Today marks one year since the MyFootballclub.co.uk takeover of Ebbsfleet United FC.

And overall, it's been a decent year in my eyes (though my own involvement has been pretty limited at times). A trip to Wembley, a WIN at Wembley, the 3700+ attendance for the free cup match recently, holding a spot somewhere around mid-table, wholesale creation of a new culture - part local and part global, part net-based and part community-based...all seem to be very bright spots.

It hasn't all been ideal, of course, but you had to be awfully optimistic (or delusional) to think that there wouldn't be any bumps in the road. We're still lingering too close to the drop, for one. "Pick The Team" is still a dream deferred, and while that's pissed off some (hard to ascertain just how major or minor the vocal contingent on that is) it hasn't really ruffled others - including me. PTT would be fun, interesting even, and maybe will come into play if Daish totally loses the plot on us, but that isn't the case right now. There's lots I'd like to see done yet on a number of fronts. Certainly this is a work in progress.

Most importantly, with renewals sure to come in well under the original 30k mark, there's gonna be a shakeout and everyone knows it. That's gonna pose a major financial challenge, especially in the thick of the global economic shitstorm. But if there's a silver lining to be seen, it's the sense that those who remain (those who weren't so naive as to think MYFC would be buying Leeds or something) stand to have a more cohesive vision of What It's All About as we go forward.

What is it all about, then? For me, the reason why I renewed (for 30 bucks less than it cost last year - thank YOU, strengthening dollar!) is that, despite whatever squabbling goes on, despite whatever ways EUFC-MYFC falls short of being the perfect open-source club, it's still the most interesting and engaging way to support local club football on a week to week basis that I know of. Because I for one am so damn sick of creepy gazilionnaire arms dealers, oligarchs and private equity cowboys profiteering off the game at its highest level, while MLMers and soda-pushing slimeballs contrive an ersatz "soccer experience" in my own country.

My mantra on this has become - Support local clubs, though it doesn't matter so much whose "local" it is.

Better my money, attention, and affection goes to a real team and club down the ladder somewhere else. Better we try and build something different, if we can. Happy first year, MyFCers.

Labels: Ebbsfleet United, MYFC, soccer