Colchester at home Tuesday

Big game for us and Hurst, I always want Town to win so come on Town.

Must win game.

A very big game. An absolute must-win. 3 points in that one - if not, massive changes must be done.

Huge game for Hurst and 1878 were now 20th and Colchester are one of a few below us. Must Win

We looked decent today once we got going but then reverted after Wilson and Holohan went off. Hopefully both ok for Tuesday.

Not sure I dare watch/listen. There's a team in there as shown in the first 25 minutes of the second half but we're so fragile. Seems to be every game where an incident knocks us back and we lose our rhythm, one lack of concentration and a goals conceded.
Colchester lost their 4th in a row to today and were leapfrogged by FGR who didn't even play.

Just 14 games in but the Colchester game feels not so much a must win as more a game where we need to see true spirit, clean sheet with no lapses and chasing down every ball and the start of an unbeaten run. Can't blame Hurst for today's defeat but the Colchester result and performance has to be positive and has to be the start of a revival, 3 wins from 14 is a hard stat to digest for fans, and inevitably the Board.

I think Town have played 11 of the current top thirteen teams - out of 14 games -so it would be really good  if Town could put down a marker against Colchester with a win - to show we’re not the worst in this division
UTM

Quoted from Teestogreen

I think Town have played 11 of the current top thirteen teams - out of 14 games -so it would be really good  if Town could put down a marker against Colchester with a win - to show we’re not the worst in this division
UTM

There are only 23 teams to play against, so using your analogy we are in the bottom 10.

And I’d be surprised if Dave Boylen ever lived in Broughton 😂

I don't think it's must win. But it certainly is must not lose. Need a strong performance and 3 points. Could really do with a good run now. UTM!

It is a must win. If you are going to loose do so to them above you never to teams below you. Especially when there is few points between you

Ben Garner, Colchester manager, has just been sacked

Quoted from MaccasBoots

Ben Garner, Colchester manager, has just been sacked

Sign of the times now...makes you wonder about PH  and its not just League 2 managers its all across the EFL.
Only time will tell.
UTM2023--24

Quoted from Teestogreen

I think Town have played 11 of the current top thirteen teams - out of 14 games -so it would be really good  if Town could put down a marker against Colchester with a win - to show we’re not the worst in this division
UTM

We not the worst in the division I don’t think. I’ve seen FGR v Harrogate and they’re both dreadful.

If we do win in midweek, I think it might just be delaying the inevitable.

It might be the spark we need to instigate a renaissance and go on a run, but its doubtful from the evidence so far.

A win and good performance would do us the world of good, but the owners will have to look at the bigger picture if we don't go on a really good run quickly. They will be keen that we are not seen as a club alternating between the NL and the bottom end of League 2 if they have any hope of fulfilling their ambitions.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

If we do win in midweek, I think it might just be delaying the inevitable.

It might be the spark we need to instigate a renaissance and go on a run, but its doubtful from the evidence so far.

A win and good performance would do us the world of good, but the owners will have to look at the bigger picture if we don't go on a really good run quickly. They will be keen that we are not seen as a club alternating between the NL and the bottom end of League 2 if they have any hope of fulfilling their ambitions.

It's a sad state of affairs that we're trying to not look like a team that's going down when I suspect the majority of us wanted to kick on with an attempt at going up, much like Lincoln city. Perhaps I'm just really naive but I'm so bloody disappointed in how things have gone since the promotion.

Quoted from chaos33

We not the worst in the division I don’t think. I’ve seen FGR v Harrogate and they’re both dreadful.

I struggle to believe they’re worse than Accrington

Relegation 6 pointer

Looking at their recent results the positions of the teams they have played ( inverse to ourselves) and away form this season there should only be one result to this game

Quoted from Plankton

It's a sad state of affairs that we're trying to not look like a team that's going down when I suspect the majority of us wanted to kick on with an attempt at going up, much like Lincoln city. Perhaps I'm just really naive but I'm so bloody disappointed in how things have gone since the promotion.

I thought last season was a good first season

This season with seemingly good recruitment , I thought we would see an improved version of Hurstball with better players ; everyone knowing their roles down to a tee and a decent season - I thought around 10th and a flirt with the play-offs at times .

Shows you what I know

I suppose it's the life of a lower league football fan isn't it - the good ,the bad , highs ,lows and moans .

We all love it don't we ?

Quoted from Plankton

It's a sad state of affairs that we're trying to not look like a team that's going down when I suspect the majority of us wanted to kick on with an attempt at going up, much like Lincoln city. Perhaps I'm just really naive but I'm so bloody disappointed in how things have gone since the promotion.

I reckon this ‘nutshells’ the overwhelming emotion of the many 😐

Quoted from Plankton

It's a sad state of affairs that we're trying to not look like a team that's going down when I suspect the majority of us wanted to kick on with an attempt at going up, much like Lincoln city. Perhaps I'm just really naive but I'm so bloody disappointed in how things have gone since the promotion.

