6 points clear

[Mally]

Doesn't the fact that we are having this sort of debate highlight the problem? We don't have one striker who's a dead cert for the starting 11 let alone 2. I still think we should be spending some of the 3000 season ticket cash on a 20|| goals a season striker in January.

[Paul Cooper]

Would have thought that Duffy &amp Bash are certs to start Saturday.

Duffy has had a pretty good start to the season with 5 goals (in 9?). Bash has scored 4 (in 8?) Both pretty good strike rates.

We have hardly made loads of chances in many of the games that I have thought and out goals per shots on target is pretty good.

Whilst the goals are coming from all round the team, I'm not particularyl worried at the moment.

[Snake]

I’m also not worried while our luck still holds and we’re clear at the top of the Conference.

However, while we’ve still another 35 games to go and only one automatic promotion slot up for grabs I’d rather Jim &amp Nick took out some insurance with regard to getting us up the first time around. In partic I’d like them to invest in some backup at the very least, and a decent proven striker at best. What does seem clear is that if there is any talent in the reserves then they are not prepared to use it come matchday, even from the bench!

Basham is a great player to have at any club – he’s totally committed, brave, holds the ball up well, can finish, and is not slow. But having watched him for years it seems to me he’s at his best playing up front alongside an old fashioned centre forward.

In essence while the jury is still out on Marvin and Rob then for me I’d like to see another striker brought into the club to complete the jigsaw that will mean we romp this horrible division rather than stumble and waste the ‘feel good factor’ that is omnipresent at the club since FK sold it on for a quid.

Finally, let’s not forget that under Ian Atkins we were top of the league and we’d only lost one game by the end of December 2003.

[Kernow Yellow]

Finally, let’s not forget that under Ian Atkins we were top of the league and we’d only lost one game by the end of December 2003.

The capitulation that followed, however, was because we had an idiot as manager who was never going to be able to turn it around when our string of (often very fortunate) good results came to an abrupt end. And he was at loggerheads with the chairman.

This time round we have a stable manager/chairman situation, and a manager who knows a thing or two about bouncing back from disappointing results.

I find comparisons with 94-95 more scary. Newly relegated, decent manager, decent team, flying start, complacency creeping in. Let's hope 28th October doesn't become our new Marlow moment.

[Snake]

I don’t think that Ian Atkins was/is an idiot, he’s just on the poor side at getting the best out of his many club owners. The man could have gone further in football management than currently being at Torquay if he’d learnt his lessons earlier, imho.

I think he was one of FK’s better choices, along with Diaz and Denis Smith – it’s just a shame that FK was so crap at managing his football managers.

[Baboo]

Basham - &quothe’s totally committed, brave, holds the ball up well, can finish, and is not slow&quot

Is he really all of these things?

Over the years at various times I've heard the opinion expressed that he is the very opposite of all of the above.

[Matt D]

I’m also not worried while our luck still holds and we’re clear at the top of the Conference.

However, while we’ve still another 35 games to go and only one automatic promotion slot up for grabs I’d rather Jim &amp Nick took out some insurance with regard to getting us up the first time around. In partic I’d like them to invest in some backup at the very least, and a decent proven striker at best. What does seem clear is that if there is any talent in the reserves then they are not prepared to use it come matchday, even from the bench!

Basham is a great player to have at any club – he’s totally committed, brave, holds the ball up well, can finish, and is not slow. But having watched him for years it seems to me he’s at his best playing up front alongside an old fashioned centre forward.

In essence while the jury is still out on Marvin and Rob then for me I’d like to see another striker brought into the club to complete the jigsaw that will mean we romp this horrible division rather than stumble and waste the ‘feel good factor’ that is omnipresent at the club since FK sold it on for a quid.

Finally, let’s not forget that under Ian Atkins we were top of the league and we’d only lost one game by the end of December 2003.

i agree with most of this. but my understanding is that we're pushing up against the wage cap limit now?

i thought selling more season tickets/high attendances won't help this season's wage cap as it's calculated on previous seasons?

[Isaac]

I’m also not worried while our luck still holds and we’re clear at the top of the Conference.

However, while we’ve still another 35 games to go and only one automatic promotion slot up for grabs I’d rather Jim &amp Nick took out some insurance with regard to getting us up the first time around. In partic I’d like them to invest in some backup at the very least, and a decent proven striker at best. What does seem clear is that if there is any talent in the reserves then they are not prepared to use it come matchday, even from the bench!

