The great escape

[Wild Bill]

So after two must win games, we have only one point. Its easy to predict relegation at this stage but let's try and find some hope out of a difficult position. I actually think our squad is as strong as it ever has been. Perhaps with the new additions and a few matches we might get stronger in the last few games. Plus some games against mid table teams. Could three wins and a draw or two be enough? Let's keep fighting

[Potted Shrimp]

It is highly unlikely sadly.

It would take a huge turn around which is unlikely given the sides poor.

Our time in league one has boosted the club in terms of reputation and financially and the aim should be to stay in league two and not fall out of the Football League like so many relegated league one sides have in the past.

A 'Bay derby' against Barrow in front of fans will be something to look forward to.

[black morse]

So after two must win games, we have only one point. Its easy to predict relegation at this stage but let's try and find some hope out of a difficult position. I actually think our squad is as strong as it ever has been. Perhaps with the new additions and a few matches we might get stronger in the last few games. Plus some games against mid table teams. Could three wins and a draw or two be enough? Let's keep fighting

I don't think even that will be enough now. If we had won yesterday I would have agreed we could claw our way out of relegation but not now.

[Keith]

Could three wins and a draw or two be enough? Let's keep fighting

If one of those three wins comes next week v Milton Keynes then it MIGHT remain a possibility, but realistically, we needed to beat Cambridge and Oxford.

[jbc.shrimp]

Our biggest hope may be time. We have 8 games to play in 7 weeks, Accy have 10, they still have to win those to open that 2 point gap. The longer it takes them to play those games out, the more it may take a toll on their players. If we can beat M.K. on their own soil ? I remember Jimbo always saying 'I would rather have the points on the board than the games in hand'.

[Wild Bill]

I think the worst thing you can do is look too far into the future. MK away is a big opportunity for us. Let's see what we can get out of that and go from there.

[redrobo]

MK Dons have out played us on both occasions this season so it will take a master class in tactics by DA to achieve what on the face of it seems an impossible task. But we've been in this position before, however then we had an experienced midfield whereas now we have a midfield made up of basically young loanees not used to such pressure environments.

However we've got to remain positive and for those who go to support OUR team to give it all for the entire game even if we look to be heading for defeat.

Yesterday's backing in the last quarter was incredible with the entire home support in one voice.

[twosheds]

Nothing would please me more to see us have another season in League One with new owners at the helm to splash some much needed cash....but the evidence to date only seems to point in one direction...but miracles do happen...

Come what may I'll be renewing my season ticket...

COYS!!!

[Gone_Shrimping]

I saw on another site that at this date last year we had played 39 games and had 32 points.

So we have 2 more points and played 1 fewer games this season. We must have got 10 points from our last 7 games and we have to aim for that this season. 44 points may be enough but we must avoid any more drubbings as our goal difference is slightly better than Accrington.

[mrpotatohead]

Maybe going down would be a blessing long term, if we survive then it would be another season of struggling with Derek and perpetual whingeing from a vocal minority .
We wont even be a big fish in league 2, a reality check is needed, so a new owner, new manager with fresh ideas , and a season where we are looking up instead of down might be fun.

[Keith]

Maybe going down would be a blessing long term, if we survive then it would be another season of struggling with Derek and perpetual whingeing from a vocal minority.

We won't even be a big fish in league 2...

So we can either have a season of struggling in League One, or a season of struggling in League Two? I'll take a scabby escape and another season of struggling in League One!

[redrobo]

Maybe going down would be a blessing long term, if we survive then it would be another season of struggling with Derek and perpetual whingeing from a vocal minority .
We wont even be a big fish in league 2, a reality check is needed, so a new owner, new manager with fresh ideas , and a season where we are looking up instead of down might be fun.

Our future all hinges on a new owner providing a playing budget that is considerably greater than the current one.

If that happens then we could become a possible middle table club in EFL1 or a club in the top 8 in EFL2 looking for promotion to EFL1.

For me I'd prefer to be a middle table club in EFL1 with the possibility of causing a few shocks to those bigger clubs in our current league. We have shown this season on a small budget that we can cause problems. Imagine what we could do if the players were a quality above the current squad.

However it does look increasingly likely that EFL2 is our next port of call and if the budget is better than the current one then I can see no reason for us to be outside of the top 8 looking to get into a play off place.

Question is 'would our current support numbers remain'.... and that is something that we can't predict unless our new owner(s) continue wit the current season ticket offers. The greater support the greater the match day atmosphere as we witness v Oxford which was superb.

And then of course the question of do we stick with DA who is proven in EFL2 but struggles at times in EFL1.....

A new manager with a more attack based game would be ideal BUT DA is and has worked miracles on a small budget and does he deserves an opportunity to manage with a far greater budget....

