Relegation Thread 2017/18

[genesimmons]

If managers are joining the forum what next, chairman? Might get mike ashley on, he often tweets

 

[TimeyWimey]

Wouldn't expect any non-Crewe fan to read this but it sums up what a mess we're in and behind the fascia of being a 'family club' 'doing things the right way', we're up shit creek and have been for a while. It could be to our detriment that we're such insular club that no-one has blown the lid on this and forced change. It's the first time even a supporter has attempted to put the details that we know of into one place. It is likely to be no less serious than the well known cases of dodgy owners fucking over clubs.

https://crewealexandra.wordpress.com/2018/02/05/hasslenomics/

TL;DR; Norman Hassall, our majority shareholder, basically put the club up for sale in 2005 and continues to try and sell at an insanely high price. In the mean time, he's taken around £4million from the club to try and save his other failing businesses, £1million of which will never be paid back in cash. The club has been split over several companies (asset protection) but is now hemorrhaging money, with losses of £1.8million in last two years. But that's all we know, which is all in the public domain via companies house etc, as the club/Hassall refuse to discuss the matter. It's been nearly 2 years since they last made contact with fans. What else has or is going on, I dread to think.

 

[CFC91]

Yet another loss to a last minute mistake. The worst goal difference in the league and a complete squad overhaul during the January transfer window - desperately need to string some wins together. Both the Stevenage and Crawley home games could've been draws, but they weren't, and its a sign of a team destined to struggle when you cannot hold onto points at home. If we do end up going down, Jack Lester certainly won't get any stick from the fans - the board are absolutely murdering this club through incompetence.

I wish is was incompetence, I imagine it probably isn't even legal. A lot of skeletons desperate to come out of various closets, no wonder Ashely Carson is so keen to scupper any takeover deal..

I thought we'd stay up until the last 2 home games, which have been gut wrenching really, especially Crawley where we should have won potentially and got hit on the country in the last min. Absolutely typical. I think we should be preparing for life outside the FL for the first time now. Morecambe Saturday is massive, could well be curtains after that as I just can't see us stringing anything together like FGR will

 

[Greenacres]

If managers are joining the forum what next, chairman? Might get mike ashley on, he often tweets

Our chairman does post occasionally on ours, which to be fair is on the club website, usually to give true facts when people are spouting absolute rubbish...which is probably the plague of most forums. He posts using the name electric chair, which is a clever play of words on his position, however the irony of someone who is a vegan using an instrument of death as their user name is probably not lost on many...his avatar even shows one!

 

[SuperHans]

I wish is was incompetence, I imagine it probably isn't even legal. A lot of skeletons desperate to come out of various closets, no wonder Ashely Carson is so keen to scupper any takeover deal..

I thought we'd stay up until the last 2 home games, which have been gut wrenching really, especially Crawley where we should have won potentially and got hit on the country in the last min. Absolutely typical. I think we should be preparing for life outside the FL for the first time now. Morecambe Saturday is massive, could well be curtains after that as I just can't see us stringing anything together like FGR will

Agree re. Can't see us stringing a run together as much as I would love us to. I tried to give a balanced prediction of all our results left and it didn't look pretty. See on Bobs Board people are debating whether NL would be bad for the club, I think it would be catastrophic. We've been told (yes - I know they lie) that we need 7k fans to sustain the club - we've not a chance of getting crowds like that in the NL. Okay our wage budget will be reduced but we still have to run the club, fund maintenance of the ground etc. As you say, Morecambe on Saturday is huge, as are all the games that follow. My only hope is that there are two sides somehow worse than us at getting points on the board between now and the end of the season.

 

[Greenacres]

I think all the teams from Yeovil downwards are hoping there are two clubs worse than them at the end of the season, maybe even Cheltenham, Grimsby or even Cambridge and Stevenage if they go on a horrendous run and start losing to teams below them. Barnet's position doesn't look good at the moment but if they could go on a good run, with around a third of the season left, they could easily drag others into the mire. Whilst most teams near the bottom don't expect to get results against teams like Luton, or indeed any of the teams in the play-off places, it may be how they do against the clubs around them that really matter. A quick look at the table suggests that Carlisle, currently in thirteenth, are unlikely to feature in either the rush for the play-offs or the relegation battle...I can't see them either making up the gap or being passed by many of the teams below.

Luton will almost certainly be promoted with several games to go, but other than them there will probably be much to play for.

 

[CFC91]

Agree re. Can't see us stringing a run together as much as I would love us to. I tried to give a balanced prediction of all our results left and it didn't look pretty. See on Bobs Board people are debating whether NL would be bad for the club, I think it would be catastrophic. We've been told (yes - I know they lie) that we need 7k fans to sustain the club - we've not a chance of getting crowds like that in the NL. Okay our wage budget will be reduced but we still have to run the club, fund maintenance of the ground etc. As you say, Morecambe on Saturday is huge, as are all the games that follow. My only hope is that there are two sides somehow worse than us at getting points on the board between now and the end of the season.

