League One Questionnaire Teams O-Y
Huddersfield Town story posted by Sean Makin on 06/08/2010
Continuing the League One Questionnaire with teams O-Y (Oldham Athletic, Peterborough United, Plymouth Argyle, Rochdale, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers, Walsall and Yeovil Town).
Oldham Athletic - Thanks to Oldham_4_life at oafc.co.uk forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc. We wasnt very good last year, too negative, the best moment was getting rid of penney but also holding out for a draw at Southampton away, the worst moment was probably going to Walsall and getting hammered 3-0.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position? Anything better than last season could be seen as a success so any mid table position, but personally think we will finish 11th-14th.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
What's your squad like, new signings, etc? Our squad will be the same as last year with added signing of Feeney and Jones who look good if fit. But also players who were injured last year will come back to try and improve. Hopefully our squad will be complete with one or two loan signing in the next few weeks.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Which player would you happily get rid of? The one player i would get rid of at the moment would be Worthington, think we have midfield covered and doesn't really offer us anything.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season? Looking at pre-season it will be big Tom Eaves but if we sell him then people like Kirk Millar will be looking to come through.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season? He will defiantly be here at the end of the season. He has been a breathe of fresh air and completely opposite to Penney, he wants the fans involved and wants the players to play attacking football but anything less than 100% and he wont stand for it.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Well we do need investors otherwise we could struggle to stay out of administration in the near future.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Rochdale because of bragging rights with it being a derby, also Huddersfield for the same reason.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Southampton to win the league with Huddersfield as runner up
Sheff Wednesday, Charlton, Colchester and Peterborough play offs.
Dagenham, Exeter, Hartlepool and maybe Tranmere will struggle.
Peterborough United - Thanks to The Original Fergie of the Londonroad.net forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Bloody dreadful! A nightmare from start to finish. Best moment was probably the equaliser against Cardiff or the winner against Reading. Worst moment could be any one of hundreds.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
Play offs should be a given, the squad looks in better shape than previously.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Decent, the new players all add different qualities and McCann looks the kind of midfielder we've needed for years.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Most have been shipped out, however Exodus and Josh Simpson need letting go permanently.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Mendez Laing is half decent from all reports so possibly him, the squad is more experienced than previous seasons.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Potentially excellent, his previous record (minus a spell at the Shabby) is very good. I bloody hope he's still here!
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Very happy with the chairman, wish the director of football would fuck off.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
This year not too bothered, would be nice to see MK Dons relegated though.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
P Southampton
P Posh
PO Charlton
PO Huddersfield
PO Notts County
PO Wednesday
R Dagenham
R Rochdale unfortunately
R Yeovil
R Orient
Plymouth Argyle - Thanks to Mike Hughes at Plymouth vital football forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
We were awful from start to finish with some brief moments of joy. Paul Sturrock, who is still an Argyle legend, should have been sacked at the end of the previous season but the board bottled it. We then appointed an inexperienced manager, in Mariner, which brought slight improvement but not enough. Highlight- the end of the season. Worst Moment- The gutless 2-1 defeat to Peterborough in the last game of the season.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
I think we'll win a few more games this season, but appreciate that League 1 is a lot harder than when we won it in 2004. Our biggest problem has been scoring for the last 2 seasons, if Peter Reid can change this then we may be around the playoffs. I'd expect us to finish 8th - 12th.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Our squad hasn't changed an awful lot and we still have a number of overpaid, poor players like Duguid, Walton (although Sheff Utd are paying his wages) and to a lesser extent Damien Johnson. Players to look out for are Joe Mason, Craig Noone, Bondz N'gala, Onismor Bhasera, Marcel Seip and possibly Steve MacLean (although he may fall into the overpaid & useless catagory like his previous 2 years). We've signed a young keeper from Spurs, David Button, who impressed at Shrewsbury last year; Rory Paterson who was prolific in Northern Ireland but has looked a bit hit and miss and 2 ex-Everton trainees in Peterlin and Molyneux.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Karl Duguid- we gave him a contract extension when all he is fit for is waving to the crowd. If you look up 'hospital pass' on wikipedia it will reference Duguid.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Joe Mason looks a very exciting prospect and has just broken into the Eire U21 side. Naturally a finisher, who can also play on the wing, he seems to have a knack of being in the right place at the right time. He's a Plymouthian too (which is quite rare in the Argyle squad nowadays).
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
The jury is still out on Reidy. He seems to be saying the right things and the style of play has improved during pre-season so things are looking promising. We needed an experienced motivator and I think Reid fits the bill. Wasn't my first choice by any means, but does seem a decent appointment. I will reserve complete judgement until we've played a few games. I think he will be at the club at the end of the season.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Not particularly. I don't trust them and it seems, so far, that they've only been interested in the property side of Home Park and how much they can profit from a successful World Cup Bid. They have invested £0.5m in a new state of the art pitch which shows some improvement, but recent fan surveys have been quite negative in Argyle fans' opinions of the board, how they've performed and how much they value the fans (sorry customers!!!).
