chezzyram

Gateshead have still got the FA trophy final to play

They play 5 league games in 10 days with the last day of the regular season on Saturday. The playoff eliminator is then in midweek and the semi final on Saturday with the final the Saturday after. Its a crazy world in the National League. Then they've got the FA trophy final! The odds will certainly be stacked against them in the playoffs

Congratulations to Pompey and hopefully we can now get the job done. I don't think there's a lot of dislike for Bolton, it's just that the battle for 2nd place has been more competitive and holds a lot more jeopardy. Apart from a very brief spell we've never really got that close to overhauling Portsmouth after they opened up a big early season lead whereas the tussle with Bolton has been much closer. If (and its still a big if yet) we go up I hope Bolton win the playoffs, 3 clubs with a proud tradition and a loyal fan base that have been through it at the hands of the efl and poor ownership

Me and my dad went to Bournemouth away in 84 and didn't get back till 3 days later, it was ages before he was allowed out again!

I grew up in Clay Cross, I know women who must have eaten them for every meal!

I went to Chesterfield v Oxford City with my grandson a few weeks ago as I was unable to get to the Reading match and the bloke sat next to me accused me of being a glory hunter!

I think Barnet are probably favourites although I'd love to see Dajaune Brown hit the winner at Wembley to clinch promotion for Gateshead

Chesterfield are already promoted which should restore at least one to the list. They were crowned champions last week with 5 games to go, are on course for over 100 pts and have scored over 100 goals, a remarkable achievement that seems to have slipped largely under the radar since the National League returned to obscurity after the promotion of Hollywood fc last season.

We are coming for you Pompy, it's written in the stars

With 3 points for a win, Ipswich would have won on goal difference. Which, 50 years on, I've only just realised looking at the table

I've been to many, many Steve Harley gigs over the years, from an impressionable teenager in the mid seventies to an acoustic set in Whitby Pavilion a year or so ago where the audience was, shall we say, a little more mature in years. He was a wonderful, committed live performer and had a rapport with his audience that felt almost personal. Also a very gifted and probably under rated songwriter with much of his work overshadowed by that one iconic single. Another musical hero from my youth taken too early by this awful disease. RIP Steve and thanks for the memories

I was with you until you said Leeds then that was a step too far

A Lonely Planet guide to Rorherham

When it comes to finding an excuse to go to the match there's a far more powerful force acting from the heavens now, you'll be fine

Jeez don't do that, I thought we'd resigned Keogh!

You're worrying unnecessarily... it's Leigh Curtis that's sleeping rough

Gateshead aren't the same side that they were earlier in the season. They were heavily reliant on loans that have either recently expired or been recalled and some of their better players have left on permanent transfers. They have been trying to rebuild and results have suffered so Brown should be guaranteed plenty of game time

Every time we sign a good player an existing player automatically becomes a bad one, it maintains the forum yin and yang

It was definitely a turning point when he came on to replace Dobra last night and his goal was class. They signed him from Macclesfield so there are some rough diamonds out there to be found

I went to the game, Conn- Clarke was comfortably the best player on the pitch and took his goal well after a slick passing move. Sounds like there's interest in him from the Championship including Swansea though. Dobra on the other hand was pants, was fortunate to get away with a mistake that led to a disallowed goal, got booked and was subbed after contributing little for 70 mins. He might be good on occasions but is very inconsistent imo

Dobra is on the bench tonight, although I wouldn't read too much into it as Cook often rotates his squad and the lineup is usually unpredictable. To be fair to Tshimanga he suffered an horrific injury and has never been the same since, he's barely played since leaving Chesterfield. A more cautionary tale would be Andrew Dallas who some were suggesting on here as a potential signing in the last window. He went to Barnsley who then shipped him out to Kilmarnock after 4 games and now he can't get a game. Having said that, I think Dobra would be a good signing, he's a very good player, winds up the opposition and has a spark about him that's missing in some of our players

There's a lot of speculation around Dobra's future as he's out of contract in summer and has so far showed no intentions of signing a new one. The club said in the Derbyshire Times there had been no bids but there are rumours on t'internet that Oxford have put in a bid. Fwiw the Chesterfield fans that I know aren't confident he'll stay or that it would take big fee given the circumstances. He's a good player for sure.

My kids turned 18 over 20 years ago, I'm still waiting for the first and second pint never mind the third!

Yes sorry, you're right, I thought it was Thursday today🙈

Draw is tomorrow at 6.30 on Sky Sports News