On the Bright Side....

[Highbury_Blade]

If we don't up this season, next year should be an absolute doddle. We would be comfortably the biggest team in the division, portsmouth will be broke, and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they went in to admin again. Donny might challenge for a playoff berth, ditto for coventry.

I'd expect it to be a fight between us and Huddersfield for the title if they don't go up this season.

HMS Piss The League sets sail in August

 

[Guesty]

Two words to dispel that theory: Wage Cap. Another two: Fire Sale. Our squad would be dismantled at the end of the season.

On the other hand I must admit I sort of fancy another tilt at the title, just to get the whole set.

 

[WhiteHawk]

What he said ^^^

It'll be a completely different team next season and Wilson will pretty much have to start completely from scratch.

 

[Balham]

I was thinking after the game yesterday that it might not be the end of the world if we don't go up this season: it'd be beneficial to "do a Charlton" and clear out all the overpaid players who haven't delivered in the past 5 years.

Either way, I can't see Beattie, Montgomery, Evans, Simonsen and possibly Quinn being with us next season.

 

[beightonblade]

Wouldn't upset me if the lot went.

 

[alcoblade]

What he said ^^^

It'll be a completely different team next season and Wilson will pretty much have to start completely from scratch.

True, but not necessarily a bad thing. I'm sure we could afford Stevenages wagebill and there's not a lot wrong with the way they look.

Our players are, in the main, half decent. But a good season doesn't alter the fact that they are paid far too much and wont command anything like what we've paid them. We can significanty reduce the wagebill without a mass drop in quality.



UTB

 

[little di]

we don't up this season, next year should be an absolute doddle. We would be comfortably the biggest team in the division, portsmouth will be broke, and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they went in to admin again. Donny might challenge for a playoff berth, ditto for coventry.

Seem to remember posts like this after our various play off defeats, about how the season after we'd come back stronger and better, alas that's not the case. Miss out this season, as we surely will and we'll be down here for at least as long as the Pigs have been. A glorious opportunity wasted this season, how sad.

All well and good being optimistic but blind faith never won anything. No matter how you try to flower it up, not getting promoted is not a good thing.

 

[Kenilworth]

Squad left if we dont go up

GK - Howard, Long
RB - ?? reserve team
LB - Williams and Taylor
CB - LJF (once recovered from cruciate), Collins, Hill (DW will get him on a free)
RM - Flynn
CM - Doyle and McAlister
LM - Tonne
CF - Porter, Cresswell, Philiskirk

Hmmmnnn

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Seem to remember posts like this after our various play off defeats, about how the season after we'd come back stronger and better, alas that's not the case. Miss out this season, as we surely will and we'll be down here for at least as long as the Pigs have been. A glorious opportunity wasted this season, how sad.

All well and good being optimistic but blind faith never won anything. No matter how you try to flower it up, not getting promoted is not a good thing.

The big difference between this (Potential) failure to win promotion, and others, is that the teams we face next year that have come down from the division above don't have parachute payments lining their pockets.

 

[alcoblade]

Squad left if we dont go up

GK - Howard, Long
RB - ?? reserve team
LB - Williams and Taylor
CB - LJF (once recovered from cruciate), Collins, Hill (DW will get him on a free)
RM - Flynn
CM - Doyle and McAlister
LM - Tonne
CF - Porter, Cresswell, Philiskirk

Hmmmnnn

Have we got a transfer embargo then?



UTB

 

[little di]

why will we? we can pick up players to get us out of this division

Aah but, as Puppet posted on a different thread, there are a number of players out there who are chomping at the bit to sign for us, who no one else will try to buy, who we could have signed this season but didn't.

Deary me, we used to have a feet on the ground and rational fan base, now we seem to attract dreamers who settle for anything.

 

[little di]

The big difference between this (Potential) failure to win promotion, and others, is that the teams we face next year that have come down from the division above don't have parachute payments lining their pockets.

But we aren't really very good without our superstar striker are we?

 

[oldblade]

Squad left if we dont go up

GK - Howard, Long
RB - ?? reserve team
LB - Williams and Taylor
CB - LJF (once recovered from cruciate), Collins, Hill (DW will get him on a free)
RM - Flynn
CM - Doyle and McAlister
LM - Tonne
CF - Porter, Cresswell, Philiskirk

Hmmmnnn

What about McDonald?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

But we aren't really very good without our superstar striker are we?

Well without our superstar striker, we still managed to score 2 goals yesterday...

 

[Highbury_Blade]

What about McDonald?

His contract is only for this season.

 

[little di]

Well without our superstar striker, we still managed to score 2 goals yesterday...

And the week before that?

 

[SwissBlade]

Simmo, quinn, ertl, monty and Porter have to go. If we can get Williamson on a lower deal we should keep him.

Cresswell has shown how valuable he is, BT won't be wanted elsewhere so get a preseason out of him and get him putting a last season in with us.

We need a 20 goal striker

Macdonald may be too expensive.

