Longlostfan

51 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

can't see how any stats system can play any part whatsoever in failing to recruit for specific positions. No stats system tells anyone to sign half a dozen strikers but not to bother about a right back

This.

CEO is the senior operational manager. I'd expect him to constructively challenge his staff. Why do you want to do X?, what benefit does it bring? What does it cost?, what are the downsides?

I'd expect a degree of strategic workforce planning too. What formations/ style do we aspire to play?

How do the players we have fit in to that system?

Who is surplus?, who has potential to develop? How do we develop them?

What do we need to recruit?

It doesn't take a football genius to see we had an oversized and unbalanced squad.

Lets see who is on the books at the beginning of July before we get too excited about the third season of our non league apprenticeship.

43 minutes ago, Tractors Passing Through said:

a level of shock or upset that the club never really got over from then until end of season. 

I'm afraid it has echoed through the decades not just that season.

Those who remember are all getting on a bit now, I'm grateful for the memories of those times and impressed by the youngsters who have only seen decline who still turn out.

Maybe, just maybe things are on the turn.

Good luck in the top flight. I vaguely recall watching your European exploits back in the day- when TV football was a lot less prevalent than now. Be great to see you back there rather than the overpaid millionaire mercenaries.

19 minutes ago, BradKnowles1 said:

York have a more bloated squad than us. Recruited so poorly. 23 professionals even after their released players. Plenty of them were out on loan as well at places. 

TBH I didn't look too closely at the list of York names just the structure.

Counting names it is a bit of a muchness- 36 for us, 33 for them but as you say they still have 23 of them

Both squads size are an argument for quality over quantity

York list is better structured. But they don't have the bloated squad, bag of exiles, unwanted that we have under contract.

Leavers are clear to me- perhaps there will be some back pedaling on that if we clear out more on the on contract players.

There maybe conversations going on with some contracted players- find another club, you don't really figure.....- but I wouldn't expect to put that on the web.

Discreet back channel conversations with interested parties for contracted players might result in a few 'undisclosed' or a few outgoing loans with lower contributions from us.

Pasting 'we think player X is crap and he can do one at the earliest' isn't the way to go even though we think it.

9 minutes ago, oafcmetty said:

28,635! Impressive.

Think there were quite a few neutrals there.

How many on here were there? - I was for one.

Now the season has finished I'd expect it to take a few days to talk to the players individually.

We might not be happy with the effort or attitude of some (many?,all?) but a properly run club (which we aspire to be) surely would do them as 1:2:1

Some will be quite short -

'Thank you (maybe through gritted teeth) but we aren't going to offer you a new contract'

'Thank you but you don't figure in our plans so we plan to transfer list you/ you would be best served by finding another club'

Perhaps there is a longer conversation with one or two about a new contract.

Then a statement ' x has returned to their parent club, y has been released, z has been transfer listed' would suffice.

On 4/20/2024 at 12:28 PM, Dave_Og said:

Probably one or two clubs each season get a really lucrative replay

I don't think it is just about the really big payouts for a replay against an EPL side- though they are so big they distort the picture with clubs whose ambition is to get to round 3 for a payday.

There is a trickle down going on further down the pyramid too. That eighth tier side getting a share of a 5000 gate and some TV money for a first round replay could transform their prospects.

Add to the above some of my best memories are from replays. I'm against scrapping them.

Let's imagine Halifax scrape into the playoffs and do well

Are there any league regulations about quality of pitch that would be required?

My quick search of the EFL handbook only found items on size and that an artificial pitch needs to be removed before the first game of the season.

There were various items requiring formal league consent to use another ground- so IF the same applied in the National League that could contribute to the delay.

