fbm
Blue tinted optimist⭐🦐
The NL fixtures come out on 9th July (2 weeks away) and I got to wondering what would be an absolute mare of a set of opening fixtures? I know we are usually slow starters, but with so many far flung teams across the entire country (surely Truro to Gateshead at 453 miles one way must be one of the longest professional club journeys ever), what would be an absolute nightmare opening set of 6 fixtures?
For comparison, in 2023/4 we had -
Saturday 5th August Oldham (h) - Won 4-0
Saturday 12th Aug Dagenham (a) - Won 2-0
Tuesday 15th Aug Dorking (a) - Lost 1-2
Saturday 19th Aug Hartlepool (h) - Lost 2-3
Friday 25th Aug Eastleigh (H) - Won 2-0
Monday 28th Aug Bromley (a) - Lost 1-2
There are four southern based sides in there, plus Oldham and Hartlepool, neither of which we had to travel to. We won 3 and lost 3, total points after 3 games, 9. Oldham had just come down from the EFL and Bromley ended up doing up in the play offs. Dorking were relegated.
Last season we had -
Saturday 10th Aug York (h) - Drew 1-1
Saturday 17th Aug Hartlepool (a) - Drew 0-0
Tuesday 20th Aug Boston (h) - Won 2-0
Saturday 24th Aug Barnet (a) - Lost 1-2
Monday 28th Aug Dagenham (h) - Drew 2-2
Saturday 31st Aug Fylde (a) - Postponed - Train issues
Some travelling for us there to Hartlepool and Fylde, with a local Barnet game the only other one on the road. We played the two best teams in the division within the first four matches. Fylde and Dagenham relegated, Boston down there as well.
It seems that Hartlepool are a favourite early doors (our turn for a home game this time), so I bet that will be one of the opening 6. I think Boreham Wood will feature as an early game (away - probably Bank Holiday Monday) and I think that, as play off runners up, we could also see other early fixtures against the other newcomers to the Division.
So, here we go with my prediction of what could be a very difficult set of opening fixtures for the 2025/6 campaign -
Saturday 9th Aug - Truro (a)
Saturday 16th Aug - Hartlepool (h)
Tuesday 19th Aug - Tamworth (h)
Saturday 23rd Aug - Carlisle (a)
Monday 25th Aug - Boreham Wood (a)
Saturday 30th Aug - Gateshead (h)
Edit - I don't know why I've done this. Totally pointless, as it could be games against (almost) anyone. It's bad enough trying to guess the opening fixture, let alone the first six! But I've typed it out now and it will be interesting to see the comparison with what actually transpires . At least there was some sort of logic with some of my selections.
For comparison, in 2023/4 we had -
Saturday 5th August Oldham (h) - Won 4-0
Saturday 12th Aug Dagenham (a) - Won 2-0
Tuesday 15th Aug Dorking (a) - Lost 1-2
Saturday 19th Aug Hartlepool (h) - Lost 2-3
Friday 25th Aug Eastleigh (H) - Won 2-0
Monday 28th Aug Bromley (a) - Lost 1-2
There are four southern based sides in there, plus Oldham and Hartlepool, neither of which we had to travel to. We won 3 and lost 3, total points after 3 games, 9. Oldham had just come down from the EFL and Bromley ended up doing up in the play offs. Dorking were relegated.
Last season we had -
Saturday 10th Aug York (h) - Drew 1-1
Saturday 17th Aug Hartlepool (a) - Drew 0-0
Tuesday 20th Aug Boston (h) - Won 2-0
Saturday 24th Aug Barnet (a) - Lost 1-2
Monday 28th Aug Dagenham (h) - Drew 2-2
Saturday 31st Aug Fylde (a) - Postponed - Train issues
Some travelling for us there to Hartlepool and Fylde, with a local Barnet game the only other one on the road. We played the two best teams in the division within the first four matches. Fylde and Dagenham relegated, Boston down there as well.
It seems that Hartlepool are a favourite early doors (our turn for a home game this time), so I bet that will be one of the opening 6. I think Boreham Wood will feature as an early game (away - probably Bank Holiday Monday) and I think that, as play off runners up, we could also see other early fixtures against the other newcomers to the Division.
So, here we go with my prediction of what could be a very difficult set of opening fixtures for the 2025/6 campaign -
Saturday 9th Aug - Truro (a)
Saturday 16th Aug - Hartlepool (h)
Tuesday 19th Aug - Tamworth (h)
Saturday 23rd Aug - Carlisle (a)
Monday 25th Aug - Boreham Wood (a)
Saturday 30th Aug - Gateshead (h)
Edit - I don't know why I've done this. Totally pointless, as it could be games against (almost) anyone. It's bad enough trying to guess the opening fixture, let alone the first six! But I've typed it out now and it will be interesting to see the comparison with what actually transpires . At least there was some sort of logic with some of my selections.
