Hastings Supporters Forum - 100% Unofficial!

Really excited about this appointment. Very young, ambitious, and very successful in his short career and also really pleased he is bringing all of his back room staff. Hopefully a few players may follow as well. I wish him every success and look forward to a long and successful career at Hastings.

Think it's also really important to thank both Nigel and Stapes for all their efforts. Stapes in particular is a local lad, has worked tirelessly under a number of managers, for a number of years and has done all this without taking a wage. Surely there is place for him in one of the youth teams.

Onwards and upwards now and whatever happens this has to be a defining moment for Hastings FC. Never want to see what I've seen over the past 12 months ever again.

Wow....I didn't see this coming.
I think we can say with absolute certainty that he will want to bring at least a few of his best players with him.....so it should be interesting to see how he reconstructs a side that can start winning again at this level. I have no idea how wide he has 'cast his net' to create his impressive County League team but I guess the vast majority will be from Brighton and the coastal towns heading West. Clearly these players will need a financial incentive to come and play for us and so whoever he considers to be the weak links in the current playing staff will be dispensed with. That is inevitable and there will be more new names and faces for us to learn !
At the risk of sounding negative I do have some concerns.
Firstly, while he will know who the best players are at County League level, I guess most won't have much experience of playing one step higher....so a group of impressive County League players may not find it quite so easy here.
Secondly, he is going to have to work really hard to create a collective team spirit. There may be a 'them and us' feel to the dressing room if a number of new players do arrive. Any new players will already be his 'favourite' and our established 'favourites' may be sidelined. That's OK.......but only if we're winning.
Finally, this HAS to work.....it it doesn't we are in BIG trouble because if a number of new players do arrive,as I predict, and we don't see a significant improvement in results then there will be repercussions. We won't get away with another rebuild this season and still stay up. If the manager goes 'his' players may well follow and where will that leave us ?
Within this league, we are a HUGE club punching way below our weight and, maybe unfairly, the supporters will demand a quick change around in fortunes.
I wish the guy all the luck in the world. Interesting times are ahead.

If you have concerns or questions then I urge you to come along to the fans forum. It will only be fair to allow Dom to answer them personally and I know he will be happy to do so.

What a potentially brilliant appointment. If he brings his best players, so be it, as they are likely to be better than what we've got. If he has success and moves on, we'll still be in a better position. I don't think supporters will expect too much too soon - we all know the mess we are in. To do well in the County League, as he has done, you need to be fit and organised, and do the simple things well. If that happens at the PF, we've got half a chance. I also think the them and us is easily addressed through a bit of man management. I do hope travel won't be an issue. Overall, given some of the names that have been floating around on this forum, it's a refreshing appointment. Now let's give him a chance without interference - our recent managerial record speaks for itself and this is a great chance for us to get back on track. I hope we don't waste it.

I think you're spot on. We could do with a mid-table position by the end of the year -with a bit of organisation and the impetus that a new set up brings, that could happen. It does feel like a last chance saloon, (that's not surprising given our plummet towards the County League) but if the manager is given the chance, I think we can and will improve. Let's face it, we can't much worse,can we??

Morning!!

I hope you are all well?

Firstly I just wanted to thank the club for appointing us, it is a great honour and the potential at the club is staggering!! I promise you will not get a harder working group than the four of us and we will do everything we can to bring success to your club.

Given the current situation this is a huge challenge, but one I am certain we can put right and give you a team you will be proud of. I can not wait to get started!!

The next few weeks will be hard work but once we can get things back on an even keel I know we can then move forward and the club will be a more enjoyable place for us all to be at.

I won't be posting on here as it is very a much a place for fans, for them to vent and make comment without fear of reprise. I just wanted to thank you all for the positive response I have received already and urge you to come along to the forum on Saturday. I will be really pleased to meet you all and more than happy to answer any questions and concerns you may have. If you can make the effort to be there we can all start off on the same page and kick on together.

