The Relegation Thread

[Si Robin]

That photo looks a bit like Chris Banks now a physio at the Vale in a terrible kit!

A bit like? It is Chris Banks - he was our captain from Southern League up to Division 2. He retired in 2003.

 

[Luke Imp]

Important win for Cambridge, they need to back that up over Easter now. Good points for MK and Oxford, too.

Morecambe, having played one or two more than those around them, are probably going to need to win at least 3 of their final 6 now.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Safety based on last 6 form - 39points
Safety based on last 10 form - 41points
Safety based on PPG - 43points

 

[valefan16]

Important win for Cambridge, they need to back that up over Easter now. Good points for MK and Oxford, too.

Morecambe, having played one or two more than those around them, are probably going to need to win at least 3 of their final 6 now.

Morecambe are done now looking at their last six games. FGR all but gone. 2 from the rest.

 

[Luke Imp]

Here you go ...

You updating this YEO YEO YEO?

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

You updating this YEO YEO YEO?

Here you go ...

 

[Chris FGR]

Cambridge’s win today makes it look unlikely we’ll be able to battle them for 23rd.

 

[Laker]

We’re down as it stands, regardless of today’s win. If we beat Fleetwood on Friday then I think it’ll give us a glimmer of hope but nothing more.

 

[Laker]

Oh and to bemoan things a bit (in true TFF style), the ref for our loss at MK Dons has apparently confirmed to the club that our “opener” should have stood. We’d probably have gone on to win that so we’re three points down there. That combined with the ref apologising for the ridiculous penalty awarded at a Forest Green in injury time costing us a point would have us right up behind Oxford now.

But there you go, unfortunately apologies don’t keep you up….

 

[Greenacres]

I think everyone can look back on a season and pick out refereeing decisions that went one way or another, a penalty awarded or not, offsides, hand balls, a goalkick given instead of a corner (we had one of them against Wednesday following a brilliant fingertip save by their keeper)...I can remember a rugby tackle on Myles Peart-Harris in one game where he was chasing a through ball, that earned him a free kick but didn't result in even a caution for the offender...couldn't believe that at the time.

Over a season these things usually even themselves out, there have definitely been a few decisions where my immediate feeling was "we were lucky to get that"...including the penalty mentioned above, although the ref hadn't awarded one earlier in the game that was probably clearer...but the effect is more likely felt, and remembered, if it costs points in a promotion push or to a club fighting against relegation.

I've only reffed a couple of games and would only say that you need eyes in the back of your head, trying to keep tabs on what 22 people are doing is not easy, to say nothing of those involved in the match but not on the field of play, you will make mistakes...despite noble intent...people will want to question every decision you make, right or wrong, I have to say that it is an experience I wasn't keen to repeat...fair play to anyone who does!

 

[WhiteRussian]

Totally agree with ^^^^. Also football supporters have the most *(insert whatever colour here) tinted specs going. Even in the exaulted heights of the prem with var you still get supporters ranting the ref got it wrong after it's been proved 20 times on camera that he didn't.

 

[Laker]

Oh I agree and I wouldn’t care if we were mid table - we had Jones sent off at Sunderland early on last season which they retrospectively overturned but it didn’t matter. It’s just we’re struggling this season so could really do without things like that going against us too!

 

[Arbury]

I certainly don’t believe that these decisions even themselves out over a season, when your down the bottom you have more of the things go against you and I genuinely I can’t remember a season like this one, whether it be the amount of injuries or shoddy officiating which has been aplenty so far.

KTF

 

[Bobbin']

I certainly don’t believe that these decisions even themselves out over a season, when your down the bottom you have more of the things go against you and I genuinely I can’t remember a season like this one, whether it be the amount of injuries or shoddy officiating which has been aplenty so far.

KTF

I don’t buy into the whole decisions going against you more often when you’re at the bottom. More likely it’s just the bad decisions in your favour just aren’t noticed because you lose the game anyway.

We should have had a blatant penalty at yours a couple of weeks back for example but it’s brushed under the carpet because it didn’t affect the result.

 

[Arbury]

I don’t buy into the whole decisions going against you more often when you’re at the bottom. More likely it’s just the bad decisions in your favour just aren’t noticed because you lose the game anyway.

We should have had a blatant penalty at yours a couple of weeks back for example but it’s brushed under the carpet because it didn’t affect the result.

Well I can only speak of this season as our last relegation was in 2005, perhaps it’s just a coincidence but we have had some really odd decisions against us, more so than any other season I can remember.

This isn’t me saying we shouldn’t be where we are because of the decisions going against us, I’m the first one to say how shit we’ve been in a lot of games but the amount shit decisions have definitely become a factor.

I can only remember one that we’ve got away with and that was our penalty at home to Cheltenham which was again another piece of poor officiating.

KTF

 

[Luke Imp]

Here you go ...View attachment 18456

Thanks.

Potentially an interesting final two games for Accrington and Oxford!

 

[Chris FGR]

If it wasn’t for the ref’s being so useless and never giving us anything, we would probably be top of the league right now.

