Joining League Two for 24/25

[WhiteRussian]

Definitely hats off to the hardcore Carlisle/Barrow/Plymouth/Exeter etc fans who follow their team home and away, takes serious commitment (and all the more so for Carlisle this season).

I wonder how many fans have had to curtail their away days due to costs since covid. Just the train alone can be loopy prices if you can't get some sort of concession.

 

[クレイグ]

Fleetwood pretty much down with Cheltenham. Vale or Burton for the last spot. How very boring.

 

[kieran_vale]

Fleetwood pretty much down with Cheltenham. Vale or Burton for the last spot. How very boring.

It’ll 95% be us now. Would love to summon up more enthusiasm for L2 but watching this bunch of pussies all season has pretty much drained all of it away.

 

[EnglishRed]

I'm rooting for Port Vale as they were a team I was looking forward to us playing next season. Cheltenham going down would be satisfying after how their fans acted when we signed Tozer.

 

[クレイグ]

It’ll 95% be us now. Would love to summon up more enthusiasm for L2 but watching this bunch of pussies all season has pretty much drained all of it away.

I hope you stay up due to Moore and Jacobs being ex-Bantams. Least you've had a taste of League One. It'll be our sixth season down here and it's depressing.

 

[kieran_vale]

I hope you stay up due to Moore and Jacobs being ex-Bantams. Least you've had a taste of League One. It'll be our sixth season down here and it's depressing.

I’d say the journey to get to there was better than the reality of actually being there. Should have known after we got promoted there were all sorts of grandiose statements about making ourselves “Championship ready” and spending big on corporate hospitality etc while leaving footballs answer to David Brent in Flitcroft to completely fuck up recruitment window after window. Such hubris was only ever going to end one way and here we’ll be.

 

[クレイグ]

I’d say the journey to get to there was better than the reality of actually being there. Should have known after we got promoted there were all sorts of grandiose statements about making ourselves “Championship ready” and spending big on corporate hospitality etc while leaving footballs answer to David Brent in Flitcroft to completely fuck up recruitment window after window. Such hubris was only ever going to end one way and here we’ll be.

What are your thoughts on Moore so far?

 

[kieran_vale]

What are your thoughts on Moore so far?

I’ve always said he gets a free pass on this season. He joined after the window shut and has just had nothing to work with, our most effective forward is a 17 year old from the academy to give an idea. Will see with his own players. Some of his tactics and especially his subs are puzzling at times but the same has been said about the best Vale managers like John Rudge and Darrell Clarke at points.

 

[valefan16]

What are your thoughts on Moore so far?

He’s seemingly been really poor, his changes often make us worse hence today 2-0 and lose 4-2 and did the same v Fleetwood, but would caveat that he has very little options to work with.

Our best player this season is currently playing week in week out in the Premier League and we replaced him with a the invisible man… another went to the Championship and we replaced his loan with one of Jensen Weir who’s dog awful…

Our best striker option is a kid from the academy who has broken through and is making big waves with Man United sniffing but relying on a 17 year old raw kid to score enough even Pep would struggle.

Hospitality suites are nice though…

 

[クレイグ]

I’ve always said he gets a free pass on this season. He joined after the window shut and has just had nothing to work with, our most effective forward is a 17 year old from the academy to give an idea. Will see with his own players. Some of his tactics and especially his subs are puzzling at times but the same has been said about the best Vale managers like John Rudge and Darrell Clarke at points.

He’s seemingly been really poor, his changes often make us worse hence today 2-0 and lose 4-2 and did the same v Fleetwood, but would caveat that he has very little options to work with.

Our best player this season is currently playing week in week out in the Premier League and we replaced him with a the invisible man… another went to the Championship and we replaced his loan with one of Jensen Weir who’s dog awful…

Our best striker option is a kid from the academy who has broken through and is making big waves with Man United sniffing but relying on a 17 year old raw kid to score enough even Pep would struggle.

Hospitality suites are nice though…

Sounds like he's not had much to work with then. Fingers crossed for you guys.

 

[DippyDon]

We can pretty much be added to this list. We can't hack the important games, let alone our horrific play off record which has to be up there with the entire EFL despite being around in this guise for 5 minutes.

 

[joethegill]

In the race for the play-offs from the National League, Oldham have ALMOST drawn their way out of contention, but in a bit of a twist Southend are now just a point outside the play-offs albeit having played more games than Halifax who are the only team they can catch.

Barnet, Bromley, Alty and Solihull are all assured of their play-off spot, now it's just a fight for position. Aldershot need to win both their remaining games and hope things go their way, but after a shocking run of form look to have blown it entirely. Gateshead are limping over the line after successive defeats, but still have 3 games left to get the 2 points they need to be sure.

