[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Chuffed to bits with that, yest'di.

A hardworking performance from one and all, possibly personified by Anderson and Liddle almost taking each other out challenging for the same tackle in the later stages.

The same Gary Liddle who did a fist-pumping celebration at the final whistle.

Meanwhile only the most prejudiced would deny the difference Sam Hird makes, despite playing the defensive midfield 'one' in a four-one-four-one.

Dunno if Bolton were lacklustre on the day but the quality displayed on recent tv appearances was happily lacking.

Regardless of the former Premier League players in their line-up (Ameobi impressed without really hurting, I thought).

Infact though they skied (is that a real word?) several opportunities we looked the more likely to score as the game progressed.

Town fans have endured a tortuous twenty sixteen both on and off the pitch, yet we go into the Christmas period above the relegation zone with players to return.

My letter to Santa will ask for fifty points and new owners who have the Club's best interests at heart.

This result against a previously impressive Bolton outfit suggests we might find at least one of those in our collective stocking.

This post has been edited by MDCCCLXVI: 18 December 2016 - 10:42 AM

[Spire-Heights]

Yesterday proves one thing to me, we have the fight, desire and commitment and are capable of competing in this league. If we apply ourselves like that for the rest of the season, we won't go down.

[Lincs Spireite]

But that's town all over isn't it. We beat teams we shouldn't have a cat in hell's chance, yet lose to lower teams.

[clarevoyant.]

McGinn and Wilko fit for Rochdale do we alter a winning team ? Does Danny show loyalty to the team that put all the effort in?

[CrossStreet62]

First post for a while...made a pledge I wouldn't post again until we got out of the bottom 4.
Battling gritty performance yesterday .. the system definitely helped the players ..4.1.4.1. Thought Sam just in front helped the defensive unit massively..he never stopped talking organising pulling the back 4 up from our 18 yard box whenever possible. Special mention for the keeper .. the 1 on 1 in the first half lifted the whole team and fans alike. Thought Liam had one his best games ..it looks like he's better further forward than I thought he would be.. Really pleased for Connor..just maybe he's going to realise what he needs to do now week in week out if selected ..thought Gboly was better especially first half..Jay was effective and Ched just ran his legs off.
Danny knows the situation is going to be tough and very difficult ..he's had his players in and long discussions have taken place with the senior pros..he's balled out his captain and taken him out of his midfield position ..think it was after the Scunny game..and he's been part of the defensive unit ever since.
Really pleased for Danny and his demeanour hasn't and won't change.
With the players to come back it has to look promising for 2017..Tommy Lee.. Paul Macginn..Dan Jones ..Jon Nolan..Angel ..Conor Wilkinson..plus the handful of young lads who have promise. It looks better for us.. what do we need 29 points from 24 games to give us a chance.?. Don't know what you think but I believe we will do it and after all that's happened it would be a fantastic effort.
Yesterday's performance and clean sheet will have given the lads massive confidence and we know how important that is..the next 2 away games will be difficult and awkward ..I would take 2 points now..anything else would be a bonus ....lets hope so.

[jack daniels]

If we were to be taken over and funded by a seriously wealthy benefactor we would still have the loyal 4 thousand plus hangers on who couldn't get tickets or afford them for the more established "big teams" . Fact of life,always will be while silly money pulls the strings as regards the running of football

[jack bauer]

CrossStreet62, on 18 December 2016 - 02:38 PM, said:

First post for a while...made a pledge I wouldn't post again until we got out of the bottom 4.
Battling gritty performance yesterday .. the system definitely helped the players ..4.1.4.1. Thought Sam just in front helped the defensive unit massively..he never stopped talking organising pulling the back 4 up from our 18 yard box whenever possible. Special mention for the keeper .. the 1 on 1 in the first half lifted the whole team and fans alike. Thought Liam had one his best games ..it looks like he's better further forward than I thought he would be.. Really pleased for Connor..just maybe he's going to realise what he needs to do now week in week out if selected ..thought Gboly was better especially first half..Jay was effective and Ched just ran his legs off.
Danny knows the situation is going to be tough and very difficult ..he's had his players in and long discussions have taken place with the senior pros..he's balled out his captain and taken him out of his midfield position ..think it was after the Scunny game..and he's been part of the defensive unit ever since.
Really pleased for Danny and his demeanour hasn't and won't change.
With the players to come back it has to look promising for 2017..Tommy Lee.. Paul Macginn..Dan Jones ..Jon Nolan..Angel ..Conor Wilkinson..plus the handful of young lads who have promise. It looks better for us.. what do we need 29 points from 24 games to give us a chance.?. Don't know what you think but I believe we will do it and after all that's happened it would be a fantastic effort.
Yesterday's performance and clean sheet will have given the lads massive confidence and we know how important that is..the next 2 away games will be difficult and awkward ..I would take 2 points now..anything else would be a bonus ....lets hope so.

great post, the thing we can't afford now for the rest of the season is another bad run, I accept we may be a side that delights one week and then despairs the next but we can't have another run of say 5 or 6 games without a win

[lindo-spireite]

Cheers for the report chris, insightful as ever

[lindave]

4pts in the next games would be great.

[Clarence13]

A record of W8 D6 L10 from our last 24 games should see us scrape survival, which on paper looks achievable. The worry is that I can't see many teams above us getting dragged into the dogfight (with the possible exception of Swindon, who are very average). I think MK will string a run together and pull clear, and Walsall and Port Vale will have enough nous to get themselves to 55 odd points. Which could mean it's already 4 from the current bottom 5 who will go down. Looking at the fixture list I think February will be crucial; we play Oldham(h), Northampton(a), Gillingham(a), Bury(h), Oxford(h) and Walsall(a). At least we've given ourselves a fighting chance because a month ago the vast majority of fans (myself included) had written us off as already down.

[Westbars Spireite]

In our favour three of the current bottom four are basket cases with worse off field problems than us. It could be us v Shrewsbury even from this distance.

[Tha Knows...]

Disappointed by how well Wimbledon have done. I had them nailed on for bottom 4 early in the season

[Clarence13]

I still have nightmares thinking about the Gillingham game; those 2 points could yet come back to haunt us..

[Tha Knows...]

Indeed so. Ridiculous end to game

[azul]

We will be mid table as long as we don't do stupid business in the January transfer window

[Mr Mercury]

azul, on 20 December 2016 - 12:06 PM, said:

We will be mid table as long as we don't do stupid business in the January transfer window

That's the crunch, I think if we maintain the squad, what with the injured players returning we should, I repeat, should just be ok. I don't agree with your optimistic mid table call but I do think we'd survive with a few points to spare. All depends on what happens with ched and O'Shea, Boli to a lesser extent although if he went for around £500k and DW could bring a replacement in I wouldn't be too upset, I still think Boli has something lined up though.

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 20 December 2016 - 12:46 PM

[Half Full]

azul, on 20 December 2016 - 12:06 PM, said:

We will be mid table as long as we don't do stupid business in the January transfer window

At very least we should recontract Allinson and exercise extension to Ched's contract.