Darlo Uncovered

I'm pretty confident we can push Spenny all the way.

It's going to be very difficult but I have great confidence in Martin Gray and the coaching staff and whilst some of our chums on NLZ think we'll be nowhere near, I reckon we'll get the extra 10% from good management - it's not always about having all of the top players though I reckon we've got a very decent set of players assembled anyway.

We'll have a slight advantage of not being involved in the FA Cup and Vase, and Gray will be wanting to run things very professionally.

I think also during the season, if we are in touch and need to strengthen, we may find it a little easier to bring more of the top players in.

My prediction is 1st, just.

The loud and passionate Darlo support will add a few extra % points too home and away.
Spenny will push us to the wire, but we'll finish top.

2nd only because of big spending Spendymore!

Above Bishop and West but below Spenny, but saying that I still think there will be additions to the squad which may suprise us and make the difference.

My heart says 1st but my mind says 2nd due to the upheaval we've endured and the time it will take our squad to get it together. We should get promoted in 2nd place behind Spennny.

There is no guarantee of promotion in 2nd. You have to win it.

Top, without a doubt.
There is a lot more than assembling the most expensive squad.
Playing at home in a small ground with near capacity attendances will scare the crap out of
away teams and be like having an extra player for us.
What other club and supporters in the country have ever been through what we have had to endure. Now it's pay back time.
The supporters are motivated, the club is motivated, and the team will be motivated.

Yep, motivation, I never thought about that one.

While you need talent to be a good team you cannot underestimate the mentality aspect.

it will be difficult because playing against darlo will be most teams cup final and they will raise their game accordingly . if we can gel quickly there is no reason why we can't finish top . hopefully having big support behind us will be like having an extra man. lets just do it .

I don't know; I haven't seen the other teams enough to judge.
We will definitely be the team to beat this season, which will spur the opposition on.

That said, I have confidence I Martin Gray over the long term. I think it's his time.

2nd. Just think it'll take a couple of months to acclimatise and gel, and by the time we've done that there'll be too much to do.

(Although to be honest I've no idea - anywhere between 1st and 7th I could argue for!)

A year of consolidation. Very much doubt we'll get promotion. Top 6.
We underestimate this league.

Marketman wrote:A year of consolidation. Very much doubt we'll get promotion. Top 6.
We underestimate this league.

Not really, most people understand it will be difficult. That doesn't mean we shouldn't have expectations though.

A year of consolidation is not an option if we want to retain the majority of our fan base.

Two teams to be promoted next season:-
Champions and a second team to be 'cherry picked' but not sure who by ?

Please link to the official confirmation of this?

One thing I've learned about the Northern League it can be hard to predict, we have a new team of relatively unknown players and a new manager so for me the jury is still out until a ball is kicked.

I really don't know what to expect next season!

Quakerz wrote:Please link to the official confirmation of this?

Quakerz-the last fans forum(for CIC members)it was talked about quite openly by Dennis P and Martin Gray.I though it was general knowledge !

Quakerz wrote:Please link to the official confirmation of this?

It's not quite as simple as a club to be cherry picked, but the FA are restructuring the lower leagues a bit. There are going to 24 teams in Step 3 leagues (Evo Stik Prem) for the 2013/14 season, up two from this season's numbers I think.

There are also going to be increased relegation places at Step 4 level, meaning more clubs drop to Step 5.

That'll mean reshuffles lower down and while officially only one club goes up from each Step 5 division (Northern League), there'll be all sorts of chaos, with some teams in other step 5's not meeting criteria for promotion.

It wouldn't surprise me to see 2 Northern League sides go up this season.

This is what the FA said: http://nonleaguezone.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=91863

micra3 wrote:

Quakerz wrote:Please link to the official confirmation of this?

Quakerz-the last fans forum(for CIC members)it was talked about quite openly by Dennis P and Martin Gray.I though it was general knowledge !

Yeah it may have been talked about openly but we all know what happens when you take the FA on it's word.

