Equipped for championship

[Dalelane01]

I dont think anyone who goes up via the playoffs from league one will stay up. because of inconsistancy of form .and will not have the money or resources to attract much better players(many of the squads are not good enough) my opinion dont know what you think

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

If we were by any miracle to go up through the pay offs then I think we will be fine.

Despite the debacle of 2010-2011 we have always consistently finished in the top 10 of the Championship, and given that we will average close to 23,000 a week, have more investment from the Prince and if Clough sorts out the center half pairing we would be a hard team to beat.

We'd be fine. Strangely enough, I don't doubt we'd be fine in the league above, it's just getting out of this one that's the problem!

 

[Bladesman]

We should be OK in the Championship but yet can't get out of this crap hole.

 

[Bladebri]

This time next season we will be wondering what all the fuss was about as we will be on course for the premiership.

 

[FTPE]

We should be OK in the Championship but yet can't get out of this crap hole.

How do you come up with that conclusion?

 

[Blade58]

I dont think anyone who goes up via the playoffs from league one will stay up. because of inconsistancy of form .and will not have the money or resources to attract much better players(many of the squads are not good enough) my opinion dont know what you think

As things stand we don't even looked equipped for promotion, never mind staying in the championship

Priority at the moment is promotion. Talk of anything else imo is irrelevant

Blades lose tomorrow and it's wide open for the Dingles and Chessie to nick 5th and 6th spot and the they will be the teams in form, not us

 

[Dalelane01]

I agree We still in great position though we have the points and if results go as they were 15 mins before fulltime today looks as though we can rely on other teams dropping points. as long as we keep winning and drawing our last fixtures we could probably afford to lose 2 maybe 3 games tommorows game as you say most important but even if we lost it wouldnt be that bad if we beat donny tuesday

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

Yeah, however we aren't any normal league one team, are we?

We are a club that creates the biggest league one attendance every week (apart from when Coventry returns to one of there old stadiums).
We are also a team with great history, with a stadium with great history, in a city with great history
Additionally, if you look at our Cup form we are able to rise up to higher levels of football.
Futhermore, if you look at some the teams that were promoted by the playoffs in our time in league one, you have Huddersfield, who have now played three seasons in League One, then you have Yeovil, who I think even they will admit that their promotion was a massive fluke and finally Rotherham who are on the borders of relegation, but then again aren't they just another Yeovil? A product of motivation and momentum which nearly helped us find promotion from the depths on the table last season.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

I dont think anyone who goes up via the playoffs from league one will stay up. because of inconsistancy of form .and will not have the money or resources to attract much better players(many of the squads are not good enough) my opinion dont know what you think

Don't know. Certainly from the Auto positions, Bristol have been pretty consistent this term and they have positive backers and an ambitious board. They will continue to invest wisely [as they have done this year] and I wouldn't be surprised to see them hold there own [at least] in the Championship.

If Preston get up [autos or play offs] they will definitely invest. They've got some very good players in there already and top of the tree is Garner. For me the best striker in the league by some distance and he's obviously good enough to make the step up. Decent at the back and they have a good engine room too [that's also creative] so all in all I think they have something to build upon.

Budget for MK Dons and or Swindon is a bit of an unknown. Latter is full of loanees and that's not sustainable. Don't think that the MK Dons squad is as strong as BC and PNE. They would have to spend and spend quite a bit. Question is, do they have the funds and is the board progressive enough?

Us? For me we do have some championship quality in the team. Howard, Basham, Brayford, Freeman, [Harris?], Murphy, Flynn, [Davies?] should be able to make the step up. A few have been there before. Big, big fan of Doyle but I don't think he's got the legs for the Championship now [which is a pity]. We have a couple of good prospects coming through. I think Reed could do ok if he keeps progressing and I would stick with McNulty too. Not sure about Coutts [but who is?]. He's obviously not the player he was pre injury and so much will depend on whether or not he has the character to push on and get back to where he was? Overall, for me we would certainly need to spend but I hope more wisely than we have this season. A quality striker for me is still the number one target [as it was at the end of last season]. The CH positions will need sorting out too along with some real quality and guile in midfield. A few inches and a few pounds here and there will help too.

