National League Playoffs

[Boz]

Our first season in NL was the novelty factor along with the chance of playing local sides we hadn’t met for a while. After we (deservedly) lost to Forest Green in the play off final, thought we’d never get out of there and certainly don’t want to repeat the experience.

 

[Luke Imp]

I think there's that two or three season window to bounce back as a relegated club, especially the first two seasons when you're financially advantaged and have a head start on everyone else straight away.

There's certainly a novelty factor initially but it's only fun if you're winning. That's an obvious thing to say but the novelty factor would soon wear off if you ended up being a York or Stockport and falling straight through, or struggling in the first season or two down here. Supporters of relegated Clubs make out they enjoy non-league but what they mean is they enjoy winning more. It's no fun visiting these new grounds and getting bummed.

 

[jacobncfc]

I've always said our season back int he conference was easily my favourite season for some time. I've always backed that up with the fact that we were comfortable champions in the end though.

as you say Jacob, not having any real concerns and being able to enjoy the football (regardless of quality) for what it is makes a huge difference.

I’ve even been surprised by the quality - way more teams play it on the deck and try to attack than I expected. Only really a couple (Solihull, Dover) have been what I expected 90% of teams to be. Certainly no more teams come to ML and try to nick a 0-0 than did in the league.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Our first season in NL was the novelty factor along with the chance of playing local sides we hadn’t met for a while. After we (deservedly) lost to Forest Green in the play off final, thought we’d never get out of there and certainly don’t want to repeat the experience.

Still having nightmares about that 1-0 mauling at Holker Street in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round?

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

It's no fun visiting these new grounds and getting bummed.

Hmm, I dunno, it would certainly make a nice change from a meat pie and a bovril.

 

[Trapdoor]

Hmm, I dunno, it would certainly make a nice change from a meat pie and a bovril.

Meat pie and bovril costs a fiver these days, can get bummed for nowt if you play your cards right.

 

[GEORGE]

The only time i liked being in the Conference was the last penalty kick at Wembley by Lee Mansell.

 

[Laker]

I think there's that two or three season window to bounce back as a relegated club, especially the first two seasons when you're financially advantaged and have a head start on everyone else straight away.

There's certainly a novelty factor initially but it's only fun if you're winning. That's an obvious thing to say but the novelty factor would soon wear off if you ended up being a York or Stockport and falling straight through, or struggling in the first season or two down here. Supporters of relegated Clubs make out they enjoy non-league but what they mean is they enjoy winning more. It's no fun visiting these new grounds and getting bummed.

Yeah agree with this. Once the money runs out after a couple of years, you’ve got to cut the wages and you end up with the biggest heap of crap in terms of professional players, many of whom aren’t actually better than some of the semi pros in the league. And these sides treat playing a BELT like it’s their cup final, like their lives depend on it. Your team of talentless no hopers just can’t win games and you end up in this dreadful spiral.

But if you get on a roll, it can be a fun league. Three of my favourite ever U’s games were our play off semi final wins in the conference and we royally fucked the final up after two of those.

 

[shoddycollins]

Come on Harrogate

 

[Trapdoor]

10 minutes before we can breath a sigh of relief.

 

[Boz]

10 minutes before we can breath a sigh of relief.

We can now...

 

[shoddycollins]

So now, Notts County, not suffered enough to return to the football league, or Barnet, ridiculous if a team that were 11th when the league finished get promoted.

 

[Chris FGR]

Notts has got a Hooters near the ground, so I want Notts to go up.

Thanks.

 

[shoddycollins]

Well the whole six teams in the conference playoffs seems a bit pointless now.

 

[Chris FGR]

Harrogate v Notts. 2nd v 3rd.

 

[AdamStag]

Harrogate v Notts. 2nd v 3rd.

watched both games, the quality wasnt great but hard to tell given the break, Harrogate easily the best side of the 4

 

[Chris FGR]

Didn't see Harrogate game. Heard they're a decent side though, I see they've still got the owners son as manager. Would that be a football league first?

 

[Greenacres]

Didn't see Harrogate game. Heard they're a decent side though, I see they've still got the owners son as manager. Would that be a football league first?

Not sure about that but Ron Noades was Chairman and First Team Manager at Brentford about twenty years ago, which doesn't seem a healthy combination of roles.

