Destiny is in our hands

[Ben3]

Before I had my self-imposed embargo from this board I gave the following wisdom:

'If we're still mathematically in with a shout come the last game of the season we'll have done remarkably well'.

There is a little way to go before that, but having our destiny in our own hands with only four games left is nothing short of miraculous.

It says a lot about the appalling quality of the league this season (it is conference standard, at best, in any normal season, as proven by FGR's incredible demise) that we are not yet sunk. I can't remember seeing so many awful performances strung together. But...we're not yet sunk. In fact - it's in our hands. Win on Tuesday and we're favourites to stay up id say.

We've got the smallest budget, the quietest fans, and (I'm not being horrible!) some of the worst players. But that means nothing in football.

It's a funny old game

[vickeryc]

You can add worsening standards of officiating to your list! It sounds trite and biased saying this, but we really don't get any help from the officials. At times, it feels like there's actually a vendetta against us!

Yes, the team hasn't been performing in recent weeks compared with the earlier performances against the likes of Portsmouth, Oxford and Blackpool. As I said in another thread, there are good reasons for this essentially rooted, as you say, in our threadbare resources. I've said for years that we are like a non-league club somehow surviving in the third tier of the strongest league structure in world football. That's nothing to sniff at despite recent performances (which can be put down to a small squad, lacking cover and depth, made worse by injuries exacerbated by fixture congestion). The fact that we are still in with a small chance of surviving at this stage is essentially down to the manager, who has worked miracles to keep us in contention after the first 24% of the season was effectively written off.

[Lord Elpuz]

I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but I have come to a recent conclusion involving the huge sums of money that gets ploughed into the EFL & Premier League. Football is big business, and in business, money talks and that being the case, Cheltenham cannot possibly be a popular team especially at League 1 level. Absolutely no disrespect to our brilliant and loyal travelling fans, who often out-sing the large clubs we visit, but just looking at the number of our travelling fans, it’s possible that the Clubs we visit during the course of the season possibly run at a loss when we are in town. Back to the ‘conspiracy’ then, and what if the movers and shakers of the League’s are keen to ensure profits are absolutely maximised, how can a Club like Cheltenham be welcome at the table? It’s certainly made me think we are at an even greater disadvantage.

[vickeryc]

I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but I have come to a recent conclusion involving the huge sums of money that gets ploughed into the EFL & Premier League. Football is big business, and in business, money talks and that being the case, Cheltenham cannot possibly be a popular team especially at League 1 level. Absolutely no disrespect to our brilliant and loyal travelling fans, who often out-sing the large clubs we visit, but just looking at the number of our travelling fans, it’s possible that the Clubs we visit during the course of the season possibly run at a loss when we are in town. Back to the ‘conspiracy’ then, and what if the movers and shakers of the League’s are keen to ensure profits are absolutely maximised, how can a Club like Cheltenham be welcome at the table? It’s certainly made me think we are at an even greater disadvantage.

Good point, well made, Your Lordship!

[Benctfc]

Maybe im alone in thinking this but i am actually frustrated in the position we are currently in. 10 matches ago we had decent momentum but have fallen of a cliff form wise. We are only still in it due to Burton and Vale being similarly woeful.

The turning point for me was January we had a chance to back the manager but didn't and the poor recruitment has shown. I also feel losing Smith and Thompson was big blows as they were decent squad players who we could have utilised.

I don't blame Clarke by the way as he has probably got the most out of a squad which lets face it a bottom 4 squad.

[paperboy]

The only big error Darrell has made was his experimental team set up against Carlisle.
Saying that it looked good in training the day before...well!

Hindsight is wonderful of course and the biggest challenge he's had is having a powder puff strike force for half the season.

You don't win too many matches having to play 3-5-0 or 4-4-0.

[vickeryc]

Maybe im alone in thinking this but i am actually frustrated in the position we are currently in. 10 matches ago we had decent momentum but have fallen of a cliff form wise. We are only still in it due to Burton and Vale being similarly woeful.

The turning point for me was January we had a chance to back the manager but didn't and the poor recruitment has shown. I also feel losing Smith and Thompson was big blows as they were decent squad players who we could have utilised.

I don't blame Clarke by the way as he has probably got the most out of a squad which lets face it a bottom 4 squad.

You have a point here. I agree about Liam Smith and Curtis Thompson, though the latter, in particular, seemed somewhat injury-prone. A pity as, after a poor start, CT was a very effective midfield dynamo. Since leaving us, he has done very well, I gather, in 13 starts for Grimsby. Similarly, Smith blended into our team well after a slow start. I was saddened to see him go (on loan also to Grimsby and, like Thompson, is doing well). All of this, as you suggest, is the product of having minimal resources to sustain a competitive league one squad. That is our lot unfortunately!

