Race for the Title...

[dog]

I would be quite surprised though I do think some of his tinkering hasn't helped. If and when he does get it all clicking it will be more than good enough not just for this league but the one above too should we ever manage to get there. If he's patient enough I'm sure Dale Vince will be too.

'If' is the big word. Can he stop tinkering and insisting on a ridiculous formation that has wide attacking players and no defensive cover behind them. It sets us up to struggle against any side that has good wingers.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Is £1.1million a ridiculous budget at this level though? I know last season, when we were relegated to the NL, Mark Palios was saying we had a top four budget. While Grimsby might have matched that, I'm doubtful Cheltenham did, so at least one other side Forest Green, Eastleigh? in the same boat.

Don't know if the parachute payments kick in from this season for sides relegated from L2. I thought Dagenham with Still's experience would do a Cheltenham and bounce straight back, instead of their indifferent form making play-offs the best case scenario. Pound for pound, reckon Askey and perhaps McCarthy have a much stronger case for best manager nominations

Not sure ours was £1.1million. FGR and Eastleigh would've been above us, too.

 

[Tom Fgr]

Yeah switched off in games against the 'lesser' teams already this season we beat NFU 6-1, York 4-1, Southport 4-0, Braintree 3-0,Woking 3-1,Chester 5-2.
We've lost to Sutton at home 1-3 and drew 0-0 with Solihull but that was very early in the season.
16 unbeaten in all comps, not lost in the league since September 24th.
We're the highest scorers but yeah we've been lucky....
Just a word of warning apparently Cowley's teams are normally better in the second half of the season.
Barrow are still the team that have impressed me the most.
Tranmere's no.12 Sutton calm down mate it's xmas! Proper mr angry in the 2nd half.

We get it. Your the best team in the league by miles. Well done for winning the title!

 

[Imp in Branston]

We get it. Your the best team in the league by miles. Well done for winning the title!

We can't win the title, certain FGR fans said they had it in the bag before the season had even started.

 

[Luke Imp]

I think we'll still be discussing everything with about 5 games to go personally. It's going to be a close and good race.

Only thing I would say is that Barrow need to start drawing less. In the same type of thread last year, I did a list of how many draws the league winners ended up having and Barrow are on for 18 at the minute, which is too high.

2005/06 - 7 (Accrington)
2006/07 - 11 (Dagenham)
2007/08 - 8 (Aldershot)
2008/09 - 7 (Burton)
2009/10 - 9 (Stevenage)
2010/11 - 12 (Crawley)
2011/12 - 10 (Fleetwood)
2012/13 - 5 (Mansfield)
2013/14 - 11 (Luton)
2014/15 - 8 (Barnet)

 

[FGRJC]

I think we'll still be discussing everything with about 5 games to go personally. It's going to be a close and good race.

Only thing I would say is that Barrow need to start drawing less. In the same type of thread last year, I did a list of how many draws the league winners ended up having and Barrow are on for 18 at the minute, which is too high.

Didn't realise they had drawn so much, makes the unbeaten record they keep banging on about rather pointless, would rather lose a couple and win more than draw!

 

[Monkey Tennis]

I think we'll still be discussing everything with about 5 games to go personally. It's going to be a close and good race.

Only thing I would say is that Barrow need to start drawing less. In the same type of thread last year, I did a list of how many draws the league winners ended up having and Barrow are on for 18 at the minute, which is too high.

Yeah, said all season that we draw too many to ever make any big leaps at the top of the table. Things working in our favour though are Cox's insistence that his teams always play better in the second half of the season, and we've got all the top teams still to play at home.

 

[dog]

We can't win the title, certain FGR fans said they had it in the bag before the season had even started.

Only the willy-heads.

 

[Chris FGR]

Only the willy-heads.

Yeah can't stand those willy-heads making us look silly with their brash predictions. Much better to be unbullish, like I always am.

 

[Trapdoor]

Dont like the sound of Lincoln coming up. We dont need any more north-eastern teams in L2. It's bad enough with the likes of Grimsby and Hartlepool already.

 

[Luke Imp]

Dont like the sound of Lincoln coming up. We dont need any more north-eastern teams in L2. It's bad enough with the likes of Grimsby and Hartlepool already.

Wash your mouth out!

The NE is about 2 hours away from here!

 

[LeWhites]

I think we'll still be discussing everything with about 5 games to go personally. It's going to be a close and good race.

Only thing I would say is that Barrow need to start drawing less. In the same type of thread last year, I did a list of how many draws the league winners ended up having and Barrow are on for 18 at the minute, which is too high.

