Steve_R

4 hours ago, GlossopLatic said:

You would think it unlikely that 2 automatic places will be available next season it seems abit late in the day to make such a decision it might come into effect in the next couple if years though.

 

The fact 2nd and 3rd managed to get through to the final proves the advantage of the home advantage in the play off semis and arguably the NL play off system is fairer than the EFLs.

More reason why we have to go flat out next year for the top spot and bullocks to this playoff talk 

I remember Chris Taylor going in goal away at Port Vale in a night match that we eventually lost 3-0.

Unsworth apparently said at the fans forum that we were looking to bring in 8 or 9, so he must be confident of binning off them he doesn’t want to make room for the new signings. Then again, he has been known to talk bollocks before

31 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

Are we the only club that Warnock failed at?

I’m sure he got relegated with Bury. I think it was them who coined’Colin Wanker’

1 hour ago, dannyboy55555 said:

Spoke to the Bromley manager last night at their awards do and he said he'd prefer them to finish 7th as they get an extra day to prepare.

If I’m right, they’d play whoever finish fourth rather than fifth, and if they win that then Notts county. Seems a risky strategy for an extra day’s rest to me.

4 minutes ago, mcfluff1985 said:

Why him? Maybe one lad assisted most of those 30 goals. Why not him?

Because if one lad has assisted most of his 30 goals, nobody knows who he is. If we have the perfect opportunity to blood some youngsters, then the 30 goal top scorer is obviously going to be the popular choice amongst the fans, here or anywhere else. Surely it’s not that hard to work out.

Anyway my original point in reply to Dave’s post, was a couple of people on a message board hardly represents a clamour 

10 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

I just wish that some of those clamouring for him to see first team action did so from a position of knowledge. It seems like loads want to hammer Unsworth for not picking him despite not having a clue what standard he's playing at

I don’t think there’s much a of a clamour, more that we’re in a position we haven’t been in for years which is nothing to play for really in the last few games. It’s the perfect chance to give a couple of youngsters some first team action, if only 20/30 minutes from the bench, and he seems the obvious choice 

10 hours ago, mcfluff1985 said:

 

I don't care. I just want to win

 

 

Fair enough, and I’ve no problem with anyone who has that view. I’d settle for that if it ends in promotion, but the problem is, we won’t know that until then end of the season. 
I want to win, but preferably in a style I enjoy. It seems it’s almost become a crime now to go to a football match and expect to enjoy the game.

45 minutes ago, mcfluff1985 said:

Excitement or wins? You want both? Big ask. I'll just take winning cos that's all that matters 

We’re in the National League with bigger gates and income than nearly everyone else in it. It’s not that big an ask surely? 

30 minutes ago, JoeP said:

 

Can't argue with the results, even if the games have been mind-numbingly dull.  Give him a decent budget for the summer and I expect a bit of entertainment thrown in next season as well, which'll be new territory for him...

I hope it’ll be a lot better to watch next year, but my belief in that we’ll be up there challenging is more to do with the poor standard we’ll be up against then much faith in the manager.

I happy to give him the benefit of the doubt for now though

58 minutes ago, Canada_latic said:

I am not a Unsworth fan. But I am going to have to correct you on this. The board and the recruitment team will be in charge of the budget, such is the modern game. The main contribution Unsworth will have is identifying the positions that we need better players for. It's like this at a lot of clubs now a days. That's what Mo should have been doing in his role as sporting director instead of destroying the club. Unsworth will get the final say on whether a player can join, once recruitment team have identified those players that fit the position and budget.

Does he get the final say though? Apparently it’s a joint decision from the recruitment department, of which Unsworth is just a part of and holds no more sway than anyone else. That’s what that guy off the podcast who knows everything keeps telling us anyway.

20 minutes ago, Flemboy said:

Just renewed. Got to be better football  than this last season .

I say that every year but it never works out! Still renewing though 

13 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

Richie Wellens shortest two managerial stints have ended in relegation.   His other, longer, two have both ended/will end in promotion.  I've no idea if Unsworth is the right man and fully accept there is a lack of evidence to suggest that he is but I'd rather know for sure than see him succeed somewhere else.

He lasted longer here than he did at Salford, and didn’t get relegated with them

The Chaddy end acoustics are shit. Never understood that one, and anyway it’s a football stand not a recording studio

54 minutes ago, GlossopLatic said:

 

 

Our away following aren't all that special alot of other club's take big numbers away from home and alot of people who go on them just do so for a day on the piss anyway.

In some ways I agree with this. One thing that always used to get trotted out when people were banging on about how good it is after a decent away following was ‘as a % of our home support.’

