The game against Stockport the other day was our final derby of the regular season, derbies being an area that was often put under strong scrutiny in the Evatt era due to us usually being pathetic in them. That frustration was often expressed in tandem with the complaint that we could not seem to beat teams in and around us at the top end of the league. 

The SS era has certainly changed things in terms of those fellow "top" sides but what about the derbies? 

In the previous 10 league fixtures during 23/4 and 24/5 we had Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 7. 

This year? Won 2 Drawn 3 Lost 1 (with an honourable mention for a 2-6 away win at Oldham in the Vertu Trophy, just because that is the type of scoreline you never imagine). 

A return of nine points out of six is not quite as good as our overall ratio of 70 points from 41, so it is improvement with a caveat.

It is the Wigan fixtures that have improved out of all recognition under SS - three straight wins. But what does this tell us overall? 

My thought is that the club has clearly now understood the need to be on point when we play the pie-men or we will come unstuck. Tactically we have been a load better than the Evatt v Maloney horror shows. The rest? It still is not great is it. We should have won both those Blackpool games and still no win at Bloomfield Rd since the 70s. Meanwhile we still seem unable to lay a glove on Stockport County. 

High point for me - the Sheehan winner at Wigan. Priceless. Low point - the second Blackpool goal at home after we had been by far the better side. What about the rest of you?

Hopefully next year the high points come in fixtures v Blackburn, Burnley and PNE. Maybe we will need to finally get one up on Stockport to make that happen!

Edited April 9Apr 9 by paulhanley
typo

We've spent far too long playing against these type of dog and duck local rivals

I don't think the improved results against Wigan are down to the club being more 'up' for those games. The primary reason is that we've had a much better team than them.

The first Wigan team that twatted us 4-0 won the league that year. Bit harsh to compare that with the rabble they were at the end of Lowe's tenure. 11 off here would've given them a game.

Equally I don't think there's any relation to Stockport beating us in the cup a few years ago and the result on Monday, or our results at Bloomfield Road and a 40 year old curse. These are narratives built out of (mostly) unconnected events.

But we are due a win against Stockport in the playoffs.

2 hours ago, paulhanley said:

The game against Stockport the other day was our final derby of the regular season, derbies being an area that was often put under strong scrutiny in the Evatt era due to us usually being pathetic in them. That frustration was often expressed in tandem with the complaint that we could not seem to beat teams in and around us at the top end of the league. 

The SS era has certainly changed things in terms of those fellow "top" sides but what about the derbies? 

In the previous 10 league fixtures during 23/4 and 24/5 we had Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 7. 

This year? Won 2 Drawn 3 Lost 1 (with an honourable mention for a 2-6 away win at Oldham in the Vertu Trophy, just because that is the type of scoreline you never imagine). 

A return of nine points out of six is not quite as good as our overall ratio of 70 points from 41, so it is improvement with a caveat.

It is the Wigan fixtures that have improved out of all recognition under SS - three straight wins. But what does this tell us overall? 

My thought is that the club has clearly now understood the need to be on point when we play the pie-men or we will come unstuck. Tactically we have been a load better than the Evatt v Maloney horror shows. The rest? It still is not great is it. We should have won both those Blackpool games and still no win at Bloomfield Rd since the 70s. Meanwhile we still seem unable to lay a glove on Stockport County. 

High point for me - the Sheehan winner at Wigan. Priceless. Low point - the second Blackpool goal at home after we had been by far the better side. What about the rest of you?

Hopefully next year the high points come in fixtures v Blackburn, Burnley and PNE. Maybe we will need to finally get one up on Stockport to make that happen!

Yeah high point for me Sheehan's goal as well as it probably will be for most. Think the Forino goal celebration was possibly slightly madder, but that instant hit of joy when he twatted it into the net was great. Excellent few drinks round Chorley afterwards as well.

Club has definitely jumped onboard with the online trolling of Wigan in the aftermath of these games now, too!

Wasn't at the Blackpool home game, lowest possibly getting drenched but also sunburnt at Stockport opening day. Although I did come away feeling fairly positive overall and not writing off the entire season after 1 game as a few people I know did.

That Simons goal being disallowed at Blackpool was a blow as well, really thought we'd done them finally. And try as I might I'm really struggling to have a good day out up there for our fixtures, I've drunk some absolute swill in Blackpool the last few seasons.

Highpoint for me was that 2nd goal at home to Wigan.  The first was as much relief that we were going to give them a game this year but the 2nd...Conway and Gale marauding down the left, Forss telling Thierry where to put it, then thumping it past the hapless Tickle (who they're going to sell for £6m any day now, honest) & the wild celebrations that followed. Lovely stuff.

