Goodbye Football League....Hello Conference

[Scott Brehaut]

Supes,

I was taking the piss - you've been banging on about relegation since January (when CH joined), and started this thread in March.

The fact that he took it to the penultimate game is, surely, a lot better than you gave him credit for.
There have been glimpses since he took over that things were going to turn around - and the fact that we have got a (too little too late) run going shows that maybe a corner has been turned.

Yep - conference next season, but I'm hopeful that CH will have the chance to build a team with a winning mentality, rather than the losing one that he inherited.
He's managed to remove the much maligned Nico after finally finding somebody who is decent enough at LB - he's also going to be getting rid of our captain too....so not keeping his mates.

Lets see what he does next season before properly judging.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Supes,

I was taking the piss - you've been banging on about relegation since January (when CH joined), and started this thread in March.

The fact that he took it to the penultimate game is, surely, a lot better than you gave him credit for.
There have been glimpses since he took over that things were going to turn around - and the fact that we have got a (too little too late) run going shows that maybe a corner has been turned.

Yep - conference next season, but I'm hopeful that CH will have the chance to build a team with a winning mentality, rather than the losing one that he inherited.
He's managed to remove the much maligned Nico after finally finding somebody who is decent enough at LB - he's also going to be getting rid of our captain too....so not keeping his mates.

Lets see what he does next season before properly judging.

i did realise that scotty.........

[Scott Brehaut]

[Rjc70]

Scott,

You sure he's getting rid of Mansell?

[Scott Brehaut]

Scott,

You sure he's getting rid of Mansell?

That's what I've been told.

[Rjc70]

That's what I've been told.

Ok. Thanks. It would be a good decision.

[chunkygull]

[SuperNickyWroe]

dont cry chunk..........

[Jeff]

You know what? I'm actually not that fussed about our relegation.

Partly because the last 18 months have been so dire it's been postponing the inevitable.

But mainly, because I enjoyed the conference experience last time around. I know the circumstances will be very different from last time, but I really enjoyed the random away days (Northwich, Lewes, Eastbourne, Histon etc), the FA Trophy and all that.

In my mind, we've been a non league club for years. Look at the infrastructure of the likes of Fleetwood, Crawley, Stevenage who have come up recently - far better than us. It's all well and good saying "we've been a league club for x number of years......", but we stood still whilst those around us moved forward. In terms of fan base, infrastructure, professionalism we haven't been football league for years.

So now we are at our true current level. It will be a tough journey but the club needs to settle down, stabilise and become sustainable. We need to make sure we NEVER drop out of the Conference, and that is something we should be able to achieve as long as the club can sustain an 1800-strong core fan base. That will be one thing the board need to look at ASAP.

It sounds daft, but the prospect of an adventure to North Ferriby is far more appealing to me than another trip to Bristol Rovers, Southend or someone. The flat terraces, the welcoming clubhouse, the exceptionally tubby centre half of the opposition.

Moaning about relegation won't change anything.

[SuperNickyWroe]

You know what? I'm actually not that fussed about our relegation.

Partly because the last 18 months have been so dire it's been postponing the inevitable.

But mainly, because I enjoyed the conference experience last time around. I know the circumstances will be very different from last time, but I really enjoyed the random away days (Northwich, Lewes, Eastbourne, Histon etc), the FA Trophy and all that.

In my mind, we've been a non league club for years. Look at the infrastructure of the likes of Fleetwood, Crawley, Stevenage who have come up recently - far better than us. It's all well and good saying "we've been a league club for x number of years......", but we stood still whilst those around us moved forward. In terms of fan base, infrastructure, professionalism we haven't been football league for years.

So now we are at our true current level. It will be a tough journey but the club needs to settle down, stabilise and become sustainable. We need to make sure we NEVER drop out of the Conference, and that is something we should be able to achieve as long as the club can sustain an 1800-strong core fan base. That will be one thing the board need to look at ASAP.

It sounds daft, but the prospect of an adventure to North Ferriby is far more appealing to me than another trip to Bristol Rovers, Southend or someone. The flat terraces, the welcoming clubhouse, the exceptionally tubby centre half of the opposition.

Moaning about relegation won't change anything.

sorry to disappoint you Jeff, but I have stopped playing.....

[CP Gull]

OK so now we know that we will be playing in the Conference next year, let's have a look at who we will be facing ....

The certainties:

TUFC
Braintree
Kidderminster
Barnet
Woking
Forest Green
Alfreton
Salisbury
Nuneaton
Lincoln City
Macclesfield
Welling
Wrexham
Southport
Aldershot
Hereford
Eastleigh
AFC Telford

Three from: Cambridge, Gateshead, Grimsby and FC Halifax
One from: Wycombe, Northampton or Bristol Rovers
One from: North Ferriby United, Altrincham, Hednesford Town and Guiseley
One from: Sutton United, Bromley, Ebbsfleet United and Dover Athletic

Given the choice I think I would prefer to see Wycombe come down with us and one of Cambridge or Grimsby to go up ... simply to give us the best possible chance of coming back up. None of the play off contenders from either the Conference North or South should fill us with any sense of foreboding!

In all honesty, I would think we would stand a reasonable chance of competing at the top end of the table next season, provided that is that we retain at least some of our better players and that Greavsie can recruit well in the summer ... particularly in the goalscoring department.

[Dave_Pougher]

You know what? I'm actually not that fussed about our relegation.

Partly because the last 18 months have been so dire it's been postponing the inevitable.

But mainly, because I enjoyed the conference experience last time around. I know the circumstances will be very different from last time, but I really enjoyed the random away days (Northwich, Lewes, Eastbourne, Histon etc), the FA Trophy and all that.

In my mind, we've been a non league club for years. Look at the infrastructure of the likes of Fleetwood, Crawley, Stevenage who have come up recently - far better than us. It's all well and good saying "we've been a league club for x number of years......", but we stood still whilst those around us moved forward. In terms of fan base, infrastructure, professionalism we haven't been football league for years.

So now we are at our true current level. It will be a tough journey but the club needs to settle down, stabilise and become sustainable. We need to make sure we NEVER drop out of the Conference, and that is something we should be able to achieve as long as the club can sustain an 1800-strong core fan base. That will be one thing the board need to look at ASAP.

It sounds daft, but the prospect of an adventure to North Ferriby is far more appealing to me than another trip to Bristol Rovers, Southend or someone. The flat terraces, the welcoming clubhouse, the exceptionally tubby centre half of the opposition.

Moaning about relegation won't change anything.

Agreed, don't like it at all but I agree.

I suppose a lot depends on if we go into administration or not.

[exilegull]

Agreed, don't like it at all but I agree.

I suppose a lot depends on if we go into administration or not.

Based on the recent comments made by Thea's son on behalf of Thea it seems that she will continue to back the club. It probably also makes sense from her perspective as with her being the major creditor, if the club were to go into administration she would only be entitled to pennies on the pound for what she owes. She may well be more cautious about how much more she puts into the club, but it wouldn't make sense to write it off.

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Is it worth opening the away end at all next season-can't see many teams bringing more than a couple of hundred.
No Cat A matches, or all-ticket one's. Maybe look at letting home fans in away end instead?

[AustrianAndyGull]

Halifax v Cambridge tonight in the first leg play off semi. I've tipped Halifax to go on and get promoted so i'll give it half and hour until finding out that Cambridge are 6 nil up.