National League North odds for 2016-17

DarloPeGi · Post by **DarloPeGi** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:45 am

Looks like Betway are first to post on oddschecker

Darlo 20-1 (12th favourite)

JE93 · Post by **JE93** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:03 pm

Based on our results over the past few seasons the odds seem fairly long especially as EW pays first 3 places.

I don't think we'll make top 5 this season. There are some experienced teams in this league making some good sounding signings so I would be happy with top 10. I think there would be a risk of unsustainable growth off the field should we be in the top 5 with a chance of promotion to the conference this season.

Post by **D_F_C** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 1:07 pm

without sounding like a downer I think this league will be extremely difficult and we may struggle a bit at times. I see no easy victories.

With the potential of playing on a new pitch, BM might not be the same fortress that HP was.

I'd be delighted if we were anywhere near the playoffs but realistically I would expect mid table

lo36789 · Post by **lo36789** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 3:14 pm

Anyone see any odds for a top 10 finish for us?

Darlo_Pete · Post by **Darlo_Pete** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 3:32 pm

I think 20/1 is incredibly generous. Each season people keep saying that the next division up will be much harder than the last one. But in my opinion, the Evostick Premier League, was our easiest season since the Northern League. If it hadn't been for Blyth, we'd have been promoted by Easter.

Radar · Post by **Radar** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 4:27 pm

We are all used to success now, and long may it continue, but we have to be realistic this coming season.

From the Northern League onwards, we have been the club with the biggest crowds and biggest budget in the respective league. Martin Gray will have us well drilled and ready to compete, but we are entering a league clubs have much bigger budgets than ours and they are all spending big to gain promotion. Financially we are not in the same league of some clubs and unfortunately, money at this level of football talks (As we know from past promotions)

Fylde
Halifax
Salford
FC Manchester
Harrogate
Stockport
Telford

All big budgets and all decent crowds, finish above them and we will be over achieving. Heres hoping we do, but I think the next season for us, is to establish ourselves at this level, and kick on over the next couple of seasons.

Quakerz · Post by **Quakerz** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 5:11 pm

There's nothing we can do about the amount of money that the likes of Fylde, Salford and Harrogate have, but when we talk of finishing higher than Halifax and Telford as an "over achievement" then we really are talking ourselves down too much.

They could finish higher than us of course - because they are good solid clubs - but if it's the other way around we've hardly overcome all odds to finish above them.

As for next season, like everyone else I expect this league to be much tougher, but I think predictions of 12th etc are too gloomy.

We did after all win last year's league with 100+ points and 100+ goals, and have retained the vast majority of the squad which was proven to be too good for the Evostik.

Based on that, and the new signings + hopefully another forward coming in, I expect us to be in and around the top 5 race during the season. Whether we'll actually finish top 5 is another question, and some fans may argue that the club wouldn't be ready to take on potential promotion to the Conference Premier this soon, should we happen to finish top 5 and win the play offs.

Radar · Post by **Radar** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 6:14 pm

I respect where your coming from Quakers, but Halifax are one of the favourites to win it and Telford aren't too far behind according to the odds. I forgot about Altrincham and Kidderminster too in this league! On paper, this league is ultra competitive. Mid Table, and I think we have had a cracking season. If its higher, brilliant. Gray is a winner and I don't think there will be better organised teams than we will be next season, that goes a long way.

Gow9900 · Post by **Gow9900** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 6:50 pm

I think we'll do well next season in the league.

However, I think the two main priorities next season will be:

1. Get back home and get ourselves established in our new home.
2. A good cup run. Not only will this bring in £ to spend on the ground/infrastructure, but it will also give us excellent exposure.

Quakerz · Post by **Quakerz** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 7:58 pm

Radar wrote:I respect where your coming from Quakers, but Halifax are one of the favourites to win it and Telford aren't too far behind according to the odds. I forgot about Altrincham and Kidderminster too in this league! On paper, this league is ultra competitive. Mid Table, and I think we have had a cracking season. If its higher, brilliant. Gray is a winner and I don't think there will be better organised teams than we will be next season, that goes a long way.

You also forgot Boston United.

I don't think mid table would be a cracking season after winning the Evostik Premier last season, I think mid table would be an OK, alright season. A cracking season would be top 5.

I get your point about all of the clubs in this league who we can all identify with, and just the names themselves suggest a much tougher league. In fact, playing in the same league as Stockport, Halifax, Kidderminster, FCUM, Altrincham, Boston, Telford is not just a much tougher prospect but an exciting one. It feels like we're "almost back".

But...ignore the club names, these clubs are in the same league, are part time (with 2 exceptions), and have BSN quality players.

Gray is a fantastic manager and while we should accept that there will be several clubs who are realistically going to be in with a better chance than us, we all thought the same last year...

We don't need to be scared of anyone and we do have momentum behind us.

Quakerz · Post by **Quakerz** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 8:02 pm

Gow9900 wrote:I think we'll do well next season in the league.

