League 2 General Chat Thread

[GTFCfish]

The Battle of Waterloo was between Crewe and Grimsby?

ABBA should be told this.

Shut the door on your way out.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Wonder how Steve Evans will fare without the fact he hasn't got the emergency loan system to make expensive short-term loan signings like he did at Rotherham which got them over the line twice in two seasons to get them promoted.

I don't think Mansfield will do badly this season, but I think Evans will seriously be found out this year...

 

[Vanni]

Still thinking about how Mandron (I think) missed that sitter, with what, 10 mins left?. Forde was absolutely helpless and he had no chance of keeping it out. oHe was literally rooted to the spot. That miss was far worse than the free header they got in injury time, IMO of course, though it looks like my fellow U's don't agree with me. Not for the first time I have to say.

BTW, cheers Carver for creating this thread. Handy for whenever I don't fell like starting a thread.

 

[Carver]

Still thinking about how Mandron (I think) missed that sitter, with what, 10 mins left?. Forde was absolutely helpless and he had no chance of keeping it out. oHe was literally rooted to the spot. That miss was far worse than the free header they got in injury time, IMO of course, though it looks like my fellow U's don't agree with me. Not for the first time I have to say.

BTW, cheers Carver for creating this thread. Handy for whenever I don't fell like starting a thread.

No problem m8.

It is more or less for the 'meh' type matches that get played which is why Cambridge and Newport fans are mainly using it.

Oh sorry you're a Cambridge fan aren't you.

 

[GTFCfish]

No problem m8.

It is more or less for the 'meh' type matches that get played which is why Cambridge and Newport fans are mainly using it.

Oh sorry you're a Cambridge fan aren't you.

 

[Carver]

Ok it was a bad joke Fish but at least I try.

 

[Chris FGR]

Ok it was a bad joke Fish but at least I try.

So does he. Very hard.

 

[Carver]

So does he. Very hard.

How you finding life in L2 then Chris?

 

[Chris FGR]

How you finding life in L2 then Chris?

Look out of our depth on the pitch conceding a fuck load but decent away trips and better atmosphere. Wycombe especially was good, had beer tent at ground and would also recommend the White Horse pub for its entertainment.

 

[Carver]

Look out of our depth on the pitch conceding a fuck load but decent away trips and better atmosphere. Wycombe especially was good, had beer tent at ground and would also recommend the White Horse pub for its entertainment.

I would like to see you cope in this league at least, you add something new and refreshing to it, we don't want to instead see the likes of Dagenham etc up here again.

Just something about your club that is interesting.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Look out of our depth on the pitch conceding a fuck load but decent away trips and better atmosphere. Wycombe especially was good, had beer tent at ground and would also recommend the White Horse pub for its entertainment.

For the first few matches in 15/16 it felt like that for us too - the opposition seemed to be faster, bigger and more organised than what we were used to and we had to fight hard for any win. Eventually, Martin Allen managed to refresh our squad and got them properly drilled, which ensured that we had a very comfortable season. Whether you do depends on Mark Cooper and refreshing your squad is harder to do now than it was two seasons ago.

 

[Chris FGR]

For the first few matches in 15/16 it felt like that for us too - the opposition seemed to be faster, bigger and more organised than what we were used to and we had to fight hard for any win. Eventually, Martin Allen managed to refresh our squad and got them properly drilled, which ensured that we had a very comfortable season. Whether you do depends on Mark Cooper and refreshing your squad is harder to do now than it was two seasons ago.

Cheers good to hear it's not just us. Everyone always says there isn't much of a gap between the leagues but from what I've seen there definitely is and we're struggling to cope so far. 9 different defenders and 2 keepers used already in 5 games, but we're still shipping 3 a game. Keep on like that we'll end up conceding 138 which won't keep us up. We seem very naive and look like a lower division side in a cup tie against most teams. Got to improve quick.

 

[Carver]

Cheers good to hear it's not just us. Everyone always says there isn't much of a gap between the leagues but from what I've seen there definitely is and we're struggling to cope so far. 9 different defenders and 2 keepers used already in 5 games, but we're still shipping 3 a game.

That gap is a strange one, Bristol Rovers got promoted from this league at the first attempt after coming back up via the play offs, yet the likes of Cheltenham who walked the conference ended up struggling in their first season back up here last season.

Some teams are ready and prepared, whereas some really aren't.

 

[Trapdoor]

We got promote to L1 in the first season we came up, but we just had a really good squad in those few years. Lots of the players ended up in the championship and Matt Taylor at CB was amazing for us before he eventually moved to Charlton.

I'd expect to see a few of those Bristol Rovers players step up to the championship as well. The teams which piss this league either tend to have massive budgets or massively under-rated players.

