2020/21 National League North

[DarkSithLord]

Points after 10 games for Alfreton
2014/15 - 7 points (Relegated)
2015/16 - 16 points
2016/17 - 12 points
2017/18 - 16 points
2018/19 - 16 points
2019/20 - 19 points
2020/21 - ??
Failure to win on Tuesday would see our worst start to a season since 2014/15. Early season promise evaporating.
Not afraid to admit I may have over egged our chances a tad. We shall see

 

[JE93]

Ditto, but a lot of these tipsters go off reputation rather than quality of team which is why we were 30/1 before the seeson started.

Credit to you for a good start. Had wondered how good you'd be. No doubt about the quality of signings. More had questions over the manager, he didn't seem to improve things too much when he came in last season. Add to that the loss of Hanks who turned a few results from draws to wins for you last season and you were going to be a good but unknown quantity. There will be bigger challenges to come, Boston and Fylde certainly amongst those. Add to that Asante's injury record. But in the games you've played good start.

Agree with Ministerman though. Boston are my pick based on the start of the season. They were very good in the game against us at Blackwell, quality in the necessary places, plenty of energy in the press and a real cynical/nasty streak to stop the game in transition. They won't be pretty but think they'll be very effective.

 

[JE93]

Points after 10 games for Alfreton
2014/15 - 7 points (Relegated)
2015/16 - 16 points
2016/17 - 12 points
2017/18 - 16 points
2018/19 - 16 points
2019/20 - 19 points
2020/21 - ??
Failure to win on Tuesday would see our worst start to a season since 2014/15. Early season promise evaporating.
Not afraid to admit I may have over egged our chances a tad. We shall see

Got to say each season that goes by Heath'ball seems to be found out a little bit more. You're a solid shout to finish in the 11th to 15th category in no trouble but with not a lot else to play for. Must be hard to watch repeatedly pushing the ball to the wide areas and crossing from anywhere in the vague direction of Jake Day, with little evidence of a plan B based on yesterday's showing.

Shame really cause I remember going to the Impact when I was at Uni in Nottingham and some of the football you played under Nicky Law in the conference was great.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Got to say each season that goes by Heath'ball seems to be found out a little bit more. You're a solid shout to finish in the 11th to 15th category in no trouble but with not a lot else to play for. Must be hard to watch repeatedly pushing the ball to the wide areas and crossing from anywhere in the vague direction of Jake Day, with little evidence of a plan B based on yesterday's showing.

Shame really cause I remember going to the Impact when I was at Uni in Nottingham and some of the football you played under Nicky Law in the conference was great.

Very fair assessement. I agree. Their is no doubt he is not getting the best out of this squad. We have one of the better defences we have had for a while. Elliott Reeves is superb too. Its not inconceivable that we could lose the next three away games at Kiddy,Southport and Chester and that will be 7 defeats in 8 games so the pressure will be ramped up.

Oh the heady days of Nicky Law...you never know if Dyche is shown the door at Burnley you would imagine Nicky Law will go too. Cannot see him coming back though at all.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Got to say each season that goes by Heath'ball seems to be found out a little bit more. You're a solid shout to finish in the 11th to 15th category in no trouble but with not a lot else to play for. Must be hard to watch repeatedly pushing the ball to the wide areas and crossing from anywhere in the vague direction of Jake Day, with little evidence of a plan B based on yesterday's showing.

Shame really cause I remember going to the Impact when I was at Uni in Nottingham and some of the football you played under Nicky Law in the conference was great.

Also I have said from pre season that I expect a managerial change before the season is out and I 100% stand by that.

 

[Railway Blue]

Exactly, who's financing this incredible start to the season.

They took Asante from us and gave him a two year contract allegedly on a grand a week. A bit of a risk considering he's made of glass. Apparently if he'd still been with us we would be up there. We are toothless in attack w/o him and we always concede immediately after scoring.

 

[Quakerz]

Haven't played anyone yet

Spennymoor were many peoples favourites, we drew there.

Chester, Telford and Hereford all tipped to finish higher than us. We beat all of them.

Chorley were a NL club last season.

Anyway early days. Gateshead A midweek with some players missing will be a good test.

The top teams, not including yourselves, will be (in no particular order) Darlington, Boston, York, Gateshead, Kidderminster, Fylde. There's 6 of your top 7 there.

