Relegation Thread 2017/18

[GTFCfish]

I have been thinking for a very long time now that Grimsby are going, but they just don't seem to be really be getting any closer to the bottom two despite their best efforts. More confident in them staying up now than I was a month ago probably.

I'm pleased you are, sadly those of us forced to watch this crap are not so confident as Jolley has been left with a turd to polish and despite his best efforts and changing things each game these players are just not up to it.
We're heading back to the National League no doubt about it but thankfully most of these wasters will be binned off in the Summer, if we were forced to go with this team in the National League it would be a bottom half team flirting with relegation again, we really are that bad sadly.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I feel for Grimsby, it's one of my favourite awaydays and, after all the effort and turmoil they went through to get back into the league, it all seems to be going to waste. I remember playing Chesterfield away in League One when we were really bad under Davis and Chesterfield a Top 6 side and a ton of Grimsby fans in fancy dress were on our train on their way to Alfreton (think they took 2200 that day) and we all thought "If these go up with that support who knows what they could do in the league?".

For some reason however, they've been a huge disappointment in the league. It says it all in the four games we've played each other, Grimsby have called for Hurst, Bignot and Slade out. It's a club that should be doing a lot better than it is but, as a previous poster has said, it's probably all down to the Chairman. I believe if Grimsby go down it'll be a record for shortest spell in the league out of non-league. However, there's a few favourable home games to go that could well see them safe despite the long winless run.

I remember when Chesterfield appointed Gary Caldwell last season, their choice of manager was down to him or Tony Mowbray and the fans overwhelmingly wanted the fraud who only won League One because his Wigan side had a ridiculous budget. At worst, with Mowbray, they'd be at the top end of this league now! Caldwell's appointment has set that club back years and, unless they perform a great escape, it'll be another traditional FL club that'll bite the league dust and end up in non league. A great shame really, I can never recall Chesterfield's league status ever being in this sort of danger before so it'd be weird to see them in non league, particularly after the fanfare of the new stadium at the start of the new decade.

Barnet won't be missed though, the awayday is shite (I'm only going on Friday because it's something to do on a Bank Holiday), their chairman is a massive bullshitting whopper and I'm bored of the constant bringing back of Martin Allen now. I feel for how shafted their fans have been in recent years with the ground move, with the Allen dramas and all that but I honestly won't mind seeing them in the Conference next season.

 

[Trapdoor]

I actually quite like Barnet as an away day. Easy enough to get to, booze is readily available and the new stand has a decent view. Plenty of worse days out in this league.

 

[MrGloverLover]

Having had a day out in Chesterfield yesterday I now hope they stay up as there are some cracking pubs that have opened since I was last there. It's also pretty close to where I live.

Purely selfish reasons but hey ho.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I actually quite like Barnet as an away day. Easy enough to get to, booze is readily available and the new stand has a decent view. Plenty of worse days out in this league.

You forget we're tight fisted Northerners with a hatred of London prices! The ground does feel like a leisure centre/high school complex though, give me Macc, Tranmere or Wrexham any day over it...

 

[Dave-Vale]

For fucks sake, County.

Could really have done with Chesterfield losing. Our point yesterday doesn’t look as good if they win today.

 

[JJ1532]

51 - Safety 2013
50 - Safety 2014
49 -
48 -
47 - Safety 2017
46 -
45 - Safety 2012
44 - Predicted Safety 17-18
43 - Crewe(39)
42 - Safety 2015 Yeovil(37)
41 - Morecambe(38)
40 - Forest Green(39)
39 - Port Vale(39)
38 -
37 - Grimsby(39)
36 -
35 - Safety 2016
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34 - Chesterfield(37)
33 -
32 -
31 -
30 - Barnet(38)

Note here, my predicted safety line is not what it'll definitely require to stay up. It is simply a calculation of what the team in 23rd will finish on based on their current points per game pace(34 points over 36 games) and multiplying that over a full 46 game schedule. So, Chesterfield are currently earning 0.94 points per game. Times that by 46 and they finish on 43.4, so it should take 44 points to stay up.

