Promotion Thread

[Si Robin]

We made hard work of Morecambe on Saturday, but we're back in the playoffs with games in hand. There's a lot more positives than negatives at the moment.

 

[valefan16]

We drew with Salford, frustrating as again we led and the goal they scored is often ruled out for a foul as he knee'd Brown in the ribs but it was a game ruled by the wind.

Salford considering their cash spent looked very average.

Northampton away next... huge game (first of three against sides just above us) as said we had an incredible away performance to about secure our status coming from 1-0 down and a man down when Legge was sent off to win 2-1 and Pope getting his 100th but a different task, they are much better this season although so are we and enjoy these games against teams above us... should be a decent game.

Manny being back is a massive boost to us after he went off in the reverse fixture in August and has featured only 10 minutes since!

 

[Rob_of_the_green]

Win our games in hand and we’re top of the league, lose them and we might not even be in the auto places, very fine margins in there this season

 

[Crewelad87]

Bradford and FGR have fallen of a cliff in recent weeks, both going from automatic contenders to barely being in the play off Hunt. Obviously Bradford have now sacked there manager so we will see if that spurs them on, but even that's an odd time to do it just after the transfer window, when they've just let players like Doyle and Vaughan go.

As for us another good win, coming from behind again. Once again another game of two halfs, we were poor first half, but 2nd Walsall struggled to keep with is and we should have probably scored more. Now we have two home games Vs improving midtable sides on Oldham and Crawley, before a massive game at Plymouth a week on Saturday.

 

[ProfessorGreen]

Colchester (A) , Salford (A), Crewe (H) all up next.

Huge 3 games of our season.

 

[Crewelad87]

I think Swindon now are as good as up, not because they have a massive lead because they don't. But they've splashed the cash on some great attacking options, and they've already played Crewe, Plymouth, Exeter, Bradford and Colchester twice, so I suspect there run in is pretty kind. As for the rest I still think anybody down to Bradford stand a chance.

It's our away games that will settle things for us. Plymouth, Exeter, Colchester, Vale and Bradford still to play on the road, whereas at home bar Northampton, you would probably favour us quite heavily to win the vast majority.

 

[valefan16]

I think Swindon now are as good as up, not because they have a massive lead because they don't. But they've splashed the cash on some great attacking options, and they've already played Crewe, Plymouth, Exeter, Bradford and Colchester twice, so I suspect there run in is pretty kind. As for the rest I still think anybody down to Bradford stand a chance.

Only four of the current top half to play... against the bottom 12 they’ve won every game. Best side IMO.

Rest is a bit open now, Exeter losing two on the spin and fans will be fearing another spring time bottle job. Plymouth now look set to take one spot with their form clicking into gear.

Big win for Crewe when they sounded awful for 45 minutes again but seem to be able to grind a result out. Congrats on the 250k by the way, great effort from the fans that.

Big loss for Colchester against a Cambridge side haemorrhaging goals at home, didn’t see that one coming. Northampton seem to be in form and able to grind results out efficiently.

Cheltenham seem to be keeping points ticking over.

Bradford got a pasting again, change of manager needed but losing Vaughan for Novak and Guthrie is a gamble considering both were in poor struggling sides. Can they arrest their slide.

FGR got a decent point but need to get back to winning ways, in a similar position to us now in the Play off race, big game next Tuesday.

As for the Vale, four points from Exeter and Salford isn’t bad, tenth now for two months! Seem destined to end up there but the gap has closed on the rest of the pack, with Manny Oyeleke due back next weekend after six months out and Jake Taylor back a week later after six weeks out it could change our fortunes, done well to keep up with three key players out (4 Saturday). Northampton and FGR Away followed by Colchester at home... big games that will make our break our season you’d think. 21 points taken from 33 against the teams above us I believe which is pretty remarkable... only 24 from 60 points from the teams below is the problem!

 

[saddler78]

Bradford and FGR have fallen of a cliff in recent weeks, both going from automatic contenders to barely being in the play off Hunt. Obviously Bradford have now sacked there manager so we will see if that spurs them on, but even that's an odd time to do it just after the transfer window, when they've just let players like Doyle and Vaughan go.

As for us another good win, coming from behind again. Once again another game of two halfs, we were poor first half, but 2nd Walsall struggled to keep with is and we should have probably scored more. Now we have two home games Vs improving midtable sides on Oldham and Crawley, before a massive game at Plymouth a week on Saturday.

Impressed with your side saturday a great example of building something over time and not just chucking money at it which doesnt always guarantee success anyway.

 

[Crewelad87]

Impressed with your side saturday a great example of building something over time and not just chucking money at it which doesnt always guarantee success anyway.

We weren't at our best, first half in particular we were poor. Missing Lowery doesn't help though, he's a special little player in midfield.

 

[North_Cheshire_Alex]

That’s the beauty with the points we have picked up the last few weeks, not always been at our best, and the squad has been stretched with injuries, especially at the back, but whenever we have a blip we always seem to bounce back, we have accumulated points at a steady rate, if we can take maximum from the next 2 home games we could anchor ourselves in the top 3.

 

[EricSabin]

Vale and Swindon up next at home, one tougher than the other on paper but I have a feeling Vale may upset us at the weekend

 

[TimeyWimey]

To say we're second and Artell is nominated for manager of the month, feels like the last few weeks have been pretty hard going on the pitch. Real lethargic performances, shit load of injuries and a couple of frustrating results. Yet, all is good in the grand scheme. If that's a sticky patch, I'll take it.

