The season ahead

[gatecrasher]

Just taken some time to reflect on things having been watching the transfer activity of fellow teams in this division. Wrexham, Stockport, Chesterfield have all made some very big signings, are already established in this league and geared up to fight at the top. Add into the mix Notts County and Torquay and I can see this league being very daunting this season.

I think the players we have bought in are OK, but they all scream steady the ship rather than have a go at going up, at very best we will maybe make the fringes of the playoffs but I fully expect a solid mid table finish. As a fan that is disheartening to take but the triple relegation must be avoided until we can have funds put into the team to make us competitive ( God knows when that will be)

Anyone feeling more positive that we might be competing at the top?

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

• Mid-table.
• Don't get dragged into a relegation scrap.
• Make Roots Hall a fortress again
  
  

I'll be happy with that this season.

 

[Loan Shark Linda]

We still have three and a half weeks until the season starts and the transfer window doesn't close for non league teams so we have plenty of time to sign a couple more players. Then we might sneak into the playoffs

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Just taken some time to reflect on things having been watching the transfer activity of fellow teams in this division. Wrexham, Stockport, Chesterfield have all made some very big signings, are already established in this league and geared up to fight at the top. Add into the mix Notts County and Torquay and I can see this league being very daunting this season.

I think the players we have bought in are OK, but they all scream steady the ship rather than have a go at going up, at very best we will maybe make the fringes of the playoffs but I fully expect a solid mid table finish. As a fan that is disheartening to take but the triple relegation must be avoided until we can have funds put into the team to make us competitive ( God knows when that will be)

Anyone feeling more positive that we might be competing at the top?

I've seen nothing to suggest we'll be anywhere near 'the fringes of the play-offs', nothing at all unfortunately. Our biggest problem was scoring goals and we've not strengthened that at all, you could argue we're much weaker now with much less options. We don't have acquah, halford or goodship. I didn't rate any of them but still, we've lost three players and only replaced them with one, one who's injury prone as well.

I'm hoping we'll see more players coming in but nothing at all from what I've seen suggests this season is going to be anything but a struggle so far.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

• Mid-table.
• Don't get dragged into a relegation scrap.
• Make Roots Hall a fortress again
  

I'll be happy with that this season.

Realism right here!!!!!

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

we've not strengthened that at all, you could argue we're much weaker now with much less options. We don't have acquah, halford or goodship.

One could argue that getting rid of them strengthens the squad! Especially with adding Murphy!

 

[Smiffy]

This season for me is all about steadying the ship, getting the finances back in order and then perhaps having a go at getting out season after next, when every team maybe under a wage cap. If we can have a cup run (lol) and a flirt with the play-offs, I'd say that was a reasonably successful first season. Main thing is we don't have anymore embargoes and relegation battles.

We don't have the spending power of several other teams and nor would I want us to be trying to compete with them right now either in our precarious financial position. Stop the rot and rebuild properly.

 

[GBJ]

We’ve got a tough start to the season, that’s for sure.

First game: Kings Lynn.
They weren’t that good last season, but neither were we. Opening fixture of the season, against one of the big fish in the division, at home, with a decent sized crowd, it has all the hallmarks for an upset, right?

Second game: Stockport.
It’s never easy to play the division favourites & a ropey performance/result against Kings Lynn will make us even more nervous going into this one. Add to that, the Hall will likely be over half full at least, and fans will righty or wrongly be expectant. After-all, the last time some of us went to Roots Hall, we were playing Lg1 football against the likes of Ipswich, Sunderland & Pompey. If we get off to a shaky start, it won’t be long before fans frustrations are vented… again, righty or wrongly. Still, the game is on TV, and we usually play brilliantly when we’re on TV….don’t we? ?

Third up: Wealdstone.
Their small angry fan aside, I don’t know much about Wealdstone other than the fact they are located inside the M25, which is great for an away day, but probably only if you’re a season ticket holder as I can imagine tickets will be rarer than Warchests.

And wrapping up our opening four games: Wrexham.
Sometimes all that publicity and hype can be a bad thing. It may take them some time to settle into the season, and maybe we’re getting them at the right time. Or, maybe they’ll put 4-5 past us at a canter. Who knows.

All-in-all, I see it as a tough start to life in non-league really. 12 points would be great of course, but realistically we will probably have to settle for less. 5-6 points would be my guess.

These four games won’t make or break out season, but any less than that, and alarm bells might start ringing.

 

[tia]

I'd be happy with mid table maybe little higher build something solid to hopefully mount a promotion challenge next season and yeah although unlikely a cup run be great

 

[Strykr]

Ill only be happy with promotion back to the efl.

Will it happen? I sincerely doubt it as things stand.

I think PB is canny enough to keep us up. But i do wonder if he'll just get bored and walk away or not be supported enough by ron and walk away.

 

[JWShrimper]

I'm concerned about losing funding and potentially the academy, if we fail to return to the EFL quickly. I think the pressure needs to be on, it will be tough, more so based upon other team's recent signings/investment but ultimately, we can't keep settling for less and less.

 

[southendkid]

Can see us finishing 6th or 7th, a lot has been made of Wrexham and Stockport but ultimately they're only 2 sides, other clubs have to finish between them and 8th. Notts County and Chesterfield are probably better than us and we're probably similar to Grimsby and Torquay at the moment but who else is there that we on paper we shouldn't be better than?

 

[gatecrasher]

I'm concerned about losing funding and potentially the academy, if we fail to return to the EFL quickly. I think the pressure needs to be on, it will be tough, more so based upon other team's recent signings/investment but ultimately, we can't keep settling for less and less.

This is my real concern, the staying non league for a while is painful, but fine - the losing of something we have taken decades to build and has born tremendous fruits will be horrendous

 

[Ricky Otto]

• Mid-table.
• Don't get dragged into a relegation scrap.
• Make Roots Hall a fortress again
  

I'll be happy with that this season.

I think we'll be mid table too, but i'm not happy with that

 

[jimmy55]

I'm hoping we can compete for a play off spot. We desperately need a big target man who can boss these NL defenders. We also need a quality playmaker in the middle to help influence attacks. A big solid defender that can replace White if injured. ( Cordner was ready made, shame. ) Also a back up for Howard's position. Hopefully Arnold can do the job behind the sticks but I would get Idem in on loan. Not sure how far away we are from satisfying the above but I'm hoping we can get some of the wish list covered early season.

Hope us fans can get behind the team this season - the show must go on! UTB

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Firstly i am looking forward to seeing live footie hoping that my team are competitive and give me some enjoyment.After all we are supporting Southend United so expect nothing and hope for success.Its going to take a while for PB to make his mark on the new players and get them playing his way.Getting promotion would be fantastic achievement but i am realistic to know thats its going to be difficult we need to consolidate both on and off the pitch and success will follow.

 

[Fairport]

Although realistically it's hard to be over optimistic about the coming season. However, another SUFC, Sutton Utd did well on probably not a massive budget, I think they made some shrewd loan signings though.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

I am happy with not being out of the League cup by the middle of August like normal.

 

[overseas shrimper]

I am happy with not being out of the League cup by the middle of August like normal.

Well, we managed to be out of it as of May!

 

[sufc4life21]

My expectation are at this current present mid table but that could all change if brown gets 3/4 players in before ball kicked, and I might have few quid on us making the play offs.