Club size in order

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Your lot sorting themselves out yet?

We need 3-4 years to do that I fear

 

[SoutheySWFC]

We need 3-4 years to do that I fear

Mate who works for you is confident on the takeover and heard rumours you want Sheridan again but not convinced myself.

 

[E10rifle]

Wow, you are one sad Wanker you. You incontrovertibly are!

Ah, the parting shriek of the intellectually stunted as their pitiful line of argument is eviscerated by sound logic and facts. Marvellous.

 

[Chris FGR]

It's a figure of speech.



They incontrovertibly are. Consistently bigger historic crowds for at least the last thirty years (often significantly bigger) and for a large proportion of that time they played at a higher level than you in the same season - for 8 of their 10 years in the EFL you were in the Conference, for 9 of their 12 most recent years in the Conference you were in the 6th tier and when they were in the 6th tier in the mid-nineties you were in the seventh. In 1996 they were a full two divisions above you.

By contrast you have never played above them in the same season. The only thing you have over them is the FA Vase.



I think not. This season you had 2.7k in the best season in your history, competing for a historic promotion, while Morecambe had almost exactly 2k while battling relegation.

The only season you have ever attracted double their crowds was last year when
you got 2.7k and they got 1.4k. However although you both struggled, the context was radically different for each of you.

That was your first ever season in the EFL, after a series of highly successful winning seasons, with a stable club structure, big money coming into the club and big plans, with all the attractiveness that scenario holds for the floating fan.

The complete opposite was true for Morecambe. They were facing yet another of their serial relegation battles, the EFL was long past being a novelty and to cap It all they were facing disaster off the field. Hardly a scenario designed to hold on to existing fans, let alone attract new ones.

Apart from the last two years, the only season in your history where you have exceeded their average attendance was 2016, when you welcomed a mahoosive average of an extra 200 fans.

Prior to that Morecambe have beaten your attendance in every year for which I can find records, back to about the mid-nineties. Not only that but very often they have beaten you out of sight. They really have often enjoyed double your attendances in the past and sometimes even more than double.

If you want to argue that in the face of that weight of history your success of only the last two years means Morecambe aren't a significantly bigger club, then that's up to you, but I suspect most neutrals would laugh in your face.




I stand by that remark. I was simply refuting the specific BS claims some FGR fans are making about their comparative attendances and the unjustifiable conceits they've formed on the back of that rhetorical house of cards vis-a-vis other clubs, most of whom have not benefitted from significant doping and cerainly not to the degree you have enjoyed.

If FGR fans really do accept being small - and there's no shame in that, given we are all small in the eyes of some clubs - then why do some of them consistently exaggerate their club's true size and history?

Morecambe were promoted to the Conference for the first time ever in 1995, three years before we were. They were promoted to the EFL in 2007. So in actual fact in "9 of their 12 most recent seasons in the Conference" we were not "in the sixth tier" as you claim, we were in the Conference.

If you really feel the need to carefully study a couple of small ex non league clubs recent histories in order to use what you find to preach about one of them, (a strange use of free time but there you go) then maybe it might be a good idea to check all your facts are right first.

This is exceptionally fucking boring though, so that's all I'm saying on this. We're a small club that don't deserve any money or success and you hate us, fair play and good luck to you.

 

[Chris FGR]

James Gandolfini was a fucking genius by the way.

 

[Fedora Dale]

I liked it when we were talking about what to watch on Netflix.

I would rather watch Salford than Netflix...

 

[Soup Ladle]

I would rather watch Salford than Netflix...

I've just sat and read the whole of this shit and yeah, you could definitely make a Netflix series out of this thread

Season 1 Episode 1

A plastic Salford fan by the name of Salfordian makes a thread, blatantly on a wind up, ranking all L2 clubs in size. Initially his table is scoffed at by Mansfield fans, who, as a small club themselves, say 'size doesn't matter, it's what you do with it'. Ian, controversially doesn't put Salford bottom of the table, cue more derision but on the whole his table doesn't get that many complaints. Ian logs out and thinks to himself 'oh fuck, I should've put Orient 17th to get more bites'.

