Tamworthram

You’re right. Along with many others on this forum, I was at that game and seem to recall a sense of inevitability about the result rather than surprise.

It’s not “irrelevant ”if we win on Saturday (unless both Posh and Bolton drop points). It means the chances of us failing to go up would be very remote but, still possible. That’s all I’m saying.

I agree but I'm just saying, don't count your chickens. As has been mentioned previously, it's not that long again that we only needed a draw at home to lowly Reading (admittedly, a different proposition to playing Carlisle - I hope) to make the play offs but we ended up losing. I'm also predicting a draw in that final game Posh v Bolton but who knows what will happen. One team may be resting players for the play offs whilst the other is going all guns blazing in order to overtake us. Look at last season. Barnsley, already in the play offs and 12 points ahead of Posh, end up losing 2:0 at home to them on the last day.

Don't forget, we also need to better Peterborough's result as well to be absolutely certain on Saturday. They've got a big goal difference to make up (probably most of it over their next two games as I can't see either Bolton or Posh beating the other by more than a goal or two) but, you never know. We may need to keep the champagne on ice.

Everybody moans on X don't they?

Is this you confessing that you’re not happy if we get promoted then? 😀

Does this qualify as a legitimate point worthy of debate? No, I didn’t think so.

Just as entitled as us then?😀

I wonder how many Bolton fans will be calling for him to “do the decent thing and resign” if he fails to get them promoted as some on this forum have suggested Warne should do if we don’t go up? 😄

Tut tut. So someone has confessed to abusing the priority sales system. 😀

Surely you meant your heart says 1:1 but your head says at least 3:0 to Bolton? I reckon we’d all be equally surprised and delighted if Shrewsbury got anything out of tonight. PW and the team will be aiming to win both of our remaining games. Us, as supporters, have probably got to accept that’s what’s required.

Football isn’t that straightforward though is it? We couldn’t beat Peterborough, Oxford, Wigan and Charlton at home but we beat them all away. Consequently, whilst I fear a draw, I don’t think there are any grounds to have “zero” confidence that we can beat them purely because we couldn’t beat them at home.

The football this season has rarely been pretty, I don’t think anyone can deny that and the thought of more of the same isn’t very appetising. However, how much of that is down to the manager’s preferred style and how much is down to a need to adapt and do whatever it takes to get out of this league? Probably a combination of both. On the latter point, a lot of games this seem to blur into each other (which maybe says it all) but I reckon a lot of our entertaining football has come against the better teams in the league (I can’t substantiate that theory before anyone asks, it’s just a gut feeling). So, on that basis, I think we’ll either get rolled over pretty much every week (or, if we’re lucky manage to cling on for a point or three every now and then) or, we’re able to make some decent recruitment in the summer and will be able to go toe to toe with the more talented teams you get in the Championship - matching them to an extent in terms quality of football. Obviously the former is what we all fear whilst the latter is what we all want. I for one (not that it’s up to me of course), am prepared to give PW the benefit of the doubt and accept that, to a degree, the quality of football we have seen this season has been down to the league we’ve been playing in. I totally get that some members on this forum really don’t rate him, don’t like his football, don’t think anything will change if we go up, and want him gone but, I’m hoping such individuals (not aimed at you by the way) give their Warne out campaign a bit of a rest next season for at least a dozen games.

It’s nowhere near the first time this has been suggested and it’s not the first time I, and some others, have said it’s incredibly unlikely to happen. Nor should it. IF we do go up, none of us really know what it will be like next season and PW will deserved the chance to have a crack at it.

🙄

I assume you enjoyed your evening and trust you were suitably smug.😄

What level of resources do we have to compete for someone that might be better?

I would imagine it was a combination of money, guaranteed Championship football and the need for a change/new challenge. The club probably also needed to cash in on him and didn't try too hard to dissuade him.

He’s a Pompey fan so wouldn’t have been at either Wycombe or Northampton. He’s probably only seen us when we’re decent and not when we’re poor.

I don’t think an open top bus parade would be appropriate. Getting promoted would be cause for celebration but not this extent in my opinion unless of course, by some miracle, we end up winning the league. Then we’ll have a title to celebrate even if it is only the league one title.

No. Even if we beat Cambridge I won’t be tempting fate (too many years of being a Derby fan I guess). I fully expect Bolton to win their two home games this week meaning it will all be decided on the last day ideally with us still a point ahead rather than one or two points behind. Beat Cambridge and 3 or 4 nil up against Carlisle going into time added on and I might finally allow myself to believe. 😀

Whilst I still don’t particularly like name calling our own players, I realise that I did overreact in my part in allowing this spat continue. As you say, we should have left it at agreeing to disagreeing. Having said that, you are still missing my point that, by and large his calamity days were early in his time at Derby and he doesn’t make significantly more mistakes than any other player any more. Therefore, the use of the name “calamity” should probably be dropped now. Also, as I have said before, the player ratings didn’t prove anything. In fact they simply supported the theory that, whilst certainly not as good as either Cashin or Nelson, he isn’t so far off to justify the level of criticism some level at him. If you’re going to quote these ratings to support your argument then I don’t know how you can fail to notice that his rating was only 0.4 lower than Nelson who we all rate highly. Yes, I agree he was guilty of some crazy/poor back passes at the start of the season (I can’t say that I can recall any since hence why I’ve suggested we should move on from that label). Regarding my definition of when the term can be used well, ideally never. As I say, I really don’t like name calling any of our current players. Why does anyone feel the need to? As I think you’re probably saying, time to move on now and for us both to let it drop.

Or worse still, a kick in the cox(swain). 😫

Surely, in general with most grounds, the seats along the side are often more expensive because they afford a better view of the whole pitch than either behind the goal or in the corners? Therefore why would you (or why should you) reduce the prices? I agree with previous posters that having the away fans sandwiched between the South Stand and those towards the southern end of the East Stand is actually better for the atmosphere as it probably increases the banter between rival supporters and, to an extent, allow the east stand singers and south standers to feed off each other. As for “looking better” isn’t that just for the cameras? Do we care that much what it looks like on TV? It’s an interesting idea but I’d leave well alone not least because of the logistical challenges it might create.

To clarify, what is your objective case to support your assertion that he is still worthy of the title calamity Bradley? Not whether he is as good as Nelson or Cashin (I don’t think he is and I have never said he is). Not based on opinions which, by definition, are subjective not objective. Not on his record for the whole season. I said right at the start “since he’s put those early blunders behind him”. Not that he is more likely to make a mistake than Cashin or Nelson (although this is a subjective opinion in itself but I think is true) but that he’s more likely to such an extent to justify the label calamity. I also think he has made more mistakes (per game time) than either Cashin and Nelson (although I suspect neither of us have the actual stats). Out of the three, he would be a distant third in my pecking order simply because he isn’t such a good footballer and makes mistakes (as all footballers do) but not enough now to justify such name calling.