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
All of them! No team in particular, it would be nice to do the double over Exeter (again), but I prefer the 3 Devon sides to do well, so would be happy to see them stay up this season.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four to go down
Champions- Southampton; Runners Up- Peterboro;
Playoffs- Sheff Weds, Huddersfield, Swindon & Brighton
Relegated- Hartlepool, Yeovil, Rochdale and Tranmere
Rochdale - Thanks to U14345488 of the BBC 606 forum.
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Excellent season! Best moment for me had to be beating Rotherham 4-0 in March. It was the night I think we all realised we were finally going up. Worst moment had to be the remaining games after we actually sealed promotion. It was horrible to throw away such a lead at the top of the table, and left a slightly bitter taste.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
I think we'll hold onto our league one status by the skin of our teeth! We'll need a win on the final day of the season against Bournemouth and do it. My main hope is that we continue to play the same lovely, attractive football we played last season.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
We've lost some important players. Tom Kennedy and Chris Dagnall have moved onto Leicester and Scunthorpe respectively, and Craig Dawson is highly likely to move. Anthony Elding has recently been added to the squad along with the return of Alan Goodall, and we all have faith in Keith Hill and his ability to un-earth footballing gems from out of nowhere.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
I wouldn't happily get rid of any player, but would happily kick out the moaning, whinging supporters who barrack Hill and Flitcroft ecery home game, and demand that the players "get the ball up field!".
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Joe Thompson. Technically he's still a youngster and I expect great things from him this season, having gained so much experience from last years promotion campaign.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Keith Hill is a fantastic manager. He gets the best from his players and has them playing lovely football. He understands that we don't have much money to spend and utilises the loan system really well. I believe he will be with us at the end of the season. However, should we have another successful season, I'm not sure we'd be lucky enough to keep hold of him again.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Chris Dunphy is possibly the best thing to ever happen to Rochdale Football Club. He is a lifelong fan and therefore knows how important the club is to its loyal fan-base. He frees up as much money as is humanly possible for Keith Hill to spend, proven by the signing of Chris 'o Grady in January. A true gentleman who has really transformed the fortunes of the club.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
I should really say Oldham, as we finally have the derby matches with them which we have been waiting years for. However, I'm tempted to say Notts County as the title run-in last season really created some needle between the clubs. Many Dale fans believe it is unfair that Notts County ended up winning the league with a squad of players they really shouldn't have had.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
1.Southampton
2.Huddersfield
3.Sheffield Wednesday
4.Plymouth
5.Swindon
6.Peterboro
21.Oldham
22.Exeter
23.Dagenham
24.Hartlepool
Sheffield Wednesday - Thanks to Katie Melua of owlstalk.co.uk
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Errr we were absolutely rubbish last season! Thoroughly deserved to be relegated and were lucky to have the last day of the season to try and avoid relegation. We continued to give first team starts to players that consistenly put in awful performances, we couldn't defend for love no money and our strikers couldn't hit a cows backside with a banjo!
Best moment was probably the 3-1 victory over Cardiff or the 4-0 win over Scunthorpe
Worst, where do you want me to start? Probably losing 4-1 to Watford, after that game we were dreadful
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
It depends which Wednesday turn up. On paper we should be up there in the top 6 but then again we might not. Looking at the division, I think we'll be up there but it won't be that easy. We've got players that are too good for this division but yet we've got players like Potter and Spurr who would struggle to get into a top league 2 side (especially if they continue to play like they did last season). I'll say final position 2nd
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Good. I like all our new signings especially Morrison and Daniel Jones. The squad on paper is too good for this league and should shine through. Only a few players that I worry about, oh and we need a goalkeeper as the young two I don't think will be good enough for this division
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Thomas Spurr or Darren Potter. Both absolutely useless! I don't know what on earth all this love over Spurr is about, he was a huge liability last season and I worry that even Dagenhams right winger will run the ring round him. Potter don't start me - liability
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Daniel Jones our new signing from Wolves. He was magnificent at Bristol Rovers on loan last season and I think he'll be quality in this division
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Time will tell. He'll be here at the end since we've given him a 3 year deal. I hope he's more adventurous instead of being Blackwellesque this season.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Errrr no i'm not! I haven't been happy with any chairman/backroom staff since Mr Numpty walked out to join the premier league! How he's a sir is beyond me! All have been useless and failed regarding matters on the pitch
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Southampton and yourselves as your the two teams to watch out for
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Champions - Southampton
Runners Up - Sheffield Wednesday
Play offs - Peterborough United, Brentford, Swindon Town, Huddersfield Town
Relegated - Tranmere Rovers, Rochdale, Hartlepool United, Dagenham and Redbridge
Southampton - Thanks to Ben of thesaintsfc.proboards.com
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Last season was a bit of a weird won. Obviously, best moment was winning the JPT at Wembley. However, worst moment I would say, was the day we found out that Play-offs were out of our reach.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
Final position for me is 2nd. Obviously top spot is what I'm hoping for though.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Fantastic squad, with the ability to pose a constant threat to any opposition. New signings: Frazer Richardson (last season's team of the year RB), Danny Butterfield (hattrick hero in the FA Cup for Palace), and Ryan Dickson, a great left sided young player.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Paul Wotton, lol. For me, he is pretty useless compared to the rest of the squad...
