National League Play offs Thread 2016. Who will win?

[Luke Imp]

Anyway chaps, sorry to say goodbye, it's been emotional but I'm off back to The League 2 forum now.

You'll end up doing a Vanni.

 

[PaulHaddock]

I'll also keep coming back, been here too long to just forget about it. There'll be several teams I'll be rooting for next year as well. I wonder who'll fill our playoff gap now we can no longer reserve it every year?

 

[Chris FGR]

Cheers, even though i thought that we deserved to win we also had the play off gods smiling on us for once i felt, we both had a shot spilled by the keepers and ours fell for Bogle but yours fell to Nsiala to clear, bogle's first goal deflecting in off your defenders head, couple of goalmouth scrambles you had second half that looked like nailed on goals and then Parkin's miss, on another day it could have been different but after our rotten luck in previous play offs i was more than happy to take it this time.
Strange as well because when your keeper saved the Bogle header and Arnolds shot onto the post, it felt like same old story and we weren't gonna have the luck again, but then everything after that went for us.
I have never clock watched as much at a game than i did that second half though it felt like time was going backwards at some points!
I thought your fans that were there were very good too, barely stopped singing all game and sounded really loud when Marsh Brown scored his cracker.
Finally Marsh Brown i thought was superb all game, certainly didn't deserve to be on the losing side.

Yep KMB is quality, just needs some decent strikers to get on the end of his crosses, and to do it more consistently.

You passed the ball better then us, which is a hangover from the Pennock era which has been hard to shake off in just 2 weeks, but reckon we'll be much more of a footballing side under Cooper.

Gowling, Tait, Arnold and Disley stood out from your team, and Bogle showed good instincts for both goals, even if the first was a bit lucky. Like you say things just didn't fall for us plus we missed some chances when we gave it a go second half, but in the end you deserved to win so no complaints.

Our fans did alright, for those of us who've been there through thick and thin especially it was a great day until the end of the game, shouted meself hoarse getting behind the lads but tough to compete noise wise when your vastly outnumbered. Stayed till after the whistle to clap the team, don't get why anyone leaves early, the players deserve better. Gotta admit it was gut wrenching watching you lift the trophy, but that's how it goes. Pretty much every big game I've seen us in tends to end that way, remember way back as a kid at the Old Wembley crying my eyes out after losing to Kingstonian in the Trophy final. Wasn't as bad this time, drinking makes everything better.

 

[Boz]

I'm not an advocate of the tablet of stone approach to the Football League, evolution is a good thing and promotion/play-offs better than the cosy re-election arrangement it replaced. My view is there ought to be some form of Financial Fair Play at the NL and below, so that clubs can grow rather than be artificially elevated by having vast sums of money slung at them.

With specific reference to Forest Green, my gripe is more on footballing grounds, with the thuggish way they set up against Tranmere at Prenton Park. The fans met that day were fine, as, with the exception of one or two cyber-warriors, are most that post on here. The question for FGR is whether they've grown as much as they can and if the infrastructure and player development is in place to cope when Dale Vince's funding dries up.

 

[GTFCfish]

Can i just say that i no longer wish for 3 up 3 down from League 2 to Conference, 2 up 2 down is plenty thanks!**

**(should we be relegated back here again, i will be open to reconsidering my opinion)

 

[The Jovial Forester]

...
Strange as well because when your keeper saved the Bogle header and Arnolds shot onto the post, it felt like same old story and we weren't gonna have the luck again, but then everything after that went for us...

Ha, I was having similar thoughts, we started with a decent attack but then felt like it was all you but it was tipped onto post or spooned. Maybe God just won't let Grimsby go up via the play-offs I thought. Turns out there is no God after all.

 

[veggieeater]

Thanks GTFC fish, and funny you say about the speed of the second half, few round us said they had never seen the time speed by so much. It was a hugely better game that the tight game at TNL. Ive always enjoyed the Grimsby matches, and will miss you guys next season.

What was the song you all kept singing on the way in? Almost sounded like a prayer...! Cant remember hearing it before?

Massive well done in the end to the fans who stumped up for operation promotion, lets hope that the club manage to harness the huge support for the team in the football league!

 

[les.gtfc]

What was the song you all kept singing on the way in? Almost sounded like a prayer...! Cant remember hearing it before?

That might have been our homage to Podge....

"We've got Amond
Padraig Amond
I just don't think you understand
He's Paul Hurst's man
He's better than Zidane
We've got Padraig Amond"

 

[GTFCfish]

What was the song you all kept singing on the way in? Almost sounded like a prayer...! Cant remember hearing it before?

I had never heard it before yesterday either, i hadn't been to an away game since the Halifax thumping but i managed to pick up the gist of it after listening a few times.
It was a song for Padraig Amond.
It was to the tune of 'Achy Breaky heart', "We've got Amond, Padraig Amond, i just don't think you understand, he's Paul Hurst's man, better than Zidane, we've got Padraig Amond"!

