National League Play-off Thread 2017/18

[Soup Ladle]

I think it's more that we have won the little clubs over by not being Billy big bollocks

The majority of you on here have been sound with one or two exceptions (think you know who I'm on about). Always thought Tranmere were alright personally, we've played each other in 3 leagues now and been involved in some big games together. Good luck next season.

Constantly get people trying to wind us up on the Facebook page now that you're gone too. I saw someone say we're not in the same league as Hartlepool when it comes to the size of our club, wonder what Master D makes of that.

If it makes you happy, I'll concede that you're a historically a little bit bigger than us (although our attendances will be closer if we get our act together next season).

I'm happy to re- assume our glamorous title of the FOURTH biggest club in the National League for the second season running. Do we get something for that momentous honour?

 

[Mark kavanagh]

Sutton were the ones that tried to boot off against us then complained to the police when it looked like getting tasty...

 

[chief]

The majority of you on here have been sound with one or two exceptions (think you know who I'm on about). Always thought Tranmere were alright personally, we've played each other in 3 leagues now and been involved in some big games together. Good luck next season.



If it makes you happy, I'll concede that you're a historically a little bit bigger than us (although our attendances will be closer if we get our act together next season).

I'm happy to re- assume our glamorous title of the FOURTH biggest club in the National League for the second season running. Do we get something for that momentous honour?

You're still in the Brotherhood.

 

[Soup Ladle]

You're still in the Brotherhood.

That's a god given right. Was thinking some of you tightfisted gits might present us with something. Oh well, how very fucking tinpot of you.

 

[Master D]

There’s no arguing or ranking in the Brotherhood. All 4 proper sides are big clubs in their own right.

 

[Pliny Harris]

I find it amazing how much times have changed since we were in the conference.....granted a long time ago.

In our time, the ex league sides were absolutely HATED and we'd never never got any praise or good wishes heading into the final, in fact we played Stevenage when Westley was at the height of his hatred by non-league fans (having not long since f*cked up Farnborough) and even then Stevenage got the popular support in the final..........Mind we were helped during our time within the league by the brilliant 'arsenal of the conference' line from York (amazingly superbly apt now in respect of gradully got f*cking worse over the last 5-6 years)

Yet last 3-4 seasons has been very much changed with the types of small non-league club being so hated that even supporting the ex league side is perfectly fine and a much better option.

think back 12 years ago the majority of the non-league sides were on whole long-term well built hard working clubs which deserved a chance like Morecambe, Dagenham, Stevenage and co...........while now its sides far far too small for the FL, badly built, tiny support and bankrolled which seems to have even the small club fans detest them with a passion.

Would agree that it certainly depends on the climate. Before here I was on the Non-League Forum which was later taken down, and they relished telling all the AFCs of this world that they weren't so famous anymore. Before that was a forum called Non-League Zone that dealt with the Northern Premier Leagues and my god was that Royston Vaseyish! Serious clubs that, with credit to them for not having the Tamplin Football Manager complex, were as proud of not getting promoted as they were not getting relegated from the Evo-Stik. Some very funny sorts there. They thought we were an indifferent team at this level and that Jamie Vardy was a load of hype, then when we became champions they decided we'd been bankrolled...

Feels slightly unsympathetic on our team's forum too, lots of fans going out of their way to say how unsympathetic they are towards the fallen stars. Largely they sympathise with shared tales of destitution and misery though. I think there are distinct attitudes between BELT sides (and even SELT sides like us), small traditional clubs whose relative success feels well deserved, and fly-by-night new money sides.

In my fantasy land, divisions and clubs are largely ranked by the support and custom they can garner from their local reaches, with the occasional "by-Jiminy-they've-done-it" success story from a little side with a tight-knit squad and wonder manager. Non-league's top flight remains a place where a few worlds collide, but it doesn't stop it from being interesting.

 

[getoutofit]

Your players will have the last laugh when you finish above Macclesfield next season.

