Promotion thread

[kieran_vale]

Is having more home fans really an advantage? I can think of plenty of occasions where we have gone away to a side where they are having a big crowd, due to some cut price promotion or whatever, and we have spoilt the party

I think giving away sides 4000 (the front few rows are always covered in netting in our away end) would be a huge advantage to them especially in the stand which has the best acoustics when we would be very limited at their place. Away teams can easily turn it into a virtual home game for them.

We won’t do it though but so long as we gave the minimum would have to give i don’t think we’d be doing anything wrong.

 

[Indian Dan]

Yeah may as well just shut up shop and not bother.....

Of course not. But if any club has serious ambitions above being anything other than a L1/2 club a half decent stadium is a must. Sure a few have made it up to the Championship, but they haven’t lasted long.

 

[Devon_Lad]

I really don't think having more fans or being louder actually has that much impact on the players performance....

 

[Devon_Lad]

Of course not. But if any club has serious ambitions above being anything other than a L1/2 club a half decent stadium is a must. Sure a few have made it up to the Championship, but they haven’t lasted long.

Bournemouth? Brentford? I get they improved the facilities as they progressed up the leagues but wouldn't any club do that? They were average L2/L1 stadiums at the time, and only got better as they progressed up the leagues.

If we got to the prem, we wouldn't keep our ground as it is now, obviously. But to suggest you cannot progress with a smaller ground until you've made it, is a bit strange

 

[Monkey Tennis]

I think giving away sides 4000 (the front few rows are always covered in netting in our away end) would be a huge advantage to them especially in the stand which has the best acoustics when we would be very limited at their place. Away teams can easily turn it into a virtual home game for them.

We won’t do it though but so long as we gave the minimum would have to give i don’t think we’d be doing anything wrong.

That's cutting off your nose to spite your face. Surely having more away fans in ramps up the atmosphere?

 

[valefan16]

That's cutting off your nose to spite your face. Surely having more away fans in ramps up the atmosphere?

If you had say 1500 away fans and 2000 home in there it would be decent as an atmosphere surely?

We won't do it anyway as we are "Too nice" but we shouldn't be going into a play off welcoming a side having 4 times the fans we were able to take the return fixture.

Plus the police would have a heart attack at the suggestion of splitting the Hamil... we've wanted that end for years and to shove away fans elsewhere but its never been allowed as its too far from the road for the Bycars...

Maybe an idea though for smaller followings to get the new bit of the Lorne Street when its opened.

 

[Devon_Lad]

We won't do it anyway as we are "Too nice" but we shouldn't be going into a play off welcoming a side having 4 times the fans we were able to take the return fixture.

Why though? I don't get it? Why?

I don't understand your issue with it.

If that's the case, should your home support then be limited to how many the team had at home in the reverse fixture? Like what is your issue here, it makes no sense

 

[Indian Dan]

Bournemouth? Brentford? I get they improved the facilities as they progressed up the leagues but wouldn't any club do that? They were average L2/L1 stadiums at the time, and only got better as they progressed up the leagues.

If we got to the prem, we wouldn't keep our ground as it is now, obviously. But to suggest you cannot progress with a smaller ground until you've made it, is a bit strange

Those 2 clubs have been/are being bankrolled by billionaires. That’s how they made it.

 

[kieran_vale]

Why though? I don't get it? Why?

Don’t know why you’re getting so worked up. I thought you were winning the title so wouldn’t affect you.

If you think it doesn’t make a difference how many away fans are there I believe you’re a Rangers fan so why is it they drastically cut away allocations at their ground for the Glasgow derby (and Celtic responded in kind)?

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Of course not. But if any club has serious ambitions above being anything other than a L1/2 club a half decent stadium is a must. Sure a few have made it up to the Championship, but they haven’t lasted long.

I'm sure many clubs would love 15-20k stadiums but for many of us that's just not possible

 

[leedsvaliant]

I don’t see why you think if we make the playoffs we couldn’t go and win them. All the teams in the playoff race are relatively evenly matched and all have their own flaws. I certainly wouldn’t fear playing any of them and likewise anyone else to us. We’d also have Gibbo back and maybe Brad Walker also by then. I do think some of our fans haven’t helped lately with all the nervous energy they keep showing either during games or online etc. Some of this seems to be feeding to the team and then increasing it in the other direction. To me there’s nothing be nervous about unless league status was at risk. This is just something people should be excited for.

Regards next season you’re also making an assumption we won’t strengthen also from a higher base than the other teams mentioned. I am almost certain we will as DC and Flitcroft will have been working on this in the background. In terms of money it should also be noted I believe in a month or two we will have finally paid off the fat prick for VP and that will free up a lot of finance for us.

I agree that playoffs would be close games but I feel like we've hit the wall a bit and would need a good last couple of games to get the spring back. If everyone is at 8 out of 10 we can beat anybody but there's too many at 5 currently. I guess the advantage is that if we play Bristol Rovers or Sutton again in the playoffs then we know what to expect. Northampton would be tough against set pieces and they generally give very little away.

I never thought about the money owed to fatty but that could free up a significant budget, which I think we'll have to spend to keep up. We're desperate for pace....even when teams aren't playing too well then an outlet of pace can make a big difference and can buy you a cheap goal. We also desperately need to work on set pieces as by and large they are awful.

 

[valefan16]

I agree that playoffs would be close games but I feel like we've hit the wall a bit and would need a good last couple of games to get the spring back. If everyone is at 8 out of 10 we can beat anybody but there's too many at 5 currently. I guess the advantage is that if we play Bristol Rovers or Sutton again in the playoffs then we know what to expect. Northampton would be tough against set pieces and they generally give very little away.

