The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Seems that Wimbledon are the choice of the bookies now, so no chance for Alty or ourselves.

I really hope we go all the way in this competition. I think it is more crediblefor us to win that than get promotion.

I dont think the club is ready for League Two yet and a good pay off from the Trophy could help us no end to improve the squad for next season,just as it did for York this season.

sussexdiamond wrote:I dont think the club is ready for League Two yet and a good pay off from the Trophy could help us no end to improve the squad for next season,just as it did for York this season.

I dont disagree with the rest but i do with this part. I dont think that League 2 is a step up anymore. If you look at all of the teams that have gone up over the last few years, all have comforatbly made it, with only one or two exceptions. If you look at Burton from last year, after Clough left they were afwul, and now i think they are on the verge of the playoffs. I know this doesn't mean everything, but i think if we went up, we would have enough quality to stay there, with maybe a little added cover which we would achieve anyway, as i assume we would have a larger budget.

As you say, victory in the Trophy, is a much more realistic, although still very tough test.

Also disagree with the League Two comment, the fact that there's only 2 relegation places means that there's a lot of deadwood floating just above in 18th/19th place that should have been relegated ages ago but hasn't because of even worse teams below them. Annoyingly the one season where the bottom teams were quite good was the season we were relegated, any other season and 46 points would've kept us up. It's why you see so many teams get promoted from the BSP and then go straight through League Two, you have to be so good to get into League Two that often you're better than most of the teams in it. It's sort of a bottleneck that's been created over time.

I do think the club is ready for the step up. Luton would have finished in 16th place if their points had been returned and they're not exactly setting this division alight. I'd rather reach the FL than win the Trophy, the sponsorship packages from the FL and FA (youth fund) would be worth in the region of £500k a season.

Two of Diamonds wrote:I do think the club is ready for the step up. Luton would have finished in 16th place if their points had been returned and they're not exactly setting this division alight. I'd rather reach the FL than win the Trophy, the sponsorship packages from the FL and FA (youth fund) would be worth in the region of £500k a season.

Plus we get access to the JPT and the Carling Cup (another chance to get a dream tie, in addition through the FA Cup). Youth sponsorship is up to £180,000 a year.

Sara Pascoe wrote:Also disagree with the League Two comment, the fact that there's only 2 relegation places means that there's a lot of deadwood floating just above in 18th/19th place that should have been relegated ages ago but hasn't because of even worse teams below them. Annoyingly the one season where the bottom teams were quite good was the season we were relegated, any other season and 46 points would've kept us up. It's why you see so many teams get promoted from the BSP and then go straight through League Two, you have to be so good to get into League Two that often you're better than most of the teams in it. It's sort of a bottleneck that's been created over time.

Very true.