So going into the final week:

2. Barnet - played 45, 83 points, +28. Will be assured of 2nd place if Bromley drop points in either of their final 2, or simply Barnet beat already relegated Kidderminster next weekend.

3. Bromley - played 44, 78 points, +23. All but guaranteed 3rd position, need to win away games at Oxford City and Gateshead to have any chance of 2nd.

4. Altrincham - played 45, 74 points, +24. Technically can still be caught be each of the three sides below them, but a win on the final day against Oxford City at home should be enough to nail down 4th and a home tie in the first round of play-off fixtures.

5. Solihull Moors - played 45, 73 points, +8. Need to beat relegation-threatened York City at home to have any chance of finishing 4th but to be honest, 5th is just as good as 4th so wouldn't be massively surprised if they rested players for this one if the midweek fixtures go their way with Gateshead dropping points.

6. Gateshead - played 43, 69 points, +23. Technically speaking they could finish as high as 3rd with their games in hand, but having lost the last two they aren't in great form. They have 3 home games to finish the season - Champions Chesterfield on Monday, Aldershot Town on Wednesday and then Bromley on the final day. On paper three tough games, but as we've seen Chesterfield are still drunk, Aldershot have been rubbish lately, and Bromley will probably be resting a few for the play-offs by then. They need 2 points to confirm the play-offs thanks to their GD, and would probably need to win all three games to finish any higher than 6th.

7. Halifax Town - played 43, 66 points, +5. A club hamstrung by a shocking pitch meaning their home games are being switched to Accrington. 3 games left to play, and 1 of those hasn't (from what I've seen) even been scheduled yet, so no idea how that's going to work. 2 wins guarantees play-offs, anything less than that could give an opening to Southend or Aldershot. The games that ARE scheduled aren't too bad - Ebbsfleet at home, Eastleigh away. Form has been up and down of late though, so no easy one.

-----------------------------------------

8. Southend United - played 45, 65 points, +26. Unbelievable from all connected to Southend that they're even in the hunt to be fair. Without the points deduction they'd be comfy in the play-offs anyway, so they're more than good enough to be there. The only side they can catch now is Halifax, but if the Shaymen can pick up 3 more points across their games then Southend can't mathematically make it anyway - and if that's the case then lump on them for promotion next season. Southend finish at home to mid-table Rochdale who have nothing to play for.

9. Aldershot Town - played 44, 65 points, -10. A couple of months ago the Shots looked nailed on for a play-off berth, but they've falled off a cliff. Horrible trip to Gateshead to face on Wednesday night followed by an awkward game at Dagenham next weekend. Win them both and technically they can still finish as high as 6th, but current form suggests they might've blown it. Goal difference is dreadful compared to their rivals.

10. Oldham Athletic - played 44, 62 points, +4. They're basically not involved in the conversation at this point, but their game at Halifax (yet to be scheduled) does give them a chance if they can win that one and drag themselves back into contention. Wealdstone at home is the final fixture, who have had a hellish few weeks with fixture congestion and might be totally spent come the final day. All they can do is win both and hope for the best.

 

[kieran_vale]

Am I right in thinking Bromley have a plastic pitch at the moment? Going to be quite a difficult / expensive turnaround to get a grass one put down for them in time for the season to start. Alty my first preference to go up and then I’d say Barnet or Solihull.

 

[lordofthepies]

Am I right in thinking Bromley have a plastic pitch at the moment? Going to be quite a difficult / expensive turnaround to get a grass one put down for them in time for the season to start. Alty my first preference to go up and then I’d say Barnet or Solihull.

Bromley do have a plastic pitch, yeah. Harrogate had to play their first couple of home games at Doncaster when they came up through the playoffs because they were replacing their artificial pitch with a grass one.

 

[lordofthepies]

I'd love for Alty to come up but I also wouldn't mind a ground I've not been to before, which is all of them except Alty, Oldham and Bromley.

 

[Meadow]

I'd love to see Alty come up. I "know" a number of their supporters from another forum and I've met a few at Kingsmeadow. Most of them seem sound.

No problem with Barnet or Aldershot either for the same reason as above.

Solihull, Gateshead, Halifax or Oldham - fine.

Southend - a bit more time needed down there which may lead to the owner selling up. Don't want the current basketcase in this league.

Bromley - no despite it being quick and easy to get to. Horrible club.

New grounds for me would be Alty, Solihull, Halifax and Oldham.

 

[Carver]

I'd love to see Alty come up. I "know" a number of their supporters from another forum and I've met a few at Kingsmeadow. Most of them seem sound.

