Torquay

[ewalsh 1,171]

Name your top 5.

Barnet

Bristol Rovers

Gateshead

Grimsby

Woking

Eastleigh are well in with a shout, and notable mentions to Forest Green and Macclesfield too.

[max'n'paddy 15]

Putting on a brave face, setting his squad a challenge, im sure in his heart of hearts he knows that its out of reach.

I hope people, including you are not setting promotion as the expectation.

Promotion is achievable this season that is all I am saying. I dont buy into this myth the club isnt ready for promotion. It isnt ready to compete at the top end of L2, but with the extra income then I do believe they can compete with the bottom half. In real terms I dont expect it, and certainly not till the horrible away results are put right, but it certainly is achievable.

[Mr Vincent 1,153]

Promotion is achievable this season that is all I am saying.

 

Amazed that you think that I really am.

 

When i say i dont think its achievable im not insulting the manager or his players by the way. I enjoy wathcing Aspins teams, his players and the effort they gave, its good honest value for money but quality and depth wise we are well short of what is required.

 

 

[dj funky 1,933]

Not many left blackpool for Fleetwood even with all the upset but yes does make a better att in LI,talking of blackpool only 3 players under contract in jan who played last sat so back to some more loans oh dear.

[Shaytrev 3,169]

Barnet

Bristol Rovers

Gateshead

Grimsby

Woking

Eastleigh are well in with a shout, and notable mentions to Forest Green and Macclesfield too.

 

Well, Woking are part time, Grimsby alleged to have massive debt, Gateshead and Barnet no more fans than we have

 

Some of the things used as excuses for Town not to be promoted.

[greygoose 1,688]

Most fans I know are expecting at least a play off spot.

 

There is no reason not to expect that, without any ambition there is no point.

 

If fans were told by the club not to expect anything 'cos we have reached our level you would be stood or sat alone before the end of the season.

" At least a play off spot" that would suggest you know some people expecting us to win the league?

Please tell me there is nobody that deluded passing through the Shay turnstiles once a fortnight

[bolt45 164]

My expectations every year since I started watching in 1950 is that we would get promotion. If I had been realistic about our chances I would have given up years ago. I have always kept up that belief until it was mathematically impossible. Unfortunately that has been half way through the season on lots of occasions. 

[Mr Vincent 1,153]

Since 1986 and exluding the Unistick Leagues I have seen Town genuinley complete for promotion on three occasions!!    

[Shaytrev 3,169]

" At least a play off spot" that would suggest you know some people expecting us to win the league?

Please tell me there is nobody that deluded passing through the Shay turnstiles once a fortnight

 

I wish there was 10,000 of them passing through the turnstiles every fortnight.

 

Better than a minority of know-alls with no ambition beyond consolidation.

[ewalsh 1,171]

Well, Woking are part time, Grimsby alleged to have massive debt, Gateshead and Barnet no more fans than we have

Some of the things used as excuses for Town not to be promoted.

Maybe not, but they have better players. Fact of the matter is of all the teams anywhere near us in the table we've only beaten Forest Green and that is because they self combusted.

I haven't seen anyone say we're in debt.

Everyone aspires to be as high as we can, but sometimes that just isn't possible. I'm sure fans of all 24 sides want to win the league, but surprisingly they can't.

[Shaytrev 3,169]

I haven't seen anyone say we're in debt.

 

 

But they have said we would be if promoted.

[steve lumb 1,079]

Unfortunately that has been half way through the season on lots of occasions. 

and quite a few times before half way 

[ewalsh 1,171]

But they have said we would be if promoted.

I haven't seen that and I personally don't believe it. It's no excuse for not going up this season either.

Doesn't change the fact that Grimsby are a brtter side than us.

[bolt45 164]

and quite a few times before half way 

Then you revise your expectations to not being relegated or having to aply for re-election. That way you always have something to look forward to.

[Steve Lanzarote 4,538]

My expectations every year since I started watching in 1950 is that we would get promotion. If I had been realistic about our chances I would have given up years ago. I have always kept up that belief until it was mathematically impossible. Unfortunately that has been half way through the season on lots of occasions. 

