We can't go down - `You cannot be serious' !!!

[Ned]

For those posters on this forum who keep insisting that we can’t go down because of the points penalties on Luton and Bournemouth may want to recall its’ only a couple of years ago when Macclesfield were so far adrift that everyone said there was no way they could stay up!
Hopefully we will survive but the complacency displayed by people like Keith is scary especially as it is in direct contrast to the manager’s stance. Others too are highlighting specific fixtures as bankers to provide us with sufficient points and as we are not under pressure suggest we use the remaining fixtures to try reserves/youngsters etc.!!! The manager recognises the team is involved in a fight to survive (poss his fault) and he is rightly concerned that he has to rely on the current players who have one of the worst away records, are one of the lowest scorers and unable to produce decent performances on a consistent basis. The manager is right to be concerned as these are all the ingredients for disaster and having emphasised that players determine results more than playing systems he is slowly starting to accept that consistency (which we don't have) is a key factor in separating success from failure.

Consider this – Up to the Stanley fixture their supporters have been continually talking about the possibility of going down and have been looking over their shoulder at Bournemouth whilst many of our supporters have persevered with `we are safe’. Now Stanley supporters are entitled to think that whatever happens Morecambe are worse than us and are under more threat than them. Interesting too that following the transfer embargo on us Bournemouth have now included us in their list of teams which will help them get out of jail i.e. they predict that at least one team from Grimsby, Barnet, Chester, Accrington and Morecambe are going to nose dive in the second half of the season and go down with Luton. Are you listening Keith?

[Posh]

League 2 - Relegation odds

Luton Town 1/14
Bournemouth 10/11
Barnet 11/5
Grimsby Town 9/2
Chester City 13/2
Accrington Stanley 11/1
Port Vale 18/1
Rotherham Utd 28/1
Morecambe 33/1

Personally I tend to go with the bookies over a s***-stirring trojan-horse Lancaster City-supporting troll any day of the week.

[sgt major]

You cant argue with bookies odds - but when have bookies ever managed a football team?

Anyway up until Tuesday there were still 60 points to play for, perhaps less for some teams, every draw or loss for Luton and Bournemouth makes their predicament even worse. It would be better to be winning our way out of the situation rather than looking over our shoulders. I expect to see a lot more application on Saturday.

[Freez]

We're all doomed!!!!

[durhamshrimp]

Personally I tend to go with the bookies over a s***-stirring trojan-horse Lancaster City-supporting troll any day of the week.

Personally I think that's a very kind and restrained description.

[durhamshrimp]

The thing about Ned's posts is that, whether or not we agree a disagree with the content, the tone and pomposity of them shows us that the guy is an arrogant prick. Fact.

[slackAlice]

Well I wouldn't take much comfort from bookies odds. Listening to Sammy's interview [Bay radio] and reading between the lines; the very thought of being in danger of the 'drop' must have him waking up in a cold sweat. However slim the chances are, imagine being a fan, player, manager of the team who was relegated in the season you had a 15 point head start over 2 teams and a 30 point one over another. Luton have had it , but I think Sammy's guarding against any complacency. The man said so himself 'We'll have to fight to stay in this league" - he still sounded in a state of shock from the Accy game -'We didn't turn up'; 'We didn't close down' ; 'We didn't want it enough' .

I would'nt want it to come down to the last few matches and neither would anybody else. Its all very well talking about the new ground and 'new revenue streams' and 'banqueting facilities' . You don't want to be there with a crowd of 800 playing Woking wondering where it all went wrong 'Team wise'. It was nice to hear him apologise to the fans who showed up though - I mean its always our decision to stand in the rain for 2 hours and pay silly prices -but it was nice to hear that. It was the first time my lad said those dreaded words before the final whistle "Can we go home Dad ?" ; "No , said I ; we'll see it out now". Even he managed to put his finger on the problem Tuesday night "There just not trying Dad".

[P/T Indie]

It was nice to hear him apologise to the fans who showed up though - I mean its always our decision to stand in the rain for 2 hours and pay silly prices -but it was nice to hear that. It was the first time my lad said those dreaded words before the final whistle "Can we go home Dad ?" ; "No , said I ; we'll see it out now". Even he managed to put his finger on the problem Tuesday night "There just not trying Dad".[/quote]


They should pin that quote up in the dressing room slack alice.

The thing is I bet your lad will now find it hard to get excited about going on Saturday and wont have the same enthusiasm.

[shrimper]

Ned's right it IS a dangerous game for anyone to assume they can't be relegated while it's still mathematically possible. Quite a few teams have suffered from that delusion.