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Both Schneiderlin, and Lallana. Both are around 20/21 years old, and they are both learning very rapidly and in my opinion will become fantastic players. Even better than what they are now!
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Alan Pardew. Very experienced, and very calm and laid back. He will be with us come the end of the season, however if we miss out on promotion, next year we could have someone new.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Very happy that we have Marcus as our owner, as now we have lots and lots of money! And also, Cortese is a very professional person, and he ensures that everything is going well in the club. Backroom staff such as physio's etc. are all top notch fella's too.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Brighton and Hove Albion for me! They beat us when we were home last season, and almost did away too if it weren't for Lee Barnard in stoppage time!
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down.
Champions: Sheffield Wednesday
Runner-Up: Southampton
Play-offs (in order from 3rd to 6th): Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Huddersfield, Charlton Athletic
Swindon Town - Thanks to Spy of the townend.com forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
We got to the play off final, which was excellent considering most of would have been happy with a top half finish after battling relegation last year and losing Simon Cox in the Summer.
Beating Charlton at their place in the second leg of the play off semi despite losing our first choice goalie to immediately losing our goalie to injury, scoring an own goal and having our captain sent off. Beating Leeds 3-0 twice was also very special, given their big club mentality. It gave us a lot of belief.
Worst moment was being thrashed by Bristol Rovers for the second time in the season.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
After achieving the play offs last season our goal has to be automatic promotion. I think we might well come second. We be up there somewhere.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
We lost Greer our captain and a good central defender to Brighton in what was a shock move for all of us. However since then we've signed Ferry from Celtic who did really well for us on loan last year, Caddis also from Celtic who can play RB or on the wing and Dossevi, an african striker who we're getting on a free from Nantes and who played really well in the friendly against Forest, scoring twice.
Charlie Austin is still at the club and is a key player for us. He famously stepped up from non-league last season and went immediately into our first team scoring loads of goals. He should get 25+ goals if he stays fit and I've put £20 on him to be top goalscorer.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Vincent Pericard. Although hopefully he will start scoring given game time.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
I really hope this is the year that Sean Morrison properly steps up and gets a decent number of starts as I think he's showed before that he really has something. Given we are starting the season with just three central defenders it seems likely he'll get his chance.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Danny Wilson has been a great manager for us, the best in years. I fully expect him to still be here at the end of the season. He has us playing passing football wherever possible, has an eye for a bargain and seems to get along great with our chairman.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Pretty much everyone is extremely happy with our chairman Andrew Fitton and our backroom staff. He saved the club from extinction and the progress off the field has been outstanding. He runs the club sensibly and it is a massive contrast with our previous regime.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Bristol Rovers. They are our biggest local rivals in this league and they thrashed us twice last year so we need revenge.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Champions - Southampton
Runner up - Swindon Town
Play Offs - Sheff Weds, Charlton, Huddersfield, Plymouth
Relegation - Tranmere, Yeovil, Rochdale, Dag & Red
Walsall - Thanks to Andy Cox for the upthesaddlers.com forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Last season was a bit of a mixed bag - on paper it looked like a very dull season, never really threatening the top 6 and never being in any serious danger of relagation. This culminated in a pleasing 10th place finish, and most Walsall fans agree that this is higher than we initially hoped. In reality it was a season of trials and tribulations - protests, dropping attendances and inconsistency on the pitch. Best moment was probably our battling 2-1 victory at Elland Road. Worst may have been Leeds again, when we went from 1-0 up to 2-1 down in the last few minutes.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
We will probably be mid-table again. Hopes are for a little bit of investment - particularly if we end up selling Troy Deeney (as looks likely). Our season will largely depend on our start in my opinion, as we have a young squad. A good start would see the pressure lifted and the boys may shine. A poor start will really test the mental resolve of the squad - have they got the experience for a relegation scrap?
