National League Play offs Thread 2016. Who will win?

[GTFCfish]

What are you on about. They played very well on Saturday and went all out for it, clearly desperate to get to Wemmers. Froze a bit at home, but if anything that just showed how much they wanted it.

You do know that that is exactly what Vanni is saying don't you?
Vanni must be speaking in Chinese today as that is 2 people who cannot understand what he is saying, despite it being perfectly clear for anybody who understands English.

 

[GTFCfish]

And GTFCFish, that 50/50 comment was about the pressure/expectations put on the 2 sides, not the ability of the teams or managers. We're clearly superior in the latter, the league table doesn't lie. If we turn up and rise to the occasion, we'll win no question.

I would go as far as to say that you are "head and shoulders" above everybody else in the League.
I hope that will be of some comfort to you on Sunday when we flukily turn you over at Wembley.

 

[Chris FGR]

I would go as far as to say that you are "head and shoulders" above everybody else in the League.

Apart from Cheltenham.

 

[GTFCfish]

Apart from Cheltenham.

In all seriousness Chris how do you see it panning out on Sunday?
Do you think you will play at your best and therefore give yourselves a good chance, or with the new manager watching and first time for these players at Wembley do you think some nerves might kick in and make it tougher for yourselves?
I am expecting us to rise to it after the way the Semi went, but you never know with us how we will perform so i really do see it as a 50/50 shot at the minute.

 

[Chris FGR]

In all seriousness Chris how do you see it panning out on Sunday?
Do you think you will play at your best and therefore give yourselves a good chance, or with the new manager watching and first time for these players at Wembley do you think some nerves might kick in and make it tougher for yourselves?
I am expecting us to rise to it after the way the Semi went, but you never know with us how we will perform so i really do see it as a 50/50 shot at the minute.

You really want serious? Better leave that to Greenacres or Veggieeater tbh.

Under Bartlett the spirit has massively improved, but we need to pass the ball better then in the semis, and keep our discipline. Will we? Hard to say. Not sure whether announcing Cooper now will help, but it had to be done after the cat was out of the bag anyway. Speculation/rumours would have been worse, and it gives Scott a high quality assistant for this week. We've got a lot experienced players, and I think what happened last year when we froze has helped us so far. Will it at Wembley? I think so, but you never know.

Both teams have got big game players, and are capable of playing some good stuff. If either resort to aimless hoof ball or go in too negatively, which both sides have been guilty of far too often this season, then they'll lose. If both teams do it will be a shite spectacle and probably go to pens.

 

[les.gtfc]

Did many FGR fans buy the "Early Bird Vanarama Big Day Out Tickets". I know loads of Mariners fans did (including myself). Apparently they are exchanged for tickets in the more expensive tier of tickets so for £20 for an adult and kids ticket has saved £62 as there are no concessions in the higher priced ticket bracket.

 

[Sparrow]

 

[GTFCfish]

Did many FGR fans buy the "Early Bird Vanarama Big Day Out Tickets". I know loads of Mariners fans did (including myself). Apparently they are exchanged for tickets in the more expensive tier of tickets so for £20 for an adult and kids ticket has saved £62 as there are no concessions in the higher priced ticket bracket.

I started a thread about this to see if they were worth buying, then with the responses i got i thought definitely worth the £20 risk, then i forgot all about it and didn't buy them, EPIC FAIL!

 

[veggieeater]

Did many FGR fans buy the "Early Bird Vanarama Big Day Out Tickets". I know loads of Mariners fans did (including myself). Apparently they are exchanged for tickets in the more expensive tier of tickets so for £20 for an adult and kids ticket has saved £62 as there are no concessions in the higher priced ticket bracket.

About 100 did Les, compared to 1000 for Grimsby. However I gather they are in the middle tier rather than the lower, not sure that ideal actually, its not so good for joined up singing. Im sure thats why the FGR sales werent good, and nothing to do with FGR at the time playing so badly it was looking unlikely we would romp into the final like we did .
At the time it was pretty nailed on the GTFC would be in the play offs, so the gamble paid off.

Those still around with tickets they dont want could do us a favour and announce they have tickets for sale at cost price on here.

 

[les.gtfc]

About 100 did Les, compared to 1000 for Grimsby. However I gather they are in the middle tier rather than the lower, not sure that ideal actually, its not so good for joined up singing. Im sure thats why the FGR sales werent good, and nothing to do with FGR at the time playing so badly it was looking unlikely we would romp into the final like we did .
At the time it was pretty nailed on the GTFC would be in the play offs, so the gamble paid off.

Those still around with tickets they dont want could do us a favour and announce they have tickets for sale at cost price on here.

According to the Wembley twitter account they are automatically exchanged for seats in blocks 103 and 104 which are part of the £41 seats in the lower tier between the halfway line and the corner.

 

[veggieeater]

Good call then for the 1000 minus GTFCfish then, reading the website again that is clear, its the other fans who stay up in the middle tier. misread it myself, but never mind, like to donate to Wemz coffers whenever possible

http://www.vanarama.co.uk/latest-news/the-vanarama-big-day-out-ticket-information.html

 

[Southern Shayman]

Surely FGR have got to start Parkin at Wembley?

The occasion won't get to him and made a real difference when he came on in the 2nd leg.

If both teams play to the best of their ability then Grimsby win it for me, but pressure does funny things.

Genuinely intrigued to see how it plays out.

 

[B2TF]

No intrigue for me, only interested in one outcome. Grimsby have to win if the prestige of playing in the greatest league in the world is not to be permanently tainted and diminished. The prospect of Swampy and his wretched Stepford Whores FC buying their way in is too much for me. BTW what happened to that other club that was "growing all the time" a few years ago. Oh now I remember, the owner decided to stop chucking his money away.