In that case we're gonna win the league. Saturday was our first league draw since the first game of the season at Wrexham.

 

[chipmunx]

Dont like the sound of Lincoln coming up. We dont need any more north-eastern teams in L2. It's bad enough with the likes of Grimsby and Hartlepool already.

ok - Lincoln can stay down - how about a nice short trip to Barrow instead?

 

[FGR Stroud]

Do we have any stat nerds who could enlighten us with following reference the National Conference league?

Just read Sundays newspaper where they analyse top of Premiership and discovered that the team at top at Xmas usually goes on to win title by 9 to 5 margin.
Good reading for Lincoln I would think.
Last season Cheltenham topped table at Xmas and stayed top for remainder of season.

Basically what are the figures for top of table at Xmas and winning title (or even promoted)?
If possible what are stats for relegated teams?

 

[Luke Imp]

Only ones I've seen are:

Jonny Blain ‏@jonoblain Dec 19
It's not good news for York City... the last six teams bottom of the National League at Christmas have been relegated #York

Jonny Blain ‏@jonoblain Dec 19
Better news for Lincoln City though... the last three teams top of the National league at Christmas have been promoted #lincoln

 

[Chris FGR]

Dont like the sound of Lincoln coming up. We dont need any more north-eastern teams in L2. It's bad enough with the likes of Grimsby and Hartlepool already.

Wash your mouth out!

The NE is about 2 hours away from here!

Tbf pretty much everywhere is north east when you're from Exeter.

 

[FGRJC]

Tbf pretty much everywhere is north east when you're from Exeter.

Can remember Torquay fans last season singing you dirty northern bastards to us fgr fans! Made me chuckle!

 

[FGR Stroud]

Jonny Blain ‏@jonoblain [/U] Dec 19
Better news for Lincoln City though... the last three teams top of the National league at Christmas have been promoted #lincoln

Drat.

 

[1884 Belmont]

Do we have any stat nerds who could enlighten us with following reference the National Conference league?

Just read Sundays newspaper where they analyse top of Premiership and discovered that the team at top at Xmas usually goes on to win title by 9 to 5 margin.
Good reading for Lincoln I would think.
Last season Cheltenham topped table at Xmas and stayed top for remainder of season.

Basically what are the figures for top of table at Xmas and winning title (or even promoted)?
If possible what are stats for relegated teams?

Data for the last 10 seasons:
2015/16
Top at Christmas = Cheltenham / Champions = Cheltenham
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Kidderminster, Torquay, Halifax, Boreham Wood / Bottom 4 after 46 = Welling, Kidderminster, Halifax, Altrincham.

2014/15
Top at Christmas = Barnet / Champions = Barnet
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Telford, Nuneaton, Alfreton, Dartford / Bottom 4 after 46 = Nuneaton, Dartford, Telford, Alfreton.

2013/14
Top at Christmas = Cambridge / Champions = Luton
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Hyde, Dartford, Chester, Tamworth / Bottom 4 after 46 = Hyde, Dartford, Tamworth, Chester.

2012/13
Top at Christmas = Newport / Champions = Mansfield
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Nuneaton, Barrow, Ebbsfleet, Southport / Bottom 4 after 46 = Telford, Barrow, Ebbsfleet, Stockport.

2011/12
Top at Christmas = Wrexham / Champions = Fleetwood
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Bath, Alfreton, Stockport, Hayes and Yeading / Bottom 4 after 46 = Bath, Kettering, Hayes and Yeading, Darlington.

2010/11
Top at Christmas = Crawley / Champions = Crawley
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Altrincham, Southport, Hayes and Yeading, Histon / Bottom 4 after 46 = Histon, Eastbourne, Altrincham, Southport.

2009/10
Top at Christmas = Oxford U / Champions = Stevenage
Bottom 4 at Christmas = FGR, Ebbsfleet, Grays, Eastbourne / Bottom 4 after 44 = Grays, Ebbsfleet, FGR, Gateshead.

2008/09
Top at Christmas = Burton / Champions = Burton
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Northwich Victoria, Lewes, FGR, Grays / Bottom 4 after 46 = Lewes, Weymouth, Northwich Victoria, Woking.