In all fairness, it’s very rare you see teams going straight through like Lincoln did anymore, unless they’re spending big bucks, an unrealistic aim in my opinion. Let’s not forget last season was one of our most successful in the last few decades with a decent top half finish and an FA Cup quarter final. I get that everything is disappointing at the minute and something needs to change but it’s not all been doom and gloom has it?

Quoted from jimgtfc

In all fairness, it’s very rare you see teams going straight through like Lincoln did anymore, unless they’re spending big bucks, an unrealistic aim in my opinion. Let’s not forget last season was one of our most successful in the last few decades with a decent top half finish and an FA Cup quarter final. I get that everything is disappointing at the minute and something needs to change but it’s not all been doom and gloom has it?

Ermmmm....Notts County and Wrexham looking they'll do it this season,  whilst I agree they've spent big bucks, they've also capitalised on the momentum, something we failed to do, mainly due to a poor run of 13 games with 2 wins in there which took the wind out of our sails.

Quoted from jimgtfc

In all fairness, it’s very rare you see teams going straight through like Lincoln did anymore, unless they’re spending big bucks, an unrealistic aim in my opinion. Let’s not forget last season was one of our most successful in the last few decades with a decent top half finish and an FA Cup quarter final. I get that everything is disappointing at the minute and something needs to change but it’s not all been doom and gloom has it?

errrm 3 wins in 18 games, plus 4 points off relegation, with the biggest budget in years n FA Cup quarter finalists last year, After today's sporting disaster overall, its looking very much like doom n gloom to me

I don't see the point in going on about 18 games when none of us give a crap about three of them.

As proximity to relegation is the concern, it's 3 wins in 14 (which obviously isn't good) which is the relevant number.

Also relevant is the fact that we're only just over a quarter of the way into the league season. We've currently got 40% more points than the three teams directly below us in the table. Which is a bullshit stat, but then so is saying we're only 4 points off relegation.

Sounds as though we showed a bit more fight yesterday but that defending certainly needs to improve...

Win or not on Tuesday the axe will fall unless there is a dramatic upturn in both results and performances in the next two or three games.

It might sound harsh but what other conclusion can you draw?

Hovering just above the trapdoor would be a disaster if the few teams below us find form or spend big in January.

There is certainly no room for sentiment.

If we do have an upturn in form enough to get us to lower mid table say by Christmas then I would think they would give Hurst what he needs in the window to try to correct some things.

Lose on Tuesday,  or even a bore draw and I think they will act.

lets face it,   After what he got us in the summer window would you trust him with another wad of cash to spend ?

I think we will win on Tuesday but if not I fear the worse for PH

Even if we win on Tuesday why should Hurst be spared the chop? We’re not exactly setting the bar high are we? So some are saying as long as we beat a bottom of the EFL pyramid team, Hurst should be allowed to continue, receiving chance after chance after chance? I’ve even read on here that some are preparing for a loss on Tuesday and in the event of that he should still be given 2-3 further games. I’d love to get a psychologist to analyse this thread, as to why some seem incapable and unwilling to get rid of a manager, who has provided 3 wins in 14 league games, coupled with the most brain numbing performances your likely to see!

The next half a dozen games are eminently winnable. We need a good points haul - at least 10 to get back on track and have something of a reset before Christmas. If we get to a point where 7th place is 15 points or more is the gap, then I think people will lose interest, which would be a massive waste of potential. The recent success of promotion and a decent consolidation season back in L2 rekindled spirits and recreated enthusiasm and investment in the supporters. If that is allowed to dissipate and regress into indifference and disinterest, then that’s a massive fuel leak, as it were. That ain’t good for any organisation.

I don’t expect promotion. I’m not sure anyone does, but you can’t claim you’re on a progression journey if you revert to being L2 strugglers. From a business point of view - you can’t afford to haemorrhage customers and revenue. This is what will be driving the owners. Progression means being in the top half and in touch, even if it’s only just.

Quoted from heppy88

Even if we win on Tuesday why should Hurst be spared the chop? We’re not exactly setting the bar high are we? So some are saying as long as we beat a bottom of the EFL pyramid team, Hurst should be allowed to continue, receiving chance after chance after chance? I’ve even read on here that some are preparing for a loss on Tuesday and in the event of that he should still be given 2-3 further games. I’d love to get a psychologist to analyse this thread, as to why some seem incapable and unwilling to get rid of a manager, who has provided 3 wins in 14 league games, coupled with the most brain numbing performances your likely to see!