I think you'll complete the top 7, maybe you will actually win it who knows, but no, you haven't played anyone yet.

Spendy and Chester will fight it out for 8th.

 

[Minstermen central]

The top teams, not including yourselves, will be (in no particular order) Darlington, Boston, York, Gateshead, Kidderminster, Fylde. There's 6 of your top 7 there.

I think you'll complete the top 7, maybe you will actually win it who knows, but no, you haven't played anyone yet.

Spendy and Chester will fight it out for 8th.

The simple fact that Gloucester have a plastic pitch will make them top 4 plus the start they’ve had.
Can see York being miles behind,hopefully late run like Alty,Watson on record saying playing budget is a lot smaller than last year,but got money left to spent. (Even before Godfrey got sold)

 

[Harrier94]

The top teams, not including yourselves, will be (in no particular order) Darlington, Boston, York, Gateshead, Kidderminster, Fylde. There's 6 of your top 7 there.

I think you'll complete the top 7, maybe you will actually win it who knows, but no, you haven't played anyone yet.

Spendy and Chester will fight it out for 8th.

You're more confident than I am that we'll be top 7. I think we'll be battling but in now way do I think we're guaranteed it.

Omari Sterling James has been a great signing as has Montrose and a surprising one is Luke Simpson, came in very late but has been really solid in goal

 

[Quakerz]

You're more confident than I am that we'll be top 7. I think we'll be battling but in now way do I think we're guaranteed it.

Omari Sterling James has been a great signing as has Montrose and a surprising one is Luke Simpson, came in very late but has been really solid in goal

Yep, I'm ultra confident.

We had a bit of a shaky start with a glut of injuries unsettling things, and it didn't help that we came up against yourselves and Boston early doors either. But we're settling down now and the football we play is so slick.

Now we have Maguire, Sousa, Campbell, Charman, O'Neill, Rivers as attacking options I can see us shredding many teams when we start converting more chances.

The defence is improved on last year with the addition of McMahon and Hunt (though currently injured), and Atkinson is back playing, and playing well.

We're better than last season by some distance IMO, and we were sitting in 9th when the season was abandoned last year.

 

[Alty Pieman]

Also I have said from pre season that I expect a managerial change before the season is out and I 100% stand by that.

Feel for you DSL,.. but cant say I'm surprised, he's a dinosaur. Could be worse, you could have that delusional Telford manager Cowan !

 

[CFC91]

Any Gloucester fans on here? Or anyone seen their side play Gloucester yet?

We’re sniffing around their manager, not sure what to expect or what he’s like?!

 

[Kenneth Dodd]

Any Gloucester fans on here? Or anyone seen their side play Gloucester yet?

We’re sniffing around their manager, not sure what to expect or what he’s like?!

They have build up a decent side by spending big on some key players don’t know how many players have come through academy etc only Gloucester fans can tell you that.

 

[doveranddover]

Any Gloucester fans on here? Or anyone seen their side play Gloucester yet?

We’re sniffing around their manager, not sure what to expect or what he’s like?!

Is tigerroar on here?
See this thread

The Conference (National League) Forum

www.theconferenceforum.co.uk

 

[Lucky Bobble]

The top teams, not including yourselves, will be (in no particular order) Darlington, Boston, York, Gateshead, Kidderminster, Fylde. There's 6 of your top 7 there.

I think you'll complete the top 7, maybe you will actually win it who knows, but no, you haven't played anyone yet.

Spendy and Chester will fight it out for 8th.

We've been third three years in a row.... arguably a better squad this year than last. A very slow start, but we can't be written off from the playoff positions just yet.

 

[Railway Blue]

The top teams, not including yourselves, will be (in no particular order) Darlington, Boston, York, Gateshead, Kidderminster, Fylde. There's 6 of your top 7 there.

I think you'll complete the top 7, maybe you will actually win it who knows, but no, you haven't played anyone yet.

Spendy and Chester will fight it out for 8th.

I think 8th is about right for us unless we can find a replacement for Asante. We have two youth graduates who might to a job, but I think the managers won't risk them.

 

[Quakerz]

We've been third three years in a row.... arguably a better squad this year than last. A very slow start, but we can't be written off from the playoff positions just yet.

To be fair, I forgot about you guys.

OK replace Gateshead with Brackley and Gateshead can scrap with Spendy and Chester for 8th.

Anyone else want to stake a claim for top 7?

