Originally Posted by
Young_Nudger
I, like all the supporters back then could only witness what was happening on the field.
So no, I don’t know what was happening with the directors at the club in those days.
And clearly neither do you.
But then again I’m not the one saying it was all a garden of roses back then - because those that were watching matches against clubs like Newport County knew that the supporters and everyone surrounding the club were being duped.
I do know that money suddenly appeared out of thin air with the appointment of Clarke.
Which was evidence - if evidence was needed - that money was always there - it just wasn’t being spent on the club.
But opening the purse strings and the appointment of someone like Clarke was far too late - 15+ years of being no more than a pub team had already severely damaged the club.
Clarke appointed 1978.
Then came the miners strike 1984.
So the club had 6 relatively good years of building the fan base back up.
Then during and after the strike lost thousands of fans again as a result of the poor attitude of the club towards striking miners.
Maintaining high admittance fees when they knew many people in the town had no money.
Many miners refusing to support the club after the strike.
Then followed a very brief spell in the sun under the stewardship of John Dennis.
Leaving us much improved facilities.
Unfortunately at the end JD overreached putting the club into administration at the risk of folding.
Followed by the 15 doldrum years of the Patrick Cryne era when nothing was built on or off the field.
In saying that we will always be grateful to Patrick for saving the club and putting the ground into dual ownership.
So then - this present consortium.
They have a lot of hard work in front of them to build the fan base up to what I believe it can be.
But looking at the club’s history during my lifetime they haven’t got much to beat.
Hall Of Fame
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