So, who is in league 2 for 21/22

[AdamStag]

So to date, it appears we've the following -

Port Vale
Oldham
Stevenage
Harrogate
Mansfield
Walsall

We can add as and when teams join (either against their will or in sure delight!) or if anyone has been missed.

(Scunthorpe Colchester and Barrow are as good as safe, but can still go down at present).

From league 1 -

Realistically between these 6 - Shrewsbury are on 50 but have 1 or 2 games in hand.

Bristol Rovers and Swindon look all but down for those down south, with it also looking tough for Rochdale and Northampton.

From the conference -

well, as you'd expect from the conference theres games in hand all over the place, and as many as 12 games left for Notts County (I believe it's now a 44 game season). **EDITED - 42 game season**

Though it looks like automatic will be between 1 of the top 3 sides.

Any preference on who you'd like next season?

 

[BarraMatt]

For the love of God, not FC Halifax.

 

[valefan16]

So to date, it appears we've the following -

Port Vale
Oldham
Stevenage
Harrogate
Mansfield
Walsall

We can add as and when teams join (either against their will or in sure delight!) or if anyone has been missed.

(Scunthorpe Colchester and Barrow are as good as safe, but can still go down at present).

From league 1 -
View attachment 14237

Realistically between these 6 - Shrewsbury are on 50 but have 1 or 2 games in hand.

Bristol Rovers and Swindon look all but down for those down south, with it also looking tough for Rochdale and Northampton.

From the conference -

View attachment 14238

well, as you'd expect from the conference theres games in hand all over the place, and as many as 12 games left for Notts County (I believe it's now a 44 game season).

Though it looks like automatic will be between 1 of the top 3 sides.

Any preference on who you'd like next season?

42 game season isnt it? No Macc or Dover.

Sutton have bottled a good position.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Sutton are still winning the league, three games in hand on us, one on Torquay and they still have two walkover games against Barnet to play, the rest of us are just playing for Playoff positions.

 

[kieran_vale]

You'd say Rovers and Swindon are dead and buried and for all intents and purposes Northampton and Rochdale are as well. In Northamptons case they should really look at this year in L1 as a bit of a bonus as with no disrespect intended they were somewhat fortunate to get up the way that they did. Rovers and Dale at first glance you'd think would be favoured to go back up. Swindon on the other hand I suspect if their off the pitch issues are not sorted I can see them flirting with maybe even losing their league status. That's usually the tale of clubs of their size who go down to the conference.

As for coming up Sutton have to be the favourites then would prefer Notts or Wrexham.

More than anything from our league hopefully Bolton and/or Tranmere go up so won't have to read the reams of nonsense back and forth in every thread on here from certain individuals that would be good!

 

[AdamStag]

42 game season isnt it? No Macc or Dover.

Sutton have bottled a good position.

Of course

 

[AdamStag]

You'd say Rovers and Swindon are dead and buried and for all intents and purposes Northampton and Rochdale are as well. In Northamptons case they should really look at this year in L1 as a bit of a bonus as with no disrespect intended they were somewhat fortunate to get up the way that they did. Rovers and Dale at first glance you'd think would be favoured to go back up. Swindon on the other hand I suspect if their off the pitch issues are not sorted I can see them flirting with maybe even losing their league status. That's usually the tale of clubs of their size who go down to the conference.

As for coming up Sutton have to be the favourites then would prefer Notts or Wrexham.

More than anything from our league hopefully Bolton and/or Tranmere go up so won't have to read the reams of nonsense back and forth in every thread on here from certain individuals that would be good!

Geographically i'd like to keep Bolton and Tranmere as easy to get to - Bristol Rovers will be fine as know friends down there anyway so will be a good weekend!

Either way it looks as if at least one "traditional" legaue club will return, or "legacy" clubs as they'd probably be called by that super league nonsense

 

[kieran_vale]

Geographically i'd like to keep Bolton and Tranmere as easy to get to - Bristol Rovers will be fine as know friends down there anyway so will be a good weekend!

