Another day another opinion dividing question...

Reaching the playoffs would be fantastic, especially as we aren't in a position where it's win this year or the whole thing falls to pieces. Connolly and Davis are the only starters who are really getting up there in age, with Hammond/Lambert/Guly having another 2-3 years in the tank...with significant cash to spend, if we don't go up this year, we'll probably be among the favourites to go up next.

 

I totally agree with you,this is a new club,a club with an ambitious vision and dream and we should all believe in this vision if we do that we can reach bigger and better things.

 

I also wonder, despite the "5 year plan" how NC will feel if we don't make the playoffs given the strong start we've had. He seemed pretty miffed that we missed out in the playoffs season before last, and we started on -10 then. Even after 7 games then we were still on -5. Clearly we're in a much much stronger position now, just with more competition.

So with the headstart we have, will he tolerate anything less than the playoffs?

 

Sure NC will stick with Adkins even if we don't make play-offs. He can see that we are going in the right direction, even if it took a 2nd year in Championship.

 

Yes, Adam, I'm aware that's extremely unlikely! Sort of a tongue in cheek comment, that.

Here's the list in full for anyone who's interested:

Farnborough 10/11 (Would have been promoted to Conference National (I was at this game)
Aldershot Town 09/10 (Would have been promoted to League 1)
Farnborough 08/09 (Would have been promoted to Conference South (I was at this game too)
Fleet Town 08/09 (Would have been promoted to Southern League Premier Division)
Fleet Town 07/08 (Would have been promoted to Southern League Premier Division)
Southampton 06/07 (Would have been promoted to Premiership)
Havant & Waterlooville 06/07 (would have been promoted to Conference National)
Farnborough Town 05/06 (Would have been promoted to Conference National)
Aldershot Town 04/05 (Would have been promoted to League 2)
Aldershot Town 03/04 (Would have been promoted to League 2)

 

Ha-ha, he did indeed. He also joked that he'd rather have automatic promotion because the play-offs would kill him, he gets that nervous. And [with all due respect to the memory of Markus Liebherr] we don't want a dead Chairman. Especially this one.

 

There was a shot of Nicola hovering in a doorway taken during the first game of the season by Sky. We were winning and he looked like a rabbit in headlights. I wonder at what score he starts to enjoy a match: 6.1 up perhaps.

Sky wrongly identified another chap as Nicola, but he was laughing so we weren't fooled.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

You know what..? When people were predicting where we'd finish this season, I said... give me 10 games to make my mind up... I absolutely still want those 10 games, but I'm beginning to get a taste for the top two. Ridiculous, isn't it..? But then Saints keep on doing the ridiculous. At the moment, I'll settle for where Cortese and Adkins will settle for. All I need to do is ask them.

 

Is this really an opinion dividing question? Are the honestly a large number of fans out there who wouldn't be happy with a top 6 finish? I'd be dancing up and down the streets at a top 6 finish!!

Anyone who'd be disappointed with 3rd place needs their head checking surely?

 

No, I'd certainly not be disappointed with 3rd. I've just a sneaky feeling this team can do slightly better. Let's face it, I'm biased.

 

At the moment we all fancy auto, but probably after a bit of yo-yoing later in season we'll all be happy with top 6. Our present position may be fortuitous, but it shows we can compete. Loving it at the moment.

 

I'll take wherever we finish this season, it's what fans do. I'd have wasted a lot of money on a season ticket if I took the outcome now and knew it was destined to be. What we have is good and we have resources to add to it when we need to so enjoy the ride.

Top 6 would be nice, top 2 would be very nice, but we can only take each game as it comes. From what I've seen so far, anything seems possible. If Brighton don't beat Leicester, a win tomorrow would put us back on top.

 

Yes, definitely. We've got off to a great start but it's just that, a start, so it will be fantastic if we get a top 6 finish.

 

I'm certain of two things. West Ham will win the league and Saints aren't destined for promotion via the playoffs. When we go up, it will be via an auto. Just hope it's this year!

 

With 4 games in the next 2 weeks it will be interesting to see how it pans out, I think we can continue racking up the points over these games, and from then on the season starts in earnest

 

I can't take all this optimism!!!!!!!

 

The reality is who wouldn't like us to finish in the top six, with at least a chance to be promoted? To answer the original question though, Would you take it now? You would be bonkers IMO not to accept. However how much satisfaction would there be in doing that? Would that actually give you a sense of achievement? I don't think so. So for me I would have to say what ever this season has in store for us. What ever the twists and turns......lets earn our fortune. Nobody can then say we weren't entitled to be there.......we had earned that right.

 

I know we are a good side and there was no chance of being near the bottom, but have been amazed at our start. A few more games will tell us if we're really in race for auto, but even if we slip a bit now, I'm sure Adkins can learn from defeat and change things round. Just want another win today as I'm going. COYR