Early days but.......

Can't see us being up there, we have a good first 11 but not a whole lot of depth. If Whitehall gets injured, we're screwed.

We don't have the budget to compete with the teams at the top either, we're still struggling financially due to our previous ownership

 

I’m hoping Southend go up, that’s for sure.

Dale just to have another local team, and Carlisle as it’s a decent trip up north.

Would quite like York to finish 2nd on 90+ pts and lose in the playoffs again, just for Uggla’s reaction.

 

Cheers mate

 

I like you, no jumping the queue everyone.

 

There's definitely an unspoken bond between southend and oldham fans since Wembley. If theres one team that definitely deserves to go up it's southend.

Just make it happen will ya

 

I'd assume it's written from a point of view of Southend have had a torrid time with off the field nonsense in the last few years and a positive season would be welcomed as a sign of coming out of the other end.
Ditto for Oldham, Us, Scunthorpe etc.
It's not that there's some love in from ex league teams. Just a recognition that these clubs, regular opponents of ours, nearly went pop and getting the good times back again would be nice to see.

I said much the same last season, no grumbles from me seeing Oldham go up. They may have some bellend fans and I'd want to beat them when we play them. But as a fan base they've had to put up with some shite in the last few years. Face their club going bust. And no promotions in 30 odd years is grim (we can empathise on all 3 points).

I may be blinkered but I don't recall any traditionally NL clubs that may be expected to challenge at the top facing existential crises in recent years. So there's just not the same good will to extend there.

 

Truro are probably the most recent example I can think of. Nomadic existence for years, ground plans being kicked into the long grass. I'd say I hope they get promoted (along with us) but I reckon there's next to no chance of them not being in a relegation scrap.
So if I was to pick a team to join us if we won the league, I'd personally say Southend.

 

Whether it's a cup game or hopefully an EFL match in the future, the next time we play Oldham, It will definitely have a bit of a unique positive atmosphere about it, I feel anyway.

 

Hopefully you will go up with us but if you don’t you will be playing them next season.

 

Regular bloody love-in down here in the basement.
Let’s hope these pesky non-league no-hopers don’t get in the way.
Boreham Wood, anyone….

 

Have Borehamwood faced any threat to their survival as a club though? They look like a tiny club bank rolled up to this level.

I think it's hard to explain. Before we got relegated i'd see the likes of Aldershot, Newport and Wimbledon go back up and think 'good on them, glad they came back after they've been through the wringer'
Much like I'd be happy if a 'proper' non league club came up doing the right thing. Improving year on year relatively sustainably. Not some vanity project club that'll probably end in tears eventually. By this, I mean Barrow, Burton, Macclesfield (MK1), Sutton, Yeovil etc not a Salford City or Rushden and Diamonds sort of scenario.

 

So, NL has become a convalescent home for the BELTS that have descended to the basement, almost invariably by mismanaged finances. This league has been transformed relatively recently from part-time to almost exclusively full time; the traditional non-leaguers have strived to reach this level, and their progress has now pretty much hit the buffers , because we now have basically EFL3. There’s a knock-on effect in the leagues below, unsustainable financing in efforts to reach the promised land. Is this progress or even endurable.?….I’m not so sure..and I’m not so keen.

 

When the last of us leaves we can happily campaign to bring re-election back if that helps bring back the good old days of non league.

 

Do you mean teams like Wealdstone & Maidenhead?

 

Already looking forward to the return match at your place. York is a wonderful city and I love it, but in winter it has a special charm imo, so it is this year's away weekend for the missus and I on Jan 17th.

 

I think I might have to question life itself if Boreham go up.

 

Let’s not pretend either of these clubs operate without investment, every single club does at NL level.

 

Accounts up to 2024 prove that we have got by without any significant investment. Maidenhead, fair enough, they owe their chairman nearly £2 million.

 

These tinpot mergers are getting a bit ridiculous now