Either way it looks as if at least one "traditional" legaue club will return, or "legacy" clubs as they'd probably be called by that super league nonsense

Seems that way though sods law now dictates it will end up being Bromley going on some big run through the playoffs. Chesterfield seem to have tailed off a bit which is a bit surprising after they signed Manny. If could guarantee me we'd be away to them in early or end of the season (and not midweek) would quite welcome Torquay though.

I'm glad Wigan look like they'll survive in L1 anyway. Now they've been taken over they will have some money behind them and would pretty much have locked up a promotion spot without a ball being kicked.

 

[BarraMatt]

You'd say Rovers and Swindon are dead and buried and for all intents and purposes Northampton and Rochdale are as well. In Northamptons case they should really look at this year in L1 as a bit of a bonus as with no disrespect intended they were somewhat fortunate to get up the way that they did. Rovers and Dale at first glance you'd think would be favoured to go back up. Swindon on the other hand I suspect if their off the pitch issues are not sorted I can see them flirting with maybe even losing their league status. That's usually the tale of clubs of their size who go down to the conference.

As for coming up Sutton have to be the favourites then would prefer Notts or Wrexham.

More than anything from our league hopefully Bolton and/or Tranmere go up so won't have to read the reams of nonsense back and forth in every thread on here from certain individuals that would be good!

I only had Masi on ignore but considering Robshep (who is a decent poster aside from the back and forths) quotes him all the time I may as well have not bothered, so they are both on ignore.

I'd like Sutton to come up, they've had a good season and it would be nice to see them finish it off, it isn't often a team such as ourselves or Sutton have a huge opportunity to win the Conference, apart from ourselves and Macclesfield a few years ago the only clubs that seem to win the league are those flush with cash or those traditional, well equipped Football League sides.

 

[Bone Idle]

C'mon you seagulls!!!
An english riviera weekender would do us all the world of good after the shite year we've had.

 

[JaredSUFC]

Sutton are still winning the league, three games in hand on us, one on Torquay and they still have two walkover games against Barnet to play, the rest of us are just playing for Playoff positions.

Barnet have come into form just before they’re due to play us.

Fortunately our game in hand over Torquay is Woking at home however.

 

[AdamStag]

I only had Masi on ignore but considering Robshep (who is a decent poster aside from the back and forths) quotes him all the time I may as well have not bothered, so they are both on ignore.

I'd like Sutton to come up, they've had a good season and it would be nice to see them finish it off, it isn't often a team such as ourselves or Sutton have a huge opportunity to win the Conference, apart from ourselves and Macclesfield a few years ago the only clubs that seem to win the league are those flush with cash or those traditional, well equipped Football League sides.

God, him and that Halifax fan in the same league, wow.

 

[Luke Imp]

From a L1 point of view, you'll definitely be getting Bristol Rovers and Swindon.

Bristol Rovers have a gobshite in charge who's thrown his whole squad under the bus since he's been there and one who, if his time at Fleetwood is anything to go by, judges games on how much possession his side has rather than goals, although his Fleetwood side were fairly tidy to be fair. It was like Dads Army there when he left, mind.

Swindon lost Wellens, who got out because presumably saw what was coming and then, weirdly, although probably not by Lee Power standards, poached John Sheridan from Wigan who's record this season across both Club's will be horrific. I'm not even sure he'd make a 15% win ratio this season. He's gone now anyway, and that's the least of Swindon's problems as attention switches to their Boardroom...

Northampton were down and out with Curle but have kept in touch since he's gone but with Gillingham, Blackpool and Sunderland to play, having to close a three point gap from that run-in is going to be difficult.

Rochdale are 5 adrift with a game in hand. They're a tidy side, play total football, which is kamikaze at times, but have a defence like a sieve. They've scored as many as 5th placed Blackpool but have the second worst defence in the division. They have an ok run-in so might make it out (they also play AFCW).

