Todays game at Hastings is on

[Pete Helsby]

I have been informed that no pitch inspection is required. Lets keep our fingers crossed it doesnt rain

[dingle]

Shame it didn't rain, Pete.
First 30mins a disaster. Calvin is an experienced player and his sending off so early in the game was disappointing.

Things got better after half an hour but by then we were chasing the game.

Not sure where the club is at the moment. Thank goodness the season is nearly over.

Perhaps our expectation level is too high.

[ronnie]

Simply shocking defending, Hastings just o👎put the ball over our back line and were freely running in on goal on countless occasions.

Calvin really should know better, he just wouldn’t shut up and the Ref had no alternative but to send him off. Thought Dan and Pato battled away but with very little joy, in fact they combined in the first minute when Dan should have scored!!

Defensively inept and although we scrambled a couple of goals back we just weren’t in this game, Hastings fully deserved their win.

Big up to the Bognor supporters today, magnificent 👏👏👏👏

[kof]

I wonder whether anyone would now like to own up to their pre-season prediction for our final league position this season.

It gives me no satisfaction to say that I predicted lower mid-table.

Tin hats on.

[Goldy]

Apr 16, 2023 12:07:17 GMT 1 kof said:

I wonder whether anyone would now like to own up to their pre-season prediction for our final league position this season.

It gives me no satisfaction to say that I predicted lower mid-table.

Tin hats on.

Yep I’ll take a hit. I was very optimistic but have to admit I got it wrong 😑

[wizzard]

Apr 16, 2023 12:07:17 GMT 1 kof said:

I wonder whether anyone would now like to own up to their pre-season prediction for our final league position this season.

It gives me no satisfaction to say that I predicted lower mid-table.

Tin hats on.

I predicted mid table so i was a bit optimistic. Can't see any better next season unless big changes are made.

[cityboy]

Apr 16, 2023 12:07:17 GMT 1 kof said:

I wonder whether anyone would now like to own up to their pre-season prediction for our final league position this season.

It gives me no satisfaction to say that I predicted lower mid-table.

Tin hats on.

I have to say I was very optimistic when I saw our squad and pre-season performances. However in my opinion the squad has totally underperformed.
I know injuries have been crucial, and I can't remember a season for such major injuries, not just little niggles. But saying yhat we should have done better imo.
The league is probably the most even it has been for many season with no outstanding teams. On our day we have beaten or matched the supposed better clubs, but lack of consistancy has been our downfall. I for one thought we could have and should have made the playoffs at least.
Like U said overall a very disappointing season😥😥

[dingle]

Given Pete's comments on 11th April regarding the club's sensible financial planning it more or less confirms the Rocks future is most definitely in the Isthmian Premier at best and thoughts of promotion to the National League South are way off the mark.

I take then play-off hopefuls Hastings (promoted just last season), Horsham and Lewes all have much larger budgets than ourselves.

[Pete Helsby]

Apr 17, 2023 18:33:51 GMT 1 dingle said:

Given Pete's comments on 11th April regarding the club's sensible financial planning it more or less confirms the Rocks future is most definitely in the Isthmian Premier at best and thoughts of promotion to the National League South are way off the mark.

I take then play-off hopefuls Hastings (promoted just last season), Horsham and Lewes all have much larger budgets than ourselves.



I didnt state in anywhere that our ambitions are just to stay in the Isthmian Premier. All I did state is that we have to be careful with the budget set aside for the playing squad. That's what I said. Since the relegation some years ago from the National South when the club drastically went over the budget to try and maintain our position in that league, which failed miserably, lessons have been learned. Our Committee formulates a budget and that's what they will stick to. Its not rocket science and you will no doubt have seen many clubs that have thrown money at it and failed. You can only cut your cloth to what you can afford. I didnt say that with that budget it was built to keep us in this league. If you are careful with your choice of players there is always a possibility of being up there and challenging. You need some luck, hardly any suspensions and stay clear of injuries. We havnt had this this season. We have been devasted by injuries to senior players which keep happening. Discipline has not been the best this season and we all know that it has been disappointing. You only have to look at last night's excellent performance. People will only say we beat their Under 21s. They put out a side that contained players that have performed in their first team. We outplayed them, but sustained more injuries doing it. This has been like a long playing record. We have beaten teams such as Hornchurch and possible Championship winners Bishops Stortford, all with much larger budgets than us. With a lot more of that luck and consistency we should have been challenging so yes, it has been disappointing and frustrating. But please dont accuse me of saying something I havnt.

[dingle]

Fair comment Pete. I take on board what you say and I'm in agreement with you.

My only thought, though, is that maybe to get back into National League South or even seriously challenge for promotion the club needs to spend more on wages to attract better players.

However I fully understand the financial restraints and I'm with you completely in that we don't want to go back to the bad old days experienced not that long ago.