23/24 season

[TomTom92]

Now that the league has been finalised, what are people’s expectations on where we should finish? 
 
Mine is that the top 2 should be the target. Top 6 potential acceptable, but anything outside the top 6 deserves Warne and co to be walked through Derby with people shouting shame at them.

Think if we did finish outside the play offs Warne should go.

Edited May 29, 2023 by TomTom92
Spelling error

[Sparkle]

First as I expect every season or why bother?

[Kernow]

It's impossible to say until we've signed some players. We could have a really good window, or a terrible one. Either way it guarantees nothing come the first day of the season.

But with the potential for us to recruit, and almost everything we can offer as a club being better than our League One competition, this really is a big chance for us. Bookies have us at 5/1 to win the league, it was 6/1 before the final so it shows that they think our biggest competition is now gone. I'm surprised the odds are so short given the squad we currently have. Maybe in a couple months, but that isn't a great bet right now.

[TomTom92]

3 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

First as I expect every season or why bother?

There’s hope and then there’re realism. As things stand we should be finishing near the top. But that wouldn’t be my expectation in the championship or PL.

[alram]

top 6 with a challenge on the top 2 as a bonus

 

if we dont get the top 6 this season it will be a disaster, warne has to deliver now

[Ian Buxton's Bat]

With Wednesday gone and wriggle room in the transfer market then top 2 should be realistic aim.

That's logic, not dreaming.

7th this season with a patchwork quilt of players, albeit with some very shrewd signings amongst them, would logically have to be emphatically bettered in a league of the same strength........but next season's league looks weaker.

Nothing coming down worries me, nothing coming from L2 worries me and I reckon if we are better than 2 of Barnsley, P'Boro and Bolton then we're up.

COYR.

[RamLad1884]

Expectation is promotion, whether that is storm the league, creep into second or sneak into the playoffs it doesn’t really matter, all the same result in the end.

[May Contain Nuts]

Given Warne's past record in this league, the amount of time we've had to identify targets (and whoever's in the new recruitment guy's little black book), our overall budget and the ability to pay a few fees, there really shouldn't be any excuses not to be challenging for the top 2, with a play-off place secured with a few games to go.

 

[Chopper]

Think Bolton, might be in front of us. No logic just a hunch. Agree Weds going up may help us and my expectations is top 6, if, and it's a big if, we get a stable close season with some room to manoeuvre in the transfer market. I desperately want to enjoy a promotion season though.

There is no reason why we wont have a stable close season apart from ... you know ... Derby.

I'm confident / arrogant enough that Derby will be the biggest fish in L1, by a long way. The old cliche of "everyone's cup final" is going to make it a tough old season, Referees and officials wanting to make sure that they dont favour us by going the other way. Still it'll be a fun ride!

[Topram]

Reading Bolton Barnsley blackpool Pompey etc still a very tough league, we have to recruit well to get us in a position where we can get enough points for top 2 .. 

[Bald Eagle's Barmy Army]

I’ve never been more confident of a top 2 finish. And that’s without seeing who we sign. 

[Blondest Goat]

We should definitely be aiming for top two and if we don't make the playoffs it will be a significant failure. 

A tiny bit of improvement would see us in the playoffs and that should be relatively easy to achieve now that Warne can shape the squad how he wants to.

[admira]

The division doesn’t look like a strong line up so with a bit of investment, I’d be looking for top two. 

[StarterForTen]

1 hour ago, TomTom92 said:

There’s hope and then there’re realism. As things stand we should be finishing near the top. But that wouldn’t be my expectation in the championship or PL.

As things stand, as you say, we’re 8 or 9 players lighter than the team that’s just finished seventh so suggesting the manager should walk if we don’t reach the playoffs is a tad premature perhaps?

 I hope we recruit well and, if we do, then should be little to fear in this division - other than the clubs that recruit better!

[ram59]

We were one of 3 'big' teams last season, now we're on our own. It means that every other club in this league are going to be looking for our fixture and raise their game. We could find the competition even more intense than last season, from opposition players and fans.  I would imagine that the away attendances at PP last season were higher than those in the championship the previous season, with supposedly bigger teams.

[Magicman]

Top 6 

[hintonsboots]

Automatic promotion. 

[InstaRam]

Can't see us miss out on top-6 at least. L1 is a really poor league to be honest. Last season didn't really made me fear the one coming up. 3 teams played something which reminded of quality. The rest I can't really understand how Derby County managed to drop points against. It was only our own limitations who stopped us. That should not happen again I hope. 

[RamontheMoor]

We HAVE to be looking top 2... But I guess that really depends on signings. A little more freedom in the transfer market will do us no harm. I will re-evaluate at the start of the season.... Whatever happens we need to raise our game against the 'top' teams to do this. 

Edited May 29, 2023 by RamontheMoor
A bit more to add...

[Eddie]

This is the third time in our history that we have been in the third tier. During the first two spells, we were promoted at the second attempt.

I see no reason to think that things will be different this time.