Saturday 20th March 2021

[FGR Stroud]

Of the 10 teams still involved with a chance of going up.......I can only see Bolton, Tranmere and Salford attracting players that will give them a chance of staying up.
The other 7 may get promoted but your coming back next May.
That is the reality of modern football

Not true. That opinion only applies to the Premiership.
You have Tranmere included in the three clubs with chance of staying up if promoted but it is only Tranmere who are currently back in EFL2 after one season. And they were only demoted because of the pandemic curtailing the season. [We will never know how Bury would have done if not wound up.]
Your argument would mean smaller clubs such as Accrington, Fleetwood or Burton having no future in EFL1. But they are standing 12th, 15th & 18th, and none with chance of being relegated back to EFL2.
The three clubs securing auto-promotion will have a couple of months to strengthen their team. It is the 4th promoted team which will have less time to secure better players for next season's campaign and perhaps may struggle.
I have faith that all the promoted teams will do okay next season.

 

[masi51]

Interesting concept you have taken there but I wouldn't expect anything less from a Bolton fan. And by that I mean you expect lowly Cambridge to not to be able to afford or attract players good enough for league one, right? We got our recruitment right in the summer, you didn't. That's cost your club a lot of money and possible automatics.

No-one expected Cambridge to be challenging for promotion this season given our budget and previous seasons we've had, which is fair enough may I add.

This season we have a manager who is a the start of his managerial career but has been managing at the club from academy U'9's all the way up to U'18's so knows the club inside out. He is from Cambridge and has been a fan since a boy. He still has a lot to learn but the players love him and he has created a great feeling amongst the squad and fans and everyone is fighting for promotion. He is getting that extra 10% from players deemed not good enough by the fans or previous clubs. (Iredale Carlisle) (Digby Stevenage) (Mullin Tranmere) (Ironside Macclesfield).

Players like Mullin, Ironside, Boateng and Digby in this summer which have all been huge additions. Ironside was wanted by Exeter but he signed because of Bonners vision. I believe he would build a squad good enough to fight off relegation with or without Hoolahan. If we go up I think Knoyle stays but unlikely Mullin does given he only signed a one year deal despite being offered a two year contract.

On Hoolahan i'm not sure what his plan is next season. He would still run things in certain games in league one but it's whether he wants to carry on. We are just enjoying watching him whilst we can.

Cambridge might not have the biggest budget or the biggest ground but we have Bonner and our location to sell to players. Close to London to commute and Cambridge as a place to live isn't too shabby.

A good comeback and a reasonable case you have put forward
Very impressed with Cambridge as a club the way they acted with respecting the 75th marking of the Burnden disaster especially Bonner.
Mullin will be a big miss and i expect him to rock up at Salford with a decent contract.
The other players mentioned are bog standard lge 2 players who may or may not cut it in lge 1
Good luck next season whatever league you are in.

 

[Chris FGR]

Not true. That opinion only applies to the Premiership.
You have Tranmere included in the three clubs with chance of staying up if promoted but it is only Tranmere who are currently back in EFL2 after one season. And they were only demoted because of the pandemic curtailing the season. [We will never know how Bury would have done if not wound up.]
Your argument would mean smaller clubs such as Accrington, Fleetwood or Burton having no future in EFL1. But they are standing 12th, 15th & 18th, and none with chance of being relegated back to EFL2.
The three clubs securing auto-promotion will have a couple of months to strengthen their team. It is the 4th promoted team which will have less time to secure better players for next season's campaign and perhaps may struggle.
I have faith that all the promoted teams will do okay next season.

Can't speak for Cheltenham or Cambridge, but talking to Swindon fans I know they reckon we are miles short of the quality needed. Hopefully they're wrong but without doubt next season finishing anywhere above the bottom 4 would be a major success if we do go up.

 

[Holty10]

Can't speak for Cheltenham or Cambridge, but talking to Swindon fans I know they reckon we are miles short of the quality needed. Hopefully they're wrong but without doubt next season finishing anywhere above the bottom 4 would be a major success if we do go up.

It's a strange one though. Wigan are in a terrible position and are in with a chance of staying up. They've had players on short term contracts, had to sell the core of their team. Pick up free agents. I think with some continuity there is a base to build on for any promoted team. If you lose a manager and key players any may struggle though.

Also the turnaround a Burton shows it doesn't take much.

 

[Si Robin]

Can't speak for Cheltenham or Cambridge, but talking to Swindon fans I know they reckon we are miles short of the quality needed. Hopefully they're wrong but without doubt next season finishing anywhere above the bottom 4 would be a major success if we do go up.

We have struggled in all of our seasons in the 3rd tier - the first we nearly stayed up on the last after a disaster of a start in appointing Graham Allner to replace Steve Cotterill.

Our second season was arguably our best start of the 4 and John Ward had us battling all season with us staying up comfortably in the end and finishing 17th. That summer though was a disaster, we struggled to get players in and then Ward left us that November to go to Carlisle and fuck up their promotion challenge. Keith Downing took over and worked wonders in keeping us up on the the last day against a Doncaster team who should have gone up automatically.

