Who’s coming down from League one

Well it looks like we have a good chance of staying in the league now so I had a Quick Look at who will be joining us next season.
Carlisle are already relegated and looking at the other contenders hopefully Burton , Port Vale and Fleetwood join us as they’re a lot nearer than Cheltenham .

With Chesterfield already promoted I really hope Halifax manage to join them in the Play Offs , they’re both good away days plus they might bring a few to Blundell Park.

I’m also hoping Mansfield blow it as that’ll be another game that’s not too far away

Quoted from grimps

Well it looks like we have a good chance of staying in the league now so I had a Quick Look at who will be joining us next season.
Carlisle are already relegated and looking at the other contenders hopefully Burton , Port Vale and Fleetwood join us as they’re a lot nearer than Cheltenham .

With Chesterfield already promoted I really hope Halifax manage to join them in the Play Offs , they’re both good away days plus they might bring a few to Blundell Park.

I’m also hoping Mansfield blow it as that’ll be another game that’s not too far away

The NL playoffs will be interesting as there’s not really a single club who you’d consider to be a traditional ex-league club (unless you’re really old!).

It could well be Bromley or Altrincham, either of which would be real eye catchers. Alty for me, preferably, as I know someone who supports them.

Quoted from grimps

Well it looks like we have a good chance of staying in the league now so I had a Quick Look at who will be joining us next season.
Carlisle are already relegated and looking at the other contenders hopefully Burton , Port Vale and Fleetwood join us as they’re a lot nearer than Cheltenham .

With Chesterfield already promoted I really hope Halifax manage to join them in the Play Offs , they’re both good away days plus they might bring a few to Blundell Park.

I’m also hoping Mansfield blow it as that’ll be another game that’s not too far away

Could do with Mansfield getting promoted to clear out some financially backed teams and make the division more even. Chesterfield replace them for a close-ish game.

Likewise why FG would be a bonus if they get relegated. Colchester are financially backed too bizarrely even though they are constantly circling the drain.

None of the teams coming down seem like they would distort the division financially from what little I know of them. Fleetwood's backer is in jail at the minute which presumably means they are no longer getting propped up hence the likely relegation.

It's early in the piece but I think Doncaster will do well next season. That win against us set them off on a long decent run .

Hopefully as you say Mansfield go along with MK , Wrexham & Stockport and it should be a more balanced league .

All teams with less resource coming down and at least 1 from the league below will be a small hitter in financial terms . I doubt Crewe will fare so well if they stay down and it will be interesting to see if Barrow retain Wild if they don't make it through .

Two of the more well supported clubs Bradford and Swindon have troubles behind the scenes so might not be competitive , possibly even strugglers ?

I guess we have to get ourselves sorted out to see if we can have any sort of meaningful impact on league 2 next time out.

Quoted from Mappers

It's early in the piece but I think Doncaster will do well next season. That win against us set them off on a long decent run .

Hopefully as you say Mansfield go along with MK , Wrexham & Stockport and it should be a more balanced league .

All teams with less resource coming down and at least 1 from the league below will be a small hitter in financial terms . I doubt Crewe will fare so well if they stay down and it will be interesting to see if Barrow retain Wild if they don't make it through .

Two of the more well supported clubs Bradford and Swindon have troubles behind the scenes so might not be competitive , possibly even strugglers ?

I guess we have to get ourselves sorted out to see if we can have any sort of meaningful impact on league 2 next time out.

Problem with Doncaster is, the stand out players have been loans. They have Matty Craig, Adelakun and Lo-Tutala. I don't see any way they keep any of them. Adelakun is far far too good for this level and it's only injuries that have held him back, I imagine if Lincoln don't go up they'll have him in the squad or he'll at least be at L1 level so replacing that quality of player will be tough. Lo Tutala has been outstanding for them and Hull will want him to move up a level. Matthew Craig signed a new deal at Tottenham last year so they obviously rate him highly and I expect he'll be in L1 next season also.