Totally agree  Why vast swathes of our fanbase seem happy to settle for at best league 2 mediocrity I'm at a loss?
We should at worst be yo-yoing between league 1&2 but at the minute we're light years away. UTM

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Totally agree  Why vast swathes of our fanbase seem happy to settle for at best league 2 mediocrity I'm at a loss?
We should at worst be yo-yoing between league 1&2 but at the minute we're light years away. UTM

That's what we should be IMO aswell , but 20 years of decay and limited expectation have downgraded some's idea of success  ; yes there is a lot of money around the lower leagues but at least be a Rotherham , Wycombe , Burton or Lincoln rather than a Hartlepool , Rochdale or Scunthorpe .

I like Stockwood & Pettit as operators but I still think the jury is out in terms of their ambition and ability to run a
Fruitful football club ; let's face it they have never done it before , are either unwilling or can't invest heavily but came in when the bar was set that low it was impossible to do worse - they would have basically had to do a Mr David Hilton for that .

They are having their first big test of adversity now really , let's see what happens and hope it's just a bump in the road and not a roadblock.

Quoted from chaos33

The next half a dozen games are eminently winnable. We need a good points haul - at least 10 to get back on track and have something of a reset before Christmas. If we get to a point where 7th place is 15 points or more is the gap, then I think people will lose interest, which would be a massive waste of potential. The recent success of promotion and a decent consolidation season back in L2 rekindled spirits and recreated enthusiasm and investment in the supporters. If that is allowed to dissipate and regress into indifference and disinterest, then that’s a massive fuel leak, as it were. That ain’t good for any organisation.

I don’t expect promotion. I’m not sure anyone does, but you can’t claim you’re on a progression journey if you revert to being L2 strugglers. From a business point of view - you can’t afford to haemorrhage customers and revenue. This is what will be driving the owners. Progression means being in the top half and in touch, even if it’s only just.

I agree with what you posted, however, after Tuesday we will be 1 game off a third of the season. I'm hoping for a win, as usual, but fear the worst. Accrington and Crawley were described as winnable but the opposite happened. When looking at the performances against those 2 and Barrow, we were dire.

What we are not seeing this season is a positive attitude from the team, for whatever reason. No 'come back kids', team spirit, do or die and covering for teammates. Yes, they put in a performance but it is not what we are used to. Many seem to be going through the motions with hardly any effort. Donny, Morecambe, Forest Green and Sutton are the next games all of which we should win.

Colchester, Sutton and FG are all 6-pointers, so we have 18 points at stake in those 3 games alone. If we don't beat Colchester, then what of these games? A win on Tuesday or Hurst out and let's have a good chance of getting out of the relegation rat race.

When we returned to the league in 2016 I think we all sighed at the sense of relief thinking that would never happen again. Well of course it did but thankfully we returned immediately and we sighed again thinking this definitely wasn’t ever going to happen again with our new owners and safe hands in Hurst.

But once again that fear is starting to return and Forest Green will no doubt spend whatever it takes to get away from the danger zone and Colchester are perennial strugglers who just seem to do enough each season and only Sutton look like they may be down there for the duration.

Add to the fear of relegation the fact that since our latest return to the league the quality of football provided at BP has been pretty dire and despite neither Crawley or Accrington looking very good they left BP with all three points. Last season Crewe were dire but look transformed this season and I’m not aware of them spending any significant amount of cash but improvement seems beyond us and all we hear is what a strong league this is. Well other than Mansfield none of our visitors have looked particularly impressive so not sure I buy into that particular piece of rhetoric.

I used to really look forward to night matches at BP always used to be a great atmosphere and more often then not we used to win. Now it just seems a chore so much so that I won’t be bothering coming over on Tuesday but really hope I miss an absolute classic home win.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Totally agree  Why vast swathes of our fanbase seem happy to settle for at best league 2 mediocrity I'm at a loss?
We should at worst be yo-yoing between league 1&2 but at the minute we're light years away. UTM

Can you please direct us to the vast swathes of posters stating their happiness at league 2 mediocrity?

I can't presume to speak for everybody, but I believe that most of those who are not currently in panic mode, can see that the team is under performing at the moment, but also that we have had the toughest start to the season of all 24 clubs in this league.

Surely what's needed now is a period of calmness, see how the next half a dozen games go, and then let the decision makers take a rational decision.  There is still plenty of the season left.  Piling unnecessary pressure on right now isn't going to help, is it?

just look at Sutton and Forest Green just won 3 the same as us sums it up we deserved a point yesterday we need to turn the nearly games into wins UTM

Quoted from Captain Sensible

Can you please direct us to the vast swathes of posters stating their happiness at league 2 mediocrity?

I can't presume to speak for everybody, but I believe that most of those who are not currently in panic mode, can see that the team is under performing at the moment, but also that we have had the toughest start to the season of all 24 clubs in this league.

