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Next Season (2017/2018) Expectations

stebiggy said:
The only one I've heard of is Bev Burey who's signed for Skelmersdale and there's always a possibility it could be duel registration. 14 of last seasons squad committed with a week or two of the season finishing. The only player of note that we haven't heard anything on yet is Danny McKenna the left back. In truth it would be a miracle if we kept him, he's far too good for this level and has only just turned 20.

Not heard a tap on new signings yet though. They only started pre season tonight.

Ellos priority was to keep the squad that ended the season so outstandingly and he's managed to do that, it's a very experienced and familiar squad.
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Firstly, congratulations Steve! Life changes again!
If you keep most of your squad you will be the "Colls" of the coming season. No player particularly special but a brilliant teamwork and togetherness. There for all to see at the Streety departure game. Who knows what will happen this season, you could make a case for a few teams.

Best Striker? There's a few, for finishing yes Ryan Cox although against tougher opposition goes missing but Craig Cairns you can't ague with that record. If Scotty or even Tom Bailey were given the chances then I think they could be up there. Who knows where Tom will be this season though.

Can't wait to renew our rivalry this season. Surely it's our turn to beat you!! See you around the grounds!
 
stebiggy said:
Most say that Ryan Cox is the best finisher and deadliest striker in the league. Scores 40+ goals every single year that he plays enough games. He's still only a kid and is destined for much greater heights than our league.
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And Craig Cairns is right up there with him
 
I hope that we are still challenging for the title at the end of March / early April.

Previous seasons we have had a bad month at sometime during the season meaning that although we are always in the top 4/5 the end of the season games are pretty meaningless.
 
stebiggy said:
The only one I've heard of is Bev Burey who's signed for Skelmersdale and there's always a possibility it could be duel registration. 14 of last seasons squad committed with a week or two of the season finishing. The only player of note that we haven't heard anything on yet is Danny McKenna the left back. In truth it would be a miracle if we kept him, he's far too good for this level and has only just turned 20.

Not heard a tap on new signings yet though. They only started pre season tonight.

Ellos priority was to keep the squad that ended the season so outstandingly and he's managed to do that, it's a very experienced and familiar squad.
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Steve, Changing the subject slightly can I congratulate you on your latest signing - Jack! Nice photo on NWFL news www.hallmarksecurityleague.com/news-articles.php?id=6020
 
Thanks for the kind thoughts and words guys! Genuinely over the moon to be able to continue my family's legacy with Runcorn that's been passed down for almost 100 years now!

I suppose liking us to Colls is a fair observation Alan, and certainly one that I would take given they won the league! They were what I call "effective" and effective goes a long way in this league. Our teams put together in a way that responsibility is shared throughout. For example we scored over 100 goals but our highest scorer was around 25 goals. So we don't have a player (say Cairns just for example) that if missing for a long period we would really struggle to score goals without.

But I would also say that there's little evidence to suggest that a settled side is the only way out of this league. Glossop made a lot of signings the summer before they went up, and so did Colne who also signed EIGHT players in March to try and ensure they got over the line.
 
stebiggy said:
But I would also say that there's little evidence to suggest that a settled side is the only way out of this league. Glossop made a lot of signings the summer before they went up, and so did Colne who also signed EIGHT players in March to try and ensure they got over the line.
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I agree Steve, Glossop's success was based on a FA Vase run where they were guaranteed money to spend and actually ended up with virtually two teams from March onwards. Colne were more selective with their signings and chose wisely but I am sure paid well to get the players for the end of the season to beat Linnets. Colls were just consistently good throughout, not brilliant, just good and only brought in a few at the end when required, again a Vase run helped I'm sure.

We need to start well with new managers in place. Pressure will be on our managers if results are poor initially. If Linnets had done that last year they would have won the league as they carried their recovery right to the end of the season and hopefully not into the coming one! Next week will tell us a bit more when our squad is introduced. Of course it won't be the finished article but will give us an idea of whats to come.
 
I feel it's almost senseless to state your expectation without knowing the quality of our squad (versus our rivals) going into the new season. I would much rather wait until the end of July/early August before I make an educated assessment of what I expect that group of lads to achieve over the course of 44 matches.

