Prediction for the season

[Lancaster Branch]

It’s too early to say either way tbh.

[barrowfan_chris]

It’s too early to say either way tbh.

This.

[Hitthebar22]

2nd. No kidding.

[Moribund]

A lot of teams finished lower than they should have last season, so Barnet, Chesterfield, Bromley, Dagenham and Hartlepool should really be improving this year, while the promoted sides like Stockport and Torquay are better than those they replaced.

We finished 11th (discounting Gateshead's deduction) and will do well to improve on that. I'm gonna go for 9th.

So you are basing your prediction, not on what we might achieve through our own progress and merit, but on the fact that you thought other teams underachieved last season. These responses (18th), and no improvement- mid table. Surprised.

No, basing it on the fact that we don't really seem that much further on than last season (so far), while other teams mentioned came into form later on last season after terrible starts. Still 9th is progress from 11th, but not sure where people think we've come on leaps and bounds???

[TaylorBAFC]

There's far too much positivity going into the season, on the whole. I don't like it, it's scary!

[Suffolk Blue]

I’ll be honest, Im surprised at how many still see us no more than mid table.

Ian Evatt would probably agree with you Jonty. We have been riding a wave of relative optimism since he back end of last season but its difficult to criticize people for their caution.

As I see it, we've lost two seriously destabilizing financial entities in Salford and Leyton Orient replaced by two sides in Notts County and Yeovil both of which have some reasonable heavy baggage to sort out and are therefore will probably not be streets ahead of the rest of us next season. The two VNS sides coming up (Torquay and Woking) are the same that went down the season before and the two VNN sides (Stockport and Chorley) look robust enough. Sides such as Chesterfield as well as Stockport are being hyped by the bookies based on some kind of big club precedent and only a few sides look initially vulnerable (Aldershot, Maidenhead, Bhamwood and increasingly so Halifax). For the record I think Fylde now have clearly the best squad in the division. The question is whether they will make best use of it.

So there's a levelling of the "playing field" so to speak. If so, the spread of points should be much tighter meaning that the difference particularly between play-offs and bottom six could be less than usual. There may be fewer "doubles", fewer back-to-back wins and plenty of draws. So increasing goals scored versus goals conceded may be a key metric in judging potential. Important for us as we only just broke even last season.

I tend to go along with this view at least at present. Essentially what this might mean for us is probably that we would need to need to improve our Goals Scored/Conceded ratio perhaps by somewhere between 5%-10% to maintain the position we finished in last season - which was technically 11th. I'd certainly be optimistic enough to say that already from what we are seeing in pre-season that could be doable. Improve that ratio by another 10% however and I think you could be describing a top 7 team.

So what you've got to ask yourself is where you see us on that spectrum. I do think mid-table is the least we should be hoping for but my gut tells me that we might do better. It really is too early to be so optimistic however. If we have a decent August however I would quickly revise my view.

[HenneysKnee]

Think we will concede too many goals to make a serious play off push this year; lost our two best defenders from last season (Jones and Norrington Davies) 11th

[russell_anderson]

Think we will concede too many goals to make a serious play off push this year; lost our two best defenders from last season (Jones and Norrington Davies) 11th

Absolutely correct if the Morcambe highlights are anything to go by as the defence was wide open time after time even though Barrow looked dangerous when attacking.

[Middleton Nick]

Top 5

Question for Nick and Boylie. Why do you predict no improvement on last season?

Just a prediction Jonty. I hope it's completely wrong and we finish higher but we need to improve at the back and this is a tough league.

[Dwayne Beresford]

Will leak too many goals.

16th.

[Fazered]

7th and promotion via the play offs

[JammyBluebird]

Unless we sign more back up in defence (CB and LB) then I think we won't better last season.

I think the mid to playoff section of this league will be more open and have stronger competition than last season.

[zumselkoeln]

8th - 10th

[mickmike wilson]

Think we will concede too many goals to make a serious play off push this year; lost our two best defenders from last season (Jones and Norrington Davies) 11th

ATM We seem weaker at the back & it looks like we have strengthened down the middle & up front.

But lets give our defense time to gel as this is where we have changed a lot, Hopefully we soon become solid through the spine and surprise many.

Fylde to win it, Closely followed by Chesterfield who were improving massively with Sheridan now in charge & will be over the culture shock by now, Solihull will be top 5 again & Harrogate, Wrexham, Ebbsfleet & Eastleigh should all be sniffing around .

B-Wood may well be dark horses for a top 8 finish & Torquay seem the strongest outfit coming up, Stockport could be a contender if they are progressing off the field as they appear on it & if they start well their fan base will provide enough cash to strengthen.

We could be anywhere from top 5 to 12/13th


In an ideal world we beat Wrexham (who had the best home record in the div last season) Even though we whupped them & I think they will be better this term, But if we win or even nab a point we should get a big crowd in for our next 2 homes games, Come out of them unbeaten & our wave of optimism surely will peak before the inevitable crash onto the shoreline, The upsndowns of Sport.

[optomisticsupporter]

It would be great to get into the play offs, but we need a centre back with experience to partner Granit, Elsden seems the obvious choice but he just does not look comfortable on the pitch.