Starting XIs...

[Son of Cod]

Green is definitely good enough for a top three team, always has and always will be a better player than Liam Hearn too

Hahahaha what a season that was. Didn't we agree that they were even stevens?

 

[Simpo]

Oh nice one, cheers. Sounds like you've got quite a few players who might benefit from dropping down a division. What's the general feeling among you lot? Hopeful of bouncing straight back?

It's been a pretty rubbish decade or so, so as a fanbase we're a bit downbeat, especially with swirling rumours about our old owner, and new owner. And then appointing a first-time manager, albeit one who loves the club and has a wealth of coaching experience, didn't go down well. But now we're into pre-season, there hasn't been a fire sale, and noises coming from training have been very upbeat, so there are green shoots of positivity.

I think a strong start is vital, get out of the losing mentality. We have an easy (on paper) August and September apart from a couple of games, so we'll have every chance of that. There aren't many who think we'll walk the league or anything like that, and a decent section would probably take a season of consolidation to rebuild the club front-to-back, which may well be what we need.

It's all a step into the unknown for us after being in the same division for 21 years. Fans of a certain age, including my dad, have happy memories of fourth tier football:

• signing Middlesbrough legend George Hardwick in the 50s
• signing one of Hibs' "Famous Five" Bobby Johnstone (who literally tripled attendances overnight!!) and Bert Lister bagging 6 in an 11-0 win over Southport in the 60s
• appointing the legendary Jimmy Frizzell as manager in 1970 who took us up straight away, and then again into Division Two 3 years later.

Looking forward to it now tbh.

 

[Conker]

Hahahaha what a season that was. Didn't we agree that they were even stevens?

No, Grimsby fans eventually went quiet on the subject as the winner became evident!

 

[Gladders]

No, Grimsby fans eventually went quiet on the subject as the winner became evident!

Career changing injuries do that to players

 

[Conker]

Career changing injuries do that to players

Let it go hun, even before that it was decided.

 

[Gladders]

Let it go hun, even before that it was decided.

Ok

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Was this in the EFL or non league ?

 

[Son of Cod]

Was this in the EFL or non league ?

Non-league, was the famous Year of the Stag. It was back when Lincoln fans were nice and quiet and just agreed with everyone and tried to stop the Mansfield, Luton and Grimsby fans from sending every thread into chaos. Hearn vs Green was the hot topic. I think Green outscored Hearn by a single goal but Hearn gave him a 10 game head start.

 

[Optipez]

Less than a month to go now, how is your starting XI shaping up?

If it kicked off tomorrow I think we'd go:

Fitzsimmons
Tootle, Duffy, Brisley, Dan Jones
Boldewijn, Hewitt, Vaughan, Thomas
Hemmings, Dennis

The bench looks strong as well.
Kellet,Hussin, Hall, Stead, Patching Allessandra and Crawford.
We could probably do with RB cover and a big no9 but have to say we should make top three with that squad.
Nolan has his own team now and the chairman has backed him so the pressure is on as the expectation levels are pretty high.

 

[Gladders]

Non-league, was the famous Year of the Stag. It was back when Lincoln fans were nice and quiet and just agreed with everyone and tried to stop the Mansfield, Luton and Grimsby fans from sending every thread into chaos. Hearn vs Green was the hot topic. I think Green outscored Hearn by a single goal but Hearn gave him a 10 game head start.

The season of Vardy and Fleetwood! Not only a 10 game headstart but playing and carrying a mediocre mid table non league side, with stags a good 20 points higher up.

 

[Boz]

Tranmere strike me as a tad weak, but there are a few names I'm not familiar with. Who are Tollitt, Banks and Monthe?

Ben Tollitt, winger signed from Portsmouth after a loan spell. Transformed our season when he signed until picking up an ACL injury. When he returned last October, promptly picked another injury, keeping him out until January and he didn't look the same player before picking up yet another injury which kept him out until the end of the season. Suspect it's make or break for him this season, currently behind Larnell Cole, who's talented but not an out and out winger, in the pecking order.

Ollie Banks, midfielder loaned from Oldham last season, their fans hated him, but did well at NL level and developed a good understanding with Norburn. Then loaned to Swindon, started well, but didn't do so well when he came back from injury. Signed for Rovers in the summer, waiting to see which version will turn up.

Manny Monthe, defender loaned from Forest Green last season and featured in our play-off win, then signed in the summer. Versatile and with Ridehalgh banned for the first 3 games and Buxton coming back from a double hernia op, he'll be needed. Suspect when everyone's fit/available he won't be a regular starter.

 

[Conker]

Non-league, was the famous Year of the Stag. It was back when Lincoln fans were nice and quiet and just agreed with everyone and tried to stop the Mansfield, Luton and Grimsby fans from sending every thread into chaos. Hearn vs Green was the hot topic. I think Green outscored Hearn by a single goal but Hearn gave him a 10 game head start.

That was the season everyone had a secret private message with the ‘YEAR OF THE STAG’ pic, we took it on as our own, only lost once after Christmas and won the league mainly due to Matt Green.

Great times.

 

[Son of Cod]

That was the season everyone had a secret private message with the ‘YEAR OF THE STAG’ pic, we took it on as our own, only lost once after Christmas and won the league mainly due to Matt Green.

Great times.

Oh so everyone having the same av was an organised thing? That's hilariously sweet. Who was it that made it?

