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Quoted from scott_gtfc_89

Am sorry but December was a great month for us and that is proven by the monthly awards the club got can we also add that was with a lot more injuries especially defensively than we have now.

To change the formation and the team that was winning and grinding games back to a formation that has proven to be a failure for us is unforgivable.

All that hard work at Exeter and Palace when we thought we was on the up to this.

1 step forward 2 steps back.

Back to 442 please M.J

Seen this written a lot tonight.

We had lost 2 games in a row (I'm not counting the Palace game) before we changed to 352 at the weekend.

Quoted from Tommy

Seen this written a lot tonight.

We had lost 2 games in a row (I'm not counting the Palace game) before we changed to 352 at the weekend.

True, but we also had most of our defence out injured and suspended for those two games.

Seems a tad strange to play 4 or 5 at the back when you are short of defenders then switch to only 3 at the back when you get those defenders back.

Last season we got just one point in January. We will do well to match that this year.

This has been a really tough run of fixtures. Lets hope we get back on track soon.

The reality is that we’re a mid-table team. We’ll win some and lose some. Bit of a joke how quickly some opinions change to be honest.

If you are going to change the system then why not do it in games you probably won’t win. Removes some pressure. Did you all really think we’d get any more than 3 points in Jan? I didn’t. It’s a horrible run of games that we need to get through and move on. We lost 1:0 away at top of the table Saturday, then three days later play a team with more cash than us. Let’s be sensible for a bit eh. This team is a million miles from the dogshit that Slade produced and we are still building. Keep the faith.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Jolley pointed out that when we were on our good run, we weren't that much better than we were on our losing run. I bet we're probably not much worse now than we were in December. Small margins and the quality of opposition count for a lot.

If.

Last night was not 'small margins'. It was a chasm and he brought it on himself.

Quoted from Cayman_mariner

True, but we also had most of our defence out injured and suspended for those two games.

Seems a tad strange to play 4 or 5 at the back when you are short of defenders then switch to only 3 at the back when you get those defenders back.

I don't think you have an understanding on the 3-5-2 formation.

Collectively awful. Very unhappy with that performance or lack of it. Very few positives to take out of that one. Five games, five defeats ZERO goals scored. Is Jolley a fraud? That team wasn't set up and didn't work to a plan. FGR a good side, will credit them but awful from us.

Asking him to play as a wing back is asking a lot. If he was playing in a 4-4-2 or even a 4-3-3 he's get some support. He may be a better player than we've seen so far, but he allowed that first cross last night and looks out of his depth. That said, his season finished in November.

Collins Back as Captain might steady things

I don't think anyone expected many points in January but the manner of defeat against Macclesfield and, more notably, last night was shades of Slade.

I wasn`t at the game but seeing the goals this morning I am far from impressed. Macca would not have saved all 3 and I don`t know what the keeper played like overall but he should have done better with 2 of 3 the goals for a start. No I am not scapegoating him that`s unfair and of course he has played virtually no proper football to get him upto speed but he needs to up his game or Town need to get a body in for a Month. The rest of the team perhaps a bit battle weary and tired due to the run of hard games played BUT 23 other team`s in the same boat Town need to pick it up with another hard game Saturday. I like many others would love to see a striker come in and again like many others would like to see us be far more positive at home BUT again have to ask the question what service will the other player`s provide for any striker? No coincidence either Clifton has been out he seems to make the team tick and has the ability to drag the team along with him through sheer effort. I hope Dave Moore and his magic sponge are on OT. A work in progress and midtable will do me for this Season UTM

Quoted from Cayman_mariner

True, but we also had most of our defence out injured and suspended for those two games.

Seems a tad strange to play 4 or 5 at the back when you are short of defenders then switch to only 3 at the back when you get those defenders back.

It was mainly centre-backs we were missing though at that time, not full-backs.

So when we got more centre backs available, we switched from a system with 2 CB's to a system with 3 CB's.

Quoted from essexexile

For two games now Ring has been 'overloaded' to quote JT
Why has he been played when he's obviously not up to speed yet

I suppose Fox's red bollocksed up any plans to phase him in.

Quoted from Abdul19

I suppose Fox's red bollocksed up any plans to phase him in.

Hendrie could have played left and RHJ right?

