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Not too bad so far if you ask me, it's a long term project.

Just happy to be back competing in the EFL for a second season.

With the squad we have we will win some lose some so mid table finish.

Unless we can have a really good window come January.

Then if we can find some attackers who can score we will be a team to fear in the second half of the season.

Just got to keep getting the odd 3 points so we are looking up not down.

Rome.  was not built in a day.

in terms of the big picture I’d be satisfied with the season if,  from January onwards, we start to move towards a more attacking style of play or address the issues in the final third.

Looks to be the second season on the bounce where teams are happy to let us have the ball as we’re fairly easy to defend against. This season we’ve recruited players who are far more comfortable on the ball but still lack any real quality in & around the opposing box.

If by the end of the year we’re still finishing games with 2 or 3 shots on target and playing the same way, then…I dunno. Whether it’s signing a player or two on a long-term contract, or showing signs of being more attacking systematically, then that would represent some continual improvement.

Hurst needs to evolve with the team though, it can’t all just be on the players.

Quoted from ska face

in terms of the big picture I’d be satisfied with the season if,  from January onwards, we start to move towards a more attacking style of play or address the issues in the final third.

Looks to be the second season on the bounce where teams are happy to let us have the ball as we’re fairly easy to defend against. This season we’ve recruited players who are far more comfortable on the ball but still lack any real quality in & around the opposing box.

If by the end of the year we’re still finishing games with 2 or 3 shots on target and playing the same way, then…I dunno. Whether it’s signing a player or two on a long-term contract, or showing signs of being more attacking systematically, then that would represent some continual improvement.

I don’t understand why it’s a surprise. Vernam and Eisa are injury prone, Khan missed a lot of games early last season and the same this. Wilson isn’t a prolific scorer. I don’t know what our budget was. Perhaps it’s best not to care but when we’re told that it’s higher then you would expect us to sign a goal scorer at the umpteenth window of asking.

Nobody said it’s a surprise.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Not too bad so far if you ask me, it's a long term project.

Just happy to be back competing in the EFL for a second season.

The D4 is a concern, we have drawn 50% of our games, yest its 4 points, but if we had won two and lost two of those 4 games we would have 6 points, over a season this could make an enormous difference.

What is a long term project, two seaons? Three seasons? 20 seasons?

TBF, it has been long recognised that the opening few games were against teams expected to do well,  so so far not too bad IMO.  Today was the first time we haven't scored first in a league game other than 0-0 draws

Tough start to the season against a few teams tipped to be at the top end of the league.
I know football is about results but atleast we aren't awful to watch. Even yesterday, yes 3 0 looks awful but we played some good stuff just lacked anything in the final 3rd. It wasn't that long ago we'd lose 2 or 3 0 regularly and we'd have played absolutely dreadful.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Not too bad so far if you ask me, it's a long term project.

Just happy to be back competing in the EFL for a second season.

In what way is this a long term project and what is the end product supposed to be and when?.

If we have just spent our biggest budget for years due to the cup run and unless we do something similar this season we probably wont have such a large budget next season then what?

Quoted from arryarryarry

In what way is this a long term project and what is the end product supposed to be and when?.

If we have just spent our biggest budget for years due to the cup run and unless we do something similar this season we probably wont have such a large budget next season then what?

The increase in budget will be over 2 or 3 years as we have dished out on longer and more expensive contracts (see Rose,Rogers,Conteh and Vernam etc .

The original goal was obviously to get out of the national league , probably within 2 or 3 years but for whatever reason we managed it in the first year , which was probably ahead of schedule .

On the length of contracts we are prepared to offer, it would suggest we are trying to keep a more settled squad for a longer period of time and probably actually sign players with some resale value rather than the standard one year contracts .

It's fairly obvious Stockwood & Pettit are not going to go down the route of just throwing loads of money at it , and are probably working towards the club being self sustainable - does that make us ultra competetive even in league 2 with the big hitters ? probably not .

Can you get to league 1 without going bonkers ? Yes , but it's seemingly clubs who have slowly built a foundation in league 2 over a good few years and eventually get out ; there are many examples.

I think some need to get over the fact we were once a Championship club and realise the actual current situation - we are medium sized top end league 2  club at best because we are still playing at a limited stadium in terms of potential and don't have the finance to just go right through the leagues . Without an improved stadium or major investment we are going to have to suck it up and hope we either get lucky in thr next few years or have a great season ( I'm not sure I am confident in the latter as Hurst has never really had a top 3 season , barring one at Shrewsbury ).

It's a difficult one realism v ambition . I do think getting to league 1 now would be the equivalent level of success to when we got to The Champ in the past due to the level of finance and calibre of club in the bottom 2 leagues .

I am hopeful that we can still have a good season , if we pump Crawley next week we will be title winning material again , like we are lower mid table fodder after a defeat at Wrexham - I think the answer is we are somewhat in between .

Let's just try and enjoy it , and barring disaster never going back to the NL again .