My views on the current goings on a the club

Here is just my thoughts on the club and what it happening as the season goes on.

I have decided to change this page up and make it a bit more of my views on the team I love. Even though I guess this will be me whinging and moaning but I will try and keep finding some positives when possible but I promise nothing.

The table from December 8th onwards -

10th May - Episode #17 - The season is done and dusted

Well... that was the season that was, and there is no dressing up a truly awful season all rounded off with a relegation with the team finishing 23rd out of 24 teams. There has already been conversation of telling the players to expect the pressure of a promotion season and being able to cope with being one of the favourites. For me I think we will struggle to reach the heady heights of 12th (which if you don’t know that is top half). As I mentioned on the information pages the contract situation seems to be correct in the main and one rumour already doing the rounds is Anthony Hartigan on his way to Bolton Wanderers as well as some Championship clubs. Which I cannot believe, he struggled to get a place with us last season and went on loan to Newport County where he again was slowly phased out of the first team beyond some substitute appearances towards the end of the season. That said he was strongly involved during the good (early) point of the season and when he went so did the form although beyond being the dead-ball taker I am not sure what else he brought to the team. He didn’t seem that interested in the fight for survival and was happy to take a wage and sit on his arse. So, am I going to miss him? I think that is a no!

I will circle back as I haven’t really addressed the relegation business beyond the rants before the final game of the season where once again we were awful. What a lacklustre performance again, I have never seen so many people walk out when the third went in just before half-time. Many didn’t bother coming back either. I was amused when the second goal went in and we cheered to then watch the fans from the fans zone run back around to the stand and celebrate. They didn’t know what they were celebrating but what the hell lets enjoy it. Overall, those players who I thought weren’t good enough proved it again. I think Osew was terrible, Cosgrove has become one of the worst signing that I can think of in the AFC era. He has contributed nothing, and his record speaks for itself. 2 goals against Crewe and one elsewhere sees him claim three goals for the entire season. Whilst collecting a £17,000 pay cheque every week mind you. We concede four at home on the final game and it was a shit-show from minute one, yes the second half was much better but the bright points were few and far between.

I will try and summarise the other blog page here with the contract details and also point out another lie either from the management or simply lazy press people. As there were rumours around January time that Anthony Hartigan had refused a new contract and wanted away. We were told that this was news to the team and the board. Now, a new report has come out that says that Hartigan has refused a contract and is about to leave and join Bolton Wanderers. If he goes there will be fee as he is under 25 but that would leave the team as follows:

Henry Lawrence, Sam Cosgrove, Tomas Kalinauskas, Dapo Mebude, Terry Ablade, and Aaron Pressley were on loan and returning to their parent clubs. Sorry to say it but possible the worst group of loan signing I have seen in ages.

Players that I believe to be out of contract and require signing a new deal to be back for next season are Daniel Csoka, Alex Woodyard, Cheye Alexander, Anthony Hartigan, Nesta Guinness-Walker, Ben Heneghan, Zaki Qualah, Egli Kaja, Paul Osew, Derick Osei Yaw, and Darius Charles. Darius has retired so will not be back. I think Daniel, Cheye, and Ben would be worth offering something. Alex, Anthony, Nesta, and Paul can make up their own minds or just go which won’t bother me that much.

I have four that have extension options which I believe two have been triggered already namely Zach Robinson and Jack Madelin. The other two will be interested to see namely Lee Brown and Ethan Chislett.

Which leaves Aaron Cosgrave, George Marsh, Jack Rudoni, Luke McCormick, Nik Tzanev, Paul Kalambayi, Nathan Broome, Ayoub Assal, and Will Nightingale. Which if my maths are ok we have the goalkeeping department the same again this season. We have two centre backs, four midfielders and a sole forward (with Robinson as an additional one). The attacking options were very thin at the end of the season.

Which leads neatly into the comments of the departing manager of you need to get someone in quickly to give them the time to get things organised over the summer. This way they can organise the squad how they would like and then be able to create the team they want for the coming season. Oh and while on the subject of the manager that finished the season, he has departed with the news that he is going to manage someone much higher up the pyramid. The fact that he failed to inspire a win for us does show that either he wasn’t as good as it would seem (this will be shown with his new appointment) or the squad simply weren’t good enough. As seeing the bottom of the table this season there were some awful teams down there and we were worse than them all, by the end.

There will be lots of speculation as to the new manager, some names I have heard are Luke Garrard, Jason Goodliffe, Steve Evans, Andy Woodman, Steven Reid, Simon Bassey, Jason Euell, John McGreal, Kenny Jackett, Paul Tisdale, and Sol Campbell. As to who I want is a subject for another day.

22nd April - Episode #16 - Confidence in my prediction

To back what I say, I will shave off my beard if we stay up from this helpless position. Do not get me wrong I would love to be proved wrong but from here we ain't getting out the mess that we are in. If we do the beard will go. Possibly in the ground on the day.

20th April - Episode #15 - The end is nigh

Well, we are not officially relegated yet. However, in my eyes this is just a matter of time rather than anything else. The new boss said that he believed that two wins would be enough to keep us up, we have two games left and haven’t picked up one win yet. Do I think we can turn a four-point deficit around with just two games left? Nope! It isn’t going to happen. My point from many seasons back is that when a team has been awful for a long time, and they reach the point where they are completely ‘backs against the wall’ stage you cannot expect that team to suddenly change everything results wise. For example, which could be a team that has won 2 of the last 10 games now needs 9 points in three games then that isn’t going to happen. You cannot expect a team to change and suddenly turn into a Manchester City or Liverpool and win everything. This is where we are now and to expect a team that hasn’t won in twenty-five games to win both of their remaining games is simply asking too much.

Do I want them to? Yes of course but I have accepted that we will be in League Two next season, and it will also be a struggle next season just as hard as it has been this season. Added to that we will be having less bums on seats and then less game day spending and traffic also. If that is unclear, I am talking programmes, beers, and food. The number of away fans will be significantly lower than this season also, if you think Hartlepool United, Rochdale, Harrogate Town, and Carlisle United are going to bring as many as Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Derby County, and Plymouth Argyle. Yes, I am comparing very different clubs but across the season you will see the difference. My point is that I have accepted the consequences of what happens when a team goes for more than half a season without a win does to a club. Mainly as I have put some serious contemplation into this when crying myself to sleep every night (joke) and I think I have stated my thoughts already below. I am annoyed with one thing that made me look stupid all season and its not that I am who I am either.

I said at the start of the season we are going to struggle up until January and then all the money we make can be ploughed (pun intended) back into getting some loan players in to keep us up. What a fool I was thinking that the Plough Lane Bond had actually done its job, and all was sorted. Yes, there was a pandemic to cope with as well but we were told that we had come out of that in better shape than many others in our division. What a pack of lies that was!! We are financially screwed, and I didn’t fully appreciate that until I think it was November time when it was announced that we need another £4million to pay back and then we will be financially secure for the future beyond this season. That hit me like a slap in the face with a wet fish. I will be kind and say that we shall put this down to my misunderstanding.

I will say that what happened at the end of last season was a manager came in and let the players prove themselves and turned a season around. At the end of the season the board met with the manager and said we don’t have anywhere near the playing budget we had last season what do you suggest. He said we build a long-term plan and bring through the youth players which I have looked after for many years who are good enough to pick up enough points to be safe. We can dot some loan players across the areas which are weak to ensure we have just enough to keep up mid-table. What then happened was we brought in players for bigger clubs on loan that were the same age as the ones we already had. We signed some rejects from some Premier League Clubs as well that were not good enough for their own youth set up and we put them straight into the first team. Ultimately, we had one recognised striker and surrounded him with quick, young, talented kids who could support the big man and then we attack as a five defend as a six. All started so well that all was good. The problem was when that player was injured the stand in was not very well liked by the fans, but I could see what he brought to the team. However, it meant having only two options in that position, when both were injured, there was no real other option. We had times in the season when we picked a team based on who was fit and not who would be first choice but again the cracks were papered over. Then a few games were postponed when the young tails were up, and all was going well and all momentum simply died. There were signs that it was coming back when the only striker noted above was sold because the money was more important. We had enough points and more would trickle in to keep us above the scary line. Leaving a single loan player in the lone striker role. Then what the fans didn’t realise as they believed what the club had told us that we have a loans and transfer team constantly looking and scouting options to bring in and we assumed that meant when we planned to sell the forward there was someone lined up. What fools we were. One big issue is when you shop in the Bargain Basement Bins you really shouldn’t Panic Buy. This is what we did. The planning and structure we were told were there was a myth, and we brought a player on £17,000-a-week at a Championship club that had not managed to score double figures in a season for about three years. In fact, he had played against us and failed to impress he has scored three goals this season one against Gillingham and twice against Crewe Alexandra who is the worst side in this league (bar us). He started the season starting for Shrewsbury Town until they recorded their second victory against us in September and he became a bench warmer as they turned their poor start into a great season going to Anfield and moving safely away from the bottom of the table. Meanwhile he joins us and has flattered to deceive now it comes to something when he is still better in many eyes of the fans compared to the other forward for that position a man on loan from a Premier League club who after going back for treatment and a trip to the Mediterranean sun decided that his ankle couldn’t take returning to us and ended up staying there. Leaving us with one option up front. We returned to the Bargain Basement Buckets and got an unattached forward to sign until the end of the season. Without a recognised player for the attacking lynchpin position the club has scored twice in just three games this calendar year. That is three games when the team has scored more than once in a game. Let that sink in for a moment. That is twenty-three games and only three times have we scored more than once in a game. If you need to see what the problem is, then here it is. I remember when I first got into football, I used to go to a team that used to grind out 1-0 wins week after week and this is not anything like that team (although in the same tier). This team sees holding onto a lead like holding onto an eel with soap bars for hands whilst stood in a shower. We have led 11 times in a run of 25 games without a win.