 

[GeneralLee]

Irrespective whether we have good, bad or indecisive referees, we'd still be sat 20th.

Conversely had we had a sensible, mild-mannered football manager making rational decisions from the start of the season we'd have won the title by February.

 

[Luke Imp]

Important for Cambridge to back up their win last weekend, which they've done so fair play. They need to try and somehow get through their next four games and still in be in touch, though - it's not a great run of games!

Good point for MK and effectively keeps the gap to Accrington at two results because of their better GD.

Morecambe now gone with FGR.

 

[valefan16]

Morecambe and FGR gone, Accrington and us to join them.

 

[Laker]

Important for Cambridge to back up their win last weekend, which they've done so fair play. They need to try and somehow get through their next four games and still in be in touch, though - it's not a great run of games!

Good point for MK and effectively keeps the gap to Accrington at two results because of their better GD.

Morecambe now gone with FGR.

Yes our next four are really tough:

Bolton (a)
Peterborough (h)
Wycombe (h)
Plymouth (a)

If we get anything other than defeat from Bolton then it would be a huge shock. Then our first home Cambridgeshire derby since 2001 which will be very tough given Boro’s current form.

Wycombe is always tough though they do seem a bit softer post-Ainsworth so maybe something for us there. And then Plymouth away is another nightmare game.

I feel we’ve got to get a win from the Wycombe game and then get a couple of draws (or more) out of the other three. We really need six points minimum from the four games to stay in touch. I just can’t see it happening. I can see us losing all of them….!

 

[Laker]

Morecambe and FGR gone, Accrington and us to join them.

Don’t be so ridiculous, there’s no way we’re getting nine points more than you over the rest of the season. It’s more likely we won’t even get nine more points.

I agree Morecambe and FGR are gone. Then it’s two from the next four (us, Accrington, Oxford and Dons). I think we’ll be one of them as we’re too far back and got a pig of a run coming up. It could be any one of the other three.

 

[kieran_vale]

In theory FGR can be officially confirmed on Monday I think if certain results work out.

That’s a nasty little run of games Cambridge have coming up now. That said I thought they looked half decent against us so you never know. I have done an about turn on MK now and think they will just about survive.

 

[valefan16]

Don’t be so ridiculous, there’s no way we’re getting nine points more than you over the rest of the season. It’s more likely we won’t even get nine more points.

I agree Morecambe and FGR are gone. Then it’s two from the next four (us, Accrington, Oxford and Dons). I think we’ll be one of them as we’re too far back and got a pig of a run coming up. It could be any one of the other three.

We won’t get any more points we’ve downed tools so you only need 9 to overhaul us. Achievable. If you don’t it’s probably down to Stanley beating you which likely sees them overhaul us.

 

[Laker]

We won’t get any more points we’ve downed tools so you only need 9 to overhaul us. Achievable. If you don’t it’s probably down to Stanley beating you which likely sees them overhaul us.

You’ll be fine.

In 2014/15 we went on a terrible post January slump and there were doom mongers on our forum predicting us to be relegated for ages despite the fact we never fell to less than five points above the drop. We weren’t winning many (any) games or picking up any points yet still no one below us caught us.

You’ve got to remember you may not get many points but there’s nothing to suggest everyone below is going to start winning tons of games. I’d be surprised if the safety line ends up being above 45 points. You don’t realise how poor we all are at the bottom.

 

[thewwfc]

In fairness we all know how much the refs in this division unanimously hate the Burslemites, this could well extend to starting to dock them points mid-game.

Otherwise yes, there’s no way that Vale are going down.

 

[valefan16]

It’s hardly tons of games, Stanley only need to win 2 with the odd draw from 7.

 

[Bartonyellow]

It’s hardly tons of games, Stanley only need to win 2 with the odd draw from 7.

You will probably be just ok. As it’s a tall order for them to overhaul you.

 

[bigfatron]

The relegation line looks pretty certain to be somewhere between 43 and 48 points; if it's 43 or 44 you are already safe, and even if it's 48 (which is highly unlikely) you just need three draws or one win to get there...
You are pretty much safe.

 

[valefan16]

The relegation line looks pretty certain to be somewhere between 43 and 48 points; if it's 43 or 44 you are already safe, and even if it's 48 (which is highly unlikely) you just need three draws or one win to get there...
You are pretty much safe.

We won’t get another point, 100%. Cambridge hadn’t won away since October beat us 2-0, Accrington thumped us 3-0 without actually having to do anything such was the gifts we gave yesterday.

Oxford better than both will end their hideous run, we’ve downed tools.

Lincoln A - they have a good home record

Ipswich A - could be embarrassing that one

Bristol Rovs H - decent attack against our shambles of a back line

Charlton A - not winning there

Plymouth H - they will likely need a result so anyone who can be arsed to try is already more likely than us.

It’s not the defeats themselves that are the worst of it but the manner of them, we haven’t laid a glove on two sides in the drop zone who had been getting beat week in week out prior.