Who will do best in Division 1?

[Luke Imp]

Brentford are surely net-gains? They buy players from the lower leagues like Watkins & Toney and sell them for profit. From memory when Bournemouth were in L2 they certainly didn't get their quick successive promotions by simply chucking more money at it than everyone else, not more than some other clubs did, anyway.

Brentford are, yes, by about £70m over the years but still lost £8m last year with £44m of player sales included. It's working for them, no doubt, but they'd not be able to take those huge risks (for a club of their relative size) without massive financial backing. They've been able to spend more than their income for years due to the Owner.

The Russian money headed into Bournemouth around 2011 when they were in their second season in L1 (mid-table finish) and three seasons later were in the PL.

 

[Devon_Lad]

You won’t come anywhere near second place. And you know it.
None of the promoted teams will. Expect Wednesday, Ipswich, Oxford, Pompey, derby and Wycombe to be the teams up there again plus perhaps posh, Barnsley and Bolton too.
It’s a very competitive league.

Bla bla bla - We will comfortably be in the PO's if not autos, likely 2nd, but I won't put money on it just yet. A top 6 finish with the bookies is printing money though. Lump on.

 

[Chris FGR]

You finished 2nd in what ended up a very tight league table (4points ahead of 4th) why will you do vastly better then the other promoted sides?

 

[Devon_Lad]

You finished 2nd in what ended up a very tight league table (4points ahead of 4th) why will you do vastly better then the other promoted sides?

For reasons already mentioned

Starlets now coming through next season (A la Sonny Cox and perhaps Harry Lee)
All our players are tied down on contracts so won't lose them unless it's for decent money which will mean we can reinvest
Your players going and your end of season form is why I think you'll be relegated - plus you're aware I never rated you
We were comfortably better than the other sides as well. We put how many past Rovers this season? Double digits. I've said all the other teams other than you will be top half finishing, so not sure how definitely being in the play offs but likely 2nd, is vastly better than Rovers who I said will be around the play offs and Port Vale / Mansfield finishing top half.

 

[Chris FGR]

What a couple of kids breaking through that were linked with moves to PL u21’s?

Your current squad didn’t exactly run away with the league 2 title, so unless you spend serious money why will you be competing with Sheff Wed, Ipswich, Derby etc?

 

[Bartonyellow]

Bla bla bla - We will comfortably be in the PO's if not autos, likely 2nd, but I won't put money on it just yet. A top 6 finish with the bookies is printing money though. Lump on.

Pinned - ready for may.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Pinned - ready for may.

Ha, I remember lost doing that when I said we'd win the league when we were 18 points behind FGR. Granted, came 2nd on GD but none of those seem to have been resurfaced.

Guffaw

 

[Devon_Lad]

What a couple of kids breaking through that were linked with moves to PL u21’s?

Your current squad didn’t exactly run away with the league 2 title, so unless you spend serious money why will you be competing with Sheff Wed, Ipswich, Derby etc?

Not PL u21s. Professional contracts that are similar to pre offers we had for the likes of Ampadu who was playing for Chelsea's first team at 18. Both players will be 17/18 this season. That's before we get into the heavily rated likes of Alfie Pond.

Ipswich came mid table this season quite far behind Wycombe and one place above Accrington. Our squad is better than last time we were in L1 and finished one point off the play offs and did the double over a Wednesday side that were top spenders in the division

 

[Chris FGR]

We were actually champions and I’d be happy enough with 20th, although we have just had an academy player called up for Wales u18’s so maybe we’ll storm to the title instead….

 

[Devon_Lad]

We were actually champions and I’d be happy enough with 20th, although we have just had an academy player called up for Wales u18’s so maybe we’ll storm to the title instead….

Your form since February was also one of the worst in the entire division, your players are leaving & your manager has gone so of course you'd be happy with 20th, although that's a stretch and a bit optimistic

 

[Chris FGR]

You could argue a new manager plus a bit of a rebuild could actually be for the best given our form since February though. Not convinced a lot of our current (12) contracted players are of league 1 standard. I’m confident JMT, Stevenson and Matt will be, probably McGee too. The rest we’ll see but we’ll need to bring in a few in any case.

