Can we be play-off challengers....

[Curtis]

or should we be content with a mid table finish this season?

 

Last night we reached the mid-point of our season and have played 23 matches and achieved 34 points.... it looks to me as though 80 points will be required to make the play-offs, so we are probably only about six points short at present.

 

It seems to me from reading this forum, and speaking to a few fans at matches, that there is no expectation or ambition with regard to making the play-offs...... if anything it seems more about achieving 50 points and guaranteeing safety this season.

 

Why is this???

 

Last season our results were fairly erratic until mid January, when we then put together a fantastic run of results to make the play-offs...... are there really no thoughts or hopes of doing similar this season?

[GlenSTFC]

If you meant 80pts for fifth place and assuming we match our points tally in the second half of the season we'd be 12 points not 6 off?

[Curtis]

Of course we would be well off the play-offs if we continued with the same form.... the point is we improved significantly over the second half of last season.

 

Why is there no expectation of possibly doing similar this season?

[Stuntman Mark]

 

Why is there no expectation of possibly doing similar this season?

 

Because it's a much higher standard of football this season. 

[jonblack]

or should we be content with a mid table finish this season?

 

Last night we reached the mid-point of our season and have played 23 matches and achieved 34 points.... it looks to me as though 80 points will be required to make the play-offs, so we are probably only about six points short at present.

 

It seems to me from reading this forum, and speaking to a few fans at matches, that there is no expectation or ambition with regard to making the play-offs...... if anything it seems more about achieving 50 points and guaranteeing safety this season.

 

Why is this???

 

Last season our results were fairly erratic until mid January, when we then put together a fantastic run of results to make the play-offs...... are there really no thoughts or hopes of doing similar this season?

You would hope the ambition was there from players and fans to reach the highest position possible.But despite last nights good win I feel we are not consistent enough.Also there is the problem of having a big enough budget to compete at that level .

[Windsor Rebel]

Jonblack (Hotspur) is correct

[Mark44]

I think the budget one is a good point......

 

I would love us to make the playoffs, I feel we are a couple of players away (my own personal view and i'd love to be proved wrong), our players are capable of beating anyone in this division which last night proves but we are not consistent enough and we leak far too many goals (1.83 per game).

 

What I would not want us to do is go out and get those players pushing us above our budget for nothing......In Batemans last season we did a similar thing, we had a good fa cup run and used a large chunk of the prize money to come 6th (I do not have the complete picture but this is what I understand)

 

In our first season in the Prem I'm happy with 17th or above

 

COYR

[A Rebel and a Saint]

I think as much as people want to see the club do well, after being stuck at Step 4 it's enough to just be at Step 3 at the moment. Without our own ground we will always be restricted in budget and fans. I believe we have to do work on Holloways Park just to bring it up to southern premier standards (not exactly sure how much we have to do), so we don't want to be giving Beaconsfield a fantastic ground when we could end up with a bare minimum standards of we do eventually get Arbour Park. From there the club can decide on if there is a budget for promotion to conference South.

 

This season I'm just happy we're competitive, doing well in mid table with a decent chance of a top half finish and upsetting a few of the bigger teams, especially away from home like Truro, Corby and St Neots.

[GlenSTFC]

We're too inconsistent to make the play offs this season (will gladly eat my words though!). On our day we're a match for anyone in this league but feel we need 2 maybe 3 classy players to take us to the next level.

[SloughRebelBoy]

We're too inconsistent to make the play offs this season (will gladly eat my words though!). On our day we're a match for anyone in this league but feel we need 2 maybe 3 classy players to take us to the next level.

 

concurred, cant see the play offs this season. I am (will be) pleased if we are in this league next season and then build on from there. For the club to progress, we obviously need to get our ground sorted (stating the obvious sorry) and need to probably spend a few seasons getting used to this league before we become challengers for promotion. Like others have said, would love to be proved wrong and go up this season.  

 

What is the highest league you can go into before they refuse you (for not having your own ground)?

[Ian]

I don't believe we're close to being ready for the next step in many ways.

 

We've got a much more structured approach behind the scenes these days but are still totally dependent on volunteers that do everything. The ground would be a major issue as the requirements for Conference South are even higher than Southern Prem, and we already have issues to resolve with Holloways Park by the end of March.

 

I would also hazard a guess, as i'm not party to club finances, that we'd need far greater revenue streams than we currently have to sustain things at the next level up.

 

As for the team I think on our day we can hold our own with any team in this league. We proved that last night. I don't think we have the squad currently to do that consistently enough to be successful through the playoffs. If we managed it this season I think it would actually be detrimental to the progress we've made.

 

Anywhere approaching mid-table is just fine by me this season with a few nights like yesterday thrown in :-)

[GlenSTFC]

What works to the ground are required by March Ian?

[Curtis]

If we managed it this season I think it would actually be detrimental to the progress we've made.

I find that difficult to read, probably even more difficult for the Managers and Players to read.

[GlenSTFC]

Sort of agree as the team wouldn't be prepared for the Conference South and no one would want to see us bottom and getting a few thumpings. There's a few very well financed teams in that league, plus HP would need a bit of money spent on it which no doubt the club or SYCOB doesn't have.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

I find that difficult to read, probably even more difficult for the Managers and Players to read.

Why Mark? He is absolutely spot on. It would probably ruin the club if we were to progress to quickly to the next step. Then it's very likely we'd have no club to support and all the hard work of the last few years would be wasted. After 10 plus years homeless and having previously struggled to get out of step 4, we have to be realistic while also just enjoying the ride at Step 3.

[epicrebel]

Some of the much needed cash I blame on those people who don't come and watch us because of "I don't like Beaconsfield" or "I don't like Windsor". If you support the club It doesn't matter what pitch we play on. With that extra money coming in that would sort a few things out that's needed.

[Sir Rebel1965]

Mark the Slough fans who turn up to games have a far more realistic view on progression than those from MYFC, to MYFC STFC is just another computer game where you vote on things and pick options, a bit like the many league manager games on line where the consequences of failure are just electronic.  However to the Slough Town Fans who have experienced the black and dark days in the latter years of Deaner, are far more realistic and accept a slow and steady progression, where the risks are controlled, and boom and bust are avoided.

[Curtis]

Why Mark?

Because it reminded me of the absurd circumstances of Lewes FC sacking their Manager in 2008, for 'being too successful and getting too many promotions' :-

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/may/16/4

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Don't think we'd make the play offs and don't see it as a realistic ambition this season. I think if we somehow went up we would really struggle and where would we go. Sycob for conference South??? No chance. Don't know what would be needed there but sure it would cost many many tens of thousands.

[Ian]

I find that difficult to read, probably even more difficult for the Managers and Players to read.

I don't get at all why the players or management would have any issue with this. Neil and Jon are understandably ambitious but would be the first to admit progression has to be at a pace we can manage. That's not being critical of them or the players.