Chadders moment x2

[shaymandownsouff 1,190]

not that good wont be there at the end....everyone saying they would go straight back up

You predicted them to face a second straight relegation, Bristol Rovers to really struggle and us to win the league...

[Flea 6,603]

Lets be blunt - we are an average Conference Side nowadays. That is our current level.

 

On our day we can turn any team over in this league - and as such we should be targeting to win every game we play. With that said, we can also lose to every team in this league too.

 

I find it hilarious that some feel we have a divine right to be challenging - and its always the tactics and the gaffer which is wrong when a team deemed "lower" than us (read Woking, Welling, Altrincham recently) beats us, yet those same people consistently expect us to beat the teams that are full time and have much bigger budgets.

 

We get the games where things come together and we beat the full time teams and the teams with bigger budgets - but to expect us to do it week in week out is simply idiotic. The players we have and all those playing at this level are not perfect footballers - if they were then they wouldn't be playing for us, its that simple.

 

At the moment the playoffs are a target - albeit a bit of a long shot one, but you have to have goals to aim for. Its not something we should be expecting, but its something we can aim for. At the same time, the first box we need to tick is to have enough points to stay up. That's not defeatist - that is the simple truth. We are a great season away from the playoffs, but we are also a dreadful one away from relegation.

 

Forget what happened last season as that is gone. First thing this year is to have enough points on the board to secure us at this level at the very least next year - and currently we are smashing that target out of the window.

 

What I would like to know is why some feel it is acceptable to demand that our part time side consistently beats full time teams - yet we are never allowed to drop points or lose games against other part time sides. It seems warped logic that it is acceptable for us to beat the teams viewed as bigger than us, yet when we have a smaller club beating us its the end of the world.

 

Last season was fantastic in how we performed. We stayed at the right end of the table all season and ended up in the playoffs. No complaints what so ever. Currently with over half a season now played we sit in 8th, just a few points off crashing the playoffs again, with a comfortable cushion keeping us away from relegation. People need to be realistic and accept that 8th is good for us at the moment. We are more than holding our own.

 

What we need is either another couple of players in the Gregory/Vardy mould appearing out of nowhere for us, someone throwing a huge load of dosh at us allowing us to go FT and increase our budget or an extra 1000 or so fans tipping up each game to seamlessly step up to the competing for the title level of this league - until that happens then we are looking at crashing the playoffs AT BEST - not as a minimum.

 

I really do hate this place at times. You see the team give blood and thunder and get robbed, come home feeling up beat, then come on here and read from the same 3 or 4 doom and gloom merchants who are calling for the gaffers head and claiming things aren't good enough, when they can't see what we have got currently is more than good enough for what we can afford and where we are.

 

Anyone EXPECTING promotion is an idiot. Its that simple. We can target it and hope for it with a bit of luck on our side and a good run, but to expect it is so far from foolish its not even got its own wording. Sadly its these sorts of idiots that will then be calling for the next gaffers head 6 games later when he hasn't won all 6 games - and while quick to bitch about how the team / tactics and manager isn't good enough still haven't given the rest of us any idea who they would bring in (on our budget) to improve things. Instead they cry behind a keyboard and whinge about things not being good enough. Aspin is a good manager. The players, while not perfect, are giving it their all basically 100% of the time - and looking at other part time players in this league there are very few I'd want in replacement for those we have in our first team. We can't go out and bring in a player from the FL on a FT contract, or even get players like Yidom from Barnet - players who are a cut above most part time players. We have to go for the gems of the part time players and hope they can be moulded into something great. Its that simple - part time isn't just about the fitness, it limits what players will come to us - and the better players in the main are more often than not going to be full time, or be demanding a FT wage.

 

It's also striking how those quick to put the boot in when we lose NEVER have anything positive to say when we win. They either say nothing, or keep bitching and moaning about someone else. I don't get what they are trying to achieve in just trying to get everyone down and moan all the time simply because the team don't play like Bayern Munich and are not top of the league. Just back the team, win lose or draw FFS. There are occasions where there is very little positive things to say (Alty for example) and by all means, have a little grumble, then just back on the horse and look to the next game.

 

Bring on Worcester.