If Wrexham, Stockport, Mk and Mansfield go up, replaced by Carlisle, Fleetwood, Burton & Cheltenham then this league looks considerably easier than this year.

This season has been the toughest I can remember, Chesterfield coming up will be a challenge but the play-offs in the NL don’t look all that much either.

Quoted from pontoonlew

If Wrexham, Stockport, Mk and Mansfield go up, replaced by Carlisle, Fleetwood, Burton & Cheltenham then this league looks considerably easier than this year.

This season has been the toughest I can remember, Chesterfield coming up will be a challenge but the play-offs in the NL don’t look all that much either.

Add in Morecambe & Accrington who seem to be cost cutting to the extreme somewhat . It should make for a much more interesting league you would have thought .

Quoted from pontoonlew

If Wrexham, Stockport, Mk and Mansfield go up, replaced by Carlisle, Fleetwood, Burton & Cheltenham then this league looks considerably easier than this year.

This season has been the toughest I can remember, Chesterfield coming up will be a challenge but the play-offs in the NL don’t look all that much either.

Fleetwood, presumably, are beginning their descent back to their natural level with their sugardaddy locked-up for the foreseeable. I'd personally like to see Burton survive the drop on account of Max Crocombe and Martin Paterson being there, but either way the four coming down look to be outfits who have played a lot of football at this level (or below) this century.

This season's unquestionable unprecedented difficulty level shouldn't excuse our own glaring errors and deficiencies, but it does look like there'll be much less of a head wind in League Two next season. I'd personally prefer to see a Stockport, Wrexham and Mansfield top three this season as I can't bring myself to wish any form of success on MK Dons, but as long as three of those four go up it doesn't greatly matter all that much.

Quoted from Poojah

Fleetwood, presumably, are beginning their descent back to their natural level with their sugardaddy locked-up for the foreseeable. I'd personally like to see Burton survive the drop on account of Max Crocombe and Martin Paterson being there, but either way the four coming down look to be outfits who have played a lot of football at this level (or below) this century.

This season's unquestionable unprecedented difficulty level shouldn't excuse our own glaring errors and deficiencies, but it does look like there'll be much less of a head wind in League Two next season. I'd personally prefer to see a Stockport, Wrexham and Mansfield top three this season as I can't bring myself to wish any form of success on MK Dons, but as long as three of those four go up it doesn't greatly matter all that much.

I just want MK Dons & Colchester gone for the actual matchday experience  ,two away days I have enjoyed  far less off the pitch in recent memory tbh . I just find them both souless experiences and the beer isn't particularly good.  

A re-visit to Burton would bring back bad memories but would be fun to take over their own patch again , in better circumstances for us : a last day win to get us promoted and relegate them to their rightful place  would be some sort of karma .

Got to stay up first before looking !

Quoted from pontoonlew

If Wrexham, Stockport, Mk and Mansfield go up, replaced by Carlisle, Fleetwood, Burton & Cheltenham then this league looks considerably easier than this year.

This season has been the toughest I can remember, Chesterfield coming up will be a challenge but the play-offs in the NL don’t look all that much either.

It would be 15 years since I've been to Burton if they come down. Not sure how I'd feel about reliving that afternoon, maybe I'd want to vanquish the demons.

Quoted from Mariner_09

It would be 15 years since I've been to Burton if they come down. Not sure how I'd feel about reliving that afternoon, maybe I'd want to vanquish the demons.

Yep, sad day that. I as many Town fans was seated with the home fans. Remember picking the tickets up with my lad that day from their club shop and reciting in my head all the local schools, just in case they asked my son what school he went to, in case they sussed us out!!  Took my hoodie off at half time to show off my Town top, as most home fans knew we were amongst them, but politely told by a steward to put it back on. The Burton stewards were great that day. Broke down in tears though later that night, after the result. Didn’t realise it’d hit me as hard as it did!!

