League 2 25/26

Talk about anything to do with Cheltenham Town, CTFC 500 Club, League 1, ex players & Managers

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Shade
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Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
So, just one team to sort out going up and one in through the playoffs, but Bradford have crept up thanks to a 96th minute deflected winner to leapfrog Walsall. Doncaster and Port Vale up, Morecambe and Carlisle down. Replaced by Shrews, Brizzle Rovers, Crawley, Cambridge, and Barnet. If there's any justice, York will come up. I hope Notts County go up as I never like playing them.

I know it's not as simple as that, but the league looks a lot weaker without Bradford and Doncaster in it, but probably not as weak for Morecambe going down.
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Ihearye
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Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
Shade wrote: 03 May 2025, 16:15 So, just one team to sort out going up and one in through the playoffs, but Bradford have crept up thanks to a 96th minute deflected winner to leapfrog Walsall. Doncaster and Port Vale up, Morecambe and Carlisle down. Replaced by Shrews, Brizzle Rovers, Crawley, Cambridge, and Barnet. If there's any justice, York will come up. I hope Notts County go up as I never like playing them.

I know it's not as simple as that, but the league looks a lot weaker without Bradford and Doncaster in it, but probably not as weak for Morecambe going down.
How it will impact us, will depend on the churn and replacements during the summer. Oh to have a settled squad
Fuller
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Joined: 27 Jun 2012, 09:23
Ihearye wrote: 03 May 2025, 17:18
Shade wrote: 03 May 2025, 16:15 So, just one team to sort out going up and one in through the playoffs, but Bradford have crept up thanks to a 96th minute deflected winner to leapfrog Walsall. Doncaster and Port Vale up, Morecambe and Carlisle down. Replaced by Shrews, Brizzle Rovers, Crawley, Cambridge, and Barnet. If there's any justice, York will come up. I hope Notts County go up as I never like playing them.

I know it's not as simple as that, but the league looks a lot weaker without Bradford and Doncaster in it, but probably not as weak for Morecambe going down.
How it will impact us, will depend on the churn and replacements during the summer. Oh to have a settled squad
Settled squad? Little chance of that at Whaddon Towers…
RS1978
Posts: 358
Joined: 26 Mar 2010, 17:29
So we've got the CTFC derby (AKA the Tom Nichols derby) back after four years away - first time since COVID I think...

Talking about derby matches, how many will that be next season - Swindon/Rovers/FGR/Newport - although Newport will be due to Flynn being in charge?

Possibly quite a few old boys coming back next season - including Owen Evans with Barnet?
Warwickshire Robin
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Bristol Rovers sacked their manager. One would assume a couple of recent ex Town managers may be linked?
Robin
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Warwickshire Robin wrote: 04 May 2025, 09:36 Bristol Rovers sacked their manager. One would assume a couple of recent ex Town managers may be linked?
Interesting thought presumably you mean Clarke and Wade? Not sure either go there but wouldn't totally rule out DC.
Warwickshire Robin
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Robin wrote: 04 May 2025, 09:57
Warwickshire Robin wrote: 04 May 2025, 09:36 Bristol Rovers sacked their manager. One would assume a couple of recent ex Town managers may be linked?
Interesting thought presumably you mean Clarke and Wade? Not sure either go there but wouldn't totally rule out DC.
No, thought Clarke and Duff.
Robin
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I would think Duff will hold out for a more attractive job myself but it's relatively local and they are one of the bigger teams in league two so perhaps.
Jim
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After a couple of failures on his CV I could definitely see Duff at Rovers. Seems too smart an appointment for them to make though...
Warwickshire Robin
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Robin wrote: 04 May 2025, 10:33 I would think Duff will hold out for a more attractive job myself but it's relatively local and they are one of the bigger teams in league two so perhaps.
Possibly but it did seem like he was 2nd place in the Franchise manager search so League 2 not out of his thinking seemingly.
Robin
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The Franchise have Arab owners with huge spending power as they want Championship football though, Bristol Rovers more of a yo-yo club between leagues one and two with a ramshackled stadium.
Jerry St Clair
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Robin wrote: 04 May 2025, 14:38 The Franchise have Arab owners with huge spending power as they want Championship football though, Bristol Rovers more of a yo-yo club between leagues one and two with a ramshackled stadium.
Bristol Rovers have a Kuwaiti owner and have a planning application in for a new north stand to increase capacity to 17k.

They are a bit of a shitshow, but on paper have money and progressive plans.
CTFC.Harry
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Location: The Shire
Yes, there could be a few tasty games next season. FGR can rot down there a bit longer, but would be happy to go to Walsall again, and Swindon/Newport are always fun... always reinforces how lucky we are not to be from Newport or Swindon, which is a bonus.
RS1978
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Darrell back to Brizzle Rovers? He did say some less-than-positive things about them before he left in 2018, but he took them from NL to League One in his time there so would be like a safe comfort blanket for a lot of the fans this time.

Matty back to Rovers on a free if Darrell comes in...
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Shade
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CTFC.Harry wrote: 05 May 2025, 12:27 Yes, there could be a few tasty games next season. FGR can rot down there a bit longer, but would be happy to go to Walsall again, and Swindon/Newport are always fun... always reinforces how lucky we are not to be from Newport or Swindon, which is a bonus.
:lol:

I'm not sure if it's ever happened before in the EFL but, if FGR do come up, I make it that we will have 6 matches within 1 hour 45mins away. 7 within 2 hours.
Jerry St Clair
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Darrell and Duffo are both way out ahead in the betting for next Brizzle boss.

