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I know we're not half way through this season but this weekends game has to be a true 6 pointer in every sense...
We win, that's 9 points between us and county and possibly looking like we're really pulling away from the relegation dog fight but lose and we will sit 3 points away from second bottom....
This has to be the toughest and tightest I've seen of a league 2 season in a long while...

I was worried last year really worried .. this year I’m confident we will be well clear of relegation we’ll before the last few games

I'm not at all concerned about relegation. In fact, I haven't given up on those play off places. With a couple of additions in January, perhaps a centre forward and a left back I see no reason why we can't make the top seven.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

I'm not at all concerned about relegation. In fact, I haven't given up on those play off places. With a couple of additions in January, perhaps a centre forward and a left back I see no reason why we can't make the top seven.

Whilst I'm equally as unconcerned about relegation, I dont think we'll make the playoffs. Given the shite start to the season I'd be happy with a top half finish- that to me would signify progress

Quoted from MarinerWY

Whilst I'm equally as unconcerned about relegation, I dont think we'll make the playoffs. Given the shite start to the season I'd be happy with a top half finish- that to me would signify progress

And more importantly would net me three grand!

Quoted from MarinerWY

Whilst I'm equally as unconcerned about relegation, I dont think we'll make the playoffs. Given the shite start to the season I'd be happy with a top half finish- that to me would signify progress

Our start killed any chance of promotion this season.

Using last season's table as a rudimentary benchmark, 73 points would have been sufficient for a play-off place. If we go with that as a basic target, we'll need another 48 points from our 24 remaining games; a nice, round 2 points per game. 2 points per game over a full season would be 92 points - title winning form in other words.

For us to establish and maintain that kind of form, albeit over 'just' half a season, is asking way too much of this young side and the budget that assembled it. If you offered me the continuation of our recent progress and a lower-top-half finish I'd be delighted and I think that's probably a more realistic, achievable goal.

This season is now all about improvement and stability, which after two years of decline and instability is fine with me. I've quite enjoyed the last 10 games or so in the main, and it's a good while since I've honestly felt that way.

Quoted from Poojah

Our start killed any chance of promotion this season.

Using last season's table as a rudimentary benchmark, 73 points would have been sufficient for a play-off place. If we go with that as a basic target, we'll need another 48 points from our 24 remaining games; a nice, round 2 points per game. 2 points per game over a full season would be 92 points - title winning form in other words.

For us to establish and maintain that kind of form, albeit over 'just' half a season, is asking way too much of this young side and the budget that assembled it. If you offered me the continuation of our recent progress and a lower-top-half finish I'd be delighted and I think that's probably a more realistic, achievable goal.

This season is now all about improvement and stability, which after two years of decline and instability is fine with me. I've quite enjoyed the last 10 games or so in the main, and it's a good while since I've honestly felt that way.

Yep and we're roughly on play off form at the moment (depending on how many games you use to calculate it).

How many points did we have this time last season?

It’s ariund now that awful run started isn’t it?

Quoted from scott_gtfc_89

How many points did we have this time last season?

It’s ariund now that awful run started isn’t it?

33 points after 22 games in December 2017, 25 points after 22 games in December 2018

Source: https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-two/17-december-2017/

Source: https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-two/17-december-2018/

Wes Thomas has 6 goals in 13 games, If he carries on in that form and stays injury free he will be around the 15 - 20 goal mark for the season.

M.J. called it right when he said he was two or three transfer windows away from what he wanted. The squad looks tighter/better now than it did when he first arrived. It is still very much a work-in-progress but the signs look better.

We now fight until the end, Thomas is doing a great job but needs another QUALITY partner to create a two-pronged attack. Most encouraging are the young lads such as Clifton and Akheem the shoots are looking better.

Before we had a glut of players mostly journeymen paid for what ??? the manager as a better idea of each players strengths the coaching is tighter.

