Tomorrow night, we welcome West Ham United to the Mangata Developments Stadium. May I wish their Directors, Manager, players and supporters an enjoyable stay with us and a safe journey back to East London.
In truth, it’s an absolute pleasure to be competing in the National League Cup Final this evening against a young and very talented West Ham United group. We are genuinely excited and of course hope to be the first National League Club to lift the trophy. We have like West Ham come through four tough group games, a quarter-final and semi-final and both teams deserve the chance to grab a bit of silverware tomorrow night.
As a club we’ve tried to be very fair with both sets of supporters in regards to giving free admission to all season ticket holders for home and away fans. In real terms that means, as the hosting club, we will lose money in terms of us staging the game this evening.
Having said that I’m happy with my decision as I simply felt in this mad commercial world, where the fans are sometimes put second, that we could perhaps do the right thing on this occasion. By giving season ticket holders free entry, the ground will be full and both teams and clubs will I feel hopefully enjoy a full house and a Cup Final type atmosphere and occasion.
For ourselves within the National League set up, we are enjoying a very successful season, and the next seven weeks will perhaps shape our club’s future especially in the short term. In the mid to long-term our future is almost mapped out off the pitch, and this week our long-awaited South end planning application will finally be heard and will hopefully be successful.
Tomorrow night though is not about our short-, mid- or long-term future, it is just about now and possibly lifting a bit of silverware and enjoying the moment.
Lastly whoever you support let’s hope for an open attacking game and may the best team win.
Take care,
Danny.
