4.10.16 - Chester-le-Street (h)

What is going on?

Spot the Whitley Bay players?

The fans who were at Hillheads on Tuesday were treated to another forgettable night. The match itself was one of endeavour and occasional moments of skill but the Whitley team lacked the direction of a leader on the pitch and on the bench. Passes failed to get to Bay players, the teamwork from the start of the year season was missing: the team that had performed so well at the start of the season and given us so much hope was absent. The management very rarely left the dugout, except to announce substitutions (and even then I'm not sure if they stayed on the bench and turned on their disco light board from there).
SOMETHING AT OUR CLUB IS NOT RIGHT!
The match itself featured an unfortunate own goal to give Chester the lead on 22 minutes. This was soon followed by a Robo glanced effort that rolled in slow motion past their admiring keeper. However, ten minutes before half time a super curling effort, to Tom Flynn's top right post, from Chester's Callum Johnston returned the lead to the visitors. That was how it stayed. Despite the endeavour, there was no addition to the score. The '214' fans there deserved better, but what is happening?

The match passed me and the crowd in a blur!

How is that a club that boasts one of the best attendances in the league can exist with only three forwards? The voluntary effort that goes into the club each club is immense from the likes of Tommy and his tea Emporium, Adam, running the social media (he never stops updating the match stats throughout the game), the lovely programme team, Doug in the shop, Peter and David on the programme, Julian with his constant camera wanderings...the list goes on and apologies to those missed off. There are good people running this club: directors willing to put their face on the line for the club (sorry Ann) so why is it we keep hearing rumours of the club's massive debts and struggling to survive? Are we not the most successful club in FA Vase history?
Sadly those days are long gone so why are we not building for a brighter future? We had an extremely successful U19 team so they should be coming through, filling the gaps in the first team bench. Why do we get players named on the bench when they are injured and having no chance of playing? Robbo, Kielty, Harry Potter have all looked solid players and fitted in well so where are the rest?

Where's your fans?

Chan is still The Man! He has raised us up from the dark Paddy days and promised a minor miracle after some great results but injuries and suspensions have decimated an threadbare squad. Players have gone and not been replaced. Nineteen players on a Northern League squad isn't enough: (1 goalkeeper, 6 defenders, 7 midfielders and 3 forwards). Bottom club Chester-le-Street and Seaham have 24! The players look tired and so does the manager after being asked to work miracles time and again over the last few years.
The lack of new sponsorship around the ground needs looking at. It is good business sense to have as much advertising as possible yet the ads we have look tired and probably out of date. More adverts at a lower cost is surely better than a few. It is simle supply and demand (I learned that during A level economics lessons). Is there enough money to pay for the floodlight repairs needed or do we all need to bring torches to future night time matches?
As I have said there are so many good people, on the board and amongst the supporters who are working hard to move the club forward but it needs an honest approach with everyone together from the top to the bottom. We need more advertising, players and teamwork. Let the people who care about the club do their stuff.
Tuesday night was the first time I came away from Hillheads feeling so miserable and disillusioned. We now look up at North Shields, who have risen from non-existence and well done to them. Please don't let Whitley Bay go the same way!
Let's give Chan, the Prof, the Shankster, Kempstervator, Harry the Wizard Potter, Elfie (when he's back, Supermac, Flynny, General Patton et al the best support.
 Haway the Bay!
Proud to support the Bay!