Do I blame the manager? To a point yes, he knew what he was getting into and promised a process that would take a while then failed to fully see the rug being whipped away from under him as anyone could see that the squad was thread bare incredibly early in the season. When I was saying we actually need another centre back as we didn’t have any. I will add a sidenote here that we are currently playing three each game and still have others on the bench. Forwards we don’t have any. It sums up the season that we bring a loaned out forward back to the club and he gets injured. Desperately we bring another one back from loan and to say he was actually starting to perform, and he gets injured as well. Down to the Bargain Basement collection of the expensive guy and the other one that no other club wanted (he was free in the middle of March).

Who should accept more of the blame is the board? It feels like we have a board that is playing at leading a club rather than actually leading the club. We had a chair that just one day walked out, which was very weird as we travelled to Windsor & Eton and arrived to find out the chairman had gone. We then had Erik take charge and stability arrived. Not just on the pitch but we secured a ground and then players that we could actually afford, and we moved up the leagues reaching the EFL. He organised getting the team back in Wimbledon and then knowing he wanted to step down he put things in place to bring a CEO to come in and manage the club behind the scenes. Someone with football league experience who suddenly up sticks and left when the shit hit the fan this season. There has been some chaos this season with ticketing and some other decisions that were just strange to me. Not having a plan for the finances for an April deadline when moving into November being another. The club and the fans are ambitious, and you can hear that when fans suggest players to sign that we cannot afford. I did find it interesting that when Palmer left, we were talking with John Marquis who decided to not bother with us but go to Lincoln City who have steadily moved up the table as we have steadily moved in the other direction.

Who do I blame for relegation this season? The answer for me is an easy one. Highlighted by the lack of planning which resulted in shock at not getting wins and then not having back up players good enough to help. Finance issues without an honest comment until halfway through the season. Ticketing issues with a makeshift ‘we will make-do on the day’ attitude. Every time I walk in the ground, I have my bag searched and every time the security guard searching my bag has to ask their superior if I am allowed to bring bottles of soft drinks into the ground with lids on. Once I was asked to remove them, most of the time I am told it is fine, another time my bag wasn’t even searched. Does this affect the football - no it highlights the point that things that should be logical and able to plan for simply doesn’t happen! With some fore-thought and organisation this club reached the heady height it is now but this season it has felt like there was not a plan or a direction and the leadership kept telling us it will be ok. Like a mother cuddling a small child after a nightmare and desperate to go back to sleep. We believed it all and they peddled increasingly more as the team slumped down the table without a thought or a plan of how to actually slow or stop the drop. More empty words of - it will sort itself out. To the point where the fans have lost trust in those making decisions. The ultimate point to highlight here after putting out a statement backing the manager and apologising for not giving enough finance support to him when needed they then asked him to leave three days later. The point of all this rambling is to say who I blame, and I think it is obvious as when the shit hits the fan it covers absolutely everyone involved, some of which are not even at the club to watch it sink below the waterline.

Will I be back next season?

Of course!! and to quote from the movie The Crow – If the people (things) we love are taken from us, the way they live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn, people die but real love is forever.

I will see you next season!

2nd April - Episode #14 - Anything really changed?

I thought I should add my take on what has happened in the four days from below to today. Since the 28th we appointed a caretaker manager and a day later we appointed a new manager who will take us through to the end of the season. I always thought he was the man that took over managing Reading FC after being on the board and then a year later effectively sacked himself and left the club. My opinion of whether he is the right man for the job was summed up by a friend of mine who said - he is the best we could of hoped for. Absolutely spot on. There was probably no one else out there for the job. The task ahead of him is not a steep hill to climb its more of a mountain with some bound together dental floss as ropes. Honestly the chances of us getting out of this trouble for me is less that 25% which I might change as this month moves on. That is all we have a month to save the season and when you are asking for the same players to suddenly change what they have been doing and start winning out of the blue is normally too big to ask of them. We are going down and I have accepted that already, I cannot change that opinion based on what I see on the pitch. I understand that we put in a battling performance yesterday and things looked better but ultimately it ended the same way as it has so many times before as we concede the winner in the 92nd minute.

With the past four days worth of information some things have combined and joined together to form some ideas in my mind. The more I hear the more I blame the board and leadership for the situation we are in and not the manager that has just left the club. In recent weeks the leadership of the club has had the CEO resign probably due to the board changing the direction of the club. Also it was announced that the board agrees that it hasn't done enough to support the manager and releasing funds to support him. Which I might add they didn't do way back in January when they had just sold Ollie Palmer and was suddenly searching around for a new striker. They after 19 matches finally announce a statement explaining that they are backing the manager to turn the corner and take the club back up the table. After one further game which was lost they decided to part ways. They then used the money offered to support the manager to bring in a new manager and an experienced one at that. I agree he is probably the best we could hope for at this time. I would assume the irony here is that they are probably using the Palmer money to bring in the new man. So, far I have been impressed with the way he has handled the media and interviews. My point here is that there is an expression I use a lot when driving and waiting for other drivers which is 'shit or get off the pot!' It has felt that the senior leaders of the club had this dilemma for quite a while and they simply didn't do either. They left the manager to hang out and face the media week after week without a win. They sold the leading goal-scorer for the season from under the manager and replaced him with a panic search as they desperately needed someone to fill the boots. I hear about the process which is knees deep in developing and growing talent at the club. Which leads neatly into the question of why don't we have a striker at the club? The formation that Robbo was a big ball winning forward that holds up play whilst bringing the others around him into the attack. Which means we have a loan first choice striker (an unproven forward who has scored 5 goals in the past 3 years (or something like that)). Backed up by another loan player who has had an injury ravaged season. The only players on contract where deemed not good enough and sent off on loan to gain some experience. Which leaves the cupboard bare when it comes to options when desperately needing to turning the fortunes of the club around. That is not backing the manager that is leaving him out to drive.

The club allowed a Rugby League team to move into the ground and I will say that I agreed that this was a good idea. Revenue were needed and knowing the sport I was less concerned of the pitch when in comparison to Rugby Union. I went to watch London Irish at Reading who was a Championship side and seeing their pitch turn into a rolled mud pile. Today I went to Brentford to watch London Irish and the pitch looked fantastic. They are well through the season and it is fine. After a single game from London Broncos at Plough Lane in the rain it was evident the pitch isn't looked after as well as the Premier League club. The decision to have a RL club join was the fans and again the manager had to lump it and get on with it.

Now I think it is also worth noting that Robinson is not a complete innocent in this as he convinced the board that his plan would be a good one and I agree that in principle it is. Build a young talented squad that is capable of safely surviving relegation and within three or four season that same nucleus of the side will be knocking on the door of the Championship. We are not a selling club so tie the youngsters into longer contracts and they would see us through or sell. The problem with that plan is we don't own a forward and the squad was a talented one but with youngsters they didn't have the mental strength to see games out. The feet were good but the brain couldn't cope with the pressure of winning a game ugly as well as the pretty ones. Something was needed a change was required and the young and inexperienced board wasn't up to the challenge. They left a young and inexperienced coach to manage a League One side to work it out for themselves. That is where they dropped the ball they sat back and said it will be ok. The changed didn't happen. They thought things will change, but they didn't. We are still above relegation line we will be ok. Nothing changed. Other teams are worse than us we will be fine. They continued to sit on the pot without any input or thrust for change, just the desire and hope. This is where the problem deepened and not resolved itself. That is why we are two wins away from being above the line. We are not just under line we are now third from bottom and things look bleak.

Is it all bleak?

No and looking at this season it isn't all done and dusted either but what this side needs to do is win the games against the teams around us. Which means going away and winning which has been better than when at home anyway. The clubs down there are fighting and battling which we haven't been so the question is can the new manager in still that required fight time will tell. As I would put money that if (when) we go down I would assume the playing budget is going to shrink and the managers wages as well. I assume he will be leaving which leaves too many aspects open to debate and (with the exception of appointing the current manager) this club does so slowly. Ending the season with no one managing the contracts of the players and no one making the plans to turn the club around and it will take a major turn around. Ask any club how easy it is to bounce back up. I have seen many a club struggle the following season after a drop. Scunthorpe will tell you how hard League Two is let alone those who expected an instant bounce back like Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Wigan Athletic, and in League Two Tranmere Rovers and Bradford City will be an interesting to speak to. When it was announcing after about 16 or 17 games without a win that the "Process" will see us in the Championship in five years I assume they took a relegation into that plucked from the air deadline. As they talked about the base for this grand plan but didn't actually create one. The ground is one thing but backing the team is another and many teams have dropped a league when building and moving into a new stadium why should we be so special to not suffer a similar issue at this club.