We'd go bust if we went down & with our finances I don't even know if the conference would let us in. Could well be a Hereford / Darlo type scenario where we get sent miles down the leagues if we do stay in business. Then again, if that got rid of Carson and Allen I don't even know if i'd mind if it meant we came back in a better state

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Wouldn't expect any non-Crewe fan to read this but it sums up what a mess we're in and behind the fascia of being a 'family club' 'doing things the right way', we're up shit creek and have been for a while. It could be to our detriment that we're such insular club that no-one has blown the lid on this and forced change. It's the first time even a supporter has attempted to put the details that we know of into one place. It is likely to be no less serious than the well known cases of dodgy owners fucking over clubs.

https://crewealexandra.wordpress.com/2018/02/05/hasslenomics/

TL;DR; Norman Hassall, our majority shareholder, basically put the club up for sale in 2005 and continues to try and sell at an insanely high price. In the mean time, he's taken around £4million from the club to try and save his other failing businesses, £1million of which will never be paid back in cash. The club has been split over several companies (asset protection) but is now hemorrhaging money, with losses of £1.8million in last two years. But that's all we know, which is all in the public domain via companies house etc, as the club/Hassall refuse to discuss the matter. It's been nearly 2 years since they last made contact with fans. What else has or is going on, I dread to think.

That is an absolute web of fucking deception and hiding, whilst not illegal it's making things very very cloudy.

 

[MrGloverLover]

I think all the teams from Yeovil downwards are hoping there are two clubs worse than them at the end of the season, maybe even Cheltenham, Grimsby or even Cambridge and Stevenage if they go on a horrendous run and start losing to teams below them. Barnet's position doesn't look good at the moment but if they could go on a good run, with around a third of the season left, they could easily drag others into the mire. Whilst most teams near the bottom don't expect to get results against teams like Luton, or indeed any of the teams in the play-off places, it may be how they do against the clubs around them that really matter. A quick look at the table suggests that Carlisle, currently in thirteenth, are unlikely to feature in either the rush for the play-offs or the relegation battle...I can't see them either making up the gap or being passed by many of the teams below.

Luton will almost certainly be promoted with several games to go, but other than them there will probably be much to play for.

I'm hoping for our sake that fatigue doesn't cost us over the next 3 months. We're already guaranteed to play 58 games this season and possibly 60 if we reach the Checkatrade final. Thankfully we've brought in a few extra players in over the last few weeks.

 

[Laker]

I think all the teams from Yeovil downwards are hoping there are two clubs worse than them at the end of the season, maybe even Cheltenham, Grimsby or even Cambridge and Stevenage if they go on a horrendous run and start losing to teams below them. Barnet's position doesn't look good at the moment but if they could go on a good run, with around a third of the season left, they could easily drag others into the mire. Whilst most teams near the bottom don't expect to get results against teams like Luton, or indeed any of the teams in the play-off places, it may be how they do against the clubs around them that really matter. A quick look at the table suggests that Carlisle, currently in thirteenth, are unlikely to feature in either the rush for the play-offs or the relegation battle...I can't see them either making up the gap or being passed by many of the teams below.

Luton will almost certainly be promoted with several games to go, but other than them there will probably be much to play for.

The general consensus is we think we are just about far enough ahead and there are sides at the bottom (Barnet, Chesterfield and Crewe in particular) who don’t seem capable of getting enough points to overhaul us in the time left - it’s possible 2 of them won’t get much more than our current points total. Anyway, the point is we think we’ll stay up due to others’ incompetence rather than our own ability.

 

[Luke Imp]

We'd go bust if we went down & with our finances I don't even know if the conference would let us in. Could well be a Hereford / Darlo type scenario where we get sent miles down the leagues if we do stay in business. Then again, if that got rid of Carson and Allen I don't even know if i'd mind if it meant we came back in a better state

Everyone says that, and it rarely happens.

 

[Greenacres]

The general consensus is we think we are just about far enough ahead and there are sides at the bottom (Barnet, Chesterfield and Crewe in particular) who don’t seem capable of getting enough points to overhaul us in the time left - it’s possible 2 of them won’t get much more than our current points total. Anyway, the point is we think we’ll stay up due to others’ incompetence rather than our own ability.

On the balance of probabilities the two for the drop will come from Yeovil downwards, unless the league spring a surprise and hit someone with a massive points deduction...think something like that happened to Luton to relegate them to the Conference, I might be completely wrong there, hopefull a Hatter can confirm. Before the season started I would happily have taken 22nd place at the end of proceedings, I would still take that now...but think my nerves will be shredded by the end of the season anyway...don't think I will be alone in that!

 

[Soup Ladle]

Everyone says that, and it rarely happens.

