Relegation thread (6 Viewers)

[Jimmy Hill's Chin]

To those saying today is just one game, everything will be alright and let's start worrying in April, I say this:

4 wins in 26 league games. 2 points from our last possible 30. No wins in our last ten league games. Bottom of the league below Oldham, Fleetwood, Chesterfield, Bury and Shrewsbury. Less than ten league wins in the past calendar year. Unless something changes very rapidly, we are getting relegated again. Probably in March.

 

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[SkyBlue_Bear83]

To those saying today is just one game, everything will be alright and let's start worrying in April, I say this:

4 wins in 26 league games. 2 points from our last possible 30. No wins in our last ten league games. Bottom of the league below Oldham, Fleetwood, Chesterfield, Bury and Shrewsbury. Less than ten league wins in the past calendar year. Unless something changes very rapidly, we are getting relegated again. Probably in March.

Things need to change, no one would argue against that. We're still in a position though where we have enough time to change them at the moment
.
If things don't change we will go down, but Slade has only been the job a couple of weeks and hasn't had much time to make changes yet.

 

[Otis]

Things need to change, no one would argue against that. We're still in a position though where we have enough time to change them at the moment
.
If things don't change we will go down, but Slade has only been the job a couple of weeks and hasn't had much time to make changes yet.

January is so key. We clearly, clearly need to strengthen and strengthen well.

Fingers crossed we have some good transfer moves planned in the next two weeks.

 

[Jimmy Hill's Chin]

Things need to change, no one would argue against that. We're still in a position though where we have enough time to change them at the moment
.
If things don't change we will go down, but Slade has only been the job a couple of weeks and hasn't had much time to make changes yet.

I agree but I just think it's going to require too much surgery and our beloved owners will no doubt try their best to tie one of Slade's arms behind his back in the process. At present we are going to be marooned by early March and will be relegated by some margin.

 

[ccfc92]

Beavon is a beast on FIFA, so we'll be alright

 

[JulianDarbyFTW]

We're going down. I've accepted it now. The only thing that keeps me vaguely interested in this whole clusterfu*k is that I saw Wolves in Division 4 as a kid, then in the PL as an adult. That only a few years ago Man City languished in Division 3 and are now a powerhouse. That clubs like Fulham and Wigan came from the lower reaches and rose to the top. That where there is life, there is hope. But we're already relegated in my mind. And whereas a handful of years ago I'd have been distraught at this whole thing, now I just find myself sticking out my bottom lip and giving a little shake of the head. It doesn't hurt like it used to, and that's the saddest part.

 

[st john]

The remaining transfer window is crucial IMO.

Sell all decent players, and bring in mediocre, then yes, we are down.

Keep Willis, Stevenson etc and draft in some talent, we have a shot.

I know which is most likely...

I think our best chance is if we sell one of these two to give us some money to get the right players in. I know what is likely to happen to the money if we do sell, just saying that seems to be our only realistic chance to me.

 

[ccfc92]

I think our best chance is if we sell one of these two to give us some money to get the right players in. I know what is likely to happen to the money if we do sell, just saying that seems to be our only realistic chance to me.

There is that, but like you say, unlikely to see the money. It will be put into the running of the club, despite the predicted £1 million profit....

 

[JulianDarbyFTW]

There is that, but like you say, unlikely to see the money. It will be put into the running of the club, despite the predicted £1 million profit....

Agreed; I just don't get the point of making 1m this season only to lose it again next year in Division 4. Everything about this club is just so short-sighted.

 

[Jimmy Hill's Chin]

Agreed; I just don't get the point of making 1m this season only to lose it again next year in Division 4. Everything about this club is just so short-sighted.

We are just the plaything of SISU and a vehicle to give a short term dividend to their investors.

 

[chiefdave]

Clearly its going to be difficult, and getting more difficult by the week, but we need to get behind the team and hope they can pull of a great escape.

A lot will depend on how the rest of the transfer window goes.

 

[Paxman II]

As Slade said himself expecting more new faces in early this week. Has only just got his foot in the door with a game in hand and while today was unexpected and a big disappointment think we will be OK.

 

[ecky]

I agree but I just think it's going to require too much surgery and our beloved owners will no doubt try their best to tie one of Slade's arms behind his back in the process. At present we are going to be marooned by early March and will be relegated by some margin.

Slade isn't going to lose any sleep he's only here until may
We will be just another failure of a club he will add to his cv

 

[shelby76]

What worries me is if we get relegated, will it be viable affordable to sisu to have the academy still? How many league 2 clubs have a cat 2 academys?

