[Devongone]

It's long been every Spireite's opinion that AC actually deserved several across the seat of one of his natty suits, but I looked at the club's website today and read quite a long piece by him that is written in a friendly style and is both informative and welcoming. What is happening? Dancing is right, there's been a sea change. Is it some strange side-effect of the virus? Should we get him tested? Has he been doped?

I liked him! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Okay I wasn't so impressed with the list of players who are contracted for next season. McKay, Coddrington and Sick Note Loz worry me for a start. And I wonder about the identity of the other six we are in talks with over a one year extension.

Equally I worry about Pembo being on furlough when I think he could be talking to players he fancies for next season and at least making them promises if not formal pre-contracts, but I do welcome the news we will fall in line with much of non-league and only offer one-year contracts. You can gamble on a couple or so making it from the lower reaches if you don't tie yourself to them for too long. I could give Pembo a list of players who consistently get good reports at our level and lower …… but you only really know when they have to step up for real. For instance you'd think 23 goals in a shortened season for Buxton would make Diego de Girolamo a cert' to step up, especially when you take into account all those age-group caps for Italy and people like Sacchi praising him, but he did next to nothing when we had him on the books. So it isn't that obvious at all! I reckon Pembo is going to have to exercise a lot of brain power to make these decisions and to recruit well enough to mount a challenge. I dunno what you think but it seems to me he's the one bloke we should have on the payroll, whether he's at home or at the club contacting people and drawing up plans.

But where has this Ashley Carson been hiding? That's my question.

[spireitematt]

It's long been every Spireite's opinion that AC actually deserved several across the seat of one of his natty suits, but I looked at the club's website today and read quite a long piece by him that is written in a friendly style and is both informative and welcoming. What is happening? Dancing is right, there's been a sea change. Is it some strange side-effect of the virus? Should we get him tested? Has he been doped?

I liked him! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Okay I wasn't so impressed with the list of players who are contracted for next season. McKay, Coddrington and Sick Note Loz worry me for a start. And I wonder about the identity of the other six we are in talks with over a one year extension.

Equally I worry about Pembo being on furlough when I think he could be talking to players he fancies for next season and at least making them promises if not formal pre-contracts, but I do welcome the news we will fall in line with much of non-league and only offer one-year contracts. You can gamble on a couple or so making it from the lower reaches if you don't tie yourself to them for too long. I could give Pembo a list of players who consistently get good reports at our level and lower …… but you only really know when they have to step up for real. For instance you'd think 23 goals in a shortened season for Buxton would make Diego de Girolamo a cert' to step up, especially when you take into account all those age-group caps for Italy and people like Sacchi praising him, but he did next to nothing when we had him on the books. So it isn't that obvious at all! I reckon Pembo is going to have to exercise a lot of brain power to make these decisions and to recruit well enough to mount a challenge. I dunno what you think but it seems to me he's the one bloke we should have on the payroll, whether he's at home or at the club contacting people and drawing up plans.

But where has this Ashley Carson been hiding? That's my question.

I don't think a lot of people are his biggest fan, myself included but he wouldn't have been hiding anywhere. He will have been working behind the scenes and running the club day to day while also trying to help get the takeover to go through.

It sounds like Pemberton is planning for the next season whether or not he's going to be here. I for one hope he is here as manager as he deserves a chance and has done great as caretaker.

The new kits have been unveiled tonight and the away kit has caused a bit of debate, although I actually like the away shirt and may look into getting one once the season starts. Although seeing as we are a non-league club is it imperative that we have to change the shirt and kit every season?

[Dancingwilldoit]

Like I said Dev, Covid-19 has created a parrallel universe. Ashley Carson seems sane and reasonable and the end of the piece he actually implies that both he and Dave Allen wish the fans well (well very nearly).
Not too concerned about his comments re Pemberton and furlough, I think most NL clubs will be doing the same.

[Devongone]

You see I think the advantage is NOT doing the same as the other clubs, but a bit more. I think most will hunker down. I think we should be giving Pembo some encouragement for next season. (They showed his Cup final for Palace a few weeks back on telly - he committed a completely ridiculous foul ……… but then when he was at Leeds the fans loved him for his 100% effort. If that's what he'll give us as regards management we can't ask for more.)

Matt, I don't think it was ever that fans didn't think Mr Carson was working behind the scenes ……. it was what he was doing and the direction he was taking us. He let the things drift we wanted him to do, and did other stuff we didn't want the club to approach with a barge pole. And as Dancing points out, it was as if he actively disliked the fans. Now he's personable and aware. You can imagine working for him and wanting to give him your best. A few weeks ago if we'd found him down a hole the only work would have been filling it in sharpish before he could get out!