 

[shoddycollins]

Not sure about that but Ron Noades was Chairman and First Team Manager at Brentford about twenty years ago, which doesn't seem a healthy combination of roles.

Michael Knighton had a crack at managing us around that time too, probably a par for the course with these nut job owners to think they can manage

 

[Greenacres]

Michael Knighton had a crack at managing us around that time too, probably a par for the course with these nut job owners to think they can manage

I have heard some refer to our Chairman as a benevolent dictator, apparently he likes to be in control of pretty much everything related to the running of the club...fortunately, as someone who had little or no knowledge of the game before he arrived on the scene, he doesn't appear to have tried to get involved in running the team itself and is prepared to leave that role to the manager.

 

[dedwardp]

Barry Fry was both the chairman and manager at Peterborough for years, wasn't he?

 

[shoddycollins]

I have heard some refer to our Chairman as a benevolent dictator, apparently he likes to be in control of pretty much everything related to the running of the club...fortunately, as someone who had little or no knowledge of the game before he arrived on the scene, he doesn't appear to have tried to get involved in running the team itself and is prepared to leave that role to the manager.

Well I mean, most of your fans online chat is on a forum run by the club so that's pretty unusual.

 

[Vanni]

[IMG alt="The_Viking_Magpie"]https://thefootballforum.net/data/avatars/m/6/6575.jpg?1505497777[/IMG]
The_Viking_Magpie

FFS. He's back. All he ever does is comment on the Stags.

Never thought I'd be saying this but come on Harrogate.

 

[AdamStag]

[IMG alt="The_Viking_Magpie"]https://thefootballforum.net/data/avatars/m/6/6575.jpg?1505497777[/IMG]
The_Viking_Magpie

FFS. He's back. All he ever does is comment on the Stags.

Never thought I'd be saying this but come on Harrogate.

Conveniently goes missing when in the conference but not they’re within a sniff of earning the right to play the likes of Mansfield and Cambridge again up he or she pops.

couldnt write it could ya? - I noted yesterday when commenting of their most awful of games yesterday - I forgot about the “quality” of the conference

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Didn't go missing at all. I tend to post in the Non League forum, shock horror.

The only time I've gone missing from this football forum is when there was no football for 3 months. Funny that.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

[IMG alt="The_Viking_Magpie"]https://thefootballforum.net/data/avatars/m/6/6575.jpg?1505497777[/IMG]
The_Viking_Magpie

FFS. He's back. All he ever does is comment on the Stags.

Never thought I'd be saying this but come on Harrogate.

You do realise Vanni that I was posting on a thread about the National League play offs, in the Non League forum? Just checking.

Naturally Adam Stag was there pretending he doesn't care on mutliple posts. Daft lad lol

 

[Greenacres]

Well I mean, most of your fans online chat is on a forum run by the club so that's pretty unusual.

Allegedly...it is hosted on the club website...but I don't think the moderators are anything to do with the people running the club. Complaints have been made about the posting of comments that were racist, sexist and bullying and the perpetrators have been allowed to continue their membership of the forum with little if any censure.

 

[Chris FGR]

Well I mean, most of your fans online chat is on a forum run by the club so that's pretty unusual.

There's the FGR chat Facebook group which is pretty busy.

The official forum is only moderated if people criticise the club or question decisions. Otherwise your all good.

 

[Luke Imp]

Not sure about that but Ron Noades was Chairman and First Team Manager at Brentford about twenty years ago, which doesn't seem a healthy combination of roles.

In the late 90's, we had John Reames as Chairman/Manager for 18 months.

 

[Vanni]

Conveniently goes missing when in the conference but not they’re within a sniff of earning the right to play the likes of Mansfield and Cambridge again up he or she pops.

couldnt write it could ya? - I noted yesterday when commenting of their most awful of games yesterday - I forgot about the “quality” of the conference

IMO anybody thinks the conference is still a good strong league must be on crack. Only the Harrogate game was of a sufficiently decent level out of all the play off games; the others were all well below par, though some have the poor play was due to teams lacking match practice. True that, but the L1 and L2 sides in the po's were in the same boat as well and yet it didn't show.

But for me, the biggest indicator of the level down there is the fact that the relegated clubs are bouncing back in a year or two, while the likes of Luton, Grimsby, Lincoln, Stags and U's all spent years in that hellhole before going up.