New players any ideas

[James]

That infamous play off campaign in 15/16, doesn’t everyone remember?

That’s right, the one where we finished smack bang in the middle of the table, 11 points off the last play off place…

[Amber Andy]

By the same token. Best finish for well over decade is a success in my book.

So success is promotion. So Dan, musings and TTF. If Clough doesn't achieve promotion you think he should be sacked? After all he'd also be "unsuccessful" by your definition he would have had more time and more transfer windows. Or are we changing the goalposts because of Clough's name and reputation?

It wasn't the end result we hoped for but it closest we've come in along time. Silly me for thinking we could build on that rather than tearing it all down and starting again, from the results we've had since then we've gon back further than we had since we got back into the league.

People go on like we are the only club wanting promotion. That season Bury went bust going for it and only finished 2nd. Lincoln failed in the play offs the season before that but stuck with their manager and went up as champions.

I made no comment about whether DF should have been sacked or not, just that by the very definition of the word success, DF was not successful.

It’s not me who sets the barometer of what success is it’s the chairman and the manager. Both Flitcroft and Clough were both clear that the aim is to get promoted. So yes, if Clough doesn’t get us promoted this season, the season cannot be considered a success. Again, whether he deserves to lose his job as a result is another debate. My view will depend on how the seasons pans out.

Have either the manager or the owner said promotion is the aim this season ? If so I've missed it. I would consider that foolish if they have.

[bellwhiff]

By the same token. Best finish for well over decade is a success in my book.

So success is promotion. So Dan, musings and TTF. If Clough doesn't achieve promotion you think he should be sacked? After all he'd also be "unsuccessful" by your definition he would have had more time and more transfer windows. Or are we changing the goalposts because of Clough's name and reputation?

It wasn't the end result we hoped for but it closest we've come in along time. Silly me for thinking we could build on that rather than tearing it all down and starting again, from the results we've had since then we've gon back further than we had since we got back into the league.

People go on like we are the only club wanting promotion. That season Bury went bust going for it and only finished 2nd. Lincoln failed in the play offs the season before that but stuck with their manager and went up as champions.

I made no comment about whether DF should have been sacked or not, just that by the very definition of the word success, DF was not successful.

It’s not me who sets the barometer of what success is it’s the chairman and the manager. Both Flitcroft and Clough were both clear that the aim is to get promoted. So yes, if Clough doesn’t get us promoted this season, the season cannot be considered a success. Again, whether he deserves to lose his job as a result is another debate. My view will depend on how the seasons pans out.

Have either the manager or the owner said promotion is the aim this season ? If so I've missed it. I would consider that foolish if they have.

Surely it’s always the aim

[gazza1988]

For the first 10 games, while using a different formation to the previous season. Oddly enough some teams do take time to gel, as they call it.

Well the "standard"got us 4th. Plus Anderson and Mirfin would have been released. Probably will Atkinson too. Butcher was sold in the January window and diamond retired due to injury (Mirfin went to York on loan but I don't know how much of his wages they paid) there's Tyler walkers £5k a week freed up. That's a good chuck of money. We could have brought in a centre back or 2, a right wing back. A striker. Could have released both keepers and brought in 2 new ones (I don't remember if they were contracted or offered new deals by Dempster)

He'd have had his own squad, and remit of promotion or gone. You could argue he could get play offs and get to the final rather then exit at the semis and it's an improvement. Whilst it is its not a massive one and I'd be asking questions surrounding his job if that's the only improvement we made.

[arsene wengers coat]

By the same token. Best finish for well over decade is a success in my book.

So success is promotion. So Dan, musings and TTF. If Clough doesn't achieve promotion you think he should be sacked? After all he'd also be "unsuccessful" by your definition he would have had more time and more transfer windows. Or are we changing the goalposts because of Clough's name and reputation?

It wasn't the end result we hoped for but it closest we've come in along time. Silly me for thinking we could build on that rather than tearing it all down and starting again, from the results we've had since then we've gon back further than we had since we got back into the league.

People go on like we are the only club wanting promotion. That season Bury went bust going for it and only finished 2nd. Lincoln failed in the play offs the season before that but stuck with their manager and went up as champions.

I made no comment about whether DF should have been sacked or not, just that by the very definition of the word success, DF was not successful.

It’s not me who sets the barometer of what success is it’s the chairman and the manager. Both Flitcroft and Clough were both clear that the aim is to get promoted. So yes, if Clough doesn’t get us promoted this season, the season cannot be considered a success. Again, whether he deserves to lose his job as a result is another debate. My view will depend on how the seasons pans out.

Have either the manager or the owner said promotion is the aim this season ? If so I've missed it. I would consider that foolish if they have.

Surely it’s always the aim

Exactly! And not aiming for promotion from the 4th tier really shows how low our levels of acceptance have fallen. We as fans have to demand high standards throughout the club. From the players, the management and the board. Not seeing these high standards on the pitch at the moment.

[MTFCMusings]

By the same token. Best finish for well over decade is a success in my book.

So success is promotion. So Dan, musings and TTF. If Clough doesn't achieve promotion you think he should be sacked? After all he'd also be "unsuccessful" by your definition he would have had more time and more transfer windows. Or are we changing the goalposts because of Clough's name and reputation?

It wasn't the end result we hoped for but it closest we've come in along time. Silly me for thinking we could build on that rather than tearing it all down and starting again, from the results we've had since then we've gon back further than we had since we got back into the league.

