The Non - League thread

[Royal Rother]

AP, what a nonsense statement. You'll really have to dig out a quote where I criticised people for wanting an enjoyable season at RFC. Take your time.

Look gents, players are not signing for the money because there simply is not much of it about.

Keith Scott made it abundantly clear that he does not want players who are at Windsor FC for the money. That is simply not what the club is about. And it is absolutely 100% not what the Founding Director is about. He very much shares the Madejski view that the non-benefactor model is the only one that can work long-term.

Windsor FC is attracting good players because of their loyalty to and admiration for Keith Scott, the fact that they improved as players under him and Jim Melvin, because the ground and pitch is far and away the best in the League, because they appreciate the community based initiatives and quite possibly because when the shit hit the fan and Kevin Stott came in to try to help the club find a way to survive 6+ months ago, he reportedly paid the arrears of wages to the players from the previous Championship winning season.

So despite what many choose to believe there is no big budget at Windsor. If you had ANY knowledge of what is really going on down at Stag Meadow I think you'd understand and appreciate that.

But quite obviously you don't.

[Royalist]

Rother trust me they said that before!

Windsor sec would often go on the message board everytime a random fan from another club claimed we'd signed one of their players on 3 times the wages and tell them they were talking rubbish and that we didn't have alot to spend. Well he was right we didn't have alot to spend but spent it anyway.

I wish i could be as 100% blinded as you but you'll learn Kevin and Keith are EXCELLENT bullshitters.

Oh and any club that 'employs' someone who, in the clubs name, carried on a defunct lottery scheme to get money of local people unconnected to the football club and only survived jail to him being his elderly mothers helper cannot be trusted!

[Royal Rother]

You obviously go back further than I do as I haven't got a clue (or a desire to know) what you're talking about there.

Whatever, like the handful of Windsor & Eton fans who are walking away from the new club, you appear to be living in the past.

That's your prerogative but I listen to what people are saying and doing right now, and I am glad to feel a part of it because there's a level of energy, drive and commitment that is rather exciting.

I suggest you move on, forgive and forget whatever it is that's playing on your mind, and support the new club.

[Royalist]

Good luck to you.

Not learning lessons from the past is very very dangerous.

[Royal Rother]

I think you'll find that Kevin Stott and Keith Scott would be in complete agreement with you there.

[AthleticoSpizz]

on a non Windsor & Eton non-league thing (a change is as good as a rest......................as a 1970's Durex advert once said)

Former Reading winger Glen Little has begun pre-season training with Wrexham.

The Red Dragons manager Dean Saunders wants 35 year old blakey to prove his fitness prior to any contract negotiations tho'

[Elmer Park]

The FA Cup draw has been made for the Extra Preliminary and Preliminary Rounds.

Here are the potential Preliminary Round matches featuring Berkshire Clubs. Apologies in advance as I am bound to miss someone out or include someone who isn't in Berkshire.

Witney United or Newport Pagnell Town v Sandhurst Town or Thame United
Wokingham & Emmbrook or Holyport v Kidlington or Hillingdon Borough
Slough Town v Reading Town or Binfield
Ascot United or Wembley v Ardley United or Flackwell Heath
Marlow v Thatcham Town
Sholing v Gillingham Town or Newbury
Shrewton United or Fleet Spurs v Hungerford Town

[AthleticoSpizz]

yes, but firstly and then only if Reading Town have the honour of beating Binfield in the Extra Preliminary Round (Home)

and then beating Slough Town (away) in the Preliminary

they will play Banbury United (away) in the First Qualifying Round

[Wax Jacket]

I love a trip to Banbury

[floyd__streete]

Royal Rother - Windsor FC's self-appointed voice of reason. Does this mean he will give up being RFC's voice of reason? Surely there is only so much self-insistence one man is capable of? Here's hoping!

[Alan Partridge]

Royal Rother - Windsor FC's self-appointed voice of reason. Does this mean he will give up being RFC's voice of reason? Surely there is only so much self-insistence one man is capable of? Here's hoping!

I just find it quite baffling how someone who is so dead against anything to do with Reading spending money and is quite vociferous towards people questioning Reading's transfer policy can be so pro a couple of guys that not only helped Windsor fold once but now they are back and attracting these 'high quality players' (who I have no doubt will be playing for free). Criticising those who share concerns over this alliance which ended in complete financial disaster last time.

The hypocrisy of it all is the most staggering thing, maybe i've got the wrong end of the stick here.

[Big Foot]

I love a trip to Banbury

As do I - any ideas on dates for this potential tie?

[Royal Rother]

Royal Rother - Windsor FC's self-appointed voice of reason. Does this mean he will give up being RFC's voice of reason? Surely there is only so much self-insistence one man is capable of? Here's hoping!

I just find it quite baffling how someone who is so dead against anything to do with Reading spending money and is quite vociferous towards people questioning Reading's transfer policy can be so pro a couple of guys that not only helped Windsor fold once but now they are back and attracting these 'high quality players' (who I have no doubt will be playing for free). Criticising those who share concerns over this alliance which ended in complete financial disaster last time.

