The League One Promotion Thread 15/16

[GFC4EVA]

Ok so we have a relegation thread and as we're now heading into January someone may as well get this started.

Makes change for us to be involved, we're normally in the relegation party.
Gills have had an awesome 2015 (84 points collected in the calender year) if we carry that into 2016 we have to be aiming for the top 2.

Quite a few teams still within a shout, even though the top 4 do seem to be breaking away a little bit.

Guessing no one expected walsall, burton and ourselves to be challenging, I still expect wigan to come good and put a charge in for the title, as well as sheff utd who will make a strong surge for at least the play offs at some point.

With a good run would say anyone down to probably Doncaster could still have a chance at the play offs

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

Ok so we have a relegation thread and as we're now heading into January someone may as well get this started.

Makes change for us to be involved, we're normally in the relegation party.
Gills have had an awesome 2015 (84 points collected in the calender year) if we carry that into 2016 we have to be aiming for the top 2.

Quite a few teams still within a shout, even though the top 4 do seem to be breaking away a little bit.

Guessing no one expected walsall, burton and ourselves to be challenging, I still expect wigan to come good and put a charge in for the title, as well as sheff utd who will make a strong surge for at least the play offs at some point.

With a good run would say anyone down to probably Doncaster could still have a chance at the play offs

Would have to agree with all of that.
Walsall have impressed me as have Coventry, Gills have done extremely well and Peterborough since Mr Westley took over. Donny too looked very good under Fergie.
That Albion are up there when you look at our squad and budget is incredible. This team believe in themselves and seem to find ways of getting results in most circumstances. Hoping for a play off spot, that would be brilliant for us, top 2 unbelievable but definitely a possibility at the half way stage of the season.
Gillingham have picked up 84 points, in that same period Albion have picked up 99 ! The best total in the country.
Dreaming the impossible is possible !

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

We need to have an unbeaten January imo. Otherwise we'll fall away from the top 2. 7 points from Walsall, Burton and Southend is needed which won't be easy but it appears that Armstrong may be staying the season which will be a massive boost.

 

[joethegill]

I don't feel comfortable in this thread. It feels weird.

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Do any of us feel comfortable in here?

 

[DH84]

Do any of us feel comfortable in here?

I'll be surprised if we finish above 10th. Us in the play offs would be the funniest thing ever. We can't even cope under the pressure of a JPT 2nd round or League Cup 1st round game.

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

Do any of us feel comfortable in here?

Strangely yes as we were involved in the chase for the league one title !

 

[PuB]

Put the promotion thread away, we're not safe yet...

 

[Camborne Gills]

We should never start this sort of thread............................ever

 

[Posh Hammer]

We really should be more involved in this thread. We have a squad which is strong enough for the top 2. Unfortunately, I feel we have left it too late.

 

[AusGill]

We should never start this sort of thread............................ever

Don't worry, I have it on good authority that GFC4EVA only put the thread out there for others.

Nice like that he is....

 

[joethegill]

We really should be more involved in this thread. We have a squad which is strong enough for the top 2. Unfortunately, I feel we have left it too late.

You haven't, I very much expect you to finish top 2, particularly if you keep hold of Washington in the window.

 

[Camborne Gills]

Don't worry, I have it on good authority that GFC4EVA only put the thread out there for others.

Nice like that he is....

That's all right then

 

[GFC4EVA]

Yeah it's for everyone else

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Adam Armstrong is here to stay till the end of the season!

 

[SkyBlueElephant]

Peterborough fans, on Washington I was just wondering what your opinion on him is. All I've heard is you moan and bitch about him for the last year or so, is the current form just a hot streak that will pass or is he now starting to show why you bought him to the club?

 

[LincsPosh]

We don't know, we're as baffled as anyone! Chairman has put on Twitter that he has turned down £2 million for him though...

 

[Hooped Wizard]

We'll be here. If the season had started when Fergie was appointed we'd be 5th according to the stats.

 

[LincsPosh]

He's a bloody fine manager

 

[Hooped Wizard]

He's a bloody fine manager

And the lady above your username was a very fine Prime Minister mate.

 

[LincsPosh]

The very, very best I think you'll find

 

[RainhamEndGills]

Great to be involved in this, it's been a while since we've been anywhere near the top of League One.