[samfcht 989]

Lets be blunt - we are an average Conference Side nowadays. That is our current level.

 

On our day we can turn any team over in this league - and as such we should be targeting to win every game we play. With that said, we can also lose to every team in this league too.

 

I find it hilarious that some feel we have a divine right to be challenging - and its always the tactics and the gaffer which is wrong when a team deemed "lower" than us (read Woking, Welling, Altrincham recently) beats us, yet those same people consistently expect us to beat the teams that are full time and have much bigger budgets.

 

We get the games where things come together and we beat the full time teams and the teams with bigger budgets - but to expect us to do it week in week out is simply idiotic. The players we have and all those playing at this level are not perfect footballers - if they were then they wouldn't be playing for us, its that simple.

 

At the moment the playoffs are a target - albeit a bit of a long shot one, but you have to have goals to aim for. Its not something we should be expecting, but its something we can aim for. At the same time, the first box we need to tick is to have enough points to stay up. That's not defeatist - that is the simple truth. We are a great season away from the playoffs, but we are also a dreadful one away from relegation.

 

Forget what happened last season as that is gone. First thing this year is to have enough points on the board to secure us at this level at the very least next year - and currently we are smashing that target out of the window.

 

What I would like to know is why some feel it is acceptable to demand that our part time side consistently beats full time teams - yet we are never allowed to drop points or lose games against other part time sides. It seems warped logic that it is acceptable for us to beat the teams viewed as bigger than us, yet when we have a smaller club beating us its the end of the world.

 

Last season was fantastic in how we performed. We stayed at the right end of the table all season and ended up in the playoffs. No complaints what so ever. Currently with over half a season now played we sit in 8th, just a few points off crashing the playoffs again, with a comfortable cushion keeping us away from relegation. People need to be realistic and accept that 8th is good for us at the moment. We are more than holding our own.

 

What we need is either another couple of players in the Gregory/Vardy mould appearing out of nowhere for us, someone throwing a huge load of dosh at us allowing us to go FT and increase our budget or an extra 1000 or so fans tipping up each game to seamlessly step up to the competing for the title level of this league - until that happens then we are looking at crashing the playoffs AT BEST - not as a minimum.

 

I really do hate this place at times. You see the team give blood and thunder and get robbed, come home feeling up beat, then come on here and read from the same 3 or 4 doom and gloom merchants who are calling for the gaffers head and claiming things aren't good enough, when they can't see what we have got currently is more than good enough for what we can afford and where we are.

 

Anyone EXPECTING promotion is an idiot. Its that simple. We can target it and hope for it with a bit of luck on our side and a good run, but to expect it is so far from foolish its not even got its own wording. Sadly its these sorts of idiots that will then be calling for the next gaffers head 6 games later when he hasn't won all 6 games - and while quick to bitch about how the team / tactics and manager isn't good enough still haven't given the rest of us any idea who they would bring in (on our budget) to improve things. Instead they cry behind a keyboard and whinge about things not being good enough.

 

spot on

[Shaytrev 3,169]

Paranoid or what?

[sumbody 149]

I'm happy with how the season's gone so far. Avoided 2nd season syndrome despite losing Greggs.

I don't expect promotion. I am hoping we can finish in play offs & hope we win them. I realise that's a fair bit of hope & chances are we'll miss out. That makes me a realist not a pessimist.

I also believe that when we do get promoted both Aspin & the board are astute enough for us to survive both financially & in the football league but it will be a struggle for us.

That's just my opinion.

[shaymandownsouff 1,190]

Probably the best post I've read on here in a long time.

Sums it up perfectly IMO

[Shaytrev 3,169]

Probably the best post I've read on here in a long time.

Sums it up perfectly IMO

 

Defeatist babble from someone suffering from paranoia.

[Steve Lanzarote 4,538]

I doubt any of the long term fans 49ers/50s/60s  are calling for NA´s head and my advice, be careful what you wish for. Read Bolt45 post. I also believe our scouting system will unearth our next Vardy/Gregory as we have to to survive, could well be Peniket should he improve as Gregs did who knows, but we are only a couple of signings off pushing for that 5th spot. Comments from a friend of mine (a youth coach for Soton) who was at the game last night made 4 points to me 1) you could not really tell which team was F/T or P/T 2) our defence should not have conceded the 2 goals 3) we should have scored 3   4) Robbo should have been sent off.

