Challengers next season?

[DomRepWanderer]

We will obviously be up there as favourites, but who else eill be there or there abouts? Blackpool will have a few quid to spunk, Charlton have new owners, Portsmouth will want better, hopefully Sheff go up, and Barnsley go the way of MK Don's, o ly my opinion but discuss.

[radcliffe white]

Need rid of Sheffield

Derby, Portsmouth, Blackpool & reading will be in the mix

Peterborough May lose a few 

[Leyther_Matt]

Reading are a basket case. Blackpool seem to have a huge rebuild on their hands that might take a while. You’d have to expect Derby will chuck money at it and surely Portsmouth and Charlton will challenge at some point. If Sheff Weds stay down then it’ll be interesting to see how that one goes with their big earners. The three we are sending up are certainly stronger than the three coming down which has to be a positive in itself.

[Biggish Dave]

Don't think Derby will need to chuck much at it, Warne knows how to win promotion on a tight budget.

Fleetwood have signed some tidy players from January onwards so are my surprise package - for now.

[desperado]

Derby, Barnsley and Bolton to battle it out like Sheff Wed, Plymouth and Ipswich did this year. 

[globaldiver]

No mention of Wigan?

[L/H White]

55 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

No mention of Wigan?

they'll challenge if they don't go bump

[Lostock Whites]

One of the relegation lot tend to at least be in the mix, but they're in such a state this year, maybe Reding/Blackpool might clinch a 6th spot.

Can't see any of the promotion teams from League 2 challenging, Stockport/Leyton Orient might finish top 10 at best.

There is always a surprise package too, I think maybe Bristol Rovers, Lincoln, Exeter

If Sheff Weds get promoted then I'd say us and Derby are favourites for the title, then Barnsley, Portsmouth, Peterborough, Charlton, Reading, Blackpool

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Lostock Whites said:

One of the relegation lot tend to at least be in the mix, but they're in such a state this year, maybe Reding/Blackpool might clinch a 6th spot.

Can't see any of the promotion teams from League 2 challenging, Stockport/Leyton Orient might finish top 10 at best.

There is always a surprise package too, I think maybe Bristol Rovers, Lincoln, Exeter

If Sheff Weds get promoted then I'd say us and Derby are favourites for the title, then Barnsley, Portsmouth, Peterborough, Charlton, Reading, Blackpool

Never too early for a predictions thread but I'll hang fire till at least after play off final.  And maybe till 1st September post-transfer window 😃

But not sure how us and Derby would be favourites above Barnsley currently? If the season started next week presume Barnsley would be favourites, justifiably, not like we've obviously got more money to spend than them?  And Derby's older players another year older so got some rebuilding to do same as us. 

[Marc505]

We need a seriously impressive summer for us to be contemplating top 2. I'm looking forward to seeing what it brings.

[Farnywhite]

Charlton going through a takeover billionaire new owner . Derby would have found their feet . Blackpool if critchley returns as manager . Barnsley/sheff wed 

[RUREADY2ROLL]

Unless we seriously strengthen I can’t see us above mid table; we have been crap since Xmas apart from a few games and stole loads of points; that won’t happen again 

[Lostock Whites]

Just now, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Unless we seriously strengthen I can’t see us above mid table; we have been crap since Xmas apart from a few games and stole loads of points; that won’t happen again 

Mate have you not seen how shit this league is?

We had quite a few poor results last season and still managed 81 points.

Evatt has had 3 seasons so far and there's been clear progress in each year. No reason why next year wouldn't be the same. Obviously recruitment is key and who we bring in however.

[RUREADY2ROLL]

1 minute ago, Lostock Whites said:

Mate have you not seen how shit this league is?

We had quite a few poor results last season and still managed 81 points.

Evatt has had 3 seasons so far and there's been clear progress in each year. No reason why next year wouldn't be the same. Obviously recruitment is key and who we bring in however.

I agree but we need a lot of quality adding to the squad and especially as we lose Bradley and Trafford. 

[Lostock Whites]

Just now, RUREADY2ROLL said:

I agree but we need a lot of quality adding to the squad and especially as we lose Bradley and Trafford. 

