Bluebell Banter

The relegation places at the moment are filled by ourselves, Banbury, Mangotsfield and Clevedon.
I know cash is tight at Lodge Rd, even more so at Mangotsfield and I presume the same story over at Clevedon but it is a poor reflection on non league football in the Bristol area.
Are there no decent players in the area or do they just not want the travelling involved with the Southern Premier? What happens to the players released by City and Rovers?
Why are the teams struggling financially, surely a city the size of Bristol can support a number of decent non league sides?
Basically what's gone wrong and what can be done about it?

It's not looking good is it?

Part of the problem is the low rewards for playing at our level. It's a lot of committment, especially if you have a family as many players/managers do.
Generating money is the big problem for every club.

The mass media and the FA largely ignores the game at grass roots and, like sheep, most people follow the trends set by the media.
The trouble is if the game isn't getting the coverage from the media ( and hats off to The Gazette locally who have been doing some great match reports this season), it isn't getting the investment from the F A and is therefore not seen by any but the most altruistic of local/national businesses as worthy of sponsoring.
The same can be said of the public. Most people would jump aboard if there was some glory hunting to be had, but try getting them to turn up in any numbers week-in and week-out !
I've no doubt there is room for at least a couple of non-league clubs in this area to thrive.

I think there needs to be a campaign to get local non-league football better understood. The TV companies and newspapers, who will spend hours talking about Beckham's little toe or Ashley Cole's love life or Gerards boxing prowess, could dedicate airtime and column inches to serious coverage of the game from Step 3 and above.
Even the E.Post often pays lip service to the game at this level. I think I've read the same thoughts expressed a thousand times over by a dozen different sports writers as to why Rovers and City are struggling this season, but not one serious, in-depth piece of informative, investigative journalism about the parlous state of local non-league football.

Until the perception of our game changes within the media and at the FA nothing will change, unless we mount a serious promotion challenge or get that elusive F A Cup run under our belts.

Until then all we have to do is get another 33 points and we'll be alright.

A few rambling thoughts to add, I don’t have any answers. But if everyone could check their family tree for very rich Americans or Arab princes, we may be ok.

This is my first season following Yate despite living in the area since 1979. I saw one of the little yellow fixture lists in a takeaway before the season started and thought why not have a look. I wouldn’t be surprised if a large proportion of the population of Yate is unaware that there is a team playing at BGB level in Yate. For a town the size of Yate to attract only 200 people on an average Saturday is a bit poor, they can’t all be at Old Trafford or the Emirates can they?

But I also think sport in the Bristol area appears to struggle. Neither Rovers, City, the Rugby or Cricket seem to be able to attract investment or success over a sustained period.

I have been pleasantly surprised by the entertainment on offer. (The Chippenham and Rugby games aside) But even then, who has not seen a dull premiership 0-0 or a hammering dished out at the top level.

I’m now hooked, and try to encourage others, but is it just about attendance numbers or are the successful clubs at this level surviving on benefactors cash or mortgages?

Well it's good to know the fixture lists we printed didn't go to waste.

I'm convinced there are many dozens more people in the area who , like us, would enjoy the set up , the experience and the quality of football on offer at Lodge Rd ( and not always from the Bluebells !) but it's reaching them that's so difficult.

Last Saturday a large group of us ( 16 ) were matchday sponsors. We had a fantastic afternoon and at least 5 of our group had never been to Lodge Rd previously, including a couple of ardent Gasheads and were impressed with the whole set up and all will be back again.

I often find that once people get into the habit it's one they enjoy.

Btw You're right about boring Premiership matches. A load of us went up to watch Villa v Pompey earlier this season . It was Redknapps last game in charge. The score was 0-0 and it was the most tedious, boring, non-event ever to masquerade as a football match.
I wished I'd stayed here and gone the Yate v Stourport match.