League 2 relegation thread 14/15

[LondonOrn]

Could Tranmere be 'doing a Stockport' as some of their fans have mentioned?

There don't seem to be many Stockport fans left on this forum, have you lot got any hopes for finally pissing the tinpot league that is Conference North?

 

[SamScfc]

There don't seem to be many Stockport fans left on this forum, have you lot got any hopes for finally pissing the tinpot league that is Conference North?

Not really, we had hopes of the play offs this season but we've been shocking in the second half of the season and most fans gave up any hope of the play offs in January. Our manager left a week or so ago and the board have said 'nothing less than promotion' will do, but this could be seen as a way to get more season tickets out of us. But hard to tell really until we get a new manager.

 

[LondonOrn]

In all seriousness and I don't know who's to blame, but even with money-backed clubs like Barrow or Fylde it's a disgrace that a club of your size, infrastructure and revenue through your large fanbase (certainly by sixth tier standards) should fail to even get a play-off place for the second season running, given that through name alone as well as the above factors you should be able to attract some of the very best players at your level. But then football is rarely that simple/predictable...

 

[daviejones]

As if the idea of dropping into non-league is bad enough, I just saw this advert on BT Sport

. Thank god we're safe and i'm so sorry to whoever goes down.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I love that advert!

 

[AdamStag]

How about the grandstand at Braintree? :O

Or the main stand at Eastleigh?

 

[r1ch1e]

I love that advert!

During the dark days of our season (0-0 at home to Southport) some fans came up with Burnett version of that song. "send Burnett on the road he's not working" - A genuine "lol" moment first time I heard it

 

[Laker]

How about the grandstand at Braintree? :O

Or the main stand at Eastleigh?

I went to Braintree a few years ago and I sat in that main stand (they gave Cambridge 50 or so seats in there). The seats in the stand are bolted on to concrete which is cemented on to the actual "steps" of the stand.

Anyway during the game, the whole row of seats started coming away from the steps - the cement wasn't holding the weight of people sitting on the seats. Was pretty tinpot.

 

[Dave-Vale]

Always remember Tranmere as a Division 1 (Championship) side. Can't believe they're fighting for their Football League status.

Would prefer to see Cheltenham and Hartlepool go down if I'm honest. Cheltenham always seemed to have an arrogance about them. They had done right clowns on TFF. Hartlepool (along with Swindon) will NEVER be forgiven for that draw to keep us out of the League One play offs.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Vale fans never shut up about that! Anyway, you relegated us a season or two later so I'd say we're more than even

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

Hartlepool go in the 'Torquay' bracket for me. Cheltenham in the non-league anyway bracket. Tranmere in the Oxford/Luton/Wrexham bracket.

The 'Torquay' bracket means they'd have been relegated at least 5 times if the status quo went back further, and will probably bounce back within 2 years without ever really suffering, or suffering from the ailments of ''but we're too important for finding out what an FGR is''.

As for Tranmere, you're sentenced to five years, with early release for good behaviour.

Cheltenham get a cup of tea and a warm embrace from Macclesfield & co.

 

[hellogregory]

Canvey Island was the most tinpot venue I visited during our season in the conference.

It was a football pitch, with some steps around it, on a bit of grass, in the middle of a housing estate.

There were kids playing football against the wall of the terrace on the bit of grass behind the away end.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

Canvey Island was the most tinpot venue I visited during our season in the conference.

It was a football pitch, with some steps around it, on a bit of grass, in the middle of a housing estate.

There were kids playing football against the wall of the terrace on the bit of grass behind the away end.

We only went there once, and it still doesn't make my top 3 most tinpot! The place definitely does though, that corner of Essex is good as infested.

 

[SamScfc]

In all seriousness and I don't know who's to blame, but even with money-backed clubs like Barrow or Fylde it's a disgrace that a club of your size, infrastructure and revenue through your large fanbase (certainly by sixth tier standards) should fail to even get a play-off place for the second season running, given that through name alone as well as the above factors you should be able to attract some of the very best players at your level. But then football is rarely that simple/predictable...

Admin started the downfall but when we came out of admin we've had absolutely awful owners and some truly shocking managers. If we get this next manager right we might actually get somewhere.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Hartlepool go in the 'Torquay' bracket for me. Cheltenham in the non-league anyway bracket. Tranmere in the Oxford/Luton/Wrexham bracket.

The 'Torquay' bracket means they'd have been relegated at least 5 times if the status quo went back further, and will probably bounce back within 2 years without ever really suffering, or suffering from the ailments of ''but we're too important for finding out what an FGR is''.

As for Tranmere, you're sentenced to five years, with early release for good behaviour.

Cheltenham get a cup of tea and a warm embrace from Macclesfield & co.

Nah if we go down, you'll never see us back. I think we're more the other bracket you stated.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

I really hope that's not the case. That would be the Halifax/Chester/Darlo bracket...

And that's a horrible sight to see.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Ha, Whitehawk and Fylde will make Canvey Island seem like the San Siro..

 

[LondonOrn]

Admin started the downfall but when we came out of admin we've had absolutely awful owners and some truly shocking managers. If we get this next manager right we might actually get somewhere.

Though it makes one wonder if neither Ian Bogie with his excellent record at Gateshead or Jim Gannon in his second stint could turn your fortunes round, who could? The managerial seat at Stockport seems a real poisoned chalice.