 

[bawtryneal]

Leicester were bottom of the premiership in Jan 15

And then they spent about 40 million quid
Your point ?

 

[Sick Boy]

Another team who ended up in a similar situation to us were Stockport, looks what happened to them.

 

[trevelfarandwide]

Trying my best to be optimistic but unless something drastic changes and my maths is correct we're on coarse to finish with about 38 points and that tells me that we're as good as down. Can't see how we're going to find players and get them gelling in time to find us an extra 12 points over and above our average. I hope I'm wrong but I suspect we're well and truly fucked.

As dodgy as my maths is, I had a go as well (at 6:45 this morning), and came out with 36 points to be realistically gained from the remainder of games...like you, I cannot see where where the extra points will be gained. Even with additions to the team, confidence is low, and realistically the team may have a late flurry of wins, but it will be too little too late.

Dark times, my brethren.

 

[bawtryneal]

Managers have come and gone over the last 6 or so seasons. Most of them ( apart from MV) have been decent football men with pedigree.
Get poisonous Fisher out of the club.

 

[Bristol sky blue]

It's amazing that some of us still think we have a chance to stay up after 2 points from the last 10 games... We are not cut adrift yet though. Beavon is a key player, if he can avoid injury and we get a more effective version of Dan Agyei in the transfer window, then we have a small chance.
If Beavon does get injured and we have to rely on Tudgay till the end of the season, the outcome is certain relegation.

 

[hutch1972]

We're going down. I've accepted it now. The only thing that keeps me vaguely interested in this whole clusterfu*k is that I saw Wolves in Division 4 as a kid, then in the PL as an adult. That only a few years ago Man City languished in Division 3 and are now a powerhouse. That clubs like Fulham and Wigan came from the lower reaches and rose to the top. That where there is life, there is hope. But we're already relegated in my mind. And whereas a handful of years ago I'd have been distraught at this whole thing, now I just find myself sticking out my bottom lip and giving a little shake of the head. It doesn't hurt like it used to, and that's the saddest part.

They all had people investing money to allow it to happen though.

 

[davebart]

There is still hope because there are four teams as bad as us. But now even if we win our game in hand we stay in the bottom two.
Our improvement depends on us getting better players in with the other teams around us not realising they need to strengthen as well. I presume they will be trying to do something about it as well.

 

[Otis]

We need a 3 wins out of 3 type run. Something that will have us pull clear.

When we got out off the bottom previously we didn't then consolidate that and maintain the gap. We just hung around until dropping back down again.

Easy to say it's only a 4 point gap, but you only have to look at the historical stats of what is needed to actually realise just how difficult a task it is now to survive.

Nearly every single team that was bottom at this time of the season then went on to go down. 50 points is usually the benchmark for staying up.

We probably now need to win almost half of our matches left.

 

[Monners]

We need to win 2 just to get out of the bottom 4, never mind pulling clear. I still think that this hope that we can recruit well enough in Jan to stay up is misplaced. We are incapable of winning one game at the moment, with the only run we are on being one of not winning. Being the realist that I am - we are doomed.

 

[Pete in Portugal]

Last three years the team bottom at this time was bottom at the end of the season. Season before second from bottom. Season before third from bottom. Season before that 4th from bottom. Season before bottom. Season before third from bottom.

Can't be jarred going back further, but it's not looking good.

Edit: went back to 2004/05 when Division Two became League One. No team bottom at this time has ever stayed up.

Edit 2: FOUND ONE! 2001/02 Northampton were bottom at this point and finished one place outside the relegation zone! It can be done folks!

Edit 3: Cambridge United 1999/2000 as well. That's it, I'm done.

Yes it can be done. But with the current squad? I don't beleive it can. To have any chance at all, in my opinion we'd need to add 2 experienced midfielders, (one combative CM, one tricky winger who can cross accurately), and a proven pacy striker as an absolute minimum. Then it would be unlikely, but possible. Frankly, those kind of signings seem pretty unlikely too, but I'd love to be proved wrong.

 

[ceetee]

Managers have come and gone over the last 6 or so seasons. Most of them ( apart from MV) have been decent football men with pedigree.
Get poisonous Fisher out of the club.

And replace him with someone else who has to do what SISU tells him.

I can see why Fisher upsets people but any replacement will have the same mandate with the same outcome; they just might smile at us hjile they're doing it

 

[robbiekeane]

Last three years the team bottom at this time was bottom at the end of the season. Season before second from bottom. Season before third from bottom. Season before that 4th from bottom. Season before bottom. Season before third from bottom.