Forthcoming fixtures:

17th Crewe(39) - 43 points. Barnet(A), Port Vale(H), Mansfield(A), Luton(A), Morecambe(H), Crawley(A), Cheltenham(H)
18th Yeovil(37) - 42 points. Forest Green(H), Coventry(A), Luton(H), Swindon(A), Wycombe(H), Accrington(A), Notts County(A), Mansfield(H), Lincoln(A)
19th Morecambe(38) - 41 points. Swindon(A), Cambridge(H), Cheltenham(A), Chesterfield(H), Carlisle(H), Crewe(A), Barnet(H), Coventry(A)
20th Forest Green(39) - 40 points. Yeovil(A), Colchester(H), Barnet(A), Cheltenham(A), Chesterfield(H), Luton(A), Grimsby(H)
21th Port Vale(39) - 39 points. Chesterfield(H), Crewe(A), Crawley(H), Lincoln(H), Mansfield(A), Carlisle(H), Cambridge(A)
22nd Grimsby(39) - 37 points. Stevenage(H), Wycombe(A), Chesterfield(H), Barnet(H), Swindon(A), Notts County(H), Forest Green(A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23rd Chesterfield(37) - 34 points. Port Vale(A), Newport(H), Grimsby(A), Morecambe(A), Mansfield(H), Exeter(A), Forest Green(A), Wycombe(H), Barnet(A)
24th Barnet(39) - 30 points. Crewe(H), Stevenage(A), Forest Green(H), Grimsby(A), Newport(H), Morecambe(A), Chesterfield(H)

I'll keep this thread limited to the bottom 8, despite Stevenage's slide. It's nice for the Alex to be top of the pile, even if 3 of the teams below us have games in hand. We've had a good last 9, going 4-2-3. Another win should see us safe, got 2 massively important games against Barnet and Port Vale over Easter, get 1 win from those and we'll be fine. Yeovil also should be fine, got a couple of games in hand over the rest, one win and they are home and hosed. Probably could do with that being against FGR next Friday though, the rest of their run in is awful.

Morecambe are chipping their way to safety by grinding out draws, their run in is tough, but they should just about get over the line. FGR also look to have just enough in the tank to stay up, their home form is keeping them clear. Their run in also looks kind, especially their last 3 home games.

The Vale seem to be badly missing Pope, struggling to score at the moment. Given today's result, they have got to win at home to Chesterfield on Friday. Then it's the derby(for want of a better expression) on Monday. 2 huge games for them. Grimsby's nerves must have gone up several notches today. Still, safety is in their hands given their next 3 home games are against struggling teams. Get 6/7/9 points from those and they'll be fine. Will they do that though?

Chesterfield gave themselves a shot in the arm with this win, problem is 6 of their last 9 are away from home, so they'll surely need an away win or 2 to survive. As already mentioned, their away game at Port Vale next week is massive. Barnet still have hope, their run in is very kind, nobody decent or in form(for the most part) for them. Given the gap though, they could really do with beating Crewe on Friday. Do that and they are in business, fail to do so and I think they are leaving themselves too much to do and not enough games to do it.

Some huge 6 pointers down at the bottom next Friday. Barnet v Crewe, Port Vale v Chesterfield, Yeovil v FGR, even Grimsby v Stevenage. Table could look very different this time next week.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Game on. Who's got the mental strength. Momentum, poitive or negative, is so big. Can we really lose Grimsby that quick?

 

[GTFCfish]

I feel for Grimsby, it's one of my favourite awaydays and, after all the effort and turmoil they went through to get back into the league, it all seems to be going to waste. I remember playing Chesterfield away in League One when we were really bad under Davis and Chesterfield a Top 6 side and a ton of Grimsby fans in fancy dress were on our train on their way to Alfreton (think they took 2200 that day) and we all thought "If these go up with that support who knows what they could do in the league?".