EDIT: See Les beat me to it there!

 

[Luke Imp]

I hope les.gtfc will be sticking around for another week or so to put together the away mileage stats again!!

 

[EnglishRed]

Back home after a brilliant day yesterday. I'm not ashamed to admit I had a tear or two in my eye when the 3rd went in.

Thought we thoroughly deserved the win yesterday as apart from their superb goal I don't think they really troubled our keeper, especially with that miss of Parkins.

Great to see Bogle grab a couple of goals too as Amond had a quiet game yesterday.

It'll also give our players an incentive to sign on again next season as we only have 3 contracted for next season at the minute.

Now to sell a few more thousand tickets and have a big "Goodbye To Non-League" party next week.

Ideal first game next season....Donny away...we take about 5k I reckon.

2 to come up next season for me, Wrexham and Lincoln. Wrexham, as they've served even longer down here than we did and Lincoln for the Derbies and for Lincolnshire football in general.

Anyway chaps, sorry to say goodbye, it's been emotional but I'm off back to The League 2 forum now.

UTM. GTID.

See you Les. Come and see us all on RP now and again.

Us and Lincoln going up next year would be great. With Crawley and someone else equally tinpot coming back down.

It'll probably be FGR champions and Beastleigh beating Ferriby in the play offs in front of 43 supporters.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Well done Grimsby, good luck back in the Football League, you deserve it and on behalf of all REAL football fans, a sincere thank you.

All the in the world will NEVER make Stepford Whores FC a REAL football club. See you in 2017 fuckers.

Maybe, maybe not.
And a time away from the top non-league may give you guys time to learn a lot of contrition and perhaps get rid of that massive chip on both your shoulders.
Your unhinged posts get crazier by the day - real football fans go to watch FGR as they do all other teams throughout the land from Premiership football down to pub sides.
FC Halifax is a small city side with fewer fans than most others in Conference.
I look forward to our trips to Yorkshire now that we don't have to play a relegated Halifax.

 

[FGR Stroud]

A belated congratulations to Grimsby and best wishes for next season.
Your fans outside Wembley were great and it was a pleasure mingling with them.

 

[FGR Stroud]

I usually agree with your statement on slagging off attendances, but what it shows is that FGR does not have the potential to grow much bigger. How can they ever hope to be sustainable as a football club and not depend on Vince's money when they can't even get decent numbers for the biggest game in their history? We, a team renowned for shite support, took more to an FA Cup 3rd Round game at White Hart Lane.

It shows that they are in a false position in terms of their size and it also shows that if/when Vince does pull the plug, if they're lumbered with some of the alleged big contracts still to pay then they will be in a lot of trouble. And as much as I hate this current FGR, I have a lot of time for the old FGR and the fans who have supported them in those times. The ones who will be left to pick up the pieces.

I agree with all that the present FGR home in Nailsworth is an isolated spot but when we move near the Stroud/Stonehouse conurbation FGR will have a bigger catchment area than many lower league clubs. Attendances will rise.
Vince Dale has become over the years even more of a dedicated fan of FGR than when he became chairman. There is no chance of him throwing in the towel.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Well in Grimsby

 

[miagsygas]

Really glad that Grimsby did it.

Grimsby handled themselves brilliantly last year around the final, had a set of fans that would be a credit to the FL and have Disley and Monkhouse.

FGR seemed to use the City fan rhetoric of "overtaking Bristol Rovers as a club in the SW" last year, have numbers that would be embarrassing to the FL and as if Stale Mince wasn't bad enough, they have some nasty shithouses in Pipe, Clough and Parkin.

There was only one deserving winner.

In all honesty, it seems a matter of time before FGR do it, but prolonging it is quite amusing.

 

[Solihull Mooron]

I had never heard it before yesterday either, i hadn't been to an away game since the Halifax thumping but i managed to pick up the gist of it after listening a few times.

Did you not watch the Braintree game? It's the only song I could hear on BT Sport.

 

[les.gtfc]

Away at Tranmere last game of the season was the first time I heard it.

 

[Sparrow]

I still can't quite believe that we've finally done it, we are a Football League team again.
The best thing about it for me is i started taking my lad around 5 years ago so he has only ever seen us in non league, seeing him crying tears of joy yesterday as opposed to 12 months previous tears of sadness made my heart melt, finally we are on our way.

Goodbye GTFC1979.

 

[GTFCfish]

Did you not watch the Braintree game? It's the only song I could hear on BT Sport.

No, don't have BT sport, all through that game just checking twitter.

 

[GTFCfish]

Goodbye GTFC1979.