Also Woolford played well at left back at Palace

The speed from which Town fans go from one extreme to the other never fails to amaze me.

Less than two weeks ago we had that clean sweep with the Manager, Player and Goal of the month.  All was rosy, Jolley was building something special, the players loved each other and were a proper team, we were probably going to sneak into the play-offs.

A Lord Mayor's Show against Macclesfield, a disappointing and flat derby-day defeat and then a very poor performance last night and it's gone to the other extreme that Jolley's out his depth and we're going down, worse than last season I've read!

What happened to this as a season of transition?  There are some real concerns that we need to address sharpish.  Our two starting look strikers look as tired as they do short of confidence, we only have on real and genuine creative outlet and he's finding himself marked out of games.  For those alone I can see (although personally do disagree with) the logic to switch the system.  You add an extra striker to lessen the burden on one man up top, you introduce wingbacks to stretch sides across the pitch and have the option of peppering crosses in but you also put more men in central positions to overload sides and potentially free up someone like Embleton in space.

What hasn't helped is injury to your best midfielder (Clifton), add to that Embleton getting injured before the FGR game.  Those two coming back could make the world of difference.  You can argue that the game was already over but Clifton sounded like he had an impact as a sub yesterday.

Personally, I think it's relatively needless changing to a 3-5-2 mid-season, especially at it feels in response to a couple of defeats with a thread-bare side to better sides (and an off-day against Macclesfield).  But changes are needed.  Thomas and Cardwell aren't a pairing, they look on a completely different planet to each other never mind the same page.  It's just one of those things, it isn't helped when neither looks fully fit or of any confidence.

Whatever happens, we need a settled side.  Our form in December coincided with as few changes as could be avoided.

Quoted from scott_gtfc_89

Am sorry but December was a great month for us and that is proven by the monthly awards the club got can we also add that was with a lot more injuries especially defensively than we have now.

To change the formation and the team that was winning and grinding games back to a formation that has proven to be a failure for us is unforgivable.

All that hard work at Exeter and Palace when we thought we was on the up to this.

1 step forward 2 steps back.

Back to 442 please M.J

We weren't even playing 4-4-2

Quoted from diehardmariner

The speed from which Town fans go from one extreme to the other never fails to amaze me.

Less than two weeks ago we had that clean sweep with the Manager, Player and Goal of the month.  All was rosy, Jolley was building something special, the players loved each other and were a proper team, we were probably going to sneak into the play-offs.

A Lord Mayor's Show against Macclesfield, a disappointing and flat derby-day defeat and then a very poor performance last night and it's gone to the other extreme that Jolley's out his depth and we're going down, worse than last season I've read!

What happened to this as a season of transition?  There are some real concerns that we need to address sharpish.  Our two starting look strikers look as tired as they do short of confidence, we only have on real and genuine creative outlet and he's finding himself marked out of games.  For those alone I can see (although personally do disagree with) the logic to switch the system.  You add an extra striker to lessen the burden on one man up top, you introduce wingbacks to stretch sides across the pitch and have the option of peppering crosses in but you also put more men in central positions to overload sides and potentially free up someone like Embleton in space.

What hasn't helped is injury to your best midfielder (Clifton), add to that Embleton getting injured before the FGR game.  Those two coming back could make the world of difference.  You can argue that the game was already over but Clifton sounded like he had an impact as a sub yesterday.

Personally, I think it's relatively needless changing to a 3-5-2 mid-season, especially at it feels in response to a couple of defeats with a thread-bare side to better sides (and an off-day against Macclesfield).  But changes are needed.  Thomas and Cardwell aren't a pairing, they look on a completely different planet to each other never mind the same page.  It's just one of those things, it isn't helped when neither looks fully fit or of any confidence.

Whatever happens, we need a settled side.  Our form in December coincided with as few changes as could be avoided.

This!!

Macc defeat wasn't great, but they have hit a good run since the new manager

Apart from that, we've lost away from home against 1st, and 6th....

Like i said after the Macc defeat, ifyou thought we could get in the play-offs, you was deluded, if you think these defeats make us on the same level as that slade team, you're deluded.

Let's not forget we've had to throw 2 Swedish players in at the deep end, along with losing out 2 main midfielders in Embo & Clifton....

Calm down, take a step back, and realise we've lost against 2 top top teams in the league!