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Our squad is young and small in number. There are a lot of players aged 20-23 with a smattering of old heads. Our first 11 looks pretty good, but limited cover. New signings include players from higher level reserve teams (Marshall, McGivern, Lancashire), a great catch in Julian Gray, and a couple of keepers - Bevan and Brain - from Villa and Macclesfield respectively.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Matt Richards isn't popular with a section of the crowd, but I believe he does an efficient job. Given the threadbare nature of our squad, we can't realistically get rid of anyone. We cleared out a lot of the deadwood at the end of last season.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Manny Smith and Alex Nicholls are still both relatively young, but have been in and around the first team for a while now. Nicholls has plenty of promise and many Saddlers hope that he will have make a bigger impression on the goalscoring charts this season.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Hutchings is a steady Eddie and has the respect of most of the fans. The main criticism of him is his reluctance to change games with substitutions, but pre-season has seen him experiment with different formations. Maybe he is testing a 'plan B'. He will more than likely be there at the end of the season as a) he is relatively cheap and b) He seems to be building for the future and deserves a chance to do so.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
The chairman is a pretty unpopular figure at Walsall. I could write a book as to the reasons why, but in a nutshell he charges the club significant rent for the ground, continually sells our best assets without a fight and then fails to reinvest, and his use of the media is seen as manipulative and patronising by many. The rest of the backroom staff have seen a reshuffle, and this will hopefully lead to a more harmonious relationship with fans. It needs to!
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Southampton would be a nice scalp and we have a shocking record over Brentford, so those two would rank high. Apart from that we don't really have any local or historic rivals in the league. Peterborough are unpopular with many but that story goes back 15 years!
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Southampton champions, Huddersfield runners up . Play offs for Sheff Wednesday, Charlton, Brighton and Brentford.
Yeovil Town - Thanks to Toggs of the ciderspace.com forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
We probably faired slightly above what we expected. 15th was respectable and going into the last game, we knew we were safe, which is a welcome comfort. A great first whole season for Terry Skiverton, who had set solid foundations too bring into the 2010/11 season, and has already established great links in the game. Very fond of him and how he has the team playing football, and you won't find a Yeovil fan that would disagree. The highlights of the season we're the MK Dons win, and just watching big teams come too Huish Park and struggle, bigtime. The only big sides that can say they deserved the three points at Huish were Huddersfield and Swindon. Lowlights were the defeats too Leeds, Southampton and not being able too convert games against Norwich & Charlton also at Huish into three points.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
I'm more hopeful than any season since the Play-Off final campaign. Skivo has left the old ideas of a team headed by loanees, and this summer especially has got us a very strong, contracted squad. Players like Virgo, Ayling, Huntington, Bowditch, Welsh, Alcock, Freeman and Kalala give us optimism for a very good season ahead. I was asked League Position and i said 13th. I think though, with a bit of luck, we could go alot further than this. Although the play-off's would still be a dream. But we are one of the few sides in my eyes left, playing football the right way.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
The best for a while. Additions such as Virgo, Ayling, Huntington, A.Williams and Calver give us more strength and depth, as well as the loans of Stewart (3 months) and Freeman (6 months) give us some young blood too add too what is a fairly young squad regardless. I really do feel optimistic that this current squad is the best we've had for a long while.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Stefan Stam. Not because I don't think he's up too the standard, but he's never, ever fit. He looks sluggish in his fairly old age and his reading of the game won't save him in this division i feel. Nathan Smith, although linked with many Championship clubs, doesn't excite me. Although he has obvious pace and can run at players, I think he's mistake-prone and lacks experience. If we could get money for him, i'd take it and run.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Hard too say. Luke Freeman will most probaly leave a permanent impression on the Yeovil faithful, as he will obviously turn into a great player. Luke Ayling though too me looks the most promising. Signed from Arsenal Reserves on a pernament contract this season, after he captained the reserve team for most of last season. Very promising player and he's ours, hopefully too keep hold of for as long as we possibly can.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Terry Skiverton, mark my words, is one of the most under-estimated and under-rated managers in the entire English leagues. He's run the club economically and effectively and has the team playing the right sort of football, and not the long ball idea that you see alot of lower league clubs playing now-a-days. I wouldn't swap him for another manager in League One.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
No. I don't feel our chairman is here for the right reasons, and is more worried about putting is little money in the club as possible. He's separated the stadium from the club, which in experience, has seen clubs go into administration and could well, if him and Martyn Starnes are not careful, single/double handedly take Yeovil down the same route. I want them out, both. Personally.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Leeds have left the division haven't they... I'd personally say either Exeter in the derby or Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsbrough. Although would'nt mind drumming Hartlepool and seeing Jeff Stelling's face in the process of doing so!
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Champions: Sheffield Wednesday
Runners Up: Southampton
Play Off's: Plymouth, Charlton, Brighton, Swindon.
Going Down: Rochdale, Bournemouth, Tranmere, Dagenham.