Season 1 Episode 2

The Carlisle fans get giddy over their lofty position in the top 8 biggest clubs in Division 4. They decide to book a weekend in Sellafield to celebrate them being fucking MASSIVE. Meanwhile, some fans moan on about Swindon being 4th, 'they had one season in the Prem where they got buggered on a weekly basis by an ostrich feather duster, they're no bigger than Oldham!' This seems to hold broad agreement among fellow L2 brethren. Further petty squabbles break out as the board threatens to go into Meltdown. Only brief server downtime stops further bickering, and the 4th tier descending into ARMAGEDDON

Season 1 episode 3

Meanwhile there's a public outcry about not knowing exactly in what division Grimsby belong, but GTFCFish repeatedly states he doesn't give a fuck, so that's alright then. In E10, there's growing poster unrest about Orient being smaller than Northampton. 'pffft' 'haha good one you fackin mug'. It is thought that Orient may be slightly bigger, although not much in it, but definitely smaller than Plymouth, who really should be in the Premiership. There are then clashes as a Crewe fan claims that their club, who have finished bottom of Div 4 the most times out of anyone ever, is also bigger than Orient. Allegations of nonced up kids in youth academies surface before this dramatic episode comes to a close.

Season 1 Episode 4

The show starts in dramatic fashion as a spiced up Salfordian exclaims: 'eeeyah mate, fuckin' 'ell, Salford are biggoh than fuckin' FGR, don't ya know?' He's then brutally filmed in his spiced up state by fellow L2 inmates who laugh and take the piss as FGR 'are a much bigger club', at least according to the Mansfield fans. Perhaps they really think size does matter after all? Ian states that Salford were actually spawned out of some vegan doping scam that happened a few years ago when they didn't exist. The other posters know this is a reasonable point. Ian is determined to organise a bi-seasonal tinpot derby with them, to see who can out plastic each other.

To be continued.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Thought Hartlepool had most re-election votes? Sure I read that once, may have been around our play off game in 2005.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Thought Hartlepool had most re-election votes? Sure I read that once, may have been around our play off game in 2005.

We do but oddly enough, we've only ever finished bottom of the 4th division once.

 

[Jabba the gut]

Morecambe were promoted to the Conference for the first time ever in 1995, three years before we were. They were promoted to the EFL in 2007. So in actual fact in "9 of their 12 most recent seasons in the Conference" we were not "in the sixth tier" as you claim, we were in the Conference.


If you really feel the need to carefully study a couple of small ex non league clubs recent histories in order to use what you find to preach about one of them, (a strange use of free time but there you go) then maybe it might be a good idea to check all your facts are right first.

Yes, mea culpa. Of the many facts I used to refute the absurd idea that you would be on a level with Morecambe and others without rigging the playing field I got one wrong. I must say that it's an interesting experience to be criticised for factual errors by fans who consistently dissemble and obfuscate in the defence of their club.

I must thank you for pulling me up, because it prompted me to take a closer look at your respective records. I must warn you that it's not pretty for those exaggerating your historic standing and minimising the effect of Vince's doping.

- For 16 years Between 1979-80 and 1994-5 Morecambe played one division higher than you (6th tier Northern Premier v 7th tier Southern League Midland division, then Southern division)

- For two years In 1995-6 and 1996-7 Morecambe played two divisions higher than you (5th tier Conference Premier v 7th tier Southern League Southern Division)

- In 1997-8 Morcambe again played one division higher than you (5th tier Conference Premier v 6th tier Southern League Premier Division)

- For eight years between 1998-99 and 2006-07 Morecambe were in the same division as you (Conference National) but only because you were reprieved from relegation in 2004 when Northwich were chucked out (as you were similarly saved from the 6th tier in 2010 when Salisbury were chucked out)

- For ten years between 2007-08 and 2017-18 Morecambe were in a higher division than you (4th tier EFL2 v 5th tier Conference National)

And as we all know in the last two years Vince's steroid injection has allowed you both to play in the same division once again.

Looking at those seasons when you and Morecambe were both in the Conference, and when you didn't have the advantage of massive doping is extremely revealing.

In 99-2000 and between 2001-02 and 2006-07 when they won promotion to the EFL, Morecambe finished above you - and being regular contenders for promotion, by contrast with your regular battles against relegation leavened by mid-table mediocrity, often far above you.