I never thought about the money owed to fatty but that could free up a significant budget, which I think we'll have to spend to keep up. We're desperate for pace....even when teams aren't playing too well then an outlet of pace can make a big difference and can buy you a cheap goal. We also desperately need to work on set pieces as by and large they are awful.

Set Pieces - Hussey now fit so should resolve that.

9 days off should help massively but lets not take away we've lost 3 games in half a season. Rovers were a decent side and we missed players but could of gone either way second half and Walsall its their cup final, hopefully the break will see a return to our normal intensity.

 

[Spanishstag]

After having had time to dwell on it, I can't help thinking that if we don't go up from here we'll have wasted a massive opportunity.

As said previously, any other team in our position, 5 points clear with 4 games to go, would have had this sewn up by now.

I can't see us doing anything in the playoffs and the teams in this division next year are going to make it harder for us to repeat. Stockport, potentially Wrexham joining us, AFC Wimbledon have just had a really smart new stadium in a really good spot in London that will start to generate income, Doncaster and Gillingham will be tough places to go, Hughes will spend big at Bradford, Swindon if they don't make it, likewise Tranmere. Salford will throw money at it again. Plus any of the others that don't make it up.

I suspect we might be waiting some time for another chance as good as this.

We might as well just enjoy or dread the last two games ,it s

To be fair even the current top 3 have smaller away allocations.
Also there are a fair fews clubs in L1 with piss poor away fans that will struggle to half fill them anyway

Of course not. But if any club has serious ambitions above being anything other than a L1/2 club a half decent stadium is a must. Sure a few have made it up to the Championship, but they haven’t lasted long.

Bournemouth arent doing to bad

 

[kieran_vale]

I agree that playoffs would be close games but I feel like we've hit the wall a bit and would need a good last couple of games to get the spring back. If everyone is at 8 out of 10 we can beat anybody but there's too many at 5 currently. I guess the advantage is that if we play Bristol Rovers or Sutton again in the playoffs then we know what to expect. Northampton would be tough against set pieces and they generally give very little away.

I never thought about the money owed to fatty but that could free up a significant budget, which I think we'll have to spend to keep up. We're desperate for pace....even when teams aren't playing too well then an outlet of pace can make a big difference and can buy you a cheap goal. We also desperately need to work on set pieces as by and large they are awful.

I would say it’s understandable that they did look physically spent to be honest. One or two on OVF are irritating me when they dismiss this as though due to our fixture backlog we haven’t had a higher number of Saturday - Tuesday fixtures than the majority of other clubs. Of course that will take its toll. Take the wingback position, the reason we brought in Hussey was to have two options on either side and alternate them instead we have had to grind Worrall into the ground as unfortunately Gibbo had his hamstring pull.

There’s so many variables for the playoffs. For instance in the last couple of games say Swindon make it and on the last day McKirdy does something petulant and gets himself sent off and suspended as one example.

I would agree on adding pace. I expect Amoo will move on as has lost half a yard. Who knows depending how Politic has settled in Italy maybe we bring him back.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Just thrown up 5 times, you know it's promotion day when the sunshine shining

 

[Laker]

Congrats to Forest Green for promotion at the weekend and Exeter tonight. Great efforts to get up before the final game.

 

[The Terminator]

Well Done Exeter - I know what its like to be in this league for 10 years and constantly threaten to go up and miss out in playoff finals!

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Congrats Exeter, I feel as a fan of a team that have had to be out played to them 5 times this season I’m in a good position to call them the best in the league. Fully expect them to now go on and win the league and deservedly so. No shithousery just good controlled football, I’ll be relieved not to have to go down there 3 times next season.

 

[The Terminator]

Exciting climax here.

Third place up for grabs and 4 teams could get it. I ain't a fan of the last 2 games not all being played with everyone kicking off at different times, but there we go........

Think Sutton have too much to do for third but will likely nick 7th at least.

I can see Northampton winning Saturday with Exeter now up and FGR should beat Harrogate to more or less wrap the title up.

 

[Agombar stool]

Congratulations to Exeter and their fans on here. Probably the best team we've faced this season.

 

[AdamStag]

Salford away and FG at home aren’t the 2 games i’d have chosen to play last.

Hopefully given ourselves a decent chance of the playoffs at least.

 

[Huntsman94]

Congrats to Exeter. Fully deserved!

 

[Conker]

Exeter been knocking at the door regularly, well done to them.

Mansfield in a decent position overall, tough last two Salford away on Sky bank holiday Monday then FGR at home last game of the season.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Dkekkefivu h olsjsd

 

[Agombar stool]

Dkekkefivu h olsjsd

Icelandic?

 

[kieran_vale]

Well done to Exeter on the promotion.

Safe to say could have had better results from our perspective tonight. Can’t even be arsed to figure out all the permutations as this battle is just wild and there’s too many. Above all else a win on Monday is paramount.

 

[Trapdoor]

Just win games, get promoted. Simples.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Thanks for all the comments. Fair to say that wasn't our best game tonight, in fact it was awful. But we found a way as we have most of the season. Will look forward to seeing MJ's winner, shame it was at the other end, thanks Barrow..
Anyway I'm not convinced we will win the league as tonight will have taken a lot out of them and we never get anything at Northampton.
At least we will be taking DL with us...

 

[Devon_Lad]

It's horrible always being right

Now we are gunna win the league and I'm gunna have to go back to Mid Jan and quote you all to embarrass you.

 

[Devon_Lad]

That said, today isn't a day for gloating. Its celebrating (and pissing in the taxi if it doesn't hurry up)

up the fecking city