Oldham Athletic - Thanks to Oldham_4_life at oafc.co.uk forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc. We wasnt very good last year, too negative, the best moment was getting rid of penney but also holding out for a draw at Southampton away, the worst moment was probably going to Walsall and getting hammered 3-0.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position? Anything better than last season could be seen as a success so any mid table position, but personally think we will finish 11th-14th.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
What's your squad like, new signings, etc? Our squad will be the same as last year with added signing of Feeney and Jones who look good if fit. But also players who were injured last year will come back to try and improve. Hopefully our squad will be complete with one or two loan signing in the next few weeks.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Which player would you happily get rid of? The one player i would get rid of at the moment would be Worthington, think we have midfield covered and doesn't really offer us anything.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season? Looking at pre-season it will be big Tom Eaves but if we sell him then people like Kirk Millar will be looking to come through.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season? He will defiantly be here at the end of the season. He has been a breathe of fresh air and completely opposite to Penney, he wants the fans involved and wants the players to play attacking football but anything less than 100% and he wont stand for it.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Well we do need investors otherwise we could struggle to stay out of administration in the near future.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Rochdale because of bragging rights with it being a derby, also Huddersfield for the same reason.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Southampton to win the league with Huddersfield as runner up
Sheff Wednesday, Charlton, Colchester and Peterborough play offs.
Dagenham, Exeter, Hartlepool and maybe Tranmere will struggle.
Peterborough United - Thanks to The Original Fergie of the Londonroad.net forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Bloody dreadful! A nightmare from start to finish. Best moment was probably the equaliser against Cardiff or the winner against Reading. Worst moment could be any one of hundreds.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
Play offs should be a given, the squad looks in better shape than previously.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Decent, the new players all add different qualities and McCann looks the kind of midfielder we've needed for years.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Most have been shipped out, however Exodus and Josh Simpson need letting go permanently.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Mendez Laing is half decent from all reports so possibly him, the squad is more experienced than previous seasons.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Potentially excellent, his previous record (minus a spell at the Shabby) is very good. I bloody hope he's still here!
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Very happy with the chairman, wish the director of football would fuck off.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
This year not too bothered, would be nice to see MK Dons relegated though.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
P Southampton
P Posh
PO Charlton
PO Huddersfield
PO Notts County
PO Wednesday
R Dagenham
R Rochdale unfortunately
R Yeovil
R Orient
Plymouth Argyle - Thanks to Mike Hughes at Plymouth vital football forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
We were awful from start to finish with some brief moments of joy. Paul Sturrock, who is still an Argyle legend, should have been sacked at the end of the previous season but the board bottled it. We then appointed an inexperienced manager, in Mariner, which brought slight improvement but not enough. Highlight- the end of the season. Worst Moment- The gutless 2-1 defeat to Peterborough in the last game of the season.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
I think we'll win a few more games this season, but appreciate that League 1 is a lot harder than when we won it in 2004. Our biggest problem has been scoring for the last 2 seasons, if Peter Reid can change this then we may be around the playoffs. I'd expect us to finish 8th - 12th.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Our squad hasn't changed an awful lot and we still have a number of overpaid, poor players like Duguid, Walton (although Sheff Utd are paying his wages) and to a lesser extent Damien Johnson. Players to look out for are Joe Mason, Craig Noone, Bondz N'gala, Onismor Bhasera, Marcel Seip and possibly Steve MacLean (although he may fall into the overpaid & useless catagory like his previous 2 years). We've signed a young keeper from Spurs, David Button, who impressed at Shrewsbury last year; Rory Paterson who was prolific in Northern Ireland but has looked a bit hit and miss and 2 ex-Everton trainees in Peterlin and Molyneux.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Karl Duguid- we gave him a contract extension when all he is fit for is waving to the crowd. If you look up 'hospital pass' on wikipedia it will reference Duguid.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Joe Mason looks a very exciting prospect and has just broken into the Eire U21 side. Naturally a finisher, who can also play on the wing, he seems to have a knack of being in the right place at the right time. He's a Plymouthian too (which is quite rare in the Argyle squad nowadays).
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
The jury is still out on Reidy. He seems to be saying the right things and the style of play has improved during pre-season so things are looking promising. We needed an experienced motivator and I think Reid fits the bill. Wasn't my first choice by any means, but does seem a decent appointment. I will reserve complete judgement until we've played a few games. I think he will be at the club at the end of the season.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Not particularly. I don't trust them and it seems, so far, that they've only been interested in the property side of Home Park and how much they can profit from a successful World Cup Bid. They have invested £0.5m in a new state of the art pitch which shows some improvement, but recent fan surveys have been quite negative in Argyle fans' opinions of the board, how they've performed and how much they value the fans (sorry customers!!!).
