DangerousSausage

The sunrise is a mythical creature @Piethagoram, I know it exists but never seem to see it. So it's very similar to League One in that respect. Here in the land of the Germs, Monday wasn't a bank holiday but yesterday was. As a result my company was closed yesterday so I get a nice long weekend. It's too hot to go outside so I'm sitting in the living room procrastinating instead. No chippy for me, but I'll put the barbecue on later. Life isn't so bad sometimes.

Seriously though, I doubt it'll happen as he'll be out of our price range financially. We'd have stood a greater chance of getting him in on loan, but transfer listing him makes this less likely.

Also an interesting call @Piethagoram. Last week, the journalist Pete O'Rourke posted that he was facing the sack from York after losing in the playoffs. This isn't just a rumour monger - it's the same man who broke the news about Langstaff leaving and Whitaker joining, so he's clearly well connected. York then posted on Facebook that "Adam Hinshelwood remains the manager of York City FC", which in my eyes falls short of "he's going nowhere". From the outside, I don't think his position looks very secure and he might be open to a move. He's well thought of by the York fans, which isn't surprising after taking over in a relegation battle and leading them to 96 points. This is pure speculation on my part, but I wonder if York rowed back on sacking him when they found that another club was interested (and willing to pay compensation)? That wouldn't necessarily mean the other club is Notts though.

The odds are a bit of a joke right now. Joao Alves leads them, which says it all really. Brian Priske seems to be getting the "Danish bloke" bonus this time. He is a real football manager, but given that every team he's managed so far has been in the Champions League or Europa League he's not a realistic choice. It shows how unrealistic some of our fans are though. Brady sounds like a really good call - someone with proven success at this level who would fit in with our model.

People were constantly saying we couldn't get promoted from the NL playing passing football until we did, with a record points tally to boot. We just have to be fast, accurate and get behind the opposition. Sadly, we often lacked the confidence and quality to do that. That's not to say we shouldn't adapt to the conditions and opposition, but every team should do that. But all too often our options were restricted by the players we had available.

Realistically, any manager who comes in would probably be off again if a Championship club that wasn't in a complete mess came calling. Who here would turn down a 100% pay rise? As @Piethagoram says, if that were to happen, it would mean that the new man had done a good job and possibly won us promotion. I've seen Des Buckingham's name mentioned online, but I'm not sure he would drop down to L2.

No. Why throw out the baby with the bathwater? When Ray Trew was in charge and we were getting through a manager a month, there were a lot of complaints that our philosophy changed with every manager and our squad ended up in a mess. The idea was to define a rough concept of how we would play and then sign players that fit it. The brothers have put it into action and it has paid off. Of course you still have to be pragmatic, go direct at times and assert yourself physically depending on the conditions. We were more direct under Maynard than under Williams.

As far as I know Luke Williams and Ian Burchnall are on the market. I hope we don't go there, but they'll both feature heavily in the betting. I'd be curious to see how LW does with better defenders, but I'm really not sure it would be a good idea. Then there's random Danish blokes. Watch out for middle-aged Danish taxi drivers appearing in the odds for the next manager. I'd bet that it's someone we've never heard of. Roberto Gagliadi will no doubt have contacts and as DoF will have had a say in SM's sacking. I just hope it's someone who's willing to commit to the club for a number of years rather than a journeyman manager or someone who sees us as a stepping stone.

I wasn't expecting this to be honest, and if you look at the naked facts it does seem a bit harsh. We've just made the play-offs. Defensively we've improved massively (an absolute prerequisite for succeeding in L2 IMO), but we've suffered such a talent drain due to departures and long-term injuries it was inevitable we would end up looking toothless up front. I would have done some things differently at Plough Lane but let's be honest, it wouldn't have made any difference with how thin we were. He kept us within touching distance of promotion despite two very mixed transfer windows and it feels like he's been made to carry the can for the decline in quality in some areas. And yet, I saw the run-in too and at no point did we look like a team that was chasing promotion. While it was necessary to adapt to L2, we saw a return of the "respect the point" mentality of Neal Ardley, the only other manager the brothers have sacked. Could another manager have instilled a more positive mentality and got more out of the players at crucial times? Maybe. Either way, what's done is done and some important decisions are looming. We only have a couple of our promotion winners left, the DoF ha been replaced and we have just had a clean sweep of the coaching staff. The continuity is gone and we need to find people who can take us the next step forward and truly get us looking like a team that could cope in L1.

