More fun and games re: next season. The Arthur Waite stand is reportedly due to be closed down because the roof needs doing, and if work isn’t started soon then it can’t be open for the new season. Now, CP can’t afford to pay it (not until their takeover is complete) and Uncle Ron doesn’t seem to want to pay it, so there is only one of two options : either we’ll have to pay it (and with our current drop in money coming in don’t bet on it) or we’ll start next season with only three sides of the ground.
Now, there is talk apparently of CP playing at the Crystal Palace Sports Centre (the athletics track) which is where we played CP reserves last season. Which admitedly could be fun, and throws up all major possibilities. Will we remain at SP? Will we follow to the athletics? Will we say “ah fuck it” and borrow Fulham’s ground?
I have to admit, I’m confused by all of this. I think we’re contracted to share at SP but not contracted to share with CP. Or something. Told you I was confused. Also, have you noticed how slow the season ticket application forms are this year, even though we know that prices have been frozen for next season? Either we’re busy renaming the CG membership theme to something less embarrasing, or the prices have been reduced, or because the club are fully aware of this slight problem. Meanwhile, if we DO uproot to the athletics, be sure to take your binoculars, it’s a l—–o—–n—–g way from the stand to the pitch.
One further thing to add about this – don’t get carried away with the idea of us buying SP or us merging with Palace. Think about it – if Uncle Ron wanted to sell SP, he would get much more money from selling it to Sainsbury than to us, plus he would get much more rent that way if he still remained landlord. And remember that Palace will always come in the pecking order above us when it comes to buying the SP freehold – it’s even one of the major conditions for us being allowed there in the first place.
As for us merging, the Football League are even less inclined to see this sort of stuff happen than the Premiership are, witness how they balked at Oldham, Bury and Rochdale saying they were planning on merging last season, and they’re not overly impressed by us sharing in the first place. Things will be different with the ground situation this time next year, mark my words.
Something I found out from It Must Be Dons last night, which may explain a lot : the players last day for training was today, and the manager will be anounced sometime early next week. So why isn’t it being announced sooner? There are two explanations : either TB has got the job and they’re sorting out contracts, or TB won’t be the manager after all.
Now I still wouldn’t rule out the latter, because as said yesterday, the two “outsiders” linked with the post are being very quiet and diplomatic. The thing about Sanch is, although he says he’s happy to stay at Wycombe he hasn’t really denied outright that he’s going to us (the fact that he clams up whenever asked says a lot), and Peter Taylor is reportedly “speaking with another club”, though it’s probably Sheff Weds…. that all said, I fully expect TB to be named tomorrow.
Actually, if Sanch does come to us, do you think it will be WFC’s way of telling Fash to go fuck himself? If anyone still has the Sanch vs Fash story from the News Of The World (you know, the one where Sanch told Fash what to do with his meeja committments and Fash replied with an articulate karate chop to Sanch’s leg), let me know (assuming I haven’t got it still – if I do, keep a watch out for Sights N Sounds).
Finally, a dull transfer story for you – Sully to either Arsenal or Spurz. I may as well tell you about the weather 🙂