Thetownend.com

I know it's a bit early and we will probably sign a few more players, but where do you think we'll finish, come next May?

I'm hoping that a pre season with Super Mo' will get the team fully integrated and playing the style he wants, which appears to be (Based on his games in charge last season) neat, attractive, attacking football.

Can the players we have achieve this? Personally I think they can. Anyone who saw Ossie's team, in his first season in charge, will know that players can adapt to a change in style (Was slightly different to Lou's more direct style!)

I think we'll have a top ten finish, if the squad is further strengthened we may even end up in the play-offs.

 

No more signings, If the last four games are indicative, certainly 9th or 10th, couple more decent signings 5th or 6th  Really cant see us finishing out of top half.

Top ten, with a sniff of the playoffs

A few more signings to strengthen certain areas and I think wee can have a good push for the play-off's possibly finish 6/7th

Call me a pessimist I say between 13-15th as it stands now.

i'm with Gazza, if we sign no more we'll finish mid table.

add a couple or three new signings and we could be looking at top half.
posibly playoffs but i wont hold my breath

We'll either walk the league, with everything clicking into place, or we'll have a dull mid-table season and finish around 10th-15th

i have no idea, but think anything less than a shout of the play offs will be a let down.

Top half but alas, out of the play offs :(

I think we'll have a season not too dissimilar to last and end up bang in the middle of the table. I can't see us being strong enough to challenge and we're not crap enough to flounder. If we can blood a couple of youngsters along the way - manly Morrison then I won't be too unhappy.
I think we're another season away from doing anything too constructuve.

I think we'll have a sniff at the bottom of the playoffs and then settle into a fairly mid-table position for the end of the season.

9th or 10th unless a couple of very impressive signings happen.

Or Cox/Paynter can get 20+ goals which at the moment I cant see.

Peterborough

Disagree, Wembley.

seventh (it's a fact)

9th.

12th. Can't see anything more than that at the moment.

2nd or 3rd

Play offs for me....Leeds not going up makes me think they will win it easy.

Top half, ouside playoffs.

one place from play-offs.

7th - 12th

Between 6th and 8th

And who's this "manly Morrison" fellah?

I don't know. I'll review my prediction in early May......

Finish 9th, out of the FA cup in the 2nd round, but get to the quarter finals of the Carling Cup.

I also foresee a hat-trick in the St Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Have we won it twice then Michael!!!

I am deeply proud of the fact that we have never won it.

Imagine if your club had to have that waste of time on your honours list (hello Bristol City).

between 8th and 10th.

8th. But we need to get a few more first teamers or we'll struggle with injuries again.

A top half finish and Johnstone's Paint Trophy win at Wembley would please me... Although I predict/fear we'll be stuck somewhere in the middle again.

With a couple more players i can see us either just making/missing out on Play Offs, as it stands 10th-14th, as long as we don't fall backwards i'll be happy.

anything less than 1st will be a failure

  Have you just signed up from thisis ?  Winning the JPT would probably be the best we could hope for next season....look at Donny winners in 06/07 carry the momentum on to get promoted the following season.

  We in no way strong enough as a club to realistically mount a challenge on the CCC, that will only come with some serious rebuilding, which will need to be incremental. Imagine the buzz and funds generated by a successful trip to Wembley. Could be a first step.

we cant even get 5,000 bloody season ticket. We probably take a pathetic amount to Wembley.

I find it a total embarrasment we even have to enter the piss poor pain pot trophy.

We would take 20,000 to Wembley....no probs.

Of course we'd take alot of fans - everyone does.

Should have realised that would upset the happy clappers on here.

Can that be put down as a "newbie" error?

If the Johnstones Paint Trophy didn't have such a shit name, I probably wouldn't mind winning it. The prize money & a day at Wembley would be good though.

How's that a happy-clappy statement?

Bit harsh really.  Happy clappers? Wrong forum I think you'll find.

We're all hoping for more consistency from the team in the upcoming season.Numerically
we're ok,but weaknesses still persist in all areas.

Defence is still a worry with 61 goals conceded last season.Who's the best C/Half pairing
and can they be consistant? Still weak in the full back areas.

Midfield - Quality still needed on the right and a Ross McLaren type player to protect the
back four,mix it when needed and to spray it about,definately needed.

Strikers - Quality  partner for Coxy would be ideal.Can we keep Barry Corr fit,will be the great conundrum.

It'll take time to improve the team,so at this moment in time i think it'll be like last season,
with some good,bad and indifferent results.

10th - 14th place.

I really like the fact that everyone seems to be thinking mid-table with a hope of the play-off's would be OK. It makes me strangely optimistic.

I'm looking for the best odds for us to be promoted.

I'm looking towards the play-offs

about 12-1 on bet365 i think.

Automatic promotion - or else Malpas must go! 

Oh here we go, just signed up from the adver board have we?

Shut it.

This is why money ruins football. Weve got a bit of dosh so people think we should walk every game.

I suspect that he or she was joking...

I wonder if the pre-season results to date will shift a few extra season tickets?

Bart?

Midtable with this current squad.

