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Post by KLYellow on Jan 27, 2011 1:39:06 GMT
I had a thought. If we dont get promoted, Div 2 next year could be tough. There is a strong possibility Swindon could come down, possibly with Walsall. Crawley and Luton could probably come up. Crawley with their finances and Luton will always be strong. All these 4 would be very strong teams in our division and I feel we may not do as well as this year.
Therefore if we can keep the momentum going and get into Div 1, we should be able to stabilise.
Do you agree?
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Post by Wright for England on Jan 27, 2011 8:09:38 GMT
No
We will be better next season anyway.
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Post by ZeroTheHero on Jan 27, 2011 8:50:58 GMT
Not really.
Whoever comes down from L1 will do so because they're rubbish. Whoever comes up from the Conference will be decent. And the best teams in the current L2 will have gone up to L1.
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Post by Millman on Jan 27, 2011 8:51:29 GMT
Also No.
You can only beat what is put in front of you. This year the league has been of a higher standard than I remember. Who is to say non league teams like Luton and Crawley will make it tougher. Also the day I fear Swindon is the day I give up being an Oxford fan. I just hope whatever happens we do get to play them next year... play them off the park twice that is.
Wright for England is correct we will be even stronger next season so whats to worry about. The futures bright the futures Yellow.
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Post by Long John Silver on Jan 27, 2011 9:04:22 GMT
Will we be better next season if we remain in League 2?
I can't really see MacLean staying with us (or getting someone as good) if we don't get promoted, and he has been a big factor in us looking more assured up front.
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Post by Millman on Jan 27, 2011 9:37:05 GMT
Will we be better next season if we remain in League 2? I can't really see MacLean staying with us (or getting someone as good) if we don't get promoted, and he has been a big factor in us looking more assured up front. Maybe not, but if there is one thing we know about Wilder its his ability to find decent replacements for those who leave. Plus his ability to find players to improve the squad. We are better than the start of the season, in turn that squad was better than the year before. So why can't we continue to do this? Lets also not underestimate how our break even\profit mentality strengthens our club. Finances for clubs get tougher each year, those run properly will have an advantage that grows when compared to the many clubs who continue to overspend.
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Post by kahunaburger on Jan 27, 2011 10:03:14 GMT
Will we be better next season if we remain in League 2? I can't really see MacLean staying with us (or getting someone as good) if we don't get promoted, and he has been a big factor in us looking more assured up front. I think we will be a lot better next season - at the start of this season I felt we would achieve a top half finish because of a degree of naivety and inexperience but that the following season would see us become a real force. Thanks to some pretty astute transfer work we're getting stronger more quickly anyway and promotion is a real possibility. Furthermore I think we would hold our own in L1 (albeit having a bit of a battle through the season).
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2011 10:31:10 GMT
While it would be nice obviously, there is absolutely no NEED to get promoted this season. The pressure is off...the club is going in the right direction and we have a young team that will only get better.
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Post by sheikdjibouti on Jan 27, 2011 10:48:46 GMT
I'm sure there were alot of teams fearing us as we plummeted to League one and then League Two and then the Conference . . . .turned out that those fears were completely baseless given the way the club was being run. Being a relatively big fish in a relatively small pond counts for practically nothing in the majority of cases.
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Post by nerps on Jan 27, 2011 11:12:18 GMT
Seeing how the team is performing at the moment it would be disappointing if we didn't go up, however what a good consolation prize Sw**don and Luton both in the same fixture list !!
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Post by dabigfella on Jan 27, 2011 11:12:36 GMT
A young team that will have another years experience so improvement likely. Plus Wilder's wheeling and dealing.
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Post by mcf86 on Jan 27, 2011 11:25:03 GMT
''We HAVE to get promoted''
I thought for one moment you'd put your house on it! ;D
We should worry not about who will or won't be in this division next season, stay focused on 'us' and have the belief that CW can get OUFC back to back Promotions.
We obviously need to keep the momentum going -and the signs are we can. There's 100% committment from the players- eg Beano, and if we can stop the defensive lapses we have a very potent number of attacking options.
Looking forward to the remainder of the season with optimism and excitement - Can't be bad eh?!
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Post by moobs on Jan 27, 2011 11:52:21 GMT
It's a good theory, if we think whichever division we're in will get stronger let's get promoted. Once in the Premiership it's backslapping all round.
If we think the division might be weaker next season should we deliberately scupper our promotion chance and stay here?
