National League predictions

I haven’t really paid much attention to the rest of the division since our relegation, concentrating on who we sign. But had a look through other teams and forums today and the standard seems to be much higher than last time we were down here. Notts county, Stockport and Wrexham all throwing money at it, and Chesterfield also look to have a strong team. With that in mind, how do people think we’ll do and who do you think will win the league?

I know it’s hard to predict until we sign another striker, but at the minute I think 5th to 7th is what we’ll be looking at, but I think it’ll be a close season with no runaway leader. Sign a notable striker and we could be looking at higher, but with the lights of Madden, Quigley, Mullin down here, we’ll need a good one.

For top spot, I’ve got a feeling Chesterfield will do it, they look to have a lot of strength in depth in attacking areas.

Chesterfield that have Stefan Payne? Not for me

Stockport

Positive and optimistic there is only going to be one team at the top for me, TOWN.

Stockport to win the league with Town going up as play-off winners. I’ve got a feeling we’ll start really well before form drops off through the winter with pressure mounting on Hurst, only to turn things around come the end of the season.

The play-offs will be something else I reckon. I can’t see us finishing higher than 6th or 7th, so that will mean winning 3 games on the trot away from BP.

The first one will go to the wire with Town levelling with a late, late equaliser before going on to nick a win in the depth of extra time.

I don’t know why, but I’ve got this weird feeling we’ll play Wrexham next and we’ll beat them in the most astonishing way possible. It will be 4-3, or maybe even 5-4 to Town with a sense of irony about Town’s winner in the last minute of extra time.

We’ll then continue that trend of late extra time wins in the final, although I think we’ll need to add to our current squad to pull that off. There’s a lad at Woking who I think would complement our team well, we should probably look at him.

Anyway, winning promotion in such a crazy and exhilarating way will almost certainly lead to a surge in demand for season tickets and new shirts. I hope the club has the foresight to invest in extra stock because we’ll only have the likes of Golly on here moaning insufferably if they don’t.

Anyway, that’s just my gut feel. Probably won’t happen.

As an aside, Wednesday night’s lottery numbers will be 3, 16, 27, 34, 36 and 46. Make sure to get your ticket, wouldn’t want you looking back on this hot tip with regret.

Yeah, it’s got “transitional season” written all over it for us. But in tiny writing so that it fits.

Stockport or Torquay for me. Top half for us.

I think if you use the analogy “forming - storming - morning - performing” we’re just forming.

I expect a few disappointments in terms of results for a while as well as some good performances and the odd edgy 1 - 0 Hurst style win while we get to grips with the NL and the stuff that comes with it. If that’s good enough to get us a play off spot then I’d be pretty happy with that all things considered.

I reckon it might take 2/3 seasons for us to get promotion whilst the improved infrastructure kicks in and the squad stabilises.

What I do sense is that even at this early stage PH has more positivity and support from the owners than when he took us up, the squad still needs loads of work but that will happen I’m sure.

“Us fans” also play a role and that’s to manage our expectations and support the team even if things don’t go as we’d expect. That might be hard at times but I believe they all the stake holders in the club being on the same page is the only way we’ll get back and stay there.

7th minimum for us, Stocky to win.

There's usually one unfancied team that are up there each season.

I wonder what odds Sutton were to win the league at the start of last season.

I think the play offs has to be our minimum target. We've done a lot of business early and had a well planned pre-season
Think Wrexham will be close along with Stockport, and Torquay have a man with a good pedigree in this league.

We have to be getting to play offs as a minimum for me. Impossible to predict in all honesty, too many variables..but going on ‘paper’ you’d have to say Stockport, Notts C will be there or thereabouts. Don’t fancy Wrexham to go up myself, nor Torquay.

I wouldn’t be having a wager on it that’s for sure..going to be an interesting season though I reckon. One way or another

Notts county to win it , think we will be top 7 but reckon goals will be a problem for us

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I think if you use the analogy “forming - storming - morning - performing” we’re just forming.

