Question Our prospects for next season?

[Holy Joe]

Under Kev we have never been consistent throughout the whole season, think this will be the same, can see him gone by Xmas.

Teams rarely are consistent through out the season, vast majority have spells inform and out of form - that's the nature of the game.

I can't see kev being sacked by Xmas

 

[tommy tucker]

The new owners haven't had much time to change things As it's stated Rome wasn't built in a day I am sure things will improve ASAP But fans have to be patient Don't start moaning if if things don't go smoothly straight away.

 

[Linda Loan Shark]

I reckon we will nab that last playoff spot yhen hopefully promotion. This season wont be a failure no matter what(well excluding relegation) happens as we have a club to support and thats been the biggest achievement this season

 

[Smiffy]

I feel this team has the ability to challenge the top 7 on paper. Although I do (as do a number of us) feel we are light in numbers and particularly in creativity.

I do also have some concerns, now that the “siege mentality” has gone, how these players are going to cope with a different kind of pressure. The pressure of a big home crowd expecting to win, not hoping to win. It will be very new to them. This is where expectations need to be reigned in a little.

Add to that a still very disrupted summer. Missing out on key targets, **** training facilities, huge uncertainty etc. That leaves me feeling that this season will be one of stability and continuing to slowly build a team seriously capable of being Champions. We aren’t there yet in my mind and that’s no fault of the players or management. We know who’s responsible for that.

So I’m going to go for another play-off push this season, but falling short in the end. With eyes on 2025/26, after a proper year under COSU, for a genuine attempt at a return to the EFL.

 

[leeblue]

Given Forest green are splashing the cash york seem to have spent well as we as others. Can you actually win this league or the playoffs without spunking money all over the place I.e. us.

 

[Jai]

Given Forest green are splashing the cash york seem to have spent well as we as others. Can you actually win this league or the playoffs without spunking money all over the place I.e. us.

Sutton did it, but they've been the exception rather than the rule in recent years.

Can't see many mentioning Hartlepool, they'll also be strong under Darren Sarll. Our first three games could hardly be tougher.

 

[Smiffy]

Given Forest green are splashing the cash york seem to have spent well as we as others. Can you actually win this league or the playoffs without spunking money all over the place I.e. us.

Gets harder and harder each season. There will always be at least one or two teams that go for it money wise. As mentioned above, we are going to need to do a Sutton.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Gets harder and harder each season. There will always be at least one or two teams that go for it money wise. As mentioned above, we are going to need to do a Sutton.

Other teams will be looking at us thinking it’ll be tough to finish above us. A squad that nearly made the playoffs last year despite a 10 point deduction and that squad mainly intact and enhanced by Josh Walker who lit up the division last time and an ascending player in Joe Gubbins who played 40 games last season in L2.

That team with the ability to add through the season with John Still’s contacts book will be a scary prospect.

 

[Jon h]

Play offs is just about realistic.

We haven’t solved the midfield issue (which has existed for countless seasons now), so for me we’ll get the same as last season, lots of possession, tight games, opposition generally out to frustrate us, particularly at RH.
I think we could be in for a rude awakening next Saturday as York have spent well this summer and won’t be holding back.

The last 2 seasons we’ve finished 8th and 6th (without a point deduction) with embargo’s and everything happening of the field and not being to add to the squad I’m fairly confident with a normal season will be right up there in my opinion playoffs is there bear minimum.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

The last 2 seasons we’ve finished 8th and 6th (without a point deduction) with embargo’s and everything happening of the field and not being to add to the squad I’m fairly confident with a normal season will be right up there in my opinion playoffs is there bear minimum.

Hope so, but last season had a different mentality about it. What with the pts deduction & lack of players for the main part, it was us against what was thrown at us & there was less pressure to achieve than this season brings?.
Expectations & mindset were possibly less than what they will be this season?. How the players cope with that, who knows?. Throughout last season all fans were 'united' in getting behind the team throughout. IF we don't hit the road running & aren't in the top 5 by December, i do wonder if there will be 'rumblings' from the stands?.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Under Kev we have never been consistent throughout the whole season, think this will be the same, can see him gone by Xmas.

How ridiculous. You have a short memory. Think back to last Christmas and the strike force Kevin was forced to field. Sorry but a forward line of Vilhete and Kabongolo backed up by Sandat were never going to win games for us.

 

[Harry_Constable]

Objectives for me are:

On the pitch:
Finish in the top 7 minimum, ideally the top 3.
Get to the 2nd round of the FA Cup
Bring in another 4-5 more players over the season for squad depth.

Off the pitch:
Get the stadium back to a 5 figure capacity for every game usage ASAP
Cut the 2 million loss a year in half ideally minimum.
Plans announced for a new East Stand, possibly even drawn up.
Move into new training ground
Announce plans for the restart of a youth/academy programme (may have this already)

Not an objective but get block X open for every game, would allow for the blue voice to be very very loud!

For the fans:
Over 7,000 average home attendance.
Sing for 90 minutes every game (shouldn't be an objective, should just be natural)
Continue to have the largest away support in the league (1st last season with 854 I think)

 

[Rob1920]

Its no doubt very hard to make the top three when you're up against clubs who can spend L2/L1 level money on players, as the likes of Wrexham, Notts County & Chesterfield have proved. Yes you can be succesful on a budget and I do expect us to be in the play-offs, but we obviously can't buy our way out of this league as others will always try to do. I'm fine with that if it keeps us safe and sustainable but as a fan-base we see ourselves as a league club, and I wonder how many seasons of play-off failures against big spending opponents fans will put up with before we start getting restless. I hope I'm wrong and we beat the odds, but the day may come when COSU come under pressure to dig even deeper into their already generous pockets to get us out of this league. I'd say they've got a honeymoon period of 2 seasons. If we're not up after that, the natives could get restless!