The other non bleak I was going to mention is the run in for other teams around us will be tricky (as long as we take our chances (no we haven't for 21 games)) we could actually get out of this. To run through this briefly:

Lincoln City - Have a real mix of tough and winnable games

Fleetwood Town - Have the easiest of those down there with nearly all bar three games should be seen as winnable for them (including against us)

Gillingham - Have to face Fleetwood Town and Cheltenham Town and then its teams pushing for promotion which it is hard to see where more points will come (however they are fighting more than anyone else down there)

Morecombe - They have Charlton Athletic and Cambridge United both away as their only games not against side chasing the promotion places. One of the toughest run in's

Doncaster Rovers - Have games with mid table sides which could be interesting but they also have to face Crewe Alexandra also.

Crewe Alexandra - Have to face us and Doncaster Rovers with the final game against Lincoln City with the prospect of Lincoln City being safe could be interesting but they need to get to touching distance first.

28th March - Episode #13 So... What now?

The club issued a statement last week saying how they are backing the manager which was followed by the jokes about the infamous backing the manager the weekend they sack them. What surprised me is that today (Monday) the club and the manager parted ways. I will not lie and say that I am sad that this has happened but I will also add that this should of happened a month or two ago. This run stretches back to the first week of December and the really sad thing is everything that 'Robbo' tried simply didn't work. The team has just got worse and worse. Rather than anything positive happening the side has just slumped and gradually got worse. The performance on Saturday was flat, simply flat the home fans were singing 'We're f**king S**t!" and that from some of the most loyal fans that I can think of. There were also booing at full time as I walked away. They have been clapping home losses and thanking the effort of the boys. The issue is that in the last month or so there hasn't appeared to be the effort. Which makes the issue I have with this decision more annoying. So what has annoyed me with getting what I have been suggesting for the last month. Well, the timing was awful but I guess there is no good time to do this but why issue a statement last week saying we are backing the manager. Then ask him to leave on Monday morning. I feel the players have let him down and those above him have as well. The point I would like to add here is that we currently have no manager, no coaching staff?, no CEO, No leadership of the club as this appears to be the task of the Dons Trust. Who are elected and may or may not have the skills to do this. We have no idea, I believe that Joe the CEO's decision to leave a month or so ago. For me the club is hurtling towards chaos as there is a speedboat flying across the top of the ocean with no person sat in the drivers seat. The speed of this boat seems to be going up and the direction seems even more confusing.

The decision could of happened back on the 20th February after the 4-0 defeat away at Bolton Wanderers when the heads were down. Which you could see that possibility with someone coming in to change everything. We had Gillingham and Doncaster Rovers and I said two points won't be enough and that should of read two points is not enough to keep the manager. Both games were drew meaning we got exactly two points despite being two goals to the good against Doncaster Rovers but no we kept the same system and then we slipped down the league until we finally reached the relegation zone and then the change came. I am not convinced we have the leadership needed for this process right now. If you throw the Sheffield game down the drain as we will not have a plan despite three months of speculation which means that the new man will have 6 games to save the season when by the first time he takes charge the team could be 5 points plus away from safety. It is all shocking and unorganised and completely predictable which throws up why wait until now if their isn't a plan in place to fix the problem. The focus goes back the leadership of the club which I personally have real concerns about but I won't air that here.

As always I just wished for the best but assume the worst right now. Lets just wait and see as they always manage to surprise me on the pitch. I will hope but I won't hold my breathe.

27th March - Episode #12 Match Report

I read a Lincoln City fan discuss our match report saying that we have to stop the victimisation of ourselves and man up and fight our way out of the bottom of this division. I agreed with many things he said but not all of the comments. What I saw today was a complete inability to break down a stubborn, strong, and solid side. This is not alone as we have done this all season. Plymouth Argyle twice, Portsmouth, Gillingham, Boreham Wood and to a lesser extent Guiseley. If the opposition is solid and the referee doesn't help them they have no idea what to do. If a team wants to play football, then we will actually have a chance (if they are a decent side) it might be a slim chance but there is a chance. If they are strong team then we are almost instantly defeated unless they are that bad that we could nick a goal and then pray. We did that against Guiseley and they must be kicking themselves now. They should of won that game and knowing what I know now we should of lost that game and they may have changed the direction of this disastrous season. We may well of seen this coming, well if anyone actually turned up that day it is. What I witnessed that day after the goal OIlie Palmer scored was on display yesterday for the whole ninety minutes. I brought a mate yesterday who described our team as the smallest he had ever seen. It made me realise that me moaning at the officials each week was down to our small little players getting pushed off the ball all the time and losing possession. Then I remembered when I refereed and a little guy was pushing and tugging shirts all game and the split second he was touched he was shouting and screaming and after 20 minutes I gave up and just let them both get on with it. I now realise why the fouls don't happen and why we lose every week after defenders realise that this side has to use its pace to achieve anything and if you nullify that then they got nothing against you. Nick one goal and you are on cruise control. That is why we will (And we will) go down is because we are not good enough to compete with the big boys at the top as they are superior to our quality. Equally we don't have the strength to deal with those strong battling sides at the bottom, there are no easy games in this division and we have create a side capable of losing every game we play no matter who the opponent.

The team needs transformation from top to bottom and working out who is here for the money and who is here to improve themselves and the team will take a major sieving operation probably for the summer. My concern is that the current management is the right team for that job as they had not spotted those players so far in the squad and the sheer lack of effort on show yesterday highlights for me that the tactics are wrong for this league and ability for the fight simply isn't there. We are what some would call a fair weather team. If we are a goal up and the opposition is struggling in the game then we are up for it. Passing moving, chasing, the lot. If the opposition are fighting and battling back we are in our shells quicker than a whippet with a bum full of dynamite. People breeze pass and make us look like conceding with every attack. Trust me they probably will until they get bored. This side is destined for League Two, the interesting thing will be who will be there to try and get us back up again as I thing this spineless bunch will be slinking off to other teams as soon as the opportunity offers itself. I fear that if we release this squad they would not find another team at this level or even the level we are heading too. I think some of them will be dropping at least two levels down and they do not seem to realise that they are playing for their next contract. Which may not happen based on these performances. I feel for us the fans who have just added another £3m to the cause of this great club and again they were there great numbers to watch and get bored, then get angry and then eventually show that frustration. Deep into injury time I heard the chant of "We're f**king S**t!" followed by boo's at full time and some may say you don't do that to the team you support. Well after 21 winless games I think we are entitled to some frustration don't you?

20th March - Episode #11 Continued Part 2 = Robbo out?

I wanted to go through the squad and maybe the leadership of the club but I didn't have the time to do this when I started the episode below. The squad is a young one which apparently is the plan. This is the beginning of the process. The way I see this process is that the teams that have well in this division had started two or three seasons before and kept the team together for a few seasons so they knew each other and could barn storm the league taken everyone by surprise. So this season will be the beginning of the process with a very young side that is beginning to come together. From the outside looking in Mark Robinson took over from Glyn Hodges in March and galvanised the team leading them to safety and a great finish to the last campaign. In the post season leading goal-scorer Joe Piggott turned down a contract and went to sign for Ipswich Town. Along with the leading scorer the second most goal scorer Ryan Longman departed. Other players leaving were Steve Seddon, Callum Reilly, Shane McLoughlin, Terrell Thomas, Adam Roscrow, Luke O'Neill, and George Dobson. If you want to see who was crucial to that squad Pigott played 52 games, Longman 51, McLoughlin 44, Reilly 35, O'Neill 30 and Dobson 24. That is a lot of first teamers to release so who was brought in? Shall we go through them one by one?

• Charlie Morgan from QPR - I have no idea who is he.

• Luke McCormick from Chelsea (youth) - Became a regular starter and for me a great addition to the squad.

• Darius Charles from Wycombe Wanders - Not played a league game and not contributed (on the pitch) to the first team really this season

• Aaron Cosgrave from Lewes - Arrived and was instantly loaned out to Dover Ath recalled later in the season when we had no fit forwards and got injured himself.

• Zaki Qualah - Leatherhead - Bench warmer got bored doing nothing went on loan to Billericay

• George Marsh - Spurs Youth - Unused for half a season only got selected when Hartigan was injured

• Egli Kaja - Northampton Town - Couldn't get a game there so joined us

• Lee Brown - Portsmouth - Actually a first teamer from Pompey yet seems to be dropped for important games

• Nathan Broome - Stoke City Youth - A longer term plan but a current bench warmer.

• Derick Osei Yaw - Free - Signed last week as we have no forwards.

With the exception of Luke, George, and Lee very unspectacular signing and performances from many of them. So the signing haven't been great but this is a long term project to bring the young squad players through to the first team. Which means we need to bring in experience from the loan market to help bring these boys through. Lets have a look at them shall we?

• Aaron Pressley (Brentford) (20 Years old) - Centre Forward - A back up to Ollie Palmer up top

• Henry Lawrence (Chelsea) (20) - Left and right back - brought in as cover for the season and potential starter.

• Dapo Mebude (Watford) (20) - Left winger or striker - as competition and cover for Ayoub Assal

• Terry Ablade (Fulham) (20) - Super fast forward - to support the attacking options

• Tomas Kalinauska (Barnsley) (21) - Winger - not sure but we have a winger added in the January transfer window and he has played one game.

• Sam Cosgrove (Birmingham City) (25) - Striker to replace the departing Ollie Palmer.

