Clutching at straws / Good things about league 2

[bigbobjoylove]

4 promotion places and only 2 relegation ones!

[Ralphy]

Of course. The same thing was said when we were relegated from the Championship. QED.

Abit different.

I'd say league 1 is our level these days. We don't have the support, money and stadium to be considered an established Championship side. Relegation from the Championship wasn't such a massive blow.

[mrverve]

I'm not worried that we might struggle on the pitch. I'm genuinely more concerned what impact this will have on the club. In 06, we were a laughing stock off the pitch and getting relegated wasn't really a surprise, it became inevitable after years and years of mismanagement. This time around we're off the back on a Play Off final at Wembley, our highest average attendance since we were in the Championship, having spent a fortune on fees and wages expecting to be challenging for promotion to the second tier. Couple this with all the positives off the pitch with the new board, we're finally financially secure, the huge strides to get the fantastic backing from sponsors, the proposed County Ground redevelopment.

I can't see many fans, after the failings of this season, coming back. Fans won't really be up for watching a team trying for promotion to get out of League 2 after the optimism of the last couple of years of trying to gain promotion to the Championship. The excitement which was there last time we were in League 2 won't be there this time around.

[Langers]

That's what i'm worried about, becoming nothing more than a stable L2 team.

[Family at War]

League 2 is abysmal and will be rubbish football. One thing is certain we don't have the nucleus of a side to get us out of it at the moment, at least three quarters of this squad needs to go. We need someone to shake us up and dig us out of this almighty hole we are in as losing like winning becomes a habit and the trap door to the conference will open.

[jimmy_onions]

I'm not worried that we might struggle on the pitch. I'm genuinely more concerned what impact this will have on the club. In 06, we were a laughing stock off the pitch and getting relegated wasn't really a surprise, it became inevitable after years and years of mismanagement. This time around we're off the back on a Play Off final at Wembley, our highest average attendance since we were in the Championship, having spent a fortune on fees and wages expecting to be challenging for promotion to the second tier. Couple this with all the positives off the pitch with the new board, we're finally financially secure, the huge strides to get the fantastic backing from sponsors, the proposed County Ground redevelopment.

I can't see many fans, after the failings of this season, coming back. Fans won't really be up for watching a team trying for promotion to get out of League 2 after the optimism of the last couple of years of trying to gain promotion to the Championship. The excitement which was there last time we were in League 2 won't be there this time around.

I think there is a danger of over analysing this...ok, there are millions of sub reasons which will afect the figures by 5 or 10%, but on the whole, if we are doing well, fans will return, if we are not they will stay away.

[DiV]

A team of young early 20s footballers we've signed from Celtic or premiership clubs wont hoof us out of L2, thats for sure.

We're going to need to hoofers, cloggers and work horses. The type of players we will only sign for free.

Also, not flogging the team off in January would help.

This season alone has proved that Fittons transfer policy wont work - it'll be even worse in L2.

[Arriba]

there is no written rule stating that clubs have to hoof their way out of league 2.

[mrverve]

I think there is a danger of over analysing this...ok, there are millions of sub reasons which will afect the figures by 5 or 10%, but on the whole, if we are doing well, fans will return, if we are not they will stay away.

I just think with all the optimism with the club over the past couple of years, and the hard work that the board have done regarding season ticket prices, getting more fans through, building the brand etc. relegation would severely set us back. We would be back to square one again. Its a shame, thats all.

[jimmy_onions]

I just think with all the optimism with the club over the past couple of years, and the hard work that the board have done regarding season ticket prices, getting more fans through, building the brand etc. relegation would severely set us back. We would be back to square one again. Its a shame, thats all.

I think we all agree with that...but I also think if we manage to cobble a decent team together, and there is a chance of stuffing pox at home, the cg will be packed with as big a crowd as anything this season, regardless of what has gone before.

However, the key word in that sentance is 'if'.

[Don Rogers Shop]

We are actually going to stay up this season so don't understand this thread.

[herthab]

Quite a few teams have played their way out of the bargain basement, I don't believe that you need to be a team of hoofers, cloggers and giants.

[herthab]

We are actually going to stay up this season so don't understand this thread.

And people call me a senile cunt...

[Reg Smeeton]

 Our worst ever season since 58 when Div 3 and 4 formed was 82/83, when we finished 17th in Div 4. The recipe for such crapness, was an uninspiring manager Ken Beamish.  We had decent enough front players, the sort we can only dream about right now...Quinn Rowland Mayes, good wide men Hockaday and Garry Nelson, both went on to perform creditably at Div 2 level.

 Added to this was a sense of decay about the place...small crowds and negative football.

Nevertheless we did manage to escape, as we did in 06/07...the common factor both times was the dreaded spending money we haven't actually got, thereby enabling the acquisition of staff and players we couldn't really afford.  Not going to happen this time....

Look at Crewe....bring through young players sell them on, been stuck in Div 4 for a while now.

[alanmayes]

Our worst ever season since 58 when Div 3 and 4 formed was 82/83, when we finished 17th in Div 4. The recipe for such crapness, was an uninspiring manager Ken Beamish.  We had decent enough front players, the sort we can only dream about right now...Quinn Rowland Mayes, good wide men Hockaday and Garry Nelson, both went on to perform creditably at Div 2 level.

 Added to this was a sense of decay about the place...small crowds and negative football.

Nevertheless we did manage to escape, as we did in 06/07...the common factor both times was the dreaded spending money we haven't actually got, thereby enabling the acquisition of staff and players we couldn't really afford.  Not going to happen this time....

Look at Crewe....bring through young players sell them on, been stuck in Div 4 for a while now.

You might want to add Bradford into the mix,because they get very good crowds,but simply cannot get it right on the pitch.

The Board will really have to decide if they want to get back to L1 ASAP,or to build again with a young side and to take
their chances.