League 2 General Chat Thread

[darren gregory]

I hear ya Darren but that's pretty much what all lower league clubs do when it comes to playing Prem clubs Vs L2 clubs.

Just when all things seemed to blowing in the right direction for Vale, with plenty of positive pat on the back type posts on here. It seemed to all gone a bit Pete Tong in recent times , just a blip? Or typical Vale.

Typical Vale, in fairness after the cup draw was made we lost the first game v Walsall then went 6 unbeaten in the League.
I guess it is the life of a League 2 supporter but nonetheless is a frustrating as hell. We sure have no divine right to beat anybody, certainly can't turn up thinking we are big time charlies as clearly we aren't.

There is something peculiar that in the games against the top 9 only Exeter have beaten us ( comfortably ) but we have beaten 5 of the others.

Took 1 point from 6 off Macc, 3 out of 6 Morecambe( lucky to do so ) and only 2 points off those strugglers Mansfield

I think it is just life in League 2 and inconsistency is why they are at Port Vale rather than higher up the food chain.

 

[darren gregory]

For us if anything it's the opposite. Being cat 2 academy we have to enter the u23 and 18 leagues playing teams like Leeds, Burnley, Sheff Utd ect who have far bigger squads. We often have to use members of the first team squad to make the numbers up. We've had u23 away games down south before vs the likes of QPR on a Friday night, before having a league game on the Saturday with players involved in both.

That seems madness financially ? Though at least Crewe benefit from the youngsters coming through in the main.
We have got Smith and Gibbons but most fall by the wayside and are released.

Just seems an unhealthy situation for ourselves that players are only getting training to impress. Reserve games were also beneficial to any long term injuries being gently coaxed back to fitness.
The people who have mentioned there reserve sides it doesn't seem like they are big leagues either, i guess Football is totally changing and finances dictate.

 

[valefan16]

Typical Vale, in fairness after the cup draw was made we lost the first game v Walsall then went 6 unbeaten in the League.
I guess it is the life of a League 2 supporter but nonetheless is a frustrating as hell. We sure have no divine right to beat anybody, certainly can't turn up thinking we are big time charlies as clearly we aren't.

There is something peculiar that in the games against the top 9 only Exeter have beaten us ( comfortably ) but we have beaten 5 of the others.

Took 1 point from 6 off Macc, 3 out of 6 Morecambe( lucky to do so ) and only 2 points off those strugglers Mansfield

I think it is just life in League 2 and inconsistency is why they are at Port Vale rather than higher up the food chain.

If you include the FA Cup (Leasing isn't serious enough but we beat Macc and Drew Mansfield in that)

Current Top 7 -

P8 W6 D1 L1

Bottom 7

P11 W3 D6 L2

The 1 we lost at Exeter we had an injury crisis too after three got carried off the game before and Gibbo pulled up in the warm up.

 

[darren gregory]

Why does Askey not choose to utilise his subs? Lack of squad depth or just a stubbornness to keep things the way they are? Vale has used the least subs of any team in the league (56), 22 less than Cambridge who have used the most. Just seems like a missed opportunity on a consistent basis to change things up.

It isn't long ago mate we were all lauding the strength of our bench.
But as time has gone on and they were given opportunity in the Leasing thing , they were flat and didn't perform. Askey as the Macc fan says wasn't the greatest user of subs whilst he was there. But his reluctance now is bordering on ridiculous.
Mansfield for example were battering us in the last 10 minutes, make a defensive sub and also it kills the momentum Mansfield were gathering. Instead nothing to shore up the defence and we conceded in the 93rd or whatever.
Seems after the none show at Salford he has lost trust in the back up players. We have pretty much had 10 of the same 11 for weeks and weeks now. Only injury prevents a full house.

 

[darren gregory]

If you include the FA Cup (Leasing isn't serious enough but we beat Macc and Drew Mansfield in that)

Current Top 7 -

P8 W6 D1 L1

Bottom 7

P11 W3 D6 L2

The 1 we lost at Exeter we had an injury crisis too after three got carried off the game before and Gibbo pulled up in the warm up.

Don't judge the Leasing as scratch sides. In fairness Exeter beat us at a canter , we beat Plymouth with numerous injuries.

 

[valefan16]

Don't judge the Leasing as scratch sides. In fairness Exeter beat us at a canter , we beat Plymouth with numerous injuries.