People go on like we are the only club wanting promotion. That season Bury went bust going for it and only finished 2nd. Lincoln failed in the play offs the season before that but stuck with their manager and went up as champions.

I made no comment about whether DF should have been sacked or not, just that by the very definition of the word success, DF was not successful.

It’s not me who sets the barometer of what success is it’s the chairman and the manager. Both Flitcroft and Clough were both clear that the aim is to get promoted. So yes, if Clough doesn’t get us promoted this season, the season cannot be considered a success. Again, whether he deserves to lose his job as a result is another debate. My view will depend on how the seasons pans out.

Have either the manager or the owner said promotion is the aim this season ? If so I've missed it. I would consider that foolish if they have.

Clough definitely has, yes.

[Sedgwick]

I think the aim is always promotion. Either being confident you're good enough for an automatic spot or aiming to sneak into the playoffs..

The only time I'd say it's not the aim is when you're a newly promoted side or really struggling off the pitch.

Clough said "we want to get promoted" and I believe we will do over the next three seasons without being one of the big spenders.

[yorkstag]

I would be very disappointed if the objective wasn’t promotion. I think that’s very different from saying we’re going to smash the league

[yellowstagsfan]

This debate is hilarious.
Fact is, in my view, if we hadn’t sacked Flitcroft we would be in League 1 now. But in typical Mansfield style we had to punish. Continuity is the key otherwise every new Manager starts again.
But we are where we are and need to stick with Nigel until we reach the promised land. COYS

Most sensible post I've read on here for a long time

[Tippy Tappy Football]

Just listened to another Darragh MacAnthony podcast. He said his biggest mistake in football was sacking Darren Ferguson (twice!) and that the manager is the most important member of staff at the club and you need to stick with him and back him if you have a good one.

JR always says his biggest mistake was sacking David Holdsworth as it was a waste of money and he should just have kept him as manager for the rest of the season as it was not possible for the club to be promoted in any event due to the ground. I wonder if he would now say it was sacking David Flitcroft.

[Sedgwick]

Just listened to another Darragh MacAnthony podcast. He said his biggest mistake in football was sacking Darren Ferguson (twice!) and that the manager is the most important member of staff at the club and you need to stick with him and back him if you have a good one.

JR always says his biggest mistake was sacking David Holdsworth as it was a waste of money and he should just have kept him as manager for the rest of the season as it was not possible for the club to be promoted in any event due to the ground. I wonder if he would now say it was sacking David Flitcroft.

Thing is we came so close and had our best season for a while with Flitcroft... Ive always said he shouldn't have been sacked.. given to the following Christmas definitely.

But now knowing how much resource he was given, tells me hes the wrong manager. Clough will do it for less than half what he had whilst using youth players, lads from relegated sides and those players you've never heard of.

[KirkbyStag2]

Just listened to another Darragh MacAnthony podcast. He said his biggest mistake in football was sacking Darren Ferguson (twice!) and that the manager is the most important member of staff at the club and you need to stick with him and back him if you have a good one.

JR always says his biggest mistake was sacking David Holdsworth as it was a waste of money and he should just have kept him as manager for the rest of the season as it was not possible for the club to be promoted in any event due to the ground. I wonder if he would now say it was sacking David Flitcroft.

Flitcroft took over a team who for the previous 3 months was in Champions form, and he left a team who for the last 3 months was in Relegation form.

[gazza1988]

Just listened to another Darragh MacAnthony podcast. He said his biggest mistake in football was sacking Darren Ferguson (twice!) and that the manager is the most important member of staff at the club and you need to stick with him and back him if you have a good one.

JR always says his biggest mistake was sacking David Holdsworth as it was a waste of money and he should just have kept him as manager for the rest of the season as it was not possible for the club to be promoted in any event due to the ground. I wonder if he would now say it was sacking David Flitcroft.

Flitcroft took over a team who for the previous 3 months was in Champions form, and he left a team who for the last 3 months was in Relegation form.

He took over a side who was in 5th in February and left a side that was 2nd in February. Or he gained a side that hadn't won anything yet and finished the season before in 12th and left a side that finished 4th. Or he took over a side in 5th and left a side that up until May had the results that put him in the automatic promotion places.

You did the comparison league tables. Will you be doing so again? Might stop people getting so angry over a loss if they saw what happened last season.

[KirkbyStag2]

Just listened to another Darragh MacAnthony podcast. He said his biggest mistake in football was sacking Darren Ferguson (twice!) and that the manager is the most important member of staff at the club and you need to stick with him and back him if you have a good one.

JR always says his biggest mistake was sacking David Holdsworth as it was a waste of money and he should just have kept him as manager for the rest of the season as it was not possible for the club to be promoted in any event due to the ground. I wonder if he would now say it was sacking David Flitcroft.

Flitcroft took over a team who for the previous 3 months was in Champions form, and he left a team who for the last 3 months was in Relegation form.

He took over a side who was in 5th in February and left a side that was 2nd in February. Or he gained a side that hadn't won anything yet and finished the season before in 12th and left a side that finished 4th. Or he took over a side in 5th and left a side that up until May had the results that put him in the automatic promotion places.

You did the comparison league tables. Will you be doing so again? Might stop people getting so angry over a loss if they saw what happened last season.

Yes, after about 10 games

[gazza1988]

Excellent. I enjoyed looking at those.

[The One]

Excellent. I enjoyed looking at those.

My favourite also