Surely what's needed now is a period of calmness, see how the next half a dozen games go, and then let the decision makers take a rational decision.  There is still plenty of the season left.  Piling unnecessary pressure on right now isn't going to help, is it?

Why is our start hardest of the 24 teams based on what?
Before the season starred I expected a play off place or a good crack at it and I wasn't alone in that thinking. My logic had Town somewhere between 4th and 10th best .We're currently 20th and dropping like a stone. You are pleading patience some have agreed with you .I expect a Town win Tuesday but please don't come on here and say told you so because sure as night follows day we will lose more games we should win in next fes fixtures. Its poor its not good enough and 5 5k Season ticket holders deserve much better.Hurst Out

Quoted from 1mickylyons

We should at worst be yo-yoing between league 1&2 but at the minute we're light years away. UTM

Should we? It’s been two whole decades since we last kicked a ball in league one.

And seven of those years were spent two division below it.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Totally agree  Why vast swathes of our fanbase seem happy to settle for at best league 2 mediocrity I'm at a loss?
We should at worst be yo-yoing between league 1&2 but at the minute we're light years away. UTM

Our budget dictates where our "true" position should be. There are quite a few clubs with much bigger budgets than ours. Even in the National League we didn't have the biggest budget. Do we have a top 10 budget?

I want us to live within our means rather than thinking we "belong" a division higher than we actually do.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Why is our start hardest of the 24 teams based on what?
Before the season starred I expected a play off place or a good crack at it and I wasn't alone in that thinking. My logic had Town somewhere between 4th and 10th best .We're currently 20th and dropping like a stone. You are pleading patience some have agreed with you .I expect a Town win Tuesday but please don't come on here and say told you so because sure as night follows day we will lose more games we should win in next fes fixtures. Its poor its not good enough and 5 5k Season ticket holders deserve much better.Hurst Out

It's very simple really.  No team has played more of the top teams than us, and no team has played fewer of the bottom teams than us - just one.  We have a decent haul of points against mid-table teams at nearly 2 per game.

Sorry if that doesn't support your narrative.

Quoted from GrimRob

Our budget dictates where our "true" position should be. There are quite a few clubs with much bigger budgets than ours. Even in the National League we didn't have the biggest budget. Do we have a top 10 budget?

I want us to live within our means rather than thinking we "belong" a division higher than we actually do.

Somebody asked the question on another thread 'how long do we blame Fenty for our current situation ?' .

For me the debate of where we currently 'sit' just underpins the argument that he should be accountable for the medium to longer term future .

When clubs were building modern facilities to increase revenue and moving through the gears we were going backwards with seemingly ever depreciating facilities and a worse 'product' on the field .



Is the situation salvagable ? in that are we so far behind now , that it's near impossible to catch up ( see Brighton ,Luton , Brentford and Palace ) and to a lesser extent Rotherham , Lincoln , Blackpool and the like .


I feel we missed the boat through a 'golden period ' of time with the stadium , we took the difficult option with ITV digital which was the morally correct one ; when going into administration was the easy way out and a route to future prosper

Which has left us behind with various revenue streams , still at BP and some portacabins at Cheapside when Doncaster as an example went from getting 2k at Belle Vue to a state of the art stadium ; it's sad we don't even know what our potential is we can only speculate .

The last 20 years have been dire if you look at it on the whole

It's sad that us who have been going a bit longer have to look back so far for any consistent success , and those of the newer generation have not seen much at all barring about 5 games - 5 games in 20 years I would suggest is not a great return .

I just hope we have a brighter future , with Stockwood and Pettit delivering league 1 football + some more off the pitch improvements .

Quoted from Captain Sensible

It's very simple really.  No team has played more of the top teams than us, and no team has played fewer of the bottom teams than us - just one.  We have a decent haul of points against mid-table teams at nearly 2 per game.

Sorry if that doesn't support your narrative.

Lets be honest.. Not many teams below us to play so no good hoping to get many points from them below us is there

Quoted from Captain Sensible

It's very simple really.  No team has played more of the top teams than us, and no team has played fewer of the bottom teams than us - just one.  We have a decent haul of points against mid-table teams at nearly 2 per game.

Sorry if that doesn't support your narrative.

This argument lost its credibility weeks ago IMO.

We're 20th in the league after 14 games for crying out loud. If we're clinging to the hope of getting some points on the board when we play the 4 teams below us then this is a sad state affairs the management have got us into.

Quoted from GrimRob

Our budget dictates where our "true" position should be. There are quite a few clubs with much bigger budgets than ours. Even in the National League we didn't have the biggest budget. Do we have a top 10 budget?

I want us to live within our means rather than thinking we "belong" a division higher than we actually do.

Historic average attendances are a reasonable barometer of what “par” looks like for a given club. Clearly it doesn’t tell you everything, we’re above Bournemouth for instance, but the notion that we have the footprint of a mid-table League One club feels about right to me.

