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I understand many here know little of League One 10:28 - Apr 23 with 8141 viewsWarkTheWarkITFC

That is fair enough. No reason why you should. But this amount of fear over what it holds is completely unfounded.

In 2016/17 Rotherham finished 24th in the Championship, like we will. Their record after Christmas was W2, D4, L16. Overall, it was W5, D8, L33, Pts 23. They were even worse than we are, they just happened to win an extra game than we are likely going to.

Since Christmas we are W2 D7 L11. The same wins as Rotherham post Christmas that year, almost double the draws and less defeats. So we are actually better than they were after Christmas (leading into the new season) and over the course of the whole season.

Last season Rotherham won the playoffs, after finishing 4th. They won 24 of their 46 games. They had a run of 14 games unbeaten that included 7 straight wins.

They were promoted with Wigan and Blackburn (who both got close to 100 points!). Both those teams were relegated with them the season before after also being terrible.

Guess how many games Wigan and Blackburn won, their unbeaten runs and their winning runs? Very similar.

This is not coming down from the Premier League into the Championship where half the clubs there have had parachute payments are as cash and asset rich as you.

This is going down into a league where a large number of relegated teams are immediately streets ahead of most of the division, a lot bounce straight back and a large number finish in the Top 6 or Top 8 such is the gap.

We are going to have a squad way beyond 3/4 of the division, one of the largest attendances each week and we will be one of a handful of clubs that players at the others would dream of playing for.

I appreciate we look terrible at the moment and that people are worried that the likes of Forest, Sheffield United and a few others haven't just bounced back. That was when the gap wasn't as big between the divisions as it is now. Any club that's been in the Championship now and goes down is significantly stronger than the other League One sides.

But Rotherham went from worse than we are this season to a side that won over half their games and went three months unbeaten!

Sunderland were utterly pathetic last year. They have lost TWO matches out of 44 this season!

Some grasp of the fact that League One can be tricky, but often isn't for clubs much smaller than us is needed!

We may not get 100 points, we may not get promoted, but statistically it is incredibly likely that we will be right up there and not languishing in the lower half.
[Post edited 23 Apr 2019 10:34]

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I understand many here know little of League One on 10:32 - Apr 23 with 6646 viewsBobbychase

Yep, good post. I keep seeing people say we may drop into League Two. Do me a f*cking favour and calm down.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 10:33 - Apr 23 with 6636 viewsitfcjoe

We will be in the top 8 or so next year, the standard below that is very poor due to Salary Caps that are effectively in force.

But to be competing for that top 2 we need to hit the ground running - there are 5 teams at the top of the league who are all going to finish the season with well over 80 points. 2 of these (possibly 3) will not go up this season.

Then you have the 2 teams coming down with us, plus someone like Lincoln who are a winning machine, and maybe a team like Peterborough, Coventry or Donny stepping up and you end up with a very competitive mini league at the top.

No-one think's it will be easy, but anyone who thinks we'll be mid-table hasn't seen enough l1 football or doesn't know enough about it.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 10:36 - Apr 23 with 6603 viewsBobbychase

I understand many here know little of League One on 10:33 - Apr 23 by itfcjoe

We will be in the top 8 or so next year, the standard below that is very poor due to Salary Caps that are effectively in force.

But to be competing for that top 2 we need to hit the ground running - there are 5 teams at the top of the league who are all going to finish the season with well over 80 points. 2 of these (possibly 3) will not go up this season.

Then you have the 2 teams coming down with us, plus someone like Lincoln who are a winning machine, and maybe a team like Peterborough, Coventry or Donny stepping up and you end up with a very competitive mini league at the top.

No-one think's it will be easy, but anyone who thinks we'll be mid-table hasn't seen enough l1 football or doesn't know enough about it.


Coventry may be hamstrung by their stadium problems. The jury is out on Bolton because the new owner may either be their saviour or lead them further down the basket case path.

I wonder what Sunderland will be like if they don't go up this season.