Can't be jarred going back further, but it's not looking good.

Edit: went back to 2004/05 when Division Two became League One. No team bottom at this time has ever stayed up.

Edit 2: FOUND ONE! 2001/02 Northampton were bottom at this point and finished one place outside the relegation zone! It can be done folks!

Edit 3: Cambridge United 1999/2000 as well. That's it, I'm done.

That's a horrifying read.

We're fucked

 

[Otis]

That's a horrifying read.

We're fucked

No team at the bottom now has then gone on to survive in the last 16 seasons.

Obviously Slade knows that and the club know that too. They must know just how big a task this truly is.

It's huge!!

At least two top rate players needed now.

 

[italiahorse]

The problem is not the (many) managers or the (many) players.
It's Sisu and particularly Tim Fisher.
Other than a few occasional 'highs' we are only going in one direction.
Sisu are staying so the only question is when fans vote with their feet.
I personally won't be going in L2 if Sisu are still here.

 

[rupert_bear]

I haven't checked but am assuming out of our remainlig 20 games it's 10 home 10 away we need to win 8 of those home games and Nick a few away points, certainly not impossible but we need better players in not kiddy loans which are a gamble. Yes get loans but pay the wages for decent quality kicking their heels in the championship or even premiership reserves but I think Fisher won't pay. I actually think Fisher will have no regrets regarding relegation

 

[Otis]

I haven't checked but am assuming out of our remainlig 20 games it's 10 home 10 away we need to win 8 of those home games and Nick a few away points, certainly not impossible but we need better players in not kiddy loans which are a gamble. Yes get loans but pay the wages for decent quality kicking their heels in the championship or even premiership reserves but I think Fisher won't pay. I actually think Fisher will have no regrets regarding relegation

What's Nick got to do with our points tally?

 

[Captain Dart]

Most seem to be saying if we do this and that in the window we might be alright, without wishing to piss on anybody's chips but the window has been open for nearly two weeks and we have brought in a defender who is ok, a midfielder who is no better than what we had and a striker who runs a lot but doesn't score many.

Fisher kept saying that there was budget available in Jan was this because he knew the loans would all go back and free up wages.

Slade's league record is so far appalling. P 4 W 0 D 2 L 2 Pts 2, relegation form.
OK a couple of wins will turn that round but after yesterday's poor performance against fellow strugglers I can't see how.

 

[Captain Dart]

Leicester were bottom of the premiership in Jan 15

Are you suggesting we should we bring in the messiah?

 

[malkitccfc]

Will season tickets/ away tickets be cheaper in League two?

 

[Wheelfass]

Yes it can be done. But with the current squad? I don't beleive it can. To have any chance at all, in my opinion we'd need to add 2 experienced midfielders, (one combative CM, one tricky winger who can cross accurately), and a proven pacy striker as an absolute minimum. Then it would be unlikely, but possible. Frankly, those kind of signings seem pretty unlikely too, but I'd love to be proved wrong.

Yes I agree with you on all of your points especially about the signings being unlikely. Even if those types of players were available - and why would players with those qualities be available - would they really choose to play for us given our recent history and position. I would have thought that the only players available would be younger players needing to gain experience. A dog fight at the foot of the 3rd tier of English football where rolled up sleeves, fire and aggression count above all else would'nt necessarily be the place for them.

Slade isn't going to lose any sleep he's only here until May

I wonder if or when he realises the depth of despear that has been imposed on both the club and its supporters by the owners and when reality dawns on him of the constraints that he has to work within.......if he'll actually stay until the end of the campaign?

 

[Otis]

Yes I agree with you on all of your points especially about the signings being unlikely. Even if those types of players were available - and why would players with those qualities be available - would they really choose to play for us given our recent history and position. I would have thought that the only players available would be younger players needing to gain experience. A dog fight at the foot of the 3rd tier of English football where rolled up sleeves, fire and aggression count above all else would'nt necessarily be the place for them.


I wonder if or when he realises the depth of despear that has been imposed on both the club and its supporters by the owners and when reality dawns on him of the constraints that he has to work within.......if he'll actually stay until the end of the campaign?

Not going to be many 20 goal a season strikers knocking about and certainly not many in our price range and unlikely to want to come here over better placed teams anyway.

We need another Armstrong type. A young Premier academy player banging goals in at that level and hope they can do it at League One standard.

Only way we are going to get out of this mess is in winning games and to win games you need to score goals. Not rocket science.

Beavon has said himself he is more of a provider than a goalscorer.