No ... and frankly the thought of us in Lge1 with Lge 1 wages, with probable average crowds of sub 2500, frightens the fook out of me!

newgroundrodney wrote: My person tip of the team to watch, is the one I said a few weeks ago, PORT VALE.
Their late challenge for a play-off spot is underway. I think they're gonna climb the table a bit like Villa have in the Championship.

These don't agree: https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/leag ... /predicted

Maybe, but I believe not. Whilst all our players give 100%, and everything is so much better than the crap we endured over the long and tortuous past two seasons, we can't put teams to the sword. We are a good side, not a 'great side. We have a smallish squad which is seriously exposed should we lose a few players
through injuries.

So what happens January? It can be all change in the fortunes of some underperforming sides as the team in the second half of the season gets new blood (look what happened here to us last year).- I would expect FGR, for example, to get around the Fair Play rules and recruit heavily.Those at the top/near the top like Luton/Notts County/Lincoln/Coventry/Swindon will recruit and get even stronger.

We are 19th in the Divisional attendance league so anything North of that will have been a good season.(With a few notable exceptions like Accy, and Rochdale and Burton in other leagues - the bigger attendances equals money which largely equates to League position - as unromantic as it sounds/is).

In the past a few on here have said we should be a Championship side, well to put that in perspective Notts Forest are 10th in the attendance league with an average of 25000 and Bristol C. and Cardiff get 19k. 22nd gets 4x our attendances. And, we get less than the lowest supported team in League1(our average would probably go up from away fans but if we were struggling what would happen to the home support).

So,
1. We need to pick up a few points with what we got to stay in touching distance over a tough next 4/5 games. If we hit a poor run we will be down that table and looking over our shoulders.
2.We will need to get a few in to remain competitive, provide cover in Jan window.
3.Around 48 points is the target to beat
4.North of 19th place would be good season
5.Not yet ready for League 1 (off the pitch/fanbase)
6.Should we get promoted then excellent but one hell of a job to stay there (4 down).
7. League 1 would be the best we could achieve tealistically as a club.

Ps sorry guys but I just want to add some reality (but always secretly dream).

What I will add as well is that a lot of our fans complain we don't score enough & we concede too many goals but only 3 teams (Luton, Notts Co, Wycombe) have scored more than us and only 6 teams (Luton, Notts Co, Accrington, Lincoln, Coventry, Mansfield) have conceded less than us so far.

Justanordinaryfan wrote:No ... and frankly the thought of us in Lge1 with Lge 1 wages, with probable average crowds of sub 2500, frightens the fook out of me!

Please don't take this criticism personally.

I understand why you fear promotion but it is fear that prevents our progress. Newport is a big town. It is capable of sustaining League 1 or championship football. Burnley is a smaller town than Newport.

Newport is my home town. I am part Welsh, I am part Irish. I am very proud of both. I am 100% Newportonian, and I love my home town. I refuse to accept that we are not as good as everyone else. In this world if you go into any battle believing that you won't win you have already lost. Please don't fall into that trap.

Fourthousand wrote: ...we get less than the lowest supported team in League1(our average would probably go up from away fans but if we were struggling what would happen to the home support).
...

My guess would be that like Plymouth Argyle this season, our attendances would be lower at the bottom of League 1 than at the top of League 2.

Amberexile wrote:

Fourthousand wrote: ...we get less than the lowest supported team in League1(our average would probably go up from away fans but if we were struggling what would happen to the home support).
...

My guess would be that like Plymouth Argyle this season, our attendances would be lower at the bottom of League 1 than at the top of League 2.

definitely but a promotion run and the excitement that comes with it would improve our core support.

I appreciate what you say Stan, and In ca lot of ways I agree.

My only concern is that we would struggle in Lge1 in my opinion (I appreciate that squads will change etc), but there is such a apathy to support a struggling team in Newport. I’m a ST and would watch, come what may, I’m afraid that not that many would do the same.

Im probably wrong though.