I can see the logic behind it. It'll be tough to replace Sam Slocombe - whoever comes in to replace him will know he's going to be second choice behind Bass. In Slocombe we had someone who accepted he would likely be second fiddle, but who could also step in and do a job if called upon. I really don't want to go back to the days of panic-signing a keeper when our first choice gets injured. He may have wanted to leave though. I'm disappointed about Austin, like Jones he was out for a long time this season and was clearly rusty when he came back. But then the fact that we were relying on him also tells a story. As we found out to our cost last season, we can't be sentimental when we need to improve the squad. I hope they all find new clubs, the promotion squad are all club heroes in my eyes.

It's long overdue. Once upon a time, losing your league place was like being cast into oblivion with little chance of ever regaining it. Luckily those days are gone and there's a bit of movement between the leagues - 17 of the 23 teams in League Two have played in non-league - but not enough. Teams getting 90+ points and not going up is ridiculous. I'm sure the NL would love another promotion spot, it's the Football League that needs to move. In a way it's like the turkeys voting for Christmas, but as @menzinho says it would make it easier to come back up. After all, while you're in L2 you're only ever one bad season away from the void.

Overall, we got what we deserved. Our start was really positive and aggressive, just what we were hoping for really. Then Wimbledon scored out of nothing and it knocked the stuffing out of us. From that point on the home team were much the better side. We were uninspired and it was painfully obvious how much quality we were missing. Having to go into a match like this without Jatta and McGoldrick is a fitting end to a season plagued with departures and injuries. We performed the juggling act well enough to make the playoffs, but with a fit Jones and a motivated Crowley still at the club we'd have gone up automatically. Alongside the four I've mentioned, we've also lost Langstaff and Nemane since the summer, and on Saturday it was painfully obvious that we didn't have adequate replacements. SM was very proactive in making changes when he started, but has become increasingly cautious. Bringing on a defensive midfielder late on when we should have been throwing the kitchen sink at the opposition says it all (not that having both Traore and Morias on the pitch would have made any difference anyway). Reaching the playoffs was a marked improvement over last season, but we're just not good enough for L1 yet.

All I really remember about Jackson's stint with Notts is that he never really did enough to justify a first-team spot and left fairly quickly @Chris. If he was stamping his feet and sulking behind the scenes because he wasn't in the first 11, I don't recall hearing about it at the time, which is maybe why nobody seems all that bothered. Reeves was a good player for us and we were lucky we were able to replace him with Palmer. He was seen as a big loss when he left. I've got a lot of respect for Wimbledon because of all they've achieved, but as far as I'm concerned they can stay in L2 another season and stuff the franchise one more time! Yes, but like the energetic dogs that sprint round the field again and again and not tired old dogs that keep stopping to sniff pee on lampposts. If the Dons think they've already reached Wembley, that could work to our advantage. We've already showed that we can beat them and we'r strong away. What came before doesn't matter, tomorrow is what counts. COYP!

How cool is this? Everton have cancelled plans to demolish their old ground, with the women's team instead playing there from next season. Great to see a historic ground being retained and used in the future rather than being turned into housing. Hopefully more clubs will follow their lead! Goodison Park: Everton's women's team to use stadium as new home as demolition cancelled WWW.BBC.COM Everton cancel plans to demolish Goodison Park and will make the stadium home to their women's team.

I think we're more likely to see Traore than Morias (mind you, Slocombe will probably ret a run-out up front before Morias does). He hasn't impressed so far but this is his chance. I'd expect to see Grant behind him as he's been preferred to Whitaker lately. Going to the team with the best defence in the league without two strikers who have scored nearly 40 goals between them is a tall order, but tomorrow is a one-off. Keep the faith!

I thought Wrexham would have been a likely destination a year ago, but they'll probably have their sights set higher now. Can see a club like Oxford, Portsmouth or Barnsley being interested. He could be an amazing signing for someone.

I wouldn't say his season has been a disaster as he has made 20 appearances. However, it clearly hasn't gone as hoped and it's hard to say why without having seen him play for them. Ultimately, it's his career and he took a gamble to play as high as possible. Let's remember that just three years ago he was playing in the second tier of non-league against part-timers. I'd love to have him back but it would only be realistic in L1 as a season-long loan as there's no way we could match Millwall's wages. Even then, I think he'll be more likely to turn up at a bigger L1 team or possibly lower Championship.