Oh so we haven't signed experience to support the developing squad. What we do have is equally young players brought in to get first team experience in an equally young squad to develop ahead of a return to the parent club for them to take advantage of. OK so where is the experience to help develop this young squad then?

Club captain - Alex Woodyard boom there's one a holding midfielder, a general, a leader, that is perfect. Ollie Palmer up top leading the line and having him use his ability to drag the attacking three into play and marshal them into a cohesive attacking formidable alliance. Great what about the back four. Ben Heneghan (28) and Will Nightingale (26) that should be enough experience through the spine of the team. Lets get going. We began pre-season one win 1-0 (from a penalty) against Met Police, a draw with Hampton & Richmond 1-1 and five defeats scoring one and conceding seven. The season started and I was worried.

The worries went after the great start that we had to the season the cracks appeared towards the end of November and early December. All momentum disappeared when games were postponed and that moment simply never returned. During the window when the plan was to do little or no business we heard that there was bid for Ollie Palmer and he and the club were not interested. Then the bid was rumoured to be £350,000 and I think his head was turned. He asked to leave and the deal was done. The dons got £300,000 Ollie got a hefty signing on fee and everyone was happy. Except we have no time to organise a replacement, we've been told how great the recruitment team is here. Well in the panic we signed a 25 year old on loan from Birmingham City. He had a fantastic season at Aberdeen and we all shared the video of that season. Unfortunately, what we didn't realise was that he had scored 3 goals in the last six years. Two of them was when on loan at Shrewsbury this season. Who were glad to see him go. Well since signing for us he hasn't scored. If he was an Ollie Palmer he may of revitalised the club instead we sunk further.

We also signed Lee Brown as we needed experience to help support the squad. I remember watching his first game and marshalling the back four speaking to Will almost every couple of minutes. With young will under his wing we can see him developing into a great player. Ben has been showing the same ability all season. Then I work out that there is three years between the two of them why do they need the leadership? They should be there already.

Ok the leadership of the club has gone completely Eric stepped down leaving Joe in charge as the CEO. With ticketing issues almost every week. No money or money management I spent the whole beginning of the season saying that if we can get to January in decent shape we'll have the money to sign some new players with the money generated from the new ground. Then it was announced that we have another £3.5 million to pay off from the secured loan. Which might explain where the Ollie Palmer money went. From here on the form has not dipped but basically dragged along the bottom to where we have reached where we are now. 109 days and 20 games without a win means that everyone including the the manager saying it simply isn't good enough. Which lets be honest it isn't and that run of form at any other club in the league would result in a search for a new manager. Yet here we are being told that the process means sticking with our man. During the same interview we also hear about the plan to be in the Championship in five years, that is the aim of the process. My question about this is was dropping into League Two part of this process? As this is not just a possibility but a real prospect with the performances we have put in since December [look at the table above].

Glyn was sacked after a run of eleven games without win and just two draws. The final straw was losing to 'them' at home. We play 'them' in four games time. If we wait until then to make a change then it will leave just four games to save the season. Which will simply be too late and we'll be down if the form hasn't changed since then. The leadership has gone full circle as the guys that started the club in the first place are now back in charge again. I remember when they randomly walked out on the club one night without explanation. Now we have this plan to be in the Championship in five years. A plan plucked out of the air. It feels rudderless and more so like the manager gave a plan of how to build something and it was believed and to be honest I would have as well. It sounds like a good plan. The one difference in my opinion would be that one thing that Eric was excellent at was planning for disaster. He would plan for the worst yet hope for the best. He did more for this club than anybody. He would of said yes a great plan and it would be cheap and with a long term plan. Excellent but if it all goes wrong have we budgeted for being in a different league what then. That luxury has gone now we have the rough and ready plan of going up in 5 years. Does that mean getting promotion twice in four years. Is that possible? Because I don't think so. The best thing about promotion to League One was putting two relegations between us and dropping back into non-league football. One of those safety nets will be going very soon and with that who (in terms of playing staff) are going to stay and who like the rats (already seen that behind the scenes) leaving the ship will be off. Getting out of League Two is not going to be easy and I know some people may think it will be but it won't be and the aggression that will flow when we aren't top and cruising that division will be worrying. I remember the players and management telling us how we are in a false position and I agree as we should be in League Two already and it isn't a simple thing to stay there. So why do we think we should be staying in this league, we do not have the given right we have to earn it every season. This season we haven't earned that right and the only way to do that is to get enough points to stay up. That usually means 52 points and there ain't any way we are reaching that figure this season. That should be the answer of whether any manager should be staying the manager or not. I drove to Cheltenham Town this past Saturday and its not alone in recent Saturday's that I am pissed off with the world right now. Which will hang around until next Saturday when the prospect of a win rolls around again. The difference now is we have gone nearly half a season without the joy of a win. Which means I have been pissed off for the past 109 days. Simply not good enough is correct. So what can be done about it beyond more words and dust yourself off and go again. A change needs to happen. Ok I will stop now.

14th March - Episode #11 Part 1 = Robbo out?

I thought it only right for me to wade in on the Robbo out debate spreading all over social media. I guess I should start with where I stand on the subject at the start and then look at the facts of the situation. Firstly, looking at the table above results have been poor for a while you are looking at one of the worst runs in our history and not just the AFC leg either. My first interaction with Mark Robinson was back a few years ago when volunteering and painting parts of the stadium when the boys of Mark's team waltz through touching a bit of paint here and there and saying done and sodding off. I did see one paint his name onto the back of the stand and was waiting for the manager to come and tick them off. It didn't happen. Just walked past and got on with whatever they were getting on with. Discipline wasn't the order of the day, but this was my first meeting, and I wasn't going to judge on the manager or the young players. It just felt like they were railroaded into being there and wasn't bothered about the work being done or the ground either. I was a bit surprised he was offered the job, but I always give them chance and boy did he prove he was the man for the job. That said he was definitely the best candidate at the time.

Pre-season we were all terrified that the team simply wasn't scoring goals. We couldn't beat anyone, a pre-season penalty helped us beat Met Police, but that was it. Thinking back to then that whole inability to score was all there to see at the time. This was put to bed with the first game when the Wombles won away at dark horses Doncaster Rovers. This was followed by taking the lead at home to Bolton Wanderers at home only to concede three before fighting back for a thrilling 3-3 draw. A horrendous 1-1 draw followed on a Tuesday night. An unlucky loss away at Sunderland and a battling 2-2 draw at a struggling Ipswich followed. A fantastic home win against Oxford United happened with a triumphant 3-1 win (September 4th) this was the last home league win on a Saturday which is over half a year ago. (191 days if you are counting). The wheels came off after a Plymouth Argyle home loss ahead of a glamour tie against Arsenal away in the League Cup. The rot set in around then. There have been some highlights, but the last home league win came on the 23rd November against Crewe Alexandra. The last win until date was an away win at Accrington Stanley on 7th December. By the time we face Cheltenham Town this Saturday it will be 102 days. This season we have won a total of 11 games.

That said should Robbo be shown the exit as that is the question? Maybe we should compare the win percentages of all the previous managers.

Terry Eames 84.2%

Nick English 90.5%

Dave Anderson 58.7%

Terry Brown 49.3%

Simon Bassey 50%

Neal Ardley 33.8%

Simon Bassey 50%

Wally Downes 26.2%

Glyn Hodges 26.4%

Currently this season 23.4%

Removing the non-league and caretakers records then just the football league days. This season is worse than any other managerial runs that’s been. If you look at wins from just league games the percentage drops down to a depressing 16%. Glyn’s was 24% (22% for league games). However, Glyn had lost more than half of his games. Where this season is at 43% of games lost in the league. Which all the numbers suggest that if the measuring stick is anything to go by then we should be searching for a new manager.

I am fully aware that statistics can prove or disprove any argument if manipulated one way or the other. I was trying to be central and non-judging, but that is kind of judgement call. So historical statistics suggest that we should be looking for a new manager right now. One that could turn the team around as this is exactly what has happened in the previous two seasons so why shouldn’t we do so again. The point I am being told is that we cannot just keep going down the replace the boss get a pop in results stay up and go into next season. I can understand that this is not a great routine and is steadily heading into crap. So, we are introduced with ‘the process’ where we are told of a plan to reach the Championship within five years. At this rate it means trying to get promotion twice in four years which not many do.

We are in some deep poop when the team are saying things like we haven’t been in the relegation yet. When the entire season is reliant on how bad other teams are in the league then someone at some point will put some results together. Right now, Gillingham seems to be the worry. I think the most worrying thing right now is that come this Saturday away at Cheltenham Town the table could read like this:

P Pts

Charlton Athletic 38 39

Shrewsbury Town 38 39

Gillingham 38 36

Morecombe 38 35

Fleetwood Town 36 33

Wimbledon 37 33

Doncaster Rovers 38 29

Crewe Alexandra 37 25

This takes everything out of our hands and makes the answer to the question above null and void as. Relegation will be definitive and anyone who thinks we will bounce straight back up is living in dream world. League Two will be tough and I’ve seen enough teams do a double drop that this would be a huge worry for me and not a cake walks. Particularly when things don’t start very well and the already fed-up fans turn against the team will make season 22/23 a very long and harsh season. The scenarios are that we go down a lot of people will be anti the process. A poor start will spell disaster, where a good start will raise expectations and assume will be another promotion. The alternative to that is we by some miracle we stay up then start next season well – this is the perfect scenario and will make us all happy. A poor start and the calls for change will be louder than ever. The chance of the perfect option is very slim whilst all the others are really bad so what will be happen.

