Just had a quick look at the table and assuming Exeter don't start losing it looks like there are potentially 9 teams fighting it out for 7th spot (morecambe are 15th on 31 points but with 2 games in hand). Town are in the mix but it's going to be difficult. Let's get behind the boys and try and make the dream a reality.

Hang on, I thought we were sacking the clueless manager?

No chance

Quoted from headingly_mariner

No chance

Absolutely a chance - no more than that, but that performance replicated consistently would surely get us close.

Who was saying about sacking the clueless manager? Certainly not me

Robert Louis Stevenson could write a new version (if he was still alive) of Dr Jekyll from following The Fishy.

Promotion certainties!!

Be happy when we get past 50 points tbh .  Happy to give Wembley a miss for a year or so.

Quoted from Balthazar Bullitt

Promotion certainties!!

Be happy when we get past 50 points tbh .  Happy to give Wembley a miss for a year or so.

I'll miss your snoring this year if we dont go.

I'll miss that pub in Ealing :D

Honestly, I don't know what to believe anymore. A few weeks ago, it looked like certain teams had hit form and were going to pull away. But there have been crazy results since. Stevenage are the first team outside the playoffs, my heads exploding!

Quoted from headingly_mariner

No chance

Wow! Nothing like confidence is there? We can dream as fans can't we, otherwise, what's the point?

I reckon about a 5% chance of making them. I'd snap your hand off if you offered me a tenth placed finish right now.

6 points from our next 3 games (Colchester, Wycombe and Morecambe) and we've got a chance, isn't it just nice we are still talking about a play off chance in the middle of Feb? Would have snapped your hand off for that at the start of the season

Any team in the top half have a chance of making the play offs,

If we get a good unbeaten run to the end of the season it could be another Wembley trip for us,

We are getting a good all round squad together so do not write us off yet.

For me it was 13th last month and it will be 13th at the end of the season :)

We're 3 points off the play-offs. How anyone could write off a teams chances of finishing in the top 7 when they are 3 points away from it is baffling.

The season up to this point suggests we're not consistent enough to make the play-offs, but there's no reason why we couldn't go on a good run now which could push us into that top 7 at just the right time.

I wouldn't take a 10th placed finish if offered now either. Not while it's still possible to finish higher than that.

Maybe because we're so inconsistent? For every game like today there is an Exeter or Hartlepool at home (in fact maybe 1:2). Even away where we've been better we've been tonked 5-0 by a struggling team in the last week or so. We've got so many new players who need to settle in too.

I'd take 10th in our first season back without putting together a proper run at any point in the season. If we suddenly discover the ability to put a run together at this time of year we'd be a candidate for an unlikely play off spot.

I may have been hast saying we will finish 13th when we have to play 7 of the teams above us again, its quite tight so winning these games could be crucial.

out of the 7 teams above us how .any points do you think we should get. i expect 15 but happy with 12.

Quoted from LH

Maybe because we're so inconsistent?

I'd say that applies to most of this division though, which is why it's not a complete impossibility.

9 into 1 doesn't go as you all know so if we miss out I wont be disapointed as I expected just a mid table finish with no play off push or relegation battle, so to be within 3 points of 7th place in mid Feb is great.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I may have been hast saying we will finish 13th when we have to play 7 of the teams above us again, its quite tight so winning these games could be crucial.

But aren't most of those at home where we seem to be improving? I'd certainly fancy our chances at home to Plymouth on the last day of the season if they are already up as well.

I posted this five days ago under Bursting with Pride post, and yesterdays battling performance has only strengthened my view

My view is that we will stumble into the playoffs as the bottom team, and then win it, its a funny ole game we should sensibly not have beaten Braintree last season and still been non league, but we did and there was no stopping us from there on.  believe!

