Next season's challengers

[Reg Martin]

Dagenham could be dark horses as they finished strongly last year after having a season of injury problems.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Bristol Rovers.

Good shout.My tip for Champions and if not certainties for promotion(obviously the kiss of death for them).:smiles:

 

[Mick]

The same way Crawley did

Re-investing the profits from a star player they developed is nothing like the way Crawley strengthened their team. Crawley were lucky enough to have a generous and honourable benefactor, now deceased, who rescued the club from the excesses and criminal activities of the Majeeds. His death left doubts about ownership and financial stability which remain. Crawley's council helped too, taking over and leasing the stadium.

 

[Mick]

Good shout.My tip for Champions and if not certainties for promotion(obviously the kiss of death for them).:smiles:

Well just 22 more to beat now !

 

[fredheim_holm]

It certainly looks a tough division this year. Now hoping even more we bring Eastwood in, it's going to be very competitive this year.

 

[Beefy]

Re-investing the profits from a star player they developed is nothing like the way Crawley strengthened their team. Crawley were lucky enough to have a generous and honourable benefactor, now deceased, who rescued the club from the excesses and criminal activities of the Majeeds. His death left doubts about ownership and financial stability which remain. Crawley's council helped too, taking over and leasing the stadium.

Fleetwood bankrolled themselves to the Conference title last year so it's not purely down to reinvesting the Vardy money. They'd signed Vardy for £150k last summer. They signed Andy Mangan for a six figure fee as well as a number of other players for "undisclosed" fees which bigger Conference sides couldn't afford to turn down.

All this on average gates which only crept into four figures four seasons ago and which only reached 2,200 in their record points-scoring season, which I think was lower than Crawley's the season below (but can't seem to be able to check that at the moment).

 

[Bromley Blue]

It certainly looks a tough division this year. Now hoping even more we bring Eastwood in, it's going to be very competitive this year.

To be honest we say that every year.

Last year there was a team that came down who you'd expect to challenge - Swindon. This year it might well be Chesterfield.
Last year there was a team which ripped through the Conference the previous season and had a bit of money behind them - Crawley. This year it could be Fleetwood.
Last year there was a team that missed on the automatics on the final day and then suffered heartbreak in the playoffs - Shrewsbury. This year that could be us.

My point is that yes there are some half decent squads assembling but some of these teams will massively underperform as if football was as predictable as it is on paper then it wouldn't attract the audiences it does.

We've got as much chance as anyone next year if we keep our best players and make a few decent signings.

 

[Blues 'n twos]

Top challenge this year......... HMRC, Sainsbury's and global economy.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Top challenge this year......... HMRC, Sainsbury's and global economy.

Thanks for bringing us back down to earth ....................:facepalm:

 

[palexander]

Fleetwood putting together a very tasty side for this level :'(

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Fleetwood putting together a very tasty side for this level :'(

I think that is the obvious conclusion from the activity that we are seeing ...... but there is normally one or more team that underperforms against expectations and I am wondering if they (Fleetwood) might be the team for this year ..........:unsure:

 

[Feathers]

To be honest we say that every year.

Last year there was a team that came down who you'd expect to challenge - Swindon. This year it might well be Chesterfield.
Last year there was a team which ripped through the Conference the previous season and had a bit of money behind them - Crawley. This year it could be Fleetwood.
Last year there was a team that missed on the automatics on the final day and then suffered heartbreak in the playoffs - Shrewsbury. This year that could be us.

My point is that yes there are some half decent squads assembling but some of these teams will massively underperform as if football was as predictable as it is on paper then it wouldn't attract the audiences it does.

We've got as much chance as anyone next year if we keep our best players and make a few decent signings.

Pretty much agree with this. I do not see the division as being any stronger next year and will be surprised if anyone will be as good as Swindon who played very good football last season for a League 2 team.

As well as Fleetwood and Chesterfield I think we will be challenging alongside Rotheram and Bristol Rovers (who finished well last year). I also think that Cheltenham, Oxford, Torquay and Northampton could be challenging for the play-offs, if not the top spots.