Yeah but we lost Gibbons as well ending up with Kennedy at right back! *Shudder*

 

[Dave-Vale]

I’m still annoyed about the abject performance last night.

We were crying out to change things 10 minutes into the game. We just looked clueless last night just like we did under Aspin, there was no real pattern or creativity in our attacking play at all.

Askey doesn’t strike me as a motivator as he can’t seem to get the players fired up for those sort of games. His signings have also been pretty poor (other than Jake Taylor who I think was forced on the club because of Sproson being the kids agent).

I’d be happy with a mid table finish now as I don’t think we will make the play offs.

 

[valefan16]

I’m still annoyed about the abject performance last night.

We were crying out to change things 10 minutes into the game. We just looked clueless last night just like we did under Aspin, there was no real pattern or creativity in our attacking play at all.

Askey doesn’t strike me as a motivator as he can’t seem to get the players fired up for those sort of games. His signings have also been pretty poor (other than Jake Taylor who I think was forced on the club because of Sproson being the kids agent).

I’d be happy with a mid table finish now as I don’t think we will make the play offs.

His signings haven't been too bad... Burgess for example is a great signing and does seem to be one of those who can get a sum better than its parts types but he has signed a few pointless ones, Kennedy and Lloyd for a start!

Always assumed Kevan would be able to fire them up as hes a louder character.

 

[denzel ecfc]

We have a team in the central league, but there are hardly any teams in that so think we've played 2 games all season.

Taylor binned it off because he thought it wasnt competitive enough.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

For a few years we had a team in a local amateur league. It was ostensibly for the kids, but some weeks our team would have five or six pros in it and walk games. And then the next week fifteen year olds were playing. Our results were not consistent!

 

[GTFCfish]

Not only do we have a reserve team but we also have full Twitter coverage of all of the games just as if it was a first team game.
Probably belongs in the tinpot thread to be honest.

 

[valefan16]

Not only do we have a reserve team but we also have full Twitter coverage of all of the games just as if it was a first team game.
Probably belongs in the tinpot thread to be honest.

We did last year, in fact we even had the local paper and reporter doing a live feed! Sure we played you guys in that.

Because under Smurf we had such a bloated squad we used to smash most teams as we’d have full pros making up the full XI.

 

[Andy Proctor]

We have been poor the last 3 games combination of being tired and not good enough I'd say. 4 away games in 2 weeks isn't great for any team. We were never going win last night we were abysmal Saturday yet scrapped a win at stevenage cant play poorly every game and expect to keep picking points up

 

[Bottega Don]

We play Bradford on Saturday and it's only going one way. Eoin Doyle is absolutely scoring, his goal record against us is incredible, he's scored more goals than appearances against us. If Van Veen and Gilliead are still injured then we don't stand a chance, we won't even have a shot without them two. With Van Veen potentially injured and Novak suspended, that will pave the way for either Jamie Proctor or George Miller (both ex Bradford) to make their first starts since October and August respectively. They've both shite so I hope neither start.

 

[darren gregory]

Not sure really if this is the right place to post this.
Sad news today in our local paper the 23 year old son of our ex goalkeeping legend Paul Musselwhite ( 312 Vale games and over 200 for Scunny ) has taken his own life after years battling depression.

As a father of a 22 year old son no words must be able to describe the tragedy the Musselwhite family are going through.

God bless to Ronan and deepest condolences to Paul and his family.

 

[Bottega Don]

Not sure really if this is the right place to post this.
Sad news today the 23 year old son of our ex goalkeeping legend Paul Musselwhite ( 312 Vale games and over 200 for Scunny ) has taken his own life after years battling depression.

As a father of a 22 year old son no words must be able to describe the tragedy the Musselwhite family are going through.

God bless to Ronan and deepest condolences to Paul and his family.

Very sad news, it happened last week as Musselwhite is our GK coach and all of our players hugged him after our goal last weekend. Condolences to the family.

 

[Bottega Don]

Paul Hurst has said we had 10 fit outfield players training today, saturday is not going to be fun.

 

[HutchECFC]

Bit early I know, but 900 already sold for Swindon on Feb 1st, if we get to 1000 then they’ll open behind the goal too. Can’t see it being many more than 1500 if that though. Will depend on next couple results.

