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Post by Andy K on May 15, 2023 18:22:07 GMT
And there are the standard friendlies
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Post by andycapp on May 15, 2023 18:36:24 GMT
What about a match against Carshalton.
Wasn’t there an annual match and a trophy played for.
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Post by surreyu on May 15, 2023 18:48:43 GMT
What about a match against Carshalton. Wasn’t there an annual match and a trophy played for. For what purpose? They’re 3 divisions below us, large difference in quality in those three divisions too. Crystal Palace aren’t going to bring us their first team
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Post by SG on May 15, 2023 19:43:12 GMT
Good to see our contact book has extended with our professional status
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markf
Top Performer
Posts: 3,306
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Post by markf on May 15, 2023 20:06:55 GMT
Not sure what the problems. It is normal for EFL sides to play away friendly matches against non league opposition.
I expect the home friendlies will provide sterner opposition.
It's generally how these things work.
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Post by SG on May 15, 2023 20:22:33 GMT
A slight bit of variety would be nice?
Somewhere we've not played either before or for years? A tour somewhere?
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Post by Stewart on May 16, 2023 6:17:57 GMT
Wimbledon on a trip to Spain LINK
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Post by Andy K on May 16, 2023 7:12:00 GMT
A slight bit of variety would be nice? Somewhere we've not played either before or for years? A tour somewhere? Both would be nice, but then the latter could also be unrealistic. These things cost money.
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Post by localboy86 on May 16, 2023 8:33:56 GMT
Wimbledon on a trip to Spain LINK Very jealous! Would love us to do something like that one year. Even somewhere a little different - Dorking are heading to Mousehole this pre-season, they always do one trip to promote team bonding which is a good idea.
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Post by davef on May 16, 2023 9:28:08 GMT
We did, we went to Jersey. But Andy K is right, that sort of venture costs money and the only cost centre it can come out of is the playing budget.
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Post by Andy K on May 16, 2023 10:43:33 GMT
I always come from the position that friendlies should always benefit the team and the club before pleasing the supporters. So I'd always like to see friendlies against top half NL sides and lower half L1 sides, as that's going to provide the best and most appropriate preparation for the side. I'm also fine for home friendlies against sides higher up than us, especially ones that would be an attractive tie to bring in money to the club, and although Chelsea kids isn't going to be as good for the side on the pitch in preparation, I understand the reason behind it. Finally of course, there's other obligations like a friendly in lieu of payment for a player.
So with those and the current friendlies, Farnborough is fine, and Woking is a very good choice (I'm right in saying we've not been there in around 3 and a half years either), but I think the weakest of all is the Havant one. A side 2 divisions below us that we've played last season, and with due respect to us, we're hardly a name of a league side that will bring in the crowds for them (although as usual I expect they'll get their usual Portsmouth friendly). Worthing would have been a better friendly for us (they had highger crowds last season, a stronger side, we'd be more of a name for them to play), but of course they don't have Jamie Collins as manager.
And there's the rub. We will end up playing some of the more minor friendlies against sides we have links with. And as SG did imply, those links are limited and repeatable.
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Post by cheshire on May 16, 2023 11:51:08 GMT
Wimbledon on a trip to Spain LINK Very jealous! Would love us to do something like that one year. Even somewhere a little different - Dorking are heading to Mousehole this pre-season, they always do one trip to promote team bonding which is a good idea. Seems odd to go to Spain in the height of summer. Presumably the temperatures will be 30-35 degrees! Or is that the point? Would be more understandable if it was done during a mid-season (winter) break.
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Post by davethegrave on May 16, 2023 15:37:22 GMT
Very jealous! Would love us to do something like that one year. Even somewhere a little different - Dorking are heading to Mousehole this pre-season, they always do one trip to promote team bonding which is a good idea. Seems odd to go to Spain in the height of summer. Presumably the temperatures will be 30-35 degrees! Or is that the point? Would be more understandable if it was done during a mid-season (winter) break. Mid-season break? What's that?
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Post by SG on May 16, 2023 16:49:06 GMT
We did, we went to Jersey. But Andy K is right, that sort of venture costs money and the only cost centre it can come out of is the playing budget. Not necessarily. A pro-active member of staff tasked with sponsorship and/or commercial deals could work with a company to provide budget for a sponsored tour. I believe the Jersey tourist board funded most (if not all) of the aforementioned trip? It doesn't need to be anything particularly outlandish (such as Wombles' trip to Spain), just something different - benefits include allowing team-building in an unfamiliar environment, a period of time where the management team have the players all to themselves, etc.
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markf
Top Performer
Posts: 3,306
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Post by markf on May 16, 2023 17:03:50 GMT
At the time the Jersey FA was trying to promote itself and wanted a decent non league club to play.
It rather helped Sutton's cause that former Sutton midfielder, Gavin Fraser was part of the Jersey FA.
Contacts like Gavin can be rather helpful .
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