Our next game doesn't get any easier, but we are at home, and have a chance of getting a result!

What has RHJ done wrong, star man at Palace and now consigned to the bench.

Quoted from TwoLeftFeet

Also Woolford played well at left back at Palace

At wing back though it'd be like watching Dixon.

RHJ is a great player just getting into his stride with a run of games.
I believe he’s been treated very harshly by MJ.

We never will get a consistent run together until we get a settled team,

Because of injuries and suspensions the only time we had 3 or 4 games with a settled side is the only time we had a decent run.

New signings need time to settle in even more so if they have come from abroad,

We need a pacey winger and somebody who can help Thomas with the goal scoring.

So for this season we will win a few and lose a few more,

Hopefully next season we will have most of the squad sorted before the season starts and can look for better things.

Until then enjoy the roller coaster ride just try not to dwell on the downs.

Quoted from Yoda

RHJ is a great player just getting into his stride with a run of games.
I believe he’s been treated very harshly by MJ.

I've been watching Town for over 50 years and seen some very good players even some I might say were great, as yet RHJ is no where near any of them.

Quoted from arryarryarry

I've been watching Town for over 50 years and seen some very good players even some I might say were great, as yet RHJ is no where near any of them.

I think you might be interpreting the word 'great' too literally

Pedantic twit!

Quoted from fishboyUTM

Last night was not 'small margins'. It was a chasm and he brought it on himself.

He was talking about marginal changes in performance. We lost 4-1 at home so 3-0 away is a small marginal improvement. In many other games we've just won or just lost.

Quoted from Ipswin

I think you might be interpreting the word 'great' too literally

Pedantic twit!

How can you interpret " great " any other way? RHJ is potentially a good player - now misinterpret that.

Supercilious plonker !!

Well let’s put it this way he has recently been one of our best performing defenders.

RHJ is a perfectly capable player at this level. But he's not as good as Hendrie, who we've just bagged on a permanent and i'm pretty sure we'd have beaten off competition with almost guaranteed games and a decent wage.

I've never been overly impressed with RHJ at full-back, truth be told. I'd personally have kept Mills this season ahead of RHJ, though Hendrie is certainly superior to both of them.

I suppose RHJ has potential as a wing-back and has scored goals in the past as well, but I don't think he's going to be playing ahead of Hendrie but for injury.

We just seem to be incredibly streaky under MJ. We either seem to have long winning runs or long losing runs. I just hope we don't repeat what happened last January though it does seem to be eerily familiar to the 20-match winless run of 2018 and starting from a very similar position in the league.

I would say the only difference is I think we have a better depth to our squad than this time last year but saying that I do worry that if MJ insists on 3-5-2 and we lose the next 2-3 games then the any confidence will fall through the floor and it becomes increasingly difficult to get back on a winning streak...afraid it's over to MJ and AL to sort this mess out ...if we can bag a draw on Saturday I will be more inclined to worry less about being dragged back into the relegation mix...

Quoted from GrimRob

We just seem to be incredibly streaky under MJ. We either seem to have long winning runs or long losing runs. I just hope we don't repeat what happened last January though it does seem to be eerily familiar to the 20-match winless run of 2018 and starting from a very similar position in the league.

I was thinking exactly the same. I am always very nervous when a team is creating very little and that is where we are at the moment. We have been in a similar position with MJ this season before and he turned it on its head down so hopefully will go again. We have to be patient and fingers crossed for at least a draw on Saturday. I am surprised he has not gone for a pacey winger And we all know how difficult it is to get a forward We are desperately short of options. I feel for the forwards in that they are always working off scraps and so they are on a bit of a hiding Best chances for me seem to be generated from the centre halves Which is not a great reflection upon the way we play, Utm

When Jolley became Town manager he tried playing 3-5-2. He used it in his first 5 league games before switching to 4-1-4-1. He then tried 3-5-2 for the first game of the season (home to FGR), but immediately reverted to 4-1-4-1 the following week. And obviously he switched back to 3-5-2 for the away games at Lincoln & FGR.

Here's our record under Jolley when he's gone 3-5-2...

P 8
W 0
D 2
L 6
F 3
A 18
GD -15
Pts 2 (0.25 pts per match)

And when he's not used 3-5-2...