Very interesting division next season.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 10:37 - Apr 23 with 6604 viewsWestcountryblue

Obviously there is a big gap between the Championship and League One.

However, i think people are rightly worried about the composition of our squad. We have lots of youngsters who are still cutting their teeth in the game and several veterans who are starting to become question marks. In between that, there is very little and we can't go another season relying on 18 and 19 year olds to be the spine of our team.
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I understand many here know little of League One on 10:37 - Apr 23 with 6603 viewsWarkTheWarkITFC

I understand many here know little of League One on 10:33 - Apr 23 by itfcjoe

We will be in the top 8 or so next year, the standard below that is very poor due to Salary Caps that are effectively in force.

But to be competing for that top 2 we need to hit the ground running - there are 5 teams at the top of the league who are all going to finish the season with well over 80 points. 2 of these (possibly 3) will not go up this season.

Then you have the 2 teams coming down with us, plus someone like Lincoln who are a winning machine, and maybe a team like Peterborough, Coventry or Donny stepping up and you end up with a very competitive mini league at the top.

No-one think's it will be easy, but anyone who thinks we'll be mid-table hasn't seen enough l1 football or doesn't know enough about it.


Absolutely agree.

Below the top few clubs the standard is terrible because of the financial restraints.

I would say that it'll likely be:

Ipswich
Bolton
Rotherham
Sunderland / Portsmouth (assuming the other goes up in playoffs)
Charlton
Doncaster
Peterborough
Lincoln

Then maybe a couple of surprises like Coventry and Blackpool this year.

Below that is a quagmire of poor teams, as evidenced by the fact that a few weeks ago it was 4 from any 13 for relegation.

We will be one of 6 or 8 clubs going for automatic / playoffs and could be anywhere from runaway champions to missing out on the top 6, but we won't be any lower than that.

In terms of that list of clubs we will be the biggest of the lot in terms of history. Of course, many will argue that Sunderland, perhaps even Portsmouth are now 'bigger' due to recent successes / Premier League spells.
[Post edited 23 Apr 2019 10:43]

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I understand many here know little of League One on 11:27 - Apr 23 with 6429 viewsFtnfwest

It’s true, if we do the right things we should be fine, we’ve got a good track record for that after all....
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I understand many here know little of League One on 11:29 - Apr 23 with 6408 viewstextbackup

I understand many here know little of League One on 10:37 - Apr 23 by WarkTheWarkITFC

Absolutely agree.

Below the top few clubs the standard is terrible because of the financial restraints.

I would say that it'll likely be:

Ipswich
Bolton
Rotherham
Sunderland / Portsmouth (assuming the other goes up in playoffs)
Charlton
Doncaster
Peterborough
Lincoln

Then maybe a couple of surprises like Coventry and Blackpool this year.

Below that is a quagmire of poor teams, as evidenced by the fact that a few weeks ago it was 4 from any 13 for relegation.

We will be one of 6 or 8 clubs going for automatic / playoffs and could be anywhere from runaway champions to missing out on the top 6, but we won't be any lower than that.

In terms of that list of clubs we will be the biggest of the lot in terms of history. Of course, many will argue that Sunderland, perhaps even Portsmouth are now 'bigger' due to recent successes / Premier League spells.
[Post edited 23 Apr 2019 10:43]


I think blackpool will be up there next season, fans back in the ground and they'll be buzzing

We’ll be good again... one day
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I understand many here know little of League One on 12:22 - Apr 23 with 6275 viewsFreddies_Ears

Woh! I love that positivity! Thank you for cheering me up!!!
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I understand many here know little of League One on 12:24 - Apr 23 with 6266 viewsDarkHorse

We rarely score, we always concede, and our record against lower league opposition over the last few years is dreadful... but we'll walk League 1.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 12:50 - Apr 23 with 6164 viewsWarkTheWarkITFC

I understand many here know little of League One on 12:24 - Apr 23 by DarkHorse

We rarely score, we always concede, and our record against lower league opposition over the last few years is dreadful... but we'll walk League 1.



