11% chance of Town winning the Conference North?

The current odds for the the only bookie who dares to price up the Conference North so far imply (once the substantial profit margin is taken out) that Town have a 11% chance of winning it.

The others thought to have at least a 5% chance are:

Barrow 14%
Tamworth 7%
Boston 6%
Guiseley 6%
North Ferriby 6%
Hednesford 6%
Stockport 6%
Bradford 5%
Solihull 5%

Thoughts?

Betway have made us quite strong favourites, and with the squad we have, its hardly a surprise.

Certainly this is THE test for Simon's managerial ability, with this squad, any talk of 8th being 'a good finish', would be laughable. Now or never it seems to me, as I've said before. Can't see Irving continuing to fund failure (even for the sake of his son!), if this season goes belly up.

Play off place an absolute minimum.

Fascinating fixture list, we will have a pretty good idea of our chances by the middle of SEptember. Mind you, last season we beat most of the top teams, and still didn't make it. Obvious message is we have to take care of the weaker teams on a regular basis.

I'm very optimistic, but then I was last year at this time as well! But I think it HAS to be this year.

Surely?

We are now 2nd favorites, Barrow have moved ahead of us.

They are certainly spending loads of money, but so are we!

A few weeks back Simon was quoted in the advertiser saying the budget this season is the same as last season.
My money would be on Guiseley.

I'd love it if we could get in the playoffs. There are some quality teams in the league this season.

Top 5 and a 100 league goals followed by playoff win.

FA Cup 3rd round at Arsenal.

FA Trophy quarters

John Smith Trophy win

Guiseley home and away win.

The first 4 are realistic TU but you're stretching it a bit to hope we'll beat Guiseley!

I think it's fair enough with the squad we've assembled to regard it as a failure if we miss the play-offs. It's going to be really tough to win a league of 22 teams, but we're entitled to think we've got a chance.

It's a tough league this year, no matter the signings, it's congested with talent throughout the league and the teams look stronger throughout, I would hope a play off place is reachable for sure, perhaps even champions, but Guiseley, Barrow, North Ferriby, Hednesford will all be up there too.

You have no chance, Chorley will walk it, they're a real football town. Stick to cream teas and scones.  

At least we show ambition with the signings we have made. You flogged your best player to Millwall, and in doing that, you will not achieve much this season, maybe play-offs if you are lucky.

So basically you're correctly tipping us for another successful season. Gregory's fee means Neil Aspin is our new full time manager. We'll be in the Football League this time next year while your preparing for your big game against Solihull Moors on the opening day of 2015/16. See you Saturday. Do what you do best and make sure I can get a cream tea and a scone at half time.  

BTTF stop pming me about seeing your puppy after the game on Sat. I'm not interested. I don't care if you do have a bag of pick and mix as well.

Our friend BTTF's picture shows him as being somewhat perturbed and in disarray - or am I being unkind?

Ooooo, oowww, you Harrogate ruffians are so cruel I'm out of here before one of you writes me a rather stern letter.   

BTTF wrote:So basically you're correctly tipping us for another successful season. Gregory's fee means Neil Aspin is our new full time manager. We'll be in the Football League this time next year while your preparing for your big game against Solihull Moors on the opening day of 2015/16.  See you Saturday. Do what you do best and make sure I can get a cream tea and a scone at half time.  

No, i'm not tipping you for another sucessful season. If you call 'maybe the playoffs' as a successful season, then I pity you. With the squad you have and the signings you have made, the playoffs is the bare minimum you should be achieving, but you wont. That i'm assured of.

Neil Aspin as your full time manager? I hope the club follows suit, because if it does, it wont be long before you go broke again.

See you Saturday, and dont be surprised if we beat you because we have a hell of a better squad now, than last time we played you.

BTTF wrote:So basically you're correctly tipping us for another successful season. Gregory's fee means Neil Aspin is our new full time manager. We'll be in the Football League this time next year while your preparing for your big game against Solihull Moors on the opening day of 2015/16.  See you Saturday. Do what you do best and make sure I can get a cream tea and a scone at half time.  

Pimms on offer in the 1919 venue this weekend - just for the Halifax fixture  

TheNeil29 wrote:

BTTF wrote:So basically you're correctly tipping us for another successful season. Gregory's fee means Neil Aspin is our new full time manager. We'll be in the Football League this time next year while your preparing for your big game against Solihull Moors on the opening day of 2015/16.  See you Saturday. Do what you do best and make sure I can get a cream tea and a scone at half time.  

No, i'm not tipping you for another sucessful season. If you call 'maybe the playoffs' as a successful season, then I pity you. With the squad you have and the signings you have made, the playoffs is the bare minimum you should be achieving, but you wont. That i'm assured of.

Neil Aspin as your full time manager? I hope the club follows suit, because if it does, it wont be long before you go broke again.

See you Saturday, and dont be surprised if we beat you because we have a hell of a better squad now, than last time we played you.

Don't need to go full time with Aspin as manager, we're eating em up. Aspin says if he lost a few with Harrogate, nobody gave a ****. Course you didn't, your not a football town. If you beat us tomorrow I'll walk home naked to Halifax. What will you do if you lose? Nothing, you wont give a ****, your not football people. Enjoy the game.  

It's probably worth pointing out that Aspin is quite fond of our wonderful spa town. Enjoys a nice tea and scone himself I believe and he can often be found in or around Harrogate sampling the many delights the 12th coolest place in the uk has to offer.

I'm one of those not bothered about the result against Halifax, more interested in how the team plays, particularly given the number of new signings made over the summer. Not sure about the significance of being a football town or not when we have a chairman with more money than all the other sides in the league put together.

Anyway, back to my tea and scones. Enjoy the game young man.

BTTF - May I respectfully suggest you clear your walk back home with the police before you set off - your friends and admirers here wouldn't want you falling foul of any public order offences. Watch out for uneven pavements.

Oh don't worry, I won't be walking anywhere tomorrow evening.

For your information and reference, this is what real football people look like, (hint: he's not the one with the floppy hair) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]  

Do you think you could ever match his passion for his club? I can't see it somehow, can you?  

BTTF wrote:Oh don't worry, I won't be walking anywhere tomorrow evening.

For your information and reference, this is what real football people look like, (hint: he's not the one with the floppy hair) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]  

Do you think you could ever match his passion for his club? I can't see it somehow, can you?  

Wow, must be great to live in a passionate "football town" with league gates averaging around 2 % of the resident population having just lost your 30 goal a season striker.

At least on your long naked walk home everyone will see your a little pr**k.

S.

I thought we gave as good as we got for much of the game but tired towards the end. Well done Town against a muscular team a division higher than us. There was a roar of relief from their fans when they got the winner which says a lot. At least our old mate BTTF was spared a long walk in the rain.

I'm nothing if not a fair man and to be fair you gave us more problems than either Barnsley or Rochdale did. If there was any relief in our "roar" it was because we knew then that we still have a match winner in our ranks for the new season. I think I'm done here now, good luck this year, I don't think we'll be playing you again soon though unless you get us in the West Riding Cup. Keep doing those cream teas and scones.  

Fair comment. Best wishes to you and your team - will be interesting to see what you do this season.

At the moment, I think we will make the play offs, and we have the players in depth to carry us through for a long season ahead. I'd love to see us win it automatically, and avoid the dogfight of the play offs, and with Worsfold out, hopefully allowing Swain and Dean to step up, the opener for me against strong opposition is just what we needed. Cmon lads!