Wigan and Wimbledon have put some form together at exactly the right time. The latter have figured out how to score goals all of a sudden and might get away with just needing another point because of their better GD. The former are actually an ok side on paper but off the pitch this season probably made everything twice as difficult.

 

[valefan16]

Swindon... great always a good away day that one for us... assume they are in the brown as they flogged their best players after going up?

Northampton isnt a surprise.

Bristol Rovers will be a good one if away fans are allowed in.

Don't really want Wrexham up as they'll throw loads of money at it so from a point of view of promotion for us it would pose a greater threat. wouldn't mind Hartlepool but we have a weird quirk where our recent league record against them is awful, not won in ages but always annihilate them in the cup competitions! (6-0, 6-2 and 4-0 since 94)

Torquay is a good away day at the right time of year i guess. Went there in the promotion season and big Calvin Andrew scored the winner with his arse.

Locality wise Notts would be decent.

 

[Casey]

Just through sheer travel distances can we please have some Southern sides. Crazy that a club right next to the capital has the second longest distances to travel.

With that in mind.

Sutton
Bromley
Wimbledon
Northampton
Swindon
Gas.

Casey

 

[Agombar stool]

Swindon... great always a good away day that one for us... assume they are in the brown as they flogged their best players after going up?

Northampton isnt a surprise.

Bristol Rovers will be a good one if away fans are allowed in.

Don't really want Wrexham up as they'll throw loads of money at it so from a point of view of promotion for us it would pose a greater threat. wouldn't mind Hartlepool but we have a weird quirk where our recent league record against them is awful, not won in ages but always annihilate them in the cup competitions! (6-0, 6-2 and 4-0 since 94)

Torquay is a good away day at the right time of year i guess. Went there in the promotion season and big Calvin Andrew scored the winner with his arse.

Locality wise Notts would be decent.

Where do I even begin?

• Michael Doughty, probably our best player decides to retire from football to start his own training shoe company
• Almost all of the players Wellens wanted to sign from last year chose to go elsewhere
• Not properly recruiting a keeper pre-season and ending up with Kovar from Man U (we should have had Baxter from Chelsea who is a miles better keeper but for whatever reason he ended up at Accrington) who was a disaster. He was canned and after a bit of keeper hokey cokey ended up with Mark Travers from Bournemouth who was excellent. He lasted 3 games before Bournemouth recalled him. We've had 6/7 keepers throughout the season. Lee Camp who we have settled on has been decent enough to be fair.
• Richie Wellens jumping ship to go back up north. I think he knew there was something very up behind the scenes at the club.
• No idea how many centre back pairings we've had this season but they have all been pretty terrible. At one stage I think we had 8 centre backs on the books. We have been a little unlucky with injuries but this is an area we have been particularly bad in.
• Behind the scenes is a disaster. Lee Power has no money and so has managed to 'raise' some via (allegedly) Michael Standing, who is an agent and is not allowed to get involved due to conflict of interest rules. Got knows what the punishment might be. We've had an offer from an Australian businessman who appears credible but Power is trying to push through a sale for £1 to an American consortium who Power previously has denied exist.
• John Sheridan - worst manager ever. Clueless, tacticless, just a waste of space.
• Hardly anyone under contract next season. Twine, Payne and Odimayo are the only players I would keep, they won't want to stay though so its a real start from scratch job
• We don't have a manager

I have probably forgotten something but this season on and off the pitch has been terrible. Nothing will get better until Power goes and we get to be run properly. All the hard work under Wellens in league 2 has been undone, its a case of 1 step forward and 4 back.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Looking at the non-league picture, Sutton would be welcome - a comparable club to ourselves, one of the only decent teams we faced last season and can't see us competing for the same players.