They beat you by 16 places in 99-2000, 12 places in 2001-02, 7 places in 2002-03, 11 places in 2003-04, 15 places in 2004-05, 14 places in 2005-06 and 11 places in 2006-07.

In Morecambe's Conference seasons they finished in the top 3 three times and the top 5 (i.e what would usually be 5th tier playoff positions) six times. They only finished outside the top half twice - and on one of those occasions only by three places.

In marked contrast to Morecambe's impressive Conference record, prior to Vince massively rigging the playing field in 2010-11 you only finished in the top half twice and never in the top 7 that would gain a playoff spot in the EFL, never mind the top 5 of the usual Conference playoff spots. In seven seasons you finished 18th or lower, twice ending up in the relegation positions and only being saved by other clubs' meltdowns.

That is the truth of the "good Conference career" without Vince's financial steroids that some of you regularly cite in your defence.

The upshot is that for 29 of the last 40 seasons (two-thirds of the time) Morecambe have played in a higher division than you - and it's only that close because you were saved from relegation by another club's misfortune and latterly benefited from your owner's performance-enhancing drugs. By contrast you have never played in a higher division than them. In 35 of those 40 seasons Morecambe have finished in a higher place.

Of the five seasons you turned the table on Morecambe it is not until this year that you managed to significantly outperform them with the aid of Vince's money. In the other four seasons you never finished above them by more than a measly three places.

Of course unlike yourselves, Morecambe once reached the EFL2 playoffs without any doping.

I thought about showing how often Morecambe have smashed FGRs attendance since the mid nineties - often doubling or nearly doubling your attendance. In fact they attracted treble FGR's attendance in 2011 (2.648 v 950) but this might be getting a bit cruel and neutrals might be starting to wilt.

Maybe later.

This is exceptionally fucking boring though, so that's all I'm saying on this.

But clearly not boring enough for you to avoid making the time to respond.

We're a small club that don't deserve any money or success and you hate us, fair play and good luck to you.

This is simply the usual rubbish that fans of doped clubs trot out to deflect criticism of their egregious and highly damaging model. I'm hardly going to have a problem with small clubs when for most of my life we've been one of the smallest of the 92, am I?

I say again - I have a lot more time for some very small clubs than I do for many in the EFL and EPL. I hugely admire, follow and sometimes attend Corinthian Casuals, am a Trust member at Hampton & Richmond and a member of the breakaway Clapton Community FC.

I actually had a lot of time for the old, pre-doped. pre-Ecotricity Marketing FC FGR and would have cheered any success you had, but I'm not going to cheer the way you're going about things now and the complicity of the likes of yourselves and Salford in promoting a model that fuels the reckless arms-race started by the EPL megamoney cascading downwards, which threatens the very existence of us all.

Anyone reading this who is of the same mind could do worse than follow the twitter timeline of Accrington's owner, the excellent Andy Holt and his warnings of where the financial madness will end if we're not careful.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1131527833925373954

"The death of the 72? Why football outside the Premier League is on its knees"

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...two-championship-miguel-delaney-a8926126.html

 

[Chris FGR]

Which fans are you aiming this at? I can't see many on here that claim us to be historically bigger or even anywhere near as big as Morecambe. All I said to spark your epic ranting is we are not CURRENTLY 'far smaller' then the likes of Morecambe, Crawley etc which is hardly an outrageous claim.

Most of our fans tend to be quite self deprecating. We don't need to be told we're small and tinpot, quite happy to accept that we are. We do have a long and proud history though, no matter how much you may want to shit on it.

You need a new hobby.

 

[Jabba the gut]

I think the measure will be how many fans they have if times get tough. If the money dries up for whatever reason before their success becomes self-sustaining. I imagine most of the people who have jumped aboard the Salford train have done so hoping to follow their rise up the pyramid to, at the very least, the Championship. If that suddenly became unrealistic (if Peter Lim packed his bags tomorrow then even with the much more moderate input from the Class of United Ninety Two and the media coverage that comes with that, it hard to see them sailing through the divisions) then how many would stay to watch a lower league team filled with standard lower league journeymen slog away season after season when they could just go back to Man U or Oldham, of FCUM.

