According to the Daily Mail’s chief football writer, National League Eastleigh will face an investigation after apparently, at the request of Southampton, handing over footage of Ipswich training at their ground in April! 

I did think they might get dragged into this.. 

@mattywanderer Reckon they are one of the favs to go down anyway tbh

The key dates for supporter's diaries were confirmed - a few days earlier, the FA also confirmed round dates for FA Trophy and FA Cup competitions for next season.

Here are the confirmed key dates...

Fixture release day Friday 10 July 2026

Opening day Saturday 8 August 2026

Final day Saturday 24 April 2027

Promotion Finals weekend Saturday 8 May/Sunday 9 May 2027

Christmas fixtures Saturday 26 December/Monday 28 December 2026*

New Year's fixture Saturday 2 January 2027*

*Clubs may request to move their Bank Holiday Monday (28 December) fixture to Tuesday 29 December (7.45pm) or their Saturday 2 January fixture to New Year's Day (1 January) subject to mutual agreement between both clubs within seven days of fixture release.

Farnham Town have plonked in two new '8 step' metal terraces at their Memorial Ground home. They are situated on their Main Stand side of the pitch towards the 'clock end' 

It would appear they are going down the route of obtaining retrospective planning consent (as they don't have any!)

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We've needed something like those on the north side of Meadowbank for years

Whilst the north side of the ground does have a medium pressure gas pipeline running underneath it, small units of temporary metal tiered standing (easily removed) would be more than suitable there. The 5 metre high acoustic barrier behind provides 100% screening of any raised spectator viewing. 

The emails sent by the club in May suggest this could be a possibility, as they are hoping for "Ground improvements to support match day media coverage, spectator viewing and more" (sounds like a tv gantry and some sort of tiered standing is on the wish list)

I would hope that if anything like that is procured for DWFC, then it is placed adjacent to the perimeter railing, so that people walking past walk behind it rather than in front of those watching the game (the same should apply to the Lampard Stand IMO). No 'yellow hatchings' would then be necessary in front of such areas!

I’ve seen Horsham are replacing their pitch with a “revolutionary “ new surface. 

Horsham's pitch was better than ours is and is already getting replaced! 

Walton and Hersham are also getting a new pitch (hence all their pre-season friendlies are away from home), but it is not clear if any other ground improvements are planned - the ground is very basic with a seated stand and then just uncovered flat standing around the other 3 sides of the pitch. The clubs only matchday revenue is gate money, food van and merch, the Council's facility management company (Places Leisure) gets all the bar takings, which is huge (the club still has to pay for security themselves). Their fans say drink in The Weir Hotel instead.

W&H fans also say their floodlights were the worst in the league (step 3) last season and that they are rapidly outgrowing their home and need creative ways to make up the shortfall from alcohol income in order to compete at this level. There is also no kitchen facilities (hence the food van). Places Leisure are quite happy to run the ground as a sports hub with no investment into the ground, and see the higher standing of the club as a hassle (they just want to run it as a community leisure facility). The club has grown massively and has a real family atmosphere with no trouble. The club will surely have to access some grant funding and get some metal covered terracing unit(s) asap (before end of March) plus extra turnstiles just to meet the grading for step 2.

Meanwhile at Farnham, the owner is showing off all the ground improvements and works that are happening at an astonishing pace, however those that require planning permissions don't appear to have them in place yet lol.

And Slough. Slough are currently having a brand new artificial pitch installed.

I fear we're being left behind a little bit...

Football clubs shouldn't stand still or else they get left behind.

Farnham Town have also arranged an agreement with Waverley Borough Council "to take over some of the parking spaces near the Memorial Hall entrance to the ground, which will give the club the space to increase capacity to meet FA requirements"

As for Meadowbank, it remains to be seen what the effect will be of James Sixsmith's investment into the club. The tv gantry and roof over the away end do already have planning permission in place so that would be as good a place as anywhere to start perhaps?

@dorking-eagle 

I think we also had to get retrospective planning permission for the new small area of seating by the Bank earlier this year so it happens!!

What is the latest update on the ground purchase? I guess any major improvement work might be contigent on this? 

Looking forward to visiting those grounds including Farnham, W&H Horsham (not so much for our customary defeat). Great there is money flowing into the league. 

I personally would love to see some stepped-terracing like they have at Totton on some of the sides. Other than that a dedicated merch shop would be welcome as previously discussed the current arrangement is awkward and rushed. 

Hopefully we get some updates in due course on what is planned and when. 

@calvertskans These things are usually much more gradual (for obvious and complex reasons) - and Farnham is certainly an anomoly. Who knows where that will end tbh.

I like that we have built our fanbase and made good, sensible ground improvements, taking into account restrictions and that we don't (yet) own the ground or lease. Until that happens we are massively restricted - and that includes the pitch.

This will of course all change in time and with the backing we have, and, unlike Farnham who are likely stuck with a 3 sided ground, we will have massive potential to improve and enlarge on what will be a very big footprint. 

And of course there's much more to success than amazing facilities and food outlets...that said, the sooner we can sort that pitch, the better - but everyone at the club is acutely aware of this.

Posted by: @dorking-eagle

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roof over the away end

Not a priority for me. Amplifying away fans noise would not help us. And given the actual days when it really pour during a game (I'm sure Tom has some stats 😉), is it really worth it?

Posted by: @mattywanderer

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W&H

This one will not be great, I think, given the flat standing so almost impossible to create any atmosphere. If they segragate for us it really will be pretty crap. Hopefully we play them late in the season when maybe some kind of terracing is in place...