Playoffs

[The Terminator]

Well done Northampton, who were the better side when it mattered on the day. PPG playoffs not ideal, but had to be done.

Commiserations Exeter, I've watched us lose 2 playoff finals in 3 seasons 1999 and 2001, as well as watching us lose the 2014 playoff final and the 2019 FA Trophy Final. So I can understand your general frustration.

 

[Trapdoor]

Playoffs are just a joke. If we want to go up we have to do it via automatics.

 

[Luke Imp]

Funnily enough it reminded me of you. Did you adjust in League One and have things changed post-Cowleys?

Started the season well, then whispers started about the Cowleys leaving and we lost our way until we beat Sunderland in October. A good December and January then took a calculated gamble and sold anyone with value soon who had 6-months left on their deal and getting rid of high earners, replacing them with frees and loan signings (Forest taking Tyler Walker back late in January didn't help, albeit they had to pay us in a round about kinda way to cancel the loan). Signs in the second half of the season that we were settling down and there were glimpses of what Appleton wants but the players weren't good, consistent enough or necessarily going to be here next season anyway. This season was a bit of a write-off, mind. No-where near settled enough on and off the pitch to do anything. The squad was in need of a re-build even before the Cowleys left so it was always going to be an up and down season.

Definitely going to be the 'L1 way' next season and have a younger, technical, footballing side. I think we'll lose some of that experienced and physical spine through the team but most other L1 sides seem to sacrifice that for a more easy on the eye, expansive, attacking game.

Next season will be the real test of whether we can become a solid L1 side or not and attract them kind of players.

I’m glad you said that - thought it was a bit rich of a Lincoln fan to highlight the “basic approach“ of another side.

No-one's said it as was a "basic approach".

The rich part was Curle slagging us off when he was at Carlisle and then decided to go even more extreme than us and ended up finally winning a promotion. We were never as direct at Northampton were, for a start we had John Akinde who's strength wasn't winning headers. The guy who could win headers, Rhead, was on the bench and ironically enough Akinde scored the majority of his goals from open play when the former was on the pitch.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Started the season well, then whispers started about the Cowleys leaving and we lost our way until we beat Sunderland in October. A good December and January then took a calculated gamble and sold anyone with value soon who had 6-months left on their deal and getting rid of high earners, replacing them with frees and loan signings (Forest taking Tyler Walker back late in January didn't help, albeit they had to pay us in a round about kinda way to cancel the loan). Signs in the second half of the season that we were settling down and there were glimpses of what Appleton wants but the players weren't good, consistent enough or necessarily going to be here next season anyway. This season was a bit of a write-off, mind. No-where near settled enough on and off the pitch to do anything. The squad was in need of a re-build even before the Cowleys left so it was always going to be an up and down season.

Definitely going to be the 'L1 way' next season and have a younger, technical, footballing side. I think we'll lose some of that experienced and physical spine through the team but most other L1 sides seem to sacrifice that for a more easy on the eye, expansive, attacking game.

Next season will be the real test of whether we can become a solid L1 side or not and attract them kind of players.


No-one's said it as was a "basic approach".

The rich part was Curle slagging us off when he was at Carlisle and then decided to go even more extreme than us and ended up finally winning a promotion. We were never as direct at Northampton were, for a start we had John Akinde who's strength wasn't winning headers. The guy who could win headers, Rhead, was on the bench and ironically enough Akinde scored the majority of his goals from open play when the former was on the pitch.

Our manager is hinting at playing in a more physical and direct way next season. To me, this would be a massive mistake. Other sides like Swindon and Crewe went up by not being as direct, and we have some talented young footballers that he could use to form the backbone of the side. I'd rather finish mid table with youngsters than fail in the play offs again with journeyman brutes.

 

[Conker]

I hate the play-offs, I’ll be surprised if I ever see Mansfield win one to be honest.

 

[AdamStag]

I hate the play-offs, I’ll be surprised if I ever see Mansfield win one to be honest.

Or a penalty shoot out

 

[Moomin]

Been away for a while. Not sure why I am looking at this thread as it reminds me of probably the worst performance I’ve seen in over a decade. If it had been 5-0 at half time that would have been fair.

Such a shame we completely bottled it again but fair play to Northampton, they were very good and totally destroyed us.

To be honest, staying down in L2 may be better for us with the financial implications from COVID but I am sure we will make it into L1 one day.....