Promotion thread

[kieran_vale]

Yep, seems to be some suggested DC wont be back at the club until the summer as well now going off OVF which is a footballing blow (but entirely understandable).

We have had some rotten luck and without the bonkers spate of injuries where we literally had zero forwards and forth I am sure we'd still be in the auto's challenge, but as DC would say we cant use it as an excuse and have to get on with it.

Saturday is crucial now.

Aye playoffs still very much in our hands but it’s now time to have a proper go for it. If we do make it that will be more than satisfactory. If not it’ll be a bit of a letdown but much cause for optimism we can give it another go next year.

I would imagine DC will come back this season as just the sort of person he is give it a couple of weeks he’ll be desperate to get back to it. May just be the shot in the arm the team needs at some point.

 

[northstandexile]

What is actually the matter with DC.

 

[valefan16]

What is actually the matter with DC.

A close family bereavement.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

A close family bereavement.

Must be a really close family member. I seem to remember his nan passing away while he was our manager and he still carried on.

 

[northstandexile]

A close family bereavement.

Do we know who?
His grandmother used to live not far from us, but not seen her for a while.

 

[valefan16]

Must be a really close family member. I seem to remember his nan passing away while he was our manager and he still carried on.

I am led to believe its very close but the club are not commenting at this stage to respect his privacy. If it was a parent for example you would carry on usually after a few days and probably wouldn't have the whole club wearing supportive T-shirts and things.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Normally by now you’d have eliminated a fair few teams from contention but this season certainly for playoff contenders it’s growing. Got to now consider Hartlepool in the race. Maybe even go as far down as Crawley. I know Bradford are on the same points as them but they’ve played more games and something seriously is amiss there that not sure it’s a quick fix this season.

Mad that we could push for the play offs. If only we strengthened properly in the summer or kept at least one of Oates, Armstrong. We'd be right up there.

As it is, Lee is doing a really solid job under the radar. I haven't seen us put in completely convincing displays but you can't argue with the job he's doing. All this with key players out injured and playing Sat-Tues for what seems like forever.

I doubt we'll make the top 7 but happy with our solid season back here and potentially a Wembley final as well.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

I’m amazed any vale fans think we’re still in this.
Carlisle aside we’ve been awful for ages.
There’s always a side that starts the season well then falls away, it looks like us this time.
Gas look like the side that creeps up and pops in last minute, looking at the table there’s a lot of teams in contention but it all comes to confidence and quality.
2 things it doesn’t look like we have.
I can’t fault the players attitude or effort, we really do try, we’re just not good enough.

 

[valefan16]

I’m amazed any vale fans think we’re still in this.
Carlisle aside we’ve been awful for ages.
There’s always a side that starts the season well then falls away, it looks like us this time.
Gas look like the side that creeps up and pops in last minute, looking at the table there’s a lot of teams in contention but it all comes to confidence and quality.
2 things it doesn’t look like we have.
I can’t fault the players attitude or effort, we really do try, we’re just not good enough.

It’s going to be dependant on how quickly Proctor and Gibbons get up to speed and how far off TC is for me. Quality wise the squad has plenty of it, more than most at this level and in most areas, it’s stronger now than it was first half of the season but the coming weeks will be the first it’s been mostly injury free for months and hopefully it will gel with all the new faces.

It may just come down to a year too soon, with injuries and Covid taking it’s toll and now losing the manager for a period it maybe isn’t meant to be, but seems a huge under achievement from the position we were in pre Xmas and how good we were.

One thing is for sure though if we do fall short we know now this club behind the scenes is l geared up for success and we will keep going for it next year which we’ve not had under previous ownerships.

Failure to go up mind would mean the longest spell this low down the pyramid since pre war though!

 

[The Jovial Forester]

If we can put Crawley away I'll be back in confident mode; Walsall did well against us despite their car crash other night but we were out of sorts too, need to impose our game like we have seen we can do. Heavy lifting been done so we could stumble over autos line with a ropey run in but even point and half a game would be enough for champs you'd think, regardless of who else has a run.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Mad that we could push for the play offs. If only we strengthened properly in the summer or kept at least one of Oates, Armstrong. We'd be right up there.

