National League Playoffs

[Luke Imp]

But, but, but THREE UP THREE DOWN!!!!

 

[Richard Cranium]

Fuck that now we are back

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

How many people think the conference is a good strong league?

And when was it a good strong league? Surely it was it's always been, noticeably worse than the league above, clearly better than the ones below. Nowt new.

 

[Vanni]

But, but, but THREE UP THREE DOWN!!!!

Nice one Luke

But yeah, I will always believe it should be 3 up 3 down, for fairness's sake if nothing else. Even though people keep telling me that I shouldn't really have this opinion seeing the U's could well end up back there again!

 

[Soup Ladle]

How many people think the conference is a good strong league?

I don't, it's fucking dog turd.

 

[BarraMatt]

It's been more competitive in recent years. People seem to think that it's been a weaker league recently because there aren't a couple of runaway teams that finish 15 clear of the rest.

We had a bit of a perfect storm last season but it shows it can be done with an average budget, ours was nowhere near the likes of Solihull RUFC.

 

[Soup Ladle]

It's been more competitive in recent years. People seem to think that it's been a weaker league recently because there aren't a couple of runaway teams that finish 15 clear of the rest.

We had a bit of a perfect storm last season but it shows it can be done with an average budget, ours was nowhere near the likes of Solihull RUFC.

It's competitive as everyone is more or less as shit as each other.

Games are decided in decisive moments. I really didn't see a great deal of difference between the bottom and top sides bar a little bit of extra quality or a moment of magic.

 

[Luke Imp]

Nice one Luke

But yeah, I will always believe it should be 3 up 3 down, for fairness's sake if nothing else. Even though people keep telling me that I shouldn't really have this opinion seeing the U's could well end up back there again!

That wasn't aimed at you, just a general comment.

I think what's skewed it, particularly around the 2010-2016 years, were the seasons where there was a bottleneck of teams - Luton, Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood, Wrexham, Grimsby, Mansfield, Lincoln, Kidderminster and probably one or two others I've forgot.

 

[Chris FGR]

Cheltenham got 101 points in 15/16 and then struggled in league 2. In the past teams doing that well would have challenged for top 3 first season up.

The last 5 Conference champions in their first season up have finished; 15th (Barnet), 21st (Cheltenham), 7th (Lincoln*), 22nd (Macc) and 17th (Orient).

*with a massive budget.

 

[AdamStag]

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.

watched quite a few games this season including the playoffs and you’re right, the quality compared to when us, you, Luton etc all went up is well off. Odd how it’s happened really it’s really dipped in the last few seasons.

Obviously I hope Harrogate come up one for the obvious, but it would be nice to see how Harrogate coped, they were the 2nd best team in the league so will be the novelty of them being up here.

 

[Vanni]

watched quite a few games this season including the playoffs and you’re right, the quality compared to when us, you, Luton etc all went up is well off. Odd how it’s happened really it’s really dipped in the last few seasons.

Obviously I hope Harrogate come up one for the obvious, but it would be nice to see how Harrogate coped, they were the 2nd best team in the league so will be the novelty of them being up here.

I think we all what's going to happen don't we? Harrogate will beat County and then have 40 days to rip up that plastic pitch of theirs. They won't be able to do that and Notts will take their place in L2 for next season.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

The standard at the top of the National League is worse than 5/6 years ago - aside from ourselves, only Harrogate and Boreham Wood looked half decent this year. But the bottom half has improved immensely, in my opinion. Especially in the season just gone, where Fylde and Chorley were the bottom two but were pretty decent. There haven't been many terrible sides in recent years, and much fewer absolute donkeys playing in the division either.

 

[AdamStag]

I think we all what's going to happen don't we? Harrogate will beat County and then have 40 days to rip up that plastic pitch of theirs. They won't be able to do that and Notts will take their place in L2 for next season.

haha. Well probably.

county certainly do get the rub of the green so I’m expecting them to come back and they can continue their weird fascination with us.

even if it’s only one season it’ll be a permanent stain like what we’ve all had.

 

[shoddycollins]

Luton, Grimsby, Lincoln, Stags and U's all spent years in that hellhole before going up.

You could bounce back the following year if you were particularly good and not tinpot.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

haha. Well probably.

county certainly do get the rub of the green so I’m expecting them to come back and they can continue their weird fascination with us.

even if it’s only one season it’ll be a permanent stain like what we’ve all had.

Oh the irony is too perfect.

I am sure you will be watching

 

[jacobncfc]

The standard at the top of the National League is worse than 5/6 years ago - aside from ourselves, only Harrogate and Boreham Wood looked half decent this year. But the bottom half has improved immensely, in my opinion. Especially in the season just gone, where Fylde and Chorley were the bottom two but were pretty decent. There haven't been many terrible sides in recent years, and much fewer absolute donkeys playing in the division either.