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Post by scoob on Jan 27, 2011 12:00:40 GMT
I am not convinced that promotion is essential this season. Mclean has been a major part of the development of the team but so has maclaren, the return of wright and the improved health of beano.
Financially we will remain relatively strong in league two but probably will be relatively weak in league one. if we narrowly miss promotion we should see some good crowds in key games so that will give the finance to push forward next season and possibly we will be stronger in L1 as a result provided we get there and that is, of course. the big if as promotions are hard to come by.
i agree with Millman that there are many clubs in L1 who are in a financial mess so provided that we are well managed financially we will become relatively strong. Also there is the possibility that Lenagans plans regarding the stadium may come to fruition in 18 months so that may help too but I am not holding my breath on that one!
Of course if we get the chance to go up that would be fantastic especially if via the play offs but it will not be a major didaster if we narrowly miss out.
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Post by Cardiff Yellow on Jan 27, 2011 12:12:41 GMT
All of our big hitters nar MacLean and McLaren are under contract for next season, and we can add real quality in the summer once we're an "established" league two side again.
I don't think it's a problem to be honest. Crawley won't go any higher than league two...which player is going to want to play for them if they're good enough for the football league??
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Post by saddletramp on Jan 27, 2011 12:35:30 GMT
Disappointing as missing out on promotion is,sometimes it turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Twice in the 81/82 and 82/83 seasons we could and maybe should have won promotion to division 2. We didnt and were heartbroken,but i think if we had won promotion we would (especially in 82/83) have been a struggling 2nd division side who would have had a fair chance of going straight back down. As it was when we did win the league in 83/84,we were a far stonger and more balanced side who not only held our own in division 2, but blew it away with the most attacking and adventurous team the 2nd tier of football has ever seen. (thats my opinion and im sticking to it) So maybe,just maybe,promotion isnt the b all and end all.
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Post by Long John Silver on Jan 27, 2011 12:52:50 GMT
Disappointing as missing out on promotion is,sometimes it turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Sometimes maybe, but usually not. For the perfect example take the scum down the road, a few months ago they were within touching distance of the Championship, but now they look a good bet to be in the basement next season.
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Post by foghornleghorn on Jan 27, 2011 13:06:42 GMT
I think play-offs would be beneficial but promotion? You'd never turn down a promotion of course but steady organic growth is the nature of the day I think. The play-offs are good experience and a good signal to send to potential signees. I must admit, I'd having a nagging concern about being a yo-yo club if we went up. We don't want to be a daggers. Re competition, the bottom two or three in Div1 are down on merit, although I think it's a little harsh on the fourth from bottom. As far as Crawley and Luton (or Wimbledon) go it's competition but nothing to be too concerned about. Remember there's four places up for grabs. This is pretty much the easiest league to get out of (and easiest to fall back into )
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Post by foghornleghorn on Jan 27, 2011 13:08:07 GMT
Disappointing as missing out on promotion is,sometimes it turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Sometimes maybe, but usually not. For the perfect example take the scum down the road, a few months ago they were within touching distance of the Championship, but now they look a good bet to be in the basement next season. yeah, that's definitely a blessing, I don't see your point
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Post by Millman on Jan 27, 2011 13:12:10 GMT
I must admit, I'd having a nagging concern about being a yo-yo club if we went up. We don't want to be a daggers. I don't think we stand much change of being a Daggers unless we get rid of 5000 fans, forget our history, and buy a giant tin pot. Seriously though a club of our size and resources should find itself easy enough to maintain stability at a league 1 level. At a championship level well now that would be far more difficult.
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Post by sheikdjibouti on Jan 27, 2011 13:17:53 GMT
I must admit, I'd having a nagging concern about being a yo-yo club if we went up. We don't want to be a daggers. I don't think we stand much change of being a Daggers unless we get rid of 5000 fans, forget our history, and buy a giant tin pot. Seriously though a club of our size and resources should find itself easy enough to maintain stability at a league 1 level. At a championship level well now that would be far more difficult. We could never become Daggers . . .we don't have a clubhouse with a fruit machine in it for a start. I'm all for seeing how far we can get by sticking to a break-even/small profit business model. Having a club in the first place is by far the most important thing. I guess Charlie has yet to register for this forum. If he had I'm sure he'd be on this thread berating you all for lack of ambition.