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
All of them! No team in particular, it would be nice to do the double over Exeter (again), but I prefer the 3 Devon sides to do well, so would be happy to see them stay up this season.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four to go down
Champions- Southampton; Runners Up- Peterboro;
Playoffs- Sheff Weds, Huddersfield, Swindon & Brighton
Relegated- Hartlepool, Yeovil, Rochdale and Tranmere
Rochdale - Thanks to U14345488 of the BBC 606 forum.
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Excellent season! Best moment for me had to be beating Rotherham 4-0 in March. It was the night I think we all realised we were finally going up. Worst moment had to be the remaining games after we actually sealed promotion. It was horrible to throw away such a lead at the top of the table, and left a slightly bitter taste.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
I think we'll hold onto our league one status by the skin of our teeth! We'll need a win on the final day of the season against Bournemouth and do it. My main hope is that we continue to play the same lovely, attractive football we played last season.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
We've lost some important players. Tom Kennedy and Chris Dagnall have moved onto Leicester and Scunthorpe respectively, and Craig Dawson is highly likely to move. Anthony Elding has recently been added to the squad along with the return of Alan Goodall, and we all have faith in Keith Hill and his ability to un-earth footballing gems from out of nowhere.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
I wouldn't happily get rid of any player, but would happily kick out the moaning, whinging supporters who barrack Hill and Flitcroft ecery home game, and demand that the players "get the ball up field!".
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Joe Thompson. Technically he's still a youngster and I expect great things from him this season, having gained so much experience from last years promotion campaign.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Keith Hill is a fantastic manager. He gets the best from his players and has them playing lovely football. He understands that we don't have much money to spend and utilises the loan system really well. I believe he will be with us at the end of the season. However, should we have another successful season, I'm not sure we'd be lucky enough to keep hold of him again.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Chris Dunphy is possibly the best thing to ever happen to Rochdale Football Club. He is a lifelong fan and therefore knows how important the club is to its loyal fan-base. He frees up as much money as is humanly possible for Keith Hill to spend, proven by the signing of Chris 'o Grady in January. A true gentleman who has really transformed the fortunes of the club.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
I should really say Oldham, as we finally have the derby matches with them which we have been waiting years for. However, I'm tempted to say Notts County as the title run-in last season really created some needle between the clubs. Many Dale fans believe it is unfair that Notts County ended up winning the league with a squad of players they really shouldn't have had.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
1.Southampton
2.Huddersfield
3.Sheffield Wednesday
4.Plymouth
5.Swindon
6.Peterboro
21.Oldham
22.Exeter
23.Dagenham
24.Hartlepool
Sheffield Wednesday - Thanks to Katie Melua of owlstalk.co.uk
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Errr we were absolutely rubbish last season! Thoroughly deserved to be relegated and were lucky to have the last day of the season to try and avoid relegation. We continued to give first team starts to players that consistenly put in awful performances, we couldn't defend for love no money and our strikers couldn't hit a cows backside with a banjo!
Best moment was probably the 3-1 victory over Cardiff or the 4-0 win over Scunthorpe
Worst, where do you want me to start? Probably losing 4-1 to Watford, after that game we were dreadful
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
It depends which Wednesday turn up. On paper we should be up there in the top 6 but then again we might not. Looking at the division, I think we'll be up there but it won't be that easy. We've got players that are too good for this division but yet we've got players like Potter and Spurr who would struggle to get into a top league 2 side (especially if they continue to play like they did last season). I'll say final position 2nd
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Good. I like all our new signings especially Morrison and Daniel Jones. The squad on paper is too good for this league and should shine through. Only a few players that I worry about, oh and we need a goalkeeper as the young two I don't think will be good enough for this division
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Thomas Spurr or Darren Potter. Both absolutely useless! I don't know what on earth all this love over Spurr is about, he was a huge liability last season and I worry that even Dagenhams right winger will run the ring round him. Potter don't start me - liability
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Daniel Jones our new signing from Wolves. He was magnificent at Bristol Rovers on loan last season and I think he'll be quality in this division
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Time will tell. He'll be here at the end since we've given him a 3 year deal. I hope he's more adventurous instead of being Blackwellesque this season.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Errrr no i'm not! I haven't been happy with any chairman/backroom staff since Mr Numpty walked out to join the premier league! How he's a sir is beyond me! All have been useless and failed regarding matters on the pitch
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Southampton and yourselves as your the two teams to watch out for
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Champions - Southampton
Runners Up - Sheffield Wednesday
Play offs - Peterborough United, Brentford, Swindon Town, Huddersfield Town
Relegated - Tranmere Rovers, Rochdale, Hartlepool United, Dagenham and Redbridge
Southampton - Thanks to Ben of thesaintsfc.proboards.com
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Last season was a bit of a weird won. Obviously, best moment was winning the JPT at Wembley. However, worst moment I would say, was the day we found out that Play-offs were out of our reach.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
Final position for me is 2nd. Obviously top spot is what I'm hoping for though.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Fantastic squad, with the ability to pose a constant threat to any opposition. New signings: Frazer Richardson (last season's team of the year RB), Danny Butterfield (hattrick hero in the FA Cup for Palace), and Ryan Dickson, a great left sided young player.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Paul Wotton, lol. For me, he is pretty useless compared to the rest of the squad...
