My view and thoughts on everything!

The following is my article I wrote for the home game against AFC Telford in April: Season 2012/13 has certainly been crazy as far as Ebbsfleet United are concerned.  Admittedly there have been more lows than highs which has meant that for next season the Mighty Fleet will be plying their trade, hopefully, in the Blue Square South.  The defeat at Hyde United effectively sealing our fate. Discussions about what went wrong this season will no doubt take place after the final whistle has blown.  However, for this article I thought it would be good to look at some of the highs of the season.  Believe it or not, there have been a few! A highlight was the first game of the season where the Fleet came out on top of a 9 goal thriller at Nuneaton.  Despite going 2-0 down early the lads fought back to take the lead and come out eventual winners by 5 goals to 4.  So after the first game we were equal top of the Blue Square Premier.  Oh how we miss thos...

The following is the article I wrote for the home game against Forest Green Rovers at the end of March: The last couple of weeks have certainly been crazy to say the least.  The lads had a fantastic 4-1 victory over Southport and were 10 minutes away from a stunning away win at Cambridge United.  However, in the scheme of things a draw was a very creditable result. Then came the wasted journey to the North West of England to Barrow.  The heavy snow meant that the game was called off.  The players then had to face a long journey back to Kent with the prospect of a future Thursday night game against Barrow, to be followed less than 48 hours later with another game!  As our International goalkeeper, Preston Edwards, stated on Twitter that surely now the Football Authorities should consider extending the season by a week. This view took on further credence following the postponement of the mid-week away game at Luton Town.  This time due to a waterlo...

The following is the article that I wrote for the home game v Southport in March: As we reach Mid-March we are certainly coming to the pointy end of the season.  The pre and post Easter period is certainly a make or break time for most football teams the length and breadth of the country. This is the time to stand up and be counted – regardless of whether you are a player or a fan.  We all have an important role to play from now until the end of the season.  With just over 10 games to go, there are three distinct groups of teams in the Blue Square Premier League.  There are those teams that are vying for promotion to the ‘Promised Land’ that is League 2, those that are comfortably sitting in mid-table and are tentatively thinking about next season, and then there are those battling to save themselves from the dreaded drop to a lower league.  Unfortunately for us, Ebbsfleet United fall squarely in the last group! The fixture list shows that we have man...

The following is my programme article for the Ebbsfleet United v Stockport County game played on the 16th February.  The game ended in a draw. February is certainly turning out to be a month of home games for the Fleet.  In fact, the whole of this month revolves around Ebbsfleet not venturing away from the hallowed turf of Stonebridge Road.  That said, it is safe to say there are more than a few away games coming up between now and the end of the season.  This includes some very long road trips to Hyde, Barrow and Gateshead.  The players will certainly have plenty of time then to master their card skills.  Who will emerge as the Poker king? Time will tell. Fortunes can change very quickly in football.  Two games ago, and in front of the television cameras, the Fleet suffered a humiliating 0-4 defeat to Macclesfield Town.  Then a week ago, the team got back on track with a well-earned 3-1 victory over Gateshead.  This has now put the F...

The following is my programme article for the Ebbsfleet United v Macclesfield Town game that was played on 1st February. It was a televised match - the first time the Fleet had been on television for many seasons.  Despite this, it was not a good game as Macclesfield ran out 4-0 winners!  January is certainly a crazy month in footballing terms.  The inclement weather has meant that a number of teams in the lower leagues have had an “extended break”.  Whilst snow can look nice, and create picturesque photos, it can also be a nightmare for football teams.  A manager may have his team on a run of undefeated games, and then find their progress halted.  On the flipside, a team could have been experiencing some bad results, but with the postponements a re-grouping happens and, all of a sudden, the results pick up. From our point of view, we hope that the Fleet can go on an undefeated run, and hence move away from the bottom of the league.  Liam Dai...