I don't think the money will dry up, bar something completely unforeseen. Even without Lim Salford's owners are rich enough - about $650m net worth combined. That's about the same as the owners of Nottingham Forest. If you consider Beckham's family income (i.e taking his wife's fortune into consideration as well) as opposed to estimates of his personal wealth the figure rises to about $1billion.

Remember the goal of the Championship was set BEFORE Lim chipped in with his bottomless pit. I would bet a fortune almost as big as his that the EPL is in their sights now.

 

[Jabba the gut]

Which fans are you aiming this at? I can't see many on here that claim us to be historically bigger or even anywhere near as big as Morecambe. All I said to spark your epic ranting is we are not CURRENTLY 'far smaller' then the likes of Morecambe, Crawley etc which is hardly an outrageous claim.

Most of our fans tend to be quite self deprecating. We don't need to be told we're small and tinpot, quite happy to accept that we are. We do have a long and proud history though, no matter how much you may want to shit on it.

You need a new hobby.

It depends how you define "far". I actually said considerably smaller and one of you railed against that. I think the facts prove that without Vince's doping Morecambe are a level above you historically.

I don't dispute you have a long and proud history - so did Salford in my opinion. However your history is not what some of you have tried to give the impression it is, apparently in order to deflect criticism of the effect of your doping.

Morecambe reached the EFL without ridiculous rigging of the playing field, after coming close a number of times. I very much doubt you would have emulated them, barring a complete fluke of a season.

 

[FGR-Star]

Ah, the parting shriek of the intellectually stunted as their pitiful line of argument is eviscerated by sound logic and facts. Marvellous.

Not really,

The subsequent boring, wierd rant proves the sad Wanker diagnosis.

You are another wierd person who seems to be getting a hard-on from this!

"Intellectually stunted" I don't know you from Adam, and your intellectual powers, but believe me my IQ is most likely well in excess of a cretin like yourself though.

Anyway to end, FGR are a very small club, our fans realise this and we are well aware we are tinpot.

We are not substantially smaller than the clubs mentioned by the boring cretin though.

Leyton Orient are obviously massive though, so fair play.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Not really,

The subsequent boring, wierd rant proves the sad Wanker diagnosis.

You are another wierd person who seems to be getting a hard-on from this!

"Intellectually stunted" I don't know you from Adam, and your intellectual powers, but believe me my IQ is most likely well in excess of a cretin like yourself though.

Anyway to end, FGR are a very small club, our fans realise this and we are well aware we are tinpot.

We are not substantially smaller than the clubs mentioned by the boring cretin though.

Leyton Orient are obviously massive though, so fair play.

Probably best not to pull folks up on IQ when you cannot spell weird.

 

[Jabba the gut]

Not really,

The subsequent boring, wierd rant proves the sad Wanker diagnosis.

You are another wierd person who seems to be getting a hard-on from this!

"Intellectually stunted" I don't know you from Adam, and your intellectual powers, but believe me my IQ is most likely well in excess of a cretin like yourself though.

Anyway to end, FGR are a very small club, our fans realise this and we are well aware we are tinpot.

We are not substantially smaller than the clubs mentioned by the boring cretin though.

Leyton Orient are obviously massive though, so fair play.

Hurling insults doesn't help your case, but if that's the limit of your rhetorical ability then knock yourself out.

If there was a club that had played in a higher division a great majority of the time, that when we did meet each other in the same division often finished around 15 places higher and which had a historical fanbase that had nearly always been bigger bar the extremely recent history, being around twice our size on a number of occasions and three times our size at its peak, I would have no problem accepting that we were significantly smaller.

This claim that you are "currently" on a par is daft. By "currently" you are referring to a mere one or two years where you rigged the competition in comparison with decades when the other sides significantly outperformed you.

The definition of relative size is not an exact science, but I've never witnessed a shift over such a risibly minuscule period of time cited as evidence that a gap in size has been closed. We've significantly outperformed Notts County for two consecutive seasons in the last decade - should I argue that our relative sizes have significantly shifted? Behave.

 

[Chris FGR]

Holy shit. It never stops.

