Emulating the 1996 team might just do it

Nope, it can't be the play-offs, that would wreck my travel plans for the year!

Well Donovan Ricketts' move to QPR has fallen through - the home office have rejected his appeal for a new work permit, and his appeal has failed too.

At least that means we'll now have 2 keepers on the books.

Presumably we'll be retaining Loach? Has anyone been sad enough to go watch the reserves and seen anything of our 3rd choice Thai international?

According to the OS Loach will stay so they will have to fight it out to be number 1.

Not seen the Thai keeper myself, but the reports I have read don't suggest good things.

So you have two goalkeepers and are paying two but only one can play?

Oh dear

No they can both play.

Ricketts' current work permit lasts until his contract with us expires in June, he just doesn't qualify for a new one.

At least its a bit of healthy competition, which we now seem to be having all over the field, which can only be beneficiary.

In reference to the earlier posts about Bullock, he's been a great signing for me, and the rumours are he'll sign a contract tomorrow for 18 months. Added some much needed height and resillience to our midfield.

Well I went to my first away game of the season yesterday (after the Chesterfield debacle last season I'd pledged never to go away again, I'm amazed I lasted this long TBH), not the best of games in fairness, but another win to keep the run going.

David Brown looked lively and it was his persistence that forced the mistake from the goal, Scott Loach had a bit of a mixed bag really, was lucky not to give away a penalty in the first half, some of his kicking was dodgy but then he stopped the penalty, and his save from the rebound was top drawer - he then dropped a cross late on and I'm amazed Macc didn't score - but he got away with it.

If Ricketts had performed similarly he'd have probably been vilified!

We missed Daley big time for his ability to get us going forward with his pace, unfortunately Colbeck seems to be slipping backwards into his pre-loan spell ways, tinned a lot of challenges yesterday and gave away a needless penalty.

Two home games to come now, and a chance to really shoot up the table.

Might have been a bit hasty saying we'd never make the play-offs



The odds are dropping fast apparently, people are starting to take notice. It's still a tall order, but it's not out of the question, especially if we can win the next 2.

10 points off, with 2 games in hand, definitely not impossible...

To be honest I still think we'll struggle against the better sides in the division, especially away from home, but all we can do in the meantime is beat what is in front of us.

Well City's dismal 2nd half performance yesterday probably puts paid to any play-off hopes we might have had. I haven't even looked at the table but we are a long way short of being good enough on that evidence.

Andy Bishop of Bury certainly looks a cracking player though.

Bishop looked far too good for League 2, gave our defence the run-around all day, and the free-kick was top class.

Not sure what happened to us in the second half really, what I can't find a reason for is swapping Thorne for Conlon when we are looking for a goal at the end - our most likely scorer being replaced by our least likely one (and I include all other outfield players and keepers there, I don't just mean in terms of strikers!).

Rumour has it we are signing Marcus Bean on loan from Blackpool with a view to signing him permanently in the summer, don't know much about him but the midfield certainly still needs some fine-tuning.

I think Thorne would have put that header away towards the end that Conlon skied. I like the look of Brown, very busy and enthusiastic. Topp was a real disappointment yesterday, struggled to play a pass to a team mate all game, but he wasn't the only one. Unfortunately for him, his first performance has set the standard that he'll be judged by!

Agree with that about Conlon's chance, Thorne would have certainly worked the keeper!

Topp struggled to get into the game yesterday, he didn't have much space because Bury had clearly done their homework on him, and we didn't win the midfield battle. I know Evans hasn't been great recently, but I think a midfield including Daley, Penford and Nix is far too lightweight at this level - and I'm surprised we've gone with that for the last couple of games, because McCall seemed to have realised we need to be more physical in there.

Stephen Brogan is out for the rest of the year with a broken leg, big loss

Well it's definitely season over after this afternoons result.

I have to say I think McCall cost us the chance of victory with his subs today (with some defensive howlers causing the defeat), we were getting on top in the middle of the second half, and Topp and Thorne were our best players - he obviously decided to make a change because the goal wasn't coming but once Topp went off our threat dried up, and that was compounded by removing Thorne later on.

Still on that learning curve.

Aslong as Stuart learns from his mistakes then i dont mind him making the odd error,i think most City fans never expected us to win promotion this year but a mid table finish would be nice.
I think we have a real chance of atleast finishing in the top 6 next year aslong as we make a few good signings in the summer which im sure we will so lets keep our fingers crossed

I'm beginning to wonder if he will learn from his mistakes though, as he's still making them.

Wonder how much Rochdale would take for that lad Perkins in midfield (the one with the blonde hair? He was running the show, plays at left back as well apparently.

news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 250882.stm

news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 250882.stm

Weren't Rotherham in admin a couple of years back? I seem to remember a 10 point deduction?

If so, is the board now the board who were in charge before the last CVA?

yes, we started last year with a 10 point deduction which ultimatly relegated us. They arent the same board as last time. I honestly feel the club will fold

[url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/display.var.2057475.0..phpDavid Wetherall announces his retirement[/url.

I think it's probably the right time for him to go, but I think some of his knockers will get a rude awakening when he is replaced with a 4th division central defender and see just how much better than them he still is.

He's done a hell of a lot for the club, through the administrations etc, and I'm glad to see he'll be sticking around.

Fantastic new season ticket deal for City next season. £150 an adult ticket and the first 9000 get another free. Bit concerned about the logistics of such an offer but I'll leave them to worry about that



All we need now is a win against Rotherham tonight and a glimmer of hope re-appears for the playoffs (especially as the contenders either have tough fixtures or are playing each other). Still a long shot but I can dream

It's not quite that - from what I heard on the radio earlier the free tickets only kick in if we match the total sold for this season, otherwise people would just club together for one and get the other free, if we don't reach that level (which was about 9k adults IIRC) then the free offer won't happen.

It's a good offer but I doubt we'll hit those levels again, then again I didn't think we'd sell anything like 12k in total for this year, despite the reduction, so what do I know?!