Just back

Quoted from diehardmariner

Yeah I was thinking that about the Buckley first era team. It definitely wasn't a team that could be pushed around.  Even the players who were smaller in stature like Dave Gilbert and Kev Jobling weren't afraid to get stuck in.  As that team established itself in the second tier he added the likes of Livvo, Graeme Rodger, Paul Groves who all had physical elements to their game.

Mk II era the same.  Mark Lever, Livvo, Groves, Alan Pouton, Jack Lester, even Lee Nogan who did the Tony Rees role of holding it all up, backing into players and taking a battering.  All lads who could put themselves about.

Mk III was obviously less successful and I think in some ways marked a change in his approach a little, he perhaps became too pure.  Whilst at the respective end of their careers, the likes of Gary Jones and Justin Whittle were sidelined a bit for less physical options.  Peter Till was someone who I'd argue summed up his approach, especially in the final months.  Nice, tidy, technical but lacked an oomph.

Quoted from Poojah

And we should. It had somewhat passed me by that Carlisle had crept up into the automatic promotion spots. A thousand less through the gates than us and even more remote. We mustn’t believe it isn’t doable.

Quoted from headingly_mariner

I completely agree it's doable, doesn't mean it's not difficult. They've been in this division for years and been unable to get out.

I fancy we will finish mid table this season and kick on next season.

The key has to be adding improved quality. We've got some pretty good players already at this level.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Who are our pretty good players at this level? I can name 4, maybe 5.

Quoted from Poojah

And we should. It had somewhat passed me by that Carlisle had crept up into the automatic promotion spots. A thousand less through the gates than us and even more remote. We mustn’t believe it isn’t doable.

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Crocombe
Efete
Smith
Maher
Waterfall
Clifton
Holohan
Khan
Mcatee

Would all easily get other teams at this level. I fancy Clifton could easily play higher. I think Maher and Efete will improve to get moves.

I'm unsure about the rest of the squad, most of them are steady squad players.

Quoted from Les Brechin

I wouldn't say Carlisle is more remote then Grimsby. It has the M6 running past it just a few miles away. Barrow maybe, but I wouldn't class Carlisle as MORE remote.

Quoted from Poojah

Carlisle is some 70 miles further north than Barrow; just over 2 hours from Manchester - only about 20 mins closer than Grimsby is for context. It does have Newcastle an hour and a half away, but there aren’t a wealth of seasoned League 1 / 2 players living that way for obvious reasons.

Within a ~90 minute drive of Grimsby are several EFL clubs including Hull, Lincoln, Doncaster, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Bradford, Huddersfield, Barnsley and Rotherham. You can add Premier League clubs Leeds and Nottingham Forest to that list.

I get that location doesn’t work in our favour as much as it might for Manchester or London based clubs, but those clubs also face a far greater fight for support given some of the massive clubs on their doorstep.

I suspect that the long-standing reputation of the club, and to a lesser extent the image of the town (right or wrong) trump location as an issue. The good news is that our reputation can, in time, be restored.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Two of them aren’t ours. I’d probably leave Efete and Holohan off my list simply because they’re very inconsistent.