 

[Clem Fandango]

James Rowe has gone so looks 100% likely to head to Chesterfield. I did have a good laugh at their local paper getting a local sports journalist here to give his opinion on him, considering he hasn't watched a single game live since Rowe took over but anyway.

The players he's attracted are good, however we were mostly bloody awful last season under him with a side that was competitive and in no danger of relegation under Mike Cook, suddenly we got sucked into a dogfight with loss after loss and to be frank the majority of our fans didn't like him and wanted him gone, especially after being humiliated at Alfreton. We then went 3 games unbeaten, massively riding our luck at times mind you, and the season was stopped.

We've started brilliantly this season and it'll be interesting to see how we do without him there but our previous boss (Mike Cook) had probably less than half of JR's budget and got similar results. If you look at the responses to the official comms gone out there's nobody really that disappointed he's gone. He never really got on side with the support, was a disconnect there.

 

[Clem Fandango]

To be fair, I forgot about you guys.

OK replace Gateshead with Brackley and Gateshead can scrap with Spendy and Chester for 8th.

Anyone else want to stake a claim for top 7?

We'll revisit this in a few months time

 

[Quakerz]

We'll revisit this in a few months time

What, revisit me saying that you will be in the top 7 and might even win it?

What's to revisit?

 

[KHFC_Shaun]

We're looking in great shape. Solid all round. Confident we will make the top 7.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Pathetic from Alfreton tonight. We are bang in trouble.
I look forward to posting this time next week after defeats to Southport and Chester.
I doubt Kidderminster will have an easier win all season.

 

[Fyldefan]

Fed up of this already. We can’t hit a barn door. Fucking pathetic

 

[Harrier94]

Alfreton seem to just completely run out of ideas in the final 3rd. We looked really comfortable in defence. I'm still pessimistic though. I've watched Harriers too much to think we'll still be battling for the title come the end of the season.

 

[Minstermen central]

Alfreton seem to just completely run out of ideas in the final 3rd. We looked really comfortable in defence. I'm still pessimistic though. I've watched Harriers too much to think we'll still be battling for the title come the end of the season.

You guys seem to be flying.
What’s happened to best footballing team in league,BPA must be some team?

 

[GuiseleySteve]

To be fair, I forgot about you guys.

OK replace Gateshead with Brackley and Gateshead can scrap with Spendy and Chester for 8th.

Anyone else want to stake a claim for top 7?

Not Guiseley, we've only got one striker in Kane Felix and he's been out injured for the last five weeks. Four or five accademy players trying to fill gaps to stay within a tight budget. I can't see where goals will come from without bringing someone in.

 

[Quakerz]

Alfreton seem to just completely run out of ideas in the final 3rd. We looked really comfortable in defence. I'm still pessimistic though. I've watched Harriers too much to think we'll still be battling for the title come the end of the season.

You're a good side. I know a good side when I see one.

 

[Harrier94]

You guys seem to be flying.
What’s happened to best footballing team in league,BPA must be some team?

We finally binned that off, we still play the ball about but we're happy to play longer balls whether diagonal to Sterling or Hemmings to run onto or straight down the middle for Morgan-Smith to flick onto.

But the main factor is we've finally learnt to defend. Many of the points we've picked up this season we'd have thrown away in the last few years.

I'm over the moon with how we've been playing and where we're sitting but I do think we'll still be battling the lower play off spots come the end of the season.

 

[Quakerz]

Frustration for Darlo tonight.

Incredibly, despite being the best footballing side on the planet, we have lost all 4 home league matches this season!

BPA, what a dull side, however very effective. Shit house a goal from a set piece then park the bus and time waste for 75 minutes. A classic away win.

We had all the possession but just ran out of ideas. We did hit the bar a couple of times but just didn't test their keeper enough. Every time a Darlo danger man had the ball in a dangerous situation it seemed as though he was surrounded by 4 BPA players. Like they had 15 men on the pitch or something.

Away from home teams don't sit back as much and we look much better and much more dangerous.

It doesn't help us that we're having to make countless changes to our line up from match to match because of muscle pulls etc. We really need to get to the bottom of why we are having so many niggles.

Talking of niggles, well done BPA on your win, I guess you deserved it for the defending.

 

[Harrier94]

You're a good side. I know a good side when I see one.

Yeah I definitely agree. I just think that the Boston, York, Brackley and a few other teams will be better than us over the course of the season.