 

[Devon_Lad]

You could argue a new manager plus a bit of a rebuild could actually be for the best given our form since February though. Not convinced a lot of our current (12) contracted players are of league 1 standard. I’m confident JMT, Stevenson and Matt will be, probably McGee too. The rest we’ll see but we’ll need to bring in a few in any case.

JMT aka Judas has previous L1 experience. How did he got on with that? Sat in the relegation zone with MK?

You asked my thoughts on why I thought we'd be near the top and why you'd be near the bottom, I gave my reasons and that's that. We'll find out in May that I was right so again, that's that.

 

[Chris FGR]

And if you weren’t right you’ll be nowhere to be seen…

 

[Bartonyellow]

And if you weren’t right you’ll be nowhere to be seen…

They won’t even finish top half. Might start well, but when the euphoria of promotion wears of, the Tuesday / Saturday slog kicks in, and get a few injuries and it can be a long season. Morecambe started well last year, then stocktons goals dried up and they went through a bad patch.

 

[Devon_Lad]

And if you weren’t right you’ll be nowhere to be seen…

I'm consistently on here, win lose or draw, but I do apologise that I haven't quite managed over 9.5k posts in just 7 years. Perhaps I need to quit my job and post as regularly as you do. Or are you referring to my 2 or 3 day absence after the Port Vale game, when I made it quite clear in the weeks running up to it that I was in Vegas at the time and won't even be at the game? I'll make sure when we're in the top 6 in December when I next go to sin city, I'll post regularly on this forum throughout my holiday, and will make the utmost usage out of the Bellagio's free wifi to keep you updated. I don't want you to think something bad has happened to me, and worry, after all.

Christ people on this forum are odd.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

was right so again

To be right again you have to have been right before.

 

[Devon_Lad]

To be right again you have to have been right before.

Wow, you still reply and try to engage with me after goodness knows how long you've been on my ignore? That takes some commitment, fair play. Already regretting engaging after clicking the show ignored posts button, however, I'm consistently right, the record and history of my posts speak for themselves. I was 'marginally' wrong (goal difference) that we wouldn't win the league after a gutsy prediction when we were outside the play offs and 18 points behind, you know how many people thought I was going to be utterly wrong and we didn't even stand a chance, you were probably another that laughed off that initial prediction I made (not that I'd know) - I'll take a very rare 'wrong' on that one.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Wow, you still reply and try to engage with me after goodness knows how long you've been on my ignore? That takes some commitment, fair play. Already regretting engaging after clicking the show ignored posts button, however, I'm consistently right, the record and history of my posts speak for themselves. I was 'marginally' wrong (goal difference) that we wouldn't win the league after a gutsy prediction when we were outside the play offs and 18 points behind, you know how many people thought I was going to be utterly wrong and we didn't even stand a chance, you were probably another that laughed off that initial prediction I made (not that I'd know) - I'll take a very rare 'wrong' on that one.

A measure of your puffed-up bell-endery that you imagine not missing a chance to take the piss when you shit your pants again amounts to any interest in engaging with you. Of a piece with the rest of your tenuous grasp on reality.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

I'm consistently on here, win lose or draw, but I do apologise that I haven't quite managed over 9.5k posts in just 7 years. Perhaps I need to quit my job and post as regularly as you do. Or are you referring to my 2 or 3 day absence after the Port Vale game, when I made it quite clear in the weeks running up to it that I was in Vegas at the time and won't even be at the game? I'll make sure when we're in the top 6 in December when I next go to sin city, I'll post regularly on this forum throughout my holiday, and will make the utmost usage out of the Bellagio's free wifi to keep you updated. I don't want you to think something bad has happened to me, and worry, after all.

Christ people on this forum are odd.

Bellagio? I thought clowns would go to Circus Circus

 

[Devon_Lad]

Bellagio? I thought clowns would go to Circus Circus

It is on my list to go to, funnily (pun perhaps intended) enough. But I'm trying to tick off all MGM properties first before I do others.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

It is on my list to go to, funnily (pun perhaps intended) enough. But I'm trying to tick off all MGM properties first before I do others.