This season’s League Two is a bit of an anomaly in terms of the amount of money sloshing about, but in general, this is a division that shouldn’t be beyond our grasp to escape (in the right direction for once). I think others are right who suggest that we shouldn’t let 20 years of below par finishes cloud our perception of what the club should be capable of.

https://fanbanter.co.uk/how-englands-top-four-divisions-look-based-on-all-time-average-attendance/

Good post.
My guess, if it was a league table based on playing budget, is that we are probably about 8-10 places below that equivalent. Just a guess. Nonetheless. 20th in L2 in 2023 is not, and should not, be acceptable to anyone associated with GTFC, all things considered.

By another metric I remember maybe 20 years or so ago looking at the all time league position for all clubs.

If I remember rightly we were well in the top 30, I think mid 20's of the 92, miles ahead of a lot of clubs that have left us for dead.

I darent look now, but it is quite remarkable how the last 20 or so years have clouded how the club is viewed.

Quoted from Tommy

This argument lost its credibility weeks ago IMO.

We're 20th in the league after 14 games for crying out loud. If we're clinging to the hope of getting some points on the board when we play the 4 teams below us then this is a sad state affairs the management have got us into.

Which club's supporters don't hope for points on the board when playing lower placed teams, I wonder?

And anyway, who said anything about 4 teams?  Of Doncaster, MK Dons, Newport, Tranmere, Forest Green, Colchester and Sutton, we have played just Tranmere.

I don’t think that’s what he’s saying exactly….

Quoted from Mappers

Somebody asked the question on another thread 'how long do we blame Fenty for our current situation ?' .

For me the debate of where we currently 'sit' just underpins the argument that he should be accountable for the medium to longer term future .

When clubs were building modern facilities to increase revenue and moving through the gears we were going backwards with seemingly ever depreciating facilities and a worse 'product' on the field .



Is the situation salvagable ? in that are we so far behind now , that it's near impossible to catch up ( see Brighton ,Luton , Brentford and Palace ) and to a lesser extent Rotherham , Lincoln , Blackpool and the like .


I feel we missed the boat through a 'golden period ' of time with the stadium , we took the difficult option with ITV digital which was the morally correct one ; when going into administration was the easy way out and a route to future prosper

Which has left us behind with various revenue streams , still at BP and some portacabins at Cheapside when Doncaster as an example went from getting 2k at Belle Vue to a state of the art stadium ; it's sad we don't even know what our potential is we can only speculate .

The last 20 years have been dire if you look at it on the whole

It's sad that us who have been going a bit longer have to look back so far for any consistent success , and those of the newer generation have not seen much at all barring about 5 games - 5 games in 20 years I would suggest is not a great return .

I just hope we have a brighter future , with Stockwood and Pettit delivering league 1 football + some more off the pitch improvements .

Some good points. We can't change the past, and things could certainly be a lot worse now. I was prepared for at least a decade in non-league last time and so many clubs have gone down the trapdoor the fact that we are an EFL club is something never to underestimate. Really League 2 and the NLP should merge, the population has gone up and a lot more professional teams exist than they did do when we all started watching the game. Many teams have dropped down a rung or two. We need 5 divisions and that should be enough to hold all the "serious" teams, as 4 once was enough (even 2 long ago).

It's incredibly hard for the owners because they have to have one eye on the long term as well as address the short term. They have had an incredible honeymoon but as you say it's going to take a long time to bring things around.

Everyone is incredibly impatient, me included. I would probably have sacked PH last weekend with no succession plan. Even though I know that changing the manager rarely is an answer in itself.

For me though the bottom line is we have to live within our means. This season the league seems considerably harder than last year, the number of clubs chasing a small number of prizes is big, the amount of money sloshing around unbelievable (hard to think that 2 years ago during the pandemic it was feared for a while that many teams might disappear). If we can't keep up with them then we have to be patient until the day when we can.

Just received a weather warning for tomorrow - heavy rain from the early hours to 4pm.

Possibility the game could be called off and a bit of a reprieve for hursty?

Also be interesting to see how well the new drainage system under the pitch copes?

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Why is our start hardest of the 24 teams based on what?
Before the season starred I expected a play off place or a good crack at it and I wasn't alone in that thinking. My logic had Town somewhere between 4th and 10th best .We're currently 20th and dropping like a stone. You are pleading patience some have agreed with you .I expect a Town win Tuesday but please don't come on here and say told you so because sure as night follows day we will lose more games we should win in next fes fixtures. Its poor its not good enough and 5 5k Season ticket holders deserve much better.Hurst Out

Excellent post which I totally agree with. I too, probably as always, was thinking about a promotion run not a relegation battle. A Gold Star man today.