We rarely score and often concede against superior teams in the Championship.

Luckily, we won't play Championship teams in the league next year.

Luckily, we don't have to play lower league opposition in the league either.
[Post edited 23 Apr 2019 13:06]

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I understand many here know little of League One on 13:09 - Apr 23 with 6059 viewsJ2BLUE

I understand many here know little of League One on 12:24 - Apr 23 by DarkHorse

We rarely score, we always concede, and our record against lower league opposition over the last few years is dreadful... but we'll walk League 1.



Our record is against them in the cup, not the league. You really can't compare one off cup games wit a season against that standard of opposition.

We do concede plenty and we do rarely score but we should remember that some of the players who aren't up to standard in this league were stars in league one. Nolan and Nsiala were widely admired. Harrison scored 14 goals for Bristol Rovers. Jackson was on fire in league two and could be a different proposition in league one. Hopefully if we are competing for automatic promotion we'll have a fit Freddie Sears to come back for the run in. Judge is also a massive addition.

People are worrying that we're going to be a team of youngsters who will get bullied. It seems likely to me that we'll sign some experienced players to have a better blend in the squad.

I'm not saying we'll win the league or get promoted but its nowhere near as bad as people make out. Judging by some of the hysteria anyone would think league one is a step up rather than a big step down.

Truly impaired.
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I understand many here know little of League One on 13:25 - Apr 23 with 5989 viewsJimmyJazz

I understand many here know little of League One on 10:37 - Apr 23 by WarkTheWarkITFC

Absolutely agree.

Below the top few clubs the standard is terrible because of the financial restraints.

I would say that it'll likely be:

Ipswich
Bolton
Rotherham
Sunderland / Portsmouth (assuming the other goes up in playoffs)
Charlton
Doncaster
Peterborough
Lincoln

Then maybe a couple of surprises like Coventry and Blackpool this year.

Below that is a quagmire of poor teams, as evidenced by the fact that a few weeks ago it was 4 from any 13 for relegation.

We will be one of 6 or 8 clubs going for automatic / playoffs and could be anywhere from runaway champions to missing out on the top 6, but we won't be any lower than that.

In terms of that list of clubs we will be the biggest of the lot in terms of history. Of course, many will argue that Sunderland, perhaps even Portsmouth are now 'bigger' due to recent successes / Premier League spells.
[Post edited 23 Apr 2019 10:43]


History has nothing to do with anything, otherwise Huddersfield would not be so poor in the Premier League and Notts County would not be 92nd

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I understand many here know little of League One on 13:29 - Apr 23 with 5958 viewsGlasgowBlue

Completely agree. Very well put.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 13:31 - Apr 23 with 5951 viewsWarkTheWarkITFC

I understand many here know little of League One on 13:25 - Apr 23 by JimmyJazz

History has nothing to do with anything, otherwise Huddersfield would not be so poor in the Premier League and Notts County would not be 92nd


History has plenty to do with it.

Why do you think we will end up with 15,000 or so for the opening home game next season, whilst Rochdale will get 3,000 despite charging a similar ticket price?

You don't get any additional points for being a club steeped in history, but when we are 5th at Christmas and Lincoln are 4th and we are both offering £3,000 per week for 14 goal Tom Eaves at Gillingham, wait and see which club he decides to join.

That's exactly where having won the UEFA Cup, having built up a fan base over years of being a European force and having history comes into play. We will be a massive League One club, like Leeds, Forest, Man City, Sheffield Wednesday were in a sea of Gillingham, Rochdale and Accrington.

It doesn't directly change your fortunes, but it can lead to circumstances that come to change your fortunes. Like convincing Marcus Stewart to leave Huddersfield Town, who'd achieved nothing for 80 years, for a club that had been hugely successful in the days he was growing up.
[Post edited 23 Apr 2019 13:33]

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I understand many here know little of League One on 14:01 - Apr 23 with 5849 viewspeterleeblue

Sunderland however are struggling to go up basically IMHO for being Sunderland.
They have been affected by too many draws in too many high profile (for the opposition games) mots notably at the SOL. I do hope Ipswich are not perceived in the same light.