I said that and erm well it's coming

 

[valefan16]

It will be massively difficult for Barnet who as yet haven't shown much sign of turning a corner... the probably need to win 8 or 9 games with only 16 left... they need four just to catch us with with only 5 wins in 30 it doesn't look likely and are looking more towards two sides from Chesterfield/FGR or Crewe having a real stinker of a run in and setting a crazily low safety margin to have any realistic chance.

Anyone from Stevenage down is still in it but Crewe, FGR and Chesterfield are in danger, FGR seem more likely than any of them three to push themselves out of it because they've picked up a few wins in recent weeks at home and made some decent signings.

Chesterfield seem to threaten to start turning it around but then don't pick it up and go into a rut again and Crewe are on a huge slide, seem similar to us in L1 last year with a good start then randomly turning shit early October and dropping like a stone, Artell seems to have lost the plot and his interviews on P&G are painful.

We gave ourself some real breathing space in December getting 11 points clear but to some up the issues the bottom 3 have had... we haven't won in 6 picking up 3 points but the gap has only closed on us by 4 points so the 23rd position tally isn't even going up by an average of a point a game.

Not sure on the run in's... we've played Luton, Notts County, Accrington, Coventry twice and get Swindon and Exeter out the way before mid Feb so after that no one daunting bar Wycombe left but we've struggled on our pitch... benefited us against Luton so the more footballing sides will struggle on it but teams like Yeovil and Morecambe who come for a point and battle physically will enjoy it.

As it stands my money is on Barnet and Crewe purely on form but so many twists and turns to come.... hopefully we can rattle up a few points soon to get out of it starting with a huge game Saturday at Cheltenham!

 

[Buxton Vale]

Barnet are looking like they've pretty much sealed a bottom two place already. After that, I think it will be between FGR and Chesterfield for the remaining spot. As much as Crewe are struggling, I think they have enough goals in them to survive.

 

[TimeyWimey]

My issue is I don't think we are going to push on and scrap for our lives when things get serious next month. FGR and Chesterfield will. We need to get rid of Artell and take advantage of a 'honeymoon period' with a new manager, but that won't happen. Artell is ridiculously out of his depth and half our team is now loanees, most of whom have a juicy Premier League contract next season anyway.

We just need to stay out of the bottom 2 going into March. This month is such a difficult one, anything else is a bonus. If we end up in the bottom two, I don't think we have a run in us to get out, we've only won two on the bounce once this season and that was back in August. We also haven't drawn a league game since August.

 

[CFC91]

Everyone says that, and it rarely happens.

Well if the conference don't let us in with £10m debt round our neck I don't really know where else we would end up

 

[CFC91]

Our last 2 away games are FGR and Barnet too, jesus

 

[Soup Ladle]

Well if the conference don't let us in with £10m debt round our neck I don't really know where else we would end up

Probably with us in the Evo Stik

 

[CFC91]

Probably with us in the Evo Stik

I think if it got that bad we'd have the plug pulled on us and we'd start again somewhere much further down

 

[Luke Imp]

Well if the conference don't let us in with £10m debt round our neck I don't really know where else we would end up

It's not about how much debt you have, it's about whether or not you enter the NL when you're in admin.

 

[Chris FGR]

Our last 2 away games are FGR and Barnet too, jesus

Could be big games those, our home form is going to be crucial cos we're useless away.

 

[GTFCfish]

I think FGR are gonna pull clear soon, they seem to be winning a lot more regular now and wouldn't be too surprised to see them finish above us in the final reckoning too given our awful form.

 

[Chris FGR]

How much longer can Slade last, your form's been horrific for a while now. Surely he's gotta be coming under pressure?

 

[GTFCfish]

How much longer can Slade last, your form's been horrific for a while now. Surely he's gotta be coming under pressure?

We've already held 2 board meetings to discuss his future, one after we lost at home to Morecambe, the other after the shambles at Yeovil.

Both times they decided he could turn it around.

He can't.

 

[AdamStag]

Well if the conference don't let us in with £10m debt round our neck I don't really know where else we would end up

Boston went straight through to the northern premier after being relegated as they went into admin after their last day defeat to Wrexham. The conference will take you with debt, just not admin.

 

[Laker]

Morecambe v Chesterfield and Newport v Forest Green both off means focus today is mainly in Crewe v Yeovil with half an eye on Port Vale’s trip to Cheltenham. A nice Yeovil win would be handy today.

 

[valefan16]

Checking back in by the looks of things

 

[valefan16]

Going down with the Barnet. We are a shambles. Gifted Cheltenham the lead in a must win game with Swindon and Exeter up next. We have lost all confidence.

 

[SkyBluesRose]

Going down with the Barnet. We are a shambles. Gifted Cheltenham the lead in a must win game with Swindon and Exeter up next. We have lost all confidence.

Cheltenham 5-1 Port Vale
Barnet 1-0 Notts County