https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51 ... _pfOoJ0OGo

I read an interesting article today on little Brechin City of the Scottish league two. Three seasons ago they were promoted to the Scottish Championship (one below the Premiership!) and decided to remain part time. They finished bottom of the league with just 4 points and zero wins. (The only club in Scottish football history to ever not record one win in a whole season).
Since that season they have never recovered form, facing another relegation last season and are currently bottom of the league two, in danger of going out of the league!
The chairman puts it down to the fact the club were never ready for promotion to the Championship and should never have gone up as a part time club.
Sad story and I hope they stay up this year, but just goes to show how hard it is to shake off a losing mentality. I so hope after Scunthorpe we have shaken ours off!
But it is interesting to see how many teams come down from league one and struggle again in league two the following season. I wonder what our form would've been like if we had won promotion last season? Would Joe and Dan have stayed? Would we have started the season well as Tranmere did? Or would we have been struggling at the bottom like MK Dons...… What ifs....

I said all along that I thought promotion would have been a step too far for the club economically. Our revenues had no chance of growing commensurately to how much our budgets would have needed to increase to keep us up there. Not making it was still heartbreaking, but I think it might have quietly saved the club for the medium term.

Until we have our own stadium and control over our revenues, we need to accept that there is a limit to how far the club can go.

njbh86 wrote:I said all along that I thought promotion would have been a step too far for the club economically. Our revenues had no chance of growing commensurately to how much our budgets would have needed to increase to keep us up there. Not making it was still heartbreaking, but I think it might have quietly saved the club for the medium term.

Until we have our own stadium and control over our revenues, we need to accept that there is a limit to how far the club can go.

Well Clubs like Accrington seem to do well on lower budgets than us so don't expect that argument

Promotion from Conference South and the three years spent in that league, culminating in two visits to Wembley brought about a quite dramatic increase in attendances and interest in the club. Those joining in during that period were perhaps seduced into believing that was the norm, and we'd be promoted again quite soon. Others, who had waited patiently since the days in the Hellenic League, suggested a longer time would be acceptable and were criticised for lacking ambition. We're now in our seventh season in the EFL. A rocky road, but we're getting there. Promotion last season could have caused severe problems, including reduced attendances. I'm still happy that we are alive and kicking at a suitable level.

Interesting debate this , I recall the 80s when many suggested we couldn’t afford to go up to the old division 2. The team faltered and some would argue it was the start of our demise.

Last year at Wembley was a great occasion but I comforted myself with the fact that whichever team went up would struggle, and so it seems the case looking at Tranmere this season.

Personally I’d rather go up and then worry about it , but we all know how easy it is to have back to back relegations.

Over 10 years ago in response to a post of mine, and I genuinely don't remember who it was said, 'Have you thought that Conference South is a proper level?'

Don't buy a house. It might burn down.

Don't learn to drive. You might die in a car crash.

Don't ask her out, She might break your heart.

Don't go outdoors. You might get struck by lightning.

Don't aspire to a good job. You risk not getting it.

Don't accept that great job offer. You might get sacked.

In fact stay in bed. In a hundred years time you'll be dead anyway.

I'm in the camp that had we have gone up last season it could have been a disaster. I don't want to see the demise of the club similar to that which started ok n 1986/87.
When we go up, and it will happen one day, we need security of ground tenure, financial stability, administrative infrastructure.
When we go up we need things in place that will see us safe in League 1 for the next three years.
I don't want promotion believing we would come straight back down.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:Over 10 years ago in response to a post of mine, and I genuinely don't remember who it was said, 'Have you thought that Conference South is a proper level?'

Don't buy a house. It might burn down.

Don't learn to drive. You might die in a car crash.

Don't ask her out, She might break your heart.

Don't go outdoors. You might get struck by lightning.

Don't aspire to a good job. You risk not getting it.

Don't accept that great job offer. You might get sacked.

In fact stay in bed. In a hundred years time you'll be dead anyway.

You want to surround yourself with some more positive people, that's just awful, obviously not anything said by any of your fellow supporters in Suffolk/Ipswich.

Fourthousand wrote:[

You want to surround yourself with some more positive people, that's just awful, obviously not anything said by any of your fellow supporters in Suffolk/Ipswich.

Positive people?

I suppose the supporters of Ipswich Town for a start,

Ipswich, a town of fewer people than Newport. Suffolk, a county with far fewer people than Gwent.

Yet the optimistic folk that support Ipswich are so optimistic that they feel that challenging for promotion from League 1 is disappointing.

Thank you for making my point.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

Fourthousand wrote:[

You want to surround yourself with some more positive people, that's just awful, obviously not anything said by any of your fellow supporters in Suffolk/Ipswich.

Positive people?

I suppose the supporters of Ipswich Town for a start,

Ipswich, a town of fewer people than Newport. Suffolk, a county with far fewer people than Gwent.

Yet the optimistic folk that support Ipswich are so optimistic that they feel that challenging for promotion from League 1 is disappointing.

Thank you for making my point.

You're welcome, I know you are a little bit 'reserved', a a little reticent, about talking of your team on a Newport County fans forum.

allontheamber wrote:I'm in the camp that had we have gone up last season it could have been a disaster. I don't want to see the demise of the club similar to that which started ok n 1986/87.
When we go up, and it will happen one day, we need security of ground tenure, financial stability, administrative infrastructure.
When we go up we need things in place that will see us safe in League 1 for the next three years.
I don't want promotion believing we would come straight back down.

If you remember there were some posters on here saying promotion to the football league was to early

I don't get those arguments we just need to push on

UPTHEPORT wrote:

allontheamber wrote:I'm in the camp that had we have gone up last season it could have been a disaster. I don't want to see the demise of the club similar to that which started ok n 1986/87.
When we go up, and it will happen one day, we need security of ground tenure, financial stability, administrative infrastructure.
When we go up we need things in place that will see us safe in League 1 for the next three years.
I don't want promotion believing we would come straight back down.

If you remember there were some posters on here saying promotion to the football league was to early

I don't get those arguments we just need to push on

Got to agree 100% here.

Over the years heard so many stories of clubs not wanting promotion and deliberately slowing up as the season finishes.
Lets hope we never get that attitude.
We go up make a lot of bucks, struggle bounce back down.
So be then we go again.
Seriously if we went up we would be okay in middle or just under with the squad we have now anyway.

Frank Nouble 3 wrote:


......... Seriously if we went up we would be okay in middle or just under with the squad we have now anyway.

How do you square this statement with the current dissatisfaction with performances and poor points return?

excessbee wrote:

Frank Nouble 3 wrote:


......... Seriously if we went up we would be okay in middle or just under with the squad we have now anyway.

How do you square this statement with the current dissatisfaction with performances and poor points return?

Simple because we always play better against better sides rather than hoof ball against the dross.
We very rarely hammer a poor team.
EG all the cup games.
Plymouth/ Crewe home this season.
FGR away.
Even MK Dons in Mickey Mouse cup.
We just get drawn down to crap teams level unfortunately.
Pretty sure we will play well Saturday against quality.
Look at Yeovil 0-6 and they get relegated.
Says it all really.

What a bizarre idea! So this team is actually too good for League Two?