2014-15 Lower League & amalgamated non-league thread

[NUFC Tiger]

Just had a look at the table royals1922 and you're right about Gateshead - they're sitting down in 13th and 10 points behind ourselves but have only played 30 games (5 games in hand).

I think even Wrexham's manager has said they can still be promoted with a perfect run of results in the run home - they're down in 17th having played only 30 games as well.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

Finally, Preston and Swindon both win a game on the same day. God bloody damn MK Dons, though. They have the second auto-promotion spot sewn up.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

Bristol Rovers top of the Conference League

*sigh*

 

[NUFC Tiger]

0-0 draw at home to Wrexham. Keeps us unbeaten in 9 now but feel the loss is a dent in our playoff aspirations given the most of the chasing pack have games in hand.

 

[Dirty Bird]

We, are, top of the league, say we are top of the league ^_^

Only took a 10 game winning streak to get there thought.

 

[royals1922]

Halifax have way too many games in hand at the moment and most of them are games at the Shay which will probably lead to home games being farmed out to other grounds.

Not pleased about the Eastleigh game being called off.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Halifax have way too many games in hand at the moment and most of them are games at the Shay which will probably lead to home games being farmed out to other grounds.

Not pleased about the Eastleigh game being called off.

Sometimes there's just too manu game delays and it makes it hell later in the season, look at Blyth/Ramsbottom in our league.
They have more makeup games left than there are weeks in the season.
They have 3 games on FC United and we only have 2 weeks this season with a 7 day break now. They'd have 1 week at least with 2 mid-week games. Any more delays and it becomes more and more hell.

Hopefully the standard of pitch in the higher leagues will reduce these game delays....



....Assuming we get promoted.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

Sometimes there's just too manu game delays and it makes it hell later in the season, look at Blyth/Ramsbottom in our league.
They have more makeup games left than there are weeks in the season.
They have 3 games on FC United and we only have 2 weeks this season with a 7 day break now. They'd have 1 week at least with 2 mid-week games. Any more delays and it becomes more and more hell.

Hopefully the standard of pitch in the higher leagues will reduce these game delays....



....Assuming we get promoted.

They really need to play a few more midweek games earlier in the season (pretty sure they improved on this this season?) or maybe more clubs need to invest in artificial pitches.

 

[royals1922]

Some teams will be playing 3 games a week or ata minimum 2 which leads to huge fitness and red card issues for non league sides.

 

[Dirty Bird]

They really need to play a few more midweek games earlier in the season (pretty sure they improved on this this season?) or maybe more clubs need to invest in artificial pitches.

I agree on playing more mid-week games earlier in the season. We had a few really early on, but by the time October came round I think there weren't that many anymore.
On your artificial pitches suggestion, is that common in England?
I know Arsenal have a hybrid that's both, but I don't know what any other club does.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

I agree on playing more mid-week games earlier in the season. We had a few really early on, but by the time October came round I think there weren't that many anymore.
On your artificial pitches suggestion, is that common in England?
I know Arsenal have a hybrid that's both, but I don't know what any other club does.

Yeah they're becoming more popular now in England and the FA have allowed them to be used in the FA cup proper not just the qualifying rounds so that could open it up as an option to more clubs.

 

[Dirty Bird]

An hour in and 1-0 up! (40th minute goal)

 

[Dirty Bird]

2-0!!!!!!
This'll be 11 straight wins.
2 from a club record.

 

[Dirty Bird]

2-1 in the 86th :/

 

[Dirty Bird]

hung on, Skelmersdale lost.
So now have a 3 point lead at the top of the table.

 

[royals1922]

0-0 away to kiddy and halifax have 2 games a week hereon in.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

Preston with a smashing away win. Swindon with a weak 0-all draw away and Luongo collecting yet another yellow. Preston could overtake MK Dons if they can get off their arses but not getting my hopes up. MK Dons did lose away though.

 

[DEVO]

4 losses in a row and Carlisle are back in the relegation zone. Bummer.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

5-3 come from behind win over Southport now extending our unbeaten run to 10 games.

Good healthy win and would have been an entertaining one to watch for the crowd. Some stunning goals, controversial penalty decisions but a much needed 3 points.

