Mendip City

Agree with that and also, Weimann won’t command much of a few if anyone wants him (age/length of contract). On current form he’s worth way more to us than his market value* *unless this season is a one off…

I agree on Bentley - I’m also wary that some of the bigger Championship players might fancy Weimann… could be a massive rebuild needed if everyone goes. I can see HNM going but fee won’t be as high as some would hope - he’s still very much stop/start in his progress. Semenyo, if any Prem offers come in will be gone. I reckon the most likely to still be here is Scott, another year or two to develop - or if someone wants him now, we should look to agree a loan back to us… he’s not going to be a Prem regular next season. I’m almost of the mindset that we’d be better losing them all and starting again than losing one and only being able to clear a bit of debt and tinker with the existing squad. The challenge then is, can NP work some magic with a healthy war chest…. Or will losing players become next season’s reason/excuse for another struggle.

Agree and yes he does need to improve things next season… he’ll just sound like broken record if not. The truth is the without the point deductions we’d have been in a relegation battle his entire tenure. That’s not good for the health of the club. I hope we don’t get relegated but equally don’t want years more relegation form - it’s just not enjoyable! Trouble is, bouncing back would not be easy - League One is strong!

I feel the point deductions have done SL and NP a massive favour. They mask the true extent of our footballing failings this year - as said above, ongoing issues with lack of identity, simple mistakes being made again and again, injury record little better than last year, lack of true investment in the squad. SL appears to be keeping his head down and NP holding the fort. Forget 3 year plans, where’s the required investment in the squad going to come from? NP’s role will just be firefighting and trying to keep us where we are for the foreseeable. One of the problems now is turning around the psychological rut of a club struggling, used to losing going back years now (remember all of LJ’s awful runs?). History tells me that the next stop is likely to be League 1 (unfortunately). It needs some impetus- either from SL or outside investment and I think should that happen it will also need a change of team management to get a positive winning mindset back into the place.

I might be wrong but it feels like the Lansdown’s have largely lost interest or lost the passion/fight/stomach for it (who can blame them? After 40+ this is the most I’ve struggled to remain passionate about it). It feels like they are politely holding the fort, including converting debt to shares but maybe just waiting on new investment/new ownership. As I say, could be completely wrong!

Agree!!! I also need to do some work!

Thanks. Tin hat at the ready! That said, this seems to be a pretty balanced thread - certainly the last bit of it that I’ve managed to read!

That all makes a lot of sense to me…. Trouble is, consolidation feels a long way off to me and I fear it’ll happen in League One. Papa John Pizza ? Cup and a Bristol Derby anyone????? ???

I agree 100% my passion has also largely disappeared since those days. It’s now just a social thing for me with little hope of entertainment. Cotts for me was in the spirit of Terry Cooper (where’s the memorial??) or early Gary Johnson. Certain characters work at this club… but it’s not really a club now, we’re just watching someone else’s business. I think change at the very top is the only way to breath some life and energy back into the place. We need ambition and people with football ambition. Some sad trends have emerged - “good defeats” are celebrated, appalling home form and bad runs are tolerated…. So much apathy from so many. How did we get here??!!!!

Agree that’s exactly what will happen. There’s been no real progress to date. I think there are reasons and there will be reasons next season - for a start I can see us potentially losing all of: Baker, Kalas, Weimann and Semenyo. I don’t trust our/Pearson’s recruitment. To be honest, regardless who is manager I just feel we’re on a slow slide to relegation (history repeating itself yet again). We’ve lost direction and identity. In terms of spirit, identity, style of play, how far are we from the team Cotts got promoted - feels like a distant memory and different football club.

We bought 3 players who were outstanding for Chesterfield. Mercer, Holland, Dyche. All crocked during their time with us. How different things might have been… though probably not!

Seems almost impossible but didn’t he play for Pompey in the game that saw us promoted to the top flight 1976?

Do they have 23 these days???

I’m very much jury out on NP…. Which is irrelevant! I’d also suggest 308 views are irrelevant. Maybe if the headline was “NP given major backing of two blokes, one called Steve and one called Jon” it might have been more relevant!!! ?

I don’t think it’s the right time to consider letting NP go but, for me, his impact has been underwhelming and masked by point deductions. If the current league table was based on footballing performance alone (not financial irregularities) we’d be 5 points above the drop zone with the team third bottom having a game in hand over us. I think that 77% would be significantly lower and in reality we’d have been battling relegation all season. Next season has to tangibly improve as his 12 month average is relegation form and I’m not convinced he’s had more change/disruption than most managers at this level.

First word I heard were “two and a half minutes until half time” ???

Thanks you…. See my post below - which I must have been trying at the same time as you!

Same here. Not even a message just a spinning wheel of nothing. Do I gamble on TV working or give up…? on a serious note does anyone know who you complain to? I live 200 miles away, have a season ticket but can’t make some midweek games for obvious reasons. It’s really disappointing that I can’t even listen to my club - despite paying to do so…. It happens too often!

He seems to say that after every iffy performance. Then he either doesn’t make many changes or realises the squad is so thin that he can’t change much. I reckon the closest to a surprise will be one of Cundy or Dunc Idehen coming in with maybe Kalas at right back. The midfield and forward line pretty much picks itself unless Williams or James suddenly have 90 mins in them. I’d like to see Wells in but not sure how he’d fit other than maybe replacing Martin.

Agree and there will only be one winner between JL and NP

Thought he came across well. He’s right to acknowledge that he expected us to be doing better. Can’t remember whether he said that on the Radio or the Post article.

I’ve skimmed the thread but back to the original subject of winless runs, I wonder whether they will increase between now and the end of the season? One factor I’ve not seen mentioned often is that most of our season has been dead-rubbers. We’ve never really got sucked into relegation fight, never threatened the top of the table. Similar at the back end of last season where we were truly awful but were never going down. I think we lack a bit of edge/jeopardy at times… hard to be 100% focused/motivated? (I know they are professionals but human nature is a factor). I guess I’m wary that despite everything NP rants about… the flip flops might already be on and the team heading closer and closer to the beach….

Bit harsh on Captain Tom!!! Completely agree. The signing of Simpson made no sense at all. NP’s signings have not worked, leaving him with last season’s squad…..for my money he has shot the confidence of Vyner and Atkinson. I’ve a horrible feeling that by the end of this season we’ll be saying “if the season went on another month…” (again).

Too many eggs in the “gamble” basket. Especially when we add in Simpson, Weimann and Baker. All with questionable availability in the past couple of seasons. Weimann has paid of big-style. The rest…. not so. Of course what I don’t know is whether they were all we could afford… surely not with a little creative recruitment? As you say, hopefully lessons learned and a more balanced transfer approach in the summer, if our recruitment team is up to the task!

James Morton played for the U23s the other day. Not saying he’s any sort of long term answer but he’s another body and has sone league experience. It’s very frustrating that we signed James and King in the summer - one with a terrible historic injury record, the other has barely played in 2+ years. Guess what? One’s had a terrible injury record, the other has barely played… it felt like a gamble at the time and has proved that way.