Also, Burton picking up 99 points in the calendar year is unbelievable!

 

[Bartonyellow]

Great to be involved in this, it's been a while since we've been anywhere near the top of League One.

Also, Burton picking up 99 points in the calendar year is unbelievable!

Someone at the club should hang their head in shame that it was not 100

 

[JJ1532]

103 - Champions 2014
102
101 - Champions 2012
100
99 - Champions 2016
98
97
96 - Predicted Champions 2015
95 - Champions 2011
94 - Promotion 2014
93 - Promotion 2012
92 - Promotion 2011 Predicted Promotion 2016
91 - Promotion 2016
90
89
88
87
86
85
84 - Champions 2013
83 - Promotion 2013
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74 - Play-Offs 2013, 2014
73 - Play-Offs 2012, Predicted Play-Offs 2016
72
71 - Play-Offs 2011
70
69 - Play-Offs 2016

48 - Walsall(23), Burton(23)
47 - Gillingham(24)
44 - Coventry(24)
40 - Wigan(23)
37 - Peterborough(24), Southend(23)
36 - Sheff Utd(23)
34 - Millwall(24), Bradford(22)

Forthcoming Fixtures:

1st Walsall(23) - 48 points. Rochdale(H), Coventry(A), Bury(A), Blackpool(H), Fleetwood(A)
2nd Burton(23) - 48 points. Blackpool(H), Coventry(A), Shrewsbury(H), Peterborough(A), Rochdale(A)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Gillingham(24) - 47 points. Bradford(H), Wigan(A), Doncaster(A), Peterborough(H), Blackpool(A)
4th Coventry(24) - 44 points. Crewe(A), Walsall(H), Burton(H), Southend(A), Scunthorpe(H)
5th Wigan(23) - 40 points. Scunthorpe(A), Gillingham(H), Sheff Utd(H), Chesterfield(H), Crewe(A)
6th Peterborough(24) - 37 points. Sheff Utd(A), Southend(H), Gillingham(A), Burton(H), Oldham(H)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7th Southend(23) - 37 points. Doncaster(H), Swindon(A), Peterborough(A), Coventry(H), Shrewsbury(A)
8th Sheff Utd(23) - 36 points. Peterborough(H), Wigan(A), Colchester(A), Swindon(H), Blackpool(A)
9th Millwall(23) - 34 points. Barnsley(A), Oldham(A), Port Vale(H), Chesterfield(A), Crewe(H)
10th Bradford(22) - 34 points. Gillingham(A), Oldham(H), Port Vale(A), Fleetwood(H), Burton(A)

Obviously the teams have quite a way to go yet before they can start feeling sure about a spot in the promotion race. No team looks capable of running away with it at the halfway stage which should hopefully make for a fascinating and exciting title race, much in the way the title/automatic race was decided in the 12/13 season. Also think the play off race is wide open, which again is a good thing. All of the teams have tricky runs over the next few weeks, with all bar Walsall and Millwall playing another promotion contender at least twice. Posh look to have the toughest run, with MIllwall having the most favourable. So yeah, let the fun and games commence.

 

[AusGill]

Funny how last seasons table at this stage was very similar points-wise

Team Pl Pts
Swindon 24 48
Bristol City 23 48
PNE 23 47
MK Dons 22 44
Bradford 23 36

Does that put a lie to the view that this year is a dire league? Or doesn't it make any difference?

Our Gills team in the 2nd half of last season beat P'Boro and Swindon away, beat MK, Bradford & Sheff U at home and drew at PNE and Bristol City. We only lost to Chesterfield of last years top sides after January. You could argue that since the start of Jan 2015 we have been every bit as good as the top 4 sides last year. And that in turn would suggest Burton, Walsall and Cov are equally as good as those "quality" sides from last year.

Or am I talking the usual bollux?

