Should we take the risk and sign Gifton Noel-Williams?

[London Irish]

That's just it though. I don't think Noel-Williams will play enough to make a difference to our season. If we don't sign him, then we might be able to sign someone more influential in the next window.

Yes, that's true - in fact we might even be able to get Dichio or Burgess if they've played no football in the intervening time.

But the big question for me is whether it will be too late by then to mount a realistic promotion chase - I think in these first few months you will need a minimum target of points to put yourself in contention, but without the experienced striker I can't see us reaching that.

My feeling is the board are accepting a mid-table year because their financial focus is on the Falmer fight. This is an honourable course of action but it will lead to certain degree of dissatisfaction among the wider fan base and it's a misuse of McGhee's talents.

If you have the acknowledged promotion expert from the third tier but ask him just to settle the club down in mid-table, it's a waste - you might as well have Dean Wilkins in that situation.

 

[Uncle Buck]

So points matter at the beginning of this season?

 

[London Irish]

I am hoping McGhee leaves the club and if he walks we do not have to pay him a penny.

Do you want the board to financially back McGhee so that we can bring in players for our League 1 campaign?

 

[London Irish]

So points matter at the beginning of this season?

Yes, in a promotion campaign it is vital.

In a campaign to avoid relegation, you can recover even from a bad start. Evidence - we had a poor start to 2004/05 but still avoided relegation.

 

[Les Biehn]

Yes, in a promotion campaign it is vital.

In a campaign to avoid relegation, you can recover even from a bad start. Evidence - we had a poor start to 2004/05 but still avoided relegation.

I think they would have mattered last year as well. If we had got some extra points at the beginning of the season we might not have gone down.

 

[London Irish]

If we had got some extra points at the beginning of the season we might not have gone down.

That may be be true but the word I used was "vital". For a promotion campaign, you need to pretty well pick up good points in all parts of the season, in a campaign to survive relegation, you can have bad runs but still pick up enough points in other parts of the season - evidence, that's what we did in 2004-5.

 

[TSB]

Definitely! Goals for fun in Div 3

 

[Uncle Buck]

Do you want the board to financially back McGhee so that we can bring in players for our League 1 campaign?

I want the board to get rid of McGhee and I would say the lack of support in bringing people in is an indication that he no longer has their full backing.

 

[London Irish]

I know you want McGhee to go, I think we've got that by now, but I was asking you a different question than that. Which is, while he is manager of the Albion, do you want us to sign players?

 

[Uncle Buck]

I know you want McGhee to go, I think we've got that by now, but I was asking you a different question than that. Which is, while he is manager of the Albion, do you want us to sign players?

Not really looking at some of the garbage he has signed that is still here.

I am happy to see him completely marginalised if it means he goes. Short term pain for long term gain and all that.

 

[Les Biehn]

That may be be true but the word I used was "vital". For a promotion campaign, you need to pretty well pick up good points in all parts of the season, in a campaign to survive relegation, you can have bad runs but still pick up enough points in other parts of the season - evidence, that's what we did in 2004-5.

I agree with you that you can have a bad run and get away with it more in a survival campaign than a promotion one, common sense dictates that less points are needed for the former. However for us I believe we could not accomodate this luxury. But I do understand hwere you are coming from.

 

[the full harris]

Yes, that's true - in fact we might even be able to get Dichio or Burgess if they've played no football in the intervening time.

But the big question for me is whether it will be too late by then to mount a realistic promotion chase - I think in these first few months you will need a minimum target of points to put yourself in contention, but without the experienced striker I can't see us reaching that.

My feeling is the board are accepting a mid-table year because their financial focus is on the Falmer fight. This is an honourable course of action but it will lead to certain degree of dissatisfaction among the wider fan base and it's a misuse of McGhee's talents.

If you have the acknowledged promotion expert from the third tier but ask him just to settle the club down in mid-table, it's a waste - you might as well have Dean Wilkins in that situation.

If we can afford to bring in another player in the next window as well as bringing in Noel-Williams now then, yes, I'd say lets get him in. I was under the impression it was either not both though and I'd be concerned that Noel-Williams might turn out to be a waste of resources.

 

[Bozza]

What a classic thread - how could I have missed it until now?!?

Anyway...

That may be be true but the word I used was "vital". For a promotion campaign, you need to pretty well pick up good points in all parts of the season

Season 2000-01

Southend 2 - 0 Brighton
Brighton 2 - 1 Rochdale
Lincoln 2 - 0 Brighton
Brighton 0 - 2 Kidderminster
Brighton 6 - 2 Torquay
Millwall 1 - 1 Brighton
Cardiff 1 - 1 Brighton

Leaving us:

Played: 7, Won: 2, Drawn: 2, Lost: 3, Points: 8.

Not a good points haul at all. But we still went on to be champions.