The hypocrisy of it all is the most staggering thing, maybe i've got the wrong end of the stick here.

You have, and I have already explained why but I guess you chose to ignore it.

I am not at all against RFC spending money. I'm just against spending money we don't have and building up unsustainable levels of debt which is what happened in the case of Windsor & Eton FC. No hypocrisy here mate.

Keith Scott and Jim Melvin were given a budget at the start of the Championship winning season and they came in under it. The then Chairman did not pay players wages / bonuses for months so they were effectively playing for nothing for much of the season. Same applies to Scott and Melvin.

Then, at the end of the season, despite winning the Championship and not being paid, Scott and Melvin were sacked.

They never wrote a cheque. They came in under budget. Just. They produced 2 trophies in 2 years. They weren't paid; neither were their players. And then they got sacked. Great eh?

No wonder the team broke up and only a few stayed and some extremely disgruntled players wrote anonymous letters to the local papers and posted up on the forum.

Of course I cannot be 100% sure that I am reading everything correctly because I have not examined any of the records involved but I sat in on several meetings with the old Chairman and it became very clear that he was giving the supporters a load of old flannel. And it became clear that he had no idea of the true financial position, was completely unable to produce records that would enable an accurate statement of affairs to be compiled, and, apart from being blatantly unhelpful was also trying to publicly undermine the efforts of the only man who was doing anything constructive to try to pull the club out of the mire.

Not only that he was also, in those meetings, looking to blame Keith Scott for the losses incurred during his time in charge.

In short, my assessment was that he was tired, beaten and unable to truly face up to what HE had done.

I have now sat in on several meetings with the Founding Director of the new club and like what he says. Very much a Madejski man I'd suggest. Invest in a vision but only as much as is required to get things moving towards ultimate financial self-sufficiency. That is the ethos. And get much more involved in the Community. I have found him to be extremely open and honest; he answers every question put to him and is putting a huge amount of time and energy into moving things forward.

But he is NOT going to fund the club with big wages.

I sat in on a meeting with Keith Scott on Saturday and liked what he said as well. Again, open and honest with the fans.

All the people on the Committee and the management and players are coming into something that is a vision for the future, not a short-term plan. And they are being asked to embrace that whole-heartedly.

Keith Scott made it absolutely clear that he does not want players for whom the money is a factor, so he is recruiting players who are attracted by the proposition of playing for a brand new club, of working with Scott and Melvin, and of having fun and being successful.

[Royalist]

Rother just ask yourself why players from higher levels are coming to Windsor. If you think it's because they are investing in a 'vision' then you are truly one of the most optimistic people in the world and i wish i could be like you!

[Terminal Boardom]

Rother just ask yourself why players from higher levels are coming to Windsor. If you think it's because they are investing in a 'vision' then you are truly one of the most optimistic people in the world and i wish i could be like you!

Come on Royalist. Why do you think they are coming? Is there something that you know that others don't? Please elaborate. I would love to know what you do.

[Royalist]

All i know is that they are coming down a level, Keith Scott's past with wage budgets ( allowed or not it was high) and Kevin Stott being Peter Simpon's right hand man for best part of a decade by all accounts!

No one would be happier to be wrong than me.

[Tails]

Looking to get back invoLOLved with playing football - so thrown a few emails around local clubs. Anyone know any clubs in particular around the SE London region looking for players to trial?

[Four Of Clubs]

I love a trip to Banbury

As do I - any ideas on dates for this potential tie?

.... If I've worked it out right 17th Sept - RFC host Donny that PM

.... Full details are available via the link on my previous post a page or so back.

... But you'd need to trawl around the FA site for future pre-drawn rounds - all three FA comps are available.

[Elmer Park]

Have now added potential opponents in the First Qualifying Round

Witney United or Newport Pagnell Town v Sandhurst Town or Thame United ( Home to Brackley Town )
Wokingham & Emmbrook or Holyport v Kidlington or Hillingdon Borough ( Home to North Greenford United or Bedfont Town )
Slough Town v Reading Town or Binfield (Away to Banbury United)
Ascot United or Wembley v Ardley United or Flackwell Heath (Away to Bicester Town or Bedfont Sports or Hanworth Villa or Shrivenham)
Marlow v Thatcham Town (Away to Harrow Borough)
Sholing v Gillingham Town or Newbury (Home to Winchester City or Ringwood Town or Blackfield & Langley or GE Hamble)
Shrewton United or Fleet Spurs v Hungerford Town (Home to Verwood Town or Horndean or Bridport or Hayling United)

I think Maidenhead are the only other Berkshire non league Club in the Competition unless anyone can think of any other Clubs. They join at the Second Qualifying Round stage by which time I am not sure there will be too many of the Berkshire Clubs featured above remaining.

[Wax Jacket]

I love a trip to Banbury

As do I - any ideas on dates for this potential tie?

.... If I've worked it out right 17th Sept - RFC host Donny that PM

I couldn't be more IN if Kirstie Allsopp were doing the half-time raffle