P 31
W 14
D 5
L 12
F 37
A 33
GD +4
Pts 46 (1.48 pts per match)

I think those stats say everything about what formation we should be using.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

When Jolley became Town manager he tried playing 3-5-2. He used it in his first 5 league games before switching to 4-1-4-1. He then tried 3-5-2 for the first game of the season (home to FGR), but immediately reverted to 4-1-4-1 the following week. And obviously he switched back to 3-5-2 for the away games at Lincoln & FGR.

Here's our record under Jolley when he's gone 3-5-2...

P 8
W 0
D 2
L 6
F 3
A 18
GD -15
Pts 2 (0.25 pts per match)

And when he's not used 3-5-2...

P 31
W 14
D 5
L 12
F 37
A 33
GD +4
Pts 46 (1.48 pts per match)

I think those stats say everything about what formation we should be using.

This isn't true at all I'm afraid.

When he first came here last season, we played a 3-4-3 in his first game at home to Port Vale, and from then on it was a back 4 with either a 442 or variation of 451.

The next time we played with 3 centre-backs was the first game of this season, which was the first time we played 352 under MJ.

So these stats aren't correct.

I think it says that 3-5-2 is relatively untested.

I'm afraid my optimism waned when we had the intervention from the boardroom :'(

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I'm afraid my optimism waned when we had the intervention from the boardroom :'(

Funnily enough that has coincided with the downturn...Fenty strikes again!!...he could and should have stayed "shut up"...

By reading between the lines in the telegraph no players coming in unless we offload a few.. so no striker looks likely after reading in too it

I took MJ's comments on that to mean that he doesn't need to offload someone first, but might do if he wanted to offer the incoming player more money than the remaining capacity of the budget.

Which will attract lots of "urgh, the board need to get their wallets out" comments, but really it's the same reality of a situation for any team operating with a set playing budget.

Quoted from Tommy

I took MJ's comments on that to mean that he doesn't need to offload someone first, but might do if he wanted to offer the incoming player more money than the remaining capacity of the budget.

Which will attract lots of "urgh, the board need to get their wallets out" comments, but really it's the same reality of a situation for any team operating with a set playing budget.

But surely you know by now that the generally held opinion on here is that the only reason we have a Board is to constantly prop up the club with large cash donations.

Quoted from rancido

But surely you know by now that the generally held opinion on here is that the only reason we have a Board is to constantly prop up the club with large cash donations.

As the loan account has reduced quite substantially over the last three years, I think we are clearly aware that that isn't the case 8)

Quoted from fishboyUTM

I don't think you have an understanding on the 3-5-2 formation.

If you read the quote fishboy you may realise we were talking about the games we'd lost 'before' the switch to 3-5-2.

Quoted from Tommy

It was mainly centre-backs we were missing though at that time, not full-backs.

So when we got more centre backs available, we switched from a system with 2 CB's to a system with 3 CB's.

Fair point Tommy, but for me I don't understand why the sudden switch in formation. We had done so well in December with our first choice defenders available playing 4 at the back and they were operating well in that system to suddenly switch to a formation that so far we've failed at. Even more so when you consider we try it out away against two of the best teams in the division. As has been said on here by others, something to try when we have reached the magical 50 points rather than taking the risk now.

Quoted from Tommy

I took MJ's comments on that to mean that he doesn't need to offload someone first, but might do if he wanted to offer the incoming player more money than the remaining capacity of the budget.

Which will attract lots of "urgh, the board need to get their wallets out" comments, but really it's the same reality of a situation for any team operating with a set playing budget.

When I heard his interview I took it that way.

When I though “who” Collins has a short time left on his deal, struggling to come back, still commutes I think and l would imagine us one of the biggest earners. With the latest CB additions maybe he’s one to say “thanks for your service to”?

Quoted from rancido

But surely you know by now that the generally held opinion on here is that the only reason we have a Board is to constantly prop up the club with large cash donations.

Perhaps someone could list the large cash donations made by the directors over the last couple of seasons so that we can put this myth to bed.

Anyway another very good reason to have a board is to decide what to do with any unexpected £250.000 windfall that a cup run might bring...... ( as I said last night my money is on buying floodlight bulbs and reducing those pesky benign loans)

Quoted from forza ivano

Perhaps someone could list the large cash donations made by the directors over the last couple of seasons so that we can put this myth to bed.