However, I think the two main priorities next season will be:

1. Get back home and get ourselves established in our new home.
2. A good cup run. Not only will this bring in £ to spend on the ground/infrastructure, but it will also give us excellent exposure.

Agree.

Going straight through the league could do us more harm than good.

We'd be suddenly in a national league against a lot of full time clubs, with a good proportion of ST holders still having 4 years left. So short term, income isn't going to be as good as it could be, and at that level it could be a big handicap.

And that's not even thinking about the race to plan the next improvements for Cat A, get planning permission, and raise whatever funds.

MikeinBlack2 · Post by **MikeinBlack2** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:24 am

If MG doesn't inspire the team to be at the very least in with a realistic shout at the play offs come April he will be very unhappy indeed I'd guess.
Personally, I think promotion would be too far too soon and we would struggle on the pitch to do much more than remain in the National Division and off the field we would have very little chance of getting the finances together so close to the new build this season.
Saying that though, we should aim as high as we can and the 'big' clubs certainly set a high bench mark to go for, and who knows what could happen with a good wind and a decent cup run or two to raise much needed funds. Never say never!
Let'a also not forget that we won't be at Blackwell Meadows until at least half way through the season (most likely) and as we've proven over the last few seasons we don't lose that often at Heritage Park.
I am certainly looking forward to the close to mouth watering prospect of facing the likes of Stockport, Halifax and FC United of Manchester and as long as we are competative won't cry in my beer if we don't go up at the first attempt. 20/1 each way is deffo worth a cheeky fiver!

lo36789 · Post by **lo36789** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:55 am

I think a top 10 will be a good, solid season. In brackets against each club are their average attendances.

I don't think we can do much about the financial weight of Fylde (568) and Salford City (642). I wasn't aware that Harrogate (464) were big spenders?

Then you have the clubs with genuine spending power and that is quite significant Stockport County (3,413) and FCUM (3,401). I am not sure how we even get close to that.

Not only do they have massive attendances they are in Greater Manchester where we know there is a bigger and cheaper population of players. Slight consolation is that they are having to compete directly with the likes of Salford/Fylde (look at their squad seems to be a strong link with Manchester eg. Richie Baker, Tom Eckersley, Danny Rowe).

There is a top 6 (incl. us). Then after that you have the clubs where we would usually expect to be match them [Kidderminster (1,804), Halifax (1,546)] and be above them [Altrincham (1,230), Chorley (1,306), Telford (1,267) & Boston (1,089)]. The shackles of our 4 year ST deal mean we will struggle to compete with the first two and will match the other 4.

As long as we are there or thereabouts with those last 4 named teams I think we have had a very respectable season. This is on the assumption of an average attendance of between 1,750 and 2,000.

That is 11 teams I have called out there including us - which is why I think top 10 will be quite respectable. A top 5 will be a very impressive season.

Until we can get a match day revenue equivalent to an average of 2,000 fans I think NLN is the best place for us to be. That may be 3 or 4 seasons away but I don't think that's something which should concern us.

jjljks · Post by **jjljks** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:01 am

If Leicester City were 5000/1 last year, given what is being offered on Quakers promotion, the bookies are looking fairly mean.

Robbie Painter · Post by **Robbie Painter** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:32 am

I hope the board have been prudent in budget allocation for the playing & coaching side given the delay to our move back to Darlo + I'm assuming poor season ticket sales (due to now BM activity) + no big pre-season friendly + less home games.

We've got our squad signed up for next season so fixed our costs but revenue generation still up in air.

bertbanger · Post by **bertbanger** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:06 am

I totally agree with all people saying promotion would do more harm than good taking into account the quality of conference national teams and the 5 year season ticket situation, I for one wont be getting impatient if we are in this league for 2 or 3 years

Mr_Tibbs · Post by **Mr_Tibbs** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:02 am

MikeinBlack2 wrote:If MG doesn't inspire the team to be at the very least in with a realistic shout at the play offs come April he will be very unhappy indeed I'd guess.

MG won't be happy unless he's jumping up and down with a piece of silverware in his hands and champagne corks flying all over the place.

I think we should club together and take that 20/1 so we can donate it to the club just in case we actually do it.

DL5 · Post by **DL5** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:57 am

There's a lot of our squad who have been there since the Northern league, like Thommo, Amar, Browny, Scott, Hunter and Galbraith, it's incredible to think they will now be playing in their 4th different league with us, I do wonder if 1 or 2 might just find their level this year but I don't expect us to have a poor season.

I'd be happy with keeping in touch with the playoffs though that's a tough ask, I doubt MG will be telling the players to get out there and avoid relegation, he'll have his sights set on promotion but getting a good foothold in the league is a more realistic prospect.

lo36789 · Post by **lo36789** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 1:41 pm

DL5 wrote:There's a lot of our squad who have been there since the Northern league, like Thommo, Amar, Browny, Scott, Hunter and Galbraith

Many played higher than NL though - and given the lack of competition in the NE above NL I am not sure it means much.

