Who will win the league??

[Son of Cod]

Colin Peake, aka Sneaky Peaky - the man who singlehandedly made it impossible for FGR to ever suffer relegation.

Ah okay, that was before my time down here.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Cheltenham isn't proper Gloucestershire, we've all heard the chants from the faded spa town incumbents.

 

[Chris FGR]

Cheltenhamshire doesn't really exist though.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Of course not (though maybe it's somewhere along the banks of denial) but they've turned their back on God's own county. For shame.

 

[BarnwoodCTFC]

There are plenty of Cheltenham who are proud to be from Glos, that chant was a mickey take from years ago that stuck.

 

[Si Robin]

I have a lot of time for Grimsby after speaking to a few of their fans after the Playoff Final in 06. A couple actually bought us drinks by way of congratulations. As a result, if we go up as champions, I'd much rather them follow us up.

As for Cheltenhamshire, I'd hardly call it a mickey-take. It comes from our anthem in the Tractor Song (stolen from Somerset I believe) and has been going longer than I have, and I'm now in my 23rd year supporting the club.

 

[Vanni]

The horrible thing is one of the three of us (at least) will be stuck down here next season. All three of us could do pretty well in league two as well.[/QUOTE]



And may I ask why you think that? Imho, out of the current top 3, only Grimsby will do well if they go up (and by well I don't mean challenging for promotion, just a comfortable mid-table finish) because they certainly won't be going down again after all the years they spent down here and all the heartache they've been through. FGR can put up a good fight and a good chance of surviving because they've got the cash and can bring in reinforcements but I wouldn't be too sure about you lot. Unless you spunk the cash during pre-season that is.

And may I ask why you think that? Imho, out of the current top 3, only Grimsby will do well if they go up (and by well I don't mean challenging for promotion, just a comfortable mid-table finish) because they certainly won't be going down again after all the years they spent down here and all the heartache they've been through. FGR can put up a good fight and a good chance of surviving because they've got the cash and can bring in reinforcements but I wouldn't be too sure about you lot. Unless you spunk the cash during pre-season that is.

 

[Si Robin]

I don't see how we'd struggle in League 2. This squad is better than any of the last three previous years, and one of those teams made the playoffs. I think we're well versed in the standard of League 2, I'm sure it hasn't increased that much in our 8 months away.

 

[Chris FGR]

We played both Wimbledon and Oxford away in the FA Cup this season. Neither looked much better then us tbh.

 

[Vanni]

But are the better players in the squad your own or are they just loanees? If they are yours, then you may well have a point. Then there's also the little problem of Gary Johnson, as surely he will attract interest from the league clubs if he manages to get you up at the first attempt.

 

[EnglishRed]

Most promoted clubs will do ok in L2. At least for a while.

 

[Vanni]

We played both Wimbledon and Oxford away in the FA Cup this season. Neither looked much better then us tbh.

Chris, I am sure you know that cup games mean little. We held Man U to a 0-0 draw, but then only beat little Basingstoke 1-0.

 

[Chris FGR]

Are this years top 3 weaker then Barnet and Bristol Rovers last year?

Pretty sure we could at least emulate what Barnet have done this season. Cheltenham would probably do better like Bristol Rovers have, positive momentum, a good manager and recent football league experience. Grimsby would be one of the better supported clubs, but having spent so long out of the league they would probably do what Oxford and Luton did, consolidate in midtable basking in the fact they're finally back, before pushing on in future seasons.

 

[Vanni]

SOC - When, at the time, I said Grimsby won't win the title because you lot drop far too many points when drawing, I was only referring to those matches against the smaller sides. Sometimes a side can afford to drop points against the other promotion hopefuls (note - sometimes), but dropping points to relegation fodder is a big setback. Jemfy has explained this well enough in his post, and like he says,a win and a loss is better than two draws.

Still, it looks like you lot are currently managing to turn draws into wins so you're definitely on the right track.

Btw, what I sure said was that Hurst will never take Grimsby up. Now, I'm a reasonable guy, so I'll be happy to put my hands up and admit I was wrong if he does so.

 

[GTFCfish]

Grimsby would be one of the better supported clubs, but having spent so long out of the league they would probably do what Oxford and Luton did, consolidate in midtable basking in the fact they're finally back, before pushing on in future seasons.

I'm confused Chris.
You say you think Grimsby would comfortably consolidate in mid table League 2, but in a different thread you state that Grimsby are the worst side in the National League.
So are you saying that teams such as Welling, Torquay, Kidderminster etc would all be able to achieve comfortable mid table finishes in League 2 also?

 

[Chris FGR]

I never said that.

 

[GTFCfish]

I never said that.