The following is the article I wrote for the New Year's Day local derby between Ebbsfleet United and Dartford.  Ebbsfleet came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.  Firstly, a very Happy New Year to all the supporters of Ebbsfleet United and Dartford.  Here’s hoping that 2013 is a fantastic year, not only for you personally, but also for both of our North Kent clubs.  I also hope that you didn’t all get too merry last night, especially when the clock struck twelve! The Festive Season is certainly one that involves an abundance of food, drink, family time and relaxation.  It is also fair to say that the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day football matches are part of that tradition too.  Nothing beats getting away from the house to go to the local football ground to support your team to a win. Before I go any further, please spare a thought for me.  I have had to spend Christmas and the New Year here in Australia.  As you can imagine it is a tough...

The following is the article I wrote for the Ebbsfleet United v Grimsby Town Match-day programme.  It seems like only a couple of weeks ago that the Blue Square Premier League season 2012/13 kicked off.  But here we are in December and fast approaching the halfway mark of the season.  I am sure that both managers will have differing views about how the season has gone thus far.  As we know, Grimsby Town are flying high at the top of the BSP, whilst Ebbsfleet are just above the relegation zone. I am sure that the Mariners joint managers, Rob Scott and Paul Hurst, together with our own Liam Daish will agree on one thing – A win today!  At present a mere three points separate the top five teams , and only four points separate the bottom seven teams.  So it is a very tightly contested league at present. At this time of year the general thoughts of most people turn towards Christmas. In less than a month, a rather portly old man with long ...

The following is the article that was mainly used in last week's Ebbsfleet United matchday programme. Today is a very special day.  Not only for Ebbsfleet United, but for all non-league clubs across the country.   Today has been designated ‘Non-League’ Day.  An annual event which aims to celebrate the lesser footballing lights in England.  It takes place when there is a break in the Premier League due to international fixtures, and gives those fans the chance to go along and watch some true grassroots football. Here at the Fleet we have fans who travel far and wide to cheer on the lads.  Even if it is a winter mid-week game away at Barrow AFC, you can be sure that there will be a few die-hards making the long trek from North Kent to Cumbria.  Having done a Carlisle round trip in a day, I can tell you it is dedication of the highest order.  It is also a great feeling if your team wins, as the journey back home feels all that much sweete...

The following is my article from the Ebbsfleet v Barrow AFC game which took place recently.  Unfortunately, the Fleet lost 4-2!  Football and music are, in my opinion, a marriage made in heaven.  Both offer passion, a feeling of happiness, and are definitely at times thought provoking.  It struck me, whilst listening to the radio, that there are songs that indirectly have football connotations.  So without further ado, here is my list of songs that could have been recorded especially for the Beautiful Game. The first song is the obvious ‘We Are The Champions’ by Queen.  No doubt this epic will be sung the entire length and breadth of the country come April.  Next on the list is a nod to all the Managers out there.  I wonder if Liam Daish has picked up the phone and uttered the words ‘You’re the One that I want’ to a potential signing.  I’m not sure that John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John ever thought about football when they were...

The following is the article I wrote for the Ebbsfleet United v Braintree Town match.  Unfortunately, the Fleet lost :-( Now that the euphoria of the London Olympics is slowly dying down, we can all turn our attention to the Blue Square Premier League and our first home game of the season.  Before going any further, I would like to send out a huge ‘well done’ to Team GB on their massive haul of medals.  They certainly did us all proud!  The GB football team did fairly well too, until that deadly quarter final penalty phobia struck again! For Ebbsfleet United, and all teams nationwide, the football season is like an Olympic marathon.  It’s all about pacing yourself so that you can get to the finish line well ahead of your rivals, and thus ensuring a great final position.  In the case of an athlete, the goal is to get onto the winner’s podium with a gold, silver or bronze medal around your neck.   In our case, the gold medal equivalent would...