Yes it was intended as an ironic comment on those fans on the 'This is'  site who just slate Malpas for no other reason than they'd never heard of him when he was appointed. They also seem to have the idea that because the clubs debts have been paid off then we (or rather the board) should just lash out thousands of pounds on players. Having said all that I certainly think the club will be competitive next season and should be in the frame.  As many have said, we must be more consistent especially away from home - if we can string a run together - who knows?

I'd expect play offs as the attitude/new era seems very positive etc but then thats just me being overly optimistic.

League One

Si Pie, glad you're not one of those fans who just sits on the fence & won't give a view

More like I'll see what happens because our opinions will have bugger all bearing on how well we do.

You're absolutely spot on - a couple of signings for any team in League One just now could make quite a difference to the perception of how they'll do. Given that there's often a 'surprise' package in the league each season, for example Swansea last year, who do you reckon will be the team this year then?  I'd love it to be Swindon

Interestingly Swansea's start last year saw them take just 4 points from their first 4 games.

How do you think Town fans would react to a similar start?

By calling for a change of manager.  Mind, some would still want him to go if the team took 12 points from the first 4 games. The usual comments, he's lost the dressing room, he's unexciting when he speaks to the press, lacks experience of the game down here, wasn't successful at Motherwell - you name it, it'll be in print

Mid table

I think its more of a case of how would the adver site posters react to a similar start...........

I am going to really make a good effort to give Malpas a good chance this year.  Theres been way too much negativity and unease in the last couple of years, Im just going to try and enjoy it!

 I wouldn't have had Swansea down as a surprise...mate who's a fan explained to me pre- season how they'd picked up some useful looking lads like Jason Scotland, to add to a squad squad that finished 7th previous season. Added to an average 13K for a couple of seasons, on the back of a new stadium, meant they were definitely moving in the right direction. He was very confident having spent many years watching them in the doldrums.

  We've a long way to go....

Swansea's a damned good example of how a bit of investment and a new stadium can turn a club around. Like us they've hung around the lower leagues since the mid 90's with only a couple of brief forays into Div2/1/CCC whatever you want to call it. During that time the Vetch was one of the mankiest grounds in the league and their attendances were bloody woeful.

The new ground and a bit of optimism has added 10,000 plus to their average gate, and now they're up into the CCC without spending stupid money on players.

This is their first visit to the second tier since the 80's isn't it?  They were 3rd/4th tier for the whole of the 90's weren't they?

I think they made it out for one season and got relegated straight back 2000/01 or 2001/2 ? Can't be arsed to look it up but I'm sure someone will.

I've looked it up but I'm not telling you if that's your attitude.

Jeez I don't remember that!  I feel like my old nan!

im fairly sure that wasn't the case

You might be right. They won a Divisional Championship around that time and I thought it was 3rd tier but it may well have been 4th?

Anyway bollocks, my point is they've had it shit for over a decade and they've turned it around nicely, giving us hope for the future.

bump

i aint got a fucking scooby.but my head says mid table(in league 1)

even Bart thought we would be mid table!

I think we will just about stay up this year by the skin of our teeth.

Cue exactly the same drama's next season due to lack of rebuild funding blamed on poor season ticket sales.

I for one am getting a little tired of it

Its only Cox's possible valuation that is preventing me thinking the same thing.

Call me a sicko but I kinda want it to go down to the last game of the season with us needing a win.Thats probably the only way im going to roll up to the County Ground again this season.

Do you think they will put a big screen on then?

Our last game is away at Peterborough.

hahaha ok the second from last..

Ok, you sicko!

I know what you mean, totally. You want a game where everyone is tested, something that will make everyone stand up and give their best. Where the result really matters. Not something that can be brushed under the carpet by some 'long term plan'. Good honest football, the way it should be every week. Real excitement. Something that binds us all together again in a common passion. Honestly, my job has been more exciting than my football this season!

I would agree. But I like Wilson, and I think he could get the spirit back into the club and get the fans excited if he is given a decent chance over the summer. So I couldnt court the risk or relegation myself.

When was the last time you had that mentally exciting feeling on the morning of a football game? Luton at home 18 months ago for me. The last time I thought we were going places was home to Bournemouth 4-0 Sept 2007, then the club nearly impoded. Too long ago! Not good enough! We need bigger games. Too many fans drifting away because they know they are not missing anything.

Its not just our fault either. Away followings are becomming pathetic. What possible excuse did Leicester have for not selling out? Only Leeds have brought impressive support so far. All takes away from the sense of occasion.

You'd have loved today Spencer...in the 40+ years I've been following the Town, I don't think I've ever witnessed such muted support...just a sad sullen acceptance that we're utterly shit, likely to get relegated, and little prospect of improvement.

I've said before this now reminds me of the early 80's...at least then we'd go down with a good punch up..viz Newport.

i dont think we will go down,but it seems loud and proud is now a thing of the past

Tell me about it - I didn't even make it to the game before I became one of the 50+ Town nicked that night. I did think putting 1 Newpot fan in a cell of about 15 Town was a nice touch.