 

[GTFCfish]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned the ref on here yet other than the Parkin inccident, but i thought he was superb, let the game flow, kept his cards in his pocket and therefore was barely noticed.
I can't even remember the Parkin foul on Gowling so can't comment on that but possibly the best referee i have seen down here.

 

[Chris FGR]

No, don't have BT sport, all through that game just checking twitter.

Stream it?

I don't know if anyone has mentioned the ref on here yet other than the Parkin inccident, but i thought he was superb, let the game flow, kept his cards in his pocket and therefore was barely noticed.
I can't even remember the Parkin foul on Gowling so can't comment on that but possibly the best referee i have seen down here.

He was alright, didn't notice him too much so he must have done well but should have given us a pen. Parkin tackle was fine, you have to allow tackles it's a man's game ffs.

 

[GTFCfish]

He was alright, didn't notice him too much so he must have done well but should have given us a pen. Parkin tackle was fine, you have to allow tackles it's a man's game ffs.

When was the possible pen was it in one of those scrambles in our box?
Just remember thinking you had an easy goal then somehow it didn't go in and McKeown and Gowling on the floor but couldn't really tell what had gone on.
Was the Parkin foul really early in the 2nd half because cueing up to get my lad a £3.20 medium bottle of fanta (ffs) meant i missed the first few minutes of the second half and literally the first thing i saw as i came up the steps was Parkin missing the open goal.

 

[Si Robin]

I agree with all that the present FGR home in Nailsworth is an isolated spot but when we move near the Stroud/Stonehouse conurbation FGR will have a bigger catchment area than many lower league clubs. Attendances will rise.
Vince Dale has become over the years even more of a dedicated fan of FGR than when he became chairman. There is no chance of him throwing in the towel.

Why will they rise? Where's the evidence that they will?

Any fans who will be interested in Forest Green in the future will already be aware of them and will have taken the opportunity to see them play at Wembley. The game was well advertised in Gloucestershire as a whole, I live the other side of the County and I couldn't escape it.

This is a rugby county, there's no getting away from it and some fancy 7,000 seater stadium on the edge of the motorway isn't going to suddenly get the fans flocking from Gloucester, Stroud, Stonehouse, Dursley, or wherever. Cheltenham have played in League One against some massive clubs and even then we couldn't get an average attendance much above 4,000.

Listening to Vince on the radio on the way home and he almost jumped down the presenter's throat for daring to mention yesterday's showing of support from Gloucestershire. Although he did admit he's still prepared to throw as much as he can at getting them up. As I've said many times, as long as FGR have a use for his company, he isn't going anywhere. When they do lose that use then I fear for what will happen to them.

 

[BeesKnees]

Parkin didnt tackle anyone.
https://twitter.com/DanBonnington/status/731943139347464194

That's assault

 

[GTFCfish]

Goodbye GTFC1979.

Goodbye Mrs. Master D, i hope i get an invite to your wedding?

 

[PaulHaddock]

Parkin didnt tackle anyone.
https://twitter.com/DanBonnington/status/731943139347464194

That's assault

Hadn't seen that until now. That's horrific. What a bastard.

 

[Chris FGR]

Hadn't seen that until now. That's horrific. What a bastard.

Bloody hell that does look bad in slow mo, didn't look much from where I was. Thought he'd just left a little bit on him, which you have to do in a battle. Not as bad as that though. Should have gone, no excuses. Lucky it wasn't shown on the big screens.

When was the possible pen was it in one of those scrambles in our box?
Just remember thinking you had an easy goal then somehow it didn't go in and McKeown and Gowling on the floor but couldn't really tell what had gone on.

Yeah, pulled back blatantly by Gowling. Given that tackle though I suppose things evened themselves out.

 

[veggieeater]

Why will they rise? Where's the evidence that they will?

Any fans who will be interested in Forest Green in the future will already be aware of them and will have taken the opportunity to see them play at Wembley. The game was well advertised in Gloucestershire as a whole, I live the other side of the County and I couldn't escape it.

This is a rugby county, there's no getting away from it and some fancy 7,000 seater stadium on the edge of the motorway isn't going to suddenly get the fans flocking from Gloucester, Stroud, Stonehouse, Dursley, or wherever. Cheltenham have played in League One against some massive clubs and even then we couldn't get an average attendance much above 4,000.

Listening to Vince on the radio on the way home and he almost jumped down the presenter's throat for daring to mention yesterday's showing of support from Gloucestershire. Although he did admit he's still prepared to throw as much as he can at getting them up. As I've said many times, as long as FGR have a use for his company, he isn't going anywhere. When they do lose that use then I fear for what will happen to them.

Si, its 5,000 seat, otherwise its all fair comment- and one that worries a lot of FGR fans if they are honest with themselves. The last 2 games (Dover at home and Wembley totally confirm the ground will just be half filled by FGR fans, and agree its not sustainable. The attendances are increasing, and it maybe in time the numbers will justify it, but not yet..