menzinho

That's what makes it even more impressive really, because the growth started in the 5th tier. I think the brothers were brave in wanting a possession style of play at the level but it definitely worked. We didn't have, bar one or two, the big name opposition to attract the fans but the excitement in the way we played basically became the pulling factor. I think we broke the NL attendance record twice, I remember the Yeovil one because that was 16,000 and that is probably going to stand for a long time.

It's great to see just how many good players are potentially available as possible signings this pre-season, I'm sure we'll be after quite a few from that list. I've seen that Southampton extended Ollie Wright’s contract, but the cynic in me suggests they’ve done it just so they can get a fee as I don't think he'll be in their squad next season. Stats wise from your graph, he’s impressive, particularly the goals prevented; 6.8. I've checked out Belshaw for comparison, he was 1.4 over the course of the season. I know he’s not on your list but I still rate Owen Goodman, former Wimbledon keeper that always looked top against us, he just gets loaned out so I reckon a deal could be struck there. I think the RWB is a key area this season, I like Tsaroulla but I feel a proper right-footed player here will make us even stronger. Just going from your options, I like Ennis, he's impressive going forward but I wonder if he would struggle to adapt to the defensive side at this level. In terms of the standout No.10s in League 2 I’d be happy if we signed either Helm or Hutchinson, although there seems to be a thing online about Hutchinson, well more his dad seemingly getting overly involved, so there could be potential issues if it’s true. I can totally see us going for Mendes Gomes though, a good player just needs a club to settle at now and I think he’d fit perfectly here. Although I haven’t seen him play recently I can remember watching the Morecambe Play-off final a few years back and he was the best player on the pitch by quite a margin. We seem to have a good link with Spurs at the moment, Mason Melia looks a really good option from your doc and I do feel like we’ll have another Spurs player in on loan again.

I would say Sanders is more in the mould of Palmer @Piethagoram, but he's arguably better than him when it comes to defending. Ollie Norburn is probably a better tackler and harder to get past but Sanders is a lot better at regaining loose balls in the midfield. I think it's the most likely scenario @Pies79 , his loan at Sligo did not well and sadly he wasn't even able to score 1 goal.

I'm slightly surprised League 1 clubs are after him to be honest. I know he's still young and should improve but his spell with us was the highest level he played at and he wasn't comfortable, at least for us in the wide centre back role. He then had to drop down a level and even then wasn't first choice at York. He was also very slow, so he'd struggle to adapt to any side that plays a high-line.

Burton have just sold their No.9, Beesley to Bradford, so they are definitely looking to add to their forward line. I wouldn’t sell him to a team that we are probably going to be battling with next season in terms of staying above that dotted line though. I rate him and hope he stays to be honest but some fans seem something might be off behind the scenes. He’s still young enough that he’ll get better and I believe he can push Jatta for that starting striker spot. 14 goals, considering his time second half the season was more limited, is a very good return.

Now this is just based on my gut feeling but I’m expecting Lewis to stay. I think it's harder to sign for a club when you can't likely play for 5/6 months and miss pre-season which is a big part of getting new players onboard with style of play and what's required of you in your position. I'm sure Rod will have a couple of options, I’m actually 50/50 over whether he re-signs. I think this all comes down to who offers the best deal and location dependent too. As for my starting 11, right now I think Gibbons, Sanders and Roberts can all make a case to be starting, but I’d suspect by August the squad will look quite different and a guaranteed starting spot might not be so easy to claim. There seems to be some discussion over whether Gibbons will be part of the back 3 or play at RWB, looking at Transfermarkt last season he started at RB but moved to CB (as part of a 3) so I’d suggest he’ll take over from Macari for now. I like all our 3 current midfielders; you could make a case for all of them to start. And as we a currently only have Grant who covers the attacking midfield role, Roberts is the only other option here. I suspect we’ll have more interest for Jatta this summer too, but right now he’s my preferred starting striker. We do need some more additions to the squad, a right-footed wingback would be lovely as would some talented attacking midfielders. Belshaw needs some genuine competition and I think Bedeau does too, he’s had the LCB spot sewn-up for ages now!

I can imagine how unimpressed all Man United ex-pros would’ve been watching the final with Salford just playing direct balls into the channels hoping for the best, that style is alien to them. And it didn’t help their opposition (Martin Paterson’s black and white army) actually played patterns and worked the ball into good areas. It does feel knee-jerk though because they were only a point short of going up automatically. Problem is they are so desperate to go up they’ve lost that ability to build and be patient. They’ve spent and wasted a lot of money at Salford, I'm quite glad in a way that they haven't been able to just pay their way up the leagues.

Solid signing for them, I hope it works out for him and he has a successful season. It was a short-spell but he'll always be remembered fondly and we can actually now laugh about that boot throw, I was raging at the time, it's still the most ridiculous reason I think I've seen for picking up a second yellow card!