[vinnyweknuts 3,092]

Lets be blunt - we are an average Conference Side nowadays. That is our current level.

 

On our day we can turn any team over in this league - and as such we should be targeting to win every game we play. With that said, we can also lose to every team in this league too.

 

I find it hilarious that some feel we have a divine right to be challenging - and its always the tactics and the gaffer which is wrong when a team deemed "lower" than us (read Woking, Welling, Altrincham recently) beats us, yet those same people consistently expect us to beat the teams that are full time and have much bigger budgets.

 

We get the games where things come together and we beat the full time teams and the teams with bigger budgets - but to expect us to do it week in week out is simply idiotic. The players we have and all those playing at this level are not perfect footballers - if they were then they wouldn't be playing for us, its that simple.

 

At the moment the playoffs are a target - albeit a bit of a long shot one, but you have to have goals to aim for. Its not something we should be expecting, but its something we can aim for. At the same time, the first box we need to tick is to have enough points to stay up. That's not defeatist - that is the simple truth. We are a great season away from the playoffs, but we are also a dreadful one away from relegation.

 

Forget what happened last season as that is gone. First thing this year is to have enough points on the board to secure us at this level at the very least next year - and currently we are smashing that target out of the window.

 

What I would like to know is why some feel it is acceptable to demand that our part time side consistently beats full time teams - yet we are never allowed to drop points or lose games against other part time sides. It seems warped logic that it is acceptable for us to beat the teams viewed as bigger than us, yet when we have a smaller club beating us its the end of the world.

 

Last season was fantastic in how we performed. We stayed at the right end of the table all season and ended up in the playoffs. No complaints what so ever. Currently with over half a season now played we sit in 8th, just a few points off crashing the playoffs again, with a comfortable cushion keeping us away from relegation. People need to be realistic and accept that 8th is good for us at the moment. We are more than holding our own.

 

What we need is either another couple of players in the Gregory/Vardy mould appearing out of nowhere for us, someone throwing a huge load of dosh at us allowing us to go FT and increase our budget or an extra 1000 or so fans tipping up each game to seamlessly step up to the competing for the title level of this league - until that happens then we are looking at crashing the playoffs AT BEST - not as a minimum.

 

I really do hate this place at times. You see the team give blood and thunder and get robbed, come home feeling up beat, then come on here and read from the same 3 or 4 doom and gloom merchants who are calling for the gaffers head and claiming things aren't good enough, when they can't see what we have got currently is more than good enough for what we can afford and where we are.

 

Anyone EXPECTING promotion is an idiot. Its that simple. We can target it and hope for it with a bit of luck on our side and a good run, but to expect it is so far from foolish its not even got its own wording. Sadly its these sorts of idiots that will then be calling for the next gaffers head 6 games later when he hasn't won all 6 games - and while quick to bitch about how the team / tactics and manager isn't good enough still haven't given the rest of us any idea who they would bring in (on our budget) to improve things. Instead they cry behind a keyboard and whinge about things not being good enough. Aspin is a good manager. The players, while not perfect, are giving it their all basically 100% of the time - and looking at other part time players in this league there are very few I'd want in replacement for those we have in our first team. We can't go out and bring in a player from the FL on a FT contract, or even get players like Yidom from Barnet - players who are a cut above most part time players. We have to go for the gems of the part time players and hope they can be moulded into something great. Its that simple - part time isn't just about the fitness, it limits what players will come to us - and the better players in the main are more often than not going to be full time, or be demanding a FT wage.

 

It's also striking how those quick to put the boot in when we lose NEVER have anything positive to say when we win. They either say nothing, or keep bitching and moaning about someone else. I don't get what they are trying to achieve in just trying to get everyone down and moan all the time simply because the team don't play like Bayern Munich and are not top of the league. Just back the team, win lose or draw FFS. There are occasions where there is very little positive things to say (Alty for example) and by all means, have a little grumble, then just back on the horse and look to the next game.

 

Bring on Worcester.