Amberexile wrote:

Fourthousand wrote: ...we get less than the lowest supported team in League1(our average would probably go up from away fans but if we were struggling what would happen to the home support).
...

My guess would be that like Plymouth Argyle this season, our attendances would be lower at the bottom of League 1 than at the top of League 2.

I think so to. With regards to Plymouth who are currently struggling they are still getting a healthy 3x our attendances (9 v 3).

Well, Argyle knocked on the door of promotion (play-off semi and then losing finalists) before getting their wishes. The fans weren't always happy with their style of play and apparently it's even worse this year. I'd settle for a similar path to promotion rather than sneak in after a hit and miss season. I don't think it's a negative outlook to want your team to progress only when they are ready.

Last time I checked last week we were 15th in L2 in terms of home attendance. There are currently 7 clubs in L1 with av home crowds of under 4,300 which we would prob match. We are 2nd in L2 in terms of % of Home fans that travel to away games at 17.8%. We are bottom of L2 in terms of av away fans at RP at 218.
If promotion comes knocking let’s go for it provided it’s a sustainable decision. We are just as likely to be fighting to stay in the FL next season as we are to be pushing for promotion to or in L1.

Looking objectively,we are a functional unit who play an uninspiring brand of football,but get results.Why do we sit back on a goal lead and just soak up pressure.We can play attractive as was the case for 20 minutes against Chesterfield and Carlisle.We need more flair and less negative tactics if we are to sustain a play off spot.

faerun exile wrote:Last time I checked last week we were 15th in L2 in terms of home attendance. There are currently 7 clubs in L1 with av home crowds of under 4,300 which we would prob match. We are 2nd in L2 in terms of % of Home fans that travel to away games at 17.8%. We are bottom of L2 in terms of av away fans at RP at 218.
If promotion comes knocking let’s go for it provided it’s a sustainable decision. We are just as likely to be fighting to stay in the FL next season as we are to be pushing for promotion to or in L1.

You are correct FE, currently 15th not the 19th that I stated in my earlier post.
So 20th last year; 15th this season (big gap to close to 14th) but the absolute average should hopefully push up on the back of good festive crowds and if we stay in the hunt we may see an average of circa 3,500 for the season.

Fourthousand wrote:

faerun exile wrote:Last time I checked last week we were 15th in L2 in terms of home attendance. There are currently 7 clubs in L1 with av home crowds of under 4,300 which we would prob match. We are 2nd in L2 in terms of % of Home fans that travel to away games at 17.8%. We are bottom of L2 in terms of av away fans at RP at 218.
If promotion comes knocking let’s go for it provided it’s a sustainable decision. We are just as likely to be fighting to stay in the FL next season as we are to be pushing for promotion to or in L1.

You are correct FE, currently 15th not the 19th that I stated in my earlier post.
So 20th last year; 15th this season (big gap to close to 14th) but the absolute average should hopefully push up on the back of good festive crowds and if we stay in the hunt we may see an average of circa 3,500 for the season.

We haven’t played anyone at home with decent support yet, Exeter should bring a few on NYD.

faerun exile wrote:

Fourthousand wrote:

faerun exile wrote:Last time I checked last week we were 15th in L2 in terms of home attendance. There are currently 7 clubs in L1 with av home crowds of under 4,300 which we would prob match. We are 2nd in L2 in terms of % of Home fans that travel to away games at 17.8%. We are bottom of L2 in terms of av away fans at RP at 218.
If promotion comes knocking let’s go for it provided it’s a sustainable decision. We are just as likely to be fighting to stay in the FL next season as we are to be pushing for promotion to or in L1.

You are correct FE, currently 15th not the 19th that I stated in my earlier post.
So 20th last year; 15th this season (big gap to close to 14th) but the absolute average should hopefully push up on the back of good festive crowds and if we stay in the hunt we may see an average of circa 3,500 for the season.

We haven’t played anyone at home with decent support yet, Exeter should bring a few on NYD.

Lincoln will bring a load....