Of course, but like we all went ape shit when we lost Fossey, we brought in Bradley. Par the January window our recruitment has been quite good.

Evatt is a perfectionist and no doubt him, Chris Markham and the team will be doing some extensive analysis on the players coming in.

Saying that I think they must have seen some edited footage of Randell Williams, Mbete & Jerome cause I have no way explaining them signings 😅

[radcliffe white]

I wouldn’t say it’s a shit league myself 

[Casino]

9 minutes ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Unless we seriously strengthen I can’t see us above mid table; we have been crap since Xmas apart from a few games and stole loads of points; that won’t happen again 

5 points less than ipswich

Sometimes, head not heart 

 

[Farrelli]

13 minutes ago, Casino said:

5 points less than ipswich

Sometimes, head not heart 

 

Head, that’s an idea. “Let’s put our heads together and forge ahead” Oliver Hardy

[MalcolmW]

24 minutes ago, Lostock Whites said:

Of course, but like we all went ape shit when we lost Fossey, we brought in Bradley. Par the January window our recruitment has been quite good.

Evatt is a perfectionist and no doubt him, Chris Markham and the team will be doing some extensive analysis on the players coming in.

Saying that I think they must have seen some edited footage of Randell Williams, Mbete & Jerome cause I have no way explaining them signings 😅

What we very clearly need is a goalkeeper!

[jmjhb]

1 hour ago, Marc505 said:

We need a seriously impressive summer for us to be contemplating top 2. I'm looking forward to seeing what it brings.

Yeah, plenty of quality available though even from the released lists 

[Ani]

Reading had 9th highest wage bill in the Championship and losing money hand over fist. 
 

Wigan will hopefully be deducted 4 points a month which makes it pretty tough 👍

[Eddie]

Not arsed about any of those coming down, Reading and Wigan in financial shit and Blackpool have just found their normal level.

Could do with Wednesday going up, although it would be interesting to see what happens if they don’t as it feels like they’ve gambled on promotion with the reported size of the wage bill.

Expect Derby to be favourites, but again there’s a question mark for me about whether they can sustain that level of spending. Their new owner is in the “local guy done very well” mould rather than the previous fella who had unlimited funds in comparison to this league.

If Barnsley don’t go up and keep Duff then you’d expect them to be eyeing automatic promotion next year.

Charlton / Pompey should improve but have more of a gap to bridge than us.

Wycombe have the recent pedigree but need to stabilise after losing Ainsworth - not convinced they’re one to be worried about.

Peterborough, according to their fans on that forum post the Wednesday defeat, appear to be in financial trouble and they were more talking about looking down rather than up - can’t say I have a clue how much truth is in it but it didn’t sound good.

As someone has already said, it’s tough to figure out without play offs being finalised and seeing how everyone does through summer, but I’m pretty confident that we’ll be in a good position considering the stability and upward trajectory vs. other contenders.

[Big E]

We should be challenging but it could easily be nothing unless we get recruitment right. 
 

hopefully we have a plan and the conversations have been going on for a long time. 
 

I am hoping to see 8/9 new faces. 
 

hopefully our January signings can deliver better than their career stats show because if we rely on them we will not achieve it. 

[Farnywhite]

6 hours ago, Farnywhite said:

Blackpool if critchley returns as manager .

Just got the job this afternoon did a great job there last time got them up played good football similar to us and as big links with Liverpool for youth and B team players were he managed before . Probably get first pick of them before us if another Bradley out there 

[paulhanley]

Reading and Wigan are financial basket cases so as things stand I don't see them challenging. Particularly hope I am correct on the latter. Blackpool seem solvent with steady ownership. They're not actually that big a club though when it boils down to it - perhaps top six challengers.

Derby and whoever stays down out of Sheff W and Barnsley are nailed on challengers. Peterborough? I think they'll fade a bit. Wycombe had started to fade towards the end of this season. Then you're in to the League 1 under achievers of recent years in the form of Portsmouth and Charlton. I think at least one of those will be push on.