Chances of promotion next season

[singe]

Clearly we are not mathematically safe but fairly secure. , but looking to next season obviously there are inevitably caveats. If we set up with a similar squad and play like this season we've no chance. You have to hope we can sign some better players, but how  many renew seasons tickets and debatably even if Unsworth is still in charge are other factors whether we have a better season, but as one of the top supported clubs we should be looking at play offs at least. Clearly there are some well drilled and well managed sides that can get results and punch above their weight but assuming we can get better players and the attendances hold up I thought I'd look who we are likely to be facing next year.

Likely promoted are Wrexham and Notts County as big hitters are likely out, and replaces by Dale and Hartlepool who are not as big. We can't be worried about Dale, surely.

Coming up, Fylde seem quite a tidy outfit. Should not outperform us over a season though. Kings Lynn or Chester on current set up could catch us out on an off day but again not trouble us over whole season

From the Southern side of things Ebbsfleet and Dartford are similar to Fydle, decent set up, deserve their place in the Conference but we should be more than a match over a season. Oxford City and maybe Chelmsford should not trouble us.

It's a weaker division.

 

Rochdale 
Hartlepool
Woking
Chesterfield
Barnet
Eastleigh
Boreham Wood
Solihull Moors
Bromley
Dag & Red
Wealdstone
Southend
Altrincham
Maidenhead
Oldham
FC Halifax
Aldershot
York City
Dorking
Yeovil
Gateshead or Yeovil
AFC Fylde
Kings Lynn poss Chester
Ebbslfeet
Dartford, maybe Oxford City or Chelmsford
 

[Flemboy]

Just look at the likes of Halfax who got 6 points off us.Very difficult  to get out but I always remain optimistic even with this manager in charge.

[yarddog73]

Even with Unsworth I think we'll be top 8 next season, even if they bin him I've no confidence they'd bring anyone better in.

 

Some of the footballing decisions haven't been the best for me and I think it's holding us back, why has all the money been spunked this season on transfer fees, loan fees and loan wages, even recently when we are safe we continue to fritter money away on a variety of sub standard players, consolidation means just that.

 

Given our budget and working on the proviso that Wrexham and County go up we really should be favourites with the biggest budget in the League but we'll probably still find a way to finish 15th making excuses for everybody along the way.

 

 

[Ritchierich]

This really is the problem, we haven’t even finished top half for 15 seasons so it is really hard to imagine an Oldham team challenging for promotion…it needs a complete change in mindset on and off the pitch

 

There are signs that it is happening but I find it hard to believe Unsworth will deliver what is required next season. The last three games kind of sums things up; telling us how brilliantly we played and yet we scored 2 goals and got 2 points …it’s like school sports these days….everyone gets a gold star wherever they finish

[Shrek]

Top 5 minimum. If we aren't on track for that the manager will be gone and someone else in his place.

 

I think we'll be top 3 myself. Quality right back, quality centre mid and a quality wide man. Done.

[TheBigDog]

33 minutes ago, Shrek said:

Top 5 minimum. If we aren't on track for that the manager will be gone and someone else in his place.

 

I think we'll be top 3 myself. Quality right back, quality centre mid and a quality wide man. Done.

And a couple of quality strikers …

[south east latic]

33 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

And a couple of quality strikers …

And a second quality winger and a centre half. Though I think we probably only need one quality striker as think Reid can play a part in a promotion team. 
 

I’d be comfortable having Norman, Kitching, Yarney, Sheron, Rooney and Reid as starters going into next season, leaving a RB, CB, LM, RM, ST (assuming 442 or a variation of). Players like Fondop, Nuttall, Green, Sutton, Shelton, Hogan would be good to have as squad players too. 
 

The good news is we’re potentially only a handful of players away from a competitive team at the top. The bad news is that handful have to be top quality for the level and a step up on a lot of what we’ve recruited this season. 

[deyres42]

1 hour ago, Shrek said:

Top 5 minimum. If we aren't on track for that the manager will be gone and someone else in his place.

 

I think we'll be top 3 myself. Quality right back, quality centre mid and a quality wide man. Done.

