Start of with a little bit about me....I’ve been coming to games since moving into the area around 18 years ago. I was well aware of the club and its long history, and this was one of the reasons I started coming to games. I’ve be a regular both home and away with my son since around 2011. Not as long as the vast majority on here but long enough to form my own opinions about things.  I know most of you on here and have enjoyed your company at games.  I was a director of the Members Club for a very short period of time but left after becoming very unhappy with their direction and comments made at meetings. I’m now the secretary of the Supporters Club, working alongside Dave Irons, Charlie Till, Peter Woodhouse and Anthony Harrold (My Son). I helped run the club shop and have helped with and organised several charity events. I do the now occasional blog where I mentioned the Tin Foil Hat wearing people who post on here. Now I’ll tell you why.
 
This forum should be a place to let off steam, a chance for supporters to vent their anger, displeasure or on very rare occasions, happiness…
 
Some of the posts that go up on here are awful. Name calling, name changing and a few which could even be classed as libellous or a deformation of character in legal terms.
Good subjects and important issues get lost as people launch attacks on each other and others at the club. This is why after seeing personal attacks on friends of mine I stopped posting on here. I think this forum has lost its way and personally speaking has done more damage amongst our own supporters than the owner, members club or fans of Sutton or Dulwich combined could ever do.
A few years ago, at a friend’s BBQ a player from Redhill (possibly South Park) was introduced to me, he was asking what was happening at the club and how and why so many fans were at each other’s throats. It was hard to say anything as in truth it was correct if you go by the various forums or online platforms connected with our fan base. Going back through the club’s online history a number of forums have come and gone. Many self-destructing as people turned on each other. This forum, although set up with the best of intentions has gone the same way.
 
Please just think about things before putting stuff up. The supporters need a voice, and they need this forum, what they don’t need is personal abuse. It helps no one and if anything, thing stops sensible debate. I’ve been guilty of this in the past, I’ll admit that, but I also know that in the long run it does not help anyone or anything.
 
Please don’t think the various WhatsApp groups that have sprung up are full of happiness and joy at the situation we now find ourselves in. It’s just on there it is between us and not for everyone on the internet to see. Supporters on Twitter are also disillusioned with events on and off the pitch. I used to get trolled on Twitter by fans from other local rivals, now very rarely. We have slipped so far away from the likes of Dulwich and Sutton that many of the fans who now go and watch them will know little of the history and rivalry between clubs.
 
I care about this club, and it really upsets me the way the club has imploded so badly since the London Senior Cup victory and the failed to build on the crowds and new supporters we were getting that short time ago. The club missed a massive chance to build on the interest shown by newcomers. Covid hit the club badly, to lose two seasons including the income from the other interests at the ground would have had a huge effect on things. In many respects the ground is far too big for us. The facilities, rates, insurance, and maintenance must be a huge drain on finances. I don’t believe the club was set up to fail but I do think that at this moment of the club’s history it is failing dramatically. Caroline McRoyal leaving also had a big effect. She has not been replaced and we miss her influence at the club.
 
I’ve spoken to Steve Adkins on a number of occasions about the club and his hopes for it. I don’t believe for one minute he is happy with the way things are going. Why would anyone want a business to go so badly wrong? Maybe it’s time for a fresh pairs of eyes and a knowledge of running sports events etc to take a look at the current business plan and advise on moving forward. I wonder if the links with the Members Club and running of the club as it stands holds things back. A bit of honesty wouldn’t go a miss…. The Members club although providing match day volunteers, helping raise funds though events and sponsorship needs a major overhall. The mantra seems to be “We’ll get a volunteer to do it” or “We’ll get supporters to pay for it” forgetting that a large part of our fan base will have very little time or disposable income to help out with. I left as a Director under a bit of a cloud to say the least. Ideas brought up, plans thought out, all ignored.  As I said earlier, I was unhappy about comments made about our supporters during meetings and left.
 
Their reply to the open letter written on behalf of the supporter’s clubs raising concerns about supporter morale seemed to be ignored and not taken seriously. Even though I have history with a couple of them there, I can’t see the point in being childish on here. I’ll save my childish comments for Twitter and the Blogs….
 
On the pitch. I like Ashley, I’ve always got on well with him and personally I think he is a great bloke. Do I think he should still be the manager; well results are hard to argue with and at most other clubs he would have been replaced. Is he good for the academy, absolutely 100% .  But this is one of the major issues at TMUFC. Are we a football team with an academy or are we an academy with a football team? What is the long-term plan? Is there a long-term plan? Will we the supporters ever get any form of answer.
One thing I do know is that some of the stuff that gets posted on here doesn’t help at all and there is no need for some of the posts put up about him. Away from the football, on a human level he deserves better than that.
 
Thanks for your time….
 
(and if you do bother to reply…. Try and be nice)
 
Steve Harrold