next year?
next year?
Will we win the league or will we start off like this season and not make it
Time will tell.
We'll probably be one of the favourites to go up, but I expect Luton and whoever loses the play-off final will start ahead of us in the odds. And that's no bad thing.
Luton will certainly be one of the challengers, as will whichever of Torquay or Cambridge (or both) don't go up. I suspect Wrexham and Mansfield will regroup over the summer and should pose more of a threat than they did this season, and usually one of the promoted teams will cause a surprise (my money is on Telford if they go up, although I'd like to see Wimbledon do well).
We'll probably be one of the favourites to go up, but I expect Luton and whoever loses the play-off final will start ahead of us in the odds. And that's no bad thing.
Luton will certainly be one of the challengers, as will whichever of Torquay or Cambridge (or both) don't go up. I suspect Wrexham and Mansfield will regroup over the summer and should pose more of a threat than they did this season, and usually one of the promoted teams will cause a surprise (my money is on Telford if they go up, although I'd like to see Wimbledon do well).
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/non ... ext-season
The bookies currently have Luton at 9-2 and Chester 12-1 for the title next season. Over the last three seasons we’ve been 6-1, 7-1 then 8-1 for the top spot. As bigger teams (my definition being those with average attendances greater than 2,000) have joined the Conference the odds seem to get longer each year so I’d say we’re going to be around 10-1 by July. Another factor that is not in our favour is the fact that we get few off-the-field financial benefits and lose the first 1,000 paying customers to Firoka each game.
One of the unfortunate things about this division is that the big clubs don’t seem to get promoted or relegated since we’ve been in it (Exeter excepted) so the number of big fish swimming in this pool is increasing.
As for Telford, then although it would be a good away day out I’d rather we didn’t have yet another competitor well capable of pulling in home crowds of 4,000!
The bookies currently have Luton at 9-2 and Chester 12-1 for the title next season. Over the last three seasons we’ve been 6-1, 7-1 then 8-1 for the top spot. As bigger teams (my definition being those with average attendances greater than 2,000) have joined the Conference the odds seem to get longer each year so I’d say we’re going to be around 10-1 by July. Another factor that is not in our favour is the fact that we get few off-the-field financial benefits and lose the first 1,000 paying customers to Firoka each game.
One of the unfortunate things about this division is that the big clubs don’t seem to get promoted or relegated since we’ve been in it (Exeter excepted) so the number of big fish swimming in this pool is increasing.
As for Telford, then although it would be a good away day out I’d rather we didn’t have yet another competitor well capable of pulling in home crowds of 4,000!
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Matt D
- Middle-Aged Spread
- Posts: 1436
- Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 10:45 pm
- Location: Stayed at the Manor.
going purely on gut feeling, i'm most worried about wimbledon.
otherwise, i've given up trying to predict this league. the teams that come down will be strong, but not usually strong enough to totally dominate, just to have a say. teams that come up either have a lot of momentum or really struggle. everyone else - pft, the previous season's form seems no reliable guide to me.
otherwise, i've given up trying to predict this league. the teams that come down will be strong, but not usually strong enough to totally dominate, just to have a say. teams that come up either have a lot of momentum or really struggle. everyone else - pft, the previous season's form seems no reliable guide to me.
Re:
I meant relatively (ie don't go back down), and obviously not at our expense."Mally" wrote:I hope those words don't come back to haunt you. I'm going to bookmark this thread to make sure that they do if things go that way"boris" wrote:......although I'd like to see Wimbledon do well).
I can't see Chester doing much next season. After all, they're managed by Mark Wright. Luton I think may struggle to adapt, although I'd be surprised if they're not competing for at least a play-off spot come next March/April. I think Telford could be a threat if they come up, but given a choice between the Conf North lot, my preference would be for Alfreton (new ground, relatively close, bit tinpot, and less likely to do well). From the South, Hampton is close and will struggle, Eastleigh ditto, Hayes might do okay without threatening, but Chelmsford could do a Kettering.
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Ascension Ox
- Middle-Aged Spread
- Posts: 1044
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:28 am
Re:
I,m not. They are still part-time and not particularly strong financially. I've seen Hampton a couple of times this season and if they're close runner ups to Wimbledon , then we have nothing at all to fear."Matt D" wrote:going purely on gut feeling, i'm most worried about wimbledon.
otherwise, i've given up trying to predict this league. the teams that come down will be strong, but not usually strong enough to totally dominate, just to have a say. teams that come up either have a lot of momentum or really struggle. everyone else - pft, the previous season's form seems no reliable guide to me.
I reckon Stevenage will win the playoffs. Our old 'friends' Torquay and Cambridge will therefore be threats. Luton , Wrexham, Kidderminster will all be up there.
Relax though, we'll cream this league next season.
I’m not worried about Wimbledon at all. I’m genuinely inspired by their phoenix-like recovery from the most terrible administrative mistake ever made in the modern day UK football set-up, but they started as a local park club and today they are just a local park club made good.
The reason I’m not worried is that we also started as a local park club, but many years earlier than Them, and just because they are on a roll and we have finished in our 2nd lowest league position since 1959 it doesn’t mean we are anywhere near equals.
I predict they will finish 11th, and we will show how tinpot they still are when they have to accommodate the hordes of Oxford United supporters in their Cup Final at Kingsmeadow (ahem, sponsored by Cherry Red Records).
MK Dons they are not..
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When I tried to get hold of those two new Oxford United books I got an email back saying no delivery until October. What’s that all about?
The reason I’m not worried is that we also started as a local park club, but many years earlier than Them, and just because they are on a roll and we have finished in our 2nd lowest league position since 1959 it doesn’t mean we are anywhere near equals.
I predict they will finish 11th, and we will show how tinpot they still are when they have to accommodate the hordes of Oxford United supporters in their Cup Final at Kingsmeadow (ahem, sponsored by Cherry Red Records).
MK Dons they are not..
//
When I tried to get hold of those two new Oxford United books I got an email back saying no delivery until October. What’s that all about?
Re:
Dunno. Bloody tinpot if you ask me."Snake" wrote: When I tried to get hold of those two new Oxford United books I got an email back saying no delivery until October. What’s that all about?