I stayed at Caesar's the last time I was there. Highly recommended

 

[Devon_Lad]

I stayed at Caesar's the last time I was there. Highly recommended

Caesar's properties or Caesar's Palace? I saw Chris Rock there a few weeks ago and have used the casino a lot. Definitely will be on my list once MGM checklist is done, lovely hotel and the forum shops are an absolute must each time I visit. Anyway, way off topic and i'm clocking off work now. Ciao.

 

[Spanishstag]

Caesar's properties or Caesar's Palace? I saw Chris Rock there a few weeks ago and have used the casino a lot. Definitely will be on my list once MGM checklist is done, lovely hotel and the forum shops are an absolute must each time I visit. Anyway, way off topic and i'm clocking off work now. Ciao.

Work ,las vegas clocking off three words you dont see together very often

 

[masi51]

We'll forget play offs as we clinch the 2nd autos place.

Our resources come from our academy and the ability we have there alone is far better than what you have in your starting 11! There's zero chance we are finishing outside of the play offs. We have numerous players championship clubs are after, we have extremely good players that are capable of league 1 football and we have starlets in our academy that will be pushing their way into the first team that top 6 prem clubs are trying to steal from us.

As numerous clubs have proved - Brentford being one, Bournemouth another - It's not just about how 'big' a club is if they're going to do well. Yeovil & Burton have both been promoted from that league in recent years. Wycombe consistently doing well including a recent promotion AND a play off final this season. I can see Bolton finishing around 17th next season, with Port Vale / Mansfield being top half, us comfortably in the play offs if not the last auto place, Rovers will be there or thereabouts the play offs, and FGR probably relegated.

so your Academy will beat our starting 11 next season......ok

We'll forget play offs as we clinch the 2nd autos place.

Our resources come from our academy and the ability we have there alone is far better than what you have in your starting 11! There's zero chance we are finishing outside of the play offs. We have numerous players championship clubs are after, we have extremely good players that are capable of league 1 football and we have starlets in our academy that will be pushing their way into the first team that top 6 prem clubs are trying to steal from us.

As numerous clubs have proved - Brentford being one, Bournemouth another - It's not just about how 'big' a club is if they're going to do well. Yeovil & Burton have both been promoted from that league in recent years. Wycombe consistently doing well including a recent promotion AND a play off final this season. I can see Bolton finishing around 17th next season, with Port Vale / Mansfield being top half, us comfortably in the play offs if not the last auto place, Rovers will be there or thereabouts the play offs, and FGR probably relegated.

your new training ground/facilities is running 800k over budget. Taylor has already said you will lose some key players over the summer and you cannot afford to bring last seasons keeper on loan again from Shef Wed

17th is your prediction next season for Bolton....fair enough its about opinions
Not a chance would i swop our squad for yours.
In fact i cannot see where any Exeter player would get into our first team

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Masi and Devon Lad chuff me there is a silver lining to relegation

 

[BarrieOwl]

Work ,las vegas clocking off three words you dont see together very often

That's 5 words.....

 

[masi51]

Masi and Devon Lad chuff me there is a silver lining to relegation

shut the door on the way out

 

[joethegill]

A couple of clubs who had flirted with relegation for a while finally dropped last season such as Wimbledon and Gillingham and I wouldn't be surprised if Shrewsbury's luck runs out next season.

We finished 10th in both of the two seasons prior to last, so not sure you've quite got us pinned there.

Wimbledon, yes.

 

[masi51]

That's 5 words.....

That is Five words

 

[Devon_Lad]

so your Academy will beat our starting 11 next season......ok

your new training ground/facilities is running 800k over budget. Taylor has already said you will lose some key players over the summer and you cannot afford to bring last seasons keeper on loan again from Shef Wed

17th is your prediction next season for Bolton....fair enough its about opinions
Not a chance would i swop our squad for yours.
In fact i cannot see where any Exeter player would get into our first team

Misquoting our manager is a bit weird if that's your only line of attack.

Obviously we cannot afford Daws next season, as if that matters when we have Harry Lee now coming through. Already addressed. Must try harder.