 

[Grecian O'Grecian]

What sort of attendance do you think you'll be looking at for our visit, Hartlepool fans?

Sell out?

 

[Pogogacy]

I really hope that's not the case. That would be the Halifax/Chester/Darlo bracket...

And that's a horrible sight to see.

Torquay probably are closer to the Halifax/Chester/Darlington/Scarborough bracket now anyway. When they went down the first time, they had attendances in the Conference which were better than they were getting in League Two (close to 3,000 average as I remember) and a healthy budget which allowed them to sign lots of proven Conference level players like Tim Sillis, Chris Zebroski and Chris Hargreaves, so it was obvious they had a chance of re-establishing themselves as a Football League club provided they could get out of the Conference quickly, which they did.

The situation is very different now. Crowds have slipped to around 1,100, performances and results have been mediocre and they have a budget which is probably barely in the top half of that division (players only on £350 p/w according to a recent BBC article). When Torquay were relegated, I remember someone associated with the club said in the media that they would probably be a Conference level or below club from now on. As an outside looking in, it's hard to disagree.

I wouldn't say that applies to Hartlepool though, just because I always considered them to be on a similar level to York, Mansfield, Exeter etc. size-wise; certainly a bigger club than Torquay. That said, you could probably say the same thing about Darlington, so it's possible Hartlepool could go the same way following relegation, especially if the ownership of the club is as inept as most of their fans seem to think.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Good post. Support wise we'd be top 3/4 in the Conference and we would be by no means the smallest club to drop out of the league. But if we got off to a bad start our crowds would slip but not as low as Torquay's.

Under present owners we'd be more likely looking at a relegation battle. They are just not funding us any more. They stated a few years ago perversely that the club would 'slip out of L1 and even further' if the council didn't sell them the ground. Thank fuck they didn't. Those quotes are really hitting home now - playing roulette with the club's future because the council wouldn't put out. Bastards.

Grecian - I'd reckon about 5-6k. Maybe more but doubt it'll be a sell out.

 

[Southern Shayman]

Just thought I'd add my bit to the whole budget debate.

Whilst next season might be different with Fylde, Barrow and possibly Whitehawk throwing money at it, recently it hasn't been the be all and end all.

We made the play offs last year on a rumoured budget of £250k (albeit that's an anomoly) and Woking got pretty damn close this season on similar. On the flip, FGR have had 3 or 4 years at £1million plus and this is the first year they look like they'll make the play offs.

The absolute key is getting a manager and a team that don't take the league for granted. Especially for Tranmere, playing away at Prenton Park will probably be a pretty big thing in a fair few part time players careers, and they'll perform accordingly. Get grafters in, of course you'll need a bit of quality, but that mentality of giving opponents respect is absolutely key!

Look forward to seeing whichever two of the three it is. Personally think Tranmere are probably the only one with a hope of getting out quickly if they come down.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Was weird for us, We had a big budget but also a team of players who worked there bollocks off. Lee Beevers, John Dempster, Luke Jones, Ritchie Sutton, Anthony Howell, Lindon Meikle, Matt Rhead and Greeny etc. Out of that lot at the time I bet only Green and maybe Beevs were on 1k or more. Also Murray was.

All the players we had on big wages like Exodus, Roberts, Speight, Pilkington were sat in the stands all season. Cox just seemed to buy players from the clubs who would be up there and not use them!

 

[northstandexile]

The manager that would get you out of the Conference who is available is Paul Cox. As long as he signs his ex-Eastwood Town players he would be fine.

 

[AdamStag]

I only think a club only goes into the Chester or hereford bracket if they are badly ran or spend too much wanting to get promotion again straight away.

The amount of money you lose if you go down is well documented so it shouldn't be a shock, it doesn't just leap up at you - you know you lose youth grant money, sponsorship and the lot , you have to budget accordingly.

The issue is most sides don't budget accordingly (and Mansfield did it in our promotion season) an if you budget accordingly you tend to struggle - as TOrquay have done.

The league is full of basket case clubs and its a fucking nightmare to get out of - hartlepool in particular would struggle with away followings.

I think what really did for me was that about 15 games of your season will be a tuesday night as opposed to 4 or 5 in the league.

The fa trophy is the biggest bugbare - it is wank - if you think the JPT is waitrose this is lidl A its a fucking nightmare.

 

[AdamStag]

The manager that would get you out of the Conference who is available is Paul Cox. As long as he signs his ex-Eastwood Town players he would be fine.

Exactly, he only really would work in non- league with his style of football

 

[Soup Ladle]

Why are there so many midweek games?

I suppose fitness must be a massive issue when choosing what players to sign.

 

[AdamStag]

Why are there so many midweek games?

I suppose fitness must be a massive issue when choosing what players to sign.

There are so many midweek marches for a number of reasons.

The FA trophy takes priority over league fixtures and are played on a Saturday. So if you or the team you are due to play is playing tjat Saturday it gets re-arranged.

You enter the fa cup at the 4th qualifying round - so again anyone on a cup run buggers up your fixtures.

Pitches are not the same at all - you have clubs like Braintree where it if rains 20 miles away 2 days before the game will be off.

Fitness plays a big part - part time teams tire towards the end, players like matt Rhead were invaluable for us in the conference

 

[Murphy]

The fact anyone would pay Exodus a wage to play football is an absolute mystery in itself.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Well he never actually played football did he?