The competition
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- Senile
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The competition
So what does everyone think of the likely opposition this year?
R&D have made a lot of very good signings and will be very strong.
Stevenage have made a lot of mediocre signings and won't be a force.
Torquay also look strong but I imagine finances must be very tight for them this year.
Cambridge had their chance last season and will be nowhere this year.
Wrexham ought to be on a par with us resource wise, but I reckon they'll still be suffernig the league dropout hangover so they might make the play offs.
Mansfield don't look to be signing anyone of quality and I think they could find themselves in this division for a long time.
Burton will make the play offs again. I think they had their splash the cash season last year, but I've got a lot of time for Nigel Clough and his squad building and playing style.
Histon probably had their chance last year and bailed.
Alty will struggle again.
Barrow will be mid-table as they have kept their promotion squad together.
Crawley look an outside bet for play offs without the points deduction to overcome.
Forest Green will be much reduced following Fleetwood's departure.
Eastbourne will struggle.
Ebbsfleet mid-table.
Lewes will struggle.
The rest (apart form us) will be also rans.
I do think Patto has taken a pretty good approach to his squad building, (despite Lenagan allegedly having withdrawn funding of losses and thus reduced the playing budget). I can really see us making a serious push for the title this year, but my main concern is the limited squad size, and it is now very late in the day to be able to find anyone of quality to add. If we have a largely injury free season, we should be in with a good shout. (Not sure how much of that came from the head and how much from the heart!).
R&D have made a lot of very good signings and will be very strong.
Stevenage have made a lot of mediocre signings and won't be a force.
Torquay also look strong but I imagine finances must be very tight for them this year.
Cambridge had their chance last season and will be nowhere this year.
Wrexham ought to be on a par with us resource wise, but I reckon they'll still be suffernig the league dropout hangover so they might make the play offs.
Mansfield don't look to be signing anyone of quality and I think they could find themselves in this division for a long time.
Burton will make the play offs again. I think they had their splash the cash season last year, but I've got a lot of time for Nigel Clough and his squad building and playing style.
Histon probably had their chance last year and bailed.
Alty will struggle again.
Barrow will be mid-table as they have kept their promotion squad together.
Crawley look an outside bet for play offs without the points deduction to overcome.
Forest Green will be much reduced following Fleetwood's departure.
Eastbourne will struggle.
Ebbsfleet mid-table.
Lewes will struggle.
The rest (apart form us) will be also rans.
I do think Patto has taken a pretty good approach to his squad building, (despite Lenagan allegedly having withdrawn funding of losses and thus reduced the playing budget). I can really see us making a serious push for the title this year, but my main concern is the limited squad size, and it is now very late in the day to be able to find anyone of quality to add. If we have a largely injury free season, we should be in with a good shout. (Not sure how much of that came from the head and how much from the heart!).
Torquay - very good squad, new owners mean they are pretty well set financially - owners start getting cold feet after 3 years normally (now how long have WPL been in charge........
I see Ebbsfleet as a threat, you don't get a cash injection of that much and not see some benefits.
Rushden also will be up there due to their manager.
I see Ebbsfleet as a threat, you don't get a cash injection of that much and not see some benefits.
Rushden also will be up there due to their manager.
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- Dashing young thing
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R&D will do well- good signings.
Stevenage- I think that they will do well. Decent but not great signings.
Torquay- seem to have brought decent players in, but they have also lost some players (will miss Zebroski)
Burton- have lost Clare and they will miss him.
Ebbsfleet & Crawley coudl be there or there abouts
IF we avoid many injuries and suspensions and Wilmot comes back strong, we must have a chance.
Stevenage- I think that they will do well. Decent but not great signings.
Torquay- seem to have brought decent players in, but they have also lost some players (will miss Zebroski)
Burton- have lost Clare and they will miss him.
Ebbsfleet & Crawley coudl be there or there abouts
IF we avoid many injuries and suspensions and Wilmot comes back strong, we must have a chance.
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- Middle-Aged Spread
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- Mid-life Crisis
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Comp
One of my team is a Woking fan and they have put together some decent performances under Kim Grant. Won't go up but will cause problems.
I see Rushden, Torquay and Ebbsfleet pushing with us for promotion.
I see Rushden, Torquay and Ebbsfleet pushing with us for promotion.
No-one has an official penalty, although someone may have forgotten to turn off the automatic trigger for Crawley...
My (optimistic) views:
Torquay - are building up to 2nd season syndrome
Wrexham - could be over-confident
Mansfield - too big a mess to challenge
Burton - not quite there again
Cambridge - in pieces
Stevenage - suspect will not be as good as they think they will be once Westley has to do something other than talk
R&D - big signings but coming from a long way back
Forest Green, Histon - won't repeat their challenge
Ebbsfleet - doubt the momentum will sustain all season
York - will do better
Crawley, Grays - may get closer this time
Overall, in Patto I think we have someone who will have us there or thereabouts come the end of the season, although it is difficult to pick a runaway leader the top half dozen or so could be very close together.
I'll say the top half dozen will be (in no particular order): Oxford, Torquay, R&D, Wrexham, York, Grays with Burton and Stevenage just off the pace
My (optimistic) views:
Torquay - are building up to 2nd season syndrome
Wrexham - could be over-confident
Mansfield - too big a mess to challenge
Burton - not quite there again
Cambridge - in pieces
Stevenage - suspect will not be as good as they think they will be once Westley has to do something other than talk
R&D - big signings but coming from a long way back
Forest Green, Histon - won't repeat their challenge
Ebbsfleet - doubt the momentum will sustain all season
York - will do better
Crawley, Grays - may get closer this time
Overall, in Patto I think we have someone who will have us there or thereabouts come the end of the season, although it is difficult to pick a runaway leader the top half dozen or so could be very close together.
I'll say the top half dozen will be (in no particular order): Oxford, Torquay, R&D, Wrexham, York, Grays with Burton and Stevenage just off the pace
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- Mid-life Crisis
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Clare
Is Rushden's new signing out for 5 weeks too?
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- Mid-life Crisis
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