Quoted from Spidey

Yep, sad day that. I as many Town fans was seated with the home fans. Remember picking the tickets up with my lad that day from their club shop and reciting in my head all the local schools, just in case they asked my son what school he went to, in case they sussed us out!!  Took my hoodie off at half time to show off my Town top, as most home fans knew we were amongst them, but politely told by a steward to put it back on. The Burton stewards were great that day. Broke down in tears though later that night, after the result. Didn’t realise it’d hit me as hard as it did!!

Burton makes 2nd spot on my list of Town heartaches. It hurt like fúck, no question, but the hours and days after the Bristol Rovers shootout defeat at Wembley remains the worst I have felt as a Town fan. Possibly in part due to the heat stroke, but the sense of injustice - both at the magnitude by which we’d been the better side and the disgraceful decision not to send Puddy off, left me absolutely rocked.

It looks like the division will be a little weaker next season, and we will also see far more Town games televised and get more tv revenue. So it’s very important to stay up this season. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Quoted from Poojah

Burton makes 2nd spot on my list of Town heartaches. It hurt like fúck, no question, but the hours and days after the Bristol Rovers shootout defeat at Wembley remains the worst I have felt as a Town fan. Possibly in part due to the heat stroke, but the sense of injustice - both at the magnitude by which we’d been the better side and the disgraceful decision not to send Puddy off, left me absolutely rocked.

The most dreadful act of refereeing cowardice I have ever seen. Deliberately ignoring the laws of the game so as not to ‘ruin the spectacle’. He should never have been allowed to referee another game after that.

Quoted from Poojah

Burton makes 2nd spot on my list of Town heartaches. It hurt like fúck, no question, but the hours and days after the Bristol Rovers shootout defeat at Wembley remains the worst I have felt as a Town fan. Possibly in part due to the heat stroke, but the sense of injustice - both at the magnitude by which we’d been the better side and the disgraceful decision not to send Puddy off, left me absolutely rocked.

Why did you have to bring that up Poojah?  I was  uncharacteristically on British soil for that one.  It seemed a hell of a long way back to Gy.

Quoted from RonMariner

It looks like the division will be a little weaker next season, and we will also see far more Town games televised and get more tv revenue. So it’s very important to stay up this season. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Does anybody know how much the TV deal is worth per season 'extra' for league 2 clubs providing we stay up ?

Spare a thought for the Southern exiles...if FGR and Sutton go as well as the teams who may well be coming down from League 1 this league has a big number of Northern clubs and it makes it difficult to get to nearly as many games as previous seasons (remember last season Orient, Stevenage and Northampton all got promoted).

I get that the vast majority of Town fans benefit but a small number of us get to see our team even less.

But I'll live with it if we avoid relegation. UTM.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Spare a thought for the Southern exiles...if FGR and Sutton go as well as the teams who may well be coming down from League 1 this league has a big number of Northern clubs and it makes it difficult to get to nearly as many games as previous seasons (remember last season Orient, Stevenage and Northampton all got promoted).

I get that the vast majority of Town fans benefit but a small number of us get to see our team even less.

But I'll live with it if we avoid relegation. UTM.

You might get Barnet and that’s always been a decent away day for all of us

Definately not Halifax, fans always seems to be at their worse whenever we play there lol.

Quoted from Meza

Definately not Halifax, fans always seems to be at their worse whenever we play there lol.

+ Maxi would be certain to bag at least 1

Quoted from Mappers

+ Maxi would be certain to bag at least 1

Yeah he got a brace on Saturday i think.

Yeah, I think we need to see the back of Stockport, Wrexham and Mansfield. They've had the cash this season, so let's get them gone.

MK in the play-offs but, like others have said, it's hard to want them to achieve any kind of success.

I think Chesterfield will be competitive next season, no matter what. Always thought that Cook is a good manager and went below his status to manage them again.

I re-watched ATAW recently and it still hurts how we didn't make more of an effort to keep that squad together. They had a team spirit and momentum that money couldn't buy.

If I were to pass advice onto Chesterfield, which I wouldn't want to really, it'd be to push the boat out on keeping a winning squad together. Every bit of it. It would've been fascinating to know just how far that momentum could've taken us in L2 if we'd signed Mani, kept Fox, etc.