[Dancingwilldoit]

Dev, It looks as though next season wont start until next year at the earliest. There is no way we can sign players until we know when or if there will be a next season. I am sure JP wont be sat on his arris for the next 4 or 5 months and will know exactly who he wants.

[spireitematt]

Dev, It looks as though next season wont start until next year at the earliest. There is no way we can sign players until we know when or if there will be a next season. I am sure JP wont be sat on his arris for the next 4 or 5 months and will know exactly who he wants.

Season apparently is meant to start in January 2021.

---

Matt, I don't think it was ever that fans didn't think Mr Carson was working behind the scenes ……. it was what he was doing and the direction he was taking us. He let the things drift we wanted him to do, and did other stuff we didn't want the club to approach with a barge pole. And as Dancing points out, it was as if he actively disliked the fans. Now he's personable and aware. You can imagine working for him and wanting to give him your best. A few weeks ago if we'd found him down a hole the only work would have been filling it in sharpish before he could get out!

I don't know Dev. Maybe he had an epiphany or was visited by the ghosts of past, present and future.

[Devongone]

I didn't suggest anybody signing a contract, other than maybe a pointless pre-contract BUT it gives players a feeling of loyalty.

If the season starts as late as January 2021 I'll eat all the hats you can find. Boris and his baby would have been torn limb from limb. We'll be the Revolutionary Republic of Nowt Much.

TORIES LOVE MONEY AND POWER. They love them more than dying plebs, brainy doctors or loyal nurses. The season will start Sept/Oct. The thing that shouldn't restart is the Premier League or EFL this season. Why risk anyone's health for something everyone has lost interest in?

My own stupid solution would be to use this as an opportunity to reorganise professional football, something desperately needed. I'd declare Liverpool current champions and Barrow would go up to the EFL. No other promotions or relegations. I'd suspend all cup competitions except the FA Cup for a season.

Then next season I would make just two sorting divisions. Premier and Championship together. One and Two together. All teams would play each other once. Fixtures randomised by computer - some teams would get one extra home game, or an extra away. Finishing places would then determine who starts the next season where in the new 5 Divisions of 20. The new Premier would be the top twenty and that would give a Leeds another shot at going up, whilst still having mixed it with all the glamour teams. Everybody will play 43 games for one season. One and Two would play 47 rather than 46 currently. The top two from the lower division would go up to the new Championship and the bottom six of the higher division would go into new Division One. The top eight of the National League would go into the EFL to make up the one hundred clubs. It would be exciting - those in the Higher Division would play against big teams and almost everyone would have something to fight for or against. It would be a great one-off restart and it wouldn't matter if the season started late or ended late. It would obviously be a one-off and a real opportunity for teams and their fans to seize the day and wipe out this season's disaster.

Just an idea. People need a future to look forward to and it can't all be the inevitable hardship. They'll need something Wow and something new!

[Devongone]

If I turn out to be wrong as usual and football doesn't re-start till January I hope the authorities will have then worked out how to make it interesting AND how to get back to normal the following season.

My suggestion would be for that truncated season to split every division into two conferences - North and South. In the Premier teams would play 18 games and in the others it would be 22 games. Champions could be decided by a Wembley play-off between the two Conference Champions  and promotions would be two and two down throughout.  That would set everyone up for the following season. Otherwise knock-on effects of the virus on fixture lists might go on for years.

Am I the only one who has NO INTEREST in seeing this current season completed by anyone. The virus has killed it in my book, despite all the tubes etc., even if you turn the patient on his face, he has stopped breathing. This season is a Norwegian Blue.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Next season might even end up as some kind of knockout competition with home and away legs, final winners go up as champions and the other 3 semi finalists go to a play off. First round losers could have play offs for relegation spots. I agree about this season, its gone and thats it, lets move on asap.

[Devongone]

Yes I agree Dancing. Football won't be wholly in charge of when it starts anyway so I'd have thought it would have several potential scenarios in mind. It seems obvious to me if you were confronted with a season only half-a-season in length trying to cram in a full season into space not available would be a farce. And if people used their brains they could come up with something new that would make a one-off style season appealing for all.

By the way one of the reasons I keep saying it would be good to approach new players asap is that as ever I am not really envisaging signings from higher up the pyramid. I want players for nothing who are showing promise lower down ……… and from that sort of background they will have only been playing part-time, so when some decision does come about a new season it would be good if they'd had the chance at home to up their fitness levels so that full-time did not come as a total shock. Players sometimes come out of part-time and find it is the training rather than the game-time in full-time football that is the problem.