When will the new ground be ready?

[prestonian]

After moving to your new stadium ; whenever that is; how about The Mighty Bay as your first opponents? Such matches are made in heaven!? ; After defeating Glossop on our first visit to Wembley they came to Hillheads one year later to play in a special fundraising match for the Mark Taylor motor-neurone campaign. Such is the camaraderie of The Non - League brethren.
Over the last 2 seasons I feel our 2 clubs have built up quite a close bond and such a game would only cement relations between us OOP North and yous DOON Sooth. (John A will translate for anybone who does not speeky la lingo)

OLE LA BAHIA

[John Anderson]

I agree about the camaraderie in non-league although some of the clubs in the Wessex don't like us. They think we are a money bags club but we don't have a suger daddy. Just the gate receipts and golden goal money (oh and £1 2s 6d from the sale of Charlie Austin).

It would be great to play you again and now it looks like we are in different cup competitions, a friendly may be the only way.

The new ground is planned to be ready for sometime in the 2012/2013 season but although planning permission has been given there are a few details still to be ironed out. Add to that the small matter of £2-2.5 Million to raise.

I suspect it may be some time before we hear any further news so keep popping back for a chat and you'll know as soon as we do.

[prestonian]

Thanks for your reply JohnA , yes I agree with you that a friendly match would be the obvious way and I feel that this would have to be pre-season so that those of us oop north can make the journey doon sooth over a weekend. I am sure that there are plenty of places that us sexagenarians can stay in the Poole area ; I am not for one minute suggesting that all Bay fans are 'old gits' but as I am sure Brian(the Morecambe Dolphin) would agree ; it is a long journey for a one day turn around. In my thread ' fell at the last hurdle' mikethe bike suggested that The Bay were not fully committed to promotion from The Northern League due to our continued success in The Vase ; let me correct this by saying that the Club and the Fans want to move up the ladder like yourselves. As Yazz would say 'The only way is up'

OLE LA BAHIA(nuestro objetivo es la promocion)

[mikethebike]

Hi Prestonian,
Please do not take my comment regarding The Bay's promotion ambitions as an insult - it was not meant that way. It was fairly obvious from our encounters with the NPL that we would probably be a mid to top half of the table team. You have a competative financial environment with many 'top flight' clubs within walking distance - according to the Jarrow Marchers. I would not blame The Bay for wanting to be that big fish in the smaller pond than be an average team at Step 4. Of course the die-hard supporter will always say that the Football League is 'our' ambition. So it may be but history shows that a successful team will draw bigger crowds than a midtable outfit. Aldershot are a good example. They enjoyed better support as they gradually fought their way back into the league through the pyramid system than they did this season as a midtable team.
Finally, how many Step 5 players will get the opportunity to play at Wembley? It must be every semi-pros dream. I'll bet your record is used as a bargaining tool to retain and attract good players....and why not?
Long may your success continue and hopefully we'll meet again in The Trophy

[prestonian]

Thanks for your clarification Mike the bike ; no offence was taken as none was intended. Yes we have some Big Boys on our doorstep including 2 Premiership clubs , one 10 miles away and t'other 15 miles ower the watter but with the current economic situation some fans have returned to local level and have realised the standard is pretty damn good and the cost is a lot less. By the way we have been up to level 4 previously during which time we played AND beat Preston North End in the FA Cup (1989) as featured on MOTD. Finally thanks for your good wishes and yes I hope our clubs meet again.

OLE LA BAHIA