The thing that gives me more confidence...

The thing that fills me with the most confidence about this Town side, is the character it has. Teams of recent years, probably since Slade's 2nd season, has not had any strength of character, or the spirit, work rate or bravery.

I think this side in the last few months has shown the character necessary when building a team for promotion (whether it be this season or next).

• After losing to Salisbury in the FA Cup, we got back to the league games and got straight back into it and haven't lost again since. Didn't feel sorry for themselves, didn't shrink into their boots worried about what might happen next. Just got on with it and determined their own immediate futures.
  
  
• Home game against Newport. We played awful and were 0-2 down but kept going, didn't hide, and sneaked a 2-2 draw which never looked likely.
  
  
• Away game against Lincoln on Boxing Day - went a goal down, were outplayed 1st half, and were reduced to what had been our 2 reserve centre backs for the last month. All stood up to be counted second half, laid everything down and came away with a deserved win.
  
  
• Today, for probably the only time i've ever seen in my life, Town controlled the game after we went down to 10 men. We kept possession well, kept it in the corners and high up the pitch, and still pressed them. And as said in other threads we had Miller (after just one training session with the squad) and Elding giving orders out and organising the players.
  
  
• Also today, i noticed when Elding scored the penalty and ran off into the corner to celebrate, every single outfield player raced after him and joined in the celebrations. These players have pride wearing the shirt, even the loan players. And the character of the squad forces the loan players to get in line with the others quickly too.
  

I believe in this core of players and more importantly they believe in themselves. Far too often we've seen comments on this board after a defeat saying "it was like men vs boys out there" us being the boys bullied into a defeat. I don't see that happening with this team. And i'd be confident we could bounce back after a defeat. There's a lot to be positive about and it'd be great to see a rise in the home attendances to reflect that.

UTM

Great post. I can forgive a lack of skill, I can't forgive a lack of character or battle. But this team gives their all and they clearly care about the club, lets keep supporting them as well as we can.

Very perceptive post - many true points - we're looking like a real team now, not individuals - we fight in packs for retaining / regaining the ball !

More on the floor - more penetration by the midfield and strikers!

Agree 100% with every word. This is why it is so vital to keep this side together, if we dont go up this year. Great post

This is a team I believe in, after years of watching lilly livered losers we now have players who fight for each other and never give up.  These are the building blocks of the old Town teams.

I honestly think we have one of the best strike forces in this league, keep them firing and we will go up next season (unless we can reach the play-offs this season!)

Top summary.  Hard work, character, teamwork, confidence and some good players.  Miller was a club captain and has already added leadership and organisational skills.

We have more reason to hope than in previous seasons.

We certainly now have a few players with a backbone and some talent to boot!

If we win our next 2 and beat both Cambridge and York, I'll start to think about the play offs. Until then, next season looks like it might be special if we can keep the team together.

Quoted from immariner

We certainly now have a few players with a backbone and some talent to boot!

If we win our next 2 and beat both Cambridge and York, I'll start to think about the play offs. Until then, next season looks like it might be special if we can keep the team together.

And the world doesn't end.

Managers build teams in their image. Our managers have been very successful.

I still get nervous and edgy when we have a comfortable lead but I think that's just because I've seen first hand, more than twice how catastrophically well we can mess things up when we should be killing sides off. When Lincoln scored their first today, I was worried that this could be another one that we could member up and listening to others around me, I got the impression that I wasn't the only one.

Great post Tommy, some really good points. Made me realise even more how we seem to be improving.

Very good points Tommy, agree with them all.

They certainly seem to have more mettle.

Quoted from tonyfordsmicrofro

I still get nervous and edgy when we have a comfortable lead but I think that's just because I've seen first hand, more than twice how catastrophically well we can mess things up when we should be killing sides off. When Lincoln scored their first today, I was worried that this could be another one that we could member up and listening to others around me, I got the impression that I wasn't the only one.

Cracking post, you're not the only one ! (didn't see your comment before writing my spiel below...)
More than twice ? Hasn't it been the case for years ?!  
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Only thing I don't like is the timewasting, going in the corners, running the clock down.

Suppose it's understandable if you're down to 10 men or 1 goal up late on.
But even before the sending off Panther was stopping them taking a free kick at 3-1 (McKeown sometimes seems to take a flippin age taking a goal kick too)

Think Coulson also said on RH the team feels more confident that they can keep hold of a lead.

Well yeah it's easy enough to be confident at 3-1 but is protecting 2 goal leads the best way forward for building confidence ?

We saw it out fine this time but was worried if it went 3-2 we'd end be pressing the panic button like we did vs Ebbsfleet.