Hastings is one of the largest supported non league sides in Sussex (and in Ryman South) and that support was one of the key reasons I wanted to come here. I am really looking forward to working with you all!

Thanks again

Dom

Very, very nice of him to write a piece on this board. Seems at that age (33) where he won already so many trophies we all have to support him. Success Dom !

Wow, what a bit of news to wake up to, you cant help but feel that a big weight has been lifted off,
Thanks to everyone who made this happen, and thanks to DW also, maybe now everyone can get off
his back and ALL stick together and enjoy the rest of the season, we're in need of a bit of cheering up,
and, I think this is just what was needed. Welcome Dom, great post !

Looks like an exciting appointment with a great record albeit at a lower level. Hope he has a very successful time here and has the time to build something that lets the club realise its potential as one of the biggest non-league clubs in Sussex. Some of us just about remember those days.

This is a bold and ambitious move by the club and by Dom himself. All deserve considerable credit for that!

A very bold move by the club.We now have a young manager who has made the grade at county level and needed to make the step up.Hopefully,he will be strong,both on and off the pitch.Nice touch to introduce himself on the forum and to present himself at an open forum next Saturday.Let's hope we make our views known to those who matter,rather than moaning amongst ourselves.
Welcome to the club Dom(and your backroom staff),I wish you all the very best in taking team forward

Lets hope some 7 day letters go off soon. But most encouraging appointment for years.

ChrisB wrote:

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Lets hope some 7 day letters go off soon. But most encouraging appointment for years.

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    Chris, and in the end we are all a happy Hastings Family ! ( let's hope we still are after a month of 6 )

Windy, to answer your question there is a Di Paolo Cafe on Bexhill sea front opposite the De La Warr Pavilion.
They are related to the Dimarcos...remember them. They sell about 20 flavours of delicious ice cream ,although the lurid pink bubblegum flavour looks revolting.

Very excited about this appointment. All I've read about our Dom is positive things, including this from the East Preston website;

5 October 2014
Club News
Dom Di Paola
The club today can confirm the departure of manager Dominic Di Paola and his management team who are joining Hastings United.

Dom has undoubtedly been the most successful manager in EPs history and leaves having broken many club records in his period with the club.

Commenting on the departure football chairman Terry Doyle said ‘Everyone at the club is sorry to see Dom move on. During his time at the club huge progress has been made and excellent football played. The move is a step up for Dom and he leaves with the best wishes and thanks from everyone at the club.’

All these good vibes from the forum are very nice and to continue in this vein. I watched Eastbourne united. V East Preston on Sat and was surprised at the quality of the football played, the manager had his team well drilled well coached and every player was a credit to him.

Hi folks

I just dropped in to say what a quality management team you've got . They are really well respected in the county. I have known Dom and his crew for about 6 seasons and what they achieved at EP was amazing. Last season they won the SCFL Div 1 by 15 points (I think) and only lost 2 league games from 38. They also won several trophies and recently nearly caused a major FA Cup upset at Boreham Wood.

So I hope they settle in quickly and get Hastings up the table soon

Cheers

Terry

-- Edited by Pictels on Tuesday 7th of October 2014 04:15:54 PM

With the excellent reaction on this forum to Doms appointment this is how the fans forum could go on Sat.... :)

youtu.be/Zjz16xjeBAA

Even better if you cast DW as the mother :)

Very good Liam but not sure Dom will be thanking you. He looks like Jack Nicholson from The Shining. All he needs is an axe in that hand.

 

 

Tomorrows meet the manager has now been confirmed as being in the function room after tomorrow evenings game.

BertNEC wrote:

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And how did it all go ? How is the first impression ? Did you got the answers you wanted ?

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 I think it would be a bit unfair for me to say as I already knew what Dom was like Bert but surfice to say Dom came across as I expected he would.  I shall leave it to others to comment on their impressions of him.