Quoted from Spatchcock

Just received a weather warning for tomorrow - heavy rain from the early hours to 4pm.

Possibility the game could be called off and a bit of a reprieve for hursty?

Also be interesting to see how well the new drainage system under the pitch copes?

Oh dear, we have "come far" when the drainage is more interesting than the match, and kicking the PH can up the road.

On from Spatchcocks reply, I've just seen the predicted rainfall for tomorrow, I'd be v.suprised if the games on, 25mm rain expected to fall, on what will be a saturated BP surface already......

The usually pretty accurate Windy has approx 36-40mm to fall in the 12hrs before kick off. We had roughly 55mm on Friday.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Why is our start hardest of the 24 teams based on what?
Before the season starred I expected a play off place or a good crack at it and I wasn't alone in that thinking. My logic had Town somewhere between 4th and 10th best .We're currently 20th and dropping like a stone. You are pleading patience some have agreed with you .I expect a Town win Tuesday but please don't come on here and say told you so because sure as night follows day we will lose more games we should win in next fes fixtures. Its poor its not good enough and 5 5k Season ticket holders deserve much better.Hurst Out

Quite right, its not the Premier league where the Top Six dominate and only positions 1,2,3,4 might vary.
WE are in a league where anything can happen. The players and management names are affixed by Velcrow, and a modicum of support can yield good results.  So I am flummoxed by a team with stable overall management/CEO , a good home support, a good away support, a coach who has been around the block, and yet we smell the whiff of bottom two finish.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

On from Spatchcocks reply, I've just seen the predicted rainfall for tomorrow, I'd be v.suprised if the games on, 25mm rain expected to fall, on what will be a saturated BP surface already......

Be a good test to see if the new drainage systems up to scratch

It bloody better be as I've booked in for Fish and Chips tomorrow at the ground

Quoted from Hagrid

Be a good test to see if the new drainage systems up to scratch

It bloody better be as I've booked in for Fish and Chips tomorrow at the ground

Fingers crossed for you then bud...
I've always fancied doing the fish, chips n pea supper thing at McMenemies, hope you get to enjoy it.

Quoted from Hagrid

Be a good test to see if the new drainage systems up to scratch

It bloody better be as I've booked in for Fish and Chips tomorrow at the ground

Don’t think Mcmenemys will be under water

Quoted from GrimPol

Quite right, its not the Premier league where the Top Six dominate and only positions 1,2,3,4 might vary.
WE are in a league where anything can happen.

I said on another thread yesterday that I am puzzled by this statement about how strong L2 is this year. Other than Mansfield, who we drew with, have any of the sides that have visited BP been that impressive? Well not in my view they haven’t and of our away games, I’ve only attended one, from what I’ve read we have not beer overrun by a quality team as of yet with a poor tactical decision probably the reason we were never in the game at Wrexham.

All leagues are competitive, as they should be, but to keep peddling this crap that L2 is full of quality teams is way off the mark.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

I said on another thread yesterday that I am puzzled by this statement about how strong L2 is this year. Other than Mansfield, who we drew with, have any of the sides that have visited BP been that impressive? Well not in my view they haven’t and of our away games, I’ve only attended one, from what I’ve read we have not beer overrun by a quality team as of yet with a poor tactical decision probably the reason we were never in the game at Wrexham.

All leagues are competitive, as they should be, but to keep peddling this crap that L2 is full of quality teams is way off the mark.

League 2 is just as crap now as it was 30 years ago imo .

I think that’s cobblers. The modern professional footballer would dance round footballers from 30 years ago.

Quoted from chaos33

I think that’s cobblers. The modern professional footballer would dance round footballers from 30 years ago.

You’ve obviously never seen Gary Childs in the Pier.

He could work that dance floor without spilling a drop of mezcal.

I don't think I've seen a team at BP this season who I thought were a load of rubbish (no jokes about the home team, please). I'm sure there were several last year who were basket cases in comparison. Mansfield looked good, as did Barrow, though the fact that we still beat them explains why they are only a few points ahead of us in the table. Wimbledon looked really well-organised so I'm not surprised to see they are up there.

Quoted from Maringer

I don't think I've seen a team at BP this season who I thought were a load of rubbish (no jokes about the home team, please).

All jokes aside, isn’t that statement in itself a bit of a worry. Let’s hope and pray Colchester stink the place out tomorrow night.

Accrington were proper crap. Still won though!

Accrington were rubbish, Salford were rubbish and Crawley tried to gift the game to Town for the first 30 minutes.

Quoted from chaos33

I think that’s cobblers. The modern professional footballer would dance round footballers from 30 years ago.

It’s still mostly crap to watch

Quoted from mariner91

Accrington were rubbish, Salford were rubbish and Crawley tried to gift the game to Town for the first 30 minutes.

Thought Gillingham were guff too.