Can't argue too much with that, we all hope for play-offs and promotion but to "expect" it is wrong for probably all fans of every club in this league

[Pliny Harris 4,107]

Lets be blunt - we are an average Conference Side nowadays. That is our current level.

 

On our day we can turn any team over in this league - and as such we should be targeting to win every game we play. With that said, we can also lose to every team in this league too.

 

I find it hilarious that some feel we have a divine right to be challenging - and its always the tactics and the gaffer which is wrong when a team deemed "lower" than us (read Woking, Welling, Altrincham recently) beats us, yet those same people consistently expect us to beat the teams that are full time and have much bigger budgets.

 

We get the games where things come together and we beat the full time teams and the teams with bigger budgets - but to expect us to do it week in week out is simply idiotic. The players we have and all those playing at this level are not perfect footballers - if they were then they wouldn't be playing for us, its that simple.

 

At the moment the playoffs are a target - albeit a bit of a long shot one, but you have to have goals to aim for. Its not something we should be expecting, but its something we can aim for. At the same time, the first box we need to tick is to have enough points to stay up. That's not defeatist - that is the simple truth. We are a great season away from the playoffs, but we are also a dreadful one away from relegation.

 

Forget what happened last season as that is gone. First thing this year is to have enough points on the board to secure us at this level at the very least next year - and currently we are smashing that target out of the window.

 

What I would like to know is why some feel it is acceptable to demand that our part time side consistently beats full time teams - yet we are never allowed to drop points or lose games against other part time sides. It seems warped logic that it is acceptable for us to beat the teams viewed as bigger than us, yet when we have a smaller club beating us its the end of the world.

 

Last season was fantastic in how we performed. We stayed at the right end of the table all season and ended up in the playoffs. No complaints what so ever. Currently with over half a season now played we sit in 8th, just a few points off crashing the playoffs again, with a comfortable cushion keeping us away from relegation. People need to be realistic and accept that 8th is good for us at the moment. We are more than holding our own.

 

What we need is either another couple of players in the Gregory/Vardy mould appearing out of nowhere for us, someone throwing a huge load of dosh at us allowing us to go FT and increase our budget or an extra 1000 or so fans tipping up each game to seamlessly step up to the competing for the title level of this league - until that happens then we are looking at crashing the playoffs AT BEST - not as a minimum.

 

I really do hate this place at times. You see the team give blood and thunder and get robbed, come home feeling up beat, then come on here and read from the same 3 or 4 doom and gloom merchants who are calling for the gaffers head and claiming things aren't good enough, when they can't see what we have got currently is more than good enough for what we can afford and where we are.

 

Anyone EXPECTING promotion is an idiot. Its that simple. We can target it and hope for it with a bit of luck on our side and a good run, but to expect it is so far from foolish its not even got its own wording. Sadly its these sorts of idiots that will then be calling for the next gaffers head 6 games later when he hasn't won all 6 games - and while quick to bitch about how the team / tactics and manager isn't good enough still haven't given the rest of us any idea who they would bring in (on our budget) to improve things. Instead they cry behind a keyboard and whinge about things not being good enough. Aspin is a good manager. The players, while not perfect, are giving it their all basically 100% of the time - and looking at other part time players in this league there are very few I'd want in replacement for those we have in our first team. We can't go out and bring in a player from the FL on a FT contract, or even get players like Yidom from Barnet - players who are a cut above most part time players. We have to go for the gems of the part time players and hope they can be moulded into something great. Its that simple - part time isn't just about the fitness, it limits what players will come to us - and the better players in the main are more often than not going to be full time, or be demanding a FT wage.

 

It's also striking how those quick to put the boot in when we lose NEVER have anything positive to say when we win. They either say nothing, or keep bitching and moaning about someone else. I don't get what they are trying to achieve in just trying to get everyone down and moan all the time simply because the team don't play like Bayern Munich and are not top of the league. Just back the team, win lose or draw FFS. There are occasions where there is very little positive things to say (Alty for example) and by all means, have a little grumble, then just back on the horse and look to the next game.

 

Bring on Worcester.

 

CHADDERS MOMENT x2 x2 x2 x2 :wub: