Thoughts turn to next season

[Steelworks End]

Hopefully, Hartlepool too. It'll be just like our old Football League days!
I hope the Welsh avoid the drop -an unattractive fixture, to say the least...

I agree about Newport, but I can't say that a visit to the Republic of British West Hartlepool fills me with much enthusiasm either.

[The Tomahawk Kid]

Their stadium looks quite good when viewed on TV.
I suppose for you exiles 'darn sarf' Hartlepool's a bit of a trek...

[geobarrovian]

Hartlepool would be lovely, would offer a significant improvement on my nearest ground Gateshead and apparently there is a batshit crazy real ale thing in the train station

[mightywhite]

All talk...

Would have been a better idea to answer the phone in January and strengthen the squad when the club were in the play offs.

I thought you stated elsewhere (relentlessly) that the off field operations meant we weren't ready to go up?? perhaps he is following your advice?

[The Real Slim Azza]

All talk...

Would have been a better idea to answer the phone in January and strengthen the squad when the club were in the play offs.

I thought you stated elsewhere (relentlessly) that the off field operations meant we weren't ready to go up?? perhaps he is following your advice?

What advice did I give?

I dont remember advising the owner of the club not to sign players in January.

[mightywhite]

I thought you stated elsewhere (relentlessly) that the off field operations meant we weren't ready to go up?? perhaps he is following your advice?

What advice did I give?

I dont remember advising the owner of the club not to sign players in January.

That we weren't ready to go up!

You have stated this time and time again...yet now you are saying he should have put his hand in his pocket in Jan to get us promoted. Just interested to know which of these view points you actually hold, and which is simply for the sake of being contrary?

[The Real Slim Azza]

What advice did I give?

I dont remember advising the owner of the club not to sign players in January.

That we weren't ready to go up!

You have stated this time and time again...yet now you are saying he should have put his hand in his pocket in Jan to get us promoted. Just interested to know which of these view points you actually hold, and which is simply for the sake of being contrary?

Have you got a direct quote there? or is saying that the club isn't ready to go up on a football forum giving advice or making a general statement of opinion? I don't remember contacting the owner with regards this.


If Casson was serious about promotion this year then surely it would have been a better idea to strengthen in January and push on when the club was in and around the play offs. Why hold the spending for another seasons graft when the club were so close in what is a very competitive league ? Seems silly now looking back that for whatever reason January was a no spend time period but this summer its back on again when the league is going to be stronger with more big spenders coming up and two league clubs dropping down.

[mightywhite]

That we weren't ready to go up!

You have stated this time and time again...yet now you are saying he should have put his hand in his pocket in Jan to get us promoted. Just interested to know which of these view points you actually hold, and which is simply for the sake of being contrary?

Have you got a direct quote there? or is saying that the club isn't ready to go up on a football forum giving advice or making a general statement of opinion? I don't remember contacting the owner with regards this.


If Casson was serious about promotion this year then surely it would have been a better idea to strengthen in January and push on when the club was in and around the play offs. Why hold the spending for another seasons graft when the club were so close in what is a very competitive league ? Seems silly now looking back that for whatever reason January was a no spend time period but this summer its back on again when the league is going to be stronger with more big spenders coming up and two league clubs dropping down.

I don't have a direct quote no, i don't really feel inclined to go searching for one. I'm just fairly certain that you have said on numerous occasions that the club isn't ready to go up in terms of off field infrastructure.

Without avoiding the issue over the semantics, regarding if what you said was direct advice to the owner or merely statements of opinion. should the club have spent in January knowing it wasn't ready to go up?

what your stating in this thread is;

the club wasn't ready to go up "or is saying that the club isn't ready to go up on a football forum giving advice or making a general statement of opinion?" from above.

but the chairman should have put his hand in his pocket to get us promoted despite this fact.

You will have to excuse me here but i'm a little confused...you wanted Paul Casson to spend money in January to gain promotion we arent ready for, because it was an opportunity we might not gain again? is that it?

[The Real Slim Azza]

Have you got a direct quote there? or is saying that the club isn't ready to go up on a football forum giving advice or making a general statement of opinion? I don't remember contacting the owner with regards this.


If Casson was serious about promotion this year then surely it would have been a better idea to strengthen in January and push on when the club was in and around the play offs. Why hold the spending for another seasons graft when the club were so close in what is a very competitive league ? Seems silly now looking back that for whatever reason January was a no spend time period but this summer its back on again when the league is going to be stronger with more big spenders coming up and two league clubs dropping down.

I don't have a direct quote no, i don't really feel inclined to go searching for one. I'm just fairly certain that you have said on numerous occasions that the club isn't ready to go up in terms of off field infrastructure.

Without avoiding the issue over the semantics, regarding if what you said was direct advice to the owner or merely statements of opinion. should the club have spent in January knowing it wasn't ready to go up?

what your stating in this thread is;

the club wasn't ready to go up "or is saying that the club isn't ready to go up on a football forum giving advice or making a general statement of opinion?" from above.

but the chairman should have put his hand in his pocket to get us promoted despite this fact.

You will have to excuse me here but i'm a little confused...you wanted Paul Casson to spend money in January to gain promotion we arent ready for, because it was an opportunity we might not gain again? is that it?

Right, Nice and slowly now.

Ive said the club isn't ready for the football league off the pitch. This is a statement I have made in the past and still stand by.

I have never said I "wanted" Paul Casson to spend over the January Period. What I am saying is , its strange that he never did allow the strengthening of the squad in January if promotion was his main aim. I find it odd that he never answered his phone over that period, with players taking the lids of their crystal BICS ready to print their names, when the club was in the best position of all to meet his aim of league football. Why aim to spend over summer when we start on the same points as everyone else come the beginning of next season when the club was in its best position to go hit the play offs in January. That might have been the best chance he had of the club being promoted. Its no secret to the thinking man that with the clubs failure to strengthen over the mid part, came the clubs failure to hit the play offs.

Now as Ive said above, this is what Ive noticed. Im not giving advice to anybody, Im raising questions when things don't add up. Id love the club to win the league or win the play offs. I think there just needs to be some planning for how we should get to the football league , what to do if we don't get there in the time allowed and some further planning on what to do should we get there.
Rather than just going balls out of the bath to get to the promised land then just take it as it goes when (IF) reached.


Fail to prepare, prepare to fail......

[mightywhite]

All talk...

Would have been a better idea to answer the phone in January and strengthen the squad when the club were in the play offs.

I thought you stated elsewhere (relentlessly) that the off field operations meant we weren't ready to go up?? perhaps he is following your advice?

Right, you have NOT said you "wanted" PC to spend it January, but you said in the post quoted it "would have been a better idea" to have spent in January. Whats the difference? so you didnt want him to spend but it would have been a better idea? so even thought you thought its a better idea, you dont "want" him to do it?

but also previously stated that we weren't ready for it. Im sure you can see where my confusion is coming from here.

Give the tone of your posts i find it surprising that you would be happy with us gaining promotion. (perhaps that's just how it comes across to me)

[The Real Slim Azza]

I thought you stated elsewhere (relentlessly) that the off field operations meant we weren't ready to go up?? perhaps he is following your advice?

Right, you have NOT said you "wanted" PC to spend it January, but you said in the post quoted it "would have been a better idea" to have spent in January. Whats the difference? so you didnt want him to spend but it would have been a better idea? so even thought you thought its a better idea, you dont "want" him to do it?

but also previously stated that we weren't ready for it. Im sure you can see where my confusion is coming from here.

Give the tone of your posts i find it surprising that you would be happy with us gaining promotion. (perhaps that's just how it comes across to me)

The difference is it would have been a better idea for Mr Casson if he wanted promotion as early as possible. I really dont see the reason for all this confusion. I dont have to want it to happen to point that out.


If I ordered a chicken mayo baguette for dinner and didnt like it and you said on here " it would have been a better idea to get tuna mayo" . It doesn't mean you want to bite my sandwich.

[Londonblue]

It's obvious we are not ready for the football league off the pitch, but would that stop anyone wanting promotion in relation to the football? I doubt it.

My belief is that this league is getting more and more competitive and that with one dedicated promotion spot it is getting harder to achieve that aim. The play offs are a lottery at the end of the day. Personally, I would love there to be 3 places going up, with 2 dedicated promotion spots.

[The Real Slim Azza]

It's obvious we are not ready for the football league off the pitch, but would that stop anyone wanting promotion in relation to the football? I doubt it.

My belief is that this league is getting more and more competitive and that with one dedicated promotion spot it is getting harder to achieve that aim. The play offs are a lottery at the end of the day. Personally, I would love there to be 3 places going up, with 2 dedicated promotion spots.

Yeah its all a bit political that isn't it? Seems silly that there isn't two automatic positions and the play offs. I think its down to the FA having to potentially pay out an extra parachute payment to a third relegated side each year.

[Londonblue]

It's obvious we are not ready for the football league off the pitch, but would that stop anyone wanting promotion in relation to the football? I doubt it.

My belief is that this league is getting more and more competitive and that with one dedicated promotion spot it is getting harder to achieve that aim. The play offs are a lottery at the end of the day. Personally, I would love there to be 3 places going up, with 2 dedicated promotion spots.

Yeah its all a bit political that isn't it? Seems silly that there isn't two automatic positions and the play offs. I think its down to the FA having to potentially pay out an extra parachute payment to a third relegated side each year.

No doubt...but with more and more "bigger" clubs entering the National League the top half could almost be called League Division 3...

[Shaun]

I don't know the situation behind the scenes, any ins or outs whatsoever, but I can't help but think that we passed up a major opportunity this season.