Marketman wants consolidation.
In a league 4 divisions below where we were last year.?
Momentum is what is wanted.. Promotion is essential, not an option as we start our climb back through the leagues to where we belong.
If we don't achieve it this year, what chance next year when half the fan base will have drifted away.

I still don't know too much about the Northern League, but top three I reckon.

It's good to know that we can fire up DRASTIC and other acronymed schemes if we do need something extra to push us towards promotion.

Having not seen or heard of most of our players, and not seen any of our opposition, who knows? If we get off to a good start and keep the momentum going we could/should be up there. Difficult to predict beyond that.

Darlogramps wrote:

Quakerz wrote:Please link to the official confirmation of this?

It's not quite as simple as a club to be cherry picked, but the FA are restructuring the lower leagues a bit. There are going to 24 teams in Step 3 leagues (Evo Stik Prem) for the 2013/14 season, up two from this season's numbers I think.

There are also going to be increased relegation places at Step 4 level, meaning more clubs drop to Step 5.

That'll mean reshuffles lower down and while officially only one club goes up from each Step 5 division (Northern League), there'll be all sorts of chaos, with some teams in other step 5's not meeting criteria for promotion.

It wouldn't surprise me to see 2 Northern League sides go up this season.

This is what the FA said: http://nonleaguezone.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=91863

It says absolutely nothing about any club being cherry picked - the only useful information there is that there are 14 promotion places not 12, which slightly increases your chances of going up if you finish second.

If the board feel that we're just going to be cherry picked, they might be in for yet another rude awakening to add to the long list of "shiit that they didn't expect to happen".

tinshedender wrote:Top, without a doubt.
There is a lot more than assembling the most expensive squad.
Playing at home in a small ground with near capacity attendances will scare the crap out of
away teams and be like having an extra player for us.
What other club and supporters in the country have ever been through what we have had to endure. Now it's pay back time.
The supporters are motivated, the club is motivated, and the team will be motivated.

I think you'll get a rude awakening if you think we'll piss the league

i have no idea what the other teams in the league are like.. i know spenny will push us all the way though.. either 1st or 2nd

3rd or 4th

What's everyone basing this on?

Personally I'd never heard of half the teams in our league until a month ago, I don't know any of our players (apart from Gregan and Mellanby), and I've never even seen a game at this level before apart from Darlo friendlies.

Anyway, to answer the question - 1st.

I don't think we'll come up at first attempt. My guess is 3rd.

I'll be happy with just hearing 'come on darlo' again.

As said in one of my previous posts, I've watched a lot of NL football down the years. I think the league is more difficult than some predict. Itll be really difficult and Yes Spennymoor are the team to beat, but are beatable. I've seen it happen on a couple of occasions.. It seems the difficulty is that if you can put a run together or say.. 10 games unbeaten at any time in the season, it jumps you up a few places in the league, cos on any given day, any team can beat any team in the NL. And for those of you who've never heard of some of your players..... Ive seen some of them, mostly the Teesside based ones.

Chris Porter - been around the league a bit, very solid, good hands and good distribution.
The Purewal twins - played in this league for Bishops but stepped up to Evo and did really well. Good energy, both v fit lads and have good ability.
David Dowson - energy to burn, hassles defenders, runs channels well and can finish. I saw him at Durham last year and he was outstanding. I think he scored a hat trick that day in the Evo stick.
Chris Emms - again, been around, v comfortable playing on the right or in behind a striker. Massively talented, when on his game is almost unplayable. Was injured at Spennymoor but still won this league. Has played higher up for Blythe and has great delivery.
Steven Harrison - in my opinion, best right back I've seen in this league. Comfortable on the ball, likes to go forward, has won the NL and Evo with Durham.
Jamie Clarke - has got a bit of stick on this forum for his age. But has been top scorer at every club he's played for in this league, and the Evo stick, pure finisher. Scored the winner at one of his former clubs Spennymoor a season or so ago. I watched him last season for Ashington in the fa cup against Guisely from the BS, he scored the winner..

So yes it will be tough, the league is tough, but there's some quality and experience in there that know how to win games at this level. And I'm sure Martin Gray won't stand for much less, if he's anything like he was when he was playing!