Our new owner(s) talk of an improved budget....let's hope so IF it comes off. Maybe the new guy who was here on Saturday is the financial backer of our prospective owner. He certainly looked not short of a few pennies.....

[BerlinWaller]

Some fans have lost all sense of reality. We shouldn't be in League 1 at all on paper,.we are punching so high above our weight it is unreal. We have been to some grounds we would only have hoped to get to in the FA Cup and we have sold out our away end more times in the last two seasons than we had in the previous 100! We are getting gates of over 4k regulary with the Bartercard full all the time. If it is only 2 seasons in L1 it will be 2 seasons we could have only of dreamt about. These young lads kicking off will look back and thell tgeir kids about our 2 years in L1 just like my Dad told me about winning at Wembley. I can't get my head around how it has become so hostile and negative, it is really sad.

We have done this despite 2 managerial changes, the ownership/takeover and the budget problems. It hasn't been pretty at times but what a ride it has been. What should have been 2 years of unreal experiences is in danger of being looked at as a disaster.

[Andy D]

DA in his first season won a relegation battle against all odds.

DA in his second season won promotion against all odds.

DA then next day leaves to for Bradford after seeing the job through.

DA then returns in season three and wins another relegation battle after the previous manager tried playing fantasy football, we’d score three the other team scores four.

DA season four makes some great signings, then a week before the season starts the King of Merseyside puts it a transfer request(great timing) and goals are hard to come by.

my only question to DA is why didn't he do more to sign a strong target man to replace Cole Stockton who as only been playing half-hearted all season, especially in the recent window knowing we have no cutting edge in the final third of the pitch.

i think Derek deserves respect, although i think he will go this summer when his contract runs out, unless he gets backed.

[Little Shrimp]

Our future all hinges on a new owner providing a playing budget that is considerably greater than the current one.

Obviously the bigger the budget the better, but I don't think it necessarily needs a massive boost. It's not the lowest currently. A little massaging would help, but the main problem this season has been the mess of things that two different managers have tried to put together, with money being tied up in two year contracts etc. If we can have one manager stick around for a reasonable amount of time to build things, then that'd be incredibly helpful. This is the reason I'd be in favour of keeping Derek, regardless of what division we're in.

A new manager with a more attack based game would be ideal BUT DA is and has worked miracles on a small budget and does he deserves an opportunity to manage with a far greater budget....

Most chances created in L2 in our promotion season. Second highest total of goals for and against that season too. It's a myth that Derekball is some boring misery stuff. Low possession yes, but was only really for key games against promotion rivals that we fully parked the bus.

We have done this despite 2 managerial changes, the ownership/takeover and the budget problems.

This is key and I don't think enough people really acknowledge it. Compare ourselves to the other teams that went up with us, we've had a much tougher time of it.

I think we're now at a point where we need a miracle similar to last season to stay up. But, we've done it before!

[KenH]

my only question to DA is why didn't he do more to sign a strong target man to replace Cole Stockton who as only been playing half-hearted all season, especially in the recent window knowing we have no cutting edge in the final third of the pitch.

We did have Kieran Phillips who was very influential with our good games over Xmas/New year period and into the first week of 2023. Losing him to injury mid January was a big blow to the team and it wouldn't be easy for Derek to find a decent replacement in the middle of the transfer window. Then we brought in Mellon, who likewise is now out injured, outside the transfer window, so Derek's options are very limited, hence the free agent Niasse who will take a bit of time to bed in. We are still paying Dufus's wages and until January were paying for Ayunga too. Decent target men are in high demand and it must be difficult for Derek when he is limited by "one in one out" due to there being no flex in his player budget.

[KenH]

Maybe going down would be a blessing long term, if we survive then it would be another season of struggling with Derek and perpetual whingeing from a vocal minority .

Maybe not too bad if Derek can finally be clear of the players he inherited on long contracts, some of whom have been paid for doing nothing for months due to injuries or simply not being good enough for L1 or being out of form.

He's performed miracles three times now (avoiding relegation from L2, promotion to L1, avoiding relegation from L1), so I think he deserves the chance for a bit of continuity and being able to chose his own team. Even without an increase in player budget, he may do better just by getting the "dead wood" off the wage bill.

[BerlinWaller]

Maybe going down would be a blessing long term, if we survive then it would be another season of struggling with Derek and perpetual whingeing from a vocal minority .

Maybe not too bad if Derek can finally be clear of the players he inherited on long contracts, some of whom have been paid for doing nothing for months due to injuries or simply not being good enough for L1 or being out of form.

He's performed miracles three times now (avoiding relegation from L2, promotion to L1, avoiding relegation from L1), so I think he deserves the chance for a bit of continuity and being able to chose his own team. Even without an increase in player budget, he may do better just by getting the "dead wood" off the wage bill.

They were also on massive bonuses for staying up which came out of this seasons budget!