But 33/1 IS about right.

If you disagree, Ned, I'd suggest you get a wager on - imagine, the self-satisfaction of being right all along combined with a nice touch from the bookies!

This kind of talk always comes (not just from Ned) after a very poor performance. You just can't see where the next win is coming from, or goal for that matter.

But anyone who's watched football (and Morecambe) for any length of time knows that you can't judge a whole season on individual games. Just like the win at Chesterfield, or the slaughter of Macclesfield didn't necessarily mean we were capable of moving up towards the play-offs.

We are where we should be and I believe we'll stay there or thereabouts.

We are, though, looking forward to some new income streams which everyone at board level has said will help us progress.

If the board don't find a way to strengthen the squad in the close season (or if they provide the funds and Sammy can't improve the playing staff) then criticism will be quite justified.

But I say again, if anyone can come up with a really good reason why we 'should' be doing significantly better than we currently are, I'd like to hear it.

(It WOULD be nice to hear from you occasionally after a good win, though, Ned).

[ezz]

All i know is last time the lads knwe they were safe we only won about 2 games in 20. (last season after christmas) If we replicate that sort of form it could be worrying but i think we'll be ok for this season.

[wonder shrimp]

All i know is last time the lads knwe they were safe we only won about 2 games in 20. (last season after christmas) If we replicate that sort of form it could be worrying but i think we'll be ok for this season.

a quick glance at last seasons results (which i remember were pretty grim!) but not as bas as ezz remembers...

last 20 league game (W4 D 6 L10 P18)

if we replicate that (frankly abysmal) form in our remaining 20 games we will finish with 46 points, which would have been just enough to keep us up last season, and will definitely be enough this season with the deductions.

and to be fair i don't think we're asking for too much to hope for an improvement on that form!

[Ned]

(It WOULD be nice to hear from you occasionally after a good win, though, Ned).[/quote]

Fair point and I must make the effort. However my mindset is that I am more than happy to support the team and accept their realistic limitations without posting on the forum. Unfortunately when something goes badly wrong with the team that threatens the status quo then my single brain cell goes into meltdown and I feel obliged to challenge the issue to ensure that pressure is kept on to rectify the problem.
People say a good player does not become a bad player overnight - Wrong! because in many instances they do.
People say booing does not achieve anything - Wrong! in some cases it can send a clear intensified message to the individual or the manager that the product is not acceptable. Players and managers accept written criticism as part of their job and don't feel that threatened but when supporters start booing then is the time for the individuals to take stock.

[Christies Child]

(It WOULD be nice to hear from you occasionally after a good win, though, Ned).

Fair point and I must make the effort. However my mindset is that I am more than happy to support the team and accept their realistic limitations without posting on the forum. Unfortunately when something goes badly wrong with the team that threatens the status quo then my single brain cell goes into meltdown and I feel obliged to challenge the issue to ensure that pressure is kept on to rectify the problem.
People say a good player does not become a bad player overnight - Wrong! because in many instances they do.
People say booing does not achieve anything - Wrong! in some cases it can send a clear intensified message to the individual or the manager that the product is not acceptable. Players and managers accept written criticism as part of their job and don't feel that threatened but when supporters start booing then is the time for the individuals to take stock.[/quote]

..so if we start booing you.....

[Howe Magic]

i know some people on here say stats only tell the story you want them to say but here is another one....luton started on minus 30 so after playing 27 games they have only made up 4 points on us - bournemouth started on minus 17 so after playing 27 games they have made 0 points up on us (I know which team i would rather be at the moment and its not them two - the other team i would be a bit worried about it chester they are also under an embargo and with players getting sent off on a regular basis they could get sucked into problems)...

[Keith]

As Ned chose to patronise me twice in his post, firstly, I'm pretty sure the players and management don't give a rat's arse what I think! I know I'm not actually that important... perhaps others may wish to examine their own self importance???

Anyway, obviously you will take the advice given earlier and place a huge wedge of cash on the bookies to clear up on those incredible odds? You could be a real smart arse by scanning the betting slip and posting it here so that we can all share in your delight at us being relegated.

So, I'll type this slowly Ned, so you can keep up. I will assume that you aren't suggesting that Luton can catch us? They narrowed the gap by four points in the first half of the season, so another 26 points in the second half is stretching it a bit, even by your negative standards. So, can Bournmouth catch us? Well, they were 17 points behind us at the start of the season. They are now...

17 points behind us!
(and we've got a game in hand)

So, they haven't closed the gap by a solitary point in the first 27 games but you think they will close the gap by 17 points in the final 19 games?

