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Whilst today was a good performance we were playing Newport at a good time in reality. However we looked good in possession, worked hard out of possesion and with the addition of Dennis to beef up the attack who knows...still need time to bed into this new system and a more determined opponent may test it further than we were today.

One game at a time and we will finish were we deserve to. :)

Not an opportunity to make a play off push but certainly an opportunity to secure the magic 50 points.

I really think the play-offs are a real long shot. We won today and yet we’re no closer to them points-wise. 10 points is a big gap when the teams you’re trying to catch are going to win more often than not.

Still, a week on Monday marks a year since Slade’s sacking. If you’d have told me then that our next manager would keep us up and and have us in the top half of the league less than 12 months later I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s easy to forget now just how much of a mess we were in.

The big thing for me is this. We’re already showing we’re capable of promotion form and I can see a summer where we only make four or five signings rather than the double figures we’ve had to make since returning to the league.

It’s that kind of continuity that brings success, and it’s hard to see us not having a good go next season.

Would take 9 points from them. 2 home wins and 3 draws away. Would be chuffed with anything more and think they’re capable of it right now too.

We've got 2 good keepers, a solid defence, an energetic midfield and decent strikers.

And a more than decent manager. And great team spirit.

No reason for us to fear anybody in this league.

Play-offs are probably beyond us now - but winning can become a habit so we'll see.

Win.. Yeovil  (A)
Win... Cheltenham  (H)
Lose.. Swindon  (A)
Win.. Cambridge  (H)
Draw.. Crawley  (A)

Quoted from Poojah

I really think the play-offs are a real long shot. We won today and yet we’re no closer to them points-wise. 10 points is a big gap when the teams you’re trying to catch are going to win more often than not.

Still, a week on Monday marks a year since Slade’s sacking. If you’d have told me then that our next manager would keep us up and and have us in the top half of the league less than 12 months later I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s easy to forget now just how much of a mess we were in.

The big thing for me is this. We’re already showing we’re capable of promotion form and I can see a summer where we only make four or five signings rather than the double figures we’ve had to make since returning to the league.

It’s that kind of continuity that brings success, and it’s hard to see us not having a good go next season.

I agree with your pragmatism in a general flow of overreaction which happens on here a lot after wins or defeats. Play offs not impossible this year but not likely in my view so we can concentrate on developing our squad with much less pressure than if we were struggling to keep out of the relegation scrap.
I think the next 5 games are likely to be a mixed bag whilst that's happening and probably best to not get too carried away with wins or losses. Unless we win all 5 of course :)

Quoted from chaos33

I agree with your pragmatism in a general flow of overreaction which happens on here a lot after wins or defeats. Play offs not impossible this year but not likely in my view so we can concentrate on developing our squad with much less pressure than if we were struggling to keep out of the relegation scrap.
I think the next 5 games are likely to be a mixed bag whilst that's happening and probably best to not get too carried away with wins or losses. Unless we win all 5 of course :)

I agree . I would rather we consolidate our playing style, get some points and keep our confidence high. If we end up in the play offs then obviously that would be a bonus and we must go for it. I'm sure I read in the GET that only 5 players are not MJ signings , so fundamentally this is his squad. He will have learnt a lot in the season so far as regards what type of player he needs but more importantly the quality of League 2 football and what is required to get promoted.

SkyBet still have us 7/2 to finish top half - I think that's a great bet.

Quoted from rancido

I'm sure I read in the GET that only 5 players are not MJ signings , so fundamentally this is his squad.

Of those 5 players, Clifton and Hall-Johnson weren’t getting a sniff under Slade. I’d consider them as much Jolley players as his actual signings. That’s a remarkable remodelling of the squad in less than a year.

Incidentally, I think Woolford is now the only Slade signing left which I think says a lot about the standard of recruitment during his tenure.

So there as many Hurst signings as there are Slade signings and given the overhaul we had since got promoted that’s astonishing.

Collins and Mckeown were all signed by Hurst

Woolford and Hall Johnson we're all signed by Slade

Every game as it comes and hopefully we can muster that magic fifty points asap.

Loads of teams have games in hand over us so not expecting any dramatic moves upwards.

Said all along consolidation is what we need and next season go for it a definite improvement on last season with a never say die attitude established.

Our home form especially has been as good as it use to be since back in old Buckley's days.

Jolley and co are getting a decent standard of football played by getting a better stamp of player.

We are trying to play the ball out of defence rather than the big hoof which is pleasing to see.

Consolidation this year then key would be to secure thomas and hessenthaler, re-sign embleton or decent replacement then a small amount of trimming and improving the squad with maybe 1 marquee signing and we can be right in the mix next season.
Would have snapped your hand off if mid table finish guaranteed this season. All about progression and the future now with young and hungry players

Quoted from Stew0_0

Consolidation this year then key would be to secure thomas and hessenthaler, re-sign embleton or decent replacement then a small amount of trimming and improving the squad with maybe 1 marquee signing and we can be right in the mix next season.
Would have snapped your hand off if mid table finish guaranteed this season. All about progression and the future now with young and hungry players

As regards a replacement for Embleton, wouldn't Whitehouse fit that slot, or is he a different type of midfielder?

As we a work in progress, we'll win some then lose some so although stranger things have happened, can't see it myself.

Would great to be in the position of an outside sniff at it towards end though, just to bring some spice and if fall just short, a huge amount of positivity generated looking forward to next season.

Quoted from 123614

As regards a replacement for Embleton, wouldn't Whitehouse fit that slot, or is he a different type of midfielder?

Clifton did some good things when he came on for embleton yesterday to be fair

Quoted from MuddyWaters

SkyBet still have us 7/2 to finish top half - I think that's a great bet.

I agree, that's a good value bet. SkyBet also have us 66-1 to reach the play offs and 250-1 to win them.

Usual take it game by game attitude needed and no more red cards wanted.

New signings seem to be fitting well and who knows if a surprise free agent might join ranks out of the blue?

Good to see Jordan Cook given a game and scoring.

Still think that a really solid defense is the key forward if we don't score loads of goals.

Where we sit at the end of February will be interesting.

Much better than the start of last season - at least the light has lit up in the tunnel !!

If you look at our results over the course of the season, we win or lose a load of games consecutively. There's very little win lose win, and in that we're weirdly coonsistent. There's no doubt that the next 5 games could give us more wins, although the play offs seem highly unlikely.

Quoted from Mariner93er

If you look at our results over the course of the season, we win or lose a load of games consecutively. There's very little win lose win, and in that we're weirdly coonsistent. There's no doubt that the next 5 games could give us more wins, although the play offs seem highly unlikely.

Yeah, without those two really poor losing runs, we would be in the top 7 i reckon. First one was down to a load of new players settling in and not all of them being up to speed at the start of the season. The second one was when we had massive injury and suspension problems, coupled with new players arriving and players leaving. Didn't help that we played three teams in the top 7 in that period, plus a Prem side, then facing a resurgent Macclesfield while being stretched to the limit, after a sapping game in the cup.

I feel that now we are more settled and have plenty of options, i think the only way is up.

Quoted from Stew0_0

Consolidation this year then key would be to secure ... hessenthaler

Signed a 2 year deal, according to the OS.

Quoted from Rik e B

As we a work in progress, we'll win some then lose some so although stranger things have happened, can't see it myself.

Would great to be in the position of an outside sniff at it towards end though, just to bring some spice and if fall just short, a huge amount of positivity generated looking forward to next season.

If the results come our way and the possibility of a play off place becomes more of a reality then I can envisage an increase in the home gates. Even if we fail at the last hurdle it all bodes well for next season and as such is a win win situation.