Play offs

City,

 

Plymouth - where owners are quick to pull the trigger and sack managers when it’s going wrong, it was refreshing to see Adams keeping his job and turning them around.

If only our owners had the same foresight...!

 

I'm not really bothered in all honesty. In truth, I'm trying to anticipate who will drop down from the Championship. I think both Sunderland and Burton have left it too late - So joined by one of : Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton or Reading IMO.

 

As long as Wigan and Blackburn go up, I'd prefer maybe Charlton or Rotherham; whoever has the most financial clout, so as to ease things next season.

Not that there's any guarantee we'll be top half next season.

 

Problem there John, might be the financial clout of those teams coming down.

 

Burton will have an average budget, so if we can get rid of Charlton or Rotherham, we should be better off.

 

Yeah, the teams that come down are always worth looking at - but it's all out of our hands.

Ideally, Burton and Barnsley will accompany Sunderland - who will be the ridiculously big club in L1.

There always seems to be one.

 

Unfortunately I don’t see the financial situation in league one changed anytime soon. Not only that I can see situation deteriorating. Clubs with financial clout start to become the norm.

 

But financial clout isn’t always a good thing. The 1st side to be relegated this season was high-spending Bury.

For me, it’s not always about signing the best players, but getting the balance of the squad right, working hard for each other and team spirit. Just look at the likes of Shrewsbury and Plymouth in our league and Accrington Stanley in League2.

Of course money helps, but only if spent wisely. Throwing £200k on McCartan was poor business and we almost made a similar mistake with Dennis. I just hope recruitment this summer is vastly improved

 

I agree with nearly all of this and the philosophy of how to build a successful team. I know I am probably on my own here, but I think McCartan is a really good player. We just haven’t seen the best of him yet, he is one of those players that is hard to fit in a team, so managers put him all over the place. The only place we haven’t tried him is in midfield not on the wings, but a in front of the two midfielders. We always play with wingers for Charlie, but I suppose he is luxury player, but I think he can make things happen and especially as we are lacking in creativity atm.

 

Reminds me of Billy Clarke, just a bit less threatening .

 

WE CAN STILL MAKE IT!

Based on form of the other clubs and us winning ALL of our remaining games, the table would finish like this.

1 Blackburn 46 +47 99
2 Wigan 46 +55 95
3 Shrewsbury 46 +28 95
4 Rotherham 46 +16 75
5 Plymouth 46 +8 73
6 Bradford 46 -2 72
7 Scunthorpe 46 +7 68
8 Portsmouth 46 +1 67
9 Doncaster 46 +7 66
10 Peterborough 46 +10 65
11 Charlton 46 +0 64
12 Gillingham 46 -1 61
13 Bristol Rovers 46 -4 61
14 Southend 46 -12 59
15 Blackpool 46 +1 58
16 Fleetwood Town 46 -6 56
17 AFC Wimbledon 46 -10 56
18 Oldham 46 -14 54
19 Oxford Utd 46 -9 53
20 Walsall 46 -16 49
21 Northampton 46 -34 47
22 Rochdale 46 -13 46
23 MK Dons 46 -23 43
24 Bury 46 -36 30

Can't see that happening though. But do you believe?

 

I believe .......





that you’ve had your breakfast coffee spiked

 

I always viewed McCartan as Clarkes replacement ............... I just couldn't see SMc's thought in that, as we rarely played a number 10.

 

It was a joke. Mathematically possible, but a joke. I'd love to be proved wrong though.

 

I work with a bloke that is a ST holder at Stanley and he reminds me every time I see him that they stung us over McCartan. According to him, Shay was never that creative or threatening and he was amazed a L1 club signed him. He reckons that he only scored 11 times and 3 assists last season and that almost half of those came from direct free-kicks. He said he always looked unfit and rarely lasted 90mins. He tells me that he played on either flank, but mainly as an attacking midfielder or in the hole behind their centre-forward (Billy Kee).

He claims he only had a decent 4mths for them and wasn’t worth any L1 club signing him. I recently asked if he’d be happy if they re-signed him this summer (if they clinch the expected promotion) and he said definitely not.

I must admit, my colleague’s description of him seems spot on so far, apart from the fact we have yet to see this free-kick ability he supposedly has.

 

Very interesting analysis. I know he was unfit when we started the season which is unprofessional. It wouldn’t be the first time I am wrong about a player. I personally think he will be the first out of the door though.

 

Based on your name and the above post, I'm putting two and two together.

Hi, Edin.