Any forwards with a chequered past need not apply

[AnthonyOAFC]

I think the fans that think we will "piss" the league next season need to have a serious rethink. It's a tough league. I do think our attacking recruitment has been quite poor though. It's hard to judge Sambou on a couple of games, I know. Abraham runs around a lot, but I've not really seen him do much. We pestered Nuttall to come here and we've not seen much from him. Fondop has been pretty good for us, but isn't favoured as a starter by DU and some of the fans. Reid looked ok, but has got injured. I think we'll finish in the top 8 next season, but I really can't see us going up. I hope I'm wrong.

[TheBigDog]

2 hours ago, AnthonyOAFC said:

I think the fans that think we will "piss" the league next season need to have a serious rethink. ….

 

I think we'll finish in the top 8 next season, but I really can't see us going up. I hope I'm wrong.

I will never understand why some feel the need to add the words “I hope I’m wrong” at the end of a post that expresses an opinion such as yours above.

 

This is your opinion - why not just leave it as that? 
 

* You can always admit that you got it wrong when HMS PissTheLeague docks in first place next season

[AnthonyOAFC]

3 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

I will never understand why some feel the need to add the words “I hope I’m wrong” at the end of a post that expresses an opinion such as yours above.

 

This is your opinion - why not just leave it as that? 
 

* You can always admit that you got it wrong when HMS PissTheLeague docks in first place next season

 

LOL. Understand what you mean. No idea why I ended it with that. 

[GKing521]

Promotion next season? Not a chance. We may flirt with the play offs but I don’t see us possessing the mentality to win a play off campaign.

 

 

[League one forever]

The second half of this season demonstrates that Rhinoball will get us into the playoffs over the course of a full season- and I’d accept that for his second season in charge. If however he is bottom half again by Christmas he has to go. 
 

Oh, and one other point - while some new players will help with better results, please can we stop this myth that with better players we’ll suddenly mean we play attractive football.
 

We won’t. 

 

It’s turgid and effective under Rhino, and always will be. 
 

 

[League one forever]

2 minutes ago, GKing521 said:

Promotion next season? Not a chance. We may flirt with the play offs but I don’t see us possessing the mentality to win a play off campaign.

 

 

Aye. 

That’s my instinct as well. 
 

Unsworth’s must not lose will get results, but i don’t think he has it in him to take a game to someone under pressure. He’ll just revert to type. 

[yarddog73]

4 minutes ago, League one forever said:

The second half of this season demonstrates that Rhinoball will get us into the playoffs over the course of a full season- and I’d accept that for his second season in charge. If however he is bottom half again by Christmas he has to go. 
 

Oh, and one other point - while some new players will help with better results, please can we stop this myth that with better players we’ll suddenly mean we play attractive football.
 

We won’t. 

 

It’s turgid and effective under Rhino, and always will be. 
 

 

Can we also do away with the myth the replacing Unsworth could be a bad thing because it's something that hasn't worked before, it didn't work before because we've been run by a selection of inadequates who sacked many a manager if nothing else to deflect blame, I know we want some stability and consistency but if that involves watching consistently shit football and mid table finishes it sort of defeats the objective of moving the club forward.

[League one forever]

Just now, yarddog73 said:

Can we also do away with the myth the replacing Unsworth could be a bad thing because it's something that hasn't worked before, it didn't work before because we've been run by a selection of inadequates who sacked many a manager if nothing else to deflect blame, I know we want some stability and consistency but if that involves watching consistently shit football and mid table finishes it sort of defeats the objective of moving the club forward.

Totally agree. 
 

I’ve never liked the idea of writing this season off as period of transition because it makes our football club some sort of training camp for Unsworth to learn- instead of the harsh reality of football- which is results. The only bad legacy he has had to deal with is poor players, which the club very quickly rectified with lots of signings. He has only known great owners, and great backing. That’s a simple fact. That being said, he has picked up since Christmas, and I’m inclined to say- ok, this season has gone let’s kick on. But next season there is absolutely no excuses. 

 

If next season his turgid style wins games then I’m fine with that. 
 

If it’s turgid and 14th again- he has to go. 

[BP1960]

4 hours ago, south east latic said:

And a second quality winger and a centre half. Though I think we probably only need one quality striker as think Reid can play a part in a promotion team. 
 