 

[jacobncfc]

Was the same with the Stevenage team who went straight up under Westley, they had the likes of Lawrie Wilson, Michael Bostwick, John Mousinho, Joel Byrom and Scott Laird who all went on to be good in higher leagues.

I think those who come up with young teams and players on the way up tend to do better. Those who are built to be solid and out of former league players tend to struggle more. That was certainly the case for Cheltenham and looks to be somewhat similar for Forest Green. A lot of their key players from last season (Doidge, Noble, Marsh-Brown, Traore) were players who had struggled in the league before and had to drop down, so it's maybe not such a huge surprise that they're struggling with the step back up.

 

[Vanni]

I was actually one of those who believed that the gap between the two leagues (bottom 12 L2 sides v Top 5/6 Conf sides) was so small it was almost non existent. I was wrong, though I only changed my mind after the U's were some 10 games into the season, unlike the FGR fans who acknowledged the gap almost instantly.

Still, and having said that, FGR deffo weren't helped by the FA's fixture list compiler. I think the sides they've played so far (bar Yeovil) will all make the top 10 this year, even Col U who I reckon have just got off to a poor start, so the true test for FGR is when they come up against the lower ranked sides. I mean, if it were my side that played Mansfield, Wycombe and Col U away instead of FGR, the most I'd hope for would be two points.

***waits for Adam Stag to tell us the conference is shit***

 

[Greenacres]

There is definitely a gap and I'm not surprised at all that it looks like we may face a season of struggle just to avoid heading back from whence we came. A few years ago we played Northampton in the cup, when they were really struggling near the bottom of the league and we were doing fairly well, we made them look like Brazil. I think it is fair to say that most seasons you have a few teams in this division who fall into the basket case category, all you need to do to stay up is be a little more organised and less bad than they are. Talking with Cheltenham fans, yes I do know a few, they are really worried this season and fearful of relegation.

Only five games played so far, I usually reckon on it taking about ten to see who is pulling up trees and who is likely to struggle, others may be starting to panic but I'm not...yet!

 

[Optipez]

With the loan system as it now is , it's really hard for a team to get out of a rut as you can't pep the squad up.
If you can't change the team there's only the manager left to give a boost, so the pressure on managers in the bottom eight is huge. Chairmen get desperate, not just because of the league positions, but the dropping revenue streams when the crowds drop off. All relegation s are bad but the drop to the Conference feels like the end of the world is coming and chairmen must look at the likes of Wrexham, Stockport , York and Darlington and feel their insides quiver at the thought of funding their own personal black holes.

As for FGR, I'm not sure Cooper has ever done enough to be a league manager whereas the Cowleys are on a serious roll.
So far Crawley , Port Vale and Newport have surprised me with their starts although Newport had good form at the back end of last season and have built on that and Port Vale have followed theirs on from last season too I suppose.

 

[Trapdoor]

Wouldn't even be surprised to see FGR take points off us this week. The nature of this league is that on the right day anyone can beat anyone else.

There's not a massive gulf between the top and bottom halves in L2.

 

[Luke Imp]

The gap isn't a surprise for me and whilst people are/were jumping up and down for a third promotion spot, I've never been convinced there's the quality in the NL to warrant it. There was a slight bottle neck of very good sides probably 3 or 4 years ago, but not anymore.

You can finish 7th in the NL this season get in the PO's! Imagine finished closer to mid-table than top of the league and getting promoted.

GK's are the main difference I've seen at the minute, which drills home just how bad some of them are in the NL. You used to sit there wondering how they could possibly have let that shot in, whilst in our opening games you've been wondering how they've kept some of them out. Last time we were in L2, GK's weren't really noticed by me so that probably gives you an idea of the gap there.

I'm still not sure where we're going to fit in because we've had a tough start, really. Played all the losing PO sides now, along with Wycombe who just missed out. Now we head to 2nd placed Stevenage before 4 local derbies in quick succession.

 

[Carver]

Why did Fifa introduce this terrible loan system?

 

[shoddycollins]

Why did Fifa introduce this terrible loan system?

Don't know about that one, but on a related note, Shaun Harvey really does live on another planet doesn't he?
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/carlis...shots-5e9954ae-4e7a-4780-af8d-cb99e5142bf1-ds

I'll bring this up next time I'm in the pub and the topic of David Beckham's five games at Preston naturally comes up, as it always does.

I'm really not sure what point he's trying to make by referencing the fact that some England internationals have at an early stage in their careers played a handful or zero games at a lower level, as if this is proof that B teams in the Checkatrade will win England the world cup given the fact that.

a) None of these players played many games for lower league sides,
b) Every proposal he suggests makes it even less likely we'll be producing future internationals down here,
c) The only constant over the last fifty years is England's disappointing showings in finals stages.