 

[Jabba the gut]

Holy shit. It never stops.

Why do you keep replying then?

 

[Chris FGR]

Why do you keep replying then?

I'm bored at work and like having the last word.

Also, and I can't stress this enough, you are being unbelievably tedious and keep repeating yourself. You've created exceptionally long and boring argument based on refuting a claim that hasn't been made.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

You've not counted the Stroud Hospital Cups, so you arguments are invalid

 

[Jabba the gut]

I'm bored at work and like having the last word.

Also, and I can't stress this enough, you are being unbelievably tedious and keep repeating yourself. You've created an argument based on refuting a claim that hasn't been made.

You're bored at work so you avoid it by voluntarily engaging in something you claim you find boring. It must make sense somewhere I suppose.

And like I said to your fellow doping apologist, if playground insults are your thing then knock yourself out.

The argument that you are on a par with - or even bigger than - the other sides in question certainly has been made. So has the argument that your record of struggling in the Conference somehow means that you have a history which makes Vince's doping less of an issue. The truth is that it's highly unlikely you would have ever have even reached the EFL without massive doping, let alone be challenging for L1.

 

[E10rifle]

Not really,

The subsequent boring, wierd rant proves the sad Wanker diagnosis.

You are another wierd person who seems to be getting a hard-on from this!

"Intellectually stunted" I don't know you from Adam, and your intellectual powers, but believe me my IQ is most likely well in excess of a cretin like yourself though.

Anyway to end, FGR are a very small club, our fans realise this and we are well aware we are tinpot.

We are not substantially smaller than the clubs mentioned by the boring cretin though.

Leyton Orient are obviously massive though, so fair play.

Wierd reply, oh wise one.

 

[Luke Imp]

Jabba's typed more characters in 127 posts than I have in 8,000.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Jabba's typed more characters in 127 posts than I have in 8,000.

I'm glad I don't follow his twitter.

That said it's better to have coherent arguments with back up than some of the shite we all post.

 

[Son of Cod]

I would rather watch Salford than Netflix...

Is that because you have a problem with Netflix as a company or because there's nothing on there you like? Because we can discuss the content of all streaming platforms within this thread.

Yes, mea culpa. Of the many facts I used to refute the absurd idea that you would be on a level with Morecambe and others without rigging the playing field I got one wrong. I must say that it's an interesting experience to be criticised for factual errors by fans who consistently dissemble and obfuscate in the defence of their club.

I must thank you for pulling me up, because it prompted me to take a closer look at your respective records. I must warn you that it's not pretty for those exaggerating your historic standing and minimising the effect of Vince's doping.

- For 16 years Between 1979-80 and 1994-5 Morecambe played one division higher than you (6th tier Northern Premier v 7th tier Southern League Midland division, then Southern division)

- For two years In 1995-6 and 1996-7 Morecambe played two divisions higher than you (5th tier Conference Premier v 7th tier Southern League Southern Division)

- In 1997-8 Morcambe again played one division higher than you (5th tier Conference Premier v 6th tier Southern League Premier Division)

- For eight years between 1998-99 and 2006-07 Morecambe were in the same division as you (Conference National) but only because you were reprieved from relegation in 2004 when Northwich were chucked out (as you were similarly saved from the 6th tier in 2010 when Salisbury were chucked out)

- For ten years between 2007-08 and 2017-18 Morecambe were in a higher division than you (4th tier EFL2 v 5th tier Conference National)

And as we all know in the last two years Vince's steroid injection has allowed you both to play in the same division once again.

Looking at those seasons when you and Morecambe were both in the Conference, and when you didn't have the advantage of massive doping is extremely revealing.

In 99-2000 and between 2001-02 and 2006-07 when they won promotion to the EFL, Morecambe finished above you - and being regular contenders for promotion, by contrast with your regular battles against relegation leavened by mid-table mediocrity, often far above you.

They beat you by 16 places in 99-2000, 12 places in 2001-02, 7 places in 2002-03, 11 places in 2003-04, 15 places in 2004-05, 14 places in 2005-06 and 11 places in 2006-07.

In Morecambe's Conference seasons they finished in the top 3 three times and the top 5 (i.e what would usually be 5th tier playoff positions) six times. They only finished outside the top half twice - and on one of those occasions only by three places.

