Ok chaps, I'll say this slowly for the hard of thinking.

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

The closest ANY English League team had come (and maybe is still the case) to being promoted with a NEGATIVE goal difference.

We finished the season on minus 6 I believe and even with the play offs taken into acount we were still -2 going into the Notts County match.

I cried that afternoon and blame David Ellery for their first goal (NEVER a corner).

We had Rep od Ireland international John Byrne as one of our 2 subs that day (Ian Chapman was the other), and Nelson wasnt even in the squad (after being told in the toilets at Wembley). But I do see Lord B's point about how more rounded our squad is now (with 5 good subs and quality still not even on the bench) albeit the starting 11 may just be comparable.

No I actually AGREE with Lord B

You missed the


Oh and FWIW I agree its was NEVER a corner. Ever ever EVER

 

[blue2]

I have been supporting the team since the early 1970s and in my opinion this current team on their day is the best I have ever seen not in achievements but style of play and potential.

we have had some better individuals who would walk straight into this team but as I said on their day the best I have ever seen the home game against a very good Ipswich we were unstoppable

 

[BensGrandad]

The last time we finished the season higher than our current position was 1991. This squad (and team) is better than that one. That'll do for me.

We finished much higher in 1978 getting promoted to Div 1 so I would suggest that squad or team was better but this one has the potential to equal or better that.

 

[Uter]

Agree with this. Arguably the standard was higher in the old Division 1 than it is now.

Obviously can never be proven, but I'd take the opposite view. The standard in the top two flights is higher now than then, simply due to the influx of foreign internationals.

Back then almost every side was almost exclusively made up of British and Irish born players. I really can't see how anyone could make a case for standards being higher in the 70s and 80s.

 

[Birdie Boy]

Agree with this. Arguably the standard was higher in the old Division 1 than it is now.

Really?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Great thread timing Sta Bro - thrashed by Liverpool and a 1-1 with Doncaster. Hmmmm. Think I'll reserve judgement for a little while longer if you don't mind.

 

[Mellotron]

Great thread timing Sta Bro - thrashed by Liverpool and a 1-1 with Doncaster. Hmmmm. Think I'll reserve judgement for a little while longer if you don't mind.

Those were the last 2 games were they?

Unbeaten in 2012, in a Championship harder than it has ever been.

 

[BensGrandad]

Strange as it may seem but at one period under Mike Bailey we were 7th in the first Div ie the 7th best team in England. We aren't that high now.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Strange as it may seem but at one period under Mike Bailey we were 7th in the first Div ie the 7th best team in England. We aren't that high now.

Stat Brother isn't talking about the team but the squad ie the quality of player who isn't even making the bench. We could make a fairly good Championship team out of the 11 left over.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Those were the last 2 games were they?

Unbeaten in 2012, in a Championship harder than it has ever been.

Yep.

 

[Mellotron]

Yep.

Eh? There were 2 games inbetween 'pool and Donny.

 

[BensGrandad]

Stat Brother isn't talking about the team but the squad ie the quality of player who isn't even making the bench. We could make a fairly good Championship team out of the 11 left over.

I think that is pushing it a little a reasonable div 1 side I would agree with but certainly not a championship side. Also a team is only as good as he weakest members of the squad. I would love to see your make up ofa team good enough for the championship out of our non regular players. The biggest problem would be strikers.

 

[Stat Brother]

As great as we've been, football standards training, diet, fitness, recovery etc have massively improved in the last 20 - 30 years.
Not to mention how the game has transformed and is now played.
The Big Match Revisited goes a very long way to prove how far football has come.

If NSC were to be up and running in 1979, we would not be wondering if x was out of favour, or if y had had a strop.
Because we didn't have a 'squad'.

I don't know the facts for us, but 1 title winning season for Liverpool they only used 13 players all year.

So my point still stands, we have our best ever squad, of which less than half of them can only ever be involved, on any given match day.
We have never ever had this before.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

My screensaver is the 1979 team photo...

Which would get into the 16 men for Wednesday night?

Definites: Lawrenson, Foster, Moseley
Highly Probables: Ward, Gregory, Horton
Decent Possibles: Poskett, Chivers, Rollings, Ryan, Sayer
Probably Nots: Maybank, Steele, Williams, Clark, O'Sullivan
Development Squad: Stille, Kerslake

 

[Stat Brother]

I think that is pushing it a little a reasonable div 1 side I would agree with but certainly not a championship side. Also a team is only as good as he weakest members of the squad. I would love to see your make up ofa team good enough for the championship out of our non regular players. The biggest problem would be strikers.

Definitely strikers that point occurred to me as I was making the 'other' team.

Casper

Calde Dunk Hall Vincelot

Noone Harley Sparrow JFK

Toby Hoskins

And still no Vicente!

 

[keaton]

We finished much higher in 1978 getting promoted to Div 1 so I would suggest that squad or team was better but this one has the potential to equal or better that.

The 1978 team wouldn't feature on a list SINCE 1991 though would it?

 

[BensGrandad]

Definitely strikers that point occurred to me as I was making the 'other' team.

Casper

Calde Dunk Hall Vincelot

Noone Harley Sparrow JFK

Toby Hoskins

And still no Vicente!

You should exclude Noone Ankergren Dunk Calderon as they are usually in the team or on the bench for us. The poster did say from those not making our team or bench You think that would be a reasonable Championship side if you didnt exclude those I would suggest a reasonable Div 1 but would struggle in the Championship.

 

[BensGrandad]

The 1978 team wouldn't feature on a list SINCE 1991 though would it?

I accept that but still not the best ever.

 

[Stat Brother]

You should exclude Noone Ankergren Dunk Calderon as they are usually in the team or on the bench for us. The poster did say from those not making our team or bench You think that would be a reasonable Championship side if you didnt exclude those I would suggest a reasonable Div 1 but would struggle in the Championship.

I agree re Calde, but Noone is last the name in the 'wingers' rotation list, sub goalie?, Dunk doesn't appear on the bench because of Calde.

The team would struggle in our league mainly due to goals.

But as there's only 18 players in the '79 photo, it's a moot point.
But not as pointless as snipping at players for not making a team, when the squad is so strong.

 

[BensGrandad]

But not as pointless as snipping at players for not making a team, when the squad is so strong.

I am not doing that just pointing out the present squad is good and has depth but not as strong, IMHO as that which won promotion to the 1st Div. How many of the current team or squad would have got into that team.. Not Many, I am actually struggling to think of any as their counterpart was probably a better player. CMS over Ward Bridcutt over Horton!!