As it is, Lee is doing a really solid job under the radar. I haven't seen us put in completely convincing displays but you can't argue with the job he's doing. All this with key players out injured and playing Sat-Tues for what seems like forever.

I doubt we'll make the top 7 but happy with our solid season back here and potentially a Wembley final as well.

We've improved a lot in the past 2 months but we won't be troubling much past 12th position I think, like you say key players are out injured, the back ups aren't even close in quality as those they are replacing, it's gonna be a fun ride though from here to the end of the season, clearly safe and one difficult game away from a Wembley final, may as well just have a good go see what happens.

 

[AdamStag]

It’s going to be dependant on how quickly Proctor and Gibbons get up to speed and how far off TC is for me. Quality wise the squad has plenty of it, more than most at this level and in most areas, it’s stronger now than it was first half of the season but the coming weeks will be the first it’s been mostly injury free for months and hopefully it will gel with all the new faces.

It may just come down to a year too soon, with injuries and Covid taking it’s toll and now losing the manager for a period it maybe isn’t meant to be, but seems a huge under achievement from the position we were in pre Xmas and how good we were.

One thing is for sure though if we do fall short we know now this club behind the scenes is l geared up for success and we will keep going for it next year which we’ve not had under previous ownerships.

Failure to go up mind would mean the longest spell this low down the pyramid since pre war though!

That’s the problem down here, for every port vale there’s someone else wanting the same. if you’re geared up for success then so is mansfield, exeter, tranmere, northampton etc etc.

For instance there’s nothing i see at port vale to make me think mansfield can do what you’re doing or better (you might well think the same back) this league can be done by anyone given the right circumstances

 

[valefan16]

That’s the problem down here, for every port vale there’s someone else wanting the same. if you’re geared up for success then so is mansfield, exeter, tranmere, northampton etc etc.

For instance there’s nothing i see at port vale to make me think mansfield can do what you’re doing or better (you might well think the same back) this league can be done by anyone given the right circumstances

We’re not the only club with a good set up, I’m not saying we are but after a couple of decades of bad ownership and the club essentially degrading in all departments we finally have a great set up, huge investment in the club, investment in quality coaching staff, obviously Flickers on top of DC.

Basically for the first time I’m not thinking let’s go into a season get to 50 points and hope for the best whilst clubs with half our fan base appear more professionally run that us. We actually can expect to challenge the teams at this level for players and give ourselves a real chance of finally getting the club back on track.

Vale had up until a couple of seasons back been like going to a funeral for fans… we went because we felt like we had to! Chalk and cheese to these days.

 

[AdamStag]

We’re not the only club with a good set up, I’m not saying we are but after a couple of decades of bad ownership and the club essentially degrading in all departments we finally have a great set up, huge investment in the club, investment in quality coaching staff, obviously Flickers on top of DC.

Basically for the first time I’m not thinking let’s go into a season get to 50 points and hope for the best whilst clubs with half our fan base appear more professionally run that us. We actually can expect to challenge the teams at this level for players and give ourselves a real chance of finally getting the club back on track.

Vale had up until a couple of seasons back been like going to a funeral for fans… we went because we felt like we had to! Chalk and cheese to these days.

and it’s deffo not a go either, i just think you look at sides like exeter who’ve been building towards it and probably been unlucky and along comes tinpot FG who blow things out the water, it is what it is, it’s just sometimes it’s almost like you’re planning for a future or a few seasons down the line which never exist

 

[FGR Stroud]

and it’s deffo not a go either, i just think you look at sides like exeter who’ve been building towards it and probably been unlucky and along comes tinpot FG who blow things out the water, it is what it is, it’s just sometimes it’s almost like you’re planning for a future or a few seasons down the line which never exist

Tin pot club perhaps but since promotion to the EFL FGR have twice reached play-offs in four years.

Therefore performance this year should not be considered 'blowing things out of the water'

 

[Trapdoor]

Lol imagine thinking twice is a lot

 

[Indian Dan]

According Devon Lard, I expect hordes of Exeter fans are already queuing outside the Mem to get in the home end.

