Well it’s been a while since I have done a blog on this account, but no better time with the season coming to an end. This season has been a poor one especially with some of the noise coming out of the club during the summer, so from next season what is required to gain promotion to the championship.

Well let’s look back at the last 4 Promotions for starters. First of all in all of those campaigns one person would score over 20 League goals. From Mendonca, Hunt, Wright-Phillips and Taylor, they knew where the net was, but also they each played over 40 League games in those seasons. Our top league scorer is Washington on 10 goals from 28 league games

You need your best players playing over 75% of your league games if you want to be good. Okay we could go and sign 6 players who could do that, but they have to be bloody good otherwise you may as well sign a bunch of marathon runners. Fit but no good if they can’t kick a ball.

Our promotion to the Premier League back in 1998. Now 12 of those players played over half of the League games. Eight of them over 75% and Mark Kinsella who was ever present. Bar the keeper that season most of the side would be there most games. Keith Jones, Newton, Robinson, Bowen, Rufus, Mendonca, Kinsella were on your team sheet if you were guessing who would play in the pub beforehand. 

The same with the title winning side from 2000. Even more so this season with your regulars. 13 of those players over 50% of league fixtures. Nine over 75% and 5 of them in Kiely, Robinson, Rufus, Hunt and Newton over 90%

The play off winning season from 2019, not so much like that, however 5 of those players in Taylor, Solly, Aribo, Sarr and Bauer would play in over 75%, but 16 in that squad would play over half the league games. Now with 7 subs on the bench by then, that would be more likely but again you knew what the spine of your team would be. Phillips, Bauer, Cullen, Bielik, Aribo and Taylor.

Now onto this season. 31 different players have been used in 39 League games so far, with 13 of those over 50% of League games played, with 7 of those playing over 75%. More than the last promotion winning season but more players are being used in other positions down to injuries and trying to find players to get us out of the mess in the first 2 months of this campaign.

So how to improve. Well we need to be looking at good quality players you can play over 35 league games a season. No point having someone playing 6 games here and there, then getting injured again. We need consistency. Get the spine of the side right. Also someone with a record of scoring over 20 league goals. Okay saying it but with the likes of Taylor on a free 4 years ago and Kermorgant (Also on a free) they can be found.

Fingers crossed we can have better 2022/2023 and a push for at least a Play Off Spot.