If we did make it to the Championship, how many of our players would actually be good enough? I reckon we'd have to sign at least ten quality players. The gap in standard is huge and I refuse to believe that the likes of Cranie and Nyatanga would suddenly become quality Championship players when they've struggled at that level for most of their careers. I'd like to think Holgate, Hourihane and Winnall would step up but it'd be a big ask for them. Nice problem to have of course, and I personally hope we go up. League One is awful apart from 3-4 teams and Keith Hill's prediction of the Championship turning into 'Premier League 2' is becoming more and more of a reality.
To dismiss players like Cranie as not good enough for the Championship because he has previously played in a team that struggled at that level is a bit of a simple way of looking at it. Personally I would have thought Davies, Holgate, Cranie, Nyatanga, Hourihane, Bailey, Ramage, Scowen and Winnall could all be first team players in the Championship. We have also got Smith, Berry, Lalkovic, Jennings (still praying LJ works a miracle with him over the summer) that are probably not quite there yet, but all have the potential to be good enough. I would be happy to have O'sullivan, Waring or Pearson back next season and they could all make the step up. The key is to develop the young hungry players we have, which was the whole reason we built this squad. Not sign another 10 players.
Davies looks up to the mark. Potentially Holgate, Winnall, Scowen and Hourihane, Bree. Cranie not so sure. Lewin probably not. Ramage far too slow. It would be ground zero and we would need to find about 5 million quid and sign 10 players.
I agree that we'd probably struggle but you're ignoring something as important as the quality of the respective players, momentum. We've seen numerous examples of teams getting promoted from League 1 and continuing the good form in the division above. Granted many of those had more financial clout than us but a winning habit is difficult to shake off.
Next season I think most of them will struggle. Further down the line as they get better and more experienced I reckon a lot of our players will be good enough to play in the Championship. If we are promoted, I hope we don't dismantle the squad to chase instant results. A relegation with this set of players wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
Agree Jay entirely, but we both know that we would dismantle the squad. The fans would be furious if we weren't winning games and we'd bring in a load of wannabe stars or journeymen.
I'd like to think we've learnt our lesson re. taking on journeymen with Treacy and Lita. Recruiting promising young players from the lower divisions is always going to be a hit and miss policy but in my opinion is the best way to go. I'm not talking about the possibility of going up anymore though, I'm a terrible jinx.
As counter intuitive as it is, that's why I've argued that failing to win promotion this season could well be a blessing. With a couple of new additions in the summer I think this team could be a force to be reckoned with in League 1 next season. If the board have the courage of their convictions and block the sale of players, or make sure we are paid over and above what they're worth and use those funds for further recruitment, I believe a shot at automatic promotion next season could well be on the cards. A couple more good additions to the squad after that plus the experience the young players have from a further season will see us much better equipped to take on the Championship. We might even do well rather than battle against relegation. Lessons may have been learnt from past mistakes, but we've no evidence for that yet. I'd prefer it if the mettle of the board wasn't put to the test. There are no guarantees, of course, but I'd prefer a proper promotion season next year, where we win a lot more games than we lose, than yet another battle against relegation in The Championship. Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt, and it's not much fun. If Barnsley are top of the league, no matter what league, we'd fill every away enclosure in the country. Our away support for the size of the club is second to none. I'd like a chance to see that again because an away win in a packed Barnsley end when we're challenging for automatic promotion is just about as good as life gets.
I don't think we will go up this season so it doesn't really matter. However, I have seen a few second tier games this season and I think you're wrong in terms of its strength. The team I've seen the most, Huddersfield, I reckon we'd be a decent match for them. They've a handful of quality second tier players but after that? Dreadful. And they're still better than another five or six clubs up there. So were we to go up this season, I reckon we'd fit right back into our usual role of Championship strugglers. I want us to go up though, this season. Because bridging the gap gets harder each year, financially. And our standout laikers at this level will be coveted by other clubs. Were we to fail in the playoffs, or even just miss out and finish 7th or 8th etc, I'd fear losing the likes of Hourihane, Davies, Holgate, Winnall... I do understand Jay's reasoning. I'd love us to win the division next season, 13,000 gates at Oakwell and packing every away end, playing vibrant, attacking football with graft aplenty. But I've never seen us do that in my 27 seasons watching tarn. I've seen us sneak up via the playoffs, and finish worthy runners up in the second tier. But winning a division? How many times have we actually done that?
I believe the last time we were promoted as Champions was in the 1954-55 season when we went from Division Three North to Division 2
Just as a coincidence also in the 1954-55 season Bristol City were promoted to Division two as Champions from Division Three South.
We won't play Preston in the final well play them in the qualifiers if we get the last spot and they miss out. Like all the teams from this division that goes up well have to strengthen and hope our best players can make the step up .none of the teams that get promoted from this league will flourish in the championship as they stand now IMO. Having the right management,a fairly decent purse and luck with players will be key to surviving/flourishing imo PS if it is Preston and us IMO we will go to Wembley.