A minority have an agenda against Derek and when things are tough they ramp up the negativity. They won't admit it and dress it up as something else but they long for the days of their mate Jim. They miss the access and being in the know. This is why they turn on Dave Salmon who for me does a fantastic job but isn't part of the clique.

Derek is the King.

[Wild Bill]

I think the ownership debacle is really taking its toll on Derek and the players.

We can only speculate what has been going on behind the scenes but there will be massive uncertainty. A credible new owner and Derek could be out the door as they usually like to bring in their own man.

No new owner and we are left with no money and the sale still hanging over the club. Contracted players will likely be looking to get out.

Loanees may already be thinking about next season now and while they may relish a relegation scrap, they obviously aren't as fully invested.

Recent form has been poor, so confidence will be fragile. Derek has been critisied for not changing things but perhaps he sees game time for certain players as more important than a consolation goal when we have been losing badly.

Basically, its an all round tough task for Derek but he might just pull another rabbit out of the hat. Whatever happens, he wont get sacked before the end of the season, so lets just back him 100%.

[KenH]

Derek has been critisied for not changing things but perhaps he sees game time for certain players as more important than a consolation goal when we have been losing badly.

That's exactly what I thought about the Charlton game. 3-0 down at half time and it was game over. No point in Derek making subs because realistically, we were never going to equalise, let alone win. Perhaps he thought it more important to regard the second half more of a kind of practice/friendly match just for match fitness, trying to get the players to gel together better, etc. Also, maybe an instruction for the players not to try too hard to prevent them getting any more injuries!

Pretty sure Stockton ready to come on after half time (maybe Derek had told him that was the game plan), as he'd changed his socks when he was on the touchline warming up in the second half, but again, perhaps Derek didn't want to risk him getting another injury chasing a lost cause, so gave up on his subs plan and just didn't bother doing any.

The thing is, that we know Derek is a thinker and tactician, i.e. head over heart, so he'd have good reasons for doing what he does, even if to the average fan, they don't make sense. At the Oxford game, we were only 1-0 down and a point was there for the taking, hence him making 5 subs and flooding the pitch with fresh legs which worked.

[Keith]

A minority have an agenda against Derek and when things are tough they ramp up the negativity. They won't admit it and dress it up as something else but they long for the days of their mate Jim. They miss the access and being in the know. This is why they turn on Dave Salmon who for me does a fantastic job but isn't part of the clique.

Really? Or are you making stuff up again? Can you provide evidence that you are basing this on? When has Dave Salmon been 'turned on'?

[nobbyshrimp]

For those of us who are not in their prime & subsequently don’t remember Telford united being in the conference along side Morecambe spare a thought for them at this difficult time. As we ponder our league 1 survival and discuss what the future holds for our beloved club, poor old AFC Telford United who’s ground is almost identical to the Mazuma along with 1 open side are on the verge of relegation from the conference north to the northern or southern premier league. So when you think things are bad, and we are at our highest ever position along side teams such as Sheffield Wednesday & Derby, think where we could be

[BerlinWaller]

A minority have an agenda against Derek and when things are tough they ramp up the negativity. They won't admit it and dress it up as something else but they long for the days of their mate Jim. They miss the access and being in the know. This is why they turn on Dave Salmon who for me does a fantastic job but isn't part of the clique.

Really? Or are you making stuff up again? Can you provide evidence that you are basing this on? When has Dave Salmon been 'turned on'?

No need for me to provide any evidence, you and others do that for me with your constant pining for the good old days. Dave has had a lot of stick and has mentioned it himself on Twitter. I don't make things up so don't try and belittle me with that.

[BerlinWaller]

For those of us who are not in their prime & subsequently don’t remember Telford united being in the conference along side Morecambe spare a thought for them at this difficult time. As we ponder our league 1 survival and discuss what the future holds for our beloved club, poor old AFC Telford United who’s ground is almost identical to the Mazuma along with 1 open side are on the verge of relegation from the conference north to the northern or southern premier league. So when you think things are bad, and we are at our highest ever position along side teams such as Sheffield Wednesday & Derby, think where we could be

Good post Nobby. We nearly fell in to that black hole but then King Derek turned up and took us to unbelievable new heights. Dread to think where we would be without him.

[Keith]

Really? Or are you making stuff up again? Can you provide evidence that you are basing this on? When has Dave Salmon been 'turned on'?

No need for me to provide any evidence, you and others do that for me with your constant pining for the good old days. Dave has had a lot of stick and has mentioned it himself on Twitter. I don't make things up so don't try and belittle me with that.

No, you made the claim, YOU provide the. evidence. You point out where I'm 'constantly pining for the good old days' and YOU provide evidence that Dave Salmon has had lots of stick on here, or from people who regularly post on here.

You make crap up, constantly to stir the pot to create arguments rather than discussions about football, and as you admitted yourself, have "nothing positive to contribute".