 

[stupot]

But like you upped your game at ours I reckon we have a couple of key players who can perform even better, either due to coming back from injury or having been a bit out of sorts. They might not, of course, but we've got much better performances in us and are in just the mood to deliver them.

We didn't up our game from how we have been performing over the season, just from the game played in mid-week. If CK had rested the whole team for the last league game we would have finished third, which cant happen by accident.
After now seeing both of the finalists live, whilst obviously anything can happen on the day, if they get the ball down and play I would just come down on the side of Grimsby, if they don't I think you guys will win by the only goal of the game be it in 90 minutes or 120. This does not really look like a goal feast in waiting does it?

 

[The Jovial Forester]

I did mean just better than Wednesday, obviously you've been strong all season.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

We've scored 82 goals this season in the league alone and most of those came when we were playing our best 11, which is what we're doing now. This team is capable of scoring 4 or 5 past Forest Green, something we would've done against Braintree had they not parked the bus for 210 minutes. After the mountain we conquered on Sunday, one that has only ever defeated us before, the final will feel like a breeze and that's meaning no disrespect to FGR. We are much better suited to play them and I have absolutely no fear of us not turning up, not this time.

 

[BeesKnees]

We've scored 82 goals this season in the league alone and most of those came when we were playing our best 11, which is what we're doing now. This team is capable of scoring 4 or 5 past Forest Green, something we would've done against Braintree had they not parked the bus for 210 minutes. After the mountain we conquered on Sunday, one that has only ever defeated us before, the final will feel like a breeze and that's meaning no disrespect to FGR. We are much better suited to play them and I have absolutely no fear of us not turning up, not this time.

Hadn't realised how goal shy the conference had been this season. Teams finishing 2nd and 3rd with less than 70 goals is very low compared to previous years.

 

[ThelmaChen]

An interesting take on the suject.
https://staceywestblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/do-i-really-want-grimsby-to-win/

 

[PaulHaddock]

An interesting take on the suject.
https://staceywestblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/do-i-really-want-grimsby-to-win/

Whilst I sort of agree with some of it, it's quite degrading to most fans and he's quite nasty about most other teams, which is quite uneccessary.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Interesting my arse, hate DV all you like but it's the same old bollocks ignoring we've got a fine history and got in this division long before him.
We almost certainly wouldn't be anywhere near promotion without the money but then the back to back promotions that got us in the conference under Gregan looked unlikely.

 

[rudebwoyben]

What a stupid article..

 

[BeesKnees]

An interesting take on the suject.
https://staceywestblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/do-i-really-want-grimsby-to-win/

I completely disagree with the view that the conference has better players today than in 87/88. If anything academies were less common and so young talent was more likely to be found in non-league, also pay was lower so experienced professionals were more likely to exend their careers at lower levels. Around this time Andy Clarke played for us and was sold to a first division side for £250k, he wasn't alone in the wheeling and dealing of Fry and Flashman that saw a regular turnover of players bought by higher division clubs.
The idea that the conference was full of pub teams with pub players is just naïve and insulting to the likes of Wycombe, Cheltenham and ourselves.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

7k sold on day one apparently. 10-12k seems the probable figure but I'd like to think we could push 15k.

 

[Tom Fgr]

We'll only take 7-8 thousand I think. Not bad.

I think it'll be a cagey game, but the big pitch will definitely suit us. Interesting with the combination of cooper and Scott, hopefully we can have a new honeymoon period where coopers been appointed. Either way, both teams deserve promotion, the right two got to the final.

Tickets have arrived today! Buzzing for Sunday, can't come quick enough!!

 

[pontoonlew]

You honestly think you'll take 7-8k?

I question that.

 

[FGR Stroud]

You honestly think you'll take 7-8k?

I question that.

Apparently FGR took around10,000 last time at Wembley, but no matter how many they take this time the number will be dwafted by Grimsby fans.
And as a FGR supporter I'm really looking forward to game and the atmosphere of a large crowd especially banter from the opposing fans.

 

[FGRJC]

An interesting take on the suject.
https://staceywestblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/do-i-really-want-grimsby-to-win/

What a fucking tool

 

[FGR Stroud]

I note currently that the poll at top of has 43 votes Grimsby and only 24 for FGR.
Not sure of significance because obviously there are more Grimsby fans voting for own side than FGR.
TBH Grimsby must have an advantage insofar as many of their players have been to Wembley while FGR as a team have not. Grimsby also have another psychological advantage because they have not lost to FGR this season although FGR did draw game at their place and were unlucky not to win.
Against that both teams entered play offs with indifferent form. Apart from winning last game of season against Dover's reserve side, FGR have not won a league match since 12 March at Gateshead. Grimsby's record is only slightly better with 6 wins out of 12 and 4 losses.
At the time it seemed kiss of death by FGR chairman to sack manager one game before play offs, but the transition between managers appears seemless and the players do appear to be greatly uplifted. Temporary manager Scotty B has support for game of successful winning manager Mark C, our next manager, and the two men are good friends so there will be no conflict on the bench.
FGR retain the same players who have been 1st or 2nd in table all season and they are very very good at their job.
Grimsby have been in play offs so many years running that the players mindset might already have negative thoughts although it could be said that they must win promotion eventually.
My forecast is a 2-1 FGR win.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Seven nil to Rovers after Town all go down with the trots after an ill-advised fish supper and only 300 Mariners in the crowd due to a massive sinkhole swallowing the M1 Sunday morning.

 

[EnglishRed]

It's very finely balances with not much to choose between the sides. Prior to the season I expected these to be the top 2 because on paper for me they had the best squads.

If I have to choose I think recent Wembley experience, and a more dangerous attacking line up give Grimsby the edge.