Their form is going to dramatically change from worse than ours to runner up standard?

Okay, I now understand (I don't, obviously, but I'll let him carry on with his delusional ideas)

So,are you listening Ned? I have never said we're "safe" but I very much believe that we won't go down and that now is a good time to give the existing players a good run rather than 'panic buy' during this window. I do believe that there will be more players available in the summer and that due to the economic situation, many of them will be demanding less wages to secure their contract. Therefore, over all I believe that we will still be in this league next season and should therefore be planning for next season and playing positively for the rest of the season.

(It WOULD be nice to hear from you occasionally after a good win, though, Ned).

Ned post after a good win? Now you cannot be serious!!!


*Typed most of this, then took a telephone call... came back and found others had posted. Sod it, I've typed it, I'll post it!

[Howe Magic]

totally agree with you keith....and i think what people are forgetting the teams below us need to get points with out us getting any points which is not going to happen...(Our home form is good enough on its own for us to survive - last 10 home games won 4 drawn 5 lost 1 fact...not just a stat

[Ned]

Anyway, obviously you will take the advice given earlier and place a huge wedge of cash on the bookies to clear up on those incredible odds? You could be a real smart arse by scanning the betting slip and posting it here so that we can all share in your delight at us being relegated.

You sir have a serious problem if you think I would delight in the club who I have supported far longer than yourself to be relegated and any continued inference of this will be to your disadvantage. I also note when challenged on your views you regularly endevour to deflect criticism onto the challenger with a clever use of metaphors with specific phrases for maximum effect and sometimes you step over the line. Of course this arrogance impresses your primary level chums and probably puts the wind up posters like CC but thats about all.
Have a nice day.

[Gnasher]

any continued inference of this will be to your disadvantage

What would you do? Frogmarch him down the street to your club buddies and have them revoke his lifetime ticket?

[Mark S]

It does sound like a threat of some kind to me.

Robert, the gleeful way you continue to pour your negative scorn and predict the downfall of our club, would make anyone question whether you are a supporter or not. You have a history of forecasting doom and gloom, especially during our promotion winning season. this is why most people on here do not take you seriously or give you the respect you would seem to crave.

This is just an observation from someone who does not take anything on here without a large pinch of salt. You provoked Keith purposely and would have no doubt expected a reaction. Why feign indignation?

[ezz]

All i know is last time the lads knwe they were safe we only won about 2 games in 20. (last season after christmas) If we replicate that sort of form it could be worrying but i think we'll be ok for this season.

a quick glance at last seasons results (which i remember were pretty grim!) but not as bas as ezz remembers...
last 20 league game (W4 D 6 L10 P18)

if we replicate that (frankly abysmal) form in our remaining 20 games we will finish with 46 points, which would have been just enough to keep us up last season, and will definitely be enough this season with the deductions.

and to be fair i don't think we're asking for too much to hope for an improvement on that form!

I was only 2 off

[durhamshrimp]

People are still indulging this BLEEPing BLEEP in serious debate. TROLL was the word.

[Keith]

Hopefully we will survive but the complacency displayed by people like Keith is scary...

Others too are highlighting specific fixtures as bankers to provide us with sufficient points and as we are not under pressure suggest we use the remaining fixtures to try reserves/youngsters etc.!!!

The manager recognises the team is involved in a fight to survive...

he is rightly concerned that he has to rely on the current players...

The manager is right to be concerned as these are all the ingredients for disaster...

Consider this – Up to the Stanley fixture their supporters have been continually talking about the possibility of going down and have been looking over their shoulder at Bournemouth whilst many of our supporters have persevered with `we are safe’. Now Stanley supporters are entitled to think that whatever happens Morecambe are worse than us and are under more threat than them. Interesting too that following the transfer embargo on us Bournemouth have now included us in their list of teams which will help them get out of jail i.e. they predict that at least one team from Grimsby, Barnet, Chester, Accrington and Morecambe are going to nose dive in the second half of the season and go down with Luton.

Are you listening Keith?

Ned! Neddy??? Where are you Ned? I want to hear what you think about tonight's game! Come on NED!!!

Come on Ned, what's your thoughts on us being 14 points off the play offs and 20 points off relegation?

Come on Ned! Don't be complacent now...

[Harry]

Let's calm it down for a minute. We're only 7 games off relegation, assuming every team below us wins 7 and we lose 7 in a row.

These are testing times.

[ezz]

Ned must be working tonight

[Crooky MFC]

We are 2 places of the top half of the table. In our last 4 games we have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 1. With the team we have we aint doing too bad. Its the performances which has been dissapointing, but Tonight was fantastic