[vickeryc]

The only big error Darrell has made was his experimental team set up against Carlisle.
Saying that it looked good in training the day before...well!

Hindsight is wonderful of course and the biggest challenge he's had is having a powder puff strike force for half the season.

You don't win too many matches having to play 3-5-0 or 4-4-0.

I agree

[Ihearye]

Maybe im alone in thinking this but i am actually frustrated in the position we are currently in. 10 matches ago we had decent momentum but have fallen of a cliff form wise. We are only still in it due to Burton and Vale being similarly woeful.

The turning point for me was January we had a chance to back the manager but didn't and the poor recruitment has shown. I also feel losing Smith and Thompson was big blows as they were decent squad players who we could have utilised.

I don't blame Clarke by the way as he has probably got the most out of a squad which lets face it a bottom 4 squad.

Asked the very same myself in January, as to why we needed so many changes to a squad that was doing comparatively well

[Fuller]

I was sorry to see Thompson go too. But it was a case of balancing the books, DC wanted Kinsella, he'd worked with him before, was younger than Thompson who had been injury prone, and was out of contract in the summer anyway.
Biggest error in the window was not signing an effective, League One standard target man to play alongside Taylor.
And not signing a better right sided centre half. Far too many goals we have conceded since Xmas have come through that channel, Smith did a better job I thought.

[Si Robin]

I've made it clear for some time that I don't believe the first 11 games is an excuse for relegation. We have had a lot of false dawns this season, and numerous opportunities to get out of the bottom four.

Unfortunately, we just seem unable to make that final step up.

[Si Robin]

I was sorry to see Thompson go too. But it was a case of balancing the books, DC wanted Kinsella, he'd worked with him before, was younger than Thompson who had been injury prone, and was out of contract in the summer anyway.
Biggest error in the window was not signing an effective, League One standard target man to play alongside Taylor.

We couldn't/can't afford one.

[Fuller]

I was sorry to see Thompson go too. But it was a case of balancing the books, DC wanted Kinsella, he'd worked with him before, was younger than Thompson who had been injury prone, and was out of contract in the summer anyway.
Biggest error in the window was not signing an effective, League One standard target man to play alongside Taylor.

We couldn't/can't afford one.

I'm guessing relegation will cost us in the region of £0.5 million in reduced revenue?

[Jim]

I was sorry to see Thompson go too. But it was a case of balancing the books, DC wanted Kinsella, he'd worked with him before, was younger than Thompson who had been injury prone, and was out of contract in the summer anyway.
Biggest error in the window was not signing an effective, League One standard target man to play alongside Taylor.

We couldn't/can't afford one.

I'm guessing relegation will cost us in the region of £0.5 million in reduced revenue?

I get this argument, but there are a couple of issues with it. First, there is no guarantee an 'effective, League One target man' would guarantee survival IF we managed to get one (see next point!), so it would be a big financial risk. You can argue whether or not we should be taking that sort of risk, but when you see the trouble other clubs are in as a result of this sort of speculative spending, I'd argue it's not worth it.

Second, on this board and elsewhere fans came up with every possible name under the sun as a new striker in January and from what I could see, none were realistic. Those that fit the 'effective, League One' standard were way out of our price range (even if we were to gamble this mythical £500,000 relegation cost) and, let's face it, probably won't have fancied the challenge. I just don't think that magic bullet striker was available to us in Jan, whether we loosened the purse strings or not.

[Warwickshire Robin]

Yes this has turned out to be a very frustrating season all round and I personally cannot wait for it to be over. In my opinion this has easily been the weakest League 1 of the three seasons we have been in it and even taking into account our bad summer, catastrophic start and squad limitations we could easily be comfortably safe by now. I know all clubs can point to certain games every season but if you take the points thrown away against Reading, Oxford & Orient along with the possible points lost to bad decisions at Derby & Bolton and the 'no shows' against Wycombe (home and away), Burton and Carlisle then we have had ample chances to make life easier for ourselves.

In hindsight letting Liam Smith go seems a bad decision, he could have spelled for Longy who is looking shattered and from the few games he played there would seem to be at least no worse than Andy Smith at right centre back.

With regard to the lack of striker replacement in January I would think the best option for a quality addition we could have taken would have been on a Premier League loanee like Etete was, but this is obviously very risky in terms of them getting up to speed and DC seems to favour experience over youth particularly in the position we are in.