 

[GTFCfish]

I remember that season in the Conference we beat Wrexham to go top at Christmas and it was a straight 3 horse race between Grimsby Wrexham and Newport for the title.

Finished 1st Mansfield 2nd Kidderminster.

 

[Son of Cod]

I remember that season in the Conference we beat Wrexham to go top at Christmas and it was a straight 3 horse race between Grimsby Wrexham and Newport for the title.

Finished 1st Mansfield 2nd Kidderminster.

It's all merged into one big blob for me. Was that season the one when we were absolutely flying and were due to play at Field Mill but it snowed for like 5mins in Nottingham 2 days before so Mansfield called it off and won the rematch 2 months later? Or was it the one when Luton signed all of our loan players in the Jan window? Or was it neither of them? Or was it the one when Lincoln cried to the Conference and begged them to make it so they didn't have to play us twice over Christmas and get hammered? Some blatant shithousery from our rivals back then.

 

[PaulHaddock]

It's all merged into one big blob for me. Was that season the one when we were absolutely flying and were due to play at Field Mill but it snowed for like 5mins in Nottingham 2 days before so Mansfield called it off and won the rematch 2 months later? Or was it the one when Luton signed all of our loan players in the Jan window? Or was it neither of them?

Both!

Mansfield didn’t want to play us before they played Liverpool in the cup. And yeah, Luton basically saw our loans and just tried to get them all themselves.

We were so good for the first half of that season but it all fell apart when we got to Wembley.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Awwwwww non league fun. The best sort of football fun. I’ve missed out

 

[Conker]

Oh so everyone having the same av was an organised thing? That's hilariously sweet. Who was it that made it?

Master D Wrexham fan I think, obviously we spent a lot and before Christmas we were like 12th so everybody got excited

Basically I stole it because obviously I was not in the chat, and most Stags fans followed suit!

 

[GTFCfish]

Yeah Luton nicking Neilson off us wrecked that season as him and Hannah were terrific together, then when the Hannah move was made permanent he was suddenly shit without Neilson feeding him.

Hurst prioritising the FA fucking Trophy didn't help either.

 

[Gladders]

The hearn v green debate was the season before when Vardy was top scorer. The season after Mansfield got promoted with Green after we were top at Christmas. I still maintain we would have won the league that season with a fit Hearn, alas he got injured after 5 games and then Luton unsettled the rest of our squad in Jan as they stormed to 7th place, and Mansfield came from no where with Green to win the league.

 

[Fuzzyvalefan]

Montano is a left back now?!?!

Bizarrely yes, and a flipping good ‘un too. After a very underwhelming first half of the season, he was played their out of necessity around January time as we had no fit left backs and turned out to be an absolute revelation.

Playing at left back, he was probably our best player in the second half of the season with some magnificent displays. Although the way our squad is shaping up we may well play with wing backs which will suit him.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Davies
Buxton/Caprice McNulty Ellis Monthe
Tollitt Norburn Banks Jennings
Mullin Norwood

Ridehalgh banned for first 3 games and Buxton recovering from a double hernia op. When all of the current squad are fit, we may go to 3 at the back, but only Caprice and Ridehalgh of the current squad capable of playing wing-back, though as a long-shot may try Tollitt there.

Still thing we need (and will add) a few more. Current squad good enough to stay up, but I wouldn't pitch any higher.

That won’t be our team.

Davies
Ellis McNulty Monthe
Caprice Bakayogo/Ridehalgh
Gilmour Norburn
Smith Jennings
Norwood

3-2-2-2-1 away, same as England.

4-3-3 at home with Tollitt in for Monthe and Buxton in for Caprice.

 

[Indian Dan]

You’ll get fucked over every game playing the England formation.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

You’ll get fucked over every game playing the England formation.

Just an evolution of 3-5-2 isn’t it? Mellon loves that formation and it fits the squad we have well.

 

[PiedPiper]

Just an evolution of 3-5-2 isn’t it? Mellon loves that formation and it fits the squad we have well.

Push wingers up against you and you have no width and have to long long through the middle. I'll give it 3 games before it gets scrapped

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Push wingers up against you and you have no width and have to long long through the middle. I'll give it 3 games before it gets scrapped

Seemed to work well enough for him at Shrewsbury and Fleetwood.

 

[Son of Cod]

Seemed to work well enough for him at Shrewsbury and Fleetwood.

Wasn't he the Shrewsbury manager before Hurst went there?

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Wasn't he the Shrewsbury manager before Hurst went there?

He was. He used 3-5-2 a lot in getting them promoted out of league two though as far as I know.

 

[Boz]

That won’t be our team.

Davies
Ellis McNulty Monthe
Caprice Bakayogo/Ridehalgh
Gilmour Norburn
Smith Jennings
Norwood

3-2-2-2-1 away, same as England.

4-3-3 at home with Tollitt in for Monthe and Buxton in for Caprice.

I cannot see Micky picking Gilmour ahead of Banks on a regular basis. There are other issues with the line-up you suggest, some already highlighted. Think we’ll struggle with Norwood as a lone striker too.

 

[UTS]

Murphy

Aimson Thompson O’Connell Stokes

Adams Danns Styles Mayor

Omotayo Telford/Dagnall

Subs:

Archer
O’Shea
Tsun Dai
Dawson
Miller
Moore
Hudson (GK)

Beckford our injured, Bunn (Winger) would get in but can’t see him sticking around for the first day, same with Aldred (CB)