Awesome week off the pitch as well, Norman Hassall is finally in his taxi with a new look board of directors set to be announce, hopefully with a new chairman. No big money investment, just some steady structure that will allow us to fully focus on building the club rather than keeping dodgy Norm afloat.

 

[Pennywise]

Vale and Swindon up next at home, one tougher than the other on paper but I have a feeling Vale may upset us at the weekend

Upset? You’re Northampton not Spurs.

 

[EricSabin]

Upset? You’re Northampton not Spurs.

I’d be upset if we lost

 

[valefan16]

Upset? You’re Northampton not Spurs.

Tough game but wouldn’t be a shock if we won it, we’ve averaged 2 points a game in our matches against the top 9 sides this season and have specialised in ending good runs.

Probably get 7 points from the next 3 then get beaten by Walsall and Scunthorpe based on our season!

Looks like Smith should be back which will be massive for us against their aerial bombardment.

We’ve done remarkable to stick with the chasing pack with the injuries we’ve had so with Manny back this weekend and Taylor next hopefully we can push on.

Would be nice if we can finally close that 3 point gap as we keep getting there and then bottling it.

 

[Indian Dan]

Let’s hope we (Vale and Swindon) do to Northampton what we’ve just done to Exeter!

 

[Crewelad87]

According to Artell we have the third lowest budget in the league this season. We are abit of an anomaly though as the vast majority of our squad are academy graduates who tend to paid alot less than the non academy players, the likes of Porter and Lancashire are on the most I believe.

 

[Chris FGR]

According to Artell we have the third lowest budget in the league this season. We are abit of an anomaly though as the vast majority of our squad are academy graduates who tend to paid alot less than the non academy players, the likes of Porter and Lancashire are on the most I believe.

Did he list all the other budgets, in order?

 

[Crewelad87]

Did he list all the other budgets, in order?

I assume not. But I know the club's do get a copy of playing budgets in the league so such a list should be available.

 

[Indian Dan]

According to Artell we have the third lowest budget in the league this season. We are abit of an anomaly though as the vast majority of our squad are academy graduates who tend to paid alot less than the non academy players, the likes of Porter and Lancashire are on the most I believe.

You’re paying Lancashire?

 

[Agombar stool]

I assume not. But I know the club's do get a copy of playing budgets in the league so such a list should be available.

I second this. Lee Power back when he was doing phone ins would often pick clubs out to compare budgets against.

 

[Indian Dan]

Bowyer said Bradford’s budget was £2.5m but he could only use 40% of it due to their existing players contracts. It’s a big problem for lower league clubs. Attract good players, pay good wages on a good contract and if you fail you’re right in the shit for a while.

For a club like Crewe, who have previous for producing good, young, saleable players, it all becomes cyclical. Produce, do well, sell, fall back.

It’s a fine balancing act.

 

[Si Robin]

I second this. Lee Power back when he was doing phone ins would often pick clubs out to compare budgets against.

My understanding a list is given detailing where your club sits in the League, but they do not publish other teams finances.

So, for example, Cheltenham can say we have the 12th highest budget (I actually don't know what we have, but Michael Duff has said bottom 5) but can't say what any other team is.

 

[Crewelad87]

You’re paying Lancashire?

I know I'm not even angry that he's always injured (best place for him imo) Artell hasn't made many mistakes in his time when it comes to recruitment, but Lancashire coming in to be our main Centre half was one, and to think we've still got him for another year

Did alright in his last game though (3-1 win Vs Swindon )

 

[Indian Dan]

That was his last game? What’s he done?

 

[TimeyWimey]

It's a bit of spin when the club tell us how poor our budget. We're sustaining a expensive Cat 2 academy which accounts for a large portion of our first team. Would be interesting to see where our budget lies with that factored in. I suppose you could say it shows the strength of our academy and the quality we have coming through right now.

 

[valefan16]

My understanding a list is given detailing where your club sits in the League, but they do not publish other teams finances.

So, for example, Cheltenham can say we have the 12th highest budget (I actually don't know what we have, but Michael Duff has said bottom 5) but can't say what any other team is.

Correct, last year we had the 10th or 12th highest (under Smurf) which was used as a yardstick of our failings but you don't know the order of the other clubs.

Assume Morecambe and Macc are the lowest.

Salford must now be the highest by some margin.

 

[Crewelad87]

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work it out roughly.

Salford, Bradford, Swindon, Mansfield, Northampton and Plymouth all towards the top.

Macc, Morecambe, Crewe, Cheltenham and Stevenage near the bottom. Everyone else in the middle.

 

[Rob_of_the_green]

There must’ve been something comprised quite recently for the managers then as Ryan Lowe’s come out within the last week or so and said that our budget’s also ‘nowhere near’ the biggest budgets in this league, and that our league position is impressive considering the amount that we’ve spent

“I’m not concerned about the position we are in at the moment. If anything, we are in a position where you think ‘You know what, fair play’.

“There are clubs out there that have got big massive budgets and we are nowhere near them budgets believe me, I can tell you that straight.

“There are teams under-performing and there are teams over-performing. I feel we are in a good spot.”

 

[Agombar stool]

So that's the Crewe, Cheltenham and now Plymouth managers who have come out into the public and given themselves massive pats on the back for performing miracles with buttons.

I smell shite a mile away with Lowe. Crewe and Cheltenham probably less so.