Anyway another very good reason to have a board is to decide what to do with any unexpected £250.000 windfall that a cup run might bring...... ( as I said last night my money is on buying floodlight bulbs and reducing those pesky benign loans)

Directors loans account stood at £2.24 million in May 2015, in May 2018 £1.8 million

Just another 9 years scraping by as loan's being paid back 200k each year then we back on an even keel. Going to be fun

Quoted from Rik e B

Just another 9 years scraping by as loan's being paid back 200k each year then we back on an even keel. Going to be fun

Supposedly lesser clubs are catching up with us all the time.....I see David Beckham has just bought a 10% stake in Salford City.

Talk about groundhog day.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Directors loans account stood at £2.24 million in May 2015, in May 2018 £1.8 million

Equates to around £12k per month, did they fund their loans on a big Glazier interest only mortgage I wonder.

Quoted from Rik e B

Talk about groundhog day.

It's a good job no one tried to publicly ride the first short wave of optimism in years a few weeks back. If they did they'd be feeling pretty foolish right now and looking a bit of an opportunist..

Quoted from GollyGTFC

When Jolley became Town manager he tried playing 3-5-2. He used it in his first 5 league games before switching to 4-1-4-1. He then tried 3-5-2 for the first game of the season (home to FGR), but immediately reverted to 4-1-4-1 the following week. And obviously he switched back to 3-5-2 for the away games at Lincoln & FGR.

Here's our record under Jolley when he's gone 3-5-2...

P 8
W 0
D 2
L 6
F 3
A 18
GD -15
Pts 2 (0.25 pts per match)

And when he's not used 3-5-2...

P 31
W 14
D 5
L 12
F 37
A 33
GD +4
Pts 46 (1.48 pts per match)

I think those stats say everything about what formation we should be using.

That's balderdash though isn't it. Comparing the record for one formation with the collective record of every other formation. Assuming you're correct in the totals for 352 and Not 352.

What was the record with each of 451, 442, 4141, 4321, and how would you characterise the formation played for most of the game at Palace?

Then how does all that correlate to the quality of opposition played? And the number of players unavailable due to injury and suspension?

When you really start to analyse it, there's not enough data to form any conclusion.

I don't know what the answer is but it hurts looking up at teams like Stevenage, MK Don's and cunting Forest Green.
Even worse to aspire to the giddy heights of Burton and flipping Fleetwood.
I'm lucky enough to remember the days when mates would ring up (on a phone with a curly lead) asking if I was going today only for me to snap at them "intercourse off, I've been nights, it's only Norwich /Stoke / Wolves etc..."
A certain manager said we were spoiled, total balderdash, we haven't been spoiled for twenty odd years.

Quoted from GYinScuntland

I don't know what the answer is but it hurts looking up at teams like Stevenage, MK Don's and cunting Forest Green.
Even worse to aspire to the giddy heights of Burton and flipping Fleetwood.
I'm lucky enough to remember the days when mates would ring up (on a phone with a curly lead) asking if I was going today only for me to snap at them "intercourse off, I've been nights, it's only Norwich /Stoke / Wolves etc..."
A certain manager said we were spoiled, total balderdash, we haven't been spoiled for twenty odd years.

Lol another person rambling on about past glory. People need to accept that we are a small club not cut out for the modern age of football. We'll always be punching above out weight in L2 because we can't compete with the budget and ambition of other clubs in the league. We got lucky and saw the club play in the championship for a few years because it was enough to find a few gems who would play well for less money but now it's all big wages and foreign imports taking over even in the championship and league one. We'll always struggle to stay in L2, we have for years now.

Just accept that we are a non league club that managed to get into the league but we'll always be lower mid table at best. Time to get over stuff that happened before a lot of town fans were even born lol. Move on, stop talking like we are a huge club that's been done some sort of injustice by slipping down the leagues. We aren't Rangers or something

Quoted from Kris2

Lol another person rambling on about past glory. People need to accept that we are a small club not cut out for the modern age of football. We'll always be punching above out weight in L2 because we can't compete with the budget and ambition of other clubs in the league. We got lucky and saw the club play in the championship for a few years because it was enough to find a few gems who would play well for less money but now it's all big wages and foreign imports taking over even in the championship and league one. We'll always struggle to stay in L2, we have for years now.