The EFL handbook also had a requirement that a club sharing a ground must have the ability to cancel any other activity within 48 hours of a game that might jeopardize the fixture. Wouldn't help with a weekend rugby game followed by a Wednesday but I thought it was an interesting provision.

wasted 10 games under Sheridan before DR brought Rhino in

wasted 10 games under Unsworth before DR changed it up

risk is we waste 10 under MM- unlikely to win the league with another 10 game handicap

not sure we have seen enough to say MM is the answer

on balance I'd go with him but he has to get it right over the summer- however limited the budget may turn out to be. We he/ the team cope with that expectation?

56 minutes ago, JoeP said:

we could even introduce no one knowing who they're going to play

we already have no one knowing when they are going to turn up and play

8 minutes ago, AndyB2 said:

So Sheron looks bad because of conlon and lundstrum rather than the other way around ? 

I'm not sure it as binary as that Andy.

Others have made the point that he can tackle but then doesn't do much with it.  More players showing for the ball would give him easier/ better options. If his pass completion rate was better would we think him such a liability?

16 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

 

You need your Mike Milligan to be of a certain standard to get anywhere. 
 

 

I think Milligan looked better than he was because of the players around him. In fact I  was disappointed when he was brought back.

All Milligan had to do was make a tackle and knock it 5 yards to either side of the pitch- 2 fast tricky wingers and two running fullbacks made him look like a match winner.

When Sheron wins a tackle where is his Holden, Adams or Barlow?

16 minutes ago, L1onheartNew said:

Chesterfield's 11 game losing sreak has begun...

all we need is to win every remaining game and we finish as champions 4 points clear

coyb

be happy for you to take 9/9

3 hours ago, nzlatic said:

The previous 32 games saw us play just 4 times. 
 

I know some of the football and effort levels have been dire but that seems a bit harsh

57 minutes ago, Monty Burns said:

is there any footage?

makes a cameo in the highlights of the facup 5th rd in 1977

link from lookerstandandy's thread of footage

Great player. Had a lot of power in his boots.

Seemed an old man to the young me but boy could he play.

As said above part of a gradual rebuild to better things.

RIP John

can't see them winning

BBC suggests they used one bottle over Christmas and New Year- lightweights

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-67891534

1 hour ago, Lee Sinnott said:

We need an upgrade..

maybe in time but it wouldn't be in my first 4 upgrades

19 minutes ago, Littlemoor Lad said:

Just need Alty to get pegged back and we're 5th

I'd be happy to see Barnet and Bromley drop points. We are close enough to Alty not to worry at this stage.

2/3rd gives an advantage and looks a stretch but...........

5 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

Bottom 2 usually in full blown crisis though

Think that is a fair observation Dave.

The bottom four maybe not full blown latics crisis but not sure any of them are healthy.

Don't know if anything is happening behind the scenes at FGR but they look on course for successive relegations

Sutton look like they have peaked

Rapid manager turnover at Colchester -You probably have more intel on what's happening there than I do

Hopefully Salford have peaked and we pass them on their way down

1 hour ago, Dave_Og said:

Is it an odd L2 this season - I'm not aware that either of the current bottom 2 could be described as being crisis clubs?

Not sure Dave,

4 possibly of the top 5 'recently' promoted? which supports the best of NL competes with L2 argument

3 of the bottom 4 I'd think of as non league teams punching above their weight (- but these things all hinge on when you started watching football.)

Colchester will be on their 8th manager in 3 years- that feels like an indicator of decline.

26 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

He's been out  a long time, but has special qualities we need.

I think it clear he has talent.

Start of September they said he would be out for six months.

Made his return on boxing day and did what 30 mins of normal time today.

We've had a lot of crocks nursed between games in recent times- I'd want to see him reestablished before I spent money on him.

EFL window about to open- I'd be happy for MM to use his contacts and bring a loan or two to the end of the season. We must look a better prospect for a loanee now than last year.

12 minutes ago, LaticsLegend said:

Would take a brave chairman to accept a bid for him.

Isn't there a takeover in the offing? Anything could happen.

Bit of a gamble though- the lad has had two cameo appearances since a major hamstring issue.

Finally we have someone scoring against a former club- rather than an ex scoring against us.

COYB