For some reason however, they've been a huge disappointment in the league. It says it all in the four games we've played each other, Grimsby have called for Hurst, Bignot and Slade out. It's a club that should be doing a lot better than it is but, as a previous poster has said, it's probably all down to the Chairman. I believe if Grimsby go down it'll be a record for shortest spell in the league out of non-league. However, there's a few favourable home games to go that could well see them safe despite the long winless run.

I remember when Chesterfield appointed Gary Caldwell last season, their choice of manager was down to him or Tony Mowbray and the fans overwhelmingly wanted the fraud who only won League One because his Wigan side had a ridiculous budget. At worst, with Mowbray, they'd be at the top end of this league now! Caldwell's appointment has set that club back years and, unless they perform a great escape, it'll be another traditional FL club that'll bite the league dust and end up in non league. A great shame really, I can never recall Chesterfield's league status ever being in this sort of danger before so it'd be weird to see them in non league, particularly after the fanfare of the new stadium at the start of the new decade.

Barnet won't be missed though, the awayday is shite (I'm only going on Friday because it's something to do on a Bank Holiday), their chairman is a massive bullshitting whopper and I'm bored of the constant bringing back of Martin Allen now. I feel for how shafted their fans have been in recent years with the ground move, with the Allen dramas and all that but I honestly won't mind seeing them in the Conference next season.

On the same day we were at Alfreton Bristol Rovers were at Kidderminster and between us we took 5100 away fans, we had 2500 at Alfreton and Rovers had 2600 at Kidderminster.
In the end the atmosphere was really subdued though as Barnet played in the early kick off and won which meant we would still have needed them to slip up twice for us to catch them so when we scored it wasn't really a mad celebration like you'd normally expect with that sort of following it was a really bizarre atmosphere.
Also because it was so rammed every time we were attacking down the right you couldn't see fuck all until the ball was crossed into the box so you never really knew what was going on.

 

[Chris FGR]

Chesterfield winning means things look pretty grim right now for Grimsby.

At least GTFCfish will be able to catch up with Sparrow and Master D again.

 

[valefan16]

51 - Safety 2013
50 - Safety 2014
49 -
48 -
47 - Safety 2017
46 -
45 - Safety 2012
44 - Predicted Safety 17-18
43 - Crewe(39)
42 - Safety 2015 Yeovil(37)
41 - Morecambe(38)
40 - Forest Green(39)
39 - Port Vale(39)
38 -
37 - Grimsby(39)
36 -
35 - Safety 2016
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34 - Chesterfield(37)
33 -
32 -
31 -
30 - Barnet(38)

Note here, my predicted safety line is not what it'll definitely require to stay up. It is simply a calculation of what the team in 23rd will finish on based on their current points per game pace(34 points over 36 games) and multiplying that over a full 46 game schedule. So, Chesterfield are currently earning 0.94 points per game. Times that by 46 and they finish on 43.4, so it should take 44 points to stay up.

Forthcoming fixtures:

17th Crewe(39) - 43 points. Barnet(A), Port Vale(H), Mansfield(A), Luton(A), Morecambe(H), Crawley(A), Cheltenham(H)
18th Yeovil(37) - 42 points. Forest Green(H), Coventry(A), Luton(H), Swindon(A), Wycombe(H), Accrington(A), Notts County(A), Mansfield(H), Lincoln(A)
19th Morecambe(38) - 41 points. Swindon(A), Cambridge(H), Cheltenham(A), Chesterfield(H), Carlisle(H), Crewe(A), Barnet(H), Coventry(A)
20th Forest Green(39) - 40 points. Yeovil(A), Colchester(H), Barnet(A), Cheltenham(A), Chesterfield(H), Luton(A), Grimsby(H)
21th Port Vale(39) - 39 points. Chesterfield(H), Crewe(A), Crawley(H), Lincoln(H), Mansfield(A), Carlisle(H), Cambridge(A)
22nd Grimsby(39) - 37 points. Stevenage(H), Wycombe(A), Chesterfield(H), Barnet(H), Swindon(A), Notts County(H), Forest Green(A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23rd Chesterfield(37) - 34 points. Port Vale(A), Newport(H), Grimsby(A), Morecambe(A), Mansfield(H), Exeter(A), Forest Green(A), Wycombe(H), Barnet(A)
24th Barnet(39) - 30 points. Crewe(H), Stevenage(A), Forest Green(H), Grimsby(A), Newport(H), Morecambe(A), Chesterfield(H)

