The best L2 team ever?

[Son of Cod]

07/08 MK Dons. End of thread. 97 points, +45 GD, 23 game unbeaten run, biggest attendance of 17,250 against Morecambe (one for the penis wavers). Anything else…

We had Paul Ince as our manager so winning the double deserves bonus points.

Jester hats as far as the eye could see Mexican waving their way around a sparsely populated third of new Wembley in the JPT final immediately deducts those bonus points though.

 

[GTFCfish]

He's lived in Trinidad since he left Walsall so unless I end up in the Caribbean I won't be seeing him anytime soon haha!

Out of interest, was it one of our games that cost you the money?

Yeah, I had a 10 team acca and the other 9 came in and Preston v Crewe was the 10th one.
Preston got a last minute penalty and Clayton Ince saved it.
Graham Alexander too who never missed penalties, game ended 0-0.

 

[Si Robin]

Didn't Wycombe have a couple of tragedies that season which affected the club? I think Gorman's wife died and I think that might've been the season Mark Philo died? They started off unbeaten until November IIRC but then tailed off and got done in the playoffs by Cheltenham which was a shame.

We had a hex over Wycombe around then. We'd beaten them in the league in March and we hit the playoffs in outstanding form, especially the 5-0 walloping of Mansfield at Field Mill on the last day of the season, it was much like Crewe in 2012.

 

[GTFCfish]

We had a hex over Wycombe around then. We'd beaten them in the league in March and we hit the playoffs in outstanding form, especially the 5-0 walloping of Mansfield at Field Mill on the last day of the season, it was much like Crewe in 2012.

I remember being delighted that you beat Wycombe in your play off as I’d much rather play Cheltenham in the final as we did the double over you in the league.
That ended well……

 

[Si Robin]

I'd fully accepted our fate in the final, then Craig Armstrong was a hero and sacrificed himself in taking out Michael Reddy. Grimsby didn't seem to recover.

Still thought we'd fuck up though when we hit the bar and missed the penalty. Should have known it was our day though when you didn't get that nailed on pen in the first half.

 

[GTFCfish]

Yeah Reddy was unbelievable that season and him going off early absolutely did us, we had no plan B and watching that final was horrible as we were never gonna score no matter how long we played, I thought you missing the penalty might swing the momentum a bit but we were dreadful still after it.

 

[Andy Butler]

That's Russell Slade for you. Absolute fraud

 

[LordJord]

Im absolutely biased but our title winning side of 15/16 was unbelievable, 99 points being the record since the rebrand to League 2. We would have broken 100 points as well if we did not start implementing flip flop thursdays where the squad would bring deckchairs and have a few beers at Sixfields on Thursdays after we had the league wrapped up.

Everything came together that season, considering our old owner has 'allegedly' misallocated 10m of funds that were for the ground (still not sorted) and as such stopped playing wages etc, it just galvanised everyone. Queue new owners following my favourite Cobblers interview ever from Chris Wilder

, would recommend everyone watch it!


Our striking options were Marc Richards, James Collins and John Marquis, all top tier L2 strikers. Nicky Adams has the most assists ever at this level I believe and Ricky Holmes became L2 Messi, scording a worldy every week. John-Joe O'Toole became a club legend and the defence was still solid. The whole team had a togetherness and just was just so solid all around.

Went 23 unbeaten to end the season, in my mind its the best L2 team ever, certainly our best anyways! Gutted it was torn apart as soon as Wilder left.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We haven't been here that regularly in the 20 years mentioned, but in our time here the sides that have impressed most were Di Canio's Swindon side, the Chesterfield side in 10/11 and Brentford in 08/09.

Seen Bradford and Vale fans have mentioned that one of their best sides were in the 12/13 season when we won the league - to be fair we were comfy winners in the end, Vale gave us a little push around the new year when we stumbled a little bit, but to be honest we were the best in that league by a distance - not flashy but just solid, consistent and packed with experience. The spine of Nelson, Barrett, Legge, Charlie Lee, Whelpdale, Kedwell and Deon Burton was just too good for the level, and Myles Weston was a superstar out wide and won us several games on his own. Further experience in Martin Allen as the manager, and it was pretty much a perfect blueprint of a side designed to do well at this level.

Our 12/13 team wasn't that great as a whole. We just had a striker who had a once in a lifetime season, 2 wingers who were unreal for the first half of the season and recruited quality experience in Darren Purse and Lee Hughes to see us over the line.

We ended up crawling over the line in the end and a draw sneaked us into the automatic promotion spots. Without the recruitment of Hughes and Purse we were on a downward spiral and would have probably missed out.