I expect a few disappointments in terms of results for a while as well as some good performances and the odd edgy 1 - 0 Hurst style win while we get to grips with the NL and the stuff that comes with it. If that’s good enough to get us a play off spot then I’d be pretty happy with that all things considered.

I reckon it might take 2/3 seasons for us to get promotion whilst the improved infrastructure kicks in and the squad stabilises.

What I do sense is that even at this early stage PH has more positivity and support from the owners than when he took us up, the squad still needs loads of work but that will happen I’m sure.

“Us fans” also play a role and that’s to manage our expectations and support the team even if things don’t go as we’d expect. That might be hard at times but I believe they all the stake holders in the club being on the same page is the only way we’ll get back and stay there.

Can't beat a bit of Bruce Tuckman. Fenty insisted on the fifth stage, adjourning, after promotion last time.

Personally think we will start to norm next season and then it's a case of whether we perform that season or the following one.

Quoted from DB

Positive and optimistic there is only going to be one team at the top for me, TOWN.

Considering your predictions for just about every game last season, we will likely be heading for the National League North.

Quoted from Les Brechin

There's usually one unfancied team that are up there each season.

I wonder what odds Sutton were to win the league at the start of last season.

I don’t know but the plastic pitch was a big advantage

Hopefully make the play offs can’t see us challenging for top spot

I would think notts, Stockport and Wrexham will all be ahead of us and challenging for the title. I think Stockport will win it.

I think we can expect to be in or around the play offs and it would be fantastic if we could go up at the first attempt but uts even tougher than when we down here last time.

Torquay champions

Play off final: Grimsby 2-1 Sarfend

I think the bare minimum target for us has to be a home play-off Quarter-Final (so 4th or 5th). It would be very difficult to reach the Promotion Final by playing both away in the QF & SF.

Personally I think we should be challenging for the title with a top 3 target.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Considering your predictions for just about every game last season, we will likely be heading for the National League North.

A supporter is someone who wants his/her team to win and be top of the league. Ask any Liverpool. Man U, Man City, etc. where they expect their team to finish and they all will say top of the league.

I'm just a normal supporter, like those fans. Will these clubs, if they don't become league champions, be heading to the Championship?, I don't think so.

We'll sign Charles Vernam soon. Then if we can add a proper and very serious number 9 then we can challenge for the title. Anything less than play offs is unacceptable.

I think we’ve got a solid squad atm which may prove to be better but obviously the new guys need to prove themselves first. As it stands I think we’ve got 2 or 3 players that would walk in to almost every other side in the league. I’ll let you work out who those few are. I have high hopes for Efete and McAtee etc who may also prove to be great signings but I don’t have much knowledge of them yet.

I think we are 2-3 signings away from title challengers. The back end of last season showed us we are going to be really difficult to beat but if you keep a clean sheet then can’t score you’re only worth a point and draws are killers.

We all know we need a goalscorer so hopefully we can uncover one. Then a Nolan type in midfield and we should be a match for everyone. Without those though I’d say we are looking at battling for one of the last play-off spots.

Quoted from DB

A supporter is someone who wants his/her team to win and be top of the league. Ask any Liverpool. Man U, Man City, etc. where they expect their team to finish and they all will say top of the league.

I'm just a normal supporter, like those fans. Will these clubs, if they don't become league champions, be heading to the Championship?, I don't think so.

Erm..................I would expect any LIverpool, Man U. Man City fan to expect to win the league as they spend millions on the best players and are there and thereabouts.

We don't spend millions and we have really threatened a top spot for decades.

I don't think any normal supporter would come out every week saying we will win the next game when we are playing crap and only managed a hand full of wins all season.  

Not coming on here every game bleating we will win doesn't make you any less of a supporter.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Erm..................I would expect any LIverpool, Man U. Man City fan to expect to win the league as they spend millions on the best players and are there and thereabouts.

We don't spend millions and we have really threatened a top spot for decades.