Just accept that we are a non league club that managed to get into the league but we'll always be lower mid table at best. Time to get over stuff that happened before a lot of town fans were even born lol. Move on, stop talking like we are a huge club that's been done some sort of injustice by slipping down the leagues. We aren't Rangers or something

Seriously?

Quoted from GYinScuntland

Seriously?

Don’t bite mate.

Not everyone on this site is Town. 🤔🤔

The optimsim left as soon as his lordship opened his trap. Year after year it`s the same Fenty speaks and everything turns quickly to rat excrement and like I said the other week his timing was incredible. The lack of transfer incomings on the back of our FA Cup fortune coupled with squad trimming is alarming also :-/

Quoted from 1mickylyons

The optimsim left as soon as his lordship opened his trap. Year after year it`s the same Fenty speaks and everything turns quickly to rat excrement and like I said the other week his timing was incredible. The lack of transfer incomings on the back of our FA Cup fortune coupled with squad trimming is alarming also :-/

I have to be honest. My view as well. Alarmingly similar to last year in my book. We think we are safe (any play off hopes this year were always a dream) then players get shipped out to cut wages
I thought we already had a smaller squad than last season although I’m not certain on that one
Still, whenever I look at the renovated floodlights I can be grateful for the cup run !!!!

Quoted from Civvy at last

I have to be honest. My view as well. Alarmingly similar to last year in my book. We think we are safe (any play off hopes this year were always a dream) then players get shipped out to cut wages
I thought we already had a smaller squad than last season although I’m not certain on that one
Still, whenever I look at the renovated floodlights I can be grateful for the cup run !!!!

I have no idea if this is correct but looking at our squad I would assume that Welsh,Thomas and Wooly are 3 of our top earners with only Thomas starting regular and I would be suprised if Town are not looking to ship Welsh out due to his lack of game time? We are very powederpuff up top and this needs addressing and we seem to lack width which if we had any would give the Manager another option tactically. We look nailed on for midtable obscurity and sadly as a long term supporter I am happy to settle for that this season. Very soon the tried and trusted renew your season ticket pack will drop through the letter box promising to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.Like you say floodlights look nice. :-/

Quoted from Kris2

Lol another person rambling on about past glory. People need to accept that we are a small club not cut out for the modern age of football. We'll always be punching above out weight in L2 because we can't compete with the budget and ambition of other clubs in the league. We got lucky and saw the club play in the championship for a few years because it was enough to find a few gems who would play well for less money but now it's all big wages and foreign imports taking over even in the championship and league one. We'll always struggle to stay in L2, we have for years now.

Just accept that we are a non league club that managed to get into the league but we'll always be lower mid table at best. Time to get over stuff that happened before a lot of town fans were even born lol. Move on, stop talking like we are a huge club that's been done some sort of injustice by slipping down the leagues. We aren't Rangers or something

Sadly, this is more of a sad indictment of what our football club has become over the past twenty years rather than a full on wind up. Before this century records placed us as a top half League One / bottom half Championship club based on average seasonal performance in our history. For anyone aged thirty or below our average seasonal performance is exactly what Kris has pointed out over the past twenty years and the worst bit is that he can't see past the club being run in any other way than in its present guise or picture us ever being a Mansfield, Doncaster or Rotherham let alone a Bournemouth. It just highlights how we've not managed to keep up with the football world and it seems like we're not even trying to catch up for the foreseeable future. Sad times off the pitch, and yes, it impacts fully on what goes on on the pitch, highlighted by five having to go out from an already skinny squad to get three in this transfer window ..

We'll never become a regular Championship member in this modern era. It's now all about money and therefore attendance, so it isn't possible to punch over your weight for a long time - at least not without a sugar daddy bankrolling you.

By 'size' of the club, we ought to be able to establish ourselves as a League One outfit with the odd dabble in the division above and the odd drop to the division below. As it stands, we've been punching below our weight for some years now.

Whether new owners would make a difference, I don't know, but a new stadium would probably help as it has with many clubs of similar size to ourselves.

