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Millers Banter: Unofficial Rotherham United Fans Forum / Message Board → Football / Sport / RUFC Related → Automatic Promotion Beckons!
 

Topic: Automatic Promotion Beckons!

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GlennMiller
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Automatic Promotion Beckons!
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Two months to go, lots of football to play, but the end is in sight. The automatic spots will probably go to two of the current top 4 teams unless there's a complete horlicks amongst the top four. Here's how I see it panning out:

  • Wigan - it's in their hands to lose. If they win every game they'll be champions by a good distance. However, they have a stack of games to cram in during a short time and in addition they've got Southampton in the FA Cup - and maybe even more if they win that one. There's great potential for their league form to dip.
  • Shrewsbury - I continually expect their form to dip as I don't think they are as good as their league position suggests. Their run-in doesn't look that difficult but I reckon they might fade as the pressure comes on.
  • Blackburn - not an easy run-in but I think they've got the squad depth to see them through and I see them finishing top.
  • Rotherham - the country's form team! If we can get through March - particularly the 3 away games on the bounce - with are unbeaten record in tact, I reckon we're good for the second automatic place.  

 

BLACKBURN - Blackpool (H), Gillingham (A), Doncaster (A), Bradford (H), MKD (A), Southend (H), Bristol R (A), Peterboro (H), Charlton (A), Oxford (H). Max Points 103

SHREWSBURY - Walsall (A), S****horpe (H), Wimbledon (A), Rochdale (A), Oxford (H), Northampton (A), Bradford (A), Charlton (H), Bury (H), Blackpool (A), MKD (H), Peterboro (H). Max Points 104

WIGAN - S****horpe (H), Bradford (A), Walsall (A), Bury (A), Oldham (H), Portsmouth (A), MKD (H), Rochdale (A), Rotherham (H), Oxford (H), Fleetwood (A), Wimbledon (H), Doncaster (A) + one other rearranged game. Max Points 109

ROTHERHAM - Rochdale (H), MKD (A), Northampton (A), Southend (A), Peterboro (H), Charlton (A), Fleetwood (H), Wigan (A), Bristol R (H), Plymouth (A), Blackpool (H), Gillingham (A). Max points 98

 

 

 



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Bornamiller
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Brilliant timing - it's that time again !

Saved me a job - predicted results going on my notice board this week....😊

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Exetermiller
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Cant see anything but Wigan & Blackburn to be fair. Although I wouldn't fear anyone in the play offs like I feared Preston last time out - Orient were nowhere near as good as PNE

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BradtheMiller
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Playoffs I think but there's absolutely nothing to fear there.

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hillsborough miller
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i think wigan will come unstuck with the games they have to play and injuries from tired players

blackburn i think will win it

shrewsbury i agree i think they will drop off


I seriously believe like glenn has said if we carry on our run through march and we cap it off beating the fat man at home will be all the sweeter

 

and it will be a 3 horse race for 2nd spot with it decided on the last match

 

which i also hope means the fowls follow sunderland down as we go up



-- Edited by hillsborough miller on Tuesday 6th of March 2018 07:13:59 AM

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ridgeway kid
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Agree with Exeter; Wigan and Blackburn for me.  In the play-offs anything can happen. 



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smiler
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Two of the top three will do enough to finish clear of us. I agree Wigan and Blackburn are the likely top two, but you have to admire how Shrewsbury have stayed up there despite the odd slip up. From our point of view, Wigan and Blackburn are the two I would prefer not to face in the play offs.

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Bornamiller
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I think the chasing pack will have a lot of say in who is in the top two. The 7th - 10th want to cap off a long season in the play-offs and they're going to put the pressure on! Anyone taking their place for granted and the top two ( being heavily touted ) might just - mentally - do that....then Warnsey can have that extra two weeks with his kids.... although another coaching boot camp might be in order if we go up.

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Davidedin
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hillsborough miller wrote:

i think wigan will come unstuck with the games they have to play and injuries from tired players

blackburn i think will win it

shrewsbury i agree i think they will drop off


I seriously believe like glenn has said if we carry on our run through march and we cap it off beating the fat man at home will be all the sweeter

 

and it will be a 3 horse race for 2nd spot with it decided on the last match

 

which i also hope means the fowls follow sunderland down as we go up



-- Edited by hillsborough miller on Tuesday 6th of March 2018 07:13:59 AM

I'd sort of worry if we go up and either Owls or Barnsley come down, they might poach Warney.... 

They are probably both talking/thinking about Warney already.....

IF... we go up I'd think it's vital we keep the same current team spirit and core team and Manager together, with a few additions, and learn from our past mistakes where we made too many changes to our League 1 winning side. At least for a season anyway to see where that takes us. 

Millwall (as much as I despise their fans to the core...) are doing pretty well on team spirit and keeping things the same...

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Bornamiller
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Just watched Leeds v Wolves and the comparison is striking.....