The tackle was a straight red, no question. @Chris has posted a number of pictures showing both of his boots off the ground, out of control and studs facing the Wimbledon player. That's a red. Yes, the other player made a meal of it and yes, the referee should have blown for a foul beforehand. But he didn't. The penalty shouts were tenuous too. You're clutching at straws people. What made me angry was Platt being held for the goal. It should have been disallowed. If that had been at the other end, the Wimbledon players would have been in the referee's ear, but we just got on with it. That's admirable, but it puts us at a disadvantage when the opposition tries every trick in the book.

To be honest @Joshua, Grant needed to lift his shot over the keeper and if he'd put too much power on it it would have been crossbar bound. It was just a very good clearance. But i agree that Wimbledon looked beatable. I wouldn't count us out yet.

Anyone who plays pool will know that when you're in form, everything seems to go your way almost effortlessly and you get the lucky breaks. The opposite is true when you're not in form, which Notts are discovering now. The second half is as good as I've seen us play this season, it was the performance I was hoping to see against Doncaster. They gave everything and created lots of chances. I'm angry at the officials, not the team. The minor decisions all went the visitors' way. At first I saw Bass hesitating over the cross for Wimbledon's goal and blamed him, but looking at it again he'd have struggled to reach that cross. However, it was a free header because Platt's shirt was being held and shouldn't have stood. Why did nobody protest? Our team is too nice half the time, Wimbledon had more of an edge to them. Secondly, the sending off. Jatta lost his head, left the ground and lunged two-footed. He was back on the ground by the time he reached their player, but I can see why it's a straight red. However, the incident wouldn't have happened at all if the ref had blown for a clear foul a few seconds before! McGoldrick gave me a fright but I think he'll be fit for the second leg. Don't expect the manager to say that in public though, he'll want to keep Wimbledon guessing. If we're as aggressive and creative in the second leg as we were in the second half, it's all still to play for. It feels a bit 2018 right now, but none of what happened before really matters - we're one good performance away from Wembley and a shot at promotion.

Our DVD player is sitting under the telly, unused and unloved. It's not even plugged in. We normally stream our favourite series now, although we're currently watchng Let's Dance (German Strictly) on normal TV. Talking of technology, my toaster exploded this week and the electricity in half the house went off. It quite literally went out with a bang. And I managed to tip a mango lassi into my keyboard today (luckily a cheap one I've been using since 2007). When the robots inherit the earth, I'll be first on their hit list.

I think he looked miserable because we played poorly @liampie, and JJ knows he's not playing as well as he could. He was injured a long time and it's a tall order for him to get his form back, realistically he'll need a pre-season. But for better or worse, SM has decided to give him as many minutes as possible in the hope that he regains his match fitness when it matters the most. Time will tell whether that gamble pays off. I'm not super confident about the play-offs, but we are one of three out-of-form teams and at least one is guaranteed to be in the final. And then it's a one-off and anything can happen. I hope there's a full crowd and a banging atmosphere. I think it's going to be tight.

Yesterday (before the match) I got back from a couple of days in Nuremberg. It's a wonderful city with a gorgeous old town and a copious supply of beer and sausages, I can definitely recommend it. On a side note, yesterday is all my fault. At the market square, I noticed that people were climbing onto a fountain and rubbing a metal ring as this apparently brings good luck. I didn't do it. Worse, it started raining, so I went in the nearby church and accidentally blasphemed when my phone went off. So I'm sorry for single-handedly ruining our season. It was a nice trip though. @Piethagoram, I might have a go with Interrail myself soon. Lufthansa's prices to the UK have grown to the extent that an Interrail ticket including Eurostar reservation costs about the same.

The final results for 24-25: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Stevenage Mansfield Town 3-0 Exeter City Northampton Town 1-1 Wigan Athletic Wycombe Wanderers 1-3 Stockport County Colchester United 0-0 Barrow Crewe Alexandra 0-1 Walsall Grimsby Town 0-1 AFC Wimbledon Newport County 1-4 Tranmere Rovers --- The round's winner was @Dan, with @Fan of Big Tone and @Megan_Elizax also achieving good scores... --- So here it is, the final table. --- Congratulations to @super_ram for winning the prediction league for the third time, and for the first time since 2016! And well done too to @ARLukomski and @Robbie for putting up sch a strong fight - you both also achieved record scores. And of course thanks to all the rest of you for taking part, making it fun and (mostly) finishing below me!

With us and Wimbledon being consistently inconsistent and Walsall blowing promotion, it's Chesterfield that go into the play-offs on a high and I think they're the team to watch. I can't see past them unfortunately, although it would be a bitter pill to see them, Mansfied and Doncaster playing above us next season. But our name's in the hat and everything is possible.