I think this is probably true, actually. I thought Barrow were a clear stand out side, and Notts on occasion (but I saw us all the time so caught our good showings obvs), while Harrogate, B Wood and Yeovil must have been decent at points too, but I don’t think any of us were of the level of those teams people have been talking about from a few years back.

I had to watch a lot of conference football back then (work thing), and I don’t remember the part time/struggling sides being anywhere near as capable as the three that went down this year. Basically everyone is organised, fit and capable of executing a game plan. It’s more of a genuine division five now, but without the quality teams at the top.

 

[AdamStag]

I think this is probably true, actually. I thought Barrow were a clear stand out side, and Notts on occasion (but I saw us all the time so caught our good showings obvs), while Harrogate, B Wood and Yeovil must have been decent at points too, but I don’t think any of us were of the level of those teams people have been talking about from a few years back.

I had to watch a lot of conference football back then (work thing), and I don’t remember the part time/struggling sides being anywhere near as capable as the three that went down this year. Basically everyone is organised, fit and capable of executing a game plan. It’s more of a genuine division five now, but without the quality teams at the top.

That was one of the things we noted when we won it, the weaker teams were organised but lacked the fitness and often you could pick them off in the last 20 minutes and nick a 1-0. Guessing that didn’t really happen?

 

[jacobncfc]

That was one of the things we noted when we won it, the weaker teams were organised but lacked the fitness and often you could pick them off in the last 20 minutes and nick a 1-0. Guessing that didn’t really happen?

Not really, although we might just be a bad example as our record against the bottom ten or so was appalling, while we beat everyone around us at the top pretty much.

 

[Conker]

I’m actually amazed every time in the past couple of years how lower the standard is in the conference from when the likes of Mansfield, Grimsby, Luton, Cambridge, etc were in it.

I don’t want to take any credit from County if they do manage to come straight back up though, it’s a really good achievement, we all know how hard it is to adjust down there.

 

[AdamStag]

I’m actually amazed every time in the past couple of years how lower the standard is in the conference from when the likes of Mansfield, Grimsby, Luton, Cambridge, etc were in it.

I don’t want to take any credit from County if they do manage to come straight back up though, it’s a really good achievement, we all know how hard it is to adjust down there.

I know some Wrexham fans from uni who themselves have berated they’ve done so badly of late, not only because they themselves have been so poor but the league is so poor in comparison to when they didn’t go up despite getting 99 points!

think we finished on 89/90 and were still 20 or so off fleetwood. They finished in the playoffs the season we won it and look back with sadness they didn’t go up then and wish they had that treat in a league like the one just gone by - jeez they’ve had won it by a mile.

as for today, obviously Harrogate, though I’ve lumped £30 on county to “lift the cup” at more or less evens - so £56 back if they win, the £30 loss would be worth it if they didn’t make it

 

[chipmunx]

I know some Wrexham fans from uni who themselves have berated they’ve done so badly of late, not only because they themselves have been so poor but the league is so poor in comparison to when they didn’t go up despite getting 99 points!

think we finished on 89/90 and were still 20 or so off fleetwood. They finished in the playoffs the season we won it and look back with sadness they didn’t go up then and wish they had that treat in a league like the one just gone by - jeez they’ve had won it by a mile.

as for today, obviously Harrogate, though I’ve lumped £30 on county to “lift the cup” at more or less evens - so £56 back if they win, the £30 loss would be worth it if they didn’t make it

The only treat they had for most of last season was getting relegated.
There really should be a time limit for Welsh clubs to get back into the League - or to transfer to the LOW if they don't get back.

 

[Indian Dan]

Harrogate 2-0 against Notts County

 

[AdamStag]

The only treat they had for most of last season was getting relegated.
There really should be a time limit for Welsh clubs to get back into the League - or to transfer to the LOW if they don't get back.

wrexham were relegated?

 

[chipmunx]

wrexham were relegated?

No - but were in or around the bottom 4 most of the season. There season went down hill after beating us 2-1 in the opening match.

 

[AdamStag]

No - but were in or around the bottom 4 most of the season. There season went down hill after beating us 2-1 in the opening match.

they went down the season we did.

We had 5 years of non league and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, the thought of it makes me shudder.

they’re in their 11th in September! Wowsers

 

[chipmunx]

they went down the season we did.

We had 5 years of non league and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, the thought of it makes me shudder.

they’re in their 11th in September! Wowsers

13th not 11th

 

[AdamStag]

3-1 Harrogate

 

[AdamStag]

13th not 11th

ouch even more

 

[Kauto Star]

Welcome to the football league Harrogate Town. A nice local derby in a lovely town

 

[chipmunx]

congratulations to Harrogate and their 1 fan on here