Relegation Thread 2017/18

[CFC91]

My god if we went down you'd not be seeing us for a very long time. We'd probably be called AFC Chesterfield Town 2018 or something

 

[Trapdoor]

Obviously dropping through the trapdoor is something I wouldn't wish on any club (except argyle!) but going down to the conference gives clubs an opportunity to restructure, rebuild and get back to stability.
The clubs that disappear tend to have a more fundamental issue, like chronic lack of fans or no ability to restructure. Unfortunately I think Torquay might be going this way due to their of field management issues and small attendances.

 

[Sparrow]

Garry Hill will keep FGR up.

 

[Chris FGR]

Garry Hill will keep FGR up.

Hill would definitely take the job if offered, he's been in the running before. Knows Trevor Horsley pretty well so I've heard.

Met him a couple of times, seems a top bloke tbf. Can't see there being a vacancy here anytime soon mind.

 

[#Beebot]

It was a gamble to take that next step up that's put us in this mess. If he hadnt hired Bruno and Morinhios advise we wouldn't be in league two now.

The next week or so will dictate our fate and the appointment is crucial... went to Maidenhead in the cup don't want to be going there in the league that's for sure!

Weren't you outside the relegation zone when Bruno left, with Brown given a full transfer window to sort things?

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[Buxton Vale]

Weren't you outside the relegation zone when Bruno left, with Brown given a full transfer window to sort things?

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Yes, we were in a comfortable position under Bruno. Brown lost 3 key players which he was unable to replace, and his tactics coupled with that took us down with barely a whimper.

 

[valefan16]

Yes, we were in a comfortable position under Bruno. Brown lost 3 key players which he was unable to replace, and his tactics coupled with that took us down with barely a whimper.

Well we were falling fast under Bruno at that point he left as we’d gone nearly two months without a win and only one win since early October before he left on Boxing Day so would argue Brown just followed the trajectory Bruno had set us on.

Losing Alnwick, Jones and Grant were massive blow to Brown though, Eagles came in massively unfit and hit his old form just too late, Jerome Thomas could never get fit and losing Tyler Walker and Callum Guy for the season who were crucial to our hopes didn’t help either. Many things went wrong last season so wasn’t purely Browns fault in fairness.

 

[Casey]

If there are two teams worse than us I will be shocked...and horrified.

We would struggle in conference south at the moment.

Casey

 

[WH_Stag]

My god if we went down you'd not be seeing us for a very long time. We'd probably be called AFC Chesterfield Town 2018 or something

5 years will do it. Our first season down there was awful, second year I think we actually held trials locally for anyone to have a crack at the first team. Third I think was also just as bad but we got to wembley. Then Paul Cox actually transformed us into a very good conference side and we had two good seasons, and then learnt that we were now a poor league two side.. I think any longer and we would of been finished.

 

[Flaxman's Alibi]

Am I on my own thinking it's a bit early for promotion/relegation threads?

It's still September with well over 100pts to play for.

 

[LongEatonPie]

Am I on my own thinking it's a bit early for promotion/relegation threads?

It's still September with well over 100pts to play for.

Of course it’s too early but, the threads have generated interest over 60 comments on the promotion one, so yes but may as well keep them now.

 

[Indian Dan]

We've been truly awful in 2 games this season - Crawley and Barnet - yet decent enough in others. After only 8 games it's impossible for any team to show its true colours.

I'll be very surprised if either of you 2 are struggling come season's end

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Of course it’s too early but, the threads have generated interest over 60 comments on the promotion one, so yes but may as well keep them now.

Yeah, but about half them comments are saying it's too early for the thread

 

[northstandexile]

There is no need to worry about finishing in relegation positions this year as apparently teams will be reprieve, if the conference promotees play on 3G pitches, the EFL will not allow them to be promoted.

 

[Trapdoor]

if the conference promotees play on 3G pitches, the EFL will not allow them to be promoted.

Is that likely to occur?

 

[shoddycollins]

There is no need to worry about finishing in relegation positions this year as apparently teams will be reprieve, if the conference promotees play on 3G pitches, the EFL will not allow them to be promoted.

Let's just hope then it's not Tranmere or Dagenham or Hartlepool or Orient or Macclesfield or Wrexham any of the other ex league teams down there. There's so many of them now, just a decade ago any of those teams being in the conference would be favourites for promotion (though not guaranteed by any means)

League teams dropping out can no longer expect to be the big fish in the small pond, and can't expect several shots at promotion anymore just based on bigger income from gates alone. Anyone like ourselves, Chesterfield, Vale etc. going down this season would just be one among many such teams and my fear is you could now easily just become a regular Conference side like Wrexham have, like Lincoln did and have to work your way back into the league by rebuilding the club from the ground up, if at all.

 

[Chris FGR]

I shudder at the prospect of us dropping into non league. As a former football league side we'll be there to be shot at every week by all those postman and fitness instructors who'll see us as their cup final. If we go down it won't be easy to get back where we belong, that's for sure.