Lowton will be the big money move and id see Harry go if we can get decent money for him.

Firesale first, Then we can think about signings...We need an almost brand new back 5.

Is long ready to become no 1?

Are there any youngsters ready from the academy?

I liked the look of that freeman for Stevenage yesterday,

Fit, young, quick players blended with experience, no more controversial players, no hangovers. Time to move on and move forward.

Mk dons, notts county and Huddersfield will all be tough teams to face, presumably Coventry too (unless they end up in admin).

Donny and Pompey could also be in trouble

 

[Kenilworth]

Have we got a transfer embargo then?

What you talking about? Hill is in there isn't he?

Only if we get top dollar for people like Lowts and Maguire will we be able to afford any transfer fee.
Some of that will go to running costs (Bramall Lane will cost a lot more to run for a year than Huish Park for example) wages, since TV money and gate receipts will not cover that. Maybe we will be in for players like Lewis Grabban or similar - I'll bet that Wycombe's Beavon will go to a champ club (but he would be a good shout to work with Cresswell)

Those coming to the end of their contracts, like Willo and Simmo will just be released to save costs. Since McDonald only has a 1 year deal and we are in the 3rd division again next season I cannot believe he will be with us and not a champ side.

 

[oldblade]

Well without our superstar striker, we still managed to score 2 goals yesterday...

And that was against the team with the second meanest defensive record in this division.

 

[Zlatan]

Two words to dispel that theory: Wage Cap. Another two: Fire Sale.

To counter that you could say look what shit the likes of MK Dons, Stevenage and Carlisle will be able to afford when the 65% of turnover on wages comes in. Their turnovers won't be anywhere near ours.

I do think that next year will be our golden chance to actually go up as champions.

 

[gavtheblade]

i think beattie will stay on,i expect him to see his career out with us IMO

 

[oldblade]

And the week before that?

Did we never fail to score with Evans in the side?

I don't think you can judge our ability to score without Evans on the basis of a match played 24 hours after the end of the court case when the team were quite clearly shell shocked by what happened.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Did we never fail to score with Evans in the side?

I don't think you can judge our ability to score without Evans on the basis of a match played 24 hours after the end of the court case when the team were quite clearly shell shocked by what happened.

Only once, against Wycombe at Adams park.

 

[Kenilworth]

Not sure about Coventry. They are in desperate trouble re finances and will remain so unless they get new investors. The Ricoh costs them £1 million a year before they start. They have no saleable assests of note in the squad. The ground is quite far out of town so the crowds will be around 8k or less in this division. Their only hope is their youth system. They have traditionally had a pretty good youth set-up but the issue they have had this year is that they have been playing the kids most of the season and not had any old heads to steady the ship.

 

[oldblade]

Only once, against Wycombe at Adams park.

What about Hillsborough? And the home and away games against Charlton. He also came on at home to Huddersfield.

Interestingly, before he appeared in the side this season we did not once fail to score in a league or cup game.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

What about Hillsborough? And the home and away games against Charlton. He also came on at home to Huddersfield.

Interestingly, before he appeared in the side this season we did not once fail to score in a league or cup game.

Right you are. Ignore me Does make Little Di's point rather feeble...

 

[oldblade]

Right you are. Ignore me Does make Little Di's point rather feeble...

Little Di may have a point. That remains to be seen. But to base that point on the outcome of the MK Dons game and nothing else seems a little unfair!

 

[little di]

Did we never fail to score with Evans in the side?

I don't think you can judge our ability to score without Evans on the basis of a match played 24 hours after the end of the court case when the team were quite clearly shell shocked by what happened.

I think you missed my point, the point being that rightly or wrongly our season has been mostly about Ched Evans goals and also his contribution. Without going down the court case route again, my point was that without him we look a far less capable side. Some of the chances we had yesterday would have been snapped up by a goalscorer in the form that he was in, and without him you can't deny that we look toothless. Yes we scored two goals yesterday (still wasn't enough though) but I'd have put money on us bagging 4 0r 5 with the chances we created had we had Ched up front.

To your point that the players were shell shocked at MK well doesn't that show how spineless they are? Wouldn't anyone with some backbone want to roll their sleeves up, get stuck in and want to go out and prove a point? No, our lot hid, they went into a sulk and threw away a whole seasons work in that one game. Yesterday was by the by, although I would still have thought that we shouldn't have been so afraid of Stevenage, yes, the mighty Stevenage.

If we do blow the play offs well what a terrible end to the season it will be, and no matter how folks try to convince us otherwise, it will not be a good thing for SUFC.

 

[oldblade]

To your point that the players were shell shocked at MK well doesn't that show how spineless they are? .

No, it doesn't. It shows that they are normal human beings. If the match had been several days later I think you might have a point, but not with it being so soon after the case.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

To your point that the players were shell shocked at MK well doesn't that show how spineless they are?

Perhaps Danny's game plan and training for the game was all predicated on Ched being found not guilty?