Basham is a great player to have at any club – he’s totally committed, brave, holds the ball up well, can finish, and is not slow. But having watched him for years it seems to me he’s at his best playing up front alongside an old fashioned centre forward.

In essence while the jury is still out on Marvin and Rob then for me I’d like to see another striker brought into the club to complete the jigsaw that will mean we romp this horrible division rather than stumble and waste the ‘feel good factor’ that is omnipresent at the club since FK sold it on for a quid.

Finally, let’s not forget that under Ian Atkins we were top of the league and we’d only lost one game by the end of December 2003.

i agree with most of this. but my understanding is that we're pushing up against the wage cap limit now?

i thought selling more season tickets/high attendances won't help this season's wage cap as it's calculated on previous seasons?

That's what I thought too, although there are murmerings that you can get the wage cap adjusted during the season and our attendances are up on last so perhaps there's some leeway.

The &quotdecent proven striker&quot bit is easy to say though isn't it? Much, much harder to actually name someone. I guess the best bet would be to sign one of the other conference strikers in the January window, but I really can't imagine other clubs being willing to sell their striker to a rival club, unless there's a big wedge of cash involved. In which case we're back to the wage cap again.

Arguably, we have a proven striker in Basham, 10-15 goals every season is ok. Whoever said he isn't slow is horribly mistaken though, I'm sure he used to be quicker before his injury a few years back, but I've never seen him out pace anyone, not even Alsop.

[Mally]

I don't think the wages cap is an issue at the moment. We have a much smaller squad this season almost certainly on lower average wages than last year. I know the Conference cap is lower than the FL cap but even allowing for that I'm sure there's enough lattitude to bring in players.

[Matt D]

i thought the lower wage cap was the answer as to why we have (arguably) little cover in the squad - smith's strategy of spending our limit on quality not quantity.

i thought merry had said something about this, but can't find it. this is jim smith on brevett's signing:

Because of this capping, we haven't really got the all-clear from the Conference as to what we can and can't do. Anything new after Marvin Robinson would have to be temporary until we get it sorted out, so it would be a month-to-month.

http&#58//www&#46thisisunited&#46com/ne ... sp?id=1802

[Kernow Yellow]

I don’t think that Ian Atkins was/is an idiot, he’s just on the poor side at getting the best out of his many club owners. The man could have gone further in football management than currently being at Torquay if he’d learnt his lessons earlier, imho.

But that's the point. He's learnt nothing. The mess he got into at Bristol Rovers showed he had not progressed at all from what he did with us (which, let's remember, was absolutely FA, despite unbeaten runs and positions at Christmas).

He has saved Torquay from relegation - that's what he's good at. I'll be amazed if they go up with him in charge.

[Snake]

i thought the lower wage cap was the answer as to why we have (arguably) little cover in the squad - smith's strategy of spending our limit on quality not quantity.

i thought merry had said something about this, but can't find it. this is jim smith on brevett's signing:

Because of this capping, we haven't really got the all-clear from the Conference as to what we can and can't do. Anything new after Marvin Robinson would have to be temporary until we get it sorted out, so it would be a month-to-month.

http&#58//www&#46thisisunited&#46com/ne ... sp?id=1802

Do you think that Jim is daft enough to say things like “sure, the wage cap is no problem as we’ve got loads a money

[GodalmingYellow]

I don’t think that Ian Atkins was/is an idiot, he’s just on the poor side at getting the best out of his many club owners. The man could have gone further in football management than currently being at Torquay if he’d learnt his lessons earlier, imho.

But that's the point. He's learnt nothing. The mess he got into at Bristol Rovers showed he had not progressed at all from what he did with us (which, let's remember, was absolutely FA, despite unbeaten runs and positions at Christmas).

He has saved Torquay from relegation - that's what he's good at. I'll be amazed if they go up with him in charge.

Far be it for me to defend Ian Atkins, but didn't he get Northampton promotoed at least once?

[Kernow Yellow]

Far be it for me to defend Ian Atkins, but didn't he get Northampton promotoed at least once?

The exception that proves the rule

[Geoff]

&quotHe has saved Torquay from relegation - that's what he's good at. I'll be amazed if they go up with him in charge.&quot

A good summing up of Atkins in two sentences.

My sister's a Torquay fan. At the moment she's pleased with what Atkins has done. I told her last season that Atkins would keep them up, but then they should sack him because he won't progress it any futher. I notice in recent games they've been conceding a few late goals. I wouldn't be surprised if IA hasn't been making defensive substitutions and ending up with 11 players in his own penalty area. I can't see him bringing on someone like Odubade, like Jim has done, when we're winning a game.