Do you think we'll get anywhere near promotion next season?

[Finchley Seagull]

There are rather too many "Ifs" in your analysis, the biggest, which you left out, is if Slade gets the budget to bring in these quality players we are all taking for granted will be here next season.

If all the above comes about then yes we'll be there or therabouts but I've been an Albion fan not to expect a certain number of downsides to balance the up's..such as the potential sale of Murray, the possible non recovery of McNulty to continue as a pro etc as examples.

You are right of course and we may never see McNulty again or he may not hit the form that he showed initially. If we sold Murray at least we would be able to replace him (better than him having another injury hit season). I am working on the assumption that we will get money to spend. I know there was a debate on here about the culling of the squad being to save money but I think (considering the players released) it was to give Slade a clean slate to start with.

I will hold my hands up though and say I thought we would be top six this year after pre season so what do I know?

 

[Simon Morgan]

Having got rid of so many players, I can't believe that Slade won't be given the funds to replace them. His one signing, Dicker, has been quality and will probably come cheap. A few more like him and we're looking at play-offs i reckon!

 

[SirDouglasLoft]

We're going up as champs

 

[NF9]

Be good if we could get Blizzard as well as Dicker who apparently works well in the midfield with dick.
Plus he has a genius name

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I would be ecstatic with a top 10 finish, it would be nice if we could go into April still challenging for the play offs aswell. I'll take 10th and then really push on the season after, with Slade as the undisputed Lord of the Land.

 

[Jim D]

I agree. Leeds have finally got the right man in Grayson and I think they will go up at the third attempt next year. It wouldn't surprise me to see MK come second too as they have quite a lot of financial backing. I think automatic promotion is out of the question unless we spend a lot of money in the summer.

Leeds will need to keep their players if they're to do well next season. Bates said back in March that they couldn't afford another season in League 1 so that could be difficult. This season was supposed to be the one they were promoted and they had every chance but weren't good enough.

MK should be around the top 6 but they need to create and score more goals.

Of those coming down I see Charlton as most likely to return - but that also depends on them being able to keep their best players. I can't see any of those coming up being the same threat as Posh & MK - possibly Brentford will be the best.

So, it looks like Leeds, MK, Scunny/Millwall, Charlton, possibly Norwich and Brentford with Huddersfield and Swindon (if they keep Cox) likely to be up there. We need to finish above at least 4 of them and we'll be very well placed.

 

[Don Quixote]

Leeds will be shit next season, Beckford will be gone; Delph will go. They haven't got promoted in the last two seasons so why should they be as good next season?

 

[Icy Gull]

Leeds will be shit next season, Beckford will be gone; Delph will go. They haven't got promoted in the last two seasons so why should they be as good next season?

Crowds of over 20k in this league and the fact that they ARE a draw to players however much we try and run them down, would seem a pretty good reason to me.

 

[Braders]

if we bring in some strong , good players it could make the difference under Slades management ... however am I right in thinking that although his saving clubs from relegation record is fantastic his getting sides promoted isn't too hot?

 

[stss30]

I don't agree with that at all. If you remember last season's play-offs then you'd notice Southend and Carlisle were in them, and we were 7th. Southend did nothing this season, and the other two could have gone down on the last day. That's just the way football goes. Good seasons followed by bad seasons. So to say that all those who finished in the top 6 this year will be back there next is almost certainly untrue I'd say. What is a shame is that Leeds are still here, because they're the one team you can guarantee will be in the top 6 (thanks to money, crowds, ability to attract players, decent manager).

If I had to predict, at this moment I would say that the loser of Millwall/Scunthorpe will be mid-table next year. I think MK Dons have the potential to do well but may struggle to repeat this season's form. And of those coming down, Southampton (-10 points and youth team players) are no threat at all. Norwich, in my opinion, will be best placed to go straight back up, with Charlton competing for a top 6 space. So if you work on the basis that Leeds, Norwich, and Charlton will be in the top 6, I still think there are three places we can realistically target. Sadly, so will Tranmere, Huddersfield, MK Dons, Southend, Oldham, Colchester etc etc.

I completely agree with that. I just think Slade will need a few seasons to build a good team together, and then hopefully we'll get promoted when we get Falmer :yahoo:

 

[1234andcounting]

I'll happily take upper mid with some clear evidence of some quality football being played. A bit like Adams' first full season in charge, preferably without the horrible slump in the middle and an added cup run.

It will be tough to break through to the top 6, though.

 

[beorhthelm]

anyone paying attention last few years will observe we always flirt with relegation or promotion, with varying ammounts of success at either. ie, its never dull for BHA at the end of the saeaon.

dont see next season being any different, with Slade and few new signings will be flirting with promotion.

 

[Acker79]

Norwich have a rubbish manager as far as i'm concerned and don't see them as a threat.
Southampton start on -10 and have no money.They will be relying alot on kids i believe.
Charlton don't really have a good squad but i expect them to be up there.
Leeds will deffo be a force next season.

When he replaced their manager, Ken Bates said Leeds wouldn't survive if they didn't get promoted this year. Perhaps he was overstating things, trying to come up with a public excuse for changing the manager, or perhaps they are going to lose some key players due to finances, or heaven forbid, may even go into admin again...

how longs a peice of string??

Twice as long as from one end to the middle

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Reserve the right to comment until I see who we bring in but at the moment I am expecting a nice season od mid-table.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Play offs at the minimum , anything else (apart from automatic promotion) will not be good enough.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

At the start of last season I was expecting a promotion push, and I think a lot of others were too, so that made the season that much poorer.

This coming season I think the pressure will be off because there are plenty of other clubs expected to do well.

With so many local games and our legendary away following, I think we'll do fairly well in these games and hopefully have an exciting season, Then we can push on for promotion in our final season at Withers!

 

[Icy Gull]

Play offs at the minimum , anything else (apart from automatic promotion) will not be good enough.

So we could be shouting Slade out after 10 games in your world?? 'Kin 'ell how f***ing demanding are some of our fans

Having said that my only demand for next season is that we start playing decent football again. I have no interest in steamrollering sides and playing hoof ball. The football has been dire for too long now..just f***ing entertain me guys and avoid being in the relegation mix and I'll be happy.

 

[Spider]

We have let 14 players go and we haven't replaced any of them yet. We weren't good enough for anything but a relegation scrap this season and as things stand at the moment that is exactly what we'll be having next season. Anyone who is predicting a good season is just a dreamer, until we know who's coming it's just a random guess with no foundation...keep predicting

I'd say upper mid table. Even if we don't know who's coming in, you can have a fairly good idea of the amount of quality we'll get, and probably some dissapointing signings too. Either way we're going to have a very different squad so it might take a while for us to settle.