Tosh and bollocks eh?

Even though I'm providing you with facts about how teams who win the Conference treat the FA Trophy? The Champions over the last 24 seasons since Wycombe must have lacked that winning mentality.

The game has changed massively since '1975' teams are better coached and players are miles fittter. You can't keep that level of intensity up with a small squad like in years teams used to use 14 players in a season. Totally different.

York and Cambridge could be examples of teams gaining momentum in the second half of the season and winning the play offs and Trophy. I stated that would be my approach if we were top or second especially after seeing the fixtures that see the games fall on days of key home games that would have to be rearranged.

These are the facts !

So how come York and Cambridge managed to win play off final and Trophy then?

Read my last paragraph and read my initial post. Yes it is a fact that a team hasn't won the League and Trophy for 23 years.

What should be our number one target this season, realistic or not?

I want us to win the League.

Lots of ex league clubs appeared in those finals, so they clearly felt it was worth competing for, so that sort of dispels your argument about clubs concentrating on promotion. Grimsby and Stevenage managed to do both. Where I will cut you some slack is that when some teams appeared to have lost in the trophy final and got promotion the following season when they weren't in the trophy final, I'm thinking they may of binned the Trophy that year in order to prioritise promotion, but we cant be sure.

We have digressed a bit, and the facts don't really support either argument, but I still think fielding strongest team and going for it is the best policy. I also think too much is made of this modern era, everyone who isn't into sports science , motivational coaching is a dinosaur. As usual time will tell who was right.

All I am saying is if next season we are 1st or 2nd or within touching distance of automatic promotion I wouldn't risk any key players in the FA Trophy. Especially and specifically because of how our fixtures have fallen backed up by the fact no team has done the double in the modern era. It's not even comparable to The Paint Pot Trophy as it comes towards the back end of the season in amongst crucial League Fixtures. I want Pools to win every game but winning this would mean absolutely nothing to me if we were still a Non League club even three years down the line.

Its pretty obvious it means nothing to you. I would like to win it , even if coupled with a play off defeat after finishing second or whatever. I think it would set us up for the following season , better than not winning it and finishing second. I agree we have to be looking at getting back up at first attempt, but I think there is more chance of us winning title my way than your fielding weakened teams philosophy.

I honestly think its going to take us 3 seasons , example say beaten in play offs this season, beaten in play off final season after, then in 3rd season win play off final or title. I hope not but that is what I fear. Of course when and if that time came, it might not be as bad as we thought, 3 reasonable seasons, with the team getting stronger each season, so that when we do go up, we can look at getting out of league 2 at first attempt.

I'm with Horden id love to win it and this tired players garbage drives me nuts.
If players in 1975 won doubles and trebles in 1975 with 14 players how come they cannot now.....IF they are meant to be fitter now?
Its absolute bollocks.
Tired players.......2 games in a week is 3hours give me a break.
Not even that we now use 3 subs, 7 players sitting on a bench.
A player runs on average under 6 miles per match that's just under a mile every 15 minutes and they need resting after that?

My heart bleeds,

Lincoln did alright getting to the FA Cup Quarter Final last year. All of their Saturday games will have been moved to a Tuesday, too.

Lincoln probably had the best season in Non League history last season. They changed almost the full team for FA Trophy matches though, even making nine changes for the Semi Final second leg.

At no point have I said 'I wouldn't want us to win the FA Trophy' by the way I can just see why teams at the top don't take it that seriously now I've seen how the fixtures work.

Pools are currently 14th, so we have a good way to go before we can start talking about winning anything...

Most of the games are generally v teams lower down the scale, so don't see a problems fielding first team in 1st half, put them to the sword and then change it around after the break if you must. I'm sure most players want to play at Wembley. I think teams do take it seriously, there is little evidence to say they don't , just maybe not as seriously as getting their league place back.

Top 4 now , since the announcement we are changing our name to Artlepool United, lets face it that's how yous lot prounounce it

its an oasis in a green desert. not far off the motorway and easy to park if you get there early. getting out is a ball ache though unless we,re 3 nil up and get out early when they put up the board for time added on. guiseley on bank holiday monday is interesting. no segregation last time i went so could get interesting with the local friendly yorkshire locals.

oh dear PJ.

did you really post this.

"I get your views but they are outdated the game is totally different in the modern era."

Yes.

The game is completely to different to what is was 30 years ago when teams had 14 players and the best 11 played every game. I'd be impressed if you could successfully disagree with that!?

Did that take you long MJ?

Boreham Wood being top half speaks volumes about the travelling involved this season

If I was guessing I'd have said Barrow was further North than us as well!

Can you do one for proximity to verryls?

Like it, reckon Torquay's position could be about right as well.

You might be confusing them with the likes of Workington. No part of Lancashire (Barrow's original county) has ever been North of any part of Durham. In fact it barely reaches as far north as Scarborough.

What amazes me is there's only one single team between Wrexham and the M25.