2007/08
Top at Christmas = Aldershot / Champions = Aldershot
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Northwich Victoria, Stafford Rangers, Droylsden, Altrincham / Bottom 4 after 46 = Droylsden, Stafford Rangers, Farsley Celtic, Altrincham

2006/07
Top at Christmas = Oxford U / Champions = Dagenham and Redbridge
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Southport, Tamworth, Rushden and Diamonds, FGR / Bottom 4 after 46 = St Albans City, Southport, Tamworth, Altrincham.

* Bolded clubs saved due to external circumstances at other clubs.
Top at Christmas who go on to win league = 5/10 (50%)
Bottom 4 at Christmas who go on to finish bottom 4 and therefore should be relegated under normal circumstances = 27/40 (68%).

 

[GTFCfish]

2012/13
Top at Christmas = Newport

Grimsby were top at Christmas in 2012/13 mucker, before falling away around February time.

 

[FGRJC]

Data for the last 10 seasons:
2015/16
Top at Christmas = Cheltenham / Champions = Cheltenham
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Kidderminster, Torquay, Halifax, Boreham Wood / Bottom 4 after 46 = Welling, Kidderminster, Halifax, Altrincham.

2014/15
Top at Christmas = Barnet / Champions = Barnet
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Telford, Nuneaton, Alfreton, Dartford / Bottom 4 after 46 = Nuneaton, Dartford, Telford, Alfreton.

2013/14
Top at Christmas = Cambridge / Champions = Luton
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Hyde, Dartford, Chester, Tamworth / Bottom 4 after 46 = Hyde, Dartford, Tamworth, Chester.

2012/13
Top at Christmas = Newport / Champions = Mansfield
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Nuneaton, Barrow, Ebbsfleet, Southport / Bottom 4 after 46 = Telford, Barrow, Ebbsfleet, Stockport.

2011/12
Top at Christmas = Wrexham / Champions = Fleetwood
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Bath, Alfreton, Stockport, Hayes and Yeading / Bottom 4 after 46 = Bath, Kettering, Hayes and Yeading, Darlington.

2010/11
Top at Christmas = Crawley / Champions = Crawley
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Altrincham, Southport, Hayes and Yeading, Histon / Bottom 4 after 46 = Histon, Eastbourne, Altrincham, Southport.

2009/10
Top at Christmas = Oxford U / Champions = Stevenage
Bottom 4 at Christmas = FGR, Ebbsfleet, Grays, Eastbourne / Bottom 4 after 44 = Grays, Ebbsfleet, FGR, Gateshead.

2008/09
Top at Christmas = Burton / Champions = Burton
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Northwich Victoria, Lewes, FGR, Grays / Bottom 4 after 46 = Lewes, Weymouth, Northwich Victoria, Woking.

2007/08
Top at Christmas = Aldershot / Champions = Aldershot
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Northwich Victoria, Stafford Rangers, Droylsden, Altrincham / Bottom 4 after 46 = Droylsden, Stafford Rangers, Farsley Celtic, Altrincham

2006/07
Top at Christmas = Oxford U / Champions = Dagenham and Redbridge
Bottom 4 at Christmas = Southport, Tamworth, Rushden and Diamonds, FGR / Bottom 4 after 46 = St Albans City, Southport, Tamworth, Altrincham.

* Bolded clubs saved due to external circumstances at other clubs.
Top at Christmas who go on to win league = 5/10 (50%)
Bottom 4 at Christmas who go on to finish bottom 4 and therefore should be relegated under normal circumstances = 27/40 (68%).

Thank you stat nerd

 

[gijsbert_bos]

Seems no-one can stay top for long. Does anyone want to win it?

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Seems no-one can stay top for long. Does anyone want to win it?

It's Bromley's year with a late surge I reckon.

 

[doveranddover]

Thought Bromley were poor when we beat them there. But quite a few teams have gone on good runs after we played them. (except maybe FGR)

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Following Lincolns end of season lap of honour just over a week ago, their new season has got off to a rocky start. Defeat in their opening game of the season puts the Cowleys under immense pressure.

Meanwhile Forest Green continue to be consistently inconsistent.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

Is 'consistently inconsistent' a polite way of saying 'shit'?

 

[White Army]

I thought the race was over after listening to some Lincoln fans outside the ground last week.

 

[Luke Imp]

That 'lap of honour', which we do after every game.

 

[Davidimp]

Indeed how dare our players and management come over to the coop stand and thank the fans for their support...
Don't think the title will be won until full time after the last game, can't see anyone running away with it.
Still got our game in hand and money to spend on players thanks to the cup run and putting over 1000 on our gates too.

 

[Master D]

Seems no-one can stay top for long. Does anyone want to win it?

You could say it's who blinks first.