The following is my latest piece for Ebbsfleet United, and was published in the programme for the game v Telford on the 14th April.  I hope you all enjoy it! Spring time is here again. It’s that time of year when you can feel the warmth of the sun, the days are getting longer (yay!), birds are chirruping in the blossomed trees, and you can hear the distant sound of a ball hitting willow – as another shot from the dodgy centre half misses the goal completely, and hits the advertising board near the corner flag! Yes, it’s that time of year again, folks.  If the football season was a restaurant menu, we would now be entering the deserts section.  Having started out with our prawn cocktail entree, through to our chicken tikka masala and pillau rice main course, and are now picking up the desert spoon and about to attack and devour the ever so inviting sticky date pudding!   Over the last week or two, teams the length and breadth of the country have been playi...

The following is an article that I wrote for the Ebbsfleet United matchday programme v Kettering.  The good news is the Fleet won 1-0!! Anyway, for those not lucky enough to get to the game, here is my latest offering: Sport is becoming very connected with social networking sites nowadays.  A quick internet search will provide you with a number of networking sites where you can find your favourite sporting teams and players.  Aside from the obvious marketing aspect, it is a chance for fans like you and I to follow our idols.  For example, there are many Facebook pages that cater for our sporting cravings.  Then there is Twitter where you are able to follow your favourite player, read their tweets and, if you are lucky enough, get a reply from them. In some respects it’s like belonging to a family as you follow all their highs and lows.  Naturally, there are other social networking sites which are becoming used more and more often.  However, I ca...

The following is my article that was published in the match day programme for the game against Southport United. During last month the transfer window was open for all football clubs to actively try and make their squads stronger, with the aim being to either win a trophy, obtain promotion or to stave off the impending fear that relegation can bring. The elite clubs, with supposed money to burn, can obviously call the shots. They have the power and influence to do so. If you were following the transfer rumours during January it would appear that the top clubs in England were after every single player in Europe! Naturally, this was not the case, or was it? However, the ‘Big Boys’ can offer top class players an attractive salary and bonus arrangement plus immediate access to sponsors. There are some Premier League players who earn more than £200,000 per week after tax! Imagine what a club like Ebbsfleet United could do with one week’s pay, kindly donated by Messrs Rooney and...

The following is a blog of mine that has been posted on the "up the fleet" blog.... The first time I heard about MYFC was on a Friday night after a drinking session with friends in Sydney. Friday night drinks had become a ritual and it is a good way to catch up with friends and get ready for the weekend. This evening I picked up a free newspaper to keep me occupied during my 30 minute train journey home. This newspaper was full of the usual dross when I came across an interesting article. Apparently an organisation called My Football Club were going to take over ownership of what is now Ebbsfleet United. My heart skipped a beat. Being from Kent I had been to see the Fleet on numerous occasions over the years and certainly had a soft spot for them. I even pestered a friend of mine to send me a video of the Aston Villa FA Cup game! I knew I wanted to be a part of this venture. Would I be too late to become a member? I had to find out! I remember getting off the train and litera...

"I would love to see new members from Cairo, Belo Horizonte, Wagga Wagga, Ulan Bator and even Bognor Regis" The following is my article that was published on the My Football Club website (MYFC). As background information, I was approached by a board member recently to do some articles on Ebbsfleet United, who have just won promotion back to the Blue Square Conference League (yay!). I have reproduced it as unless you are a member of MYFC, you will not be able to read it. If you want any further information about becoming a member then please email me through via this blog or via Twitter @main_man. Enjoy! The future is bright (I gotta wear shades – honest!) Phew, what a great season that was for Ebbsfleet United! Rewind back to last July and it did not look like the Fleet would have a team to run out onto Stonebridge Road for the first game. However, that expert magician Liam Daish put together a team of virtual strangers and made them into a powerhouse in the Blue Square S...