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Both Schneiderlin, and Lallana. Both are around 20/21 years old, and they are both learning very rapidly and in my opinion will become fantastic players. Even better than what they are now!
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Alan Pardew. Very experienced, and very calm and laid back. He will be with us come the end of the season, however if we miss out on promotion, next year we could have someone new.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Very happy that we have Marcus as our owner, as now we have lots and lots of money! And also, Cortese is a very professional person, and he ensures that everything is going well in the club. Backroom staff such as physio's etc. are all top notch fella's too.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Brighton and Hove Albion for me! They beat us when we were home last season, and almost did away too if it weren't for Lee Barnard in stoppage time!
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down.
Champions: Sheffield Wednesday
Runner-Up: Southampton
Play-offs (in order from 3rd to 6th): Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Huddersfield, Charlton Athletic
Swindon Town - Thanks to Spy of the townend.com forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
We got to the play off final, which was excellent considering most of would have been happy with a top half finish after battling relegation last year and losing Simon Cox in the Summer.
Beating Charlton at their place in the second leg of the play off semi despite losing our first choice goalie to immediately losing our goalie to injury, scoring an own goal and having our captain sent off. Beating Leeds 3-0 twice was also very special, given their big club mentality. It gave us a lot of belief.
Worst moment was being thrashed by Bristol Rovers for the second time in the season.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
After achieving the play offs last season our goal has to be automatic promotion. I think we might well come second. We be up there somewhere.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
We lost Greer our captain and a good central defender to Brighton in what was a shock move for all of us. However since then we've signed Ferry from Celtic who did really well for us on loan last year, Caddis also from Celtic who can play RB or on the wing and Dossevi, an african striker who we're getting on a free from Nantes and who played really well in the friendly against Forest, scoring twice.
Charlie Austin is still at the club and is a key player for us. He famously stepped up from non-league last season and went immediately into our first team scoring loads of goals. He should get 25+ goals if he stays fit and I've put £20 on him to be top goalscorer.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Vincent Pericard. Although hopefully he will start scoring given game time.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
I really hope this is the year that Sean Morrison properly steps up and gets a decent number of starts as I think he's showed before that he really has something. Given we are starting the season with just three central defenders it seems likely he'll get his chance.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Danny Wilson has been a great manager for us, the best in years. I fully expect him to still be here at the end of the season. He has us playing passing football wherever possible, has an eye for a bargain and seems to get along great with our chairman.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Pretty much everyone is extremely happy with our chairman Andrew Fitton and our backroom staff. He saved the club from extinction and the progress off the field has been outstanding. He runs the club sensibly and it is a massive contrast with our previous regime.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Bristol Rovers. They are our biggest local rivals in this league and they thrashed us twice last year so we need revenge.
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Champions - Southampton
Runner up - Swindon Town
Play Offs - Sheff Weds, Charlton, Huddersfield, Plymouth
Relegation - Tranmere, Yeovil, Rochdale, Dag & Red
Walsall - Thanks to Andy Cox for the upthesaddlers.com forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
Last season was a bit of a mixed bag - on paper it looked like a very dull season, never really threatening the top 6 and never being in any serious danger of relagation. This culminated in a pleasing 10th place finish, and most Walsall fans agree that this is higher than we initially hoped. In reality it was a season of trials and tribulations - protests, dropping attendances and inconsistency on the pitch. Best moment was probably our battling 2-1 victory at Elland Road. Worst may have been Leeds again, when we went from 1-0 up to 2-1 down in the last few minutes.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
We will probably be mid-table again. Hopes are for a little bit of investment - particularly if we end up selling Troy Deeney (as looks likely). Our season will largely depend on our start in my opinion, as we have a young squad. A good start would see the pressure lifted and the boys may shine. A poor start will really test the mental resolve of the squad - have they got the experience for a relegation scrap?