As for the likes of Barnsley, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Rochadale, Bradford then clearly, squad wise, they are someway off where the would need to be to compete consistently in the league above but where's the money coming from?. Could they do it, well of course they could. Who knows, if any make it up, if they spend wisely and if they have the look they will need then they might have enough, do enough, to just about survive?

That said, for this lot to succeed means that we would have to fail. That's unthinkable at the moment and whilst we are still in the play offs, we are obviously in with a shout. We need to kick our arse's into gear and have a real go. Give the fans something to shout for. When we 'click' we need fear no-one in this league and so, let's ensure we 'click' from here on in.

UTB

 

[grafikhaus]

Don't know. Certainly from the Auto positions, Bristol have been pretty consistent this term and they have positive backers and an ambitious board. They will continue to invest wisely [as they have done this year] and I wouldn't be surprised to see them hold there own [at least] in the Championship.

If Preston get up [autos or play offs] they will definitely invest. They've got some very good players in there already and top of the tree is Garner. For me the best striker in the league by some distance and he's obviously good enough to make the step up. Decent at the back and they have a good engine room too [that's also creative] so all in all I think they have something to build upon. Etc. Etc.

Some good points there, longetc.

I've always maintained that, to have a chance of surviving after promotion (or at least not struggle a la Rotherham), you've got to 'boss' this division from start to finish. Like Wolves did last season and like Bristol and Preston have this year. If you 'limp over the line' via the play-offs, the close-season is shortened by a month, giving you less time to strengthen etc. (and, as we go into April and NC is still spouting about 'not knowing his best eleven', it fills me with dread).

As you say, both Preston and Bristol have the players so they just require the odd new player and tweaks/fine tuning. They did most of their transfer dealings pre-season. United have been 'making it up as we go along'. If we scrape up via the playoffs, I would imagine at least half a new team would be required to have a hope of anything but a season-long relegation struggle in the Championship.

Also you correctly say that Preston (and Bristol) have the wherewithal to invest further. With each passing season, we drop further behind. Make no mistake, this has been a 'lost' season in terms of both opportunity and time.

 

[jt64]

Agree with those that think we'll be alright if we go up, but that's looking like a pretty big if right now

 

[longinthe toothblade]

We should be OK in the Championship but yet can't get out of this crap hole.

You been at the bottle again?

 

[Harry's Game]

This time next season we will be wondering what all the fuss was about as we will be on course for the premiership.

 

[metalblade]

Unless we had at least five or six new players we would get hammered in the Championship most weeks, new keeper, 2x centre backs, 2x midfielders and at least one striker required.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

We are nowhere near good enough for the Championship. Absolutely miles away and don't let the cup runs fool you. You can't play on the counter attack with an underdog tag every single week and expect results.

If we somehow manage to scrape our way up through the playoffs we will need a minimum of 8 players to have any chance of survival and I'm not talking about 8 journeymen that we can get on a free (such is our way), I mean 8 quality signings that will require some form of investment. At least half of the current squad will be barely good enough to play regularly at the next level imo.

 

[Dalelane01]

Have derby got anyone? seriosly though all teams that go up need strenghening. but i agree these positions are major positions

 

[Chezzy Blades]

The players in the Championship are just as big and rough as in League One, only they have a little more skill too.

We might look okay in the one off cup games, but unless we invest in some pace and height our midfield will get bullied in the league above just like it gets bullied in this one.

 

[grafikhaus]

We are nowhere near good enough for the Championship. Absolutely miles away and don't let the cup runs fool you. You can't play on the counter attack with an underdog tag every single week and expect results.

If we somehow manage to scrape our way up through the playoffs we will need a minimum of 8 players to have any chance of survival and I'm not talking about 8 journeymen that we can get on a free (such is our way), I mean 8 quality signings that will require some form of investment. At least half of the current squad will be barely good enough to play regularly at the next level imo.