Best. Woking looked very good against us, as did Macclesfield.

Worst. Kiddy were pretty dire, but pound for pound Grimsby looked very average, all that money spent and still toothless.

 

[Chris FGR]

I didn't say you were the worst team in the league. I said you looked very average against us, given the money you've spent. Different thing.

You appear to have improved since then. We'll see in March.

 

[BarnwoodCTFC]

But are the better players in the squad your own or are they just loanees? If they are yours, then you may well have a point. Then there's also the little problem of Gary Johnson, as surely he will attract interest from the league clubs if he manages to get you up at the first attempt.

I have seen plenty of league two and we would clearly do well, we spent most of our existence in that league around the play off places and this current team is better than most we have had. It's league one where we tend to struggle as we lack the crowds and funds to compete.

 

[CTFCfan99]

We'd be fine in League 2, maybe not playoff contenders but certainly comfortably mid table. This year's team would absolutely hammer last year's.

 

[Luke Imp]

I don't recall saying that, but I do often say that it's not the losses that kill you but the draws (due to the mental differences between them and the acceptance of draws etc and how it's better to win one and lose one than draw two)

I don't have the time or inclination to put the data together, but I'd be interested to know how many draws each of the champions have had over the last say 5-10 years.

2005/06 - 7 (Accrington)
2006/07 - 11 (Dagenham)
2007/08 - 8 (Aldershot)
2008/09 - 7 (Burton)
2009/10 - 9 (Stevenage)
2010/11 - 12 (Crawley)
2011/12 - 10 (Fleetwood)
2012/13 - 5 (Mansfield)
2013/14 - 11 (Luton)
2014/15 - 8 (Barnet)

 

[FGRJC]

I don't see how we'd struggle in League 2. This squad is better than any of the last three previous years, and one of those teams made the playoffs. I think we're well versed in the standard of League 2, I'm sure it hasn't increased that much in our 8 months away.

You'd struggle cus half your squad are loan players -_-

 

[BeesKnees]

2005/06 - 7 (Accrington)
2006/07 - 11 (Dagenham)
2007/08 - 8 (Aldershot)
2008/09 - 7 (Burton)
2009/10 - 9 (Stevenage)
2010/11 - 12 (Crawley)
2011/12 - 10 (Fleetwood)
2012/13 - 5 (Mansfield)
2013/14 - 11 (Luton)
2014/15 - 8 (Barnet)

Interesting, certainly felt like we played for results and had no interest in a draw. To some degree it was what made the difference come the end of the season when Bristol Rovers had gone 20-30 games unbeaten.
If Grimsby had won and lost a few of their 10 draws they would be able to go top by winning games in hand, so I think it's fair to say drawing a third of games is affecting their chances for the title.

 

[Luke Imp]

Crawley drew a lot but only lost 3 in their season. The PO sides that season lost around the 8-10 mark.

 

[Aber gas]

Interesting, certainly felt like we played for results and had no interest in a draw. To some degree it was what made the difference come the end of the season when Bristol Rovers had gone 20-30 games unbeaten.
If Grimsby had won and lost a few of their 10 draws they would be able to go top by winning games in hand, so I think it's fair to say drawing a third of games is affecting their chances for the title.

I think you're right about last season, there was a fair amount of draws in our unbeaten run whilst Barnet seemed to able to string several wins together even after a dodgy patch of losses. With just one auto place going for wins is vital even at the expense of a few losses.

 

[CTFCfan99]

You'd struggle cus half your squad are loan players -_-

Interesting view. We currently have a whopping ONE loan player likely to start every game, Dillon Phillips. Our other loan players are Dickie (injured for the last 1.5 months), Jennings (injured after coming on v Dover), Harries (cover at CB, unlikely to play much at all), and Burgess (CB just signed to replace the injured Downes). So that's five total loanees of which two are injured and one is probably not going to play. Hardly 'half our squad' is it.

 

[Si Robin]

Why did you rise to him? The guy's clearly trolling.

 

[iron4ever]

Apart from Forest Green we are unbeaten either home or away by any of the top 8. If we get a run together (remember 2 seasons ago when we finished 6th) dont rule us out of the play offs. Shame on all that had us certainties for relegation.

 

[FGRJC]

Why did you rise to him? The guy's clearly trolling.

 

[FGR Stroud]

You'd struggle cus half your squad are loan players -_-

Next season is a world away. Worry about the next 16 games of this season.
Cheltenham started off with a virtual new team and ain't doing so bad.
FGR are top of table and that is where you as an alleged FGR supporter should be boosting their standing and NOT knocking other clubs especially Cheltenham, who have a general cordial relationship with their neighbours from top of the hill.