I'll keep this thread limited to the bottom 8, despite Stevenage's slide. It's nice for the Alex to be top of the pile, even if 3 of the teams below us have games in hand. We've had a good last 9, going 4-2-3. Another win should see us safe, got 2 massively important games against Barnet and Port Vale over Easter, get 1 win from those and we'll be fine. Yeovil also should be fine, got a couple of games in hand over the rest, one win and they are home and hosed. Probably could do with that being against FGR next Friday though, the rest of their run in is awful.

Morecambe are chipping their way to safety by grinding out draws, their run in is tough, but they should just about get over the line. FGR also look to have just enough in the tank to stay up, their home form is keeping them clear. Their run in also looks kind, especially their last 3 home games.

The Vale seem to be badly missing Pope, struggling to score at the moment. Given today's result, they have got to win at home to Chesterfield on Friday. Then it's the derby(for want of a better expression) on Monday. 2 huge games for them. Grimsby's nerves must have gone up several notches today. Still, safety is in their hands given their next 3 home games are against struggling teams. Get 6/7/9 points from those and they'll be fine. Will they do that though?

Chesterfield gave themselves a shot in the arm with this win, problem is 6 of their last 9 are away from home, so they'll surely need an away win or 2 to survive. As already mentioned, their away game at Port Vale next week is massive. Barnet still have hope, their run in is very kind, nobody decent or in form(for the most part) for them. Given the gap though, they could really do with beating Crewe on Friday. Do that and they are in business, fail to do so and I think they are leaving themselves too much to do and not enough games to do it.

Some huge 6 pointers down at the bottom next Friday. Barnet v Crewe, Port Vale v Chesterfield, Yeovil v FGR, even Grimsby v Stevenage. Table could look very different this time next week.

Pope is back next weekend

 

[pontoonlew]

We are completely and utterly fucked.

 

[GTFCfish]

Chesterfield winning means things look pretty grim right now for Grimsby.

At least GTFCfish will be able to catch up with Sparrow and Master D again.

Cheers I hadn't thought of that, every cloud has a silver lining eh?

 

[Buxton Vale]

Our game on Friday is going to have a big say in who stays up. Its looking like Barnet have gone, and one other from Chesterfield, Grimsby and if we lose, possibly us.

 

[AdamStag]

Grimsby have Stevenage at home next week.

The exact kinda nothing club with nothing to play for that you'd dream of playing if you're struggling.

Lose to them and Grimsby can prepare for another 5 years of fun playing down in the conference.

As it stands whoever goes down can look forward to trips to Salford city or Harrogate from the north or Havant and waterlooville or dartford from the south, Truro city knocking around the playoffs too

If that doesn't get the pulse going, nothing will

 

[Vanni]

FFS Fish. You lot are going to break Halifax's record of only spending 3 years as a FL side after winning promotion from the connie, and this was back in 1998-2001. Can't recall any other side that did this in recent years? Barnet perhaps?

edit - no it's not Barnet, though they'll match Halifax 's feat if they are relegated this year.

ps - still reckon Grimsby will stay up though.

 

[Wiinotfit]

Shall I let this run Grimsby Fans?
This is the first time cash out has gone above £2 put it on probably a month ago

 

[Vanni]

No, cash in now.

But seriously, it's only £1 so I'd let it run if it was me.

 

[PaulHaddock]

I’d say 75% of our fans have us as down now, me included. The signs have been there for weeks. Barnet, Chesterfield and just about every other struggled manage to create chances and lose by the odd goal or two. We are getting battered week in, week out. We will not win at Stevenage on Friday, before getting thumped by Akinfenwa on the Monday. And by the time we play Chesterfield on 7th April, they will have overtaken us. This team is weak, slow, gutless and doomed.

