Then:
It seems a long, long time since the 3 Act dramas of Havant, Dartford and Ebbsfleet.. a heady, slightly tipsy end to a sobering season of Cup disappointment  and the extended early struggles of a team trying to find its identity and rhythm. The negatives were painfully obvious in both the Cup exits and the wretched Home form of 2012 and early 2022. The positives that carry through to the coming season were: the excellent achievemnts of the U23s, and their increasing impact on the Senior Team; a settled style and set-up that suits our budget and personnel; and a new Manager  with, apparently,  blue corpuscles in his veins.
Now:
Writing this within 2 days of the England Women's triumph in the Euros and the euphoria that has surrounded it
there are a couple of things to take away from that event that might have some relevance to us.  While expecting a surge in school-age participation in girls' football which would be fanatstic, will there, however be an attendant sustained rise in gates at WSL fixtures ( and below) in the women's game? The acid test for gate improvement will not come on a balmy September Saturday afternoon but in cold, windswept nights and afternoons in January. Will the numbers not only increase... but stay increased? The jury's out.
The same can be said for our club.  Will the minor surge in support/interest at the play-off fixtures possibly be maintained during the darker months? Unsurprisingly, but still rather depressingly, it is unlikely... if history is anything to go by.  There is probably no point, either, in expending too much energy in trying to tie in the semi-detached followers of the club; they will probably always be thus.  As the very informative and helpful Commercial Open Forum revealed, the Club seems to be focusing its spectator recruitment fire  on targetting a new fanbase and one that is predominantly young. Hence Simon's emphasis on Social Media almost exclusively as the means of reaching young people and their families, rather than the more analogue methods of old that ancient codgers like myself would be familiar with. The move, in due course, to an artificial surface and its substantial attendant increase in footfall at the ground AND in the Bar, should also help in physically bringing  young boys/girls/men women ( and their parents) into direct physical contact   with the ground which can only feed into improved gates... we hope!!
The other takeaway from the Women's Euros was the good humour and friendliness apparent at all the games. This is something that, in the main, marks out Non League football from its richer, more aggressive cousins in the EFL and beyond.  It's an ethos that can't necessarily be taken for granted, and needs jealous protection at Chippenham.  No police (although there were at Havant and probably - although I didn't see any - at Ebbsfleet); no violence; no gratuitous obscenities and unaccepatble chanting, make parents comfortable bringing their family members of all ages to the ground.  We have a USP and it isn't trying to ape the behaviour of larger, more anonymous human masses. This may seem to be a given at the TSS, but there is a really worrying increase in disorder of every sort at sporting events. It is principally fuelled by alcohol.. but also a particularly nasty  uber right-wing agenda, and it is no longer confined to class or background.  It's crossed into sports like T20 cricket, Horse Racing (For God's Sake!!) and even Rugby Union.  The Women's Euros proved there is another way and that disorder is not the inevitable corollary of elite/semi-elite Sport. There's plenty to want to preserve at the TSS.
The Future:
Predictions ? Impossible.  Indicators only. Pre-season tells us little. What we do know for certain is that there will be times this season when Gary and the team will face poor results and loss of form. It will be how they react to that collectively  that will tell us all about the character and spirit of the current side. The loss of Parselle (pretty grievous) and Greenslade ( a lot less so) to Bath City is a blow, but the retention of Russe, alongside Richards, Young, Hamilton, Hanks et al. make me confident that there is a healthy amount  of residual grit, experience and good example in the side which will be needed when there are bumpy patches. Recruitment looks to be modest and solid. The U23s continue to knock at the First Team door.
A propos nothing very much:  great to see Scott Twine now playing under Vincent Kompany.  Odds must be shortening on him becoming a Premiership player .. even as early as 23/24.  Good to see him at our last Home game ( Hungerford) in May. Obviously maintains affection for the Club. Coming down from Burnley might be a stretch though.