The cheating, time wasting and down right Sh!thousery in that league is a major problem for bigger clubs.
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I understand many here know little of League One on 14:05 - Apr 23 with 5831 viewsFramfarmer

piece of cake, we will win vast majority of games next season with ease
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I understand many here know little of League One on 14:06 - Apr 23 with 5823 viewsWarkTheWarkITFC

I understand many here know little of League One on 14:01 - Apr 23 by peterleeblue

Sunderland however are struggling to go up basically IMHO for being Sunderland.
They have been affected by too many draws in too many high profile (for the opposition games) mots notably at the SOL. I do hope Ipswich are not perceived in the same light.

The cheating, time wasting and down right Sh!thousery in that league is a major problem for bigger clubs.


That's not really on them though, in the same way that Man City or Liverpool missing out on the title won't be.

Luton have 90 points and with 2 games to go could finish 4th! There will be two teams from that top four that would finish in the top two most years with the points they've accumulated.

If we got 90 points next year and finished fourth we'd have had a fantastic season. There have just been four exceptional League One teams.

Sunderland are not struggling but the reality is one team (maybe two) will not go up that would have won the league in a lot of other seasons!

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I understand many here know little of League One on 14:31 - Apr 23 with 5736 viewsjontysnut

I understand many here know little of League One on 14:05 - Apr 23 by Framfarmer

piece of cake, we will win vast majority of games next season with ease


we'll have to see what kind of squad we have at the start of the season. While I'm not pessimistic and I'd be glad to be proved wrong, I don't think it's going to be the stroll you think it will be.
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I understand many here know little of League One on 16:09 - Apr 23 with 5547 viewsDinnernotTea

Good points raised but what I will say about Rotherham as opposed to us is that they have/had "winners" in their squad. We as a football for the past 4 years especially have oozed a losers mentality. We as a club simply don't know how to get promoted because it's been twice in the last 27 years. And as a group of players, how many have promotions on their CV???

This is my main worry.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 16:18 - Apr 23 with 5498 viewsWarkTheWarkITFC

I understand many here know little of League One on 16:09 - Apr 23 by DinnernotTea

Good points raised but what I will say about Rotherham as opposed to us is that they have/had "winners" in their squad. We as a football for the past 4 years especially have oozed a losers mentality. We as a club simply don't know how to get promoted because it's been twice in the last 27 years. And as a group of players, how many have promotions on their CV???

This is my main worry.


How many of Norwich's side have won promotions? Sheffield United? Leeds?

Not exactly packed with winners either are they. I think you're overanalysing things.

Rotherham didn't go straight back up because they knew what winning was like from two years ago, or you could make the same case for them being a bunch of losers.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 16:19 - Apr 23 with 5491 viewsSuffolkBlade

Blade in peace (I expect you'll be getting a few of us over the next few days).

Having spent six, very long and arduous, years in League One I can tell you, it's not an easy league to get out of. Next year will be especially difficult as there are some strong sides in there, depending on who eventually goes up.

Teams will defend against you in numbers and rely on the break, so you need a good six yard box striker and an anchor of a centre back to soak up and re-organise when defending breakaways.

Defences will be relatively weaker than what you're used to in the Championship and despite them defending in numbers, you'll tend to be on the forward foot and create lots of chances. Having a striker (e.g. Billy Sharp) who can score from second balls and six yard box chaos will be essential.

Most teams will see a trip to Portman Road as a big game and will generally play above their usual levels. On their home soil, they'll want to prove a point against the bigger sides, especially one with a bit of history like Ipswich (and a bit unlike Norwich).

