Early, but am I weird to be kinda looking forward to a fresh season under Schuey, with some of his players to come in? 

Just trying to move on from this catastrophe of a season as quickly as possible for my own sanity.

We know Cardiff City & Plymouth are joining us along with one other of either Hull City, Luton Town, PNE, Derby or Stoke. Would like Hull or PNE personally, think they'd be less of a challenge than the others.

Port Vale, Doncaster joining too along with potentially Bradford and one more. Nice to see some northern clubs coming.

Glad to see the back of Brum and Wrexham. I think as it stands we will be the favourite to go up, will also have the leagues largest attendances, and probably the biggest club by some distance with big hitters less prominent. Pressure will be greater than ever, yet I'm looking forward to it.

Its been one long season, I guess the first thing everybody needs is a big long break.

 

Luton have just had a double relegation and are in freefall.  No evidence that they will suddenly be competing at the top end of L1.  

They will bottom out somewhere but who knows when.  Half the squad are still probably on Prem wages with a big wage bill to follow on crowds of 10k and parachute running out.  They need to get shot of their whole squad and start again.

2 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Stockport

I read the other day that in his 10 years or so as a manager at 4 different clubs Challinor has always finished in a play off spot or automatic spot 

34 minutes ago, Zico said:

I read the other day that in his 10 years or so as a manager at 4 different clubs Challinor has always finished in a play off spot or automatic spot 

That's right. Stockport are outstandingly well recruited, prepared and coached, in training and on matchdays. No stand out talents, no mavericks or ballers, just strong, fit, fast and decent players, who as a unit are really effective 

1 hour ago, TrickyTrotter said:

Luton have just had a double relegation and are in freefall.  No evidence that they will suddenly be competing at the top end of L1.  

They will bottom out somewhere but who knows when.  Half the squad are still probably on Prem wages with a big wage bill to follow on crowds of 10k and parachute running out.  They need to get shot of their whole squad and start again.

They've got a half decent manager (had Wycombe top 2), before Saturday they'd improved enough to have only lost 1 in 10 championship games, and presumably they'll have money floating around either from sales or parachute payments, or both. 

No guarantees, but they'll be favourites assuming no other club does a Birmingham or Wrexham and gets rich backers.

10 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

That's right. Stockport are outstandingly well recruited, prepared and coached, in training and on matchdays. No stand out talents, no mavericks or ballers, just strong, fit, fast and decent players, who as a unit are really effective 

Yeah, but are they "Championship ready " 😒

1 hour ago, Greg_BWFC said:

Yeah, but are they "Championship ready " 😒

More so than our lot, who were just 'oven ready' 🤣

I just had a look at the relegated Championship sides in the recent years .

So in the past 4 seasons since 20/21 out of 12 clubs, only Birmingham got promoted straight back out of League 1

Wycombe, Rotherham, Sheff Wednesday, Peterborough, Derby, Barnsley, Reading, Blackpool, Wigan, Huddersfield & Rotherham again, all either took 2 seasons at least or have been here since they got relegated.

Doesn't guarantee anything next season, but the data implies that most likely most if not all of Plymouth, Cardiff & Luton won't be coming straight back up next year. Usually takes clubs a few seasons to come back if they do at all. 

Edited May 5, 20251 yr by Lostock Whites

13 hours ago, Greg_BWFC said:

Yeah, but are they "Championship ready " 😒

Stockport just don't have the vision and long term strategy that IE had do they?  They'll be sorry.

11 hours ago, Lostock Whites said:

I just had a look at the relegated Championship sides in the recent years .

So in the past 4 seasons since 20/21 out of 12 clubs, only Birmingham got promoted straight back out of League 1

Wycombe, Rotherham, Sheff Wednesday, Peterborough, Derby, Barnsley, Reading, Blackpool, Wigan, Huddersfield & Rotherham again, all either took 2 seasons at least or have been here since they got relegated.

Doesn't guarantee anything next season, but the data implies that most likely most if not all of Plymouth, Cardiff & Luton won't be coming straight back up next year. Usually takes clubs a few seasons to come back if they do at all. 

Good info.  Certainly no guarantees anyone gets promoted when its only top 2, things happen like managers leaving or just being unlucky with injuries (or is that just us?). 

As much as Huddersfield and Rotherham were surprisingly bad this season, I'd still be amazed if the relegated sides don't get top 6 or very close to it.  All 3 sides that went down in 2021 (Rotherham, Sheff Wed, Wycombe) got at least in the play offs; 2 out of 3 the following season (Barnsley and Posh; Derby finished 7th by 1 point).  Then we had the basket cases of Reading, Blackpool and Wigan coming down.  

Anyway, as I've said before its about maximising our own potential and playing as an organised unit who look like they have a plan and are hard to beat, what the other teams do is out of our control.

1 hour ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Good info.  Certainly no guarantees anyone gets promoted when its only top 2, things happen like managers leaving or just being unlucky with injuries (or is that just us?). 

As much as Huddersfield and Rotherham were surprisingly bad this season, I'd still be amazed if the relegated sides don't get top 6 or very close to it.  All 3 sides that went down in 2021 (Rotherham, Sheff Wed, Wycombe) got at least in the play offs; 2 out of 3 the following season (Barnsley and Posh; Derby finished 7th by 1 point).  Then we had the basket cases of Reading, Blackpool and Wigan coming down.  

Anyway, as I've said before its about maximising our own potential and playing as an organised unit who look like they have a plan and are hard to beat, what the other teams do is out of our control.

Think it'll be a while before we get a chance as good as last year.

Monumental failure that.

On 05/05/2025 at 20:08, Zico said:

I read the other day that in his 10 years or so as a manager at 4 different clubs Challinor has always finished in a play off spot or automatic spot 

 

 

2 minutes ago, burnden said:

Both Wank and Mid Week 

Great fixtures 

shite

Makes me feel sick.

When you see Shrewsbury away, then see it’s a Tuesday

 

Edited May 20, 20251 yr by Leyther_Matt

I coach up in Barrow on a Tuesday evening so a quick dart round from the track and in for this one

5 hours ago, ianofcleveleys said:

I coach up in Barrow on a Tuesday evening so a quick dart round from the track and in for this one

I still wouldn't go.

Hibs v Bolton on July 19th, apparently 

1 minute ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Hibs v Bolton on July 19th, apparently 

That’ll make a few wet on here. I’ve never been to Scotland and this would be the perfect reason to go but, I’m out 😂

Enjoy as I know it will be a good one for you!!! 

1 hour ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Hibs v Bolton on July 19th, apparently 

Would certainly fancy that, always wanted to see a game at Easter Rd, even a friendly

3 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Hibs v Bolton on July 19th, apparently 

my brother lives in Edinburgh

it would be rude not to

so I think I'll be rude and pass

unless I can somehow turn it into a family visit and take the other half and kids to Edinburgh for a few days either side

but that will be expensive for a friendly

I think I'll pass

I have much more of an affinity with Hearts.  Berry, Foster and a night out with several of their lot last time we were up there for a pre season tour.  We're in Edinburgh for the fringe just a month later so can't justify the additional expense with an extra journey up.

5 hours ago, tomski said:

That’ll make a few wet on here. I’ve never been to Scotland and this would be the perfect reason to go but, I’m out 😂

Enjoy as I know it will be a good one for you!!! 

I’m at a wedding 🤦🏻‍♂️