Perspective

[Ardiles]

The morning after.  Feels brilliant, and I wasn't even there.  Trying to step back for a moment and to piece together where this puts us now.  A few things stand out.

We're a Cup Side
I never thought I'd hear myself say this.  This month alone, we have beaten roughly the same number of sides from higher divisions in competitive games than we did in the first 20 years that I supported the club.  No exaggeration.  And to Brighton and Stoke, we can add Wigan, Huddersfield and Bristol City from last season.  A fantastic record.  What a turn around from the days, not so long ago, when we were cup dunces.

Keep our Feet on the Ground
Impressive though we have been so far this season, it is still very early days.  We need to stay grounded now, and turn this in to something that can last a season.  If it all falls apart, these early games are going to seem like a distant memory in May.  Oxford next week, in particular, is a potential 'banana skin'.  (And they like their bananas in Oxford.)  Steady as she goes.

From here?
I never like to jump the gun, but I think 7 points from 9 in our first three league games and two very impressive cup wins again higher division opposition signals that we are contenders now for automatic promotion to the Championship.  And this trumps everything else for me.  Before this week, I was hopeful that we could challenge.  I now expect a challenge.  We have to build on this momentum.

We can all think of countless teams in the last 20 years or so who rode a wave, surged up the leagues and built a platform for themselves for better things...used the momentum to become bigger clubs.  Last night's opponents are a good example, as are Reading, Swansea and a number of others.  My point here is we have to capitalise on this momentum and build our own platform for sustainable Championship football.  The redevelopment and expansion of the County Ground will be a key part of this process.

[Samdy Gray]

Amen, brother.

[jutty274]

Good post Ardilles. You also missed Colchester from last season who were a higher league team as well.

[Crispy]

Exeter were above us when we beat them in the JPT too!

[DMR]

We will piss this league like we pissed the last one and anyone who thinks differently is wrong

[Ardiles]

Thanks fellas.  I had a feeling I may have missed a few!

[walcot red]

and Chesterfield

[Benzel]

I love you, Ardiles.

[Bewster]

We haven't done any giant killing since the Macari years and that was with a team in the ascendancy. The similarities with that era and this are spookily unparralled and long may it continue.

Its good to stamp our mark on these competitions and show we are a force to be reckoned with but I'd give them all up for promotion.

I've got a feeling we may be heading for Wembley in the JPT.

[ghanimah]

Great post, Ardilles. Only trouble about being a cup team is we're more likely to have to go to Wembley again. Ergh.

[Flashheart]

Last season before we played shitty I though to myself "Best just to keep the score respectable"

I said the same thing to myself before we played Huddersfield
Then Wigan
Brighton
And now Stoke

Where should the line the drawn? At which point would it be wrong to think we may just get something?

[Ticker45]

Good post Ardiles.

Having seen so many ups and downs over the years, whenever anyone asks me how I think the Town are going to do I always tend to err on the side of caution. This season I have said that "we will be there or thereabouts" but have got to say that even at this relatively early stage I think that we could do what Charlton did, get into the top three and stay there. It would make for another stressy old time but I can put up with that if PdC and the players can work the magic again. A couple more judicious signings would be helpful and results like last nights can only help on that score.

 

 

[Gullscorer]

Great result for Swindon against Stoke City last night.  Well done!  Stoke played the Gulls in a pre-season friendly at Plainmoor (1-1) and they looked a pretty good side then, as did Torquay, though both teams made many substitutions as was to be expected. So that's an excellent result for you yesterday.  Might put a little bet on Swindon for promotion again!

Hopefully Torquay, after two seasons in the play-offs, will follow you into League One this season. I think we're a better attacking force than we were last time, with Billy Bodin doing well and Rene Howe having lost weight even more effective, alongside Danny Stevens, and an impressive debut Saturday by eighteen year old winger Niall Thompson, a young man to watch.  We just need another centre back to add to the squad.  So a little bet on the Gulls for promotion too!

Anyway, best of luck for the season ahead..!!

[Batch]

yesterday was a great result. Lets bask in the sunshine of victory. But lets not get the sunburn of being self proclaimed champions by christmas. Its a long old season and yes the signs are good, but last year showed how the first couple of months don't a season make.

[Peter Venkman]

yesterday was a great result. Lets bask in the sunshine of victory. But lets not get the sunburn of being self proclaimed champions by christmas. Its a long old season and yes the signs are good, but last year showed how the first couple of months don't a season make.

Indeed, wise words.