Quoted from Abdul19

Thought Gillingham were guff too.

Salford were OK till they went down to 10. The game against Accrington had the two worst teams I’ve seen this season.

I didn't think Accrington were that bad. Our poor performance against them can't be the only reason they are in a play-off spot at present.

Our away form is pretty terrible but it is remarkable how difficult the games we've faced away from home have been - defeats to 4 of the top 5 as the table currently stands.

Need to start picking up points both at home and, hopefully, away from home when we face the teams not at the top end of the table.

Quoted from Mappers

Somebody asked the question on another thread 'how long do we blame Fenty for our current situation ?' .
.

We blame him until the present board have paid off all his neglect of Blundell Park and of Cheapside.

Money that could have been used to get better players here had to be diverted to pay for his mismanagement..

He has put the club back another 3 or 4  years at least.

No wonder he left the area.

It’s been a while since I’ve felt dread before a Town game. Sadly a familiar but horrible feeling. I desperately hope they pull this one out of the bag.

UTM.

Quoted from 140381

It’s been a while since I’ve felt dread before a Town game. Sadly a familiar but horrible feeling. I desperately hope they pull this one out of the bag.

UTM.

So do I but it needs a lot more than that. If it gives us a boost and we prove the doubters wrong and we rise up the table then great  but if it is just a win against a very poor side with no upturn then we need to make a change.

Quoted from Teestogreen

I think Town have played 11 of the current top thirteen teams - out of 14 games -so it would be really good  if Town could put down a marker against Colchester with a win - to show we’re not the worst in this division
UTM

And we've helped them get in the top half by either capitulating or defending like clowns conceding 2's and 3's most games. Tonight is an absolute MUST win, no unlucky 'rub of the green' and no excuses. Do or die.

Quoted from grimsby pete

We blame him until the present board have paid off all his neglect of Blundell Park and of Cheapside.

Money that could have been used to get better players here had to be diverted to pay for his mismanagement..

He has put the club back another 3 or 4  years at least.

No wonder he left the area.

Yes he did put the club back years but you can’t carry on using history as an excuse.

I suspect that Jason and Andrew are ahead of where they expected to be when they took over - after all, they talked of a ten year plan - but I suspect that there are other areas that haven’t changed as they would have wanted.

As successful businessmen, they will be looking to what they can do for the future of the club rather than blaming the past.

Not raining yet but you can see it’s coming. Has anyone heard what sort of condition the pitch was in yesterday?

Quoted from grimsby pete

We blame him until the present board have paid off all his neglect of Blundell Park and of Cheapside.

Money that could have been used to get better players here had to be diverted to pay for his mismanagement..

He has put the club back another 3 or 4  years at least.

No wonder he left the area.

Let's take the higher number 4 years shall we? JF has been "out of the building" for 2.5 years which leaves 1.5 years of blame it on JF.
Who or what are you going to blame then?

Quoted from grimsby pete

We blame him until the present board have paid off all his neglect of Blundell Park and of Cheapside.

Money that could have been used to get better players here had to be diverted to pay for his mismanagement..

He has put the club back another 3 or 4  years at least.

No wonder he left the area.

Agree with all of that Pete apart from the length of time , I really feel it's probably a decade at least .

Quoted from GrimPol

Let's take the higher number 4 years shall we? JF has been "out of the building" for 2.5 years which leaves 1.5 years of blame it on JF.
Who or what are you going to blame then?

The thing is it's hard to put an amount of time on this isn't it as that 'time ' we can never get back much like life in general ; the opportunity and time when we could  get a modern purpose built stadium for 10 million quid is long gone with retail development and funding etc . The decade  were we could have moved with the times has long gone .

Focus on the future - Stockwood & Pettit are now accountable , they must be true supporters and want well as they took on the ultimate money draining , apathetic and unsuccessful organisation going .

They knew what they were getting themselves into though didn't they and i'm confident they have better plans than our previous Extreme (leisure) one .

Quoted from Mappers

Agree with all of that Pete apart from the length of time , I really feel it's probably a decade at least .

You are just shaking your fist at the sky, and not concentrating on the here and now.
Carry on like that, and you'll end up like the Middle East, with generations of Mariner Fans growing up using up energy blaming history, not knowing how it started, what's it all about, but crucially not solving the problems of the day.
Focus on the here and now, as a crappy Main Stand isn't making the team play poorly (to be kind) and our Manager make bizarre decisions (to be kind).  

Quoted from GrimPol

You are just shaking your fist at the sky, and not concentrating on the here and now.
Carry on like that, and you'll end up like the Middle East, with generations of Mariner Fans growing up using up energy blaming history, not knowing how it started, what's it all about, but crucially not solving the problems of the day.
Focus on the here and now, as a crappy Main Stand isn't making the team play poorly (to be kind) and our Manager make bizarre decisions (to be kind).  