Paul Warne and Paul Heckingbottom have so much in common - league one management success....and absolutely useless in championship.

Risky way to go but as TS has us down as a YOYO team - he'll not be too bothered.

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NewYorkshire
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Are you permanently trolling or serious? Heckingbottom has been there 5 minutes and they lost to an exceptional team. I have been critical of TS for picking PW but he has proved himself and we are suddenly talking automatic. Give the kid a break and some backing.

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Bornamiller
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Just similar history and I'm seriously afraid of the similarities in history and inherent quality because although these things are beyond my or anyone's control except TS we could be heading for a serious crash if we're successful this year. Yeah you're right - cross that bridge when we come to it it just sounds negative. But I'd be the one checking the tyre pressures before a long journey. Just an old fart - on a football forum speaking his mind....I may be right too but know one wants to know.....they just want to see the beach. Sorry I'll knock it off - not achieving anything - sorry.

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GlennMiller
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I worry that you're so concerned about the possibility of failure in the Championship, that you're missing the great ride that we're currently on! There are no certainties in football - ask any Owls fan - and there is no reason why RUFC could not establish themselves as a Championship side. Davidedin has already cited the Millwall model and I would very much be in favour of keeping the current squad together (with one or two exceptions) and adding a couple of estabished second tier players. This is as much as we could hope for under the current ownership and I would prefer that rather than bringing in foreign money which would erode the identity of our club. One other thing, Warne was not 'absolutely useless' in the Championship. He was a green, unwilling volunteer who was bequeathed a sack of sh.te by his incompetent predecessors. As I've said before, even Pep would have struggled to keep us up. Look at where those predecessors are now and compare them to our incredibly successful manager - surely that must give you some confidence that Warne has learned his trade quickly and will therefore stand a good chance of becoming equally successful at the next level. There's lots to appreciate and celebrate at the moment and there's every reason to be excited about future possibilities - have another look at that glass - it's half full!



-- Edited by GlennMiller on Thursday 8th of March 2018 09:09:40 AM

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hillsborough miller
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i really think warne has looked at the past mistakes and has discussions with tony and identified the players they need for the championship

we will need at least one goalie
2 rb
2 central defenders
2 central midfielders
2 strikers as yates isnt good enough yet needs a full season on loan at a league 2 if we stay in league 1 or league 1 if we get promoted



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GlennMiller
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That's an expensive shopping basket Hillsborough. The two strikers alone could cost £2M+ - remember Gregory and Bradshaw? If we could attract our current loanees to stay (if we are promoted) and invest in a striker, I'd be happy for starters. TS's wallet hasn't got any bigger and he'll still be looking to build a team at realistic, value for money prices. Of course, Warnie's eye for good loan players could help us out again - but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

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hillsborough miller
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oh it will be expensive but we will need to replace at least 3 players to replace the loans

as rodak will never be permanent we might get him back as season loan again

emmanuel ipswich will want him back may loan him again to us

towell has made it clear he wont sign for us perm unless we are in championship and wages are right cant blame him as brighton are paying most if not all at the moment

we will need at least 5 players
striker midfielder 2 defenders central and right back and a goalie

so west standers rate price so he could be number one

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ridgeway kid
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Hillsborough, it's never going to happen.  If (and it's still a big if) we go up TS will probably sanction a maximum of two signings in the £200,000 - £500,000 bracket.  The rest will be as you are and a few loan players.  No fan should expect more - we simply don't have those kind of resources.



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smiler
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That is it in a nutshell. Any higher spend than that would have to be funded by a prior sale. And I think most right-minded supporters would be ok with that, as long as we were all honest about it and gave it our best shot and kept our heads up.

I have a lot of time for how Burton have gone about it. They know how hard it is. They survived last season and are giving it a good go this season against the odds. Clough has come under no pressure because there is an acknowledgement that he is doing as much as could be expected.

Maybe we could carry some momentum with us and surprise a few, but if we do go up (still a very big if) lets not break the bank or get through five managers trying desperately to stay there. Think longer term than that.

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ridgeway kid
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smiler wrote:

That is it in a nutshell. Any higher spend than that would have to be funded by a prior sale. And I think most right-minded supporters would be ok with that, as long as we were all honest about it and gave it our best shot and kept our heads up.

I have a lot of time for how Burton have gone about it. They know how hard it is. They survived last season and are giving it a good go this season against the odds. Clough has come under no pressure because there is an acknowledgement that he is doing as much as could be expected.

Maybe we could carry some momentum with us and surprise a few, but if we do go up (still a very big if) lets not break the bank or get through five managers trying desperately to stay there. Think longer term than that.

 For many years I was an advocate of the Crewe approach and believed a long term approach would revolve around a vibrant youth policy.  I'm much more pessimistic now.  Talent is poached and any player with a modi*** of talent thinks he's destined immediately for better things.  I just take each season now for what it is and enjoy the good ones while they last.



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