Wholehearted promotion push

[londongull63]

I know it's been said so many times - persuade someone to go to Plainmoor - but I really hope tomorrow there really is a crowd boost to reward this astonishing run. The club's fortunes should be snowballing as by now we should be getting nearer 3,000 home fans which would make so much difference to finances that we could get the couple of loanees to finish the job and clinch promotion. We may not get in this position again for some time (our top players could be bought this summer), so it would be a shame not to give it 100% shot after losing Robbo and Bodin.
On January 1 our squad may have been as good as any for a top 3 place, but worryingly since then everyone else going for that finishing line has strengthened eg Oxford, who'd spent enough already, added to their squad in the transfer window and when they thought that wasn't enough since then they've got Kerrouche and now they've got a Southampton forward. Swindon added Ritchie for £200,000 and others, Shrews have a non-stop line of new loanees every time they think they need a bit of improving.
As we're now effectively on an equal footing with the other top 5 at the promotion start line, I don't want to settle for a play off place as that probably means missing out and who knows what next year. If we were getting bigger crowds at least it would be setting us up financially for next year, but we're not getting as much of an attendance boost as our successful past sides have got. Swindon, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Crawley would probably be challenging next year, but us I'm not so sure. I've heard Graham Turner has said this week that we won't last the pace, well the current squad may prove him wrong, but I'd just like another striker and maybe someone else to add that final push. Away I think we can expect draws at least and hope to keep pinching wins, but I think we need a little bit more to dominate teams and ensure home wins, particularly if either Atieno or Howe gets injured. The last 3 home wins were a bit close for comfort. We're so close now, the fans should get to Plainmoor and the job should get finished.

[yellowmonkey]

Delusions of grandeur my friend we are seriously weak up front. With Atieno away soon and Howe close to another suspension we seriously need another striker to contemplate a promotion push.

[hector]

The recent run has been fantastic. ML and his players and staff deserve tremendous credit for what they have done. Today was disappointing as Bradford were poor but that is by the by.

We have such an opportunity this season. I just fear that our squad is being spread too thin. The loss of Bodin, Robertson, Lathrope, and a dip in form for Howe, makes me wonder if we are in for a tough March.

Just a touch extra is all that is required. I just hope ML is supported to bring in a couple of extra players who are not benchwarmers like Aldred and macDonald but ones who will add something different to the team!!!

[Gullscorer]

Martin Ling will be bringing in a loan signing or two within the next 7-10 days..

It's in the stars..

[AustrianAndyGull]

Howe has really struggled for form since his return and Tai is not prolific enough for us to sustain an automatic push. My concern long before the Bradford game was that on occasions we needed more than a goal to win the game and without a regular goalscorer, our luck ran out on saturday. I don't quite understand why Ling hasn't chucked Nathan Craig into the thick of it, with our small squad and severely limited attack we may as well see what he can offer us. I hope Gullscorer is right and we have a new face or two shortly otherwise it's game over for the top three. I don't say that in a condemning manner but a realistic one. The firepower and resources of Swindon and Crawley will see them promoted and it's us or Shrewsbury, Cheltenham and Southend for the other IMO. As well as we have done, as it is we've no chance which is a crying shame because we have got into such an amazing and promising position totally unexpectedly and for our 'push' to fizzle out now would be such heartbreak. The play offs should be a certainty unless we have a massive collapse in form and that would be a superhuman achievement from Martin and the lads. We have shown that we can bounce back from defeat after a good run and go on another good run ( Accy away loss ) so i'm hoping the Bradford game fits this criteria but another defeat on saturday will have a few of us on edge no doubt. If it is to be another defeat then please don't come on here afterwards saying we were crap and Ling got things wrong! With the job he has done this season he could lose the next five and still be the King ( so long as we still get in the play offs!)

[Gullscorer]

Cheltenham, Brighton and Crawley are all beginning to drop points, not to mention ourselves and Shrewsbury. Swindon will undoubtedly be champions, but, with the possiblity of a loan signing, and as Martin Ling says, given a fair wind with injuries and suspensions, we have as good a chance as any to finish in the top three, never mind the play-offs.

[Southampton Gull]

Cheltenham, Brighton and Crawley are all beginning to drop points, not to mention ourselves and Shrewsbury. Swindon will undoubtedly be champions, but, with the possiblity of a loan signing, and as Martin Ling says, given a fair wind with injuries and suspensions, we have as good a chance as any to finish in the top three, never mind the play-offs.