Notts County fans (not necessarily the ones on here) were a bunch of entitled pricks all last season, and even more so when we pinched their rightful place in L2. They can stay down a while longer.

Chesterfield don't seem to have endeared themselves to anyone in recent years (although the Martin Allen months were hilarious). They've been using shady tactics to pinch players (mainly from Gloucester), and some of their posters think the sun shines out of their new manager's arse. Keep em down.

Stockport and Wrexham would spend like mad and no doubt dominate, so it's only Torquay or Hartlepool that would be acceptable of the rest.

 

[valefan16]

Where do I even begin?

• Michael Doughty, probably our best player decides to retire from football to start his own training shoe company
• Almost all of the players Wellens wanted to sign from last year chose to go elsewhere
• Not properly recruiting a keeper pre-season and ending up with Kovar from Man U (we should have had Baxter from Chelsea who is a miles better keeper but for whatever reason he ended up at Accrington) who was a disaster. He was canned and after a bit of keeper hokey cokey ended up with Mark Travers from Bournemouth who was excellent. He lasted 3 games before Bournemouth recalled him. We've had 6/7 keepers throughout the season. Lee Camp who we have settled on has been decent enough to be fair.
• Richie Wellens jumping ship to go back up north. I think he knew there was something very up behind the scenes at the club.
• No idea how many centre back pairings we've had this season but they have all been pretty terrible. At one stage I think we had 8 centre backs on the books. We have been a little unlucky with injuries but this is an area we have been particularly bad in.
• Behind the scenes is a disaster. Lee Power has no money and so has managed to 'raise' some via (allegedly) Michael Standing, who is an agent and is not allowed to get involved due to conflict of interest rules. Got knows what the punishment might be. We've had an offer from an Australian businessman who appears credible but Power is trying to push through a sale for £1 to an American consortium who Power previously has denied exist.
• John Sheridan - worst manager ever. Clueless, tacticless, just a waste of space.
• Hardly anyone under contract next season. Twine, Payne and Odimayo are the only players I would keep, they won't want to stay though so its a real start from scratch job
• We don't have a manager

I have probably forgotten something but this season on and off the pitch has been terrible. Nothing will get better until Power goes and we get to be run properly. All the hard work under Wellens in league 2 has been undone, its a case of 1 step forward and 4 back.

Ouch, big shame football wise as you'd worked hard to get back up to L1 since relegation and had a good side, Doughty by far the best player we faced both times even in the win we had at VP (rarity that!)

 

[dedwardp]

Worth noting that Rochdale have won three games on the bounce and still have a game in hand.

 

[AdamStag]

Looking at the non-league picture, Sutton would be welcome - a comparable club to ourselves, one of the only decent teams we faced last season and can't see us competing for the same players.

Notts County fans (not necessarily the ones on here) were a bunch of entitled pricks all last season, and even more so when we pinched their rightful place in L2. They can stay down a while longer.

Chesterfield don't seem to have endeared themselves to anyone in recent years (although the Martin Allen months were hilarious). They've been using shady tactics to pinch players (mainly from Gloucester), and some of their posters think the sun shines out of their new manager's arse. Keep em down.

Stockport and Wrexham would spend like mad and no doubt dominate, so it's only Torquay or Hartlepool that would be acceptable of the rest.

Sadly county fans are largely like that, though jacob on here is decent.

They once did something of note in 1950 or other and think it makes them better than everyone else - guess it’s much easier to yearn for those times than face up to reality in losing to eastleigh

 

[Agombar stool]

Ouch, big shame football wise as you'd worked hard to get back up to L1 since relegation and had a good side, Doughty by far the best player we faced both times even in the win we had at VP (rarity that!)

Yeah he was a big loss.

I forgot a couple of things. We sold Jayesimi to Charlton and deadline day and we also had Matt Smith on loan from Arsenal who was a class above anyone else we had, but Sheridan didn't fancy him (probably too talented) and terminated his loan. He's now at Charlton but bizarrely can't get in their squad, which probably tells you all you need to know about the difference between the 2 clubs!