That's not intended to bait Macc fans, but Accrington and Chesterfield aside, League Two has a better habit of keeping up with The Natural Order™.

I can already see the first game of next season:

Tranmere 1 (Hancox og 90+7) Macclesfield 0 (Hancox s/off 90+8)

 

[Mark kavanagh]

That's a god given right. Was thinking some of you tightfisted gits might present us with something. Oh well, how very fucking tinpot of you.

You may have the award ofthe best away supporters to visit pp last season, closely followed by wrexham and macc

 

[Tin Roofs & Stone Steps]

Chuck Bromley in there too, they have an unfortunate set of fans who like to take their shirts off when they shout 'COME ON THEN'.

It was hot and they were waving their arms about shirtless trying to cool down...
It’s thouroughly embarrassing to be honest. A few over exuberant teeny boppers acting like prats, however tedious it is, I get it and it’s largely harmless but there are a few absolute morons who overstep, you won’t see them week to week either.
They drain on me as much as they do you.

 

[MTFC_07]

Your players will have the last laugh when you finish above Macclesfield next season.

That's not intended to bait Macc fans, but Accrington and Chesterfield aside, League Two has a better habit of keeping up with The Natural Order™.

Our players won't care as none of them will play for Macclesfield!

 

[Blue Lion]

Your players will have the last laugh when you finish above Macclesfield next season.

That's not intended to bait Macc fans, but Accrington and Chesterfield aside, League Two has a better habit of keeping up with The Natural Order™.

If Tranmere don't finish above us next season then they will have massively underachieved again. With their stature and budget they should walk all over us in league 2. I don't think any Macc fan would really dispute that.

 

[Silver Stone]

Congratulations Tranmere! Happy for you and your fans, who were always welcoming to us Stones at PP and good humoured down here too. Less happy we have Wood again next season, but you take the rough with the smooth I guess.

 

[chief]

It was hot and they were waving their arms about shirtless trying to cool down...
It’s thouroughly embarrassing to be honest. A few over exuberant teeny boppers acting like prats, however tedious it is, I get it and it’s largely harmless but there are a few absolute morons who overstep, you won’t see them week to week either.
They drain on me as much as they do you.

Every club has them.

 

[chief]

If Tranmere don't finish above us next season then they will have massively underachieved again. With their stature and budget they should walk all over us in league 2. I don't think any Macc fan would really dispute that.

Yep, good.

 

[Boz]

There are a few things I'll miss with going up to the FL. Met some decent travelling fans in and around PP, Maidstone seemed a good bunch, but also Ebbsfleet and Dover, though not sure I'd extend that to the teams the Whites have sent to PP over the last 3 seasons... Some good away grounds crossed off my list, they were friendly at Guiseley, great ground with character at The Shay, might go back sometime, as my local NL side now, even Boreham wood wasn't that bad as a visiting fan. No more games against our Welsh rivals, while the main Cheshire derby will be v Crewe now, though it's good to keep the fixture with Macclesfield given recent battles.

Rovers were down in NL because we deserved to be and I think most Rovers posters on this forum have accepted that. It's been an eye-opener, but hopefully we'll only play you all again in friendlies, cup games or when you get promoted yourselves.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Not sure that Boreham Wood even played better with 11 than our 10. Yes they had more possession but did nothing with it and in fact we ended up with plenty of attempts on goal.

Read before the playoffs that the players who excel are the ones that should be in a higher l ague. Norwood undoubtedly dragged us through them with two heroic performances, but I’d imagine Andrade would look a much better player at Tranmere than Boreham Wood.

 

[Pablosammy]

Congratulations Tranmere! Happy for you and your fans, who were always welcoming to us Stones at PP and good humoured down here too. Less happy we have Wood again next season, but you take the rough with the smooth I guess.

Maidstone have great fans with a sense of humour. I'll be keeping an eye out for 'those' match reports in future!

 

[Chris FGR]

Its been a pleasure to have your company for the last 3 years ive never met a more gracious educated bunch in my life ..... apart from fgr chris (sorry mate) !