Highlights for anyone interested.

 

[Dirty Bird]

11 straight wins. We go for 12 away to Rushall (13th), then aim to tie a club record home to Kings Lynn (14th) before aiming to break it at home to Ilkeston (4th)

Then the next aim is to remain undefeated for another 9 games after that to break our 'unbeaten run' record.

 

[royals1922]

5-3 come from behind win over Southport now extending our unbeaten run to 10 games.

Good healthy win and would have been an entertaining one to watch for the crowd. Some stunning goals, controversial penalty decisions but a much needed 3 points.

Highlights for anyone interested.

We have them this week. Won't be taking Southport lightly though.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

We have them this week. Won't be taking Southport lightly though.

Yeah, could be a tricky game - they are fighting to avoid relegation (currently occupying the final relegation spot I think) and are right in the thick of it. Very tight down there so you'd expect a tough game.

Might not be the worst thing if you guys slipped up though - at least from a FGR perspective!

 

[NUFC Tiger]

hung on, Skelmersdale lost.
So now have a 3 point lead at the top of the table.

Without wanting to go too early but surely that means FC are all but promoted given the games in hand you hold over the chasing pack DB?

Obviously got to keep it together and grind out the results you need but with the form you're in, surely it's yours to lose from here.

4 losses in a row and Carlisle are back in the relegation zone. Bummer.

Worrying form DEVO - had a quick squiz at the table, at least Carlisle aren't adrift of the teams around them yet or played more games for that matter.

Would have to be about 12 or so games to go wouldn't there? Plenty of time to rally and turn it around!

 

[royals1922]

Yeah, could be a tricky game - they are fighting to avoid relegation (currently occupying the final relegation spot I think) and are right in the thick of it. Very tight down there so you'd expect a tough game.

Might not be the worst thing if you guys slipped up though - at least from a FGR perspective!

We usually go up there, get a goal or two up and then park the bus. I expect nothing different this time.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Without wanting to go too early but surely that means FC are all but promoted given the games in hand you hold over the chasing pack DB?

Obviously got to keep it together and grind out the results you need but with the form you're in, surely it's yours to lose from here.

Correct.
I've set up an excel file to update the table and add my own little information.

On spreadsheet 1, I have 2 tables.

An average point per game one. I use this to give me an indication on where people would be in an equal world if teams had played equal games. FC Untied is ontop of this at 2.06 points per game, leading Ilkeston (who are 2nd) with 1.85 points per game. In that table I also track the scores FC UNited have had in every game so I can see who else we have this season. Skelmersdale (2nd in the league) is actually 7th on this one at 1.66 points per game. With the exception of Grantham Town (11th), they've played at least 3 more games than everyone else this season. Blyth Spartans (9th) actually have 9 games in hand to chase down a 13 point game on Skelmersdale.

The other table is the stock standard table, but in the last 2-3 weeks I've added 3 more columns to it (Which I do generally about this point in the season). Maximum points, maximum position and minimum position. We currently have a range of 1st through 21st. If we win Tuesday and Witton Albion loses (if they play), FC United mathematically avoid relegation. But the maximum points is givingme a gauge on what we can drop. We can drop 6 points in the last 14 games and no matter what else happens, we're promoted. So if that means 11-3-0 or 12-0-2, FC United are promoted. Drop any more points and we need other results to go our way.

We have a maximum of 108 points, only 2 other teams can crack 100, Ilkeston at 100 and Blyth at 101 while only another 4 teams can crack 90.

On the other spreadsheet (page 2), I just keep the goalscorers up to date (I was updating FCUM's Wikipedia page for results table and one was goalscorer)
And following our crowds and crowd averages for the year. I follow both home and away, but I don't care too much for away. Even do stadium by stadium home averages, we're averaging 1,879 at Stalybridge and 2,042 at Curzon Ashton for an overall home average of 1,927. Hoping to average 2,100 in our last 6 home games. This will bring our average up to 1,972. That would be our highest average since 2007/08. Doable as our last 3 home games have averaged 2,153 thanks in part to this run (plus cup run)

so spreadsheet 2 was just an 'updates for wikipedia' page I guess