I think it's quite an obvious link to make, even if their is nothing it in. Paterson is a manager who has just achieved a promotion so it's an easy name to add to a long list because chances are, clubs in League 1 would probably be interested. I'm not too worried though, he's clearly planning for the future at Notts by having already spoken to players we've just signed and I think he's very happy here. I understand that we are run slightly differently than the norm because you have to relinquish a bit of control when it comes to recruitment and take onboard some statistical analysis. But it seems being at Notts basically gives you the best foundations to succeed, it’s not a coincidence Chris and Alex have only had to sack 1 head coach in 7 seasons (technically 2 but Neal Ardley wasn’t hired by them!)

I did wonder how long it will be before we get the Reedtz Brother derby aka Notts v Viborg. Maybe a chance for Patterson and the coaching team to see who they want from Viborg next! 😉 Viborg are better than Randers, they finished 5th after their league split and were just a point short of getting a Europa Conference League Qualifier. Randers finished 10th overall and were nearly relegated. I'd think both are better than us, I'd suggest it'll be like playing a mid-table Championship side and then a weaker one. It's only two matches and we'll have other pre-season matches at ML or elsewhere in the UK that are likely to be announced soon, hopefully we'll get good one at home. Oh and please can make sure we’ve tripled checked Jatta’s visa this time! I can’t do another pre-season of him being allegedly unhappy because he’s missed the trips abroad!

I’m really happy with the addition of Sanders, I think we’ve got 3 really good options in midfield and with one more likely there should be real competition in this area now. I think the main criticism of him when he first played in League 1 was that games could bypass him but going to a more physical side like Crewe has certainly helped develop this area of his game. I do think we have finally found someone to push Matt Palmer, it’s felt like for years we’ve tried to find a similar player we’ve had Ed Francis, Curtis Edwards and Jack Hinchy but none of them quite had that desired impact. Max is very comfortable on the ball, gets forward well and has the ability to play accurate longer passes too. Just on Matt Palmer, I thought he was really good first half of the season, he looked a different player. He was pressing really well, sharp in his tackling and was able to win turn-overs numerous times. Then he got injured and it hampered his second half of the season. I still think a fit and firing Matt Palmer has a lot to offer.

Max Saunders is a player I really like, he's also out of contract at Crewe, super tidy in possession type player. Tom O’Reilly, was also on loan at Crewe from Villa last season, reminded me of Crowley but with a touch more aggression when he played against us at Meadow Lane. Odin Bailey been released by Stockport, to the surprise of many of their fans, he'd be quite the upgrade on Norburn...

I hope he can have a big impact for us next season, there's no doubting his talent we've all witnessed it first hand just got hope he can make the step up to League 1. I think signing him early is a good thing though, he'll have lots of time to prepare properly for the season ahead. I can remember a comment from Lee Ndlovu where he mentioned how the training was a lot more physically draining for him since he joined us. We clearly have an intensity and fitness that is a lot higher than your average National League sides. I think a good pre-season will give him the best chance of succeeding here again.

From what I've read from Cambridge fans he's a very solid defender, hard working and never shirks a challenge. Was Cambridge's highest rated player on Fotmob & Sofascore so he should be a really decent addition to our defence. Clearly had a great season last season, hope he can push on with us now and that he can make me change my mind about the effectiveness of long-throws!

I think VAR has a place in football, and I wasn't against it being used in the final to be honest. The idea of not getting promoted because of a missed/wrong call would've been hard to accept. I agree I do think the VAR would've made certain players think twice about grabbing and pulling, it's easier to hide when it's just the 3 (and 4th) officials. But having camera's covering all angles means you are less likely to get away with the s'housery element that is over prevalent in League 2. I agree it was definitely more of an aid to us than Salford. That said, would I want to see it for every match played? If it was seemingly used (sparingly) like it was in the PO Final I'd be more swayed to it. But the current Premier League use would be a big no. The way every goal or action is now checked to the nth degree, it’s like they are trying to find faults when in theory if there’s a clear mistake it will be easy to spot! If you have to draw a line to see if someone is offside, it’s not clear and obvious. If you have to watch a potential penalty for minutes with several different angles, it’s not clear and obvious. Let the officials officiate, if the VAR spots something they think is an obvious mistake only then should it get involved. This was how it felt VAR was used in our final and it worked well.

Sad that we have to say goodbye so soon after our Play-Off victory 🙁 But the players going can be proud of the part they've played getting us into League 1, they'll all be fondly remembered. Even after the Play-Offs I was still 50/50 on Norburn, had we not been promoted I would've kept him but we are stepping up a league and it would've left just the 1 spot for a CM addition. Whereas now we've got 2 spots in a really important part of the pitch. It does put a bit of pressure on the recruitment, but there are a lot of good midfielders out there. I think given the injury, we are in strong position to re-sign Macari, I'm sure he'd have interest but having to wait for him will be off-putting. No idea on Rod, I think that could come down the length of the contract, some clubs in League 2 would probably be more willing to give him an extra year than us. Kouhyar is the only surprise for me, he's ok filling in at wingback, but the fact we've played a left-footer in Tsaroulla on the right ahead of him is not a good sign. I think League 1 will be stretch too far for him.