 

[valefan16]

Let's just hope then it's not Tranmere or Dagenham or Hartlepool or Orient or Macclesfield or Wrexham any of the other ex league teams down there. There's so many of them now, just a decade ago any of those teams being in the conference would be favourites for promotion (though not guaranteed by any means)

League teams dropping out can no longer expect to be the big fish in the small pond, and can't expect several shots at promotion anymore just based on bigger income from gates alone. Anyone like ourselves, Chesterfield, Vale etc. going down this season would just be one among many such teams and my fear is you could now easily just become a regular Conference side like Wrexham have, like Lincoln did and have to work your way back into the league by rebuilding the club from the ground up, if at all.

Its an argument that is spot on unfortunately. There are 5 or 6 clubs easily of a similar size, plus the big spending clubs coming from the lower reaches such as Flyde and Salford.

Its why this managerial appointment is absolutely crucial.

 

[Indian Dan]

I shudder at the prospect of us dropping into non league. As a former football league side we'll be there to be shot at every week by all those postman and fitness instructors who'll see us as their cup final. If we go down it won't be easy to get back where we belong, that's for sure.

Bloody hell! You've only been a league side for 5 minutes. Your natural home is non league. You'd need to drop a few leagues to be viewed as a big fish.

All that notwithstanding that your post may have been tongue in cheek.

 

[Habbinalan]

There is no need to worry about finishing in relegation positions this year as apparently teams will be reprieve, if the conference promotees play on 3G pitches, the EFL will not allow them to be promoted.

That's not quite true. if you knew that, it's quite a subtle fishing expedition.

They will require them to tear up the 3G plastic and install grass pitches...............probably.

Maidstone and Sutton may decide to stay in the National League rather than pull up their pitches if they are champions or get to the play-offs (I can't see Bromley being up there) but our EFL are quite capable of a U turn on something like this. It was pressure from promoted sides with artificial pitches that drove the rule change at National League level.

I fancy Daggers to make it back but the bookies seem to think Sutton have a reasonable chance - partly because of their 3G pitch.

 

[shoddycollins]

I shudder at the prospect of us dropping into non league. As a former football league side we'll be there to be shot at every week by all those postman and fitness instructors who'll see us as their cup final. If we go down it won't be easy to get back where we belong, that's for sure.

Would be heartbreaking for sure to see a club with an unbroken spell of 52 weeks of league football bow out.

 

[AdamStag]

That's not quite true. if you knew that, it's quite a subtle fishing expedition.

They will require them to tear up the 3G plastic and install grass pitches...............probably.

Maidstone and Sutton may decide to stay in the National League rather than pull up their pitches if they are champions or get to the play-offs (I can't see Bromley being up there) but our EFL are quite capable of a U turn on something like this. It was pressure from promoted sides with artificial pitches that drove the rule change at National League level.

I fancy Daggers to make it back but the bookies seem to think Sutton have a reasonable chance - partly because of their 3G pitch.

Spent enough time trying to get rid of Dagenham, don't bring them back up!

 

[Imp in Branston]

Am I on my own thinking it's a bit early for promotion/relegation threads?

It's still September with well over 100pts to play for.

Well according to a couple of Grimsby fans, us and them are certain for a midtable mediocrity finish, so I guess that's also true of the promotion/relegation threads.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Think Morecambe and Crawley will be the teams to get relegated this year.

 

[valefan16]

Think Morecambe and Crawley will be the teams to get relegated this year.

Big week for Morecambe as they play Chesterfield and then us, 2 defeats and they will be right in the mixer.

 

[Bartonyellow]

I don't see the conference as the trap door to oblivion that it once was. There are a lot of big clubs down there and the standard from what I can see looks On par with league two.
When we was non league it was wank. Really bad pitches and semi pro teams, Despite what some of our sentimental fanbase says, reminiscing over local derbys with Tamworth rather than derby and villa like we now have.

 

[valefan16]

I don't see the conference as the trap door to oblivion that it once was. There are a lot of big clubs down there and the standard from what I can see looks On par with league two.
When we was non league it was wank. Really bad pitches and semi pro teams, Despite what some of our sentimental fanbase says, reminiscing over local derbys with Tamworth rather than derby and villa like we now have.

Still won’t be on Fifa 19 though if we go down!

 

[Bartonyellow]

Still won’t be on Fifa 19 though if we go down!

True...
But you know - it's all but league 3 in name. It's just the stigma with dropping out of the league and been in the fa trophy rather than the league cup.
Vale may need to go down to go back up - get the club run right throughout. It's why I think Sunderland will go down again. Sometimes clubs just drop, until they get themselves in order, then come back better.

 

[GTFCfish]

I don't see the conference as the trap door to oblivion that it once was. There are a lot of big clubs down there and the standard from what I can see looks On par with league two.
When we was non league it was wank. Really bad pitches and semi pro teams, Despite what some of our sentimental fanbase says, reminiscing over local derbys with Tamworth rather than derby and villa like we now have.

Honestly don't be fooled by there being a lot of ex league clubs in there, the standard is woeful and still loads of clubs full of cloggers who just wana hurt opposition players. It is a horiffic League to get out of, Grimsby and Lincoln fans will tell you that and poor old Wrexham are in their 10th year now.

 

[oakroader]

emotions aside....getting relegated to the conference can be a positive thing.....
you can be considered a big fish in a small pond for once....crowds will return...if successful....attracting better players..
you will win more matches than you've been used too...if it goes well.....
you will get rid of the flotsam and jetsam that have been bleeding the club dry.....
some may return at the first attempt....
others?????........