The forum’s Walter Mitty!

 

[Greenacres]

Lol imagine thinking twice is a lot

We also made the play-offs in our last three seasons in the Conferences, losing in the semis and the Final before gaining promotion to the league...I reckon play-offs in five seasons out of seven is quite a lot...although without checking the records there may be teams who have made it into them more often.

So, in agreement with FGR Stroud, I don't think this season is anything like blowing things out of the water...more like natural progression.

 

[AdamStag]

We also made the play-offs in our last three seasons in the Conferences, losing in the semis and the Final before gaining promotion to the league...I reckon play-offs in five seasons out of seven is quite a lot...although without checking the records there may be teams who have made it into them more often.

So, in agreement with FGR Stroud, I don't think this season is anything like blowing things out of the water...more like natural progression.

Natural progression which is funded, right.

I don’t have any issue with what you do, we bought our way out of the conference, it is just what it is.

 

[denzel ecfc]

According Devon Lard, I expect hordes of Exeter fans are already queuing outside the Mem to get in the home end.

The forum’s Walter Mitty!

There will be quite a few in thd home end, yes.....

 

[Greenacres]

Natural progression which is funded, right.

I don’t have any issue with what you do, we bought our way out of the conference, it is just what it is.

I won't deny that the club was completely restructured financially after Dale took over and has certainly benefited from his money, however in recent seasons there has been a significant increase on the number of sponsorship deals with green/ethical companies so I suspect the reliance on the club owner isn't quite as great as it once was.
I would be amazed if there is any club, at any level, that hasn't benefitted at some time in its history from having a greater financial clout than the opposition in whatever league it was playing in.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

I won't deny that the club was completely restructured financially after Dale took over and has certainly benefited from his money, however in recent seasons there has been a significant increase on the number of sponsorship deals with green/ethical companies so I suspect the reliance on the club owner isn't quite as great as it once was.
I would be amazed if there is any club, at any level, that hasn't benefitted at some time in its history from having a greater financial clout than the opposition in whatever league it was playing in.

From my understanding of the accounts the playing side is on an even keel, any big money is in the Eco par development, which is obviously not unconnected if e.g. you're trying to convince someone we're a decent prospect to sign for, but it's not just chucking money at it.

 

[GEORGE]

There will be quite a few in thd home end, yes.....

Funny that none were seen or heard. It was packed Blue & White to the rafters.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Funny that none were seen or heard. It was packed Blue & White to the rafters.

I thought your capacity was 12,000? So why was it declared a sell out with less than 10?

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Nice of everyone else to refuse to take advantage of our wobble.

 

[AdamStag]

Ok, so i said id review mansfield after 3 away games at bristol rovers, newport and bradford.

Draw, draw and win. last league defeat late november.

It’s really bunched up and we’ve done massive games coming up, exeter home, tranmere away port vale away, if somehow we come out of those with 4 or more points i might start to take note.

Exeter at home on friday night could be a proper party atmosphere, would be great to get 5,500 home fans or so for it.

 

[GEORGE]

I thought your capacity was 12,000? So why was it declared a sell out with less than 10?

It has been reduced due to the new Football League rules. Due to fact fans are no longer able to stand at bottom of terraces.

 

[valefan16]

After covid derailed our last rare flirt with the play offs knowing our luck nuclear apocalypse will do us over this time!

Big win yesterday and closed the gap slightly, see what Tuesday brings but hopefully can close that gap further or break into the top 7.

 

[AdamStag]

After covid derailed our last rare flirt with the play offs knowing our luck nuclear apocalypse will do us over this time!

Big win yesterday and closed the gap slightly, see what Tuesday brings but hopefully can close that gap further or break into the top 7.

realistically FG are up.

I was going to say exeter have an easy run in and then realised 3 of the last 4 are against tranmere northampton and port vale that could be fun.

If there’s a winner between mansfield and exeter friday they’d temporarily go into the top 3, though both of us will have 3 games in hand on northampton and tranmere come 10 tonight

 

[Indian Dan]

My take.

Autos FGR, Mansfield, Exeter

POs Tranmere, Cobblers, Vale, Swindon/BRovers/Salford