I think so, ignore my "I can't see it happening comment" my track record with signing predictions is shocking 😅 On the Magpie Circle Paul practically confirmed it, he'll look daft if it doesn't happen now. I can only see Cal playing as No.10 for us, unless we are changing formation slightly? We are in new league now, who knows? I'm just not sure if we are going to totally be playing to his strengths. We tried to play JJ as No.10 early this season and it never clicked. This is my fear with Cal. I hope he proves me wrong though.

I can’t see it happening, when we first switched to a back 3 we started to struggle to find a place in the side for him. We basically built the side around Ruben and he got shifted all over the place. He did play in the attacking midfield role but that was in the National League, League 1 is another level, and he's definitely more suited to playing as a winger. I like Cal but if it’s true, I’d start to question Richard Montague's obsession is with signing wingers when we play a formation without wingers.

There's almost a feeling of relief for me that for the first time in long time we are going to be in a division where we aren't expected to be at the top of the table. But equally the 4 relegation spots mean it's very easy to slip straight back down. The upward the curve that we are on with the Reedtz brothers does give me hope that it won't just be the one season in League 1 but I would absolutely be fine with a 20th position finish! I agree I think this season is massive in terms of recruitment, we can't really afford to just sign squad filling players, but being in League 1 in theory it should open up a new range of players to explore. Exciting times for us fans!

Yes an almost unbelievable result, I too was in "I'm not sure we'll do it camp" but having watched us play so well I can't believe I ever doubted us! What a time to finally break our Salford streak. The players were incredible, to perform like they did in such a pressurised match in extraordinary hot weather, words can not explain the feeling of joy at that final whistle! Guys, I think we've just got accept the Reedtz Brothers (and their super-computer) just have the knack when it comes to appointing head coaches. But yes a massive congrats to Martin Paterson and all his coaching staff because that play-off campaign was simply faultless. It was an incredible day for everyone, one that will live long in the memory.

I’m probably 60/40 in favour of Salford @theAnticlough , the weather is going to have a big impact and having watched the Championship PO today (well as much as I could it wasn’t exactly a thriller) it only makes me feel a tad more nervous. It was a really slow paced game of few chances where the difference maker was one mistake. It’s no easy job picking the squad, I think there’s a possibility Palmer starts (we have kept how fit he is pretty quiet) so then it would be either Norburn or Robertson on the bench. Assuming Browne is fit he has to be a sub, if one of the defenders did get injured we would be in trouble. I would prefer Bennetts over Kouhyar in attacking sense because he’s got the ability to beat players and I think after 70 minutes when players are starting to tire he could be a real outlet for us. But then all our wingbacks would be left-footed, so we’ve got no-one who can cross a ball with their right foot… Assuming everyone is more or less 100% fit; Griffiths, Browne, Norburn, Bennetts, Tangen, Dennis, Ndlovu. I just think someone like Tangen can get his foot on the ball and help bring even more control, this might be crucial last 20. Purely because of the heat I’d go for technically better players over your willing runners because I think they are just going to be less effective.

Yeah I almost certain they'll target Jatta to get another reaction (with VAR this won't be missed this time) and Jodi can get wound up pretty easily too, I suspect Mnoga (if he starts) will go in hard on JJ from the off to see how the ref reacts and what he can potentially get away with. In the two matches this season 4 of the 3 goals they scored against us were from corners, so they'll be quite happy just playing balls into the channels in the hope they can win more corners! Then of course we have the current 5 losses in a row against Karl Robinson's Salford, and in the 15 matches we've faced him he has only lost 1 against us! For me it's going to feel monumental if we win on Monday.

Yeah definitely makes for interesting reading but not a massive surprise that Iorpenda had the most MotM awards! I think the fact Macari never won and Bedeau only won twice (despite being in a lot of fans thoughts for player of the season) shows they are underrated and sometimes it's easier for the middle of the back 3 to shine because they always have these two players surporting them.

John Stones getting picked having barely played any matches this season is very disappointing for me. No idea why Lewis Hall isn’t in the squad either, seems Tuchel would rather have a right-footer in Djed Spence playing at left-back. 🤷‍♂️ Not super keen on Henderson and Mainoo, I would’ve picked Adam Wharton and Alex Scott at Bournemouth. The attacking positions were always going to be the trickiest part, I’m not that surprised both Foden and Palmer missed out because we are stacked with lots of good players here. I agree MGW can count himself a tad unlucky here. Toney is a strange one too, the only reasoning I can think of is that he’s spent a whole season playing football in an extremely hot climate, so the conditions will suit him. But yeah, he wouldn’t have been my choice.

I'll have a listen to that later, thanks for posting. Just on the omen point; Grimbsy beat Salford twice in the regular season but lost in their PO Semi-final... It would keep with the trends of these Play-offs so far!