That next summer was even worse with about 4 or 5 decent strikers turning us down, including Gary Hooper who visited the training ground, was all set to sign but then got a late call from Scunthorpe and headed up there instead. Downing lasted about a month or so into the new season before being sacked due to Martin Allen suddenly becoming available and then we became a laughing stock.

Assuming we don't lose Michael Duff this summer, if we did go up I'd feel confident of stopping up, but going further than that would be a bit of an ask. We've got a number of decent players signed on for next season already in Boyle, Raglan, Hussey and Sercombe. The midfield would need a bit of work, as would up front (although Sam Smith on a permanent would go down well).

 

[SVH]

Swindon must be a club in a mess though given they loaned out their best player in the summer.

 

[huddsmoose]

We'll need to do a rebuilding job this summer irrespective of the division we'll be playing in next year.

Mullin is likely to go, Hoolahan might decide to retire, Boateng is only on loan. Knoyle will surely go if we stay down.

That might not be a bad thing though. For the first time in a long time I trust the Manager knows what he's doing and actually has a plan for the style of football he wants to play. Going up would give him the impetus to replace the core of a team who are long-serving and decent League 2 players, but surely not up to league 1 (Dunk, Taylor, O'Neil etc).

 

[masi51]

We also will need to recruit heavy irrespective of what league we are in.
A keeper is a must and we may already have him at the club. We signed Lukas Jenson on loan from Burnley
Evatt not even named him on the bench.....does not want higher clubs coming in to loan him next season.
If we go up we need 4/5 players better than what we have now. If we stay down it will be dependent how many of our loan signings he makes permanent.

 

[RLC]

I think we would have stayed up last year if the season had not been curtailed, but the squad we have now is light years ahead of the one we had in 2018-19.

If (big if) we are promoted, I think we could survive relatively comfortably provided we hold on to the bulk of our better players.

 

[Robshep]

I think we would have stayed up last year if the season had not been curtailed, but the squad we have now is light years ahead of the one we had in 2018-19.

If (big if) we are promoted, I think we could survive relatively comfortably provided we hold on to the bulk of our better players.

Better get ready for some illogical raving about how you are wrong from you know who.

 

[Pablosammy]

I think we would have stayed up last year if the season had not been curtailed, but the squad we have now is light years ahead of the one we had in 2018-19.

If (big if) we are promoted, I think we could survive relatively comfortably provided we hold on to the bulk of our better players.

I completely agree.

I think it's clear we had a plan A and a plan B. First plan was to see how the squad did with minimal investment, and if we could stay up then we had our foothold.

Plan A wasn't working, so we enacted Plan B. Investment was made and the squad was strengthened, and the results were starting to come when the season was curtailed. I have no doubt at all that we'd have survived comfortably had the season continued.

Ah well, sour grapes and all that.

 

[valefan16]

I completely agree.

I think it's clear we had a plan A and a plan B. First plan was to see how the squad did with minimal investment, and if we could stay up then we had our foothold.

Plan A wasn't working, so we enacted Plan B. Investment was made and the squad was strengthened, and the results were starting to come when the season was curtailed. I have no doubt at all that we'd have survived comfortably had the season continued.

Ah well, sour grapes and all that.

We could of been league one now as well, right bollock ache... do it a week before or the linesman doesn’t overall the referee at Cheltenham...

At least Tranmere are giving themselves some karma it seems this season... us on the other hand!!!

 

[Casey]

Funding is the key to staying at any level. If you have the funds to get in players who can compete at the level you're at then your club can prosper.

Most footballers are mercenaries, with the length of their careers who can blame them, and will go to where the most money is. Towards the end of their career they may take a 3 year deal on less than a 2 year deal and if the difference isn't too great most will play for a club in a higher league but when all's said and done those who pay the most will get the better players.

The exception to the rule appear to be Accrington.

Casey

 

[Laker]

We'll need to do a rebuilding job this summer irrespective of the division we'll be playing in next year.

Mullin is likely to go, Hoolahan might decide to retire, Boateng is only on loan. Knoyle will surely go if we stay down.

That might not be a bad thing though. For the first time in a long time I trust the Manager knows what he's doing and actually has a plan for the style of football he wants to play. Going up would give him the impetus to replace the core of a team who are long-serving and decent League 2 players, but surely not up to league 1 (Dunk, Taylor, O'Neil etc).

Yeah we also only have one centre back too so would need a couple of signings there.

I think the club did the right thing by not binding us into loads of long contracts during the pandemic, they’ve used the loan market very well. But the upshot of that is we will need to rebuild over the summer. Like you, I’m ok with that too.

 

[masi51]

Funding is the key to staying at any level. If you have the funds to get in players who can compete at the level you're at then your club can prosper.

Most footballers are mercenaries, with the length of their careers who can blame them, and will go to where the most money is. Towards the end of their career they may take a 3 year deal on less than a 2 year deal and if the difference isn't too great most will play for a club in a higher league but when all's said and done those who pay the most will get the better players.