Should be changed to local games we don’t have a  derby game there teams from the same city 

3 hours ago, Farnywhite said:

Should be changed to local games we don’t have a  derby game there teams from the same city 

Hair splitter ! lol  

 Blackburn vs Burnley isnt a Derby by those rules eg 

Speaking of t'rovers , not guaranteed for them to stay up yet . With away games at stoke Southampton , & sheffield United , and home games against Coventry & last game of the season at home to Leicester . I think we will leapfrog them or add them to our "derby" days next year . 

8 hours ago, Farnywhite said:

Should be changed to local games we don’t have a  derby game there teams from the same city 

Or when we play Derby County.

On 09/04/2026 at 15:51, Tombwfc said:

I don't think the improved results against Wigan are down to the club being more 'up' for those games. The primary reason is that we've had a much better team than them.

The first Wigan team that twatted us 4-0 won the league that year. Bit harsh to compare that with the rabble they were at the end of Lowe's tenure. 11 off here would've given them a game.

Equally I don't think there's any relation to Stockport beating us in the cup a few years ago and the result on Monday, or our results at Bloomfield Road and a 40 year old curse. These are narratives built out of (mostly) unconnected events.

But we are due a win against Stockport in the playoffs.

I'm firmly in the camp that we've got those results due in large part to being more "up" for them than previously.  We can't say "we beat Wigan because they're terrible".  As they'll finish above Vale, Northampton, Rotherham, Blackpool and Burton.  They've all taken a load of points off us, we didn't score in 4 of the games and managed to concede 13 despite keeping 2 clean sheets.  So to beat Wigan 3-0 is well above par, how many teams don't score against us in 4 consecutive games? (someone must know the last one).

Definitely a welcome change in attitude I reckon.

2 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I'm firmly in the camp that we've got those results due in large part to being more "up" for them than previously.  We can't say "we beat Wigan because they're terrible".  As they'll finish above Vale, Northampton, Rotherham, Blackpool and Burton.  They've all taken a load of points off us, we didn't score in 4 of the games and managed to concede 13 despite keeping 2 clean sheets.  So to beat Wigan 3-0 is well above par, how many teams don't score against us in 4 consecutive games? (someone must know the last one).

Definitely a welcome change in attitude I reckon.

Hopefully they can translate the Wigan approach in to other local games - whoever they may be against next season. Hopefully not the current three - and if it is them, Salford and Oldham is not out of the equation to join them.

4 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I'm firmly in the camp that we've got those results due in large part to being more "up" for them than previously.  We can't say "we beat Wigan because they're terrible".  As they'll finish above Vale, Northampton, Rotherham, Blackpool and Burton.  They've all taken a load of points off us, we didn't score in 4 of the games and managed to concede 13 despite keeping 2 clean sheets.  So to beat Wigan 3-0 is well above par, how many teams don't score against us in 4 consecutive games? (someone must know the last one).

Definitely a welcome change in attitude I reckon.

 

Being 'up' for games isn't the deciding factor for any of those results. We weren't chomping at the bit to get into Exeter away or Wimbledon at home, we just played a shit team and took our chances. Why that didn't happen against Port Vale or Burton is a question of our quality, I don't think it's a question of our motivation.

But you definitely don't need to reach for vibes to explain why we've found it easier to beat Wigan teams fighting relegation vs those who went up as champions.

Edited April 10Apr 10 by Tombwfc

4 hours ago, Tombwfc said:

Why that didn't happen against Port Vale or Burton is a question of our quality, I don't think it's a question of our quality.

Port Vale was wholly attributable to an awful team selection by Schumacher. Simons and Erhahon in midfield! Apter on the left!!!

Trying to get excited for the “Devon derby”.

Oh for the 80’s with Brizzle City, Cardiff and Dockyard Derby with Pompey.

50 minutes ago, green genie said:

Trying to get excited for the “Devon derby”.

Oh for the 80’s with Brizzle City, Cardiff and Dockyard Derby with Pompey.

You will surely beat them on current form. I would normally be supporting Argyle in that game due to big family connections with Plymouth through Royal Navy stuff. There would be a silver lining if Exeter won this time though because it would be a big problem for the Blackpool

1 hour ago, green genie said:

Trying to get excited for the “Devon derby”.

Oh for the 80’s with Brizzle City, Cardiff and Dockyard Derby with Pompey.

Don’t come crying on here about not having your preferred derbies! 😂

You’ve had Cardiff this season, Portsmouth last season (and surely fairly regularly this last decade?) 

Imagine having had to have made do with Morecambe, Fleetwood, Accrington and Wigan, when prior to that it was Blackburn and Preston and two decades ago United and City! 
 

1 hour ago, paulhanley said:

 There would be a silver lining if Exeter won this time though because it would be a big problem for the Blackpool

That's where I'm at, plus I don't want to have to end up down in Plymouth again for the play-offs

On 10/04/2026 at 04:08, Krimzon said:

Hair splitter ! lol  

 Blackburn vs Burnley isnt a Derby by those rules eg 

It isn’t .
Hey I don’t make the rules I just in force them 😂