And the worst thing is, I’m completely numb to it.

 

[Vanni]

You're at home to Stevenage Paul. MUST WIN GAME.

 

[Wiinotfit]

No, cash in now.

But seriously, it's only £1 so I'd let it run if it was me.

I know wish I'd put more on now

 

[Impish]

Grimsby are done dead and buried. Their whole fanbase has resigned themselves to it, that will filter through to the players.

Can see Barnet performing a miracle with that run in and Allen.

And Chesterfield massive boost for them today that'll kick start them hopefully.

 

[LondonOrn]

Barnet won't be missed though, the awayday is shite (I'm only going on Friday because it's something to do on a Bank Holiday), their chairman is a massive bullshitting whopper and I'm bored of the constant bringing back of Martin Allen now. I feel for how shafted their fans have been in recent years with the ground move, with the Allen dramas and all that but I honestly won't mind seeing them in the Conference next season.

I actually quite like Barnet as an away day. Easy enough to get to, booze is readily available and the new stand has a decent view. Plenty of worse days out in this league.

I only went to Underhill twice, for a PSF against Arsenal in 2007 and when they beat Aldershot 3-0 in early 2010, and only paid a brief visit to The Hive without attending a match there, but Underhill stuck me as being one of the better League 2 away trips. Nice spacious part of London, more attractive than most football sites (maybe I'm just a sucker for leafy suburbia) and the ground though primitive by Football League standards with its sloping pitch and tiny terrace overlooking the houses immediately behind completely exposed to the elements had its own quirky charm.

Obviously it's hard to judge not having been to a match and maybe my judgement is discoloured because with Barnet being my local team not playing their home games there just doesn't seem right to me, but something about the Hive, though technically a better ground and more professional set-up didn't seem very appealing so if the first poster is referring to away days there I can see where he's coming from. And it must be more of a pain to get to for those living north of Watford than Underhill, which was no easy trek.

 

[Dave-Vale]

If we lose Friday and Grimsby win then we are probably more in the shit than them.

 

[PaulHaddock]

You're at home to Stevenage Paul. MUST WIN GAME.

Even though though I wrote that wrong, its irrelevant. In our last 6 away games, we've gained 0 points, conceded 18 and scored 2 (both penalties). In our last 6 home games, we've gained 2 points, conceded 8 and scored 3. No clean sheet in 18 games and I think we've only scored 2 goals from open play in that time.

There is just no turning it around with this squad. Port Vale, who were shit and hadn't won in ages, were set to take 3 points with ease from us the other week, until we undeservedly got a last minute equaliser.

There are definite signs of improvement under Jolley. But the 4-0 yesterday just shows that the squad is too far gone to salvage it. At least we've only 5 players under contract for next season because only about 3 of them deserve a new contract in my eyes.

 

[thewwfc]

Hoping that Chesterfield are safe and have nothing to play for by the time we go to theirs on the penultimate game of the season.

 

[Urban]

This is all so depressing.

 

[Soup Ladle]

FFS Fish. You lot are going to break Halifax's record of only spending 3 years as a FL side after winning promotion from the connie, and this was back in 1998-2001. Can't recall any other side that did this in recent years? Barnet perhaps?

edit - no it's not Barnet, though they'll match Halifax 's feat if they are relegated this year.

ps - still reckon Grimsby will stay up though.

Didn't York spend about 2 seasons before going down again?

 

[PaulHaddock]

Didn't York spend about 2 seasons before going down again?

York managed 4. So what we’re managing is a hell of an achievement in some respects.

 

[Soup Ladle]

I believe that according to the charter of the natural order you lose your right to membership of the football league brotherhood or something like that if you're relegated more than once out of the FL. You are then classed as a tinpotter.

Best off asking Master D, that's what supporting Wrexham in non league for half a generation does to you.