The exception to the rule appear to be Accrington.

Casey

Accrington can and do pick the best players that have played previously in lge 2 in the northwest
many are ex bury Salford players with the odd loan from neighbours Burnley

 

[Robshep]

Accrington can and do pick the best players both Burnley and Blackburn send out on loan.
They are well run but will go no higher in the pyramid....Once/if Burnley fall Accrington will mirror them

Accrington Stanley have 1 player on loan from Burnley and none on loan from Blackburn Rovers. They do have 3 on loan from Chelsea so sadly you are wrong, again. What a surprise.

 

[chipmunx]

Accrington Stanley have 1 player on loan from Burnley and none on loan from Blackburn Rovers. They do have 3 on loan from Chelsea so sadly you are wrong, again. What a surprise.

We seam to get the Burnley ones;- We had Jimmy Dunne* 3 seasons ago who has played and scored in the Premier League this season. We have another 2 at present from them.

* he did a half season with us then a half with Accy.

 

[masi51]

Accrington Stanley have 1 player on loan from Burnley and none on loan from Blackburn Rovers. They do have 3 on loan from Chelsea so sadly you are wrong, again. What a surprise.

We seam to get the Burnley ones;- We had Jimmy Dunne 3 seasons ago who has played and scored in the Premier League this season. We have another 2 at present from them.

You had some of Blackburn as well White and Matty Platt...pre Dunne and did you not get a couple while Dunne was in charge

 

[masi51]

Accrington Stanley have 1 player on loan from Burnley and none on loan from Blackburn Rovers. They do have 3 on loan from Chelsea so sadly you are wrong, again. What a surprise.

 

[masi51]

Accrington Stanley have 1 player on loan from Burnley and none on loan from Blackburn Rovers. They do have 3 on loan from Chelsea so sadly you are wrong, again. What a surprise.

never said they did.....I said Chelsea

 

[Robshep]

never said they did.....I said Chelsea

Dickhead

 

[Robshep]

Accrington can and do pick the best players that have played previously in lge 2 in the northwest
many are ex bury Salford players with the odd loan from neighbours Burnley

Accrington Stanley have 1 player on loan from Burnley and none on loan from Blackburn Rovers. They do have 3 on loan from Chelsea so sadly you are wrong, again. What a surprise.

You can delete stuff you typed but not replies. Try harder.

 

[masi51]

The Walley from Wallasey

 

[Robshep]

keyboard warrior

Keyboard moron.

 

[masi51]

Keyboard moron.

your hurting my feelings........why dont you talk about football for a change


Your not going to ever get in my head your a Joke

 

[Robshep]

your hurting my feelings........why dont you talk about football for a change


Your not going to ever get in my head your a Joke

What was your (deleted but still in my reply) claim about Accrington about if it wasn't about football. Where you discussing the milk marketing boards advertising history. No, you were incorrectly making claims about how they work the loan system. That is football based. I am not to blame if you are clueless. Thats your fault. If i had the time or inclination i could find dozens of wrong, stupid or ridiculous posts you have sent. Even despite you deleting many. The joke here is you. Even other Bolton fans think you are an idiot for the way you behave. Sort yourself out.

 

[masi51]

What was your (deleted but still in my reply) claim about Accrington about if it wasn't about football. Where you discussing the milk marketing boards advertising history. No, you were incorrectly making claims about how they work the loan system. That is football based. I am not to blame if you are clueless. Thats your fault. If i had the time or inclination i could find dozens of wrong, stupid or ridiculous posts you have sent. Even despite you deleting many. The joke here is you. Even other Bolton fans think you are an idiot for the way you behave. Sort yourself out.

I congratulate you as you have surpassed yourself this week.....Twice this week i am telling you to get fucked

 

[Robshep]

I congratulate you as you have surpassed yourself this week.....Twice this week i am telling you to get fucked

If you managed to go more than 12 hours without coming across as an enormous dickhead you could congratulate yourself but that is impossible. As i have said many times before, you are by a long distance the stupidest person i have ever encountered on social media and i have crossed paths with Trump supporters.

 

[masi51]

I congratulate you as you have surpassed yourself this week.....Twice this week i am telling you to get fuc

If you managed to go more than 12 hours without coming across as an enormous dickhead you could congratulate yourself but that is impossible. As i have said many times before, you are by a long distance the stupidest person i have ever encountered on social media and i have crossed paths with Trump supporters.

As i have said you have a agenda against Bolton and anyone associated with the club.
You are obsessed. Your 1000 posts are all anti Bolton.
As i have told you numerous times i NEVER have and never will go to a football game looking for trouble.

I t was NOT me who you and your mate had a run in with.

I have shared a lot of Banter with Tranmere down the years

You need to get this anti me/Bolton out of your system

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Never mind all this talk of who will and won’t stay up next season. First and foremost there has to be fans back in stadiums for next season to be financially viable. Can’t see league 1&2 clubs voting to play on next season without fans or a financial package in place from the Premier league.