Promotion

[Tangled up in Blue]

its going to be close, but I can not see us not being in the top 7. There are still lots of reasons to be hopeful don't give up now

Let's face it, if we can't beat Northampton at the weekend and **** up home to Orient next Wednesday, our season is effectively over.

Even if we made the playoffs again, I can't see us doing any better than we did against Crewe last season.

 

[turkishm]

15 more games to go yet, still lots of points to play for. Not sure what the benchmark is for playoffs, but 10 wins out of 15 gives us 77 points, is that a playoff number. I think depends if Tomlin plays again this season, im hearing reports he may not, so it may be tight.

 

[Jam_Man]

Its so tight at the moment Im not sure we can be written off.

If we had won on tuesday we would be third and everyones outlook would have been completely different.

The quality of our game needs to improve, and hopefully will do so when we get our best players (Timlin aside) back in the team. Our great run was based on a settled team, right now we havent a clue who will be in the side each week.

Im not sure we have the ability to be consistent enough to finish top 3, but I still think we will be ok for the play offs.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

15 more games to go yet, still lots of points to play for. Not sure what the benchmark is for playoffs, but 10 wins out of 15 gives us 77 points, is that a playoff number. I think depends if Tomlin plays again this season, im hearing reports he may not, so it may be tight.

According to the Echo this morning. Tomlin could be back in 2 weeks, Barker probably back for the Orient game, Laird and Lavery to have scans, Phillips could be back Saturday or out for 2 weeks, depends how his toe reacts to the injection. Freddy hopefully back in training today, so could be on the bench on Saturday.

 

[Mick]

Paul Sturrock is a Championship/League One manager of real quality. The fact that we've been able to employ him is down to his personal circumstances - it's been a real bonus for us and he has achieved wonders with no money and a squad with serious weaknesses in certain areas.

Achieved wonders ? Not yet, I'm afraid; fingers crossed for this year.

No money? I thought our playing budget was in the upper quartile for our division.

A squad with serious weaknesses in certain areas ? Remind me who built the squad from scratch.

In the history of the club, no manager has presided over three successive unsuccessful seasons in the fourth tier of English football. Not a record anyone connected with the club wants to see him achieve.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Since yesterday I've wished to make some ramblings but have not found a suitable peg of a thread to hang them on.......I'll try this one.
I have to say that it was with some relief I looked over SZ yesterday. There was little anger and little pointing the fickle finger of blame, apart from, of course, at our injury situation (or the referee). No one wanted to be too critical of players playing out of position, of youngsters we were demanding a maturity from that was beyond their years, or even a manager who put his hands up and claimed that his team selection may have been at fault. No, yesterday was encouraging to see a SZ that had gained in maturity and where the mood was one of understanding and resignation. Even the threat of a another winding up order didn't bring forth the kind of previous venom reserved for our Chairman in these situations. I think that we are so punchdrunk from this almost farcical series of injuries (including the self inflicted one) that we can but be philosophical about our situation........what else is there to do? Well, there is one thing to do and that is to rally around whoever dons that Blue shirt. I think Reeves made the point that there was a good atmoshere in the squad and in face of all adversity they are determined to do all the can with what is available to them............ if they ever needed support, now is certainly the moment.
Promotion?.............it's so difficult to know, until the dust of the injury situation settles down. Logic says that automatics are probably a step too far but seeing how we can play (with a full compliment) and hearing reports of the opposition, the idea of play-offs doesn't quite give me the fear of last year..........apart from with one exception. Last year we came up against an exceptionally talented Crewe team who had IIRC an incredible run leading up to the play-off. I believe we would have lost to them if we had met in the Final..........without them, I reckon we could well be in League One this year. The exception I spoke about could be Bradford, they have a large fan base, and if they get on a run, they have shown themselves not to be too bad in knock-out competitions!
If there are any positives to be taken from the last weeks, I would cite the additions of Reeves, Lavery and now Mayor to the squad, from what I hear they all look as though they could have something exciting to offer. One final point that I'm a little confused about, doesn't Mayor look more like a replacement for Martin than for Timlin? For me, replacing Timlin is an essential piece of the jigsaw if we are hoping to go up but finding someone who is going to cover the ground that he did and pull the strings in midfield is not going to be an easy task.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

With a fit squad Timlin would have played left of midfield. Sturrock doesn't have a crystal ball how was he to know Laird was going to break down. Tuesday afternoon this was a great decision so perhaps we are not yet finsihed with loan signings yet.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Even if Tomlin comes back for me Timlin is the bigger miss. We cant plug the hole with inexperienced loanees.

 

[madetotry]

Chris Phillips ‏@CJPhillips1982
Doing some digging on the chances of Blues bringing anyone in before Saturday's game.

Chris Phillips ‏@CJPhillips1982
Hearing that it's someone who can play defence & midfield Blues are trying to sign. Not Mkandawire though before you say it!@sufcrootshall

Looks like another loanee coming in, wonder if they will have experience or be under 21?

Out of curiosity, how many loanees can we have playing at once?