It all goes to show just how priceless goal scorers are. Just imagine this team and manager with last seasons no 10 up front, I would wager we would be top half comfortably.

[Ben3]

Still in our hands, fck the haters this is the most remarkable football story of all time.


Coyr

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Still in our hands, fck the haters this is the most remarkable football story of all time.


Coyr

Still fighting. That’s all we can ask.

We should have been safe weeks ago, but that’s in the past now and we can’t change it. Those games are history, the next game’s a mystery.

The second half yesterday was the response we expect when players are playing with the spirit of Cheltenham. That has to continue into the next match.

[Ben3]

No RCS - this is the most remarkable story in football history, up there with Leicester winning the Premiership.

It's still in our hands. Imagine that (and we don't need to imagine - I asked the question when DC came in and the overwhelming response was 'this would trump ANY achievement the club has got to before'.)

Wrexham are in the news. Pah! - small fry.

I really really really really really hope we get the 5 or 6 points we need from here on in

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

No RCS - this is the most remarkable story in football history, up there with Leicester winning the Premiership.

It's still in our hands. Imagine that (and we don't need to imagine - I asked the question when DC came in and the overwhelming response was 'this would trump ANY achievement the club has got to before'.)

Wrexham are in the news. Pah! - small fry.

I really really really really really hope we get the 5 or 6 points we need from here on in

I still get shivers and a tear reminiscing over Fulham’s survival miracle in 2007/08 which started when mathematically relegated whilst 2-0 at the Etihad before winning that game and securing safety on the last day. If Darrell and the players haul themselves to safety in the last three games then it will surpass 2007/08 for me. I daren’t get my hopes up but can’t help but dream.

[Robin]

I was sorry to see Thompson go too. But it was a case of balancing the books, DC wanted Kinsella, he'd worked with him before, was younger than Thompson who had been injury prone, and was out of contract in the summer anyway.
Biggest error in the window was not signing an effective, League One standard target man to play alongside Taylor.

We couldn't/can't afford one.

I'm guessing relegation will cost us in the region of £0.5 million in reduced revenue?

Likely much more than that especially with the new TV deal coming in (if you count that). Whilst we can only offer league two wages it's difficult to recruit unless you plan far in advance especially as youngsters at Prem clubs are earning big wages even double or triple what we pay our most experienced players.

[Robin]

Yes this has turned out to be a very frustrating season all round and I personally cannot wait for it to be over. In my opinion this has easily been the weakest League 1 of the three seasons we have been in it and even taking into account our bad summer, catastrophic start and squad limitations we could easily be comfortably safe by now. I know all clubs can point to certain games every season but if you take the points thrown away against Reading, Oxford & Orient along with the possible points lost to bad decisions at Derby & Bolton and the 'no shows' against Wycombe (home and away), Burton and Carlisle then we have had ample chances to make life easier for ourselves.

In hindsight letting Liam Smith go seems a bad decision, he could have spelled for Longy who is looking shattered and from the few games he played there would seem to be at least no worse than Andy Smith at right centre back.

With regard to the lack of striker replacement in January I would think the best option for a quality addition we could have taken would have been on a Premier League loanee like Etete was, but this is obviously very risky in terms of them getting up to speed and DC seems to favour experience over youth particularly in the position we are in.

It all goes to show just how priceless goal scorers are. Just imagine this team and manager with last seasons no 10 up front, I would wager we would be top half comfortably.

Feels like a bit of nostalgia here, Liam Smith was at best cover in league one and more of league two player from what I saw. Yes we gambled by moving him on and signing Andy Smith and it hasn't worked but the change was probably needed if not now then in the summer. On the striker I agree we should have been looking at loanees doing well in league two but that needs ground work you have to get the loan manager to agree then the player himself with Clarke coming in so late and then assessing the squad it would have been hard for Russ Milton to land. I heard we had a deal lined up for a former Clarke player in January only to be gazumped by a league two team, weeks of work flushed away last minute and that was only a loan too.

Recruitment this summer is going to make or break us, I just hope we are already quite far down the line with some like we did with Davies, Street and Southwood last year.

[Ben3]

Not exactly in our hands, but going into the last game of the season with a hope is completely bloody ridiculous. Cambridge and burton fans must hate us to our core, just when we look sunk we win again.

We're massive odds on to go down. I've got a feeling Saturday is going to have a few twists and turns. Congratulations to the DC for keeping us in it against all the odds