The Poolie Bunker

As the new season is almost with us, I sat through a few podcasts to get an idea of the NL teams that are fancied to do well this season by the fans of other clubs.

Among the clubs still in the division who finished above Pools last season, Carlisle, Boreham Wood, Southend and Forest Green are all expected to be challenging at the top end again.

Scunthorpe and Halifax aren't, even by their own fans.

Of the rest, Yeovil are strongly fancied to do well - their recruitment this summer is reckoned to be on a par with ours. And Barrow are supposed to be in pretty good nick even though they finished bottom of League 2 last season.

Pools are fancied to go very close, as the division's new 'money bags' club. One clown reckoned we've spent £4 million on recruitment A more sober assessment is that we've added a really good attack to what was already a good defence, but the midfield is a possible weakness.

Got to say I agree with that. We haven't got a midfielder who can control the game from our half of the pitch the way Tom Crawford does for Alty or Mark Shelton did for Barnet, and nobody who you'd call box-to-box. I know Jamie Miley has his fans, but for me he'll have to really step up this season to start dominating games. Never seen that from him in a season and a half - but to be fair he's still young.

What do you reckon?

Just because Carlisle n Southend have big support it doesn't actually mean they are guaranteed a good team.

Id like to think we aproach every game without fear or playing on the back foot.
The recruitment is up a notch.
The manager seems to know what he wants.
But no guarantees in this game especially when it comes to Pools.


I reckon we qualify for the play-offs after game 44 as I fancy a cup run to finance the 2nd half of the season via a couple of good loanies.


Anything above that I'd class as a bonus.

UTP.

Agree with what you’ve posted.
We’ve improved a decent defence,completely overhauled the forwards,but totally neglected our weak as piss midfield.
Sheron is a bog standard player,Hunter is rubbish in there & Miley flatters to deceive.
Unless its strengthened,it will cost us this season.

Think Tamworth might surprise a few this time around too.
With respect to our team let's not write the midfield or indeed anyone off before a ball is kicked.

I don't think we need to worry about SARFend- they are a club in complete disarray!

They've deliberately decimated their playoff/ FAT winning squad of the last two seasons, sacked the manager and the whole of the backroom staff and replaced them with Kieron Dyer- whose only previous managerial experience is as a No2 at Cheaterfield.

Whilst they've sold 5k season tickets- the natives are already getting restless. I reckon Dyer could be gone by Xmas, should they get off to a slow start which is highly likely, given how threadbare the squad looks.

The new Aussie consortium that now run the club- (are doing a Raj- with an 'increased competitive budget') have got rid of all the high earners and replaced them with kids by and large. They've also signed the controversial Ryan Colclough from Cheaterfield - who has a police charge sheet as long as his arm- currently serving a suspended sentence for GBH for headbutting a bloke in a nightclub. Reminds me a bit of the time when Pools were rumoured to be in for Ched Evans- gone down about as well as a cold cup of sick with a large chunk of their fanbase.

They are still to replace the goals of Scott- Morris, Dallas and Spasov, who scored the majority of their goals last season, which is making the fans very twitchy.

All things considered I reckon they'll finish mid table, at best.

As well as kids they've signed a bunch of players in their 20s who were getting a regular game for decent EFL sides last season - Hartigan, Oldaker, Rico Richards, Daley-Campbell. Seems like their summer business isn't done yet.

Agree Kieron Dyer looks like a risky appointment.

nobody can really stake their life on how any team will perform and finish. if you look at these predictions in all the leagues they are based on size of the crowds they get and history. i,ll be shocked if we do not make the play offs. if we had players and a system to score goals we,d have done it last season. just hope the squad also is less injury prone which will be a massive help.

I'm fancying pools, Carlisle and maybe Boreham Wood, although I've just been reading that a Swedish club are offering daft money for Abdulmalik. If he goes I think they might not be the team they were last season. I have a feeling Harrogate might do ok as well. I don't see Southend challenging for top spot, nor Forest Green, I think Robbie Savage may be getting found out.

No moneybags York or Rochdale.
This is an excellent opportunity to end 4 odd years of deep Faluirsm.

Lets just do it.

Remember we a monster big fish for this shitty overated division.

UTP.

Boreham Wood are a good shout to do very well again next season. They remind me of Barnet two seasons ago. Good manager (Luke Gerrard) with a settled side they haven't made many changes to. If they do end up having to sell Abdulmalik for £750,000 +, I'm sure their manager will know who he wants in to replace him.

I think the team that finishes above Boring Wood (Arsenal 3rds) win the league.
As long as it's not Carlisle, as they'll be even more insufferable than normal!