Promotion Thread

[Fedora Dale]

Exeter/Plymouth/Bradford/Northampton/Swindon/Crewe/Col Ewe/Vale/FGR/Cheltenham. Please organise yourselves tidily with three of you promoted and four more in the playoffs.

We'll hopefully stay up, and I don't want to watch bloody Salford...

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Massive blow for Swindon. Going to be very tough to replace the two players who have scored 35 or there 49 goals this season.

Agreed. Though while the focus will on those two, I can’t help feeling the injuries to the defence might be as significant an issue for Swindon. Hence why they are wobbling.

 

[F!RTHY]

Tbf, your club said it hadn’t received any ‘significant’ bid for Doyle.

That sounds more like us!

No, what was actually said, and I quote:

“Nobody has rung up and inquired about any of ours.”

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/18169878.bradford-city-bowyer-plots-changes-busy-spell/

 

[Indian Dan]

Not according to your fans media meeting

‘As far as the club is concerned, Doyle is staying. There haven’t been any significant offers for him (ie from Swindon) and it would take something really big for City to consider selling him.’

 

[F!RTHY]

Not according to your fans media meeting

‘As far as the club is concerned, Doyle is staying. There haven’t been any significant offers for him (ie from Swindon) and it would take something really big for City to consider selling him.’

Let’s take the quotation from the manager, and not the context that hasn’t even quoted the marketing managers comments, eh?

As if that needed to be said.

 

[EricSabin]

Good day for us

 

[JJ1532]

We won't be in the top 3 race for much longer if we can't win away, which we can't currently. 2 wins from the last 9 on the road, not great. Got to hope we either improve in this area or just keep winning at home.

 

[Agombar stool]

Good day for us and Plymouth. Think it’ll be a South West who are vying for the automatic places and from 10 up currently for the other spots.

Colchester away on Tuesday and Exeter home on Saturday are massive before some ‘easier’ games in Feb.

 

[Si Robin]

A good day for us, but we have to make it count away at Bradford on Tuesday.

 

[Chris FGR]

A good day for us, but we have to make it count away at Bradford on Tuesday.

Could be Bowyer's last game?

 

[Indian Dan]

A new manager with no transfer window left? Might as well write this season off.

Get Doyle back first, mind!

 

[EricSabin]

Reckon your build up games may hamper us a bit.

Derby replay will mean our free week is lost (not that I care I’m all for replays). Got a relatively small squad though so need a couple more bodies in.

 

[LS Bantam]

A new manager with no transfer window left? Might as well write this season off.

Get Doyle back first, mind!

Been in the Play Off’s all season with this squad with a total fraud in charge, it wouldn’t take Pep taking over to see us over the line. Anyway with any luck he won’t see Tuesday.

 

[Indian Dan]

Is that the fans’ feeling or is there a whisper from the boardroom?

It’ll cost no doubt.

 

[LS Bantam]

The fans have turned now (bar the odd one), there’s no way back. No away win since October (he’s only ever managed 4 since he took over and two of those were 1-0 own goals), 1 shot on target in our last two games, the defence and ‘not conceding’ philosophy that was keeping us up there has long gone and letting in soft goals are now a weekly feature.
Doyle, Vaughan, Donaldson, we’ve some good midfielders for the league and probably the best keeper in Richard O’Donnell. The tools are there. He’s bloated an already full of deadwood squad with contract extensions to players that can’t even make the squad. The ones that do play have no shape, no pattern, the defensive play the ball to one another until eventually it’s played long and lost. The good fortune we’ve had this season with own goals, penalties, red cards etc. In our favour, maybe 10-15 points worth, have given the appearance we’re doing well. In truth, in let’s be honest a truly awful league we’re you’re rarely punished, we haven’t played well once yet are near the top.
At the current rate the lucky breaks aren’t happening and the dire football has caught up with us, the only direction we’re heading in is down and what we need is someone with just an ounce of footballing knowledge to get more than the zero Bowyer gets from this lot. I said recently a good manager gets the best out of the players, whereas here we do the opposite.
Financially, to answer your question, the cost is terminate his contract or lose out on thousands in season ticket renewals and the chance of bouncing straight back as there’s no way on earth we’re going back up as things stand.

 

[Indian Dan]

Get some money for Doyle and use it to bin off Bowyer!

Everyone’s a winner!

 

[valefan16]

Swindon will win the league fairly comfortably in the end I reckon, Exeter seem very solid and grind out the results whilst Plymouth have hit form at the right time, them three will be going up automatically I would think.

Crewe have lost their imperious away form, FGR are falling away as are Bradford. Colchester looking good for the play offs along with Cobblers and two from Crewe, Cheltenham, Bradford and FGR but with form for most of them dipping it will could go any way.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Swindon will win the league fairly comfortably in the end I reckon, Exeter seem very solid and grind out the results whilst Plymouth have hit form at the right time, them three will be going up automatically I would think.

Crewe have lost their imperious away form, FGR are falling away as are Bradford. Colchester looking good for the play offs along with Cobblers and two from Crewe, Cheltenham, Bradford and FGR but with form for most of them dipping it will could go any way.

Our form isn't too bad and barring a total collapse we're looking a lot better than Bradford and Colchester for the playoffs currently. Colchester draw too many games and Bradford look wildly inconsistent compared to us.

