Would it be such a bad thing if we went down?

[Les Biehn]

I think no. Would be gutted obviously but would give us an oppotunity to clear the decks, bring more youth through, compete on a more even footing and MM has a great track record of getting teams out of the division below. Would rather we stayed in this division, and believe we still can, but if we did go down I definately don't think it would be a complete disaster.

If we went down I would like the squad for next year to look something like this:

Goalkeepers:
Henderson, Martin, Sullivan

Defenders:
El-Abd, P.Hinshelwood, A.Hinshelwood, Dodd, T.Elphick, Butters, Lynch, Rents

Midfield:
Carole, Hart, Cox, Breach, Reid, Nicolas, Fraser, Chamberlain, Hammond, Loft, Frutos, Jarrett

Strikers:
Kazim-Richards, Robinson, Turienzo, McPhee, Gatting

 

[227 BHA]

I'd lose Turienzo, McPhee and Dodd and bring in a new striket and defender and creative midfielder but otherwise looks ok for Div 1

 

[GUNTER]

We'd go up again, kinda like a yo yo side

 

[blockhseagull]

Not sure about Breach, saw him couple of times for Bognor, didn't look great !!!

Would also lose Dodd and McPhee, Turienzo deserves a chance otherwise ok i think.

However you left out Loft !!

 

[Les Biehn]

However you left out Loft !!

See amended.

I think it all looks pretty good for the future.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Financially it would be a disaster but the playing side doesn't look too bad. The youngsters can probably cope with playing in League one and the like of Hammond, Chippy, Frutos and Carole would do okay. I would still expect us to sign a 20 goal a season striker if we are to have any ambitions of getting promoted.

 

[Les Biehn]

Admittedly I would only keep Dodd if his fitness improves. I do think that McPhee deserves a chance. He has proved before that he can do it in that division.

 

[blockhseagull]

Not that i want to go down but i believe that a season in league one could be the making of CKR

 

[Gully]

I agree with most of what you suggest, though I might be a little harsher with the forwards and would probably try and get another year out of Charlie, yes he is getting older but his experience and leadership skills will be needed if we were to bounce straight back again. Who would you have as club captain if Tank decides to retire at the end of the season and we don't keep Charlie?

 

[blockhseagull]

Charlie will be here next season no matter what division, McGhee said he will offer him another contract

 

[Les Biehn]

I believe it could be the making of a lot of players.

El-Abd - less pressure and more time could see him improve his technique

Lynch - similar to El-Abd

Hammond - his quality will shine through giving him more confidence

Reid - will have more oppotunity to exert pressure on games

Nicolas - similar to Hammond

Robinson - slower defences and a year more to fill out mean he could start scoring more

El Turi - an easier chance to bed himself into the english game

McPhee - chance to get back to where he left off two years ago in a division he knows he can play in

Youngsters - just a great oppotunity all round.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

People who think the we will have a certain promotion are sadly mistaken, I think it is more likely we will end up in a relegation fight in Div 1. Frutos, Carole, McShane and anyone half decent would be off.

 

[Les Biehn]

I agree with most of what you suggest, though I might be a little harsher with the forwards and would probably try and get another year out of Charlie, yes he is getting older but his experience and leadership skills will be needed if we were to bounce straight back again. Who would you have as club captain if Tank decides to retire at the end of the season and we don't keep Charlie?

El-Abd or Hinsh.

 

[Gully]

I know we normally do this towards the end of a season, but does anyone know whose contracts are up in the summer?

 

[Gully]

Les, I agree with you about El-Abd as future captain material, not sure if he is ready yet though.

 

[Les Biehn]

People who think the we will have a certain promotion are sadly mistaken, I think it is more likely we will end up in a relegation fight in Div 1. Frutos, Carole, McShane and anyone half decent would be off.

I disagree. We may lose Carole, Frutos at most but I think we will keep most of the squad and with the young players coming through we are a far better team than the likes of Rotherham and Walsall. I think the injection of youth would be just the boost the squad needs, they have no fear and this will translate to the others.

 

[blockhseagull]

Well both Fruity and Carole are under contract, so to assume they would be off might not be true

McShane is only on loan so will be gone anyway

 

[BensGrandad]

I am fed up with hearing this attitude of 'it will not hurt us'. It will cripple us financially so much so that we will be forced to sell our better players just to stay in existence and I would expect us to be in much the same position next season as this except 1 division lower.

There is no way that this side is good enough to even consider promotion next season and if the people that would be required to ensure that, are brought in now, we could stay up this season.

Every summer there are numerous players available for us to strengthen for next season if we can stay up this.

 

[Billy the Fish]

It isn't a disaster. If you look at the big picture, this isn't the first time we've been relegated and it won't be the last. I listened to the phone in the other night and heard Harty going on about how the club will go bust, we'll be near the bottom of league one and if we can't fill withdean now we'll never fill it next season. The fact of the matter is that Brighton fans will turn out to see a winning team whatever division we're in. On the flip side, if the team is losing and playing shit football then crowds will always drop, whatever division we are in.
If we get relegated I suspect season ticket sales will be well down, but it'll only take a few wins to get the punters back again.
A few losses however................
Personally I think we need a promotion season before we get to falmer and then season ticket sales will go through the roof and we'll be on the crest of a wave. Have a relegation season however, and we'll be up shit creek

 

[Rougvie]

Its a f***ing disatster, lets be honest, we had a better squad last time round, and we only made the lottery of the play-offs, there is no guarantee that our best players would stay (Seb Carole for starters) and the revenue for TV, matchday income etc is VITAL for Falmer.

I re-iterate is a f***ing disaster that can be averted if Dick Knight acts after the inevitable defeat tonight and remove McGhee.