Where will we finish this season?

[dfcdfcdfc]

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!

I like what I hear

[StevieMardenboro]

I hope we do well but I don't agree with Quakerz that a year of consolidation will cost us support.
We have been through hell. Those of us still with Darlo aren't going to be put off by another s*** season. Think given that the players have been thrown together and most belong at this level it is very unlikely we will win the league. As long as we are competitive, breaking even financially and getting better on the field i honestly wouldn't mind a few seasons at this level. Perhaps a pop at the FA Vase aswell Just so long as we get back to the football league in my lifetime!

[Hilly]

I think the key to keeping as much support as possible is playing on the whole 'togetherness' feeling throughout next season.

Make the fans feel part of the club and that their support doesn't go unnoticed and people will stick around.

[MikeinBlack]

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.

Could scare the crap out of our players too - how often did we cock up at the arena whenever we got a 'bumper' crowd?

[Christophano]

Could scare the crap out of our players too - how often did we cock up at the arena whenever we got a 'bumper' crowd?

A "bumper" crowd of ~6k in the 25k stadium will be different to 2k capacity though.

[MikeinBlack]

Could scare the crap out of our players too - how often did we cock up at the arena whenever we got a 'bumper' crowd?

A "bumper" crowd of ~6k in the 25k stadium will be different to 2k capacity though.

What I'm saying is if we don't perform on the day and the crowd gets on our back it may be worse for us and we'll become a team who does better away than at home. Hope I'm totally wrong like! However it turns out, as long as our players don't lose it if we go behind I'm sure we'll be in the mix come next April/May.

[Quakerz]

I hope we do well but I don't agree with Quakerz that a year of consolidation will cost us support.
We have been through hell. Those of us still with Darlo aren't going to be put off by another s*** season. Think given that the players have been thrown together and most belong at this level it is very unlikely we will win the league. As long as we are competitive, breaking even financially and getting better on the field i honestly wouldn't mind a few seasons at this level. Perhaps a pop at the FA Vase aswell Just so long as we get back to the football league in my lifetime!

While I commend your support of Darlo and admire your stance regarding what league we are in and for how long, you are only succeeding in proving Mark Twain right when he said something along the lines of "The public is merely a multiplied me".

Yep you are making the fatal mistake of thinking that everyone thinks like you, unfortunately they don't. Crowds WILL drop drastically the season after next if we merely "consolidate", and so will income drop, as well as our chances of ever getting out of that league or back to Darlington.

[bigbitchtits]

5th

[AIDO]

Easy answer .... 1st .... For a hundred and thirty odd reasons really but the obvious ones are: everyone connected with Darlo are totally motivated towards finishing top after what we've been through, our success starved masses crave for it, our ambition to return from whence we came will give us an advantage, and we will, eventually or otherwise have the better players.

Can hear the NL faithfull calling that arrogance and disrespect .... nonensense. It's called reality and inevitability and err ... oh yes .... It is our destiny, and once the momentum really cuts in, nothing will stop that.

Consolidation is not an option. Nobody in the current Darlo hierarchy will have that word anywhere on their agenda for 2012/2013 or 2013/14 season for that matter. That is certain! The other aspect to consider is: The Darlo team that will finish the season will probably not be the same one that starts. The Darlo team that lifts the trophy, will be even better! My opinion lads .... and I'm sticking to it .... !

[tinshedender]

MikeinBlack, if all supporters were like you we would probably be relegated.
The idea is to go to a home match to support your team.
This can be done in a variety of ways, singing ,chanting,shouting ,applauding, booing the
opposition,and taking the p*** out of away supporters if they have any, to name a few.
You can even cheer and jump up and down when we score.
This has the effect of lifting the team you support.
It works in every division, from Premiership to the South Park Relegation League.
And the fuller the ground the better it works.
Come along and try it, it might bring a smile back to your face.

[MikeinBlack]

MikeinBlack, if all supporters were like you we would probably be relegated.
The idea is to go to a home match to support your team.
This can be done in a variety of ways, singing ,chanting,shouting ,applauding, booing the
opposition,and taking the p*** out of away supporters if they have any, to name a few.
You can even cheer and jump up and down when we score.
This has the effect of lifting the team you support.
It works in every division, from Premiership to the South Park Relegation League.
And the fuller the ground the better it works.
Come along and try it, it might bring a smile back to your face.

Been there, seen it, done it - doesn't always work at Darlo (or every club for that matter). Simply saying that Darlo have a record of under-performing in front of big crowds.
Our players are from the same ilk as the opposition in this league so will be just as out of place as they will be in front of close to full grounds, and if we don't do well the crown will certainly get on the guys backs and that could have a detrimental affect on them, don't you think?
I don't like the implication that I am any less of a fan than anyone else, by the way, just because I think the big crowds may not be as much as an advantage on the field as you do.
I terribly want us to succeed but am conscious that we are not the best team (on paper - Spenny anyone?) and not the most wealthy (Spenny again?), we haven't made our target yet and don't have rich benefactors so will have to build as we go along - hopefully.
I will be happy if we gain promotion, but we are by no means the best equipped for that task in this league and if it doesn't pan out well, then we will I'm afraid be stuck here for a long time.
Fingers crossed though - stranger things have happened.