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Post by Yellowbrains on Jan 27, 2011 13:54:50 GMT
While I do disagree that promotion is essential, I have to kind of agree that I think next season this league will be stronger. This season I feel the league is weak, and lots of the sides who are challenging for promotion are inconsistent and seem to be dropping points all over the place, which gives us a great chance to go up. Some of the sides who came down last season were a shambles and in real financial trouble (Southend and Stockport), while the ones who were stable financially have been strong (Wycombe and Gillingham - despite their slow start). None of the sides facing relegation from League 1 this year are that financially unstable and so all could potentially be challenging for promotion. Not to mention that the Conference gets stronger every year and I think we can expect whoever gets promoted to be good sides as well, while in their place we'll be shipping two more crap clubs out of the bottom of the league. It will be tougher next season, but I still think that even if we fail to win promotion this year we would be well placed for a promotion push next season.
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Post by Boilerplate on Jan 27, 2011 14:02:07 GMT
Not sure i'd agree. We are only just starting to find our feet in this league, we'd be way out of our depth in League 1.
I think it would be more benifical for us to spend another season in this league before we think of pushing on.
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Post by superox on Jan 27, 2011 14:22:20 GMT
Not sure i'd agree. We are only just starting to find our feet in this league, we'd be way out of our depth in League 1. I think it would be more benifical for us to spend another season in this league before we think of pushing on. Completely disagree that we would be out of our depth in League One. The top end i.e Southampton, Brighton would be tough to compete against but not the likes of Tranmere, Bristol R, Yeovil, Oldham, Exeter, Swindon and Hartlepool surely. I'd say Craddock, MacLean and Constable would do well in a league above with the right midfield balance. We'd get another season out of Mclaren who has played all his career at League One/Championship level because he's looked after himself.
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Post by Millman on Jan 27, 2011 16:16:30 GMT
Sorry Yellowbrains still can't agree. Of those in the league above us near the relegation zone only Scum and Notts County are of any decent size. Rovers maybe also but they are a bit of a shambles at the moment. County after the stupid period have financial problems too still I think. Nothing to fear from Walsall or Yeovil more than the likes of Chesterfield or Crewe.
As for the conference. Well there is Crawley which is just a financial disaster waiting to happen. Luton still aren't quite there on or off the field and anyone else aren't worth considering.
That's not to say I write these teams off but they just aren't any more scary than what we currently face. In fact your point about no teams running away with it sort of proves how tough this year is as in many ways that would be easier. Remember there are three automatic places. so if a couple of teams beat all and sundry then other teams would be picking up less points making the competition possibly easier.
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Post by foghornleghorn on Jan 27, 2011 16:51:30 GMT
I don't think we stand much change of being a Daggers unless we get rid of 5000 fans, forget our history, and buy a giant tin pot. Seriously though a club of our size and resources should find itself easy enough to maintain stability at a league 1 level. At a championship level well now that would be far more difficult. We could never become Daggers . . .we don't have a clubhouse with a fruit machine in it for a start. See, we still aren't professional enough for Div1, these clubs have completely nailed down their revenue streams and we can only be in ore of them
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Post by tatabanya on Jan 27, 2011 16:52:55 GMT
Crawley will be decent next season.
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Post by Mark on Jan 27, 2011 18:24:04 GMT
A lot depends how we finish the season and where the scum end up will affect season ticket sales. Three auto promotion places and the play offs gives a decent chance for going up whoever else is in the league.
Quite rightly Eric and londonroader ask what will happen when the inevitable one day drop in crowds happens and we can't afford the players either in league two or one.
At least in league one we might be able to attract starlets to join and sell for a transfer fee. And if we are in same league as the inbreds we would sell I reckon at least another 500 season tickets.
I don't buy the strong conference teams coming up either. Stevenage hardly set the league alight and it will take Luton and Crawley a while to adapt too (or whoever comes up)
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Post by scoob on Jan 27, 2011 18:33:36 GMT
We could never become Daggers . . .we don't have a clubhouse with a fruit machine in it for a start. See, we still aren't professional enough for Div1, these clubs have completely nailed down their revenue streams and we can only be in ore of them Yep it all started to go wrong for us when we lost the fruit machines and darts board when the supporters club closed down. RIP.
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Post by macleanmassivefan on Jan 27, 2011 18:37:29 GMT
I'm not too worried about maybe missing out on promotion but I think that we should take one game at a time, who knows where the Oxford will end up at the end of the season?
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