There’s nothing to suggest Brown’s job is on the line. He isn’t under pressure from the fan base, sure a fair few groans online, but we aren’t at a stage where we are seeing protests or even any chants questioning his position.
Reg has summed it up far better than I can but ultimately we have seen nothing to suggest the owner was serious about mounting a promotion bid this season, so I’d say we are performing as expected. That yesterday’s opponents were able to poach our best striker with a bid we couldn’t refuse speaks volumes.
Fans need to adjust their expectations and face up to the admittedly grim reality - we are simply making up the numbers and that will remain the case until there’s some real investment. In the meantime, every season above the trap door should be considered a success.
One curio about Div 4 is that the points needed to stay up can vary quite alarmingly each season. To give an indicator we know from many dire Div3 campaigns that 52 is usually cut off, Ok we went down in 81/82 with 52 but it's only happened a couple of times, since 3 points for a win.
However in Div 4 in the last few years you can find teams 3rd bottom on 42/43.... and teams relegated on 50/51. In other words if you've a couple of basket cases you can get away with the lower points total, but a season where you don't have 2 the points required is pushed up.
So this year, already Macc are looking booked in, however we've yet to go there and have a 100% losing record at Moss Rose... that will need to change. Another imponderable atm is Cheltnumb, are they going to show signs of revival
, our problem with them is that we've yet to play them, and we know what happens when we do. Trying to reverse recent history v Numb and picking up a couple of draws, may decide our fate this season.
It's interesting that Numb, went down the route of the sort of managerial change we will no doubt persue if Brown goes.... namely get shot of the experienced boss and promote from within, and then a newbie Duff, who's had 9 league games and not won.
Couple of games in the week where clubs use up their game in hand. Notts v Oldham, the most interesting, a point for Oldham will drop us down to 17th.... but would keep a nice gap to Notts. Grimsby at Mansfield, a win for the Mariners would bring them up to 3 points adrift of us. Mansfield hard to beat, mind.