We need to take three points from most games from now onwards, and I feel thats possible, UTM

The thing is, yesterday's game felt different to other victories this season. We didn't ride our luck, we didn't counter them, or win a boring game. We showed genuine quality and attacking intent. I'm not going to say we will get in the play offs, but with such individual quality, if they play as a team, we have one hell of a chance.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

But aren't most of those at home where we seem to be improving? I'd certainly fancy our chances at home to Plymouth on the last day of the season if they are already up as well.

My gut feel (and its a considerable gut) is that we will finish just outside, but the performances for Luton and yesterday would indicate that maybe just maybe we are improving at home, win your home games and you will always do o.k.

Out of all the teams in contention we must have the most suprise potential, in that we have a fairly new manager with lots of new additions who seem to be good additions, just trying to find the right system to accommodate them, it could all just click together and we could go on a really good run of form which we havn't done over more than 5 games this season, thats only 'potential' and ifs and buts, it might not happen, but the season would still be a successful one for us if not

Quoted from WHYWONTYOULETMESIGNUP

Out of all the teams in contention we must have the most suprise potential, in that we have a fairly new manager with lots of new additions who seem to be good additions, just trying to find the right system to accommodate them, it could all just click together and we could go on a really good run of form which we havn't done over more than 5 games this season, thats only 'potential' and ifs and buts, it might not happen, but the season would still be a successful one for us if not

I reckon safe by March which is what we will undoubtedly be is a successful season regardless of where we finish, the surprise factor is an interesting one though.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I reckon safe by March which is what we will undoubtedly be is a successful season regardless of where we finish, the surprise factor is an interesting one though.

Oh definately i'd be happy if the season ended now, but just think for teams that have been buzzing round these positions who have the same manager players and style of play thats kept them there all season its less likely for them to suddenly burst into life than it is for us who are actually outside the playoffs because we had a 4 game winless streak due to all the changes we made and now hopefully the signs are that its all coming together, but thats based on one win so probably too soon to say

YES!! The play off thread is back!!
Lose 5-0... going to hell in a handcart; Bignot out of his depth etc
Win 3-0... who knows where the Mariners positivity train will end up??

Until the next time....

Yesterday Jones, Osborne and Clements looked like quality additions all game and once Dyson got his goal he looked more confident and therefore effective. Jury's still out on Gunning and Yussuf and we haven't seen enough of Asante or Maxwell to make a judgement. Having said that about Yussuf I have seen him 3 times and he's looked totally ineffective. I wasn't at Carlisle or Hartlepool admittedly.

Last season 20 wins was enough to guarantee a play off place. We currently have 12 so would need to win 8 games in 14 to match that and even then that might not be enough. We haven't won 8 in 14 all season. I'd love us to do it but I just can't see it happening. That said the fixtures are pretty kind to us when you think that we have to play a lot of those also competing for the same spot.  All I asked for at the start of the season was safety and a good foundation to build on for next season.

Yeah but we're better against Plymouth, Carlisle, Luton and Mansfield than we are against Crewe, Cheltenham and Orient!

Quoted from LH

Last season 20 wins was enough to guarantee a play off place. We currently have 12 so would need to win 8 games in 14 to match that and even then that might not be enough. We haven't won 8 in 14 all season. I'd love us to do it but I just can't see it happening. That said the fixtures are pretty kind to us when you think that we have to play a lot of those also competing for the same spot.  All I asked for at the start of the season was safety and a good foundation to build on for next season.

Yes but that was last seasons table, and mansfield currently has the same number of wins as us, I think its a tighter season, do any of the the teams from 7th to 12th look like going on an amazing run? not really, be interesting to see how it turns out, could be decided on the last day

Quoted from WHYWONTYOULETMESIGNUP

Yes but that was last seasons table, and mansfield currently has the same number of wins as us, I think its a tighter season, do any of the the teams from 7th to 12th look like going on an amazing run? not really, be interesting to see how it turns out, could be decided on the last day

Been to a good few away games and have only missed Newport at home clearly Donny are handy but apart from that at BP I thought Carlisle Exeter and Pompey looked good and pre Christmas a couple of sides "did a job on us" but in reality I have not seen any world beaters..