I will look at the team next time.

5th March - Episode #10 = Does anyone know how to build a raft?

Looking at the table following another game without a win, I think that is around 15 or 16 without a win. I have an app that tells me that it’s been 88 days without a win, which will go on even longer due to the lack of game tomorrow so it will go on even further. Sorry, I digress! It would appear that we are starting to become adrift at the bottom and it is looking very much like it will be four from six at this time. There is now a gap between 6th bottom and 7th bottom of 5 points which may be crucial at this stage of the season. With Lincoln City on 38 points and then Fleetwood Town and us on 33. When winning isn’t ‘your thing’ then that gap looks more like the Grand Canyon rather than a couple of wins on the bounce. I have decided to have a closer look at the rest of the season.

When the season kicked off, I said 53 points was the target to stay up and for me I’ve been counting down from that number, and we are still 20 points away from that number. With 11 fixtures left then the simple maths is 1.81 points per game when you are currently on less than 1 point per game it is going to take a dramatic change of form to manage this. Which sadly means that now it is now a case of looking at ‘others’ to lose rather than relying on our own squad to do well. It is a very poor show to come to that. I thought I’d have a look at the remaining fixtures to see where we could get some additional points from. First things first here are the remaining games:

Away v Plymouth Argyle

Home v Lincoln City

Away v Cheltenham Town

Home v Charlton Athletic

Home v Cambridge United

Away v Sheffield Wednesday

Home v Scum

Away v Crewe Alexandra

Home v Wycombe Wanderers

Away v Fleetwood Town

Home v Accrington Stanley

OK seeing as we have absolutely no chance of getting any points against teams near the top of the table lets remove those games. That means no points from the Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday, Scum, and Wycombe Wanderers games. That leaves seven remaining with four at home and three away. Knowing that we cannot win at home unless we concede the first goal makes games against Lincoln City, Charlton Athletic, Cambridge United, and Accrington Stanley very tricky lets really push the realms of imagination and say we could win two of those four maybe draw one of them, that is 7 points. I think that looks very difficult to achieve but desperation leads to dreams. Meaning that 13 points are required from three away games which isn’t possible bizarrely we perform better away from home so let’s push the boat out and say we can actually manage to win one of those, scrap a draw and of course they will lose one of those. That gives us 11 points from the remaining 11 games say we get a win, a draw and lose the other. That is another four points which gives us 11 points from the remaining games. Which means this non-strategic method of seeing the future means finishing the season on 44 points. Comparing that total with previous years would see us relegated eight of the last ten years. The only escapes would have been when Bury sadly left the league and ten years ago when four teams failed to reach 44 points. Here’s where I think we’d finish from each year: 2020/21 = 22nd, 2019/20 = 20th, 2018/19 = 23rd, 2017/18 = 23rd, 2016/17 = 22nd, 2015/16 = 22nd, 2014/15 = 23rd, 2013/14 = 22nd, 2012/13 = 20th, & 2011/12 = 20th.

It doesn’t look good does it Baldrick? Winning is the only way out of this mess [and trust me it is a mess] and when you haven’t been able to all season what makes you think anything will change from now to the end of the season. I cannot think of anything that would make any difference I come down to the home games and some of the away games - and I shout, and I sing, but I feel this has had very little influence all season so I cannot see that working to change the results. I guess wishing won’t do much either. I said below that a change is required but right now I will hard press to tell you what that change should be. I have just one idea and it’s not the obvious of sack the manager. I think sacking the manager will be a silly idea as we cannot afford to bring in any better and if I completely honest we don’t have the money to change. What we could do is lean on some of the influence we have built up from yesteryear and ask someone to come into the club to lift everyone. When Wally came in were damned and already talking of being down, yet he managed to bring the squad together to make the miracle happen. We need to bring someone that loves the club to come in and inspire the young squad into equal miraculous result here and there. Yes, I know it’s not all doom and gloom already as we are not yet under that scary line however the teams around us have reached that panic stage and when your backs against the wall your fight and will maybe enough to get you the odd result here and there to close the gap and overtake those hoovering above you and not winning. We are the one of those sitting above and not winning. We have not won at all this year and the longer this goes on the harder it will be to escape this quicksand pit. That said we are not yet down there, and should we hit the form that we could we are already ahead of the competition meaning matching their form keeps us above them. The issue is we haven’t matched anyone’s form for 90 plus days so how are we going to change anything.

26th February - Episode #9 = Simply Not Good Enough

in the head!

Well, its the end of the day after the writings below and so much for D-Day as it ended up B-Day as that was just a stinking pile of... you can finish that sentence yourself. It was so frustrating watching that today. If you haven't read the other page I will explain as the Dons played them off the park for 60 minutes and sit comfortably on a 2-0 lead, then someone blinked and within three minutes it was 2-2 and the Dons had thrown yet another victory down the toilet. They were a goal-line clearance away from getting no points rather than a nice easy four or five nil win that it should have been. That said it was frustrating not for the facts above but more for some of the comments in previous episodes.

I will give you some warning as the language its about to go all grown up. The frustration is not just down to the result today. Its because it happens every fucking game. We have two home league wins this season.

TWO!

From seventeen games which is awful. That being said we have only lost four home games which is the same as third placed Sunderland which then brings us onto the draws and that is the crux of the whole issue. I said it months ago and I will repeat it now. The problem isn’t with their feet it is within their heads. The mentality of playing at home in a new stadium is too much for these young minds and they cannot handle the pressure of trying to hold onto wins at Plough Lane. You can shove your Dead-ball coach and substitute coach up your arse for a quality psychologist to sort this out. I have pulled out the spreadsheet machine and done some number crunching and found a few things amazing to me. Scoring first has become something of an issue and when we are away from home the stats are what you would expect. Scoring first eight times and the opposition have scored first eight times as well. It has gone pretty much how you would expect. With the Dons turning one around to win once when conceding first and gained two draws with all others lost. When scoring first away we have won three times and drawn twice with three games going from winning positions into losses. To me with the away game siege mentally this is exactly what you should expect (OK fine).

Here is the HOME Stats!!!

With our new fancy home, we have played seventeen home games in the league. When scoring first we have gained 6 points with NO WINS – Not one, when we have scored first at home first, we have NEVER won a game. When the opposition score first we have gained 11 points and have won twice. If this doesn’t tell you about the psychology of this young squad then I don’t know what does. Here is my point every club in the Premier League and probably the Championship will have a Psychologist onboard and we could ditch the dead ball coach or the substitute coach as we need to let these youngsters know that everyone goes home happy if they play well for 90 minutes. Things can happen 90 minutes that you cannot control but when the same thing happens in every game then there is a problem. The mentality of playing in front of the home fans back in Wimbledon seems too much for this young side. I do believe that once this cherry is popped then more wins will follow but the siege mentality of the away sides (which we have ourselves) should be put to the sword by the quality we do actually possess but as soon as we score, I worry. I don't think I am alone in this feeling. Even when we scored four against Cheltenham Town in the cup, we still tried to screw it up. Whilst on the subject of cup games scoring first against Guiseley saw an awful game as we did not know what to do. We clung on against a side divisions below us as we didn’t know how to close out the game when at home. We score and look for another if we don’t get enough when on top then you know (as fans!) what is going to happen, as it has happened in EVERY-FUCKING-GAME when we have taken the lead.

We would be better off letting whichever side we are playing to walk the ball into the net from the kick-off we will have a chance then as the expectation level of the crowd has already gone and the pressure is completely off the boys and they can play and battle for everything. The freedom they play with when losing is amazing to watch, the passing, the movement, the free flowing attacking and battling mentality is fantastic up until the release of the ball hitting the back of the net. The tails are up and they look for another and if they get it and take the lead then the panic sets in again and they lose all momentum they had before and if they get a point they have done well.

25th February - Episode #8 = Its nearly D-Day

D-Day could be Don's or Donny's Day but that is yet to be decided, however, to begin this little section by quoting the last sentence of the last section -

"We HAVE to get more that two points from those two games if not then this result today has to go down as one of the worst for many MANY years... with a desperate need for change if this fails".

Saturday (tomorrow) becomes a huge fixture for both Dons and Donny as they square up in what is incorrectly called a six-pointer. As I've said about looking at the shambles that was away to Bolton Wanderers we have to get more than two points from the two games we currently have one point from one of the two games. Which for me means tomorrow is a must win, I will go back over Tuesday nights game and looks at some other stats for you in a mo. Tomorrow is interesting as we face a team in form with two wins in the last three. They are on a high and beating teams higher than them in the table. I feel we have a tradition of giving good results to poor teams. Cheltenham came in with poor form and got points. Shrewsbury the same. Sunderland likewise. This lead me nicely into Gillingham and Tuesday nights draw, as we seem to have descended to their level. Rather than go with the possession based look for a break type play we had before which had done so well in many games we (in my opinion) dropped into a 4-4-2 kick and hope style. Yes we didn't have our main starters for the game and an injury in the opening 15 minutes will throw plans out the window but we started in a panic and then finished in a panic as well. Highlighting one of the main reasons we are in this situation.