 

[Luke Imp]

We have a reserve team again, didn't for a few seasons, not sure what league and how many games but they did play last week against Rotherham.

Looking at their fixtures/results they also play/played Donny, Walsall, Scunny and for some reason Mansfield U21

We must've just missed each other then because we scrapped ours and brought it back under the guise of an U23/development squad, but because there weren't any decent teams in the league and we were beating them 10-0, 14-0 etc every time we scrapped it and just set up friendlies instead and generally head of to Leicester, Sheffield United, Forest etc.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Football. We played absolute rubbish in the first half. Our opponents should have scored four easy goals in the first twenty minutes. We win 3-1. Crazy. This is why we go each week.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

I have come to the conclusion that Lowe is a genius. Not since Ali v Foreman have I seen rope a dope, and never in a football match! He must have read the reports that you are unfit, and decided to let you tire yourselves out in the first twenty five minutes as you had gilt-edged chance after chance. And low and behold you ran out of puff.

Pearce was very good, probably best man on the pitch.

 

[valefan16]

Imagine actually being associated with this.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1218563667962290177

View attachment 12441

Must clubs would have no fans left!

Guess it’s a sleepy little village in Gloucestershire so not quite the working class city sides most of us support like Vale, Oldham, Crewe, Bradfords et al but it’s part of football.

 

[Chris FGR]

You lot don't seem to know the real story here.

Always had loads of swearing, this is a pretext to get rid of some of those that are protesting about the stadium move, having a go at Vince/Cooper etc. Been an on running issue between the regime and the South Stand bods for a couple of years now.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

Imagine actually being associated with this.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1218563667962290177

View attachment 12441

Only 58?
If that's what being a vegan does to you, I'll stick to being a carnivore...

 

[Chris FGR]

It's not foul language the club are really targeting, it's alleged abuse towards members of staff or the fuck Eco Park chants etc they are trying to eliminate. If those same fans were chanting pro regime stuff there would be no action taken whatsoever. Easy to use the 'family club' spiel when it suits, and turn a blind eye the rest of the time.

It was only a few weeks ago that Cooper swore during an interview live on air, DV has dropped an F bomb live on air too. And then there was this on Vince's twitter.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1175006993326755841

And yet suddenly swearing at the ground is seen as a shocking offence and clamped down on, give me a break.

 

[Tarzan]

I'm of the belief that when a man reaches the age of about 45 only a very moderate hairstyle is acceptable. On that basis, I can't bring myself to like Mr Vince.

 

[Son of Cod]

Paul Hurst has said we had 10 fit outfield players training today, saturday is not going to be fun.

How is this even possible? Your chairman was on Radio Humberside saying your wage budget is in excess of £3M this season and you have an entirely separate U23 squad?

It's not foul language the club are really targeting, it's alleged abuse towards members of staff or the fuck Eco Park chants etc they are trying to eliminate. If those same fans were chanting pro regime stuff there would be no action taken whatsoever. Easy to use the 'family club' spiel when it suits, and turn a blind eye the rest of the time.

It was only a few weeks ago that Cooper swore during an interview live on air, DV has dropped an F bomb live on air too. And then there was this on Vince's twitter.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1175006993326755841

And yet suddenly swearing at the ground is seen as a shocking offence and clamped down on, give me a break.

Oh wow, so the hippy free for all is actually a facist regime?

 

[Chris FGR]

How is this even possible? Your chairman was on Radio Humberside saying your wage budget is in excess of £3M this season and you have an entirely separate U23 squad?


Oh wow, so the hippy free for all is actually a facist regime?

No, but dissent is not welcome. FGR is a publicity vehicle for Ecotricity and nothing is allowed to damage that.

 

[Son of Cod]

No, but dissent is not welcome. FGR is a publicity vehicle for Ecotricity and nothing is allowed to damage that.

Admittedly, we're talking about middle class fans of a football club in the Cotswolds...but it's still a form of oppression what the authorities at your club are doing.

 

[Chris FGR]

The club is much more geared towards the corporate/VIP side then ever before, fans barred from areas they used to be allowed, security on every door, heavy handed stewarding, all the standing fans treated like second class citizens and no anti regime opinions are allowed. Great to get all the international press attention, just don't let them talk to or see the South Standers. Hippy free for all my arse.