Cheltenham Town v Port Vale

[Horteng]

Fantastic win and 9 points in a week is quite remarkable. Big carrot dangling for Friday which could see us (Somehow) out of the bottom 4 with a win and put the pressure on the teams playing Saturday.

[Si Robin]

Fleetwood is smallest I believe.

Edit - 3 are smaller than Whaddon Road. Fleetwood is smallest (5,327), then Stevenage (6,722) then Burton (6,912). We are then next at 7,066 whilst Northampton are just above us with 7,798.

[Alf]

One of our best performances. To go behind twice and having the confidence to fight back and win is just excellent. We have a top man in charge now. Well done Darrell and the lads.

[Shade]

The Charlton fans aren’t happy with May at all. Apparently he’s only good for poaching goals and now he’s been asked to play a bit deeper apparently he’s rubbish and their fans could even play better than him!

Maybe he’ll teach their fans a lesson and not score against us then come back on a free!

It defies logic why you would ask a player who has been in the top 2 or 3 goalscorers in English football in both of the last 2 calendar years to play anywhere other than his best position. Obviously, we know he wasn't great on the wing at Doncaster and we got the best out of him playing him as far up front as he can, and he was banging them in for Charlton earlier int he season. He is what he is. I don't understand why manager's think they can try to evolve him into something else.

[1985CTFC]

The Charlton fans aren’t happy with May at all. Apparently he’s only good for poaching goals and now he’s been asked to play a bit deeper apparently he’s rubbish and their fans could even play better than him!

Maybe he’ll teach their fans a lesson and not score against us then come back on a free!

It defies logic why you would ask a player who has been in the top 2 or 3 goalscorers in English football in both of the last 2 calendar years to play anywhere other than his best position. Obviously, we know he wasn't great on the wing at Doncaster and we got the best out of him playing him as far up front as he can, and he was banging them in for Charlton earlier int he season. He is what he is. I don't understand why manager's think they can try to evolve him into something else.

From what I read he scored more goals when wide at Charlton. But it does seem strange. Still that's Charlton and Alfies problem. Difficult to believe Alfie would hug the touchline all game. Maybe his 2 pens against us count as him playing wide.

[Red Duke]

Just watched the whole game with the Port Vale commentary. They said that they couldn't understand how Tom Pett was allowed to leave (maybe to do with location) and wasn't picked up straight away with another club, how much George Lloyd had improved and what a nuisance he was with his pressing and Matty Taylor never showed the same level of goal scoring ability when he was at Vale.

[CTFCfan99]

Another thing that struck me after watching the highlights was the limited celebrations after both equalisers. A few pats on the back but otherwise they were all straight back to the centre ready to kick off, knowing they needed to go on and win. Great mentality.

[Ihearye]

As they say it’s the hope that kills! Dare we dream?

Long way to go still but we might just pull this off

That win has given me hope at the very least even the bookies are extending our odds as we are now 15/8 for the drop having started the day as evens.

Latest odds:
Carlsile 1/100
Fleetwood 1/25
Shrewsbury 11/8
Cheltenham 15/8
Port Vale 6/4
Chartlon 9/4
Burton 4/1
Exeter 6/1
Cambridge 8/1

Reading still not listed in the odds.

Reading are showing 9/4. Good to see Our odds on relegation starting to drift. After listening to Darren Moore's post match interview I think PV odds are generous. I can't see Darren inspiring players to run through a brick wall for him

[Eastaway]

Can anyone confirm that Whaddon Road actually is the smallest ground in League 1? Obviously, it isn't the smallest in the whole league - but is it in our division? Presumably in terms of capacity.

According to the Football Ground Guide - and judging by crowd capacity - Fleetwood is the smallest followed by Burton and then Whaddon Road.

[1985CTFC]

looking at fixtures Carlisle and Fleetwood look doomed. Then any 2 from Port Vale, Charlton, Shrewsbury, Cambridge and possibly Exeter as still not playing well and have played more games.
WE ARE STAYING UP!

[Red Duke]

Interesting reading the Port Vale fans forum. They are not a happy bunch but I could see a lot of similarities between us and are going through a similar cycle.

They appointed a manager (Crosby) who was the assistant to the previous manager (DC) and achieved some success but struggled when things have gone awry. They are very unhappy with DoF (Flitcroft) especially Whethwith the poor quality of the recruited players.

It has been the same with CTFC with Wade Elliott replacing Michael Duff and Russell Milton for recruitment.

I think we have been lucky in that our extremely poor run was at the beginning of the season and not halfway through.

When DC was appointed we were 16 points behind Port Vale but in 20 games we have overtaken them.

Whether Darren Moore has the skills to save them relegation like DC has, I am not so sure. He probably has insufficient time.

[Jerry St Clair]

looking at fixtures Carlisle and Fleetwood look doomed. Then any 2 from Port Vale, Charlton, Shrewsbury, Cambridge and possibly Exeter as still not playing well and have played more games.
WE ARE STAYING UP!

Agreed. Though never discount a team in relative mid-table safety getting sucked into it. There's always one. Maybe Bristol Rovers or Wigan this year. Both on poor runs.

If I could choose, it'd be Shrews and Charlton, obviously.

[Robin]

Exeter have played more games than anyone else and have patchy (albeit improved form), if there is a side who get sucked into it they look the best bet right now. Reading vs Port Vale tomorrow night looks a huge game in the context of the relegation battle.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

looking at fixtures Carlisle and Fleetwood look doomed. Then any 2 from Port Vale, Charlton, Shrewsbury, Cambridge and possibly Exeter as still not playing well and have played more games.
WE ARE STAYING UP!

Agreed. Though never discount a team in relative mid-table safety getting sucked into it. There's always one. Maybe Bristol Rovers or Wigan this year. Both on poor runs.

If I could choose, it'd be Shrews and Charlton, obviously.

If we beat Wigan on Friday then all of a sudden we are five points behind them with two games in hand. They’ll be right in the battle.


There’s plenty of teams who would have written us off who are now getting nervous.

[Robin]

I haven't checked the table but I think Wigan are already on 40 points, that means they only need three wins to realistically be safe and with sides below them well out of form I really cannot see them getting sucked into it now.

[asl]

Quite remarkable given their points deduction. They'd be not far off the play-offs without that.

[1985CTFC]

Quite remarkable given their points deduction. They'd be not far off the play-offs without that.

As I posted on the Wigan thread, we are even more remarkable!

We have gathered 1 more point with 1 less game than Wigan since we last played.
We must be favourites to win !!!!!!

[1985CTFC]

looking at fixtures Carlisle and Fleetwood look doomed. Then any 2 from Port Vale, Charlton, Shrewsbury, Cambridge and possibly Exeter as still not playing well and have played more games.
WE ARE STAYING UP!

Agreed. Though never discount a team in relative mid-table safety getting sucked into it. There's always one. Maybe Bristol Rovers or Wigan this year. Both on poor runs.

If I could choose, it'd be Shrews and Charlton, obviously.

Me to. Like to see Port Vale, Cambridge, Burton and Exeter survive.