The mentality of the squad is fried and a goal seems to affect them so greatly it is extremely concerning. Going a goal down seems to spell disaster now where early in the season it spelt a fightback and some spirit. Going a goal up means hitting a panic button where every challenge is delicate and every pass needs to be 100% accurate. Where there was a confidence early in the season where everyone wanted the ball and wanted to create and push forward. Now players are hiding and scared to shoot, scared to tackle, scared to play the way that has worked so well for them for months before December. From a fans point of view it is very frustrating watching a player you know is good struggle to do things simple to them months ago that can't do them now. The shooting was poor on Tuesday, with desperate defending along the lack of movement made any cohesive passing nigh on impossible. It was desperately poor and yet they could of still nicked a win. So all hope isn't lost, some stable heads and decent tactics could see us out of this shite after all. We are still above the line at the moment.

I had a look at the average points we have score per season since 2015/16 where we had an average of 1.63 which got us into the play-offs when we got promotion. Since then we have:

2016/17 = 1.23 ppg (and we finished 15th)

2017/18 = 1.15 ppg (and we finished 18th)

2018/19 = 1.08 ppg (and we finished 20th)

2019/20 = 1.00 ppg (and we finished 20th)*

2020/21 = 1.10 ppg (and we finished 19th)

2021/22 = 0.96 ppg (currently 20th)

* Season was cut short early with the Dons only playing 35 games

Based on that we are currently having the worst season since being in League One, or another way of looking at it would be we need to start getting more points on the board by winning games and not draw them. Sounds simple doesn't it?!

19FEB22 - Episode #7 = A need to air views...

Well, going into the game today it was deemed to be a hiding to nothing. With the club announcing how thin the squad was going into the game is never a good sign. With two attacking midfielders out, two defensive midfielders out and a back line made up of who ever is available. It would appear to be that the plan was to sit deep and see if we can get a draw or nick a win. What happened was they played with a right back, three across the back (including a left back in there) along with another left back. Similar to what the plan was against the Millers what happened was the weakened team conceded in the first half from a corner when no marking happened. This meant the plan had failed and its now shit or get of the pot time. Do you now chase the game or leave it tight and hope to nick one. Well into the second half and they concede again. So the tactical change is to bring off a winger and replace with a centre back rapidly followed by another goal. 3-0 down and the game is already done. There was time for a fourth from the trotters and a spanking was official. I could point out that Sunderland were third and two points off the top they lost 6-0 to Bolton Wanderers and sacked their manager. We are 5th from bottom without a win in 74 days and one of two sides without a win this calendar year. The managers position is a secure as it was months ago. For me the view from the stands is starting to change in terms of confidence of the management.

It takes a lot for me to fall out of favour with a manager but the next two games are huge and if we do not get two wins then the rest of the season is going to be one hell of a slog. All this talk of being in a false position will be rubbished and we are a sinking ship. It already feels Titanic like as there has been lots of sailing before the postponed games which have completely screwed up the momentum and we haven't recovered from. The next two games are huge and if we don't win both then we are in all types of trouble. If we win one and draw one it still may not be enough to cheer me up. Two defeats and action needs to happen, I am not saying sack the manager but something has to change. The players having a say in the process and responsible for how they perform clearly hasn't worked with the kids. We need more leadership and a shock horror 'A Plan B!' as for me there is a plan 'A' 4-2-3-1 or if we play a good team we play 5-2-3 that is it. We attack or we defend. When we start with either plan there is no changing halfway through. For example we defend and concede that's it we will lose. Bolton did it to us, Rotherham did it to us and to cement this comment even Boreham Wood did it to us. Start defensively and concede you might as well walk off the pitch at that point. or me if we lose the next two games. With plan A all you hear about is how we are a transitional team. Which in old money means we hit teams on the break. What has happened is we win the ball in advanced positions and go onto score. That said that is what did happen. Since mid December what happens is we win the ball charge up the field meet a defender and they stop pass the ball back and are happy to go all the way back to the keeper. The phrase is always look to go forward if possible. Yet we can pass all the way back to the keeper from our corner. We do not look dangerous anymore, we do not look like a side capable of scoring three times in a game. When plan 'A' works and we score someone (no I don't know who) hits a panic button and the fluid attacking game that was happening 2 minutes beforehand dries up and we can no longer pass the ball forward in a cohesive way. Now the defenders have to be ultra precise in what they do, the urgency of the midfield is so prudent you can smell it and the forward is left on his own to sort his own shit out because no one else is going to help him. Bang in goes the equaliser and we are able to go back to the attacking mode we had previously even more so if we go behind. There is more chance of a point from being a goal down than gaining all three points when a goal up.

I feel sure I have said this before on these pages but it has now reached the frustration stage as no wins in 2022 is so disappointing a record we could hold alone in English football if Leyton Orient beat Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night and we fail to be Gillingham. Having said all that above I don't want to be negative about my club and having a club is amazing. Remembering that always cheers me up but watching the plucky loser is ok for a while but even Scotland are winning now so why can we? I know we have punched above our weight for sometime but going 74 days without a win is poor by anyone's standards. The cracks and frustration is starting to show in the support that has endured a 400 mile round trip for a four zip reverse with a team that I couldn't work out from the team sheet will see the most hardened support start to doubt the plan at this stage. What I can accept is that with injuries and bans lets burn this one game and get everyone back and fit and raring to go for Tuesday and Saturdays relegation battles. With a caveat. We HAVE to get more that two points from those two games if not then this result today has to go down as one of the worst for many MANY years... with a desperate need for change if this fails.

19th February 2022 - Episode #6 = A random side note -

In the conundrum of not attending a game on a Saturday I will now go through the typical routine of what to do about the game today. I am hearing that we have about five players out through injury and suspension so the chances of getting a decent result with the thin squad has also been dramatically reduced. Then I go through the same routine, thinking about purchasing the game via iPlayer and giving the home team additional money, then decide against it. Then there's a thought of maybe being able to listen to the game live possibly a local radio and with the digital age I could use the old inter-web business and troll through the local (away) options available. Yes, it will be home bias but I will at least keep up to speed on how badly my team is doing. Then there is the option of some hooky version of the game which I am fully aware of but have never done. I am told it is really simple and you just click here and there and bosh your done hooked up and watching any game anywhere in the world whenever you want it. Why am I saying all of this? I honestly do not know why as I will eventually end up at exactly the same conclusion that being sat here typing this or one of the other blogs whilst waiting for WhatsApp to ping with the first notification of a goal. Then its the hope that its ours and not there's. Meanwhile SkySports News is on in the background with goal updates with the BBC being and alternative and over time you realise which one of those is unlucky and you cannot watch that one as every time you see them the oppo scores so you can't use them as they ONLY give you bad news. What then happens is that the other starts doing the same! Here's the dilemma. Do you switch back to the other? Do you stop watching both? How long do you leave it before you check back in with something? But then again WhatsApp hasn't pinged so there couldn't be any change can there? Its at this point you realise that your online WhatsApp was closed accidentally when you close YouTube to concentrate on your typing and the mobile has been on silent and you have missed 10 messages. Four being goals going in against you and the rest are people moaning that yet another goal has gone in! How long before you realise that he bad luck is you and you shouldn't even be looking at the scores today. Wait for them to deal with everything for the day and then go out and enjoy yourself safe in the knowledge that you have not had any influence on the game today, good or bad. Then they win so it was YOU who's the Jonah and the bringing of shite luck and now you cannot attend another game until they are safe. Which highlights the fact that since being in League One we have played three games safe in the knowledge that we are safe from relegation for the season. So you would never watch your beloved team again... Now there is the dilemma!?!?!

13th February 2022 - Episode #5 = It's all about numbers

I thought I would do some number crunching for this little addition update. This coming Saturday will see us mount up to 85 days since Wimbledon last won a game - Full Stop any victory in anything. That was away in the League to Accrington Stanley. In terms of home wins that cannot happen until the next home game which is on the 26th February when at home to Doncaster Rovers (this is just the number till that game - no guarantees here of any result). Which means it will be 85 days since the last home win when this game kicks off, it will also been 96 days since the last League One home victory. Now, for those that are not into numbers that is over quarter of a year from the last home league win. We now stand alone as the only team in League One to not have a victory in 2022. It hasn't been our year and we could look at refereeing decisions and there have been some diabolical in that run and I will always moan about them. However, we have not done ourselves much favours in trying to end this run in the middle of that there was five games, count them in minutes that is 520 minutes with out a goal, until Ollie Palmer scored away at Burton Albion - then we sold him. Knowing that was happening we still couldn't get a signing in time to have a player available in time for the game after deadline day. On the whole this is an excessive amount of time to go without a win. Number crunching aside I honestly think this has become a mental thing as the split second we score we cannot defend. Which is a natural thing may be but we want to be perfect in what we do. Not wanting to give a free-kick or penalty away but wanting to make the tackle second guessing everything they do when before going in front they were fine attacking and the right level of aggression now they can't tackle they can't pass out from the back and everything goes to pot. If they concede then after a while they will go back to where they were before and look to create again but for some reason they cannot game manage like they could at the beginning of the season. The run of tough games continues with the travel away to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday and then the uneasy task of travelling to Gillingham straight after that for a Tuesday night under the floodlights. Having replaced the Evans with the noticeable replacement of Neil Harris. Which has seen a change of fortune and they are now picking up wins as well as points just as we have stopped. As a womble fan we always live in hope but my own frustration this season just continues to grow with each missed opportunity to break the duck and pick up a vital three points in one of these games. They have flattered to deceive this year (not this season) and the good will is beginning to wain somewhat. I won't be travelling to either of the next two games and will wait for the Doncaster Rovers game before seeing the boys play again. The big question here is will we be on any different points tally by the time that game rolls around?

