Rival Watch

[3points]

Really not interested in us making any signings at all. If we lose someone impt then maybe but otherwise would be happy to see no movement at all

At a push an experienced back up for Smith and at a real push a left midfielder. Otherwise we’ve plenty of depth as it is

Carlisle rolling the dice a bit. Suppose they need to

RB is a bit vulnerable.

Lose Dean, Mola, Hutchinson and NGW for free and maybe Vickers plus maybe one of Holmes, McIntyre, Abbey, Bindon or Dorsett for good cash to bring in a decent RB, LB, DM & ST would probably be the perfect window for us.

Although the only even vaguely likely one is Vickers out.

I think Holmes will leave, assuming his "calf strain" isn't too severe

[WestYorksRoyal]

Exeter beat Carlisle and Cheltenham beat Pompey at home.

As many said at the time, that was a good point earned.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Exeter beat Carlisle and Cheltenham beat Pompey at home.

As many said at the time, that was a good point earned.

Indeed, local press also overstating the importance of today's games...if these were catch up games in April I'd get it but other sides' results are irrelevant with 20 games to go.

[Stranded]

Exeter beat Carlisle and Cheltenham beat Pompey at home.

As many said at the time, that was a good point earned.

Indeed, local press also overstating the importance of today's games...if these were catch up games in April I'd get it but other sides' results are irrelevant with 20 games to go.

Well quite. It would hardly be a shock if next weekend:

Reading beat Vale
Blackpool beat Exeter
Bolton beat Cheltenham

Then we are as you were this morning but everyone has played the same number of games.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Exeter beat Carlisle and Cheltenham beat Pompey at home.

As many said at the time, that was a good point earned.

Indeed, local press also overstating the importance of today's games...if these were catch up games in April I'd get it but other sides' results are irrelevant with 20 games to go.

Well quite. It would hardly be a shock if next weekend:

Reading beat Vale
Blackpool beat Exeter
Bolton beat Cheltenham

Then we are as you were this morning but everyone has played the same number of games.

What I would say is that there's a lot of fight down there. Obviously ourselves and Cheltenham are in good form, but that's also 7 from 4 for Exeter now. We need to be targeting the teams 6 or 7 points ahead of us as I wouldn’t be surprised to see 3 of the current bottom 5 survive

[Stranded]

Indeed, local press also overstating the importance of today's games...if these were catch up games in April I'd get it but other sides' results are irrelevant with 20 games to go.

Well quite. It would hardly be a shock if next weekend:

Reading beat Vale
Blackpool beat Exeter
Bolton beat Cheltenham

Then we are as you were this morning but everyone has played the same number of games.

What I would say is that there's a lot of fight down there. Obviously ourselves and Cheltenham are in good form, but that's also 7 from 4 for Exeter now. We need to be targeting the teams 6 or 7 points ahead of us as I wouldn’t be surprised to see 3 of the current bottom 5 survive

Over last 8 games Burton, Charlton, Wycombe, Cambridge & Lincoln are all going at 1 PPG or less. Those are the sides we need to look at reeling in. Wigan are only a tad better, 9pts from last 8.

[Snowflake Royal]

Cambridge have a couple in hand, and hopefully wiil pick up the points to steer clear as a result.

[tidus_mi2]

Oxford just had their #1 keeper recalled so they could sent him out on loan to Sheff Wed lulz, gutted lads.

[blythspartan]

Watching Wigan play United, I think they’ll cause us real problems out wide when we play them on 20th. At least United look good at League One level.

[Snowflake Royal]

Watching Wigan play United, I think they’ll cause us real problems out wide when we play them on 20th. At least United look good at League One level.

Almost everyone causes us problems out wide tbf.

[Hound]

Watching Wigan play United, I think they’ll cause us real problems out wide when we play them on 20th. At least United look good at League One level.

We only played them ourselves a couple of weeks ago

Don’t think they were much good

[Stranded]

Watching Wigan play United, I think they’ll cause us real problems out wide when we play them on 20th. At least United look good at League One level.

We only played them ourselves a couple of weeks ago

Don’t think they were much good

They were pants, doesn't mean they will be next week of course but long since learnt never to judge a side on a cup performance especially if they are playing a team from a higher division, always up their game.

[Hendo]

Watching Wigan play United, I think they’ll cause us real problems out wide when we play them on 20th. At least United look good at League One level.

We only played them ourselves a couple of weeks ago

Don’t think they were much good

They were pants, doesn't mean they will be next week of course but long since learnt never to judge a side on a cup performance especially if they are playing a team from a higher division, always up their game.

+1 to both Hound and Stranded.

They managed to fire a blank against a team who can't keep clean sheets.

[NathStPaul]

Wigan have a couple of nippy players out wide but they are up there with the poorer teams in League 1 for me. They certainly don't look great at the back, we have enough firepower to beat them imo.

[Brum Royal]

Worth a note to state that had we won through against Eastleigh we would be facing yet another cup draw against Manchester United in the 3rd/4th round what must be about the 5th time in the last 20 years

[WestYorksRoyal]

On the topic of relegation rivals, anybody know why 4 get relegated in L1? With Carlisle and Fleetwood looking the worst, that extra spot makes a big difference.

Whereas L2 get a great deal. Only 2 down and 4 up. Arguably easier to get out of than the NL.

[Clyde1998]

On the topic of relegation rivals, anybody know why 4 get relegated in L1? With Carlisle and Fleetwood looking the worst, that extra spot makes a big difference.

Whereas L2 get a great deal. Only 2 down and 4 up. Arguably easier to get out of than the NL.

I'm not sure; it's been four teams down from the third tier since a national division format was introduced in 1958-59.

There used to be two promotion and re-election spots in each of the regional third divisions - so perhaps it was some sort merger of that (there used to be four re-election spots in the fourth division after its creation as well). There's also a theory that there was a risk of the fourth division becoming too boring if it was the two up, two down which had been typical in the Football League up to that point - as most clubs would have nothing serious to play for from October onwards (play-offs and relegation to the Conference were introduced in the 80s, IIRC).

[Snowflake Royal]

For NL to FL I think it's because it's so hard historically for NL clubs to compete in the League, it would have just been the same clubs being relegated each season.


Something largely happening in the PL now.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I'd say it's changed a bit in recent seasons though in fairness, it seems to be a lot more teams are staying in L2 and progressing further rather than yo-yoing.

The likes of Wrexham, Stockport, Notts County have the financial advantage and others like Salford, Crawley, Fleetwood also had a helping hand through being bankrolled compared to the competition, but the likes of Sutton and Barrow have come and done well. Ok, the former in a bit of trouble now but they also seem to be in a bit of financial trouble.

I think a lot of NL outfits are more than capable of competing in L2, it's just a case of whether they can sustain in financially.

[From Despair To Where?]

Non league clubs had been pushing for an automatic promotion place for years but we're usually denied in the re-election days by the League clubs closing ranks.

The exceptions being clubs like Barrow and Workington as most clubs were happy to vote out an absolute ball ache of an away trip. Clubs like Hereford, Wimbledon and Wigan who entered the league in the 70s made a pretty decent go if being league clubs. It was only really In the early days of automatic promotion that some piss poor clubs got into the league on the back of fluking a decent season and the relegated club had a more than decent chance of bouncing straight back up (Lincoln, Colchester, Darlo, Carlisle and Hartlepool all did IIRC).

I think the balance is about right now with 2 up, 2 down, although there is a bit of a financial gap developing in the National League.