paulhanley

Will avoid the analysis for now. After a long winless run at the end of 24/5 and last weekend it feels brilliant to get a good solid home win on the board. Really important also in the context of being dealt what looked like a tough first three games of the season. Enjoy the evening everyone. A long season ahead ... but a different era now and prospects ahead.

Blackpool have just spent £1m on a player on the strength of having scored 11 goals in 43 games for the pie-men last season? If so I am not surprised Forest snapped their hands off.

Only 22 miles apart. Most parts of the country that falls easily in to the bandwidth of what would be considered a derby.

After having had 24 hours to think about it (necessary because like most of you I despise losing derbies, especially in scenarios like this where smaller opposition have the sign over us): I trust SS. He's clearly far, far more pragmatic than IE and has more steel about him. It'll be another 12 months/two transfer windows before I even think about calling the guy in to question given the mess he inherited. Ten new signings - but the overhaul remains a work in progress SS has devoted most of his time to sorting out our midfield and attack and introducing width. He's brought in just one the one new defender in (Taylor) while giving Conway a deserved chance. There's only so much you can sort in one go. I do wonder if over time his attention will turn to our back line. He can try to organise them and change their mentality but will it be enough? We have been dealt a tough start in our first three games. Despite defeat on Saturday I'd not be overly peturbed with two draws in these next two provided we kick on from there. Defeat on Saturday and a record of 0-0-2 would smart a bit though. Would the result have been different with Dalby and Taylor fit? What with them two, Forrester, Dempsey, Warren etc - our luck with injuries just does not improve. For us to get out of this league that has to change.

And constantly vulnerable to them beating us in their poxy cup final. They're building up quite the portfolio of wins now. All to dine out on for decades to come whenever we encounter one of their fans.

Strangely enough none of that makes it feel any better right now.

Some encouraging parts of the performance but poor finishing. Most of all though just fucking depressed that we have lost again this shower AGAIN.

We look good. But missed chances leave the door open for Stockport's scabbiness. I really hope we can turn it around because I am sick and fucking tired of Stockport County. We are surely due some fortune against these.

Surprised re CMG. I was hoping we'd pick Erhahon but I see SS's logic there. .... Schon nowhere to be seen. Only so many subs you can pick but unless he's injured I think that is quite telling.

I remember that day. Leeds had a tremendous team. We had won our first three games in (to put it mildly) unexpected style and I fully expected this to be when we finally found harsh realities of the Prem. In its way that 0-0 draw was as extraordinary as the previous three results.

Have you drawn them in a cup competition or something?

Probably won't stay this way but mildly amused that the giddy faithful at Gloomfield Road have seen their side blow an early lead to be 1-2 down against the mighty Stevenage. Shame Nobby Nolan's lot aren't putting up a sterner test against the pie cretins.

I was not having a pop at Conway, I was wishing him well.

Looks like we are going in to Stockport away with Max Conway at LB then. Hopefully he steps up and grabs his chance. Such are the circumstances in which careers blossom. .... my only other thought was to wonder whether Taylor is actually fit in time.

I think there is one other boozer, but again I am out of date. They are all nice people in north Herts. Busted up my northern pre-conceptions about southerners! Anyway, have a pint down Sun Street for me and I can recommend that Quotidian Bakery too.

Well I must admit to being years out of date with the place but I will stick with Hitchin in that neck of the woods. If it is the ale you want, never go to Letchworth a bit further north. I think there are only two pubs in the entire town.

I used to live in Hitchin. Belting little place and I would move back there in a heartbeat. Still follow Hitchin Town FC results. Stevenage is a right shithole though. In fact there are elements of Stevenage that would have made the pie-men feel right at home.

Pretty remarkable to spot someone from Wigan outside of Wigan. I've lived down south 25 years now and met ex-pat folk from all the Lancs towns. Never Wigan. ... presumably they are too attached to various pie shops and the price of Lonsdales tracky bottoms rises elsewhere.

Liverpool Ipswich Huddersfield MK

Decent sized non league club and worthy of a berth in the National League. No more. Wish we'd never had to play them.

Hopefully against us. Although it'd shred my nerves to play them cunts at Wembley.

Randell Williams being linked with a move to Gloomfield Road.

Good pedigree. Not too concerned about the goals to games ratio as it seems he has often been played out of position in wider areas. Which of course could be option for us if ever Gale/ACD are asbent. Hull fans seem a bit cheesed off.

If Adahme is top of our list for that third striker and we do indeed sign him it does raise the question as to the length of contract we offer. Tough to be offering 3 or 4 years to a lad we view as a replacement and probably for re-sale should we end up in the Championship. We've seen so often that certain players only thrive in certain systems. You only have to look at SKD when he came to us. This was the frustrating thing about Evatt - signing players and then not using them in the way that suits them. We are a club looking for mobile targetmen. This is all in a market where such footballers are no longer as commonplace as they once were. SKD, Mixu and Nathan Blake would be perfect for this squad. As regards footballers of this level - Tony Philliskirk would be good too.

Agree with this. Given that the upper echelons of the National League are often said to be as good if not better than the bottom half of League 2, I wouldn't turn my nose up at them being sent out on loan there. Whole clutch of ex league clubs queuing up to get back in the 92 and a proper school of hard knocks. Good for toughening them up and making them more worldly wise.