I thought I would add that the new striker hasn't scored yet - I know he isn't in the squad for goals but contributing to a win would be a nice thing to be included in the matches wouldn't it. We need goals from somewhere and at the moment on any given Saturday we have five players that can run with the ball and when I say that I mean run and beat defenders. Get into the box as well but then there is no end product, no goal after goal, no dominance resulting in a hefty win. Ever. It just goes to waste and one point per game just continues for the season. Which isn't enough. There is a fair chunk of the season to go but fortune needs to change before this season will be seen as anything close to a success.

I've done some additional number crunching and looking at what might be the issue with the club. (well I have a theory that we don't score enough to win and want to prove it). I have taken stats from a website (that I don't have 100% confidence in) and have then looked at the numbers of our players and divided them into Forwards, Attacking midfielders, Defensive midfielders, Defenders and Keeper. Then looked at the goals per game ration for each. I have classed Pressley, Mebude, Cosgrave, Ablade, Cosgrove, and Robinson as forwards and the best performing of those is Cosgrave with 1 goal in 3 games a 33% returns ratio. Next is Mebude with a 12% ratio and Pressley with 10% none of the other three have scored. So for forwards total games (including subs and that more than one would play at the same time) the is a return of 5 goals from 48 games. If you include the departed Ollie Palmer that changes to 10 goals in 60 games. So you are looking at a strike force scoring 10% to 16% of the time. Or a goal every 6 to 7 games. Which in plan number terms is terrible. This team is not a forward scoring type team we rely heavily on the attacking three sitting behind the main attacker. So lets look at their numbers.

I have those as Rudoni, Assal, McCormick, Chislett, and Kaja and I am aware some of the above would sit in this group and vice versa. Of those the percentages of goals in games is Rudi 25%, Assal 20%, McCormick 16%, Chislett 10%, and Kaja 0%. So looking much better to use the same calculation as the strikers it works out at 18% (110 games with 20 goals). So comparing the two section the strikers are scoring 1 every 6 games and the attacking mid's are scoring 1 in every 5.5 games.

To lump the defensive together the CDM's have a 1 goal in 69 games scored by a Anthony Hartigan free kick. Those in the back four (or five) are 144 games for 6 goals. Which is a % of 1.4% and 4% respectively. which is a combined score of 3% or a goal every 30 games. Which is not strictly true as players will play along side others that do score. To combine them all you have to look at the team as a whole who is scoring on average 1.19 goals per game. Which as a comparison you look at bottom of the table side Crewe Alexander they are on 0.81 goals a game. Morecombe who is one place below us at 1.43 goals a game and Fleetwood Town one place above on 1.44 a game. It would suggest that there are elements of this squad not contributing where they should. Namely the strikers not hitting the target and the central defensive midfielders not hitting the target when they do venture forward.

Another theme I always look at when around this point in the season is the points per game ratio as what is required is a 1.13 points per game. Which I know is impossible in a single game but that is the average required to get 52 points and what is "Normally" safety from the drop. The bottom of the table looks like with regards averages:

Team PPP

Cambridge United 1.23

Lincoln City 1.13

Shrewsbury Town 1.06

Fleetwood Town 1.03

Wimbledon 1.00

Morecombe 0.94

Gillingham 0.87

Doncaster Rovers 0.76

Crewe Alexander 0.69

4th February 2022 - Episode #4 = A - O its off to work we go...

What's the difference between an 'a' and an 'o'? Well it is all in a name, I guess? When it comes to the last goal scored by the Dons being from a Mr Cosgrave whilst the new signing watched on namely Mr Cosgrove. The difference being one is a young 22 year old who appears to have talent but an attitude to match is the dying moments of the last home game is anything to go by. He is pacey and seems dangerous when running onto the ball and seems to be a real handful although not big and strong in the air. The watching on is Sam Cosgrove who is 25 and signed from the Dons from Shrewsbury Town, yes I am fully aware he is on loan from Birmingham City, but he is a player that couldn't get a start at the Shrews so Birmingham recalled him and sent him to us. He will be almost guaranteed a start with little or no competition for the solid big target man that the Wombles are desperate for and never really had enough back-up when Pressley is injured and then they sell Ollie Palmer to the Welsh big money club Wrexham. If or when Pressley returns will at least give some competition to Sam but I fear it won't be much. I also assume the Loan window has also closed and we won't be able to tack on another option at some point. Which won't happen. So the difference between A and O may be the difference between being in the poop or safe by the time the end of the season rolls around.

It would appear that these two forwards are who we are counting on to turn the season around one on loan and the other returning from Loan. These two very different forwards will carry the fortunes or otherwise of the remainder of the season. Ollie has sodded off and these two appear to be the two that we are counting on to start getting this team winning again. As the season is gone from lots of greens in the programme (for wins) to greys (draws) and reds (losses) which if this season is going to become something then the early season form needs to return. My frustration has reached a low ebb as I will get to recent games and the last one in particular below.

I left Plough Lane on Tuesday extremely frustrated as the mentality and game management of this young side took its toll on my patience. Going a goal up early in a game should be a good confidence building thing, however for us its a cause to panic with now something to protect. As soon as the celebrations died down the worry grew. Suddenly the team that started on the front foot was all over the place. High balls over the top cause the spider in the bath routine and no one was ready to calm things down and just keep doing what you were doing and more goals will come. Instead a first and second happened within 3 minutes turning the game on its head. Now, I am not silly and I won't pretend that we didn't come out second half and dominate the game and could or should of won. The important part of that sentence is the fact we didn't win. Yet again it was another game of what might of been and unfortunately what might of been does not give you points it might get you a point now and again but not points. This is where on the cusp of four very tough games where we will be scrapping for points and with other teams around us starting to pick up points we could be in deep bother by the time we play those teams around us again. Without a win this year it is not an easy prospect to suddenly start winning and doing so regularly. This is what needs to change. The home draw specialist need to change this to the Fortress Plough Lane where teams don't want to come and visit because they leave with nothing. All too often they leave with a point. This wave of tough games kicks off with Charlton Athletic away tomorrow before Rotherham United at Home on Tuesday and then Sunderland at home and finished with Bolton Wanderers away. Of the 12 points available 7 would be a miracle but I fear on this current form 2 would be realistic and would drop us right in the shit just when morale needs a boost and not the opposite which is what we all fear. We shall see as apparently the last two new signings will in the squad for tomorrow and the target man will bring a change of tactics? Ha! I make myself laugh sometimes.

I've added this after the Charlton Athletic defeat and I really should underline the word defeat as we need to get used to that in the week ahead. With Rotherham United and Sunderland on the horizon. We have turned into Scotland of old. The plucky looser after battling hard in a 90 minutes that the opposition won't forget in a while, they were really worried for large parts of the game before eventually running out winners by the odd goal. How many times have I heard that, or the battled back to earn a point. Which I can cope with if there was the odd victory in there but we have hit a wall of not winning a game. We never get over the line this year and it doesn't look like it for a while either. I said after not getting over the line against Cheltenham Town a side we put four past early this season. The problem is in their heads they have forgotten how to win and game management is the poorest thing. From a young side you would expect this but you need to find a way to fix the problem or else this is a problem that will grow into a big one that will cause much more issues for this team. We do not have a plan B or a ok we need to sit on this lead and close out the game. We scored early away at Lincoln and pushed and pushed for a second. Winning 1-0 in the end. Now we score and then go 'What do we do now?' Caught in no mans land we get stuck between sitting deep or pushing for more. The cohesive style just goes and back four hits the panic button and the midfield think we should help out and split in half exposing gaps that were closed down thirty seconds ago or now free to pick a pass over the top that the defence doesn't deal will and its all square. Then there is a reset of the mindset and in that time anything could happen we could ship three goals or retake the lead again. We won't hold onto it but we are a good side when we want to be. I am glad I am not trying to work this out myself as I may not be calm enough to do so. My own mindset is get through the next week or two and restart the season the year and the focus. Need to be more results driven, play shit and win now and again I could live with.

30th January 2022 - Episode #3 Its cold in here is there a window open?

The transfer window isn’t closed but the frame is creaking like an old hinged gate or a door in a scary movie. With that in mind I have to discuss the business conducted by the Dons during the transfer window, won’t I?

Firstly, following announcements that he is happy and does not want to leave Ollie Palmer has left the club. The way I read the statement from the club is they didn’t want him to leave but he wanted to go and the offer was fair enough to accept it. I was initially told £350,000 but then the club statement later said £300,000 but I have also heard that Palmer got a £50,000 signing on fee which tally’s in my book. I have heard rumours of the money he is now on since leaving and all things considered including his age and opportunities to play at a higher level. He would have been silly not to agree to the deal. As for the Dons it must be frustrating again to lose another forward due to not having the funds to keep him. I am a little confused about the budget for the wages though. We played Ipswich Town last week which brought up the 3-0 win we had against them, in that game Ollie Palmer and Joe Piggott played upfront together apparently. Being told that Joe was on a big wage and so was Ollie now that they are both gone, and we do not have another big-money player in the squad where is the budget gone? We didn’t have the funds to bring someone else in before the season started so where is the money gone? Has the player budget shrunk? Is the money elsewhere in the club because last year we could afford Joe and Ollie but now we can’t have more than kids in the team apparently.

