Cooper’s First Season
Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth Argyle, Brighton.

Cooper’s Second Season
Luton Town, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday.

Favourites for Promotion this season:
Forest, Swansea, Carlisle, Leeds etc.

All of those sides who got promoted in Cooper’s seasons showed some quality. When those sides beat us you could take it because they were decent sides that mostly had better players than us…with the exception of Sheffield Wednesday of course.

Can anybody say that any of the teams are as good as QPR, Plymouth, Brighton and Luton and to some extent Hull and Sheffield Wednesday were back then?

Cause to me all the teams in this league are for the taking and we are being our own worst enemies in the manner we lose these games.

Against those teams when we’ve lost, we haven’t lost because they had miles better players than us but because of our mistakes. We are beating ourselves.

I think Swansea are, and Forest and Leeds on a good day. Im not going to lie and say our squad is good enough because it isn't.

I was saying this earlier league one is not a patch on what it was in those two seasons. QPR walked the floor with us twice, as did Luton. None of the sides you have mentioned from this season have anything close to that quality. Even Leeds who'd be on 52 points were nothing more than well regimented and workmanlike.

The Pools midfield and attack today combined with Dimi in nets a combination of Westwood/Clark and Nelson at the back would have beaten the sheep shaggers 2 or 3 nil without any bother because they are average. They didn't even have a sustained period of pressure in the match they only won because they weren't quite as porous as us the back.....

Based on today yeah. But you gotta take into account that Carlisle put in an absolutely pathetic performance today. And I disagree, i thought we looked just as shite at the back as you, it's just that you didnt put all your sitters away.

With respect I was merely using Carlisle as an example of the difference in quality as to when we finished 6th twice in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 then IMO the league was far stronger. I don't think you can say your performance was 'pathetic' the only thing that you could label with that was way we gifted you four goals, not one of them could described as a 'good' goal.

Yes those are my thoughts.

With all due respect but Carlisle and the other teams in this league are not in the same class as Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth Argyle and Brighton were back then.

You mention that Forest and Leeds on good days, those teams were consistently good and rarely had off days. From the times I've seen both them teams then they are not a touch on those teams. I also don't think Swansea are as good as them but I will reserve my judgement until I see them.

The result was good, the performance was pathetic as far as im concerned. 9 times out of 10 our centre backs gave the ball straight back to you - not good enough (thats what led to the 2nd goal if i remember rightly)
Our 2 midfielders let your number 7 stroll around as if he was kicking the ball around on a beach. Not enough from our midfield today at all imo from a defensive point of view and a creative point of view. You had enough chances today to win but we were let off the hook.

But its kinda hard to judge this by seeing a team once.

I've see Carlisle twice, Forest once, Leeds twice...couldn't get down to Swansea.

Make no mistake, I said that Carlisle were the best side I've seen so far and they still are...but they are not as good Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth Argyle and Brighton nor are Leeds are Forest.

I doubt Swansea will be a good as them, otherwise they'd be more than three points clear.