Brighton?

[Gullscorer]

Brighton?

Sorry, I'm extremely tired..!! I meant, of course, the other seaside club. Er, Bournemouth? Margate? No, not Blackpool.. Got it: Brighton! No. Southend..!!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Cheltenham, Brighton and Crawley are all beginning to drop points, not to mention ourselves and Shrewsbury. Swindon will undoubtedly be champions, but, with the possiblity of a loan signing, and as Martin Ling says, given a fair wind with injuries and suspensions, we have as good a chance as any to finish in the top three, never mind the play-offs.

It's just over a week since Gullscorer posted this and at the time it was a very valid post, the Gillingham game has come and gone and Shrewsbury, Gillingham, Vale and Swindon have all picked up further points tonight. They say what a difference a week makes in football and if we suffer defeat on saturday to that shower of detritus ( as is more likely than not ) then this week could just be the one that kills off our dreams of an auto spot. I personally feel that defeat against Crawley followed by unfavourable results elsewhere will be too much for us. We all agree that the run of form that has got us into this position was quite unbelievable and we just kept digging in, riding our luck, nicking the odd goal out of nothing and it just carried on. Now it is over and without wanting to sound too much like Brucie, another similar run would be a footballing miracle. With Robbo gone, the odd injury and suspension popping up and a sterile attack, things have to click back into place very quickly or the top three could be out of sight come April.

I'm not moaning or complaining one bit. I never expected an automatic spot NOR a play off spot when the season kicked off and i have loved every minute of this season's journey ( apart from the 90 away at Bradford ). I suppose i am being negative but it's not intentional, i am just being realistic. If any of you out there are seriously considering us going up in the top three and you have no worries then hats off to you. I'll have whatever you've had, for me, considering the worst case scenario we could actually not even end up in the play offs. There is always a team that comes with a run and i feel that will be Gillingham, Vale are in the hunt and Oxford, Crawley, Southend, Shrewsbury, Swindon have bigger squads and can attract 'better' loanees if need be. In short, i am seriously concerned about losing our play off berth and i think Martin should address our lack of goals NOW. Failure to do this would show a chink in his armour and be a huge mistake which, for me, would slightly detract from the job he has done this season. He has managed every situation almost perfectly this season but the lack of a fresh attacking threat has been blatantly obvious for many, many months and needs to be addressed now. I hope Martin doesn't allow this inactivity to ruin what he has achieved thus far. Again, not having a pop i'm just telling it as i see it. Martin has done a phenomenal job this season and if he finishes outside the play offs then he will have exceeded my expectations by about 10 league places.

We need to be aware that whilst we can kick on again and challenge for the auto's, we can also endure a huge slump and drop out of the top 7. Whatever it is to be, it will certainly go to the wire which is why we love footy so much. Just get in a half decent striker Martin and we should be ok. Don't piss about getting trialists, just pay over the odds for a decent loanee for 2 months. There must be someone available?

[happytorq]

look at is this way; by all accounts Ling's first job was to steady the ship and do some consolidation. If we slide out of the playoffs now it'll be disappointing but we'd only only end up back where we were aiming in August. So in that respect it'd be an ok season.

Of course, that brilliant run encouraged us so much that any lapse in form is going to be upsetting,. but the way I look at it is that play-offs would be a huge bonus, and if we happen to find ourselves in league 1, then Ling will be a miracle worker. So I'm not really too worried about stuff.

Just please - let us beat Crawley.

[Gullscorer]

Look on the bright side. Teams around us (Swindon excepted) have also been dropping points. We certainly need that loan signing to strengthen the squad, and to score more goals. No reason then why we should not have another great run. Victories over Crawley, Swindon, Bristol Rovers and a few others would be very sweet..

[brucie]

We have no chance of an automatic promotion spot. You are not being realistic.

[Gullscorer]

What were the bookies' odds, before it happened, of David slaying Goliath?

[happytorq]

What were the bookies' odds, before it happened, of David slaying Goliath?

betting was suspended following suspicious betting patterns. There were rumours that Goliath might be stoned.

[Gullscorer]

betting was suspended following suspicious betting patterns. There were rumours that Goliath might be stoned.

And I believe they were planning to sling him out of the contest.. =D