and the following clubs all strike me as being genuine promotion contenders, this league does seem a lot harder than last year....

Notts County
Chesterfield
Stockport Co
Fylde
Wrexham
Solihull
Yeovil
Torquay
Eastleigh
Harrogate
Dover
Sutton
Ebbsfleet
Barnet
Barrow
...and of course us. That's 16 teams who i reckon will start the season with idea's of going up. Now possibly Yeovil could have ownership issue's, Harrogate's bubble may have burst?, too early for the likes of Torquay and Stockport?, Dover finished last season strongly as did Barrow. I'm really looking forward to watching it all unfold.

You say that but when it gets going you'll realise the standard is just as bad as ever. The best group of players isn't always the most consistent.

Surely every team in nearly every League start the season with ideas of going up, you don’t build teams to lose games. I think it’s more open than last year without the Salford money and the two clubs who came down from the League look to be in a bit of a mess.

for me chesterfield and fylde will be the standout teams. if anyone are above fylde they,ll be up. best chance Pools have had to reach the play offs. cannot see any of the promoted sides or relagated ones doing anything and maybe struggle.

I thought the standard last season was pretty good, a lot of the teams who came to the Vic were well organized and had a plan.

So you think a team like Aldershot who got an 11th hour reprieve will be thinking of going up?, they surely will be looking to just survive.

I tend to agree. All in all I thought it was better than the first season in non-league, which was horrendous. There didn't seem to be so many teams relying on route one and a fat knacker of a centre forward with an eye for goal.

Then again, maybe it's just that my standards have slipped!

My brother and nephew both went to see Torquay at St Albans City as it was the latter's final home game on their, now, old ground. Allowing for the fact that it was "only" St Albans (who finished in a respectable ninth position), they both said that Torquay were a highly impressive team.

The think you’re falling into the trap of judging teams by their history rather than their current players.

Apologies if that wasn't meant for me, Mr I, as I didn't quite catch your drift but that was the exact opposite of what I was thinking.

thats what the bookies do also. they will know even less about the opposition we face than even we do.

Notts County are going to really struggle I reckon. Even if their takeover happens

bigger basket case than pools when they got relegated on and off the pitch. could actually do a york.

The bookies currently have Pools down among the dead men again for 2019/20. They weren't wrong last season!

Suppose we'll know when Pools hit the slump in form that always seems to happen around October/November. Shake it off quickly and we might do something.

County are still in deep in the clarts. Sounds a bit touch and go whether they will even be able to start of the season:

"The club’s payday was scheduled for today (Friday 28th) but Nottinghamshire Live has learned from several sources that no money has been deposited into their accounts.

The wage bill is believed to be in excess of £200,000 and, at the time of going to press, staff have been left in the dark as to when they can expect to be paid.

The news will merely deepen concern about the club’s future amid huge financial problems, with the Magpies still yet to be sold to new owners despite being on the market since January."

Am really surprised by our odds of 33/1 for the title (Only 7 teams are bigger odds) and 16/1 for promotion.

Under Hignett didnt we score at a points ratio that would see us top 10 over a season or something? Weve kept the same side (Gk aside) and added to it with what look on paper very good signings. Williams is fit. We seemed to sort out our home form. The club seems to be in its best position for a long time in regard to how its being ran etc.

I know were all biased and have high expectations each season but if we dont make a go of it this season then I doubt we ever will.

The bookies currently have Pools down among the dead men again for 2019/20. They weren't wrong last season!

Suppose we'll know when Pools hit the slump in form that always seems to happen around October/November. Shake it off quickly and we might do something.[/quote]

Am really surprised by our odds of 33/1 for the title (Only 7 teams are bigger odds) and 16/1 for promotion.

Under Hignett didnt we score at a points ratio that would see us top 10 over a season or something? Weve kept the same side (Gk aside) and added to it with what look on paper very good signings. Williams is fit. We seemed to sort out our home form. The club seems to be in its best position for a long time in regard to how its being ran etc.

I know were all biased and have high expectations each season but if we dont make a go of it this season then I doubt we ever will.[/quote]

Under Hignett didnt we score at a points ratio that would see us top 10 over a season or something? Weve kept the same side (Gk aside) and added to it with what look on paper very good signings. Williams is fit. We seemed to sort out our home form. The club seems to be in its best position for a long time in regard to how its being ran etc.

I know were all biased and have high expectations each season but if we dont make a go of it this season then I doubt we ever will.[/quote][/quote]
agree with all that. hope the players can handle the pressure at pools as its much higher than at some clubs who see their present position as the highest they,ve achieved and just happy to be playing at this level. for most of us its back to the FL or nothing.