"For whatever reason my sleep state then made out that I was a David Beckham like superstar. The only thing missing was his skill, the tattoos and his bank balance!...Sure enough, there they were next to my boots on the passenger seat seemingly grinning at me like a Cheshire Cat I recently had a dream. Now that is not unusual, you might say, but for me I seem to have them very infrequently. Maybe I actually dream more than I realise but when the alarm goes off most mornings my main thoughts are on waking up and getting ready for the day. As some of you would know I am one of 31,000 co-owners of Ebbsfleet United Football Club in England (if you trawl through my blog site you will find some blogs about 'the Fleet' and the MYFC setup). Anyway, for whatever reason my dream revolved around this fine football club. In this dream I was a member of the coaching staff and also a registered player. From what I could recall I was working as the second in command to Liam Daish the hea...

"had their groundsman record a dance song to raise money for a fertilizer machine! ...So, at last, a trophy to admire in the 'Fleet Board Room, right next to the cheese and pickle sandwiches, no doubt." Well Saturday came and went (like it always does) and there was a small matter of a football game going on at the new Wembley. For once it didn't involve Manchester United or Chelsea, but two of the lesser known teams in England. In the red corner were Torquay United, ex League Two members and statistically the second best team in the Conference this year. In the white corner were Ebbsfleet United, a team that represents a non-existent town and who had their groundsman record a dance song to raise money for a fertilizer machine! The question on every one's lips in Devon and Kent (and all MYFC members worldwide) was "who would win?" For us Kent born and bred folk, we had no doubt that the Fleet would win the FA Trophy. However, my relatives in Devon may...

"remember the bad singing spewed forth by the England football team prior to many a World Cup!...Peter will be a very happy chap to be able to buy more fertilizer " As some of you will know, I am a co-owner of Ebbsfleet United FC who are based in the UK. However, despite being a co-owner, I am not a mega rich billionaire from some exotic part of the world ala Abramovich or Shinawatra. I am one of 29,000 who have become part owners through the My Football Club phenomenon. Check out my earlier blog for details of this http://dw-perspectives.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-am-boss.html Since the My Football Club takeover of Ebbsfleet the football team has had a good second half of the season. The highlight being the fact that the club is off to Wembley in a few days time (no, not to go for a curry this time!) to play good ol' Torquay United in the final of the FA Trophy. It is the first time the club has been at Wembley for a football match. However, I am sure that on the players...

"makes me a sort of Roman Abramovich or Thaksin Shinawatra without their billions, I suppose!...This is certainly a major achievement given that Ebbsfleet, as a place, does not exist!" A couple of months ago I wrote a blog http://dw-perspectives.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-am-boss.html about Ebbsfleet United who were 'purchased' by the My Football Club phenomena whereby 29,000 members became part owner of the club. I am one of those 29,000 owners which makes me a sort of Roman Abramovich or Thaksin Shinawatra without their billions, I suppose! Anyway, Ebbsfleet United have created club history, not by singing karaoke, but by reaching the FA Trophy final where they will play Torquay United (home to the fabled Basil Fawlty) at the 'new' Wembley. This is certainly a major achievement given that Ebbsfleet, as a place, does not exist! So who is this mysterious club that has the backing of 29,000 people including yours truly? Ebbsfleet were known as Gravesend and Northf...

"I was also not sure if Posh Spice is the sort of WAG we want at Ebbsfleet...That was until my 4 year old headbutted me in the stomach, and reality was restored!" A few weeks ago I was reading one of the free newspapers that you get in Sydney (in fact, there is only one, as the other two freebies are glossy magazines with trashy articles and job vacancies) when I came upon an interesting article. The article that caught my attention related to a soccer club that the newspaper had become a part owner of. The club in question was called Ebbsfleet United. When I read this my eyes nearly popped out of my head! Luckily they didn't otherwise I'd have lots of trouble writing this blog. Ebbsfleet United (or Gravesend & Northfleet as they used to be known to us locals) are one of the teams that I have supported since being a youngster. In fact, I was there in October to see the 'Fleet' beat Torquay United 2-1! The other thing that puzzled me was the fact that the n...