So either he's under the impression that David Beckham's brief loan spell at Preston laid the foundations of his international career, highlights of which include kicking Diego Simeone and scoring a free kick against Greece in a qualifier; or he's unaware it was a short loan and thinks Beckham came through Preston's youth system. Also he's either somehow of the opinion that Joe Hart's apprenticeship and subsequent first team season at Shrewsbury can be replicated by letting the kids Premier League clubs have been stockpiling have a handful of games per season against lower league clubs who barely even take it seriously themselves or he actually thinks Joe Hart's wrist would not have been snapped by Sigurdsson's pearoller if only he had spent his formative years hooked up to electrodes in Man City's training complex instead of helping Shrewsbury get promoted from the Conference.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Don't know about that one, but on a related note, Shaun Harvey really does live on another planet doesn't he?
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/carlis...shots-5e9954ae-4e7a-4780-af8d-cb99e5142bf1-ds

I'll bring this up next time I'm in the pub and the topic of David Beckham's five games at Preston naturally comes up, as it always does.

I'm really not sure what point he's trying to make by referencing the fact that some England internationals have at an early stage in their careers played a handful or zero games at a lower level, as if this is proof that B teams in the Checkatrade will win England the world cup given the fact that.

a) None of these players played many games for lower league sides,
b) Every proposal he suggests makes it even less likely we'll be producing future internationals down here,
c) The only constant over the last fifty years is England's disappointing showings in finals stages.

So either he's under the impression that David Beckham's brief loan spell at Preston laid the foundations of his international career, highlights of which include kicking Diego Simeone and scoring a free kick against Greece in a qualifier; or he's unaware it was a short loan and thinks Beckham came through Preston's youth system. Also he's either somehow of the opinion that Joe Hart's apprenticeship and subsequent first team season at Shrewsbury can be replicated by letting the kids Premier League clubs have been stockpiling have a handful of games per season against lower league clubs who barely even take it seriously themselves or he actually thinks Joe Hart's wrist would not have been snapped by Sigurdsson's pearoller if only he had spent his formative years hooked up to electrodes in Man City's training complex instead of helping Shrewsbury get promoted from the Conference.

Slight correction there, Joe Hart only played two matches in 03/04 so he hardly helped them get promoted from the Conference!

 

[Carver]

Don't know about that one, but on a related note, Shaun Harvey really does live on another planet doesn't he?
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/carlis...shots-5e9954ae-4e7a-4780-af8d-cb99e5142bf1-ds

I'll bring this up next time I'm in the pub and the topic of David Beckham's five games at Preston naturally comes up, as it always does.

I'm really not sure what point he's trying to make by referencing the fact that some England internationals have at an early stage in their careers played a handful or zero games at a lower level, as if this is proof that B teams in the Checkatrade will win England the world cup given the fact that.

a) None of these players played many games for lower league sides,
b) Every proposal he suggests makes it even less likely we'll be producing future internationals down here,
c) The only constant over the last fifty years is England's disappointing showings in finals stages.

So either he's under the impression that David Beckham's brief loan spell at Preston laid the foundations of his international career, highlights of which include kicking Diego Simeone and scoring a free kick against Greece in a qualifier; or he's unaware it was a short loan and thinks Beckham came through Preston's youth system. Also he's either somehow of the opinion that Joe Hart's apprenticeship and subsequent first team season at Shrewsbury can be replicated by letting the kids Premier League clubs have been stockpiling have a handful of games per season against lower league clubs who barely even take it seriously themselves or he actually thinks Joe Hart's wrist would not have been snapped by Sigurdsson's pearoller if only he had spent his formative years hooked up to electrodes in Man City's training complex instead of helping Shrewsbury get promoted from the Conference.

That Harvey bloke is a greedy suit and tie c***.

 

[shoddycollins]

Slight correction there, Joe Hart only played two matches in 03/04 so he hardly helped them get promoted from the Conference!

Must have had two seasons with them then. I owe Shaun Harvey an apology

 

[Carver]

Must have had two seasons with them then. I owe Shaun Harvey an apology

He doesn't talk to people below him, you know, peasants.

 

[Chris FGR]

Wasn't Harvey involved in some dodgy shit when he was chief exec at Leeds under Ken Bates' ownership? Something to do with Yorkshire Radio?

 

[Vanni]

Yes he was. Check out HabbinAlan's post on the Shaun Harvey wit and wisdom thread.

 

[Forza Imps]

Any Grimsby fans want to recommend a pub in Stevenage and how to avoid being detained and waterboarded by the stewards?

 

[rudebwoyben]

Any Grimsby fans want to recommend a pub in Stevenage and how to avoid being detained and waterboarded by the stewards?

I fear that this is an impossible task!