 

[Fairport]

Sutton did it, but they've been the exception rather than the rule in recent years.

Can't see many mentioning Hartlepool, they'll also be strong under Darren Sarll. Our first three games could hardly be tougher.

I seem to recall that Sutton United played the loan system very well that season, I very much doubt we will do the same.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Its no doubt very hard to make the top three when you're up against clubs who can spend L2/L1 level money on players, as the likes of Wrexham, Notts County & Chesterfield have proved. Yes you can be succesful on a budget and I do expect us to be in the play-offs, but we obviously can't buy our way out of this league as others will always try to do. I'm fine with that if it keeps us safe and sustainable but as a fan-base we see ourselves as a league club, and I wonder how many seasons of play-off failures against big spending opponents fans will put up with before we start getting restless. I hope I'm wrong and we beat the odds, but the day may come when COSU come under pressure to dig even deeper into their already generous pockets to get us out of this league. I'd say they've got a honeymoon period of 2 seasons. If we're not up after that, the natives could get restless!

I hope not, but it may take longer than 2 years to right all the wrongs from the previous owner. COSU are well aware of the need to get back to the EFL, money is one thing, Just over a Million for playing in League 2 against just over a £100,000 from the National League. Plus and most importantly funding is then available for the Academy, funding that was totally lost 18 months after our relegation.
COSU also want to provide a Club that is sustainable. Many balancing acts are required and all of them important.

 

[BEERMONSTER]

Another sign of the rebirth of professionalism at the Hall, more positive momentum towards upwards and onwards!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820823390963257358

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Saturday marks the start of what a lot of us are hoping for as an exciting season (feels stange but great saying that). The management staff are there, the scouting staff in John Still is there, the new owners are there, the fans are definitely there and we have a great core of a squad. That being said it's a long hard season and strength in depth is critical and I think in some positions, we're one injury away from being severely weakened. We of course need a back up keeper, there's no doubt about that. But on top of that I think, at present, we have a squad capable of a top 7 finish. To secure a top 3 finish I think we need a back up to Bridge, an attacking midfielder and a striker. Defensively I think we're set with plenty of top defenders and top replacements ready to go. I'm also hoping Noor and Cav can get back to form, they certainly weren't up to their levels the last 10 games of the season (probably down to injuries).

Last season we lost/dropped points against teams who sat back, which was most of the teams who came to RH so options off the bench are so important, especially in the wide areas. If we want to be up there this season we have to work out a way to brake these teams down and beat these types of teams. Last season we needed a awful lot of chances to score, the better teams are clinical so we need to work on that.

Last season I was calling for a more robust and tactical approach to away games and that seemed to happen in the last 3rd of the season where we got plenty of points on the road that we weren't previously getting. Good teams, if they can't win away, salvage at least a point on the road and we need to make sure this continues into this coming season. If we get 3 or 4 more players in we'll be a serious contender to finish right at the top of the table.

 

[Barry.C]

TOP ANALYSTS VIEW - WE ARE TOO SHORT OF NUMBERS TO GAIN PROMOTION AT THE MOMENT
NATIONAL

League expert Adam Virgo says Southend United have a solid chance of winning promotion this season.

The Shrimpers kick off their campaign against York City at Roots Hall this weekend.
And Virgo, who has covered the league for TNT Sports and the Non League paper, believes Blues are well placed to be up towards the top of the table.

“There’s been a lot going on off the field at Southend in the last few years but there has been stability on it which I think will stand them in good stead,” said Virgo
“With the takeover having been completed and with the job Kevin Maher has done there I think there’s every chance of it being an exciting season.

“It’s a big club and there will be more expectation on them now but I do think they have a solid chance of getting promotion this season.”
However, as things stand, Virgo admits promotion seems more likely via the play-offs for the Shrimpers.
“If I’m being completely honest about it I think Southend will need a bigger squad if they’re going to win the league,” said Virgo.

“I’m sure they’re looking to strengthen but they’re a bit short in a couple of areas compared to other teams.
“But there’s the nucleus of a really good side there.
“They’ve got some really good players and the support they get is brilliant too.”
Blues are fourth favourites with the bookmakers to win the title this season.

Barnet, Oldham Athletic and Forest Green Rovers are all being tipped to finish above the Shrimpers.
But Virgo feels there is no clear favourite this time around.
“This is the most open the league has been for as long as I can remember,” said Virgo.

“Last season I thought if you finished above Chesterfield you’d win the league and the year before that it was Wrexham and Notts County but I don’t see a team you can say that about this season.”
However, when pushed for his league favourites, Virgo backed Barnet to impress.

“Barnet will be strong this season,” said Virgo.

“I think last season their performance against Solihull Moors in the play-off was probably their worst of the season.
“But there was a line in Dean (Brennan’s) interview straight after the game when he said he knew what he needed to do now.
“He certainly didn’t waste any time where that was concerned and they’ve signed a lot of players.
“Dean gets Nicke Kabamba scoring goals for them, I like Idris Kanu and Anthony Hartigan too.

“I think they’ll be up there but Southend certainly can be as well.”

But Barnet wont do well as they have a very large squad?

 

[tommy tucker]

Top half maybe play offs .But it all dependes on our start to the season 10 points in our fist 4 games will set the tone for a long slog ahead .

 

[BoyWonder2]

@Barry.C Your obsession with squad numbers is bizarre.

We have just as much of a chance of having an excellent season with a smaller squad, as Barnet do of having a shocker of a season with a large squad.

Previously you’ve said we have to sign everyone early and used Bury as your shining light, and we know how that worked out.

Now we have to have a large squad, and Barnet are the poster child for this at the moment. I hope what happened to Bury doesn’t happen to Barnet.