Ambitions for EUFC

MyFootballClub has been the majority shareholder in Ebbsfleet Untied FC for four years now. In that time we have had the high’s of an FA Trophy win and the low’s of relegation. Now back in the Blue Square Premier we have seen a respectable mid-table return season at the highest level of the English non-league system.

So going forward, what are our ambitions?

Now that the season is almost over, I feel we need to all seriously think about what our ambitions are for our team in the future? This season has been a slog off the field for all, as money has been tight to say the least. This has taken a lot of the enjoyment away as we try to get through rather than move forward. I think that we all agree on one thing, and that is that Team Manager Liam Daish has got every penny of value out of his playing budget. Are we happy to struggle again next season or are we all willing to try and take a better route?

Being part time and on a small budget, we have finished in a very respectable mid table, you could say comfortably in the end. With the same level of resources, would we be pushing it to expect to stay in the league again next year? Its is worth noting that in the last few games of the season we have only had 4 players on the substitutes bench due to financial restraints. No doubt existing Blue Square Premiership teams will attempt to strengthen, whilst we will have another 2 teams drop down into the BSP from the Football League with their large financial parachute payments, which of course we don’t have. No doubt the 4 promoted teams into our league will all be on a high as we were last season and will go that extra mile to hold onto what they have achieved. So every season, a quarter of our league is new teams and that brings new challenges for us. Before the season, we held a poll on the site to try and predict where we would finish in the league table. We were pretty accurate for once! as we will end the season just below the half way point in the table.

But what for the new 2012/13 season? Do we have a relegation struggle? Or do we try and push on to improve ourselves and our club? To finish in the top half of the season, even if it was just 12th, would be a marvellous achievement.

So 12th or 21st , what is it to be? Its your choice as fans and owners. There are no guarantees that money brings success, but the lack of money will certainly bring struggle and potentially failure.

The fortunes of Ebbsfleet United next season for the most part rest with the 1300 current MyFC members and the approximate 1000 fans who attend matches. Together every penny we spend at the club and donation we make to funds such as Sponsor Our Squad goes towards achieving the ambitions listed here.

Continuing from the 2011/12 Season we have a number of people who already subscribe to Sponsoring a Player for £5, £10 or £20 or more a month. I appreciate that not everyone can afford to do this, but if you can, and you share the ambitions of Ebbsfleet Utd and MyFootballClub, Please sign up HERE. If you can’t afford a monthly sponsorship then alternatively you could make one of more single payments at any point in the season and still help hit our Target.

Liam Daish is an ambitious man, who sets high standards, who I am sure one day wants to be a Football League manager. He has proved time and time again that he can find talented players and get the most out of them. As owners, it is our duty (if we share his ambition) to provide the funding to give him the tools to achieve his ambition, and ours. I am not suggesting we provide funds to do a “Fleetwood”, I am saying provide a playing budget to progress the club and hopefully move up the league. Remember that Southport finished in the bottom 4 last year and were due to be relegated. They were saved due to the sad demise of Rushden and Diamonds. What have they done this season? Just missed out of the Play Off positions for a place in the football league. I believe our long term ambition should be to push for the Football League. I know that can’t be done straight away, but we have to try and take the first small step in my opinion.

It can be done if we want it enough. That is the bit I am doubtful about. I know some do, but do enough of us want it bad enough ? To one day get Ebbsfleet United and Liam Daish into the Football League would be the ultimate success story for MyFC. It seems a very distant dream at present, but aren’t dreams an important part of football ? Please do what you can to bring our collective dream a step closer to reality.

Keith Handley.

MyFC Society Board Chairman.