Long time since I posted but thought I would give you a honest expectation this season for you.

First up is fan expectations. Every relegated team , including ours, thought we would get right out but wasn't to be. You and Leyton Orient are big boys in this league now and the smaller clubs will raise their games against you. The likes of boreal wood, Bromley and maidenhead are very well run even if the are not full time.

Teams you once played as pre season friendlies like guiseleyel will no doubt even beat you at home. Even we can't bear these smaller clubs now. We have the odd fan still who cant understand how and why a full time club gets beaten by teams with crowds of around 300 .

So please hope you don't get drawn into the "tinpot league " on the various forums. Yes the away support will be diabolical fòr plenty of games but when you do go away you will find it very friendly throughout. It's a pity we haven't got you down here last away game. However will be up for the weekend for sure at the end of the season. Still have friends up there that met many years ago.

Good luck...

I hear (from a couple of sources) that you may be going through a less than perfect ownership situation at the moment with people of dubious intensions. Good luck with keeping the club alive and real.
We are hoping that we are coming out of the other side of our own ownership debacle.
Looking forward to my visit to Plainmoor this season and I hope we meet again in the EFL soon.

Yes our new owners were originally just after the ground. They can't get it the way they wanted but now have said we will be in a new ground in just a few years. No plans , no site....not going to happen. They have got us running in a more professional way now and clear of going into admin or worse. We think that if they cannot get a ground then they will sell us off but will be far more offer to buyers than recently when we hardly had a penny in the bank.

Yes have been following the goings on up there....

A great and ....BOOM....back down to Earth Post by Daz!!!!

Even though we've given plenty of mentions to this being a 'tinpot league' I don't think if we're being serious (which nobody was) anybody is under any illusions about this being an easy ride.

The quality might not be great (I don't even think it's that high in League Two it was an awful League last term with even teams who got promoted looking distinctly average when I saw them) it is undoubtably a difficult league to get of for the sheer number of points needed to win it then the only other option being the play off lottery.

It will be interesting to see how we go but I think the general feeling is cautious optimism.

Optimism that needs rewarding with promotion.
Its what our brilliant fans deserve its as basic as that.
Come on the Mighty Blues.

dazgull has got it 100 per cent right in his post.

I think we'll piss it but don't think it's our God given right. It will be hard work but I think we've got the best players, best manager and best fans.

think having a manager who is used to winning could be a big help .

A good post, Daz, and thanks for sharing your experience.

I, personally, have fond memories of Torquay as my dad loved the place and we were fortunate enough as kids to spend our annual holidays there. Apart from the Abbey Sands, there were several food items that I discovered and where I first tasted Clotted Cream!

I consequently have a soft spot for United (and could easily have chosen them as 'my' team [before I discovered Pools] had it not been for a schoolmate) and I spent many an enjoyable visit to Plainmoor, especially for the evening games. That said, it seemed a fair old trek, mainly uphill, from South Street.

I agree with the previous comments but I think PJ's comment about "cautious optimism" is very apt.

Yes indeed cautious is the way to go. It's a frustrating league and anyone can beat anyone. Even North Ferriby won at Forest Green last season.

Tranmere fans said they were going straight back but now in their third season here. Ex league clubs like Grimsby, Lincoln, Oxford and Luton were all done for a few years. Wrexham must have been down ten years or so. All had things bad going on behind the scenes. I reckon we will be down for two or three years yet.

In other years there were always three or four sides who could get out of the division. This year it will be between Tranmere and Dagenham as the two to gò up. Aldershot, Wrexham and yourselves will be there or abouts. I will be amazed if Leyton orient go back up after so much turmoil. They are a massive club in this league and all the smaller clubs will raise their games when playing them for sure.