I don't know how much money we 'saved' by letting Fox go to Northampton, but I reckon we've spent more on midfielders since to patch up the hole he left.

Appreciate he got injured straight away at Northampton, but we've been crying out for a Mani-type player ever since we relied wholly on a crocked Taylor.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Spare a thought for the Southern exiles...if FGR and Sutton go as well as the teams who may well be coming down from League 1 this league has a big number of Northern clubs and it makes it difficult to get to nearly as many games as previous seasons (remember last season Orient, Stevenage and Northampton all got promoted).

I get that the vast majority of Town fans benefit but a small number of us get to see our team even less.

But I'll live with it if we avoid relegation. UTM.

This. Not so long ago I had 6-7+ games within 2hrs. Next season that could go down to only 1 or 2

Oh and Tranmere away for me was my worst ever moment.

Need Port Fale to drop down, just up the road for me.

Quoted from grimps

You might get Barnet and that’s always been a decent away day for all of us

I’m not sure that Barnet will make it but they have a real feel good factor after announcing they plan to move back to Underhill.

Quoted from RichMariner

Yeah, I think we need to see the back of Stockport, Wrexham and Mansfield. They've had the cash this season, so let's get them gone.

MK in the play-offs but, like others have said, it's hard to want them to achieve any kind of success.

I think Chesterfield will be competitive next season, no matter what. Always thought that Cook is a good manager and went below his status to manage them again.

I re-watched ATAW recently and it still hurts how we didn't make more of an effort to keep that squad together. They had a team spirit and momentum that money couldn't buy.

If I were to pass advice onto Chesterfield, which I wouldn't want to really, it'd be to push the boat out on keeping a winning squad together. Every bit of it. It would've been fascinating to know just how far that momentum could've taken us in L2 if we'd signed Mani, kept Fox, etc.

I don't know how much money we 'saved' by letting Fox go to Northampton, but I reckon we've spent more on midfielders since to patch up the hole he left.

Appreciate he got injured straight away at Northampton, but we've been crying out for a Mani-type player ever since we relied wholly on a crocked Taylor.

Fox may not have got injured if he stayed as all the variables would have been totally different, but it was rumoured that Northampton completely blew our offer out of the water so I'm not sure that was a fight we could have realistically won.

We finished 6th on 77 points, 17 points behind Stockport. We didn't offer Mani a deal because Hurst couldn't guarantee him games, but Taylor then got injured and it proved to be a season too far for him. In hindsight, Mani would have had plenty of opportunities last season.

The biggest criticism isn't our transfer business that summer, which had the mitigating circumstances of us being back in pre-season training 3 weeks after getting promoted, it's our transfer business last summer that we need to learn from.

We also have to remember that Fox came to us off the back of missing a lot of games due to injury and he was effectively 'using us' to prove his fitness and that he could play at a higher level again. The fact that he did that in spades and got a move that benefitted everyone seems like a smart move by Town, financially.

As well as not keeping Mani I was a bit surprised Abrahams was allowed to go - he and Mani looked like a potentially useful combination that, while not technically gifted, were a handful for defenders.

I fully accept though that his record since leaving us would suggest that Hurst knew what he was doing.

Quoted from lukeo

Oh and Tranmere away for me was my worst ever moment.

You must be very young if that is your worst ever experience of supporting Town...

Quoted from grimps

Well it looks like we have a good chance of staying in the league now so I had a Quick Look at who will be joining us next season.
Carlisle are already relegated and looking at the other contenders hopefully Burton , Port Vale and Fleetwood join us as they’re a lot nearer than Cheltenham .

With Chesterfield already promoted I really hope Halifax manage to join them in the Play Offs , they’re both good away days plus they might bring a few to Blundell Park.

I’m also hoping Mansfield blow it as that’ll be another game that’s not too far away

Mansfield to blow it, but not tonight, Mansfield win tonight and a town win, will mean that Forest Green cannot catch us.