 

[JJ1532]

103 - Champions 2014
102
101 - Champions 2012
100
99 - Champions 2015
98
97 - Predicted Champions 2016
96
95 - Champions 2011
94 - Promotion 2014
93 - Promotion 2012
92 - Promotion 2011 Predicted Promotion 2016
91 - Promotion 2016
90
89
88
87
86
85
84 - Champions 2013
83 - Promotion 2013
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74 - Play-Offs 2013, 2014, Predicted Play-Offs 2016
73 - Play-Offs 2012
72
71 - Play-Offs 2011
70
69 - Play-Offs 2016

51 - Burton(24)
50 - Gillingham(25)
48 - Walsall(24)
47 - Coventry(25)
41 - Wigan(24)
40 - Peterborough(25)
37 - Southend(24)
36 - Sheff Utd(24)
34 - Rochdale(24), Millwall(25)

Forthcoming Fixtures:

1st Burton(24) - 51 points. Coventry(A), Shrewsbury(H), Peterborough(A), Rochdale(A), Bradford(H)
2nd Gillingham(25) - 50 points. Wigan(A), Doncaster(A), Peterborough(H), Blackpool(A), Swindon(H)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Walsall(24) - 48 points. Coventry(A), Bury(A), Blackpool(H), Fleetwood(A), Doncaster(A)
4th Coventry(25) - 47 points. Walsall(H), Burton(H), Southend(A), Scunthorpe(H), Port Vale(A)
5th Wigan(24) - 41 points. Gillingham(H), Sheff Utd(H), Chesterfield(H), Crewe(A), Port Vale(H)
6th Peterborough(25) - 40 points. Southend(H), Gillingham(A), Burton(H), Oldham(H), Chesterfield(A)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7th Southend(24) - 37 points. Swindon(A), Peterborough(A), Coventry(H), Shrewsbury(A), Colchester(H)
8th Sheff Utd(24) - 36 points. Wigan(A), Colchester(A), Swindon(H), Blackpool(A), Bury(A)
9th Rochdale(24) - 34 points. Chesterfield(H), Fleetwood(H), Barnsley(A), Burton(H), Crewe(A)
10th Millwall(24) - 34 points. Oldham(A), Port Vale(H), Chesterfield(A), Crewe(H), Walsall(A)

Well, pretty good week for the top 6. Well, most of them anyway. Burton dug in and ground out a win against Blackpool which is pretty impressive given that they were down to 10 men for the entire 2nd half. Got 3 tough away fixtures coming up now, this will be a big test of their abilities. Gillingham ran out comfy winners a tricky Bradford side. They are looking really strong at the moment, keep this group together and its hard to see them falling away. They too have some tough games coming up.

Walsall lost heavily to Rochdale, but they do have Bradshaw back from injury, so could recover from this set back. Massive game against midlands rivals Coventry to come. Do they have enough firepower to stay amongst the contenders? Coventry easily swept aside an abysmal Crewe side. They too have a much tougher set of fixtures to come. Wigan got a respectable point away at Scunthorpe, but will need to pick up their home form after 2 straight defeats if they want to keep their top 6 spot and maybe catch up to the breakaway top 4. Peterborough, like most of the top 6 it seems, have 3 huge games coming up now. Come through those and I can easily see them making a run for the automatic spots.

The chasing pack lost ground as they all lost. Southend have lost back to back home games by a margin of 7-0. Will they strengthen to boost their chances of a top 6 push? Got to be tempting. Sheff Utd still can't seem to string a decent run of results together. 4 away games from their next 5 now with some winnable games in there. Can they find some consistency? Rochdale break into the top 10, they look like they are starting to build up a head of steam, with Henderson starting to get back amongst the goals. If they can keep their decent run of form going, they could also make a challenge for the top 6. Millwall look a lot like Sheff U, wildly inconsistent. They also have winnable games coming up, so will need to start putting some results together now.

Donny and Bradford also lurking not far behind, so plenty of chasers for those top 6 spots. Just need to make sure that top 6 don't break away like they did last season.

 

[RainhamEndGills]

Really interesting post JJ, but I think you've possibly mixed up "Champions 2016" and "Predicted Champions 2015", or maybe highlighted the wrong one?

 

[JJ1532]

That's exactly what I've done, cheers. Changed it.

 

[Posh Hammer]

He's a bloody fine manager

He was fucking clueless for 2 straight years and only ever got us promoted when we had a budget most teams in the divisions we were in could only dream of.

On .net, you and that silly bloke from Devon were literally his only fans left by the end.

 

[LincsPosh]

The last full season he had we reached the play-offs, and won the Autowindscreens thingy at Wembley. Far from shabby, and if you think that's not good enough for us, then you're deluded and think Posh are much bigger then we really are.