I would imagine it is equally frustrating for Jolley working to our budgets and the geographical problems in attracting players to the club. Apparently for Pringle it was an absolute "no brainer" to join Tranmere once he knew of there interest and whilst geography may had something to do with it - it is more indicitive of our brand value as a struggling mid to lower team in the table. I'm afraid however that is exactly where we are.
Current formation questions aside the bright spot for me is having a young manager that I believe in and one that i do think will come good. We must be realistic and take note of what he says in that dont get carried away when we win 4 or 5 on the bounce and equally dont get too despondant when we lose.
I hope that the current malaise doesnt get through too much to the manager who deserves our support and is operating in difficult circumstances.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

The optimsim left as soon as his lordship opened his trap. Year after year it`s the same Fenty speaks and everything turns quickly to rat excrement and like I said the other week his timing was incredible. The lack of transfer incomings on the back of our FA Cup fortune coupled with squad trimming is alarming also :-/

let's be fair - 3 players have come in and 4 have left. Robles, Fox, Pringle and Hooper. Robles hardly counts as he would be paid next to nothing and was never going to trouble the first team

Quoted from Maringer

We'll never become a regular Championship member in this modern era. It's now all about money and therefore attendance, so it isn't possible to punch over your weight for a long time - at least not without a sugar daddy bankrolling you.

By 'size' of the club, we ought to be able to establish ourselves as a League One outfit with the odd dabble in the division above and the odd drop to the division below. As it stands, we've been punching below our weight for some years now.

Whether new owners would make a difference, I don't know, but a new stadium would probably help as it has with many clubs of similar size to ourselves.

Totally agree. In a new stadium and with fresh ideas, there's no reason for us not to become a properly functioning and funded League One club with an eye on the odd trip to the Championship from time to time. The odds are now stacked heavily against clubs like ours becoming established in the second tier but getting there and experiencing a few seasons should always be the ultimate aim/dream..

Sadly in our present guise the ultimate aim/dream is "get to fifty points in League Two and see what happens after that" every season. League Two Manager Of The Month for December and getting to the third round of the FA Cup and our owner crawls out of the woodwork as if something incredible has been achieved by the club. "Hats off to the club" were his exact words. More like hats off to Jolley and the players for December and hats off to the fans for sticking with it and travelling in numbers to South London on a Saturday night. Anyone with an ounce of footballing intelligence knew that the manner of the performances in December wasn't sustainable for collecting the same amount of points going forward in the same way that they aren't worried about getting relegated this season and it showed how much there is a lack of football intelligence at the top by the ballsiness and giddyness shown in that video..

Quoted from forza ivano

let's be fair - 3 players have come in and 4 have left. Robles, Fox, Pringle and Hooper. Robles hardly counts as he would be paid next to nothing and was never going to trouble the first team

Sorry to be pedantic but Dixon also gone and I thought another player had? I do back the policy of our home grown youngsters appearing more and more in matchday squads though and I guess it`s only a matter of time before hopefully we see another playing reguarly and they will prove long term a far better option than these journeyman types.

Quoted from Kris2

Lol another person rambling on about past glory. People need to accept that we are a small club not cut out for the modern age of football. We'll always be punching above out weight in L2 because we can't compete with the budget and ambition of other clubs in the league. We got lucky and saw the club play in the championship for a few years because it was enough to find a few gems who would play well for less money but now it's all big wages and foreign imports taking over even in the championship and league one. We'll always struggle to stay in L2, we have for years now.

Just accept that we are a non league club that managed to get into the league but we'll always be lower mid table at best. Time to get over stuff that happened before a lot of town fans were even born lol. Move on, stop talking like we are a huge club that's been done some sort of injustice by slipping down the leagues. We aren't Rangers or something

Depends if you are looking at the time when Fenty has been in charge or our history in general.

We have a lot of advantages that a lot of clubs "our size" would want, but we are being held back by a truly abysmal board of directors and a council that is yet to catch up with the 21st century.

We should be doing so much better than we are, but until we have a fresh start in the boardroom we are stuck. We need big investment in the stadium, the players the facilities. We are not a huge club, of course not, but we are well below where we could be, or perhaps should be.

Quoted from Kris2

Lol another person rambling on about past glory. People need to accept that we are a small club not cut out for the modern age of football. We'll always be punching above out weight in L2 because we can't compete with the budget and ambition of other clubs in the league. We got lucky and saw the club play in the championship for a few years because it was enough to find a few gems who would play well for less money but now it's all big wages and foreign imports taking over even in the championship and league one. We'll always struggle to stay in L2, we have for years now.