In marked contrast to Morecambe's impressive Conference record, prior to Vince massively rigging the playing field in 2010-11 you only finished in the top half twice and never in the top 7 that would gain a playoff spot in the EFL, never mind the top 5 of the usual Conference playoff spots. In seven seasons you finished 18th or lower, twice ending up in the relegation positions and only being saved by other clubs' meltdowns.

That is the truth of the "good Conference career" without Vince's financial steroids that some of you regularly cite in your defence.

The upshot is that for 29 of the last 40 seasons (two-thirds of the time) Morecambe have played in a higher division than you - and it's only that close because you were saved from relegation by another club's misfortune and latterly benefited from your owner's performance-enhancing drugs. By contrast you have never played in a higher division than them. In 35 of those 40 seasons Morecambe have finished in a higher place.

Of the five seasons you turned the table on Morecambe it is not until this year that you managed to significantly outperform them with the aid of Vince's money. In the other four seasons you never finished above them by more than a measly three places.

Of course unlike yourselves, Morecambe once reached the EFL2 playoffs without any doping.

I thought about showing how often Morecambe have smashed FGRs attendance since the mid nineties - often doubling or nearly doubling your attendance. In fact they attracted treble FGR's attendance in 2011 (2.648 v 950) but this might be getting a bit cruel and neutrals might be starting to wilt.

Maybe later.



But clearly not boring enough for you to avoid making the time to respond.



This is simply the usual rubbish that fans of doped clubs trot out to deflect criticism of their egregious and highly damaging model. I'm hardly going to have a problem with small clubs when for most of my life we've been one of the smallest of the 92, am I?

I say again - I have a lot more time for some very small clubs than I do for many in the EFL and EPL. I hugely admire, follow and sometimes attend Corinthian Casuals, am a Trust member at Hampton & Richmond and a member of the breakaway Clapton Community FC.

I actually had a lot of time for the old, pre-doped. pre-Ecotricity Marketing FC FGR and would have cheered any success you had, but I'm not going to cheer the way you're going about things now and the complicity of the likes of yourselves and Salford in promoting a model that fuels the reckless arms-race started by the EPL megamoney cascading downwards, which threatens the very existence of us all.

Anyone reading this who is of the same mind could do worse than follow the twitter timeline of Accrington's owner, the excellent Andy Holt and his warnings of where the financial madness will end if we're not careful.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1131527833925373954

"The death of the 72? Why football outside the Premier League is on its knees"

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...two-championship-miguel-delaney-a8926126.html

But what did you think about Line of Duty?

 

[Si Robin]

Talking of Netflix - I was addicted to Ozark. Can't wait for season 3 this summer.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Talking of Netflix - I was addicted to Ozark. Can't wait for season 3 this summer.

Loved the first series but couldn't get into the 2nd one.

Banshee is worth a look.....

 

[Si Robin]

I'm just fascinated by the fact that there isn't a single character in the programme that you can have any real empathy for. I think that's how it's gripped me.

 

[ShrimpsMeltdown]

Yes, mea culpa. Of the many facts I used to refute the absurd idea that you would be on a level with Morecambe and others without rigging the playing field I got one wrong. I must say that it's an interesting experience to be criticised for factual errors by fans who consistently dissemble and obfuscate in the defence of their club.

I must thank you for pulling me up, because it prompted me to take a closer look at your respective records. I must warn you that it's not pretty for those exaggerating your historic standing and minimising the effect of Vince's doping.

- For 16 years Between 1979-80 and 1994-5 Morecambe played one division higher than you (6th tier Northern Premier v 7th tier Southern League Midland division, then Southern division)

- For two years In 1995-6 and 1996-7 Morecambe played two divisions higher than you (5th tier Conference Premier v 7th tier Southern League Southern Division)

- In 1997-8 Morcambe again played one division higher than you (5th tier Conference Premier v 6th tier Southern League Premier Division)

- For eight years between 1998-99 and 2006-07 Morecambe were in the same division as you (Conference National) but only because you were reprieved from relegation in 2004 when Northwich were chucked out (as you were similarly saved from the 6th tier in 2010 when Salisbury were chucked out)

- For ten years between 2007-08 and 2017-18 Morecambe were in a higher division than you (4th tier EFL2 v 5th tier Conference National)

And as we all know in the last two years Vince's steroid injection has allowed you both to play in the same division once again.

