This season saw the club finish in very much the same position as 2024/25, a couple of places out of the relegation zone on 53 points and 18th place (2024/25: 51 points 18th place). Both seasons saw early good results followed by a prolonged series of defeats which threatened the loss of NLS status. Each time safety was achieved with a couple of games remaining. Our home form was 19th best in the league (24/25: 18th) whilst we did a little better away at 16th (15th). We were 18th on goals scored ( 14th) and 16th on goals conceded (18th). Our Goal Difference was -16 versus -14 the previous season.
Of the 18 games where we scored first, we went on to win 13 (72.2%), draw 2 and lose 3. Of the 24 games where we conceded first we won 1 (4.2%), lost 19 and drew 4. This clearly demonstrates the first goal was crucial in the outcome of games. Scoring first appears to have given us the confidence to go on and win. Conceding first seems to have had the opposite effect and perhaps says something about the experience and mentality of the team. This has been a consistent theme despite the change in managers.
Our average league attendance picked up from 738 in 24/25 to 807 in 25/26 (+9.3%), leaving us as 21st best supported team (20th). And here is the challenge for the club. The NLS has moved on significantly since Dowse was last manager. In 2017/18 when we finished 4th, our average home gate was 590, 9th best with a league average of 551. Only one team averaged more than 1,000. Now 15 sides average more than 1,000 with a league average of 1,306. 22 clubs at Step 3 have better average attendances than us this season. This shows the health of the non-league game but we don’t appear to be keeping pace. Some of this is a reflection on two difficult seasons on and off the pitch. In 2022/23, when we finished 9th we were the 13th best supported side (973), although 973 would only have given us 17th place this season. Tuesday home fixtures were a drag on average attendances with an average of 569 propped up by the visit of Torquay Utd (1,014). Our last six home games have averaged 1,027 which is an encouraging trend and hopefully can be carried through into next season. Our highest attendance was 1,354 versus Eastleigh in the FA Cup and 1,230 versus Farnborough in the league. Lowest was 329 versus AFC Totton. Every additional 100 put on the average gate should generate around £20,000 in revenue so getting to the league average could be worth close to £100K before ancillary spend.
Clubs at our level do not produce detailed accounts so it is hard to see how comparative clubs’ revenues are split between gate, sponsorships, ancillary spend and advertising, etc. What we do know is that virtually every club is running at a loss and reliant on loans and shareholder funding. Of the 24 teams in the NLS for the 2024/25 season ( latest available reporting), I have found accounts for 20 which cover that same period. The largest losses in order where: Eastbourne Borough ( £897K)Torquay (764K), HRBFC (£574K), Welling Utd (£403K), Maidstone (£383K) and Worthing (£362K). I am pretty sure when Ebbsfleet publish their accounts they will have the largest loss having lost £2.8M the previous year. Only four clubs, Bath, Chippenham, Chelmsford and Aveley made a profit. It is ironic that the National League was one of the first leagues to introduce rules to improve financial sustainability, yet hardly any of their members can achieve a profit.
Review of the season- some stats
Of course last season (24/25) we were suffering from the Charlatans and this season we were suffering the effects of their departure and the late change of ownership which must have had an effect on recruitment.
Next season will be a better test although I suspect it will still be quite a struggle.
Next season will be a better test although I suspect it will still be quite a struggle.
-
Lord Elpus
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm
I can accept another season of struggle, we really are a little club in a league of big clubs, and newer fans need to quickly accept that. However, I'd always rather we spend within our means so that we still have a club in twenty years time. This means we need a board who accepts that. Hopefully the club have learned a lot from the absolute debacle of the brothers' involvement...it does feel a lot more like we've got "our" club back now.JimS wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 11:21 am Of course last season (24/25) we were suffering from the Charlatans and this season we were suffering the effects of their departure and the late change of ownership which must have had an effect on recruitment.
Next season will be a better test although I suspect it will still be quite a struggle.
Looking back at the last couple of seasons on the pitch though, what is an issue is turnover of players. Yes, I know players like Frimpong etc helped keep us up this time, but the loan system in general doesn't help with stability, and does nothing for longer term squad development. I'd like to see us only get Goalkeepers in on loan in the future. Dowse said something along the lines of having to over rely on loans recently in one of his interviews, so he doesn't sound that keen either, which is good to hear.
I don't think Dowse would have taken on the job without some assurances about budget for next season providing he could keep us up. The over-reliance on the loan market was really a product of coming in half way through the season when target players would have been on contracts. I think we can all accept that it was a practical solution to the problem.The next squad will be Dowse's and we'll get a better idea of the budget once we start seeing some names signed up. I am sure there are lots of discussions going on already. Lots of players coming out of contract, many perhaps unsettled by changes of manager at their current clubs, many looking for a better deal and testing the market. Retained lists will start to be released fairly shortly.