I’d be comfortable having Norman, Kitching, Yarney, Sheron, Rooney and Reid as starters going into next season, leaving a RB, CB, LM, RM, ST (assuming 442 or a variation of). Players like Fondop, Nuttall, Green, Sutton, Shelton, Hogan would be good to have as squad players too. 
 

The good news is we’re potentially only a handful of players away from a competitive team at the top. The bad news is that handful have to be top quality for the level and a step up on a lot of what we’ve recruited this season. 

 

Green could be good if he got the constant supply like Saka did for England.

I noticed against Solihull he was often left isolated and that's poor.

Give him the ball and let him create and score goals is what we need to do.

[Lee Sinnott]

23 minutes ago, League one forever said:

The second half of this season demonstrates that Rhinoball will get us into the playoffs over the course of a full season- and I’d accept that for his second season in charge. If however he is bottom half again by Christmas he has to go. 
 

Oh, and one other point - while some new players will help with better results, please can we stop this myth that with better players we’ll suddenly mean we play attractive football.
 

We won’t. 

 

It’s turgid and effective under Rhino, and always will be. 
 

 

If my stats are right, then we are 10th in the form table since the Boxing Day match. 10th won't get you in the playoffs...

[Shrek]

8 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

If my stats are right, then we are 10th in the form table since the Boxing Day match. 10th won't get you in the playoffs...

It'd definitely get Unsworth the sack.

[League one forever]

13 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

If my stats are right, then we are 10th in the form table since the Boxing Day match. 10th won't get you in the playoffs...

Ah, fair enough. 
 

So he needs a bigger improvement then. . 

[philwhite]

I think once we get rid of Wrexham and Notts County this division will be a lot easier next season. Personally from what I’ve seen this season most of the the other teams are no better than us and we’ve been poor in a lot of matches. With a bit of improvement next season I’d like to think we will get in the playoffs. 
What I would like to see though is us play more attacking football. 

[kowenicki]

Champions!  

[GlossopLatic]

Top7 is achievable. Promotion itself will be alot harder due to the 2 going up rule. For that reason I won't see not going up as failure, but not getting into the top 7 is a dissapointment. 

 

I think we will see a better team as their will be plenty of players available who will be willing to come to us and play for us. I don't think we will see a huge change in style, I'm not bothered about that. What I think we will see is a team that executes the desired style better and will win more games. The most entertaining thing we can do is win regularly and challenge for promotion. The way we do it doesn't matter.

 

Expectation levels are starting to rise and while we should be one of the big hitters that will come with its own problems. Teams could come here stick men behind the ball and frustrate the team and frustrate the crowd so they get on the teams backs. That will be a common teamtalk next season if we are challenging for promotion.

 

Knowone in this league gives a shit about the fact we were good 30 years ago we are going to have to fight hard to get out of this division.

 

The other thing I hope is that the management are paying attention to any players downing tools right now just because we are highly likely to be safe. They need to be out the door in the summer. You can't have players that only turn up when they feel like it. You want promotion you need the whole team turning up every week. 

 

Having said all that the fact we might be seeing the first Oldham side to be challenging for a promotion out of any league for the first time in a decade and a half is something to look forward too. So while Im sure plenty their will be moaning and groaning next season and a few social media hysterics. I'm optimistic. Let's not forget how far we've come in the last 9 months.

[peanuts2]

Anyone that thinks we will be favourites need to give there head a wobble who ever doesent go up from chesterfield and notts will fill that slot .if hartlepool come down they will be up there remember they have been here before recently so know the script solihull will be strong again and you cant rule out big spending fylde .having said that anything outside of a top seven finnish would be a major disapointment think we are where we were summer 1989 under royle the makings of a good squad just need those little bits of quality to complete the jigsaw

[Dave_Og]

13 minutes ago, peanuts2 said:

Anyone that thinks we will be favourites need to give there head a wobble who ever doesent go up from chesterfield and notts will fill that slot .if hartlepool come down they will be up there remember they have been here before recently so know the script solihull will be strong again and you cant rule out big spending fylde .having said that anything outside of a top seven finnish would be a major disapointment think we are where we were summer 1989 under royle the makings of a good squad just need those little bits of quality to complete the jigsaw

Why are Chesterfield so feared? They're level on points with Woking