Looking at those seasons when you and Morecambe were both in the Conference, and when you didn't have the advantage of massive doping is extremely revealing.

In 99-2000 and between 2001-02 and 2006-07 when they won promotion to the EFL, Morecambe finished above you - and being regular contenders for promotion, by contrast with your regular battles against relegation leavened by mid-table mediocrity, often far above you.

They beat you by 16 places in 99-2000, 12 places in 2001-02, 7 places in 2002-03, 11 places in 2003-04, 15 places in 2004-05, 14 places in 2005-06 and 11 places in 2006-07.

In Morecambe's Conference seasons they finished in the top 3 three times and the top 5 (i.e what would usually be 5th tier playoff positions) six times. They only finished outside the top half twice - and on one of those occasions only by three places.

In marked contrast to Morecambe's impressive Conference record, prior to Vince massively rigging the playing field in 2010-11 you only finished in the top half twice and never in the top 7 that would gain a playoff spot in the EFL, never mind the top 5 of the usual Conference playoff spots. In seven seasons you finished 18th or lower, twice ending up in the relegation positions and only being saved by other clubs' meltdowns.

That is the truth of the "good Conference career" without Vince's financial steroids that some of you regularly cite in your defence.

The upshot is that for 29 of the last 40 seasons (two-thirds of the time) Morecambe have played in a higher division than you - and it's only that close because you were saved from relegation by another club's misfortune and latterly benefited from your owner's performance-enhancing drugs. By contrast you have never played in a higher division than them. In 35 of those 40 seasons Morecambe have finished in a higher place.

Of the five seasons you turned the table on Morecambe it is not until this year that you managed to significantly outperform them with the aid of Vince's money. In the other four seasons you never finished above them by more than a measly three places.

Of course unlike yourselves, Morecambe once reached the EFL2 playoffs without any doping.

I thought about showing how often Morecambe have smashed FGRs attendance since the mid nineties - often doubling or nearly doubling your attendance. In fact they attracted treble FGR's attendance in 2011 (2.648 v 950) but this might be getting a bit cruel and neutrals might be starting to wilt.

Maybe later.



But clearly not boring enough for you to avoid making the time to respond.



This is simply the usual rubbish that fans of doped clubs trot out to deflect criticism of their egregious and highly damaging model. I'm hardly going to have a problem with small clubs when for most of my life we've been one of the smallest of the 92, am I?

I say again - I have a lot more time for some very small clubs than I do for many in the EFL and EPL. I hugely admire, follow and sometimes attend Corinthian Casuals, am a Trust member at Hampton & Richmond and a member of the breakaway Clapton Community FC.

I actually had a lot of time for the old, pre-doped. pre-Ecotricity Marketing FC FGR and would have cheered any success you had, but I'm not going to cheer the way you're going about things now and the complicity of the likes of yourselves and Salford in promoting a model that fuels the reckless arms-race started by the EPL megamoney cascading downwards, which threatens the very existence of us all.

Anyone reading this who is of the same mind could do worse than follow the twitter timeline of Accrington's owner, the excellent Andy Holt and his warnings of where the financial madness will end if we're not careful.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1131527833925373954

"The death of the 72? Why football outside the Premier League is on its knees"

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...two-championship-miguel-delaney-a8926126.html

Ah those were the days, a decent proper stadium and we were actually quite good back then. To be fair, we were one of the few teams who were full time back then facing many part time sides including FGR, hence why we performed so well. What I would do to have a home record like we did at "Fortress Christie" but 2019 hasn't been so bad.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Bradford is a curious one in that their attendances do seem fairly elastic, beyond the obvious quantum leap they took after Bradford were promoted to the EFL. Since 2006 their attendances have risen from 8.2k to 20k. Even between their promotion season a few years ago where they just made the playoffs and last years they saw attendances double. Maybe a pricing issue?

What do you mean promoted to the EFL? We've never been out of the football league to be promoted to it.