 

[GTFCfish]

Im absolutely biased but our title winning side of 15/16 was unbelievable, 99 points being the record since the rebrand to League 2. We would have broken 100 points as well if we did not start implementing flip flop thursdays where the squad would bring deckchairs and have a few beers at Sixfields on Thursdays after we had the league wrapped up.

Everything came together that season, considering our old owner has 'allegedly' misallocated 10m of funds that were for the ground (still not sorted) and as such stopped playing wages etc, it just galvanised everyone. Queue new owners following my favourite Cobblers interview ever from Chris Wilder

, would recommend everyone watch it!


Our striking options were Marc Richards, James Collins and John Marquis, all top tier L2 strikers. Nicky Adams has the most assists ever at this level I believe and Ricky Holmes became L2 Messi, scording a worldy every week. John-Joe O'Toole became a club legend and the defence was still solid. The whole team had a togetherness and just was just so solid all around.

Went 23 unbeaten to end the season, in my mind its the best L2 team ever, certainly our best anyways! Gutted it was torn apart as soon as Wilder left.

I never even knew Wilder used to be Northampton manager.

 

[valefan16]

Our 12/13 team wasn't that great as a whole. We just had a striker who had a once in a lifetime season, 2 wingers who were unreal for the first half of the season and recruited quality experience in Darren Purse and Lee Hughes to see us over the line.

We ended up crawling over the line in the end and a draw sneaked us into the automatic promotion spots. Without the recruitment of Hughes and Purse we were on a downward spiral and would have probably missed out.

We didn't if anything our dip happened after Purse and Hughes signed, going into the window we Beat Rotherham Away, Dagenham Away, Plymouth 4-0, Gillingham Away (Hughes signed just in time for that) our lull was February after we'd opened up a 4 point lead at the top, We lost 5 in 7 games Mid Feb-Mid March which cost us the title before picking up at York and then that mental Cheltenham game on good Friday got us back on track.

 

[GeneralLee]

One that won't get a mention is our side that (ironically) finished second. The talent in the side was probably the best, but finished second to Chris Wilder who tactically got it spot on all season.

That season we had to name a few:

• George Baldock - Played most of his career in the Premier League/Championship
• Kemar Roofe - Sold to Leeds in the summer for a little over £3 million. Been with Anderlecht and Rangers.
• Callum O'Dowda - Sold that summer to Bristol City for just shy of £2 million
• Jonjoe Kenny - Spent time with Everton, Schalke, Hertha Berlin
• John Lundstram - Played in the Premier League and currently with Rangers
• Chey Dunkley - Joined Wigan and won League One
• Josh Ruffels - Joined Huddersfield in the Championship
• Chris Maguire - Probably played his best football with us and we loved him. A super player for us and a match winner. Sadly underperformed and never really clicked anywhere else.
• Jordan Graham - When he left us he played Championship football with Wolves. Injuries ruined him sadly

There are probably others, however we had a tremendous squad that season... Except for goalkeepers. The fact we finished second with Benji Buchel and Sam Slocombe shows how good that squad was.

 

[Carver]

Im absolutely biased but our title winning side of 15/16 was unbelievable, 99 points being the record since the rebrand to League 2. We would have broken 100 points as well if we did not start implementing flip flop thursdays where the squad would bring deckchairs and have a few beers at Sixfields on Thursdays after we had the league wrapped up.

Everything came together that season, considering our old owner has 'allegedly' misallocated 10m of funds that were for the ground (still not sorted) and as such stopped playing wages etc, it just galvanised everyone. Queue new owners following my favourite Cobblers interview ever from Chris Wilder

, would recommend everyone watch it!


Our striking options were Marc Richards, James Collins and John Marquis, all top tier L2 strikers. Nicky Adams has the most assists ever at this level I believe and Ricky Holmes became L2 Messi, scording a worldy every week. John-Joe O'Toole became a club legend and the defence was still solid. The whole team had a togetherness and just was just so solid all around.

Went 23 unbeaten to end the season, in my mind its the best L2 team ever, certainly our best anyways! Gutted it was torn apart as soon as Wilder left.

I remember that Wilder interview and the situation your club was in made your title win even more impressive and when I think back it was quite a strong league too that year with the likes of yourselves, Oxford, Plymouth, Luton and Portsmouth etc.

Scary team you had!

 

[Scum.]

Jester hats as far as the eye could see Mexican waving their way around a sparsely populated third of new Wembley in the JPT final immediately deducts those bonus points though.

Taking 33,000 to Wembley as a L2 team adds us points though.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Yeah, I had a 10 team acca and the other 9 came in and Preston v Crewe was the 10th one.
Preston got a last minute penalty and Clayton Ince saved it.
Graham Alexander too who never missed penalties, game ended 0-0.

