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League One 20/21

Colesman Ballz

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Dec 28, 2014
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Bury's arrogant chairman would probably write to the EFL asking to replace either if it happens!
So would Tranmere's !
 

dontpassback

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Dec 30, 2015
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It's going to be an interesting season (I'd have liked you to be in it as well as enjoyed a couple of visits to Exeter when our paths crossed in League 2).

The teams coming down are in various states of disarray. I'm profoundly worried for both Charlton and Wigan for different reasons. It feels like both are looking at existential threats. The former because of some of the parties involved, the latter because of the magnitude of their debts coupled with the wider global context at the moment. Whatever the rights and wrongs, and the reason that their clubs find themselves in the position they're in; I pity any football fan facing losing their club. Hull are just in a bad place - the owners seem to be using the club as a cash cow and the morale is at rock bottom (e.g. 7-0 down to Wigan and half-time in the lockdown matches); that's difficult to arrest. They're in a better position generally and should, at least, be able to compete.

Of the teams coming up, I'd expect your local rivals to be competitive - it seems they've got an owner who'll support them and Lowe has a fairly high stock in the lower leagues. At this stage I'd predict Crewe to be a dark horse, just because of the sort of unit they are under another highly rated manager in Artell. You'd have to think Swindon will struggle given the court case which suggests they're a bit of a basket case who are about to be found out. Losing Eoin Doyle isn't going to aid their cause. Northampton will be well organised and physical.

So, of the newbies, you'd think Hull and Plymouth could do well and Crewe might surprise people. Outside of that you've got others who are likely to do well - you'd always expect Peterborough to compete - they're a top-end L1/bottom end Championship set-up; Ipswich and Sunderland are both competitive at L1 level even in basket-case mode and Doncaster tend to do okay. There'll be a dark horse in there (Lincoln, under Appleton, perhaps or maybe the Ben Garner approach at Bristol Rovers will pay off).

At this stage, though, I'll just be happy for a season to get underway and some element of fans back at the games. Although I'm a STH at Pompey I'm not too fussed about getting back myself under social distancing, and on that basis won't be sharp elbowed about getting tickets if capacity is around 20-30% (so long as I can keep my current seat if and when things do get back to normal); but as lovely as it has been having some football back over the last couple of months, it's just not the same without supporters in the stadium. It would also be nice to get a sense that the general situation is coming under some control - I worry that we're not going to see any crowds before 2021; but hope that's just me being a pessimist.
Out of Plymouth and crewe,crewe will do better,Plymouth cannot defend and they have a slow back four,if the league had continured Plymouth would have blown up !
 

sign of the chimes

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Jun 30, 2014
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Portsmouth
Charlton Athletic are being threatened with expulsion from the EFL if the don't get their ownership issues sorted.
The proposed takeover failed the EFL's Owners and Directors Test. I've read that one of those involved, Chris Farnell, was a lawyer involved at Bury under Steve Dale just before they went 'pop'.

Wigan are a concern. Debts of £40m-odd and several million owed to football creditors who have to be paid back 100%. Even with a 'few pence in the pound' agreement for the non-football creditors you'd be looking at a price for the club in excess of £5m, with a 15-point deduction in L1 (believe you get 15 points if your CVA for non-football creditors is less than 25%) and a club with a four-figure core fanbase. Given the broader socio-ecomomic context I think they're in the poo, big time :(
 

LOG

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Although I'm a STH at Pompey...
How has the flexi season ticket scheme gone down with the fans?
 

sign of the chimes

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Portsmouth
How has the flexi season ticket scheme gone down with the fans?
Pretty well based on the reactions of people I know and on social media.

£25 for the right to keep existing seat for future seasons and eligibility for ticket ballots seems pretty reasonable. I can't imagine we'll be operating a capacity much above 4,000 if/when fans are allowed back - and we had 14,500 season ticket holders last season.
 

Red Devon

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That’s my top summer target gone 😌

Jonny Smith: Swindon Town sign Bristol City winger on loan
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53960624
 

Rosencrantz

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Tiverton
That’s my top summer target gone 😌

Jonny Smith: Swindon Town sign Bristol City winger on loan
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53960624
Never in the race most likely. Anyone who does well on loan one year will not be a cheap loan the next.
 

LOG

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Bristol Rovers have appointed Bobby Davro as their goalkeeping coach.

 

fred binneys head

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Loving the boy Stanno
He looks really pleased with the new role
 

Red Devon

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Portsmouth slow off the mark again and in the bottom four, with most of the other big clubs off to flying starts.
 
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