Could be very, very interesting next year.
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Ihearye
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Jerry St Clair wrote: 05 May 2025, 13:58 Darrell and Duffo are both way out ahead in the betting for next Brizzle boss.

Could be very, very interesting next year.
Oh how the egos crumble
andgarod
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will they make an offer Kinsella and Bradbury
DC will know what Thomas release fee is
Si Robin
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Thomas is not going to another League 2 team
RS1978
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Si Robin wrote: 05 May 2025, 14:46 Thomas is not going to another League 2 team
If the release fee is £250k, imagine the fan outrage if BR paid this to a L2 rival? Thomas has reportedly got Hibs, Millwall, Cardiff, Bristol City and other clubs after him - why would he go to a team in the same league as us - shows a huge lack of ambition?
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Ihearye
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RS1978 wrote: 06 May 2025, 11:27
Si Robin wrote: 05 May 2025, 14:46 Thomas is not going to another League 2 team
If the release fee is £250k, imagine the fan outrage if BR paid this to a L2 rival? Thomas has reportedly got Hibs, Millwall, Cardiff, Bristol City and other clubs after him - why would he go to a team in the same league as us - shows a huge lack of ambition?
If that list are after him, we may get as much as £250k for him :lol:
Warwickshire Robin
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Looks like Darrell Clarke set to be named as Brizzle Rovers manager.

https://thedeck.news/football/bristol-r ... -new-boss/
paperboy
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Joined: 05 Jul 2011, 22:56
Looks as if Accie could struggle to be competitive next season.
If that materialises it would leave one relegation spot to be avoided.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/34920180 ... eague-two/
paperboy
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Joined: 05 Jul 2011, 22:56
I didn't know this although many others might.

National League referees are paid £300 per match, assistants £150. In Leagues 1 & 2 these figures are £585 & £235.
Jerry St Clair
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Joined: 15 Aug 2011, 16:40
So, just one place left to sort out, which will be either Sarfend or Oldham. The latter would be slightly more interesting with possible returns for Rags/Pett. In terms of travel, they’re both horrible.

Walsall is much more preferable to Wimbledon as an away trip, so happy with that.

And I think we’ll probably see a net increase in visiting fans next season with the arrival of some bigger clubs and departure of smaller ones.
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Shade
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Would prefer Oldham over Southend, just for Rags to get the win. Won't help us with our perennial issues north of Birmingham.
Basildon Robin
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Joined: 16 Apr 2016, 20:22
Hope Southend go up. Only 20 mins or so travel for me to get to an ‘away’ match!
Jerry St Clair
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Basildon Robin wrote: 31 May 2025, 12:37 Hope Southend go up. Only 20 mins or so travel for me to get to an ‘away’ match!
Would I be right in recalling that our last game at Roots Hall was the infamous denouement of Buckle’s tenure?

I think there were about 50 in the away end that night.
Si Robin
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That was the last time with fans in attendance - we played them in our relegation season and beat them 2-0.
TheTownClub
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Joined: 05 Mar 2025, 15:25
Jerry St Clair wrote: 31 May 2025, 14:11 I think there were about 50 in the away end that night.
I was one. Still a surreal night that's now over ten years ago!

We looked beaten from kick-off. I've gone into plenty of games expecting to lose, but this time the players looked like they also expected and deserved it.

Southend got their goals and took the rest of the night off. Wasn't even sure the manager was in the ground as there was no sight of him or his assistant in the technical area all game. And the atmosphere coming from the 49 or so others was 90 minutes of poison - to be fair, they took a break at half-time.

Anyway, if Southend go up tomorrow it will be with a 34 point gap between the two promoted teams. Has there ever been a bigger one?
asl
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Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:37
Was that the game Lee Ridley was told to stay on the coach when they arrived...?
Fuller
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asl wrote: 31 May 2025, 20:59 Was that the game Lee Ridley was told to stay on the coach when they arrived...?
Nah, Ridley left five years before that.
You mean Lee Vaughan.
Basildon Robin
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Joined: 16 Apr 2016, 20:22
I remember that humiliating night back in 2012 we got hammered by Southend 4-0 in a Friday evening kick off We had a player sent off and Butland had a mare in goal. My girlfriend, now my wife, being an Essex girl suddenly switched allegiance to being a Southend supporter. I nearly ended up not marrying her!!! That was after a great 3-0 win at home against them earlier in the season which put us top of League 2. Revenge was sweet a few yrs later. I was in the Cheltenham end at Southend when Essex boy Paul Benson got us a 2-0 win.

Anyway it’s all incidental as it’s Oldham going up not Southend. What a play off final though especially if you are an Oldham fan. What a comeback!
Si Robin
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Didn't mind which team came up, but I'm delighted for Rags and Tom Pett.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Basildon Robin wrote: 01 Jun 2025, 17:14 I remember that humiliating night back in 2012 we got hammered by Southend 4-0 in a Friday evening kick off We had a player sent off and Butland had a mare in goal. My girlfriend, now my wife, being an Essex girl suddenly switched allegiance to being a Southend supporter. I nearly ended up not marrying her!!! That was after a great 3-0 win at home against them earlier in the season which put us top of League 2. Revenge was sweet a few yrs later. I was in the Cheltenham end at Southend when Essex boy Paul Benson got us a 2-0 win.

Anyway it’s all incidental as it’s Oldham going up not Southend. What a play off final though especially if you are an Oldham fan. What a comeback!
Part of that awful run in February and March when we blew the automatic promotion we were looking good for.
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