Christ I remember it being freezing that day at Deepdale! He was told that he was the first keeper to deny Alexander from the spot and, to no one's surprise, he absolutely milked it until Alexander was denied the next time from the spot. I can even confirm he requested and was granted a DVD of the game from the club as well which is absolutely hilarious because it was the most boring game I've ever been to bar that last minute pen save.

 

[LordJord]

I never even knew Wilder used to be Northampton manager.

It was a simpler time! Then left us to go to Sheff U and took them to the prem.

 

[jacobncfc]

One that won't get a mention is our side that (ironically) finished second. The talent in the side was probably the best, but finished second to Chris Wilder who tactically got it spot on all season.

That season we had to name a few:

• George Baldock - Played most of his career in the Premier League/Championship
• Kemar Roofe - Sold to Leeds in the summer for a little over £3 million. Been with Anderlecht and Rangers.
• Callum O'Dowda - Sold that summer to Bristol City for just shy of £2 million
• Jonjoe Kenny - Spent time with Everton, Schalke, Hertha Berlin
• John Lundstram - Played in the Premier League and currently with Rangers
• Chey Dunkley - Joined Wigan and won League One
• Josh Ruffels - Joined Huddersfield in the Championship
• Chris Maguire - Probably played his best football with us and we loved him. A super player for us and a match winner. Sadly underperformed and never really clicked anywhere else.
• Jordan Graham - When he left us he played Championship football with Wolves. Injuries ruined him sadly

There are probably others, however we had a tremendous squad that season... Except for goalkeepers. The fact we finished second with Benji Buchel and Sam Slocombe shows how good that squad was.

In terms of pure style, that Oxford side is my pick. Played some right stuff.

 

[Andy Butler]

If we go back to all the way to 97 98 then that Notts County team has to be up there. If I remember correctly they were up by March

 

[Son of Cod]

Taking 33,000 to Wembley as a L2 team adds us points though.

Makes that 153 you brought to us mid-March mid-auto promotion charge this season seem all the more pathetic!

I never even knew Wilder used to be Northampton manager.

We were too cool for the EFL then.

 

[Andy Butler]

Makes that 153 you brought to us mid-March mid-auto promotion charge this season seem all the more pathetic!

We were too cool for the EFL then.

I was going to say something about Braintree and Hayes and Yeading then but then realised that would be idiotic seeing where we are now

 

[Son of Cod]

I was going to say something about Braintree and Hayes and Yeading then but then realised that would be idiotic seeing where we are now

All fair game, in my opinion. I think that Braintree hammering is our lowest of the low moment and it's not necessarily a bad thing to remind us of that!

 

[Andy Butler]

All fair game, in my opinion. I think that Braintree hammering is our lowest of the low moment and it's not necessarily a bad thing to remind us of that!

Haha losing 3-0 at home to Buxton in a replayed game has to be ours even though.we flukily got the game abandoned when we were 2-1 down with 30 seconds to go

 

[GeneralLee]

In terms of pure style, that Oxford side is my pick. Played some right stuff.

Looking back and comparing where that Northampton side ended up, how we didn't capitalise on that talent far more is mad. Even the following season or two we signed some genuinely brilliant players who have ended up playing in the Prem/top of the Championship. The team was far too good for League Two.

I think that in itself if the biggest testament to Chris Wilder that despite all that, he still won the title.

 

[Andy Butler]

Why did he leave Oxford to go to Northampton? No offence to Northampton fans but it seemed like a sideways move.

 

[Casey]

It was while at Oxford that Wilder made the biggest cock up of his career, and why I can't join in the Wilder is a good manager gang.

He released Dannie Bulman. Just madness. I'm sure Meadow would agree with that statement.

The only good thing about it was Bulman then joined us in the conference and won promotion to league 2 & and league 1 where he played a season or 2 before we imploded and released him to Wimbledon where he again got promoted to league 1.

Casey

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Why did he leave Oxford to go to Northampton? No offence to Northampton fans but it seemed like a sideways move.

Wasn't a sideways move at the time, more like backwards! I think he left Oxford in 3rd to go to Northampton who were rock bottom. Many doubted him but, to give him credit, he gambled and it certainly paid off with Northampton surviving on the final day and Oxford imploding under Gary Waddock. Fast forwards 2 years later and he takes Northampton up at a canter!

 

[Meadow]

It was while at Oxford that Wilder made the biggest cock up of his career, and why I can't join in the Wilder is a good manager gang.

He released Dannie Bulman. Just madness. I'm sure Meadow would agree with that statement.

The only good thing about it was Bulman then joined us in the conference and won promotion to league 2 & and league 1 where he played a season or 2 before we imploded and released him to Wimbledon where he again got promoted to league 1.

Casey

Fantastic player and an absolute wind up merchant.