[Devongone]

Still under construction ...........

A lot of work needs doing.

We needed a new website. The old one looked crap, was permanently out of date, led the user to look at something which sounded intriguing, only to find it was years out of date, so hooray for change, but to get it right is going to be a lot of work for one man, considering he is also updating exciting day-to-day changes like our recent bid for Messi.

Personally I think we need younger players.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Its getting the mix right that's important. Youth alone wont get us out of this league but I'm more than happy with the squad so far. The only thing I'm not happy with is that even on our new website John Pemberton is shown as Caretaker Manager. This needs sorting and fast.
The website is a work in progress, give it until the season starts and see how it has performed then.

[Devongone]

We do need to give it time, but you are absolutely right where information is being transferred over and has changed a bit ....... and is potentially embarrassing like calling Pembo' caretaker then that should be a priority.

We can't expect it to have everything we'd like immediately, but it is vital for it to be right. It is one of our public faces. As fans who know the right answer we might just laugh it off, but a visitor to the site is immediately going to be unimpressed and anyone using it for research purposes is going to classify it as an unreliable source.

Much smaller clubs have better sites completely controlled and updated by volunteers. Isn't voluntary help what Mr Johnson needs in what is quite a task and yet very important to the club?

[Dancingwilldoit]

At least JP is now our manager - its official.

[Devongone]

And John Dungworth is his assistant. I don't mind the fact he's old either. I think he'll be a good influence. He was a bloody awkward centre forward who knew how to make the most of what he'd got. We needed him around when we'd got Dizzy, German and Amantchi trying to make it. I still think Bob Newton behind the bar could have brought them on more than the coaching staff we had!

Whilst I think experience is a positive within any squad, age becomes a factor when you look at the team we might decide to field. A keeper, a defender, two midfielders and two forwards who are all looking at 30 from the wrong direction, including one who needs binoculars to bring it into focus. However, I am also very aware the club needs to stabilise. If Pembo can bring together a squad that keeps us out of the clutches of relegation and provides a sound foundation for a promotion push a year or perhaps two down the line, I'd call that a huge success.

[spireitematt]

New website seems alright. Still under construction though. Has a much better interface than the previous one and this one seems a lot more user friendly. Apparently there is going to be free live radio commentary on the website for this season.

[Devongone]

I agree Matt that they do at least seem to be taking the users into account. I notice Diego de Girolamo scored a free kick for Buxton yesterday against Leek. Has he got some of his game back, or is it that he has just found his new level with Buxton?

I hope at Chesterfield Pembo and Dungworth's former Academy link means they will take steps to remedy the problem we seem always to have of young players coming out of our Juniors having done very well and not being quite ready for a permanent first team place. It's such a waste of our investment in terms of money and time just to say okay it's sink or swim from now on.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Over the last few years its been down to the managers and coaching. Hopefully we will finally get it right but we dont have an academy anymore so I would imagine that we will see fewer coming through.

[Devongone]

If we have no development plans we really have no future. I've certainly got doubts as to whether copies of the academy model of top clubs is the way to go, but we need a method of recruiting younger players, developing them, getting them game time and bringing them through.

You might look at Yeovil as an example. When they reached the Championship they recognised how much it would stretch their limited resources. They scrapped academy, junior anything they could to afford a side capable of staying up. They made a reasonable fist of it, but still went down. Look where they ended up. Look where we got to with no reserve side and juniors who always turned into Matlock-level players. Torquay made it back to our level with nothing behind their first team, but they relied on Bristol City and their manager's son to perform that miracle. If you've no clear view of the future it's like not looking far enough ahead when you are driving - you keep hitting the kerb.

[spireitematt]

If we have no development plans we really have no future.  I've certainly got doubts as to whether copies of the academy model of top clubs is the way to go, but we need a method of recruiting younger players, developing them, getting them game time and bringing them through.

You might look at Yeovil as an example. When they reached the Championship they recognised how much it would stretch their limited resources. They scrapped academy, junior anything they could to afford a side capable of staying up. They made a reasonable fist of it, but still went down. Look where they ended up. Look where we got to with no reserve side and juniors who always turned into Matlock-level players. Torquay made it back to our level with nothing behind their first team, but they relied on Bristol City and their manager's son to perform that miracle. If you've no clear view of the future it's like not looking far enough ahead when you are driving - you keep hitting the kerb.

Why don't they create a development team and put it in the Hope Valley League. Would give the younger players experience at playing against other players who are older than then but also would help them with the physicality side of the game also.