[Joseph s]

MikeinBlack, if all supporters were like you we would probably be relegated.
The idea is to go to a home match to support your team.
This can be done in a variety of ways, singing ,chanting,shouting ,applauding, booing the
opposition,and taking the p*** out of away supporters if they have any, to name a few.
You can even cheer and jump up and down when we score.
This has the effect of lifting the team you support.
It works in every division, from Premiership to the South Park Relegation League.
And the fuller the ground the better it works.
Come along and try it, it might bring a smile back to your face.

Been there, seen it, done it - doesn't always work at Darlo (or every club for that matter). Simply saying that Darlo have a record of under-performing in front of big crowds.
Our players are from the same ilk as the opposition in this league so will be just as out of place as they will be in front of close to full grounds, and if we don't do well the crown will certainly get on the guys backs and that could have a detrimental affect on them, don't you think?
I don't like the implication that I am any less of a fan than anyone else, by the way, just because I think the big crowds may not be as much as an advantage on the field as you do.
I terribly want us to succeed but am conscious that we are not the best team (on paper - Spenny anyone?) and not the most wealthy (Spenny again?), we haven't made our target yet and don't have rich benefactors so will have to build as we go along - hopefully.
I will be happy if we gain promotion, but we are by no means the best equipped for that task in this league and if it doesn't pan out well, then we will I'm afraid be stuck here for a long time.
Fingers crossed though - stranger things have happened.

Like I tried to say last night.... Don't underestimate the players you have.. Most of them have played in front of bigger crowds than will be at bishops next season. And the key part is that when they have, they've performed. They're all experienced enough to cope with that, and will probably enjoy it more for having the crowd there behind them. And the same ilk? There's not many lads in the opposition teams who have the experience of winning the NL. Clarke, Harrison, Emms etc. to name but three.

Try not to listen too much to what others outside your club are saying... Cos trust me, they all want to be you!!

[al_quaker]

Surely the reason why we performed poorly when we had a big crowd at the arena was because most of the time we were coming up against a bigger or better team? That shouldn't be the case in the NL, where we will have big crowds because we are the bigger team.

Anyway, I think we should finish in the top 3. We seem to have built a decent squad, and I think the main advantage we will have is that we can build the squad as we go along, and so should get stronger as the season progresses. That should see us in the top 3. Will we win it? I don't know. There's some well established teams in the NL, particularly Spennymoor. Hopefully we can get off to a good start and build from there. I agree with others that the management team we've built is impressive. That will help.

[DarloOnTheUp]

Try not to listen too much to what others outside your club are saying... Cos trust me, they all want to be you!!

I've been on the nonleaguezone forum and I just got the impression that they hated the fact that we're being seen as the "big boys" of the division and were trying to bring us down a peg or two, similar to how you'd react against someone you perceive as being too arrogant.

In the league predictions thread it just seemed as though most of them were omitting Darlo from the top 3 (or even top 6) on purpose, to make a point. There's a lot of bitterness towards us.

[D_F_C]

will be difficult, I really really hope we can get promotion. But my head says it will be difficult to win a lot of games therefore 3rd/4th

[mobi]

1st, and Mobi is always correct.

[quakermass]

IMO we'll finish second and get promotion coz the top team didn't want promotion! Hopefully between now and August Gray can attract another handful of quality signings(for that level),preferably players with football league experience who have been released but can't find themselves other clubs. Although we're clearly being careful with funding,surely over time our income and fan base will result in the better players coming to Darlo as opposed to the likes of Spennymoor. It's got to be an attraction playing in front of 1000 each week as opposed to 137 and a whippet.

[DL5]

I think we'll be about 5th. We have to survive within our means, some clubs in the league have bigger spending power, already have the best players and know what this league's all about, we don't.

We're effectively a brand new club from top to bottom with only a couple of staff from the previous regime remaining. We may struggle to adapt to the part time structure and mentality where to the players football is not top priority.

The thing in our favour is we should have funds for strengthening as the season goes on putting us up there with the best, I wouldn't be surprised to see us mid table for most of the season with a strong finish.

It's total unknown territory though, I may be right or wrong, who knows?

[son of shinner]

spenny and darlo to fight it out for the title the rest will be trailing in their wake,ideally two promoted.

[Quakerz]

Try not to listen too much to what others outside your club are saying... Cos trust me, they all want to be you!!

I've been on the nonleaguezone forum and I just got the impression that they hated the fact that we're being seen as the "big boys" of the division and were trying to bring us down a peg or two, similar to how you'd react against someone you perceive as being too arrogant.

In the league predictions thread it just seemed as though most of them were omitting Darlo from the top 3 (or even top 6) on purpose, to make a point. There's a lot of bitterness towards us.