Just accept that we are a non league club that managed to get into the league but we'll always be lower mid table at best. Time to get over stuff that happened before a lot of town fans were even born lol. Move on, stop talking like we are a huge club that's been done some sort of injustice by slipping down the leagues. We aren't Rangers or something

I agree we are now where we are and those "glory days" are just distant memories but 18 seasons out of 23 ( from 1980 - 2003 ) is more than just a few years in my view.

We weren't lucky to be up there for that length of time.... we were there on merit

Quoted from Tommy

I took MJ's comments on that to mean that he doesn't need to offload someone first, but might do if he wanted to offer the incoming player more money than the remaining capacity of the budget.

Which will attract lots of "urgh, the board need to get their wallets out" comments, but really it's the same reality of a situation for any team operating with a set playing budget.

Just a question.... we had money at the start of the season because we had a bid for Lee Angol accepted before he chose Shrewsbury over us

Was that money just put back in to the club's safe or is it still there begging to be spent?

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I agree we are now where we are and those "glory days" are just distant memories but 18 seasons out of 23 ( from 1980 - 2003 ) is more than just a few years in my view.

We weren't lucky to be up there for that length of time.... we were there on merit

Quite. Some top half finishes too, must've got very lucky at times!

You might laugh but I always thought somebody with money would have taken us over when we were in the Championship (Oh yeah.... they did!) . Somebody with alot of money (he did have a lot of money I here you say  ;D)
As in early 90s - late 90s - ala  Jack Walker.
Fenty goes on about it being a poisoned chalice, a burden, so they could have bought the club for next to nothing, done Bill Carr a huge favour by removing the burden and with about £1m made us into a premiership club almost straight away and created some kind of miracle/folklore.
Literally. Another million or two into Brian Laws transfer fund would have bought us promotion for example. That season we got to 2nd we never even had our main striker - I think Woods was top scorer with what, 11 goals?!
Jeez, in '92 you could buy Clive Mendonca for 80k - 11 of those, 880k and you've won the league  8)   ;D

One small step from the premiership for a million. Literally. Yet the likes of max Griggs (as an example) spent a excrement load of money on a non league club with no fan base to get them into the 3rd division, when we were already in the 2nd with half a team more than capable. The fact we were the smallest club in the championship, the easiest to take over, the quickest and easiest place to go and get them into the holy grail,  it's strange that nobody wanted to invest at that time

The signing of Kristian Dennis has renewed my optimism

I started the thread and I have to admit my face is now well and truly covered in egg...think with last weekend win, the signing of Ohman and Ring followed up with the signing of Dennis, which has it happens is the player(as in a 20 goal a season striker) we've been crying out for since Podge and Bogle went, my optimism has reached fever pitch.just hope my bubble isn't burst by the seasons end...

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

I started the thread and I have to admit my face is now well and truly covered in egg...think with last weekend win, the signing of Ohman and Ring followed up with the signing of Dennis, which has it happens is the player(as in a 20 goal a season striker) we've been crying out for since Podge and Bogle went, my optimism has reached fever pitch.just hope my bubble isn't burst by the seasons end...

It is great when we sign proper players and it is also great that Jolley seems to have a plan that he is working towards.

However, other teams in our league have strengthened as well, and most will continue to do that in the summer. This league is as competitive as any other, money will always talk so Jolley has got a minor miracle to work if we are going to challenge next season.

I suppose what I am saying is I rather suspect the reality is somewhere between your original post and this latest one - I don't think you have got egg on your face and I am looking forward to seeing if Dennis can be the man that takes up a notch.

I think it is fair to say that without fresh investment into the club, these incremental improvements in the playing squad is our best hope of finding some football fortune which Michael Jolley seems to have bought into.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

I started the thread and I have to admit my face is now well and truly covered in egg...think with last weekend win, the signing of Ohman and Ring followed up with the signing of Dennis, which has it happens is the player(as in a 20 goal a season striker) we've been crying out for since Podge and Bogle went, my optimism has reached fever pitch.just hope my bubble isn't burst by the seasons end...

He defo fits into that bracket of striker we have all been wanting

Ok just 16 games left but he can still have an impact

Wonder if we made an attempt to sign him back in May??