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Yeah he was a big loss.

I forgot a couple of things. We sold Jayesimi to Charlton and deadline day and we also had Matt Smith on loan from Arsenal who was a class above anyone else we had, but Sheridan didn't fancy him (probably too talented) and terminated his loan. He's now at Charlton but bizarrely can't get in their squad, which probably tells you all you need to know about the difference between the 2 clubs!

Our local rag reckons you might have Cooper back though probably just putting two and two together to make five.

 

[Son of Cod]

Cobblers must be the perennial L1/L2 yoyo club of nowadays. Seems like they're up or down almost every season.

 

[Agombar stool]

Our local rag reckons you might have Cooper back though probably just putting two and two together to make five.

Yeah I think that's probably what has happened here as well. I don't think the fanbase would be very happy if that were to happen!

 

[GTFCfish]

Sadly county fans are largely like that, though jacob on here is decent.

Nearly all of the Notts fans on here seem decent to be fair.

 

[Son of Cod]

Yeah I think that's probably what has happened here as well. I don't think the fanbase would be very happy if that were to happen!

Would you want Wellens back?

 

[Agombar stool]

Would you want Wellens back?

This has formed quite a bit of discussion on our forum actually. A lot of our fans don't, due to the way that he mentioned how loyal he was to the club but then took a job in a league below when things weren't going so well in league 1.

For me, in general I like to look forward rather than back when it comes to a manager. Under him, we played some great stuff and there was a buzz about the place that we might finally be on an upward trajectory after the recent drudgery of Flitcroft and Brown. I'm split about how I would feel, probably wouldn't be opening up the champagne, but equally wouldn't be pouring painkillers down my throat. He left in a cloud but probably has done enough to earn another shot in my eyes. It won't happen though.

 

[Son of Cod]

This has formed quite a bit of discussion on our forum actually. A lot of our fans don't, due to the way that he mentioned how loyal he was to the club but then took a job in a league below when things weren't going so well in league 1.

For me, in general I like to look forward rather than back when it comes to a manager. Under him, we played some great stuff and there was a buzz about the place that we might finally be on an upward trajectory after the recent drudgery of Flitcroft and Brown. I'm split about how I would feel, probably wouldn't be opening up the champagne, but equally wouldn't be pouring painkillers down my throat. He left in a cloud but probably has done enough to earn another shot in my eyes. It won't happen though.

Won't happen because of him or because of the club? It's a tricky one, as he's a quality manager. Probably the best L2 manager around right now, in my opinion. I think he was harshly done by at Salford, especially coming in and taking over a Graham Alexander squad, who were a bit more hardy and physical. But then again, if he's fucked you off once...he could well go and do it again.

 

[Agombar stool]

Won't happen because of him or because of the club? It's a tricky one, as he's a quality manager. Probably the best L2 manager around right now, in my opinion. I think he was harshly done by at Salford, especially coming in and taking over a Graham Alexander squad, who were a bit more hardy and physical. But then again, if he's fucked you off once...he could well go and do it again.

I suspect because of the owner, although he always said he got on with Lee Power, but perhaps that was before he realised that Lee Power wasn't funding the club and the money was coming from elsewhere. Of course its pure speculation but I reckon Wellens might have lost faith and trust in Power, although it did seem to be working in L2.

In all honesty SOC, I haven't the faintest!!

 

[Son of Cod]

I suspect because of the owner, although he always said he got on with Lee Power, but perhaps that was before he realised that Lee Power wasn't funding the club and the money was coming from elsewhere. Of course its pure speculation but I reckon Wellens might have lost faith and trust in Power, although it did seem to be working in L2.

In all honesty SOC, I haven't the faintest!!

Haha fair enough mate, I guess at the end of the day if he was perfectly happy there he wouldn't have walked.