This is exactly what has happened and a lot of them decided we were arrogant and all sorts of other things "just because". Darlo fans in fact went out of their way to show respect on there only to have it thrown back in our faces.

I no longer worry about upsetting anyone on there, some are upset by default. What needs to get said will get said, when required.

[Quakerz]

We may struggle to adapt to the part time structure and mentality where to the players football is not top priority.

What shiit, think about what you are saying? We have signed from the same pool of part time players that everybody else does, why would "we" struggle to "adapt" to part time football? We have the same trials and tribulations as any other club, and whilst you might say that to players that football is not the top priority, this isn't a problem that only affects us, it affects everybody.

"Adapting" to the level and part time status is only a valid concern if you keep last seasons full time squad that isn't used to part time football or the level

[tinshedender]

MikeinBlack could I refresh your memory regarding your assertion that Darlo don't perform in front
of big crowds.
Wembley ring any bells.

[Hilly]

Try not to listen too much to what others outside your club are saying... Cos trust me, they all want to be you!!

I've been on the nonleaguezone forum and I just got the impression that they hated the fact that we're being seen as the "big boys" of the division and were trying to bring us down a peg or two, similar to how you'd react against someone you perceive as being too arrogant.

In the league predictions thread it just seemed as though most of them were omitting Darlo from the top 3 (or even top 6) on purpose, to make a point. There's a lot of bitterness towards us.

This is exactly what has happened and a lot of them decided we were arrogant and all sorts of other things "just because". Darlo fans in fact went out of their way to show respect on there only to have it thrown back in our faces.

I no longer worry about upsetting anyone on there, some are upset by default. What needs to get said will get said, when required.

Yeah I've come to the same conclusion. I went on there with an open mind but this misconception of Darlo fans optimism / hope coming across as arrogance pissed me right off.

There are a few level headed posters on there but they're few and far between from what I've seen so far. They also can't get their heads round the whole 'same club' issue so I've given up trying to explain.

[Hilly]

MikeinBlack could I refresh your memory regarding your assertion that Darlo don't perform in front
of big crowds.
Wembley ring any bells.

Let's be honest mate that was more the exception rather than the rule, however this is practically a new team (who probably won't have played in many games with over a 1,000+ watching) so lets just see how they get on.

[Quakerz]

MikeinBlack could I refresh your memory regarding your assertion that Darlo don't perform in front
of big crowds.
Wembley ring any bells.

Mike might want to point out that 66.6666667% of the time we end up losing at Wembley.

[tinshedender]

Sure we have lost twice at wembley but equally to get to those play off finals we
did perform on many occasions in front of big crowds.

[Mr_Tibbs]

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.

Diffuse Reflectance Absorbance Spectroscopy Taking in Chemometrics?

I'm sure it would work but... do we have a committee set up for that yet?

[The_Ponderer]

Easy answer .... 1st .... For a hundred and thirty odd reasons really but the obvious ones are: everyone connected with Darlo are totally motivated towards finishing top after what we've been through, our success starved masses crave for it, our ambition to return from whence we came will give us an advantage, and we will, eventually or otherwise have the better players.

Can hear the NL faithfull calling that arrogance and disrespect .... nonensense. It's called reality and inevitability and err ... oh yes .... It is our destiny, and once the momentum really cuts in, nothing will stop that.

Consolidation is not an option. Nobody in the current Darlo hierarchy will have that word anywhere on their agenda for 2012/2013 or 2013/14 season for that matter. That is certain! The other aspect to consider is: The Darlo team that will finish the season will probably not be the same one that starts. The Darlo team that lifts the trophy, will be even better! My opinion lads .... and I'm sticking to it .... !

The fans need to approach this season the way we approached our first season in the old Vauxhall Conference back in 1989.
After the doom and gloom of "that day" at Scunny, we were quickly off on the right foot in August and what a great season that was.
A team doing well was what captured the imagination of fans and even turned the doubters into believers.
We went in as favourites and knew we were favourites but were still pushed to the wire by Barnet - but what a hell of a goal to win promotion with and still my best ever moment watching Darlo!
Mr Gray will get us firing on all cylinders come season kick off! Have no fear of that!

[number_one]

Finishing the season will be an achievement irrespective of league standing, which I think will be 7th.

[Joseph s]

MikeinBlack could I refresh your memory regarding your assertion that Darlo don't perform in front
of big crowds.
Wembley ring any bells.

Let's be honest mate that was more the exception rather than the rule, however this is practically a new team (who probably won't have played in many games with over a 1,000+ watching) so lets just see how they get on.

I disagree, and you need to check out the stats on a few if not most of the players.. They've all played in front of big crowds and they'll all be fine with playing in front of them... Don't underestimate the fact that these lads, although part time, have played in front of crowds bigger than a lot of league 2 clubs. This season will be different for a lot if not all of the Darlo fans, but not for these lads, so the only people that need to get used to it, is the fans... But hopefully only for a short time...