Our club is built on realism and we will naturally reach the level we deserve to be at. We will never dismiss our frugal, sensible approach. I'd much rather have money in the bank or invested in a sustainable plan for our own home in Northwich, than be among the highest spenders in the league in a bid to earn promotion. We're still a very young club - stability and steady progress are vital at this stage.
 
Just thought it would be interesting to revisit this thread from last June. I think Goody, Bows and the lads have pretty much ticked all the boxes, certainly viewing my own hopes for season they have ..... and mathematically at least, the promotion push is still alive ;)
 
Ticked all the boxes for me also. Two historic cup runs, by far the furthest we've got in both the FA Cup and FA Vase and some great attacking football.

Still on course for a decent league position and points tally which clearly will be affected by our crazy fixture schedule.

Our best season yet for me. Push on next year for me where the league has to be our priority and hopefully better weather and less postponements. :scarf:
 
matthew james hardy said:
Congleton are my underdog team to do well this season think we will be around 5th 6th spot which I think would be a very good season and hopefully progress further in the Vase and league cup will take that right now
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Congleton prediction was way out think people expected them to do better than they have done this season looks like my 5th 6th prediction is still on great Vase fun has passed with flying colours on the whole not a bad prediction
 
I had WD&C down as dark horses & thought City of Liverpool would have been further up there.
Not sure anyone tipped Widnes to do as well as they have.
 
Andy said:
A good cup run would be nice.

As long as were playing good, positive exciting football I'm happy.
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Yup, I got what I wanted. Very happy with this season.
 
stebiggy said:
Fascinating reading this back now (and being reminded of the birth of my child!). Most of you have got exactly what you desired back in June, which is fantastic really isn’t it!
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Well obviously promotion would be nice (but that is the same aspiration of most clubs in the league of course), other than that the season pretty much ticks the boxes for most I imagine.

Thought City of Liverpool would have been the side to push Linnets for the title, but that never materialised. Widnes have indeed been the dark horses and despite previous doubts, might well be on course to make Town the nearly men again.
 
Agreed, I was worried about CoL and expected them to mount a serious challenge. They started well and they’re ending well, but fell away mid season when the flow of games was disrupted.

I also agree about Widnes, they have jostled into the position of favourites for that second place for me now. And to be honest they’re the best side we have faced all season. I do wonder if they ever really believed or expected to have held on to their position, having been up there for so long but with 8+ games played on all others, but it’s been quite starting how all the sides around them have dropped away. I think they will take a good chunk of their available points.
 
Whichever two clubs go up this year it does not detract from an absolutely amazing history making season for 1874. Would be great to finish in that second spot to put some distance between ourselves and the other fan owned pretenders but I'd be more than happy with a top 5 finish.

On a positive note, I'm looking forward to seeing the back of Runcorn Linnet's (Respectfully), our jinx club truly deserve it. My betting is also on Runcorn Town to follow them but I'm obviously not ruling Widnes or ourselves out just yet. Question is which team(s) will crack under the pressure of the overweight lady's piercing voice?

If we don't make promotion this time I'm sure that we'll once again be pushing for it next season, hopefully with our current squad, along with CoL, Widnes/Town, Bootle and Charnock, that obviously depends on our cup competitions and postponements.

The only unpleasant premonition I've had regarding next season, is JGFC throwing money that they don't have at a title chasing squad "to get back to where they THINK they belong". Wouldn't surprise me to see 3/4's of their current squad disappear at end of the season with Wilkes and Co hunting and paying for step 3 - 4 players, to buy their own success, rather than earn it using the clubs own CBS budget.

On a final note we've had amazing national publicity in our FA Cup and Vase runs plus the crazy positive international publicity for being the most overworked football club in the world. Still a huge amount of matches in a short space of time but have so much love and respect for our Board, players, management and volunteers, putting in the hours in their spare time, at work and match days, its a phenomenal workload and achievement.
 
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In our last three games we’ve given each of our opponents the highlight of their season. We’re viewed somewhat as a scalp so maybe we are doing something right!

Think we’ve been an excellent cup side this season but nothing like ruthless enough in the league. If we are aiming for promotion then we’d have to improve plenty in all areas. Much higher on the agenda for me is a home of our own. We need something to go off.
 
Seems to have gone silent regarding news about a ground know this will probably take years to achieve wasn’t there a draft on stadium plans not long ago?
 
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