I found Fenty mildly amusing at the time , I'm not focused on him and the past but think it's important to recognise why we are in our current predicament of being a lower league team , punching below our weight with historically 'smaller' clubs bypassing us at a canter over the course of  2 decades  both on and off the field .

The lack of income and Main Stand may not make us play poorly but unfortunately are both systemic in that they are crippling us from competing at a higher level , amongst many other variables .

Is there a way around all these without substantial inward investment ?

I'm not sure we will have to wait and see won't we , we don't even know what this 10 year plan is , much like the 'undisclosed' transfer fees we may never know .

Colchester already have a new interim coach, Mathew Etherington. Given their problems it's more than likely he could be made permanent coach. Not good news for tonight as I'm sure their players will want to impress him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67199190

Quoted from Mappers

I found Fenty mildly amusing at the time , I'm not focused on him and the past but think it's important to recognise why we are in our current predicament of being a lower league team , punching below our weight with historically 'smaller' clubs bypassing us at a canter over the course of  2 decades  both on and off the field .

The lack of income and Main Stand may not make us play poorly but unfortunately are both systemic in that they are crippling us from competing at a higher level , amongst many other variables .

Is there a way around all these without substantial inward investment ?

I'm not sure we will have to wait and see won't we , we don't even know what this 10 year plan is , much like the 'undisclosed' transfer fees we may never know .

Well the issue splits into two. The Team and the Stadium (infrastructure)
If we talk of infrastructure, then history plays a great part. I mean the Main Stand is 122 years old so JF has his part (as others before) and he did waste an awful lot of money chasing a New Stadium dream. Money spent would have bought a new Main Stand I bet.
But the team is "owned" by the new owners, and blaming JF is just delusional, and frankly unhelpful. I mean we have a most capable "he's one of our own" multi-positional player in Harry Clifton who in the last few games has been runnning around like a headless chicken, picking up yellows. The buck stops at PH/1878

Nostradamus said  ( Quote - The Mariners will be promoted to Division 1 in the year twenty twenty five. The little big man will finally be triumphant and signs extension to his contract . He will suddenly start singing " I did it My Way "  holding one hand to his ear. )

Quoted from golfer

Nostradamus said  ( Quote - The Mariners will be promoted to Division 1 in the year twenty twenty five. The little big man will finally be triumphant and signs extension to his contract . He will suddenly start singing " I did it My Way "  holding one hand to his ear. )

I believe Nostradamus did prophecy that, however, the song was "I should be so lucky" whilst holding his P45

Quoted from DB

Colchester already have a new interim coach, Mathew Etherington. Given their problems it's more than likely he could be made permanent coach. Not good news for tonight as I'm sure their players will want to impress him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67199190

Famously lasted 32 days as Crawley manager (1 win, 2 defeats).

Seems like only yesterday he was one of the hottest young prospects on Champo, now he’s just a balding, middle-aged football boss. Where does all the time go?

We just need to get behind the team and the manager tonight. It will be tough but everybody knows the importance and the common goal is 3 points. Close to an important match the fans need to be united utm

Anything but three points tonight is unacceptable.

When are people going to stop going on about Fenty, it's boring get over it

The negativity it brings by continually bringing him up is draining. We parted company over two years ago surly it's time to move on now isn't it?

I'm more worried about tonight's result, six pointer that we can't afford to lose and despite recent frustrating results i will be there tonight getting urine wet through in the lower Findus stand, Saturday v Stockport was a free hit nobody expected a result and at times we played well and should have come home with a point but tonight is a must win, lose this evening and the fans really will vent their feelings

Someone sent me this and it got me thinking perhaps this is where we are going wrong! Obviously having Ronaldo would help slightly but not that!
I’m looking for someone to volunteer to tell Dave Moore his job role is changing….I’m erm…busy!

Quoted from GrimPol

I believe Nostradamus did prophecy that, however, the song was "I should be so lucky" whilst holding his P45

Wow that bombed with 5 x  . I guess I have to write I HATE JF six times to get an up tick now.

Never mind, 3 points tonight will salve your pride.  UTM

Quoted from GrimPol

Wow that bombed with 5 x  . I guess I have to write I HATE JF six times to get an up tick now.

Never mind, 3 points tonight will salve your pride.  UTM

Notradumus also predicted that he who comments on his own posts will get masses of red crosses

Quoted from Sandford1981

Tweet 1716763264955154664 will appear here...

Someone sent me this and it got me thinking perhaps this is where we are going wrong! Obviously having Ronaldo would help slightly but not that!
I’m looking for someone to volunteer to tell Dave Moore his job role is changing….I’m erm…busy!

I would do this to the whole team if it helped our performances and results. Not quite sucking off a tramp like Ska would but I guess I'm not as committed.