There are a lot of sides in this league that are a bit like we are at the moment, good one week poor the next and anyone can throw up a result versus anyone. I reckon if we do well at home for the rest of the season we will be in the mix for 7th along with another 4/5 teams.

This is a bit simplistic but are we the 7th best team in this league? It feels season to date we are just below that level so I reckon we may just miss out.          

Literally anything can happen. With so many teams in the mix, every weekend there will be a game were at least 2 are playing each other, so I think it will constantly chop and change.

Quoted from ginnywings

Wow! Nothing like confidence is there? We can dream as fans can't we, otherwise, what's the point?

Are you confident? It would be great if we could hit the form needed but I think we are a way off the improvement needed. There are lots of team in the race to sneak in. I'd be amazed and thrilled if we managed it.

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Are you confident? It would be great if we could hit the form needed but I think we are a way off the improvement needed. There are lots of team in the race to sneak in. I'd be amazed and thrilled if we managed it.

Confident? No, but we are three points off the last play off spot, so to say we have no chance when we are a mere one win from them currently is short sighted in my view. Mansfield have just won 6 and drawn 2 out of 8. Did they look like world beaters?

It's a slim chance granted but it's still a chance and we have as much of one as those around us.

Win the next 2 and we're right in there. We'll probably be in the play offs or at worst just outside them. Means winning the next two though, which probably won't happen.

Anything is possible in this division.  Mansfield are in the play-offs and looked very average.  The team that keeps its nerve best will win the competition to sneak into them.  We should get better so have a good a chance as any of the other teams.

Crazy stats.  Orient have lost 13 of their 17 home games.  And they are still 4 points off bottom.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Yesterday Jones, Osborne and Clements looked like quality additions all game and once Dyson got his goal he looked more confident and therefore effective. Jury's still out on Gunning and Yussuf and we haven't seen enough of Asante or Maxwell to make a judgement. Having said that about Yussuf I have seen him 3 times and he's looked totally ineffective. I wasn't at Carlisle or Hartlepool admittedly.

Trying to work out if the Jury is actually out or not?

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

Anything is possible in this division.  Mansfield are in the play-offs and looked very average.  The team that keeps its nerve best will win the competition to sneak into them.  We should get better so have a good a chance as any of the other teams.

Crazy stats.  Orient have lost 13 of their 17 home games.  And they are still 4 points off bottom.

That's not good, we've still got to go there!

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

Anything is possible in this division.  Mansfield are in the play-offs and looked very average.  The team that keeps its nerve best will win the competition to sneak into them.  We should get better so have a good a chance as any of the other teams.

Crazy stats.  Orient have lost 13 of their 17 home games.  And they are still 4 points off bottom.

That's not good, we've still got to go there!

Last season Scunny just missed out on the play-offs after getting a new manager in March! Anything can happen with a good manager but I've got used to watching Town with little expectation as you don't know who will turn up, when we lose this inconsistency, I'm sure we'll be a top 6 team.

Quoted from 28195

Last season Scunny just missed out on the play-offs after getting a new manager in March! Anything can happen with a good manager but I've got used to watching Town with little expectation as you don't know who will turn up, when we lose this inconsistency, I'm sure we'll be a top 6 team.

Hit the nail on the head - consistency required to climb up this League.

We are due a good run of form, but need to prove that the new line up deserves that run of form.

Bignot needs at least 8 to 9 regular consistent players every match, and subs making a genuine difference when called on!

Both goal scorers yesterday are equal top scorers...... on 2 goals.

At least one (hopefully two) of the forwards needs to climb up to the plate until the season end, as I cannot believe that we will go to play off places with 6 equal goal scorers on maybe 6 goals each ???

Onwards...and upwards ??

Stevenage have proved that you only need to win 3 or 4 games and you'll be right up there.