The R word
#1

What would relegation mean for us? I’ve seen a few people say we’d sink without a trace, be stuck at step 3 for another 90 years etc. How realistic is it that we could mount an immediate comeback? Surely we’re in a better place than we were 20 years ago what with the pitch income. Less travel costs, wages etc? Is it better in the long run to have some consistent, decent seasons at the level below rather than the rollercoaster ride we’ve had since 2009?

The fact that we haven’t been one season wonders at this level would suggest that we deserve to be here and we could make a swift comeback.

“There’s a mole. Right at the top of the circus. He’s been there for years.”
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#2

What happens to incoming revenue? Will the fickle never come and spend their dough if we are relegated? Does it have the opposite effect and cause crowd sizes to rise if we are highly successful in step 3?
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#3

Is football essentially a drug where you crave the feeling that winning gives you. That high stays with you for days after. To get that feeling, you need to be personally invested. The city fans deserve it after all the years bar the odd one.

A 3-2 win is exciting at pretty much any level.

Would it make the chance of investment/take over more likely if lower cost base ? That seems to be the only way the club will change for the better. To have a leader who is so utterly divisive does the club no favours.
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#4

I suppose we won't fully know until it happens, which I really hope it doesn't Gloucester needs a successful side.

The exposure that the club currently get on the BBC sport pages around fixtures, results and tables would disappear.

Sometimes it does do sides good to drop down and come back up. But I do worry with the amount of sugar daddies that come in it out level and fund a side, we might not manage to do that.

Having said that if we played at a lower league and the players were performing and the games were entertaining, I think more people would come.
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#5

I must admit I have always thought if we were successful at the level below we would get bigger crowds than we would if we were in a relegation battle. Certainly easier to watch a side who are winning games most weeks rather than losing most weeks. I guess the issue would be would we be successful. If we look at the 4 teams who went down from the North last season Leamington and Telford are bang in play-off/title contention, but Kettering and Bradford might go straight down again. The problem is we are in such a mess off the pitch that would we be capable of mounting a promotion bid next season?
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#6

I see the National League as it's own entity like the Premiership and Football League are their own. When it was created non-league football ceased to be what was below "League Two". In my mind the Southern League and below are non-league football. It's hard enough trying to sell the club to the Gloucester public as a National League team, trying to do it in the Southern League will be nigh on impossible.

As for the football, we got relegated 24 years ago. We started the next season with Tommy Callinan as team co-ordinator (not Manager, I don't know why), and we seemed to have a Billy Big Bollocks attitude. After the initial good run there was a spell in 2001 after the ground had flooded that we lost eight games on the bounce. We were ****.

Don't ever think that going down might have some kind of positive effect. It won't.

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#7

Should the r thing happen - well here are a few of my thoughts:-

Supporters like a side doing well does it matter to the average GCFC supporter if we are in a lower league I think not.

Would revenue streams be different again I think not in fact might put us in a better position with no £30k away travel costs etc.
With players on two year contracts you would hope we would more than enough talent to bounce back up. The only drawback is if the revenue streams drop then u have to pay NLN wages in Southern Premier unless there are clauses in contracts allowing a drop should we go down but I doubt that very much.

I have kept an interest in the teams from our league who were relegated last season AFC Telford currently 5th last home gate almost 1000. Leamington 3rd last home game 400+ somewhere near what they had in our league. Bradford Park Ave struggling 3rd from bottom NPL and Kettering ( where things I believe haven’t always been jovial off the field ) likewise in Southern Premier Central.

It can be done especially if the likes of Leamington ( no disrespect to them) can appear to regroup and put in a title challenge with I would suggest less resources than us.
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#8

(18-01-2024, 12:18 PM)Neil Wrote:  I see the National League as it's own entity like the Premiership and Football League are their own. When it was created non-league football ceased to be what was below "League Two". In my mind the Southern League and below are non-league football. It's hard enough trying to sell the club to the Gloucester public as a National League team, trying to do it in the Southern League will be nigh on impossible.

As for the football, we got relegated 24 years ago. We started the next season with Tommy Callinan as team co-ordinator (not Manager, I don't know why), and we seemed to have a Billy Big Bollocks attitude. After the initial good run there was a spell in 2001 after the ground had flooded that we lost eight games on the bounce. We were ****.

Don't ever think that going down might have some kind of positive effect. It won't.
That's my belief too. Going down is always bad. You see some clubs bounce back and forth between tiers, but that is not the norm.
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#9

I think it's much harder for a team to go down into the NPL and flourish. That really is a tough old division, with some we'll backed and supported Clubs in it. It took South Shields long enough to escape. Darran suggests we'd go into the SL Central, but in that or the Southern i think we'd maintain one of the higher attendances, and would be right up there. I desperately hope we pull off a miracle, but if we don't, i'll still be looking forward to Saturday every week, as i'm sure would many.

Sticking around a while yet, thanks to a gift from a generous angel.
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#10

I think that if City were to get relegated, it could be difficult to come straight back up. What players would stay? The likes of Ben Richards Everton, Max Ram, Harry Emmett, etc.
I thought that returning back to Gloucester, would be the Golden Ticket to build the Club back up, after our years away in exile. We seemed to be on the right track with the James Rowe, Top of the League season. Unfortunately, that was happening during a Global Pandemic. No crowds allowed at games, lack of revenue. This season would then go onto be cancelled. Just City's luck.
We had the Steve king season of last season. Players brought in of good quality, they weren't doing too well at first. Then Steve King came in, galvanized them, and we got to the Play Off positions.
Not pointing fingers, (just an observation) off the field, doesn't always appear to have any continuity. People seem to come, then leave not long after. Was disappointed when Stuart Fleetwood left, I thought he was going to do well with the Youth Team sections. Didn't he discover Harry Emmett. Totally understand he had the chance to be a First Team manager elsewhere.
Feel that City need to try and stay in the National League North / South level. Playing ex League clubs, crowds etc, as to playing (no disrespect) Mangotsfield United, or somebody.

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