Next Season

What do we think? Who will be strong? Who will be weak? Who will be the annual part-time surprise package?

And most importantly how will we do?

Personally I reckon, Forest Green, Tranmere, Wrexham, Eastleigh and us will be competitive.

Braintree, Southport, Welling, Dover and Altrincham will struggle.

I think Barrow may be a decent side next season.

I hope Hurst keeps improving us and to be fair has so I remain hopeful that we will be challenging again

Quoted from SamTheMariner

What do we think? Who will be strong? Who will be weak? Who will be the annual part-time surprise package?

And most importantly how will we do?

Personally I reckon, Forest Green, Tranmere, Wrexham, Eastleigh and us will be competitive.

Braintree, Southport, Welling, Dover and Altrincham will struggle.

I think Barrow may be a decent side next season.

Give over mate. The season finished less than a week ago and nobody even has a portion of a squad yet! How can anyone possibly expect to assess or tip teams to do well or struggle next season yet? That's just ludicrous. What are you basing your opinions on?

Early signings, last season, managers, gut feelings.

Quoted from SamTheMariner

Early signings, last season, managers, gut feelings.

...but not in that order!

The bookies will make Tranmere, Grimsby, FGR and Eastleigh the pre-season favourites I should think. Likewise the part-time teams will all be favourites to go down. Woking and Dover did well last year but they'll do well to hang on to all their best players.

I would imagine we'd be favourites for the league by quite a distance wouldn't you have thought? For me there's no other team quite like us (providing we keep the majority of the squad together) in the league next season. I'm pretty confident about next year and providing we keep a lot of the players, i'll be disappointed with anything bar the title.

Why aren't Cheltenham being tipped for promotion

Woking will go well - shame cos Hill is a kn*b - they have some good players and will add more due to their London base
Expect Chester to go well - don;t know why, just a punt
GTFC, Eastleigh, FGR and Wrexham will challenge

Quoted from sutton mariner

I would imagine we'd be favourites for the league by quite a distance wouldn't you have thought? For me there's no other team quite like us (providing we keep the majority of the squad together) in the league next season. I'm pretty confident about next year and providing we keep a lot of the players, i'll be disappointed with anything bar the title.

Second favourite behind Tranmere IMO, Eastleigh and FGR make up the four

All total guesswork! Cheltenham haven't been tipped because they probably don't have a squad yet, like everyone else. Nobody can tip (or condemn) anyone yet with any credibility.

I can!! I tip Cheltenham for the title....

If we sign up some decent players I reckon we might come somewhere between top and 12th.

What odds were Barnet for the title last season 16 to 20/1ish at a guess?

i will be happy in top 5.
I would like to go up as champs but play offs are the minimum target to achieve, again it will be tough.
This year has been the first time there has been more than one team still going for the title with a few games to go so proved it was more comptetive than ever.
Hope if we keep the squad together and get a couple of more creative players we could be the run away champs, but this very much depends on Hurst getting the right man and not just a work horse as we have seen in previous campaigns.

Did Barnet have a real creative player? Nobody showed up in the 2 games against us and they were reliant upon Akinde.

Rovers didn't seem to be creative.

I think it was Ginnywings who posted about the most efficient, organised sides do well rather than any particular flair teams.

As many have stated we need to keep as much of the back 5 that finished the season in tact and find a striker but easier said than done.

Nobody on here is throwing up names ( I appreciate it isn't our 'job') and nobody stands out.

I hope PH is true to form in that he signs someone decent we haven't mentioned but to help the close season boredom here are a few suggestions;

For an experienced addition Aaron O'Connor released by Newport despite playing plenty of games in Lge 2 last season. Proven at this level but may be the 'wrong' age.

Youngster on loan if retained, is Irish youngster Sam Byrne at Everton and at the other end of the pyramid Aaron Williams who scored 30 odd goals for Rushall after previously been released by Walsall.

Brett Williams was suggested last year and bagged another 15 in a struggling side.

My own favourite if he would come is someone who is available but may cost a fee is Peterboroughs Kyle Vassell. Scored plenty for Bishops Storford and only 22.

Like I say, just something to waste some time as I don't play Football Manager

I'd certainly go for Aaron O'Connor - he was the closest thing to Liam Hearn I've seen. If he can stay for he would score a hatfull at conference level. A fit O'Connor beside Lenny would be a lethal partnership!!!

no Chris you are right, none of the teams this year did not have the creative player i was on about.
For this reason i think if we do get that man then there is a chance we could win this league with a lot left in the tank. we do have a really good core to the team and im in no doubts we will see top 5 again, it might just take that 1 man to take us to run away champs!

I'd rather go for Brett Williams than O'Connor.

"it might just take that 1 man to take us to run away champs"
That would be handy as we only have 1 man so far. hearts full of hope we sign at least 10 more tho.
way too early to guess whos gonna win yet and the bookies should give us there guesses in a couple of weeks i expect. i work for Coral and we wont have any for a while.
how rich is the guy at barrow? didnt they sign ched evans?

Quoted from monkeyboy

no Chris you are right, none of the teams this year did not have the creative player i was on about.
For this reason i think if we do get that man then there is a chance we could win this league with a lot left in the tank. we do have a really good core to the team and im in no doubts we will see top 5 again, it might just take that 1 man to take us to run away champs!

IMO if it is one man who makes the difference then it will be a striker, create by all means but goals are the real currency.

As we speak, we, and most others don't have a core. We have Macca and some youngsters!

I'd have a look at Tom Elliott. Released by Cambridge, Hursty style striker, holds the ball up well and knows where the goal is. He looked like a decent player against us in the trophy last season.

Seems like there's a few decent strikers knocking about at the minute, O'Connor, Williams, Elliot and Ryan Bird! Kyle Vassell is a good should though Big Chris, could be a little gem..

Quoted from nightrider

Why aren't Cheltenham being tipped for promotion

The papers and pundits like to make it look like they're using knowledge by not automatically timing both relegated sides.

I don't think that Williams would be one for us. He's apparently a right lazy so and so, albeit a good finisher.

Wouldn't fit in with our style of play.