We always tried to play football in League One, even under Adkins and Clough. Difference between them and Wilder was they were too negative and it was all about keeping possession. Two banks of four would form in front of us and we'd spend the majority of the match passing the ball around the back four and not really creating much. Wilder's approach was much better and he took the game to teams, getting around the back of packed defences by pushing wing backs and centre backs down the flanks and moving the ball quicker and always looking to go forward. He also knows how to mix it up and will go long if needs be. For that reason you'll also need a big "donkey" up front. Hanson from Bradford was ours and stopped defences bullying our slighter forwards.

We also made our pitch much narrower (you'll notice this when you come to Bramall Lane next week as the Desso pitch is much wider than it needs to be as the touch lines have been squeezed in. Allows the wing backs to push on without leaving big gaps between them and the midfield that breakaway teams can take advantage of.

Anyway, my advice is have fun - experience the smaller, ofter older grounds that tend not to have the rules and regulations the Championship grounds do and often give you more tickets than Championship sides would. Get Lambert to play fast, attacking football. Do a Wilder and buy the cream of the League One players and ignore the temptation to sign big time Charlies on a final pay day and you'll be fine.
[Post edited 23 Apr 2019 16:22]
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I understand many here know little of League One on 16:22 - Apr 23 with 5464 viewsNorthLondonBlue2

This is good to read. I know quite a lot about the Championship and the PL but next to nothing about League 1. I very much hope that you're right.

My fear is the psychological effect of relegation - perhaps a glimpse of that at Preston? Players can take a big hit from that, especially when I suspect that many will see their wages slashed (and if not, how can we afford that?). Will they all be playing with an eye on the exit door?

Also, won't the other League 1 teams all raise their game for us, as has been said before, we're a scalp they want to collect?

I really hope that you're right and will certainly be going to see for myself at PR and beyond.

I just hope that this is the time of the phoenix, rising from the ashes, and not more dust to dust . . .
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I understand many here know little of League One on 16:28 - Apr 23 with 5434 viewsDinnernotTea

I understand many here know little of League One on 16:18 - Apr 23 by WarkTheWarkITFC

How many of Norwich's side have won promotions? Sheffield United? Leeds?

Not exactly packed with winners either are they. I think you're overanalysing things.

Rotherham didn't go straight back up because they knew what winning was like from two years ago, or you could make the same case for them being a bunch of losers.


Pure guesswork haven't Rotherham been promoted to the second tier at least 3 times in the past 10 years? Seems that way. Point is they know L1 inside out and have experience of promotions so trying to gain hope from them is dangerous because of the lack of promotion know how and lack of winners throughout our football club. Do you really trust the likes of Chambers Skuse seeing it out in the last 10 games of a season?

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I understand many here know little of League One on 16:32 - Apr 23 with 5409 viewsWarkTheWarkITFC

I understand many here know little of League One on 16:28 - Apr 23 by DinnernotTea

Pure guesswork haven't Rotherham been promoted to the second tier at least 3 times in the past 10 years? Seems that way. Point is they know L1 inside out and have experience of promotions so trying to gain hope from them is dangerous because of the lack of promotion know how and lack of winners throughout our football club. Do you really trust the likes of Chambers Skuse seeing it out in the last 10 games of a season?


So Rotherham have also been relegated as many times then?

Why don't these 'winners' manage to finish at least 21st the next time around if they are that used to winning?

It's not a winners mentality. It's having around half your starting line up that are too good for League One when the other half are not good enough for the Championship.

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I understand many here know little of League One on 17:03 - Apr 23 with 5310 viewsm14_blue

I understand many here know little of League One on 10:37 - Apr 23 by Westcountryblue

Obviously there is a big gap between the Championship and League One.

However, i think people are rightly worried about the composition of our squad. We have lots of youngsters who are still cutting their teeth in the game and several veterans who are starting to become question marks. In between that, there is very little and we can't go another season relying on 18 and 19 year olds to be the spine of our team.


We also have several players who have struggled in the championship but have proved themselves in league one before.

Nolan and Nsiala, for example, were two of the best players in a team that got 87 points.
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