Not heard it once this season as our home gates are among the best in the division so its nowhere near as impressive.
 

2 hours ago, mcfluff1985 said:

There are those who go so far one way they refuse to come back regardless. They pick at things to try prove their point even when it isn't logical. Those who take a more objective view get called apologists etc. Doesn't bother me though because some cunts on here must be proper miserable with their outlook

Well you’ll know all about that

There’s a couple on here who just like to take the opposite view of the majority. 
Come next season I really hope Unsworth turns it all round and we’re all praising him, but they’ll be picking faults, criticising any popular new signings and defending those who get a bit of stick.

Its how they roll and we all know who they are 

If the day ever comes when we give Unsworth the boot, then given his track record selecting our managers, I’d send Joe Royle on holiday until the next man is in place.

27 minutes ago, Shrek said:

So 4th he's out but 3rd he's ok?

Ok I’ll simplify it for you. If we’re firmly in the mix for promotion  (not x amount of points off the play offs) people will more than likely put up with boring football. If we’re not, they wont.

8 minutes ago, Shrek said:

 

So if we are playing swashbuckling city style football th is ok next season?

 

Seems odd to nail top 3 down as a requirement if we are playing a more boring style*. Plays off / promotion push will be exciting whatever the style no?

 

 

*we won't. The adults have understood his recent comments re playing more as we go on.

Why is it odd? People can tolerate dull football if it brings success, but won’t if it doesn’t. A manager will get more leeway if his football is good to watch. I’m sure adults understand that, and a few kids too.

50 minutes ago, League one forever said:

 

Good post. 
 

Your fist line nails it. 
 

I think playing this way over the course of a season will have us challenging. Because we have enough individual quality to win games. Whilst being fairly tight at the back. 
 

But - like you say. 
 

Will fans be satisfied playing this way if we are challenging. . . I genuinely don’t think they will. (Remember Moore) 

 

I think to be unhappy with winning more than you lose in whatever way it comes is a very bizarre view. 
 

 

 

 

 

When Ronnie Moore was here we finished 10th, and we’re in the bottom half for a good while. We’re currently 16th. If you play boring football then there has to be success at the end of it.
Although 10th was a big improvement on the previous season when we stayed up on the last day, it was basically only a mid table finish which didn’t appease anybody.

if Unsworth has us in the top two or three next season playing like this he might win people over, but if not he’s no chance.

5 minutes ago, League one forever said:

 

He hasn’t tried ugly football against the better sides- it was only until Notts county at home that this attritional football started. (We drew that game) Before that he was doing every formation under the sun with a 3 and 5 in it. Granted we’ve have had a run against some of weaker sides, but does that not count. . ?? 

 

I’m not advocating for ugly football, but he isn’t good enough to do anything else- his record and tactics prior to new year proves that in my view. The board aren’t going to sack him for winning ugly, and nor should they. 
 

The question now is- will fans ‘put up’ with winning ugly- after one loss in eight it would appear not. 
 

It’s gone from

 

He needs to win games. (Which he has) 
 

To

 

Wining ugly is shit - he needs to win playing attractive football. 

It’s very harsh. 

 

 

The point is really, can we win, or seriously challenge for promotion playing like this, and if so, will the fans put up with it?

We’re all desperate for success so I’m guessing the answer would be yes. Skip forward a year and we’re top or near the top (hard to imagine I know) and I think the atmosphere would be different. The question is, is that possible playing so negatively, and can Unsworth deliver it if it is? Many believe the answer to be ‘no’ to both. We’ll find out though I’m sure, as I don’t think he’s going anywhere anytime soon.

I was happy enough with the result yesterday, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt so underwhelmed after a win.

Maidstone we’re awful, haven’t won in ages and a rightfully bottom of this shite league, yet we laboured to an unconvincing win, only sealed in the 93rd minute.

Their side looked like they’d been cobbled together in a car park on a Sunday morning. Some of them looked so out of condition I’d back myself against them in a fitness test and I’m 63 years old and last saw the inside of a gym when I did PE at school.

2 minutes ago, Littlemoor Lad said:

I think this of all game's, falls into the 'must win' category, for, as bad as they are, if we can't put these away at home, then, we'll be joining them in NLN next season.

Whether we end up in the National League North or not, I don’t think Maidstone will

2 hours ago, Lee Sinnott said:

The remit for this season has been to stay in the division. We are not in the bottom 4 and still have multiple games in hand on our rivals...

People always look on games in hand as a positive, but if we lose our game in hand over Gateshead on Tuesday, they’ll actually go above us and we’ll be back in the bottom four.

in our case games in hand could turn out to be a bad thing.