I don't think any normal supporter would come out every week saying we will win the next game when we are playing crap and only managed a hand full of wins all season.  

Not coming on here every game bleating we will win doesn't make you any less of a supporter.

This is a forum for all to give their views. Some you like, some you don't, live with it as I do.

The opposite of we'll win is we'll lose (excluding a draw). I prefer win.

Quoted from DB

This is a forum for all to give their views. Some you like, some you don't, live with it as I do.

The opposite of we'll win is we'll lose (excluding a draw). I prefer win.

If the spectrum is pessimist at one end and optimist at the other with realist in the middle you appear to be a complete idiot, but a happy one, so good luck to you
UTMM

Maybe it's just me being optimistic, but I think our squad looks brilliant barring the striking line at moment. I'm really excited for the season ahead, and that Paul Hurst has adopted a 4-2-3-1 approach makes us a different team. I think at home we will attack and be exciting. Away games Paul will pick and choose which teams we give it to and other games maybe revert back to 442 to keep us shape. We've got the manager to lead us forward, hopefully we add Vernam and a exciting striker next week, haven't been this excited since Steps reformed.

Quoted from GtfcGarner

Maybe it's just me being optimistic, but I think our squad looks brilliant barring the striking line at moment. I'm really excited for the season ahead, and that Paul Hurst has adopted a 4-2-3-1 approach makes us a different team. I think at home we will attack and be exciting. Away games Paul will pick and choose which teams we give it to and other games maybe revert back to 442 to keep us shape. We've got the manager to lead us forward, hopefully we add Vernam and a exciting striker next week, haven't been this excited since Steps reformed.

Be interesting to see how we approach the final 2 friendlies as they will potentially give us an idea of our opening day approach.

He's said McAtee is a CAM which fits in with the 4-2-3-1 you mention. Against Clee McAtee looked aggressive so I think he will be a CAM that still gets stuck in defensively. It might be that our more defensive formation is a 4-4-1-1. Wright gets stuck in defensively and Revan "can play up one" so may get the nod ahead of Sousa or Scannell when we need to defend.

Crookes can play LCB and Sears can play across the backline too so I'm sure we will see 3 at the back on occasions too.

Quoted from DB

This is a forum for all to give their views. Some you like, some you don't, live with it as I do.

The opposite of we'll win is we'll lose (excluding a draw). I prefer win.

There are views and then there are stupid predictions where you constantly say we will win when we plainly weren't going to with a crap team.

Superb signing for Eastleigh tonight

Quoted from Hagrid

Superb signing for Eastleigh tonight

Two in fact. Harry Pritchard has played a good number of games in League One and Two recently at Blackpool and Bradford respectively, while Jake Hesketh on loan from Southampton has been playing for MK Dons, Lincoln and most recently Crawley.

What’s odd though, is that Hesketh is 25 and has never played for Southampton, and yet they’re keeping him on their books. Tommy Forecast was still at Southampton in 2013, aged 26, and patently not going to ‘make it’.

Why keep players like that on your wage bill? Weird.

Grimsby.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

We'll sign Charles Vernam soon. Then if we can add a proper and very serious number 9 then we can challenge for the title. Anything less than play offs is unacceptable.

This post is unacceptable

Quoted from lukeo

Grimsby.

Pleased you agree with me.

Quoted from arryarryarry

There are views and then there are stupid predictions where you constantly say we will win when we plainly weren't going to with a crap team.

I once was had a discussion with a Swami, regardless of what I said I was wrong in his eyes. In fact, he even told me if I eat beef I will die. To me, he was a bigot, which your comments are edging upon.

It's a forum for all opinions, and my explanations are water of a ducks back to you. Come the end of the season one of us will be right, you have 22 teams and I have Town.

Town to be league champions, and of course, promoted. Will they win every time they cross the line?, NO but I like many others hope, as in optimism, they do; otherwise why have over 2,700 ST's been sold? To see a team win or lose?