DL5 · Post by **DL5** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:46 pm

lo36789 wrote:
DL5 wrote:There's a lot of our squad who have been there since the Northern league, like Thommo, Amar, Browny, Scott, Hunter and Galbraith
Many played higher than NL though - and given the lack of competition in the NE above NL I am not sure it means much.

Yes they've been great, the whole squad has been, hopefully it will continue into this new season.

onewayup · Post by **onewayup** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:05 pm

Martin gray,will always strive to attain the highest possible position every season with whatever finance is made available to him.so I am hopeful of a top 6 Finnish come the end of season. In M.G we trust.Onwards and upwards.Darlo.

Feethams 1966 · Post by **Feethams 1966** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 6:28 pm

People have made very valid points. I expect what will happen to be the same as always happens. The team will do their best, taking each game as it comes, dealing with the usual injuries, postponements and rearrangements, and we'll all have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully it will be something rather splendid again.

OHDFC · Post by **OHDFC** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:13 am

onewayup wrote:Martin gray,will always strive to attain the highest possible position every season with whatever finance is made available to him.

I think this is where we are going wrong. We need to find a manager who doesn't always strive to attain the highest possible position every season with whatever finance is made available to him. That way, we'd be sure he'd never be in danger of being poached by a higher club. If he was really clever, he could strive for a lowish position in his first season, and each subsequent season strive a little bit more so that we are constantly improving without ever actually attaining our highest possible position. Thus ensuring continous improvement so that the fans and board would be happy and he would never be sacked.

montezumas revenge · Post by **montezumas revenge** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 1:27 pm

Alright guys, FC fan here, seems the powers that be have stiffed us with home and away games scheduled for MONDAY nights!!...we came into this league last season and to be honest found it hard!!! bigger better, faster and dirtier than where we'd come from, in the end we finished mid table and had got a little bit of rhythm going, as for FC we certainly ain't one of the big spenders,
we've ground improvements and community issues that need sorting before the team benefits so we're more than happy mid table until we can get things sorted,. anyway good luck in this league Fellas

Maurice_Peddelty · Post by **Maurice_Peddelty** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 1:37 pm

montezumas revenge wrote:Alright guys, FC fan here, seems the powers that be have stiffed us with home and away games scheduled for MONDAY nights!!...we came into this league last season and to be honest found it hard!!! bigger better, faster and dirtier than where we'd come from, in the end we finished mid table and had got a little bit of rhythm going, as for FC we certainly ain't one of the big spenders,
we've ground improvements and community issues that need sorting before the team benefits so we're more than happy mid table until we can get things sorted,. anyway good luck in this league Fellas

Are you sure they are Monday nights? I thought the first was August Bank Holiday and the re-match was Easter Monday. Aren't these fixtures normally 3pm KOs?

HarrytheQuaker · Post by **HarrytheQuaker** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:06 pm

Yeah Curzon Ashton like to play on a Monday night as we found out a few seasons back..

montezumas revenge · Post by **montezumas revenge** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:31 pm

Maurice_Peddelty wrote:
montezumas revenge wrote:Alright guys, FC fan here, seems the powers that be have stiffed us with home and away games scheduled for MONDAY nights!!...we came into this league last season and to be honest found it hard!!! bigger better, faster and dirtier than where we'd come from, in the end we finished mid table and had got a little bit of rhythm going, as for FC we certainly ain't one of the big spenders,
we've ground improvements and community issues that need sorting before the team benefits so we're more than happy mid table until we can get things sorted,. anyway good luck in this league Fellas
Are you sure they are Monday nights? I thought the first was August Bank Holiday and the re-match was Easter Monday. Aren't these fixtures normally 3pm KOs?

Good spot!

now I'm happy

AnthonyP · Post by **AnthonyP** » Sat Jul 09, 2016 12:45 am

Quakerz wrote: I don't think mid table would be a cracking season after winning the Evostik Premier last season, I think mid table would be an OK, alright season. A cracking season would be top 5.

I get your point about all of the clubs in this league who we can all identify with, and just the names themselves suggest a much tougher league. In fact, playing in the same league as Stockport, Halifax, Kidderminster, FCUM, Altrincham, Boston, Telford is not just a much tougher prospect but an exciting one. It feels like we're "almost back".

But...ignore the club names, these clubs are in the same league, are part time (with 2 exceptions), and have BSN quality players.

Gray is a fantastic manager and while we should accept that there will be several clubs who are realistically going to be in with a better chance than us, we all thought the same last year...

We don't need to be scared of anyone and we do have momentum behind us.

Neil Johnson · Post by **Neil Johnson** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 5:31 pm

If Darlo make the play-offs it will have been a great season (& maybe include some cup runs) and if we dont quite make the play-offs there wont be many complaints.

We know that MG will want to "give it a go" and should be able to strengthen the team if we were in with a shout.

Darlo fans should be happy for a decent season with increased crowds and other revenue.

If promotion is achieved increased revenues and extra fundraising could build a team to both survive & develop in the National League.

We have not really relied on loan signings, but they may be more of an option if we need full time players for coming seasons.

Darlo Uncovered