Eastbourne awaits...

Now then, now then. I am of course looking forward to seeing old friends on Saturday, although I guess there may not be too many of you. Is there a rail strike? Has Comrade Powell found a bargain advance fare (with senior railcard) changing at Basingstoke, Littlehampton and Barnham? And which Bath City are we expecting? After WSM, will Jerry be bringing himself on to do a job in defensive midfield? I note that while the Mighty Borough have scored two goals all season, your lot have seen seventeen goals in three games.

Eastbourne have had a seismic summer as a club, but we're much the same people underneath. The new manager is a good man and he has a really interesting squad, mostly young, very eager and high octane. However, this division always tends to be won by a team of grizzled old pros. We will see.  

If some of you are coming down, do be aware that it's the Airbourne weekend, so your usual disreputable lodging houses will be booked out and (seriously) the traffic approaching the town will be awful. Much like a Bath Rugby day... Oh, and get your tickets online, it's a full £5 cheaper than at the gate.

Good wishes to all.

Hello Kevin - hope you have summered well! Yes, a few of us will be making the trip - this will be my first time doing it all in the day for some years - didn't make it last time due to rail strikes and we stayed for a long weekend the season before.
Cheapest available rail tickets bought and winter clothing sorted! - the only issue as always will be the Loop bus back to the station - I always see it roaring past as I come through your carpark. According to the timetable Hampden Park looks a better bet.  
Will be interesting to see which Bath City turn up and whether they'll be leaving on Friday as in the last few seasons.
See you on Saturday!

Someone said you never win anything with kids but they can take you a long way. Of course if you can keep them together it bodes well for the future.
It will be interesting to see which bunch of grizzled old Bath pros turn up.

Martin - the full Loop takes long enough to read War and Peace. But yes, from Hampden Park it's shorter - bus stop on the parade just opposite the station - it does divert round the back of a housing estate but it's still only about 25 mins I think. On the other hand - I live 100 yards from HP station so if anyone knows their train time, I'll give you a lift...

Fantastic Kevin. Have you got a minibus!! Seriously though, I know Comrade, me and Peter are on the 17.55 from Eastbourne or 17.59 from HP.

kermit wrote:Fantastic Kevin. Have you got a minibus!! Seriously though, I know Comrade, me and Peter are on the 17.55 from Eastbourne or 17.59 from HP.

Yep we can handle that - I do a final whistle piece on the radio, then I catch a two-minute interview with the manager, and I'm away from Priory Lane by 17.30 - so will get you to Hampden Park easily.

This is always on condition that a) you don't beat us with a fluky stoppage time goal as you generally do and b) that the referee doesn't apply the new instructions so rigorously that we're actually still playing at 17.55....

Please say you have a fiat 500. I would love to see Comrade trying to get into that.

To get back on topic, I can't find any preview by you of tomorrow's match, Kevin.

I've got a Citroen Picasso, which like its owner is built for comfort above speed, a bit battered, and rounded at all the edges.

Martin, I'm not quite as central to the club media stuff now - new regime and all that. I did do a little piece for this morning's local rag.
https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/sport/football/scraps-will-come-among-the-silk-for-new-look-eastbourne-borough-4259529

Thanks for the link, Kevin - a good read as always.
Sounds like both clubs were unfortunate to meet promoted clubs on the crest of a wave very early season. However that was balanced in our case by welcoming Maidstone before they’ve adjusted to the lower level. They were woeful.

An excellent response to Tuesday’s defeat yesterday. A well earned goal from Thomas seemed to remove any nerves amongst the team and travelling fans and a second before ht had us dreaming of a Westonesque second period. However the introduction of three subs seemed to lift Boro (although a later injury meant they finished with just ten men) and we began to sit back. As is so often the case, 2-0 can be a dangerous lead and the home goal changed the game’s complexion setting up a nervy finish. A striker was left completely unmarked and his poor header should have been the equaliser. Smith squandered a chance identical to Thomas’s goal and then the Boro keeper completely wrong footed everyone but the excellent Wright with a very late shot.

That’s four points from six on the road against teams who were amongst the strongest last season - the next trip is a shorter one and with a coach definitely running to St Albans on Bank Holiday Monday and the presence of more exiles there should be a much larger following.

Despite the very long journey along the south coast, Eastbourne is a friendly club to visit with decent facilities. And an excellent chauffeur service was provided back to the station - many thanks, Kevin!

Sorry not to have come back to you chaps, since our brave Borough lads re-created their annual heroic failure against some lucky team from far away down the M4. My silence wasn't sour grapes, I promise, just domestic chores getting in the way of the important stuff. Very well done to you - I thought you looked a confident side who were always a threat when you attacked - can't believe you'd been stuffed by a bunch of sandcastle-builders in midweek. Our boys should have got it back to 2-2 and it wouldn't have been undeserved, but we passed up a few good chances.  Hey ho. Lovely to have you at our little old ground, very best of luck , and look forward to seeing you when we head to Twerton in the depths of winter....

All good wishes
Kevin
and next season, get off at Hampden Park station and I'll run a shuttle service...  

And if we had beaten those sandcastle-builders we would be standing proudly at the top of the League right now!

I still cannot believe the score-line, even though I witnessed it. I know that managers have their reasons but why on earth was our best striker Cody not starting that night!! Perhaps even more importantly, why did we not start with Batten and Dyer, in central defence, instead of 'gambling' with a newcomer and a 'stand-in'. Surely we need to have established our first choice back-line by now - and to play them regularly (when available of course) to establish the solidarity that we cry out for year on year!