting on a Tuesday night, so maybe that can be looked at in future to ensure that those who want to participate can do so. As could the choice about doing it on Teams which might not be as good as in person. Again, will follow that up with the Trust.
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yellow shirts
at 15:03 3 Apr 2024

In a period from the last week in October until January we played six home league games wearing blue and black. We won 4 and drew 2.

This could have been discussed at the meeting though with a thorough analysis done, over say the last twenty years, to provide a starting point.
[Post edited 3 Apr 15:06]
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Would you watch a live stream against Southend in Ratcliffe kick off 12:30
at 14:47 3 Apr 2024

The previous games screened in Tuesday nights have always been well attended and would think have been worthwhile in terms of bar takings?

Another good idea from DaleBars to look to screen the last game of the season. Plus we’ll be wearing yellow again.
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yellow shirts
at 14:33 3 Apr 2024

There was a focus group in February which all supporters could have attended if they had any particular ideas or valuable input about kits.

The point was made about having a strip that is too dark - something that has been mentioned on here as far back as 2013 when our shirt contained too much black. Fans suggested that shorts and socks should never both be black as a first choice strip.

Change kits were discussed at length too as was having options to vote on that were not just stripes (TVOS is spot on). Recent events around investment may be a reason why the planned voting has yet to occur, but I’ll follow this up with Trust.

I totally agree with your points about having alternative shorts and socks that match to avoid clashes, however it seems to be that short clashes aren’t an issue much these days. But they should be.

We should never move away from blue/black/white as our home colours as they’re unique ( or they were in the EFL!). Doing so would impact that and our ability to make use of it in marketing and as a brand - something we don’t do enough of at present.

Would suggest that if you, or anyone with a real interest in the subject, wants the club to listen then it’s worth attending these focus groups and to push for consistent processes that fans can play a part in. Again, hopefully this will improve once things hopefully change off the field.

Edit: meant as a quote reply to 49thseason.
[Post edited 3 Apr 14:34]
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