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It was discussed at the last Forum, but how far have we got with the ground?

ME: My vice chairman and I had a meeting recently with representatives of the District Council with regards to the purchase of the Moat Ground and there is a further meeting next week. The club is very close to taking title of the Moat Ground.

Do you think we've been a bit light in midfield this season?

GN: That's a fair question and it's one we've looked at quite closely. We do like to get the ball down and play it and we have the players to do that. We've been looking all season for that special person for midfield but then it would be a case of whom you leave out. With Matt Millns coming back into form it gives us a chance to see Andy Simpson in that position.

The attendances are down on last season do you think this is down to various reasons?

GN: It's the same everywhere attendances are dwindling. It's disappointing that when you are doing well hopefully you get a few more through the gate. Before Saturday, we'd only lost once in the league so people can't say they're not getting value for money.

ME: One of the variables to match attendance is obviously who you are playing and how many they bring with them. Fleetwood brought a reasonable number but other clubs hardly bring any. We are one of the best supported travelling teams and when we go away clubs see an increase in their attendance. So it is difficult to evaluate. Football clubs at this level are struggling with attendance - there are exceptions. Clubs are competing with all genres of entertainment - the Premiership, TV etc. Football is no longer the majority of the working man's game as it was years ago. With the Premiership etc football seems to be an accessory to the business lunches. The meals are served with football as a background.

This gives Non-League football an opportunity. At non-league you get closer to the match; you can chat to people; mostly you can still walk around the ground and the admittance cost is still reasonable, but the non-league game needs to organise itself a bit better. It needs to look at how it structures itself and manages itself and it needs to look at what its got on offer. If you look at some of the outlying clubs at our level they have crowds of 60, 70 or even less. Those clubs are going to find it even more difficult to survive. Non-league needs to re-organise itself. I find it a little difficult that in a country the size of England there are three structures or governing bodies for non-league game at our level. Those three cannot agree among themselves on the best way to structure. That's a shame in a way because when those regulatory bodies have discussions with the FA it's not a unified body and we do not have strength whereas the Conference as managed to gain a huge amount of weight in terms of the FA and get things that they want done carried through. If you look how football is structured you've got the Premiership, the Championship, the Conference and then three different bodies at our level let alone the ones below that.

GN: Attendances are of concern to clubs at this level. It could be because of the fare they've been seeing on the pitches and I hope that the hardcore support that we have here continues and that any that have dropped away in recent seasons decide to come back. I'd like to see as much support as possible at home and away. Football at our level you are always going to have highs and lows and it's a matter riding it out and hopefully there will be more highs than lows. There are things going on to attract more supporters from the new housing estates that are springing up around the area. We've got a good core of young supporters that follow us home and away but we could do with a few more.

ME: We have done a leaflet drop in the area and we will be visiting schools in the area to distribute information to them also. We are also working with the Derbyshire FA to provide some coaching this summer in schools.