Bournemouth

[Rockford's Love Child]

I notice that Bournemouth have signed arguably Swindon's best player, Matt Ritchie, for £400,000, which will surely have consequences for both sides in the remainder of the season. It is strange to see a club that was in administration five minutes ago buying everybody in sight with no thought of the long term consequences. On gates of 6,000 their current transfer policy surely can't be sustainable and I am not clear how it is they are operating within fair play rules on wages.

Personally, I much prefer Rovers' strategy of financial prudence. If we do get promotion at the expense of clubs like Bournemouth it would surely be some kind of moral victory.

 

[Boz]

The money presumably from their Russian investors. Given a bid of £1m was turned down for Ritchie in the summer, could argue this is good business for the Cherries. Swindle seem to be having something of a fire sale atm, with all their problems.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

The money presumably from their Russian investors.

Financial fair play rules dictate that a League One club's wage budget can't exceed 65% of their turnover, so unless there is some sort of scam in operation (ie. trying to declare the owner's capital investment as income) I think Bournemouth must be contravening the rules given the size of their squad.

A club who are in danger of going into administration selling to a club who will be in administration (again) in 18 months........

 

[bigmart]

Boz, Swindon are being sold to a consortium so wont be much of a fire sake. As for the fair play rules there are plenty ways round them

 

[Boz]

Boz, Swindon are being sold to a consortium so wont be much of a fire sake.

Paolo di Canio considering his position after Ritchie effectively sold behind his back and the new consortium aren't in place yet...things not looking too good for Swindle.

 

[bigmart]

Paolo di Canio considering his position after Ritchie effectively sold behind his back and the new consortium aren't in place yet...things not looking too good for Swindle.

The only reason the consortium not in place as the league takes a few days to agree to it. As for Di Canio maybe he will leave but i doubt it.

Swindon & Doncaster will bw our biggest dangers for the top two if we can remain up there.

 

[DIW]

From the BBC website.
BOURNEMOUTH: Matt Ritchie [£500,000 from Swindon], Ryan Fraser [undisclosed, believed to be £400,000, from Aberdeen], Brett Pitman [undisclosed from Bristol City]

Nearly a million quid on transfers?????????

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

From the BBC website.
BOURNEMOUTH: Matt Ritchie [£500,000 from Swindon], Ryan Fraser [undisclosed, believed to be £400,000, from Aberdeen], Brett Pitman [undisclosed from Bristol City]

Nearly a million quid on transfers?????????

More than a million, as Pitman was probably the most expensive of the three. And that is before even considering their wages.

I think any of the top six can still win automatic promotion, but I would now rule Coventry and MK Dons out. Sheff Utd also seem to be heading in the wrong direction on and off the pitch. The next month is crucial for us as we are playing lower placed sides (with the exception of Swindon) and have a real opportunity to open a gap to third place.

 

[Boz]

Bournemouth are on a roll at present and unless their band-waggon gets de-railed look prime contenders for the automatics.

Any team in L1 can beat another on their day. I wouldn't attach too much weight to the fact we're playing lower sides, as Carlisle demonstrated.

 

[Ian]

Any team in L1 can beat another on their day. I wouldn't attach too much weight to the fact we're playing lower sides, as Carlisle demonstrated.

A fascinating and extremely tight league, the roller coaster's only just begun!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Any team in L1 can beat another on their day. I wouldn't attach too much weight to the fact we're playing lower sides, as Carlisle demonstrated.

Well, yes and no. If the top teams did not generally beat the bottom ones they would not be in their respective positions.

Carlisle are the first team from the bottom half of the table to beat us this season and even then in extenuating circumstances, which just goes to prove the point. All our other defeats have been against prime challengers (Bournemouth, Donny, MK, Swindon, Cov.).

 

[Ian]

I think if you look at other teams though, there have been some surprising results. Top two lost yesterday, Doncaster losing against Bury who aren't a good side.

Then we had Sheff Utd losing at home to Hartlepool a few weeks back. I think that's why it's so tight at the top, no-one is breaking away.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think if you look at other teams though, there have been some surprising results. Top two lost yesterday, Doncaster losing against Bury who aren't a good side.

Yes, but those results are still the exception rather than the rule which is why you remember them.

But I agree there is no Leicester or Charlton in League One this season.

 

[SonkORLY?]

The gap between top and bottom in leagues at our level is less pronounced than at higher levels, but teams aren't arbitrarily positioned. The better sides are at the top, the worse ones are at the bottom.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Bad result tonight with Swindle winning at Colchester. Anything less than a victory at Orient on Saturday and we are likely to slip to third place, ironcially for the first time since we played Orient in the opening game of the season. Swindon at home to Hartlepool; Donny at home to Walsall.

 

[Ian]

Yeah, that puts a little more pressure on us. I think we are reaching a critical stage of the season now. If we are not careful, we could end up losing a few places with teams fighting for their lives at the bottom and some consistent performers creeping up behind us such as Swindon and Doncaster.

I'm hoping Saturday was a one off because at this stage of the season, players have to perform for 90 minutes and keep their heads. The more I think about Akpo, the more hacked off I get. Stupidity missing three games.

I do have more faith that we'll put in a good performance on Saturday as our away performances are usually more solid.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Yeah, that puts a little more pressure on us. I think we are reaching a critical stage of the season now.

Definitely. Having been top all season, it would be very bad psychologically to get dragged back into the pack at this stage. In addition to the teams you mention, Bournemouth and Brentford are also within touching distance.

With Akpro I would still strongly fancy us on Saturday; without him the game looks trickier, although Orient had a setback in the JPT tonight.

As an aside, it was incredible to see Coventry attracted 31,000 to their JPT area final against Crewe tonight: unfortunately for the 31,000, they lost 3-0.