Marine defeat

Not much posting going on here these days is there? Sign of the season winding down I guess.

Well, I went to my first City game in a while, only my second in the past two months, and thought we played pretty well against the odds.

They pretty much scored with their first chance after giving away a silly free kick. They defended heroically to stop us equalising before half time. Once Steve Williams didn't return and we were down to essentially 9 and a half men after all the first half injuries the game was over.

Top half of the table in the middle of March though. Just what PB was aiming for. No one had a problem with a mid-table aim at the start of the season, so why is PB getting grief now that we're actually a mid-table side? Baffling.

The club has done well to still exist at this point. Arguing over anything else seems trivial to me, especially when we're hitting pre-season targets.

#PJBBWA

"The club has done well to still exist." That sounds ominous, Jonny. Are we hitting yet another of our regular financial crises?

Maybe two directors leaving and the club still seemingly being alright is a reason to be grateful?

I sincerely hope we're not heading for ANOTHER financial crisis or that's it, i'm done. Couldn't go through another 'Season from Hell'. I can't see why we should be, having decent runs in both the FA Cup and Trophy. The attendances look to be dropping though which brings me to my main point. I think nobody is complaining about where we are in the league, it's probably on par of what we expected, it's the tactical approach PB has employed this season. Playing one up front for most of it and just lumping it up to him to hold it up of flick it on is hardly 'tika-taka' and pleasing on the eye. His team selection and substitutions have also been baffling at times this season, though granted it's not been helped by player unavailability due to injuries and work commitments. I think most people would agree that we've not played consistently well all season and maybe after last year's title win, it's a case of 'After the Lord Mayor's show' and people want more success, not getting it and staying away. Maybe at times we should be thankful for small mercies.

I haven't been to a game for around six weeks, so wasn't aware that Phil Brown was getting some verbal stick.

However, I don't think it's totally realistic to say we are mid table: yes, we are currently in 12th spot, but there are seven clubs within four points of us and six of those seven have at least one game in hand, some of them a good few more. I reckon that a more realistic position, when the others have caught up, is 16th/17th, well short of Phil's intended top ten finish.

If we split the league season into two halves, the first 18 games saw us pick up 27 points, but over the next 18, just 18 points, a point per game. More recently though, we have picked up just four points from the last 21 available, which is relegation form. It's worse when you look at which teams have been taking points off us: since the beginning of December three clubs have done the double over us; Matlock (currently 19th), Nantwich (13th) and Rushall (16th). We've also been soundly beaten at Stalybridge and Marine, (albeit the latter in unusual circumstances), who were both in the bottom three at the time of the matches.

I hope we can be given some reassurance regarding the financial position. Clearly we are in a more expensive league and players are likely to be expecting to be paid more than last season. Our average league gate this season is 260 compared with last term's 255, so the increase is negligible. There has clearly been some upheaval higher up in the club with the Knight/Looney departures and we can't expect to rely on £ 20k of cup prize money every season.

Home gates have been disappointing this season, Still can not see why we have not tried a Friday night game, if we get 20/30 more the income would make a big difference. Hopefully we will get a big crowd on for the Alti game,

The club is financially self-sufficient thanks to years of hard work by a number of individuals behind the scenes. There are no worries for this season on that front. Finances for the seasons after might be tighter, but the way the club is run we'll never get into trouble.

A few years ago two directors resigning would have seen us spiral. Luckily today we are able to carry on, albeit very light on the behind the scenes man power.

There are now only two registered directors at the club. Think this should be in people's minds before they call for people to resign, whether that's at games or on social media. If they go - the LTD company folds.

I have faith we'll finish mid table. Top 12. Still plenty of points on offer. Better to think positive isn't it #COYDB

LFC-LCFC wrote:The club is financially self-sufficient thanks to years of hard work by a number of individuals behind the scenes. There are no worries for this season on that front. Finances for the seasons after might be tighter, but the way the club is run we'll never get into trouble.

A few years ago two directors resigning would have seen us spiral. Luckily today we are able to carry on, albeit very light on the behind the scenes man power.

There are now only two registered directors at the club. Think this should be in people's minds before they call for people to resign, whether that's at games or on social media. If they go - the LTD company folds.

I have faith we'll finish mid table. Top 12. Still plenty of points on offer. Better to think positive isn't it    #COYDB

One can be as positive as one wants to be on a forum, but it doesn't transfer itself to points on the pitch.