Also importantly Macca seems to be back to his best which inspires all around him. Definitely enjoying the progress made this season Embelton, in particular, looks real quality pity he is not ours.

Really looking forward to the second half of this season a quality cup run is a real welcome break as well. UTM.

For me,the difference between now and this time last season is that every player seems to understand what is expected of him. The team has a shape to it whatever formation we play. There also seems to be far more energy, perhaps due to the introduction of younger players such as Clifton.

As said before, it'll probably take 2 or 3 transfer windows but things are certainly looking positive!

This season is the cup run and finish 10th seaaon. It's next season we kick off the back-to-back promotions.

Whilst I love the positivity, you need to stay grounded, and realise we are aiming for a mid table finish, and always was IMO, play-offs was a huge ask after the awful season last season.

However, Keep the positivity when we lose!

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

I know we're not half way through this season but this weekends game has to be a true 6 pointer in every sense...
We win, that's 9 points between us and county and possibly looking like we're really pulling away from the relegation dog fight but lose and we will sit 3 points away from second bottom....
This has to be the toughest and tightest I've seen of a league 2 season in a long while...

we will be 3 points away from Notts County but it is likely that someone else will be 2nd bottom.

Think we are in a much better place than last season despite having fewer points on the board, playing decent football ( for league 2) and although i expect a few set backs (defeats, poor performances etc) I think it will see steady progression.
Dont hope for too much in the Jan transfer window as more often than not signings disrupt rather than help.

If we can get Hendrie, Embleton to extend their stays and a replacement for Dixon/Fox I would be ok with that.

It will still be a roller coaster ride (we are Grimsby Town afterall) but shoots of recovery are there. Just hope we dont get a hard frost!

I may be getting ahead of myself, but this has parallels with the start of the Buckley regime, with many similarities and coincidences. If we do half as well as we did back then, there won't be much room for complaint.

We may have fewer points than at this time last season, but the difference is that we are improving as the season progresses, whereas last season, we were in decline after a decent start. It's always better to grow into a season and finish strongly, while tweaking the squad and finding a system that works more often than it fails. We now have a settled starting eleven, which is a base to build from, and hopefully will only change with the addition of better players still to arrive.

Looking back to the late 80's, i can vividly recall certain fans regularly saying that Buckley was completely out of his depth and didn't have a clue. Signing young players and unknown players from non league was a recipe for disaster they would say.

This article from Cod Almighty is interesting reading and much of it could be written now.

http://www.codalmighty.com/site/ca.php?article=16

While our recent run of winning home games has improved our home record somewhat, we've only won two of our eleven games away from home scoring only eight goals. A huge improvement on the road is needed before even contemplating a top half finish. Not saying it can't be done, but these home wins are clouding the reality of our poor away form..

I’m reserving judgement until our January transfer business is concluded. Get two or three good additions I believe we will be pushing for a mid table finish, if we don’t stengthen then we are going to be nervously looking over our shoulders. UTM

let's be realistic. County are sowing faint signs of improvement, lose to them, have our usual poor Xmas/New Year and we are firmly back in the mire. That's why i'd happily take a point on Saturday

Quoted from forza ivano

have our usual poor Xmas

We've not lost on boxing day since 2008 ;)

Quoted from Abdul19

We've not lost on boxing day since 2008 ;)

Even more impressive is our Christmas Day record..we havn't lost in nearly 60yrs.. :)

Quoted from moosey_club

Even more impressive is our Christmas Day record..we havn't lost in nearly 60yrs.. :)

Exactly 60 years ago this year, my first ever match and our last ever Christmas day game

Opponents and score?!

And what did you have for tea?? ;)

Quoted from Mariner Timsky

Opponents and score?!

And what did you have for tea?? ;)

Lost 2-1 to Sheff U Johnny Scott pen for us. Lost 2-1 again two days later in the return game Ron Rafferty for us

Didn't have any tea It was 1100 KO so had turkey lunch mid afternoon

Got relegated