Losses in the last few months on the road all came at Northampton, Salford and Swindon and we've picked up a few draws in that run but only Morecambe have won at Macc, Forest Green put 11 men behind the ball against us and played for a point, Cheltenham and ourselves cancelled each other out despite us having a man sent off and Scunny yesterday we had a disaster of a performance and still left with something. The two really poor sides we've played away from home in that run we've put 4 and 5 goals past them respectively. We were fortunate though to play Oldham, Crawley, Grimsby, Orient and Carlisle early in the season away from home though, so no surprise they were all wins. Throw Stevenage in there for our 6th away win and the reason why we're not up there with Swindon is because we're not taking any big scalps away from home.

Thankfully, our home form has improved dramatically (given we lost 2 of our opening 4 at home) at the same time so it hasn't really hit us hard at all. Spent the busy festive period and this month without our best striker and best defender as well yet we're still scoring, still winning regularly and have a favourable run of fixtures ahead of us. I think we'll be the closest challengers to the Top 3 out of the pack but, unless one collapses, the Top 3 are the most consistent sides in the league right now and I'd fancy all of them to win promotion this season.

 

[dedwardp]

I think we'll run the top three close. The recent draws have been frustrating but there's a lot of fine margins involved in those games and we're clearly tough to beat. We had a slow start to the season but we've picked up 44 points from the last 25 games which is enough to put you there or thereabouts.

It still feels as though we've not really got going properly in the league this season so with room for improvement I'd hope we can last the pace.

 

[Grumpy Grecian]

Decent side Colchester. Two draws from the two (quite close together) games feels a good return...possibly for both of us!
But, if you know them, could you ask your own "thieving Ultras" to return our misappropriated Red Legion flag? It's caused quite a little hissy-fit amongst our own brave soldiers!
Thanks.
PS: Good luck on Tuesday - hope you turn Swndle'em right over (although another draw would be equally nice)

 

[EricSabin]

1) Swindon - P29 Pts 56
2) Exeter - P28 Pts 54
3) Plymouth - P27 Pts 50

4) Crewe - P28 Pts 49
5) Col U - P29 Pts 46
6) Northampton - P28 Pts 46
7) Bradford - P29 Pts 46

8) Cheltenham P27 Pts 44
9) Forest Green P29 Pts 44

Vale aren’t included because they’re dropped to 5 points off the playoffs. Harsh but that’s the world we live in.

Tuesday 28th

Bradford v Cheltenham
Col U v Swindon
Crewe v Orient
FGR v Carlisle
Newport v Macclesfield
Northampton v Scunthorpe
Plymouth v Crawley
Vale v Exeter

The top 2 games are the standout ones there, and I can see a few home wins in the next 5 on the list.

 

[Indian Dan]

We’ve got Yates back already so the feared lack of a recognised striker has been quelled - especially after yesterday.

We all thought that as we created so many chances that almost anyone playing up front would score.

The biggest plus, for me, is the form of Jaiyesimi- he was unplayable at times yesterday. Sure, relying on loans can bite you on the arse, but the quality of ours has been top drawer.

 

[valefan16]

We are out of the race at the moment certainly, big week really with two home games where we have had a great record and the transfer deadline so will be pivotal if we can get back into it, need cover for Smudge and a couple of bodies in.

 

[Conker]

Vale ain’t going up in a million years surely?

 

[valefan16]

Vale ain’t going up in a million years surely?

Bloody well hope so, maybe not this year but certainly prior to the 1002020-1002021 season! Fans are kicking off that the full turnaround hasn't been completed in six months from the Smurf era let alone waiting that long.

 

[Conker]

Bloody well hope so, maybe not this year but certainly prior to the 1002020-1002021 season! Fans are kicking off that the full turnaround hasn't been completed in six months from the Smurf era let alone waiting that long.

Do Vale fans think they are good enough to go up this season?

 

[valefan16]

Do Vale fans think they are good enough to go up this season?

Most fans expected improvement and not to worry about relegation as the owners only came in during May so most predictions were 12-16th pre season in most minds with a platform to push on a challenge in 2020/21.

We have so far exceeded expectations but there is frustration as we've thrown away so many points that could of really had us in the mixer (23 points i think) with a few late throw aways such as Mansfield 2-0 up, Orient and Salford and have dropped most of our points against the bottom sides whilst beating the top sides.

The league is poor enough and we've been in the positions to challenge better than we have but overall its been good solid progress, we've been 10th for months now and if we finish there I would say its been a great season to build on from.

Some fans have lost the plot over the weekend which is crazy considering that was the 2nd loss in 9 league games and Carol has had to put a small post out on social media. Crazy considering the progress we've made. Fans are winging we haven't spent the City cash but its better value for money in the summer which Askey has explained his reasoning. Its a long term project to get back where we feel we should be, you can't go from the clubs worst 2 seasons in its history to waltzing the league in a few months.

We are a decent first choice XI but lack the depth this season to challenge and when injury's have occurred we've generally faltered and that's why we are not quite there yet IMO as you need a good 16 players not 12-13.

 

[PlymouthCasual]

Win tomorrow and it has been an absolutely outstanding month for us. Very tough February approaching though.

 

[Agombar stool]

Win tomorrow and it has been an absolutely outstanding month for us. Very tough February approaching though.

Glad to hear you have a tougher February. Aside from Exeter and Northampton our Feb on paper is easier. Carlisle and Mansfield (away) and Scunny and Grimsby (home)

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

There are no easy games in the Fourth...