*IS*Alistair Bayliss’ programme notes for tomorrows game against Hampton & Richmond.*IF*

Good evening everyone, and thank you for attending such a crucial game for us.

This is my first opportunity to post my thoughts since joining the Board in February, and I’d like to thank the many people who sent myself, and the other new directors, Neil and Steve, messages of support and good wishes. I can assure you that we will all be doing our utmost to help the club grow and flourish!

Saturday was a big disappointment for everyone involved here, but I hope we all recognise the efforts the players have put in over the past few weeks. Four away games in 15 days, and clocking up over 1100 miles travelling before even kicking a ball, is bound to have an effect at some point. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not using that as an excuse, it’s merely a fact that the last few weeks were bound to take their toll, and on Saturday, we came up against a Staines side who arrived at Crabble comparatively refreshed, and fighting for their lives and we just simply couldn’t keep up the tempo of the past couple of weeks.

To say that I and my fellow directors are disappointed in the reaction of some fans on Saturday would be putting it mildly. We all need to stick together as a unit, Board, Management, Players, Fans…everyone! Sarcastically applauding a substitution and mouthing off at our Manager is not the way ahead in our opinion ! Yes, we all have our views on football, but there are better ways to express them than that.

Players feel the negativity coming from the stands and this sort of behaviour does nothing but increase the pressure which already exists at this crucial time of the season. I believe, after their efforts of the past couple of weeks, our boys deserve better !

This evening, we face a Hampton & Richmond side that, like Staines, are fighting to stay in the division. We’d like to extend the same warm welcome that greeted us a fortnight ago and wish them well in their fight to survive in the division…..but only from Saturday onwards !

We still have an excellent chance of a play off place, so tonight, please, do your utmost to get behind the team, and give us the twelfth man which might just make all the difference to our Boys.

Alistair Bayliss
Director