Generally feel we're too content to coast or stretch out time when we should be upping the ante and BELIEVING in our ability to finish them off with our ability + fitness advantage - when there's a saftety net of 3 goals, we don't worry about it and play with freedom.

Ideally I'd prefer to pay £16 to watch 90 minutes of attacking football and a team fully confident in it's ability to score a hatful again against the lesser teams (which we've already done)

Still think we need to bang home the issue until the cows come home or risk paying a price later (especially away)

Confidence breeds confidence.

I think we all feel the same way.  Ebbsfleet was a perfect example.  Confidence will come in holding a lead as the defence improves.

A big step yesterday was not freezing in front of a large home crowd and delivering a poor performance. If the crowd are anxious as well, the players pick this up.

To be fair to Lincoln, Aryon pulled off saves to keep the score down - Town could have been well out of the picture by 4 or 5 before Lincoln scored, and their goal was a one man out of the blue effort (A la Hearn copy) after he managed to turn well !

I thought Manny Panther handled himself with dignity and professionalism as he waited for the melee and ref's decision - whereas Sinclair was holding hands with the ref pleading his case ! (Good skippering by Elding as well to hold back the Town players)

Was the 2nd half penalty a "give me" recovery for the atrocious decision on Townsend's trip in the area ?? Conor was actually caught twice in that mazy run but held his feet after the first !

By the way - no hot drinks in the Main Stand catering behind the police box - on a cold rainy day !! Big crowd  - poor service !!

Alan Power - good game for them - reminded me of Dave Gilbert at his best !

Still think that a Jamie is lacking on the left flank - I'd take a fit Green, or a Devitt on loan !!

My confidence comes from having what looks like to best 2 full backs in the league, both of whom seem capable at both ends of the pitch.

Quoted from Tommy

The thing that fills me with the most confidence about this Town side, is the character it has. Teams of recent years, probably since Slade's 2nd season, has not had any strength of character, or the spirit, work rate or bravery.

I think this side in the last few months has shown the character necessary when building a team for promotion (whether it be this season or next).

• After losing to Salisbury in the FA Cup, we got back to the league games and got straight back into it and haven't lost again since. Didn't feel sorry for themselves, didn't shrink into their boots worried about what might happen next. Just got on with it and determined their own immediate futures.
  
  
• Home game against Newport. We played awful and were 0-2 down but kept going, didn't hide, and sneaked a 2-2 draw which never looked likely.
  
  
• Away game against Lincoln on Boxing Day - went a goal down, were outplayed 1st half, and were reduced to what had been our 2 reserve centre backs for the last month. All stood up to be counted second half, laid everything down and came away with a deserved win.
  
  
• Today, for probably the only time i've ever seen in my life, Town controlled the game after we went down to 10 men. We kept possession well, kept it in the corners and high up the pitch, and still pressed them. And as said in other threads we had Miller (after just one training session with the squad) and Elding giving orders out and organising the players.
  
  
• Also today, i noticed when Elding scored the penalty and ran off into the corner to celebrate, every single outfield player raced after him and joined in the celebrations. These players have pride wearing the shirt, even the loan players. And the character of the squad forces the loan players to get in line with the others quickly too.
  

I believe in this core of players and more importantly they believe in themselves. Far too often we've seen comments on this board after a defeat saying "it was like men vs boys out there" us being the boys bullied into a defeat. I don't see that happening with this team. And i'd be confident we could bounce back after a defeat. There's a lot to be positive about and it'd be great to see a rise in the home attendances to reflect that.

UTM

Good post, agreed

Quoted from acko338

By the way - no hot drinks in the Main Stand catering behind the police box - on a cold rainy day !! Big crowd  - poor service !!

Wasn't much better in the Upper Smiths.
Saw 2 people serving in the Mariners Kitchen - not rocket science to put on enough staff is it ?

Are the trust sorting all this out or what ?
Ooops sorry you won't get an answer on here...
Didn't see any trust members knocking about either.

So what we're basically saying is that Town, for the first time in a long while, represent value for money...?

£14-£16 to watch us play seems a good deal these days.

Quoted from 1600

Wasn't much better in the Upper Smiths.
Saw 2 people serving in the Mariners Kitchen - not rocket science to put on enough staff is it ?

Are the trust sorting all this out or what ?
Ooops sorry you won't get an answer on here...
Didn't see any trust members knocking about either.

If the catering's been 'franchised' out then surely the current arrangements will be in place until at least the end of the season? Not sure what the trust can do about that.

Fair enough then, thanks for explaining that.