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
Our squad is young and small in number. There are a lot of players aged 20-23 with a smattering of old heads. Our first 11 looks pretty good, but limited cover. New signings include players from higher level reserve teams (Marshall, McGivern, Lancashire), a great catch in Julian Gray, and a couple of keepers - Bevan and Brain - from Villa and Macclesfield respectively.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Matt Richards isn't popular with a section of the crowd, but I believe he does an efficient job. Given the threadbare nature of our squad, we can't realistically get rid of anyone. We cleared out a lot of the deadwood at the end of last season.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Manny Smith and Alex Nicholls are still both relatively young, but have been in and around the first team for a while now. Nicholls has plenty of promise and many Saddlers hope that he will have make a bigger impression on the goalscoring charts this season.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Hutchings is a steady Eddie and has the respect of most of the fans. The main criticism of him is his reluctance to change games with substitutions, but pre-season has seen him experiment with different formations. Maybe he is testing a 'plan B'. He will more than likely be there at the end of the season as a) he is relatively cheap and b) He seems to be building for the future and deserves a chance to do so.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
The chairman is a pretty unpopular figure at Walsall. I could write a book as to the reasons why, but in a nutshell he charges the club significant rent for the ground, continually sells our best assets without a fight and then fails to reinvest, and his use of the media is seen as manipulative and patronising by many. The rest of the backroom staff have seen a reshuffle, and this will hopefully lead to a more harmonious relationship with fans. It needs to!
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Southampton would be a nice scalp and we have a shocking record over Brentford, so those two would rank high. Apart from that we don't really have any local or historic rivals in the league. Peterborough are unpopular with many but that story goes back 15 years!
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Southampton champions, Huddersfield runners up . Play offs for Sheff Wednesday, Charlton, Brighton and Brentford.
Yeovil Town - Thanks to Toggs of the ciderspace.com forum
1. How did you fare last season? Best moment, worst moment etc.
We probably faired slightly above what we expected. 15th was respectable and going into the last game, we knew we were safe, which is a welcome comfort. A great first whole season for Terry Skiverton, who had set solid foundations too bring into the 2010/11 season, and has already established great links in the game. Very fond of him and how he has the team playing football, and you won't find a Yeovil fan that would disagree. The highlights of the season we're the MK Dons win, and just watching big teams come too Huish Park and struggle, bigtime. The only big sides that can say they deserved the three points at Huish were Huddersfield and Swindon. Lowlights were the defeats too Leeds, Southampton and not being able too convert games against Norwich & Charlton also at Huish into three points.
2. How do you think you'll do this season? Hopes, final position?
I'm more hopeful than any season since the Play-Off final campaign. Skivo has left the old ideas of a team headed by loanees, and this summer especially has got us a very strong, contracted squad. Players like Virgo, Ayling, Huntington, Bowditch, Welsh, Alcock, Freeman and Kalala give us optimism for a very good season ahead. I was asked League Position and i said 13th. I think though, with a bit of luck, we could go alot further than this. Although the play-off's would still be a dream. But we are one of the few sides in my eyes left, playing football the right way.
3. What's your squad like, new signings, etc?
The best for a while. Additions such as Virgo, Ayling, Huntington, A.Williams and Calver give us more strength and depth, as well as the loans of Stewart (3 months) and Freeman (6 months) give us some young blood too add too what is a fairly young squad regardless. I really do feel optimistic that this current squad is the best we've had for a long while.
4. Which player would you happily get rid of?
Stefan Stam. Not because I don't think he's up too the standard, but he's never, ever fit. He looks sluggish in his fairly old age and his reading of the game won't save him in this division i feel. Nathan Smith, although linked with many Championship clubs, doesn't excite me. Although he has obvious pace and can run at players, I think he's mistake-prone and lacks experience. If we could get money for him, i'd take it and run.
5. Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
Hard too say. Luke Freeman will most probaly leave a permanent impression on the Yeovil faithful, as he will obviously turn into a great player. Luke Ayling though too me looks the most promising. Signed from Arsenal Reserves on a pernament contract this season, after he captained the reserve team for most of last season. Very promising player and he's ours, hopefully too keep hold of for as long as we possibly can.
6. What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Terry Skiverton, mark my words, is one of the most under-estimated and under-rated managers in the entire English leagues. He's run the club economically and effectively and has the team playing the right sort of football, and not the long ball idea that you see alot of lower league clubs playing now-a-days. I wouldn't swap him for another manager in League One.
7. Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
No. I don't feel our chairman is here for the right reasons, and is more worried about putting is little money in the club as possible. He's separated the stadium from the club, which in experience, has seen clubs go into administration and could well, if him and Martyn Starnes are not careful, single/double handedly take Yeovil down the same route. I want them out, both. Personally.
8. Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
Leeds have left the division haven't they... I'd personally say either Exeter in the derby or Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsbrough. Although would'nt mind drumming Hartlepool and seeing Jeff Stelling's face in the process of doing so!
9. Predict your champions and runner up, the four Play-Off teams and the four
to go down
Champions: Sheffield Wednesday
Runners Up: Southampton
Play Off's: Plymouth, Charlton, Brighton, Swindon.
Going Down: Rochdale, Bournemouth, Tranmere, Dagenham.
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