No problem with Barnet or Aldershot either for the same reason as above.

Solihull, Gateshead, Halifax or Oldham - fine.

Southend - a bit more time needed down there which may lead to the owner selling up. Don't want the current basketcase in this league.

Bromley - no despite it being quick and easy to get to. Horrible club.

New grounds for me would be Alty, Solihull, Halifax and Oldham.

What’s horrible about Bromley?

 

[Posh Harry]

What’s horrible about Bromley?

How long have you got?

 

[Optipez]

I hope you stay up due to Moore and Jacobs being ex-Bantams. Least you've had a taste of League One. It'll be our sixth season down here and it's depressing.

It's all relative, I'm delighted to be back and finish comfortably mid table.

 

[Optipez]

Am I right in thinking Bromley have a plastic pitch at the moment? Going to be quite a difficult / expensive turnaround to get a grass one put down for them in time for the season to start. Alty my first preference to go up and then I’d say Barnet or Solihull.

Anyone but Bromley. Woodmanball is repulsive. Imagine the worst of fatty Evans and the Cowley bros with Karl Robinson thrown in and that's the joy of Andy Woodman.

 

[Optipez]

Am I right in thinking Bromley have a plastic pitch at the moment? Going to be quite a difficult / expensive turnaround to get a grass one put down for them in time for the season to start. Alty my first preference to go up and then I’d say Barnet or Solihull.

Solihull have an awful ground, great pitch but the ground is the worst I've been to. I've been to smaller, older and less well appointed grounds that I've no problem with but there's something truly crap about Solihulls ground. Perhaps it's the temporary stands with the canvas roofs blown off and bits of plastic flapping around but I never want to go back there, three times is way more than enough.

 

[EnglishRed]

As much as I admire how Bromley have transformed from a 'Who?' team to a very solid National League outfit they are neither fun to play or watch. As an example our keeper Rob Lainton was hospitalised in (I think) three successive seasons at Bromley away (knocked out twice and one broke wrist).

Barnet probably the best equipped to come up but they are a boring yo yo team. I'd also like to see Alty make it.

 

[ForzaCounty]

Bromley also have the goal posts on wheels. Always handy to knock aside during their corners

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Would be great if Southend could sneak in the playoffs and then go up. The best away fans last season by a mile. Kicking two sets of tinpotters out with two brothers coming in would be good as well.

 

[Son of Cod]

Erm - chill a bit with that, we have cracking away support.

However, having to go 4 times to pretty much the most inaccessible part of the country, which happens to be 10 hours travelling away on a good day is a bit wretched. I have absolutely nothing against any of the 4 sides mentioned, I've never met a fan of any of them nor have any of them been regular opponents over my time as Gills fan (30 odd years) so it's not a personal thing, but having more than 1 in 6 of our away games in that region does take the piss somewhat, especially when you consider all the trips we'll have to take to greater Manchester to face another 3 or 4.

No doubt individually you could make a decent trip out of any of them, but having to go there once a month all season? It's just a hassle our fanbase could do without. It's a bit like you Northerners being faced with a division with us, Orient, Crawley, Sutton, Wimbledon, Southend, Dagenham, Bromley and Aldershot in. That sounds crap even to me!

Basically the NL in 21/22. We had Southend, Barnet, Wealdstone, Aldershot, Dagenham, Torquay, Weymouth, Eastleigh, Maidenhead, Bromley, Woking, Dover and Yeovil. Closest game for us was 80 miles away.

 

[Kauto Star]

Hope it's Halifax that come up, doubt it mind.

I predicted Barnet would win the league, obviously that can't happen now, but I think they will win the playoffs.

Bromley would be my last preferred
option from that bunch.

 

[spireite]

Hope it's Halifax that come up, doubt it mind.

I predicted Barnet would win the league, obviously that can't happen now, but I think they will win the playoffs.

Bromley would be my last preferred
option from that bunch.

Said every single person ever.

 

[Carver]

I hope Bromley come up now after hearing all about them.

Just for the experience!

 

[jacobncfc]

The local kids tried to start a scrap with the away end on every occasion we ever visited as well. I don’t think we ever won at Bromley, awful place to visit.

Of the options, Altrincham and Halifax are both cracking away days, so either of them would do very nicely. Southend as well would be a great achievement but looks like they’ll just miss out.

Nothing against Burton but I really hope they come down. A club we’ve just somehow always avoided, think we’ve only ever been in the same division once, and would be a nice local one.

 

[Meadow]

What’s horrible about Bromley?

We have history going back 16 years and more. Too much to go into.