Agreed, and the fact that we're talking about major restructuring with just seven games left shows the chaotic nature of the club at the moment. NC had over half a season in 2013/14 to get to grips with what would be required this season. He's bought quantity over quality, built an oversized and unwieldy squad and still claims we're plagued by injuries! Shortcomings in the squad obvious to all - mainly CBs and strikers - have simply not been addressed. I get tired of the 'But Chris O'Grady wouldn't come' argument. Back up strategy? Plan B? Where NC is 'trying to get somebody in', the others just get on with it. (Doesn't seem to affect Rotherham, this inability to strengthen or 'mix up' the squad).

To get an idea of how far we've gone backwards, just look at Forest and Wolves. Similar-sized clubs in terms of crowd, stadium, 'success' etc. but they can lay out many millions on Assombalonga and Afobe. Why can't we? Probably because we do lay out millions but it's a scatter-gun transfer strategy and the effect of spending all that money is diluted. For this level, NCs transfer budget has been lavish but where's it got us?

If - and it's a massive if - we win tomorrow, we're just papering over the cracks. A lot of basics have been missed this term. Let's face it, we've been poor for most of this season and the fact that we're still clinging to the play-offs just shows the lack of quality in Division Three. We've got at least a month - possibly seven weeks - of worry. It shouldn't have come down to this.

PS. I see Crewe, yes the same Crewe who repeatedly carved through our defence a few days ago, were 'business as usual' today - a 0-0 draw at home to Crawley. Mind, they 'parked the bus' at the Lane, a tactic I'm sure Bristol, Preston, Swindon, MKD etc. never encounter.

 

[metalblade]

Agreed, and the fact that we're talking about major restructuring with just seven games left shows the chaotic nature of the club at the moment. NC had over half a season in 2013/14 to get to grips with what would be required this season. He's bought quantity over quality, built an oversized and unwieldy squad and still claims we're plagued by injuries! Shortcomings in the squad obvious to all - mainly CBs and strikers - have simply not been addressed. I get tired of the 'But Chris O'Grady wouldn't come' argument. Back up strategy? Plan B? Where NC is 'trying to get somebody in', the others just get on with it. (Doesn't seem to affect Rotherham, this inability to strengthen or 'mix up' the squad).

To get an idea of how far we've gone backwards, just look at Forest and Wolves. Similar-sized clubs in terms of crowd, stadium, 'success' etc. but they can lay out many millions on Assombalonga and Afobe. Why can't we? Probably because we do lay out millions but it's a scatter-gun transfer strategy and the effect of spending all that money is diluted. For this level, NCs transfer budget has been lavish but where's it got us?

If - and it's a massive if - we win tomorrow, we're just papering over the cracks. A lot of basics have been missed this term. Let's face it, we've been poor for most of this season and the fact that we're still clinging to the play-offs just shows the lack of quality in Division Three. We've got at least a month - possibly seven weeks - of worry. It shouldn't have come down to this.

PS. I see Crewe, yes the same Crewe who repeatedly carved through our defence a few days ago, were 'business as usual' today - a 0-0 draw at home to Crawley. Mind, they 'parked the bus' at the Lane, a tactic I'm sure Bristol, Preston, Swindon, MKD etc. never encounter.

This is why Clough must go at the end of the season whichever division we find ourselves in, he just is not the right man to take us forwards.

 

[Lane Ender]

Unless we had at least five or six new players we would get hammered in the Championship most weeks, new keeper, 2x centre backs, 2x midfielders and at least one striker required.

You're spot on and it's worrying

 

[Lane Ender]

This is why Clough must go at the end of the season whichever division we find ourselves in, he just is not the right man to take us forwards.

We've got two games to win so I'm not going to go on.
But you're right

 

[Bladebri]

We have to have hope and belief, I bet every blade fan hopes I'm right.