Well luckily for you we stayed up, so unlike all these gracious educated non league twats, I'll be seeing you next season mucka.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Not sure that Boreham Wood even played better with 11 than our 10. Yes they had more possession but did nothing with it and in fact we ended up with plenty of attempts on goal.

Read before the playoffs that the players who excel are the ones that should be in a higher l ague. Norwood undoubtedly dragged us through them with two heroic performances, but I’d imagine Andrade would look a much better player at Tranmere than Boreham Wood.

Yep, they didn’t move the ball around quickly enough and even with 10 men Tranmere carried an attacking threat and were more incisive in attack. Mellon’s changes worked!

 

[The_Boss]

Those pesky little scamps for Birkenhead have had the last laugh on Mitch Hancock with a little return video from the Wembley dressing room on Saturday. Can't be arsed posting the video, cos basically don't know how on my phone!!

No rivalry though.

 

[Huntsman94]

Those pesky little scamps for Birkenhead have had the last laugh on Mitch Hancock with a little return video from the Wembley dressing room on Saturday. Can't be arsed posting the video, cos basically don't know how on my phone!!

No rivalry though.

Not seen the video.. But when you get called 'pricks' and 'wankers' you can't forgive em for retaliating. Extra edge to this fixture next season from nowhere!

 

[Dean]

Finally caught up on this thread after being out for the last three days drinking, what a weekend!

The sense of relief to win on Saturday and make it back to the EFL is indescribable. Feels like the weight of the world has been lifted and my club is on its way back.

It’s not been all bad, made some great friends along the way and memories to last a lifetime. There has been some very complimentary messages on here and it’s great to see a touch of class from majority of posters from numerous clubs. I’m on here everyday but rarely post but had to after reading through.

I know I’ll continue to be on the non-league section regularly next year and follow events closely. Good luck to each and everyone of you next season, all the best.

The whites are going up...

 

[Meadow]

Congratulations Tranmere and welcome back to the Football League.

Non-league is an interesting beast and it gets to you even if you think you're too good to be there. I went from supporting a Championship (and recently Premiership) club to a level 8/9 club and I loved our time in non-league. I've made many friends from the clubs we've played and it says a lot that a forum I moderate, ostensibly for the National League, has posters from the likes of Oxford, Yeovil, Morecambe, Cambridge, Stevenage, AFC Wimbledon, Exeter and others.

I do still miss non-league despite us having been in the FL for 6 years.

 

[E10rifle]

I do still miss non-league despite us having been in the FL for 6 years.

Swapsies?

 

[JaredSUFC]

Congratulations Tranmere and welcome back to the Football League.

Non-league is an interesting beast and it gets to you even if you think you're too good to be there. I went from supporting a Championship (and recently Premiership) club to a level 8/9 club and I loved our time in non-league. I've made many friends from the clubs we've played and it says a lot that a forum I moderate, ostensibly for the National League, has posters from the likes of Oxford, Yeovil, Morecambe, Cambridge, Stevenage, AFC Wimbledon, Exeter and others.

I do still miss non-league despite us having been in the FL for 6 years.

You're more or less a Sutton fan as well so you still have an interest in non-league Football

 

[DontBringBertie]

Those pesky little scamps for Birkenhead have had the last laugh on Mitch Hancock with a little return video from the Wembley dressing room on Saturday. Can't be arsed posting the video, cos basically don't know how on my phone!!

No rivalry though.

Why would Hancox care if Macc have already been promoted?

Hancox video: "Macc lacking class as always, disgraceful behaviour"

Tranmere video afterwards "Can't blame our players to be honest, just banter".

 

[Meadow]

You're more or less a Sutton fan as well so you still have an interest in non-league Football

Ha! I didn't go to a single Sutton match last season. Spent enough time at your gaff watching Wimbledon Ladies.

 

[Meadow]

Swapsies?

I'll pass.

You'll be back soon enough.