It appears to be a very crucial time for the squad right now as their form has been something of a concern. After flying into December with five games of scoring a minimum of two goals a game. They went from the 11th December to the 29th without a game with postponed fixtures. They then went five games without a goal. The drought was ended by Ollie Palmer away at Burton Albion before they equalised. Then Ollie left. We lost 2-0 at home to Ipswich Town and drew 1-1 with Shrewsbury Town which makes the worry for me twofold. A complete lack of goalscoring options and a complete lack of game management as it appears they cannot hold onto a lead. Had leads against Crewe, Fleetwood, Cheltenham, Wycombe, Burton & Shrewsbury and tried to throw it away. They managed to hold on against Crewe and Cheltenham but didn’t against any of the other teams. When we score it so rare but under Neil Ardley once they had a lead, they never let it go. With this squad they score, and you just pray the cock-up doesn’t turn up. Sadly, it normally does. With the lack of clean sheets, you need to have goals going in the other end. This year we have scored twice in seven games, which is poor for any club at any level. We have not won in 2022 and only won twice at home in the league all season. The strange thing as I type is that we have not been outplayed very often at all this season. The teams that have not given us a sniff were Wigan Athletic at home and Rotherham United away of the games I’ve watched. I hear we were poor against Oxford United, but I didn’t bother with that game.

Sorry I digress as I started talking numbers the thing here is that with two goals this year one was from Ollie Palmer who is now playing with another team. We need a forward and one in a hurry. Later in the week we announced a new signing Lee Brown from Portsmouth on a free transfer. He is a left back after I pointed out that we have plenty of players for that position. Centre back signing, no that hasn’t happened and since me moaning about that we have let a striker go and we desperately need a replacement for Ollie. Since we heard the message from the club that they were not in a hurry for a forward then I instantly assumed that we will not be signing a forward before the window closes. I feel I have to mention at this stage that I have no issue with Lee joining as he brings a calmness to the back four and that experience is something we desperately required. We signed a forward to support the front line next to the big man (WHO JUST LEFT!) along with a single winger for a team that doesn’t play with wingers. This is going to be an interesting final day of the window. There have been rumours but nothing different from normal, for me we have made three signing this month I will be (pleasantly) surprised if we make it four. Anyway, I have been very tired for a long time whilst typing this so it may well be gibberish so I will post it and go to bed and read it tomorrow.

Update from 31st January at 2:30pm

Nothing on the website and very little rumours bouncing around the internet either.

Update from 31st January at 5:00pm

5 o'clock and nothing to report.

Update from 31st January at 6:00pm

Nowt, nothing, Naddah!

Update from 31st January at 7:30pm

As the hours tick down the lack of any announcement is deafening…

8:30pm and BOOM just like a bus two show up at once…

We have signed Sam Cosgrove a striker from Birmingham City on loan after his loan to Shrewsbury Town. Announced at pretty much the same time is Nathan Broome a young 20-year-old keeper from Stoke. I will go a little deeper with both of these. Starting with a goalkeeper signing out of the blue when the status quo has been Nik starting and Zaki Qualah sat on the bench. Well the inside scoop is that we are about to lose Nik for a few weeks in March due to international call ups and will need cover. This deal sees a young project back in line again after all previous projects have been stolen with Matthew Cox being brought by Brentford and the other youth international Joe Bursik being brought by Stoke City which may create the reason, they allowed Nathan to sign for us. As for Aaron Jones he did get to warm up pre-match against Shrewsbury Town on Saturday so may look to the longer future for that one to grow. OK I get this signing despite my initial confusion. Moving on to the main man.

This is a chance or a glass half empty or a glass half full situation here. As Sam Cosgrove was performing really well for Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League when he was purchased by Birmingham City. They have just signed former Dons favourite Lyle Taylor as a striker meaning they won’t look to bring Sam back into the team. He was on loan at Shrewsbury Town but started his career at Wigan Athletic who loaned him out to four non-league teams where he failed to score in 20 appearances. He got a move to Carlisle United where he notched one in eight games. He went to Aberdeen where his career took an impressive change scoring 31 in 79 appearances. This won him a £2,000,000 transfer to Birmingham City where the shine wore off and he failed to score in twelve appearances. Patience wore off and he was loaned out to Shrewsbury Town where he scored twice in seventeen games this season. Seems a perfect signing for the Dons a Championship player on the downturn who’s been loaned out and not performed so offered out elsewhere. He started nine games for the Shrews this season and scored in two of them (against Gillingham and Crewe Alexandra) after the initial start he slowly dropped out of the team before eventually returning to the first team where he appeared on the bench surprisingly against the Dons on Saturday. He signs but not in time to face Cheltenham Town tomorrow but will either see this loan as a success or a failure based on how he performs. I believe he will get the best opportunity going in term of games and it will be up to him whether he gets the goals and the performances to warrant a chance back at Birmingham or elsewhere in the league. The two great seasons at Aberdeen appears to be a long time ago right now.

16th January 2022 - Episode #2 The slog begins

The slog is for the team and not me (I might add straight away!) as the fixture pile up for January and February kicks in as we are in mid-January already.

SO FAR SO BAD...

The avalanche of fixtures began at the end of December with losing 3-0 to Oxford United on the Wednesday 29th December. The Dons lost to non-league Boreham Wood 2-0 in the FA Cup on the 8th January. Then a 1-0 defeat followed on Tuesday 11th. Yesterday we finally gained a point with a 0-0 draw with 20th placed Morecombe. Although gaining a point it also marks the fourth game without a goal for the Wombles. I was confused with the two signings so far but having time to sit and think it through there is some logic based around the lack of goals and having at lease some options when attacking. We have had the same attacking five all season and maybe it has gone a bit stale. I hope thats not he case but no goals in 360 minutes of football has to be a concern. Particularly when I think back to pre-season which suddenly comes flooding back now the goals have dried up. The issue here is that we haven't looked like scoring for long periods of those games with Boreham Wood a particular lowlight! One shot in the 90th minute against non-league opposition is simply not good enough. Morecombe a side that is learning to defend after shedding goals for fun all season they were scoring for fun as well but they were picking up results. With the fixtures (more of the list below) against Pompey, Brewers away and then two home games in a week against the Tracker boys and the Shrews, there are definitely points available there but also some tricky prospects as well.

THE SIGNINGS

We have signed the leading goal-scorer for Fulham under 23's in Premier League 2 and he looked impressive for the 5 minutes that he had against Morecombe. The other signing on loan is an untested youngster from Barnsley who hasn't made a start there and impressed after a week training with us. I give Robbo some credit as he is prepared to give someone a chance and that he has done. With injuries to regular starter Anthony Hartigan and forward Aaron Pressley out. Defensively with are missing Guiness-Walker through a ban whilst Paul Kalambayi and Darius Charles are injured. Leaving 2 fit centre back starters with Csoka as a back-up but I for one are not supremely confident in Dan at the moment. It may come with better performances but the jury is out now. I would still like to see another central defender come in as a just in case. I can hear the those reminding me that the injured players will be coming back but I still want that extra cover. I am a fan so I am naturally fickle. (live with it). With all my defensive worries in mind we have signed another two attacking players. Am I complaining? well no maybe surprisingly but we are still looking forward which is good and my little concerns are minute compared to the bigger picture. What I can say is in Robbo I trust.

9th January 2022 - Episode #1 Let the moaning begin!

I decided rather than just previewing games then reviewing the players I would give you my thoughts between games as we discuss multiple different points in between. Whether in the stands or in the car on the way there. I thought it might be interesting to share views in between and give you some feedback from my thoughts. This all begins with the mid-season transfer window is wide open and in full affect. The wombles are facing a big fixture pile up in this new year after having three games called off for the opposition having Covid-19 outbreaks in their camps. Let’s hope we do not have one as the EFL will not be so forgiving for a small team like ours when they bend over backwards for those with big squads and big bank balances. On this first post here, I will give you some hopes for the transfer window, playing squad, the remainder of the season, and the recent games as part of a brief summary of the season.

THE SEASON SO FAR

I am tempted to start with the game from yesterday, but I believe it may well be better to start with a brief overview of the season so far. The preseason left me full of fear and concern going into the season. Without a goal from open play and no wins the season began with what seemed a difficult game away to Doncaster Rovers. The Dons won 2-1 and a great (and equally surprising) start of the season followed. After seven games we had three wins three draws and a single defeat by one goal at Sunderland. The fans were looking up rather than down the table the worries of pre-season were gone and there was optimism for the season. That changed with a plum tie in the League Cup away at Arsenal and minds were focused elsewhere as a battling Plymouth Argyle stole the points off a toothless Dons at Plough Lane. The honeymoon was over as the Dons went five games without a win. When for a laugh and to tick off a new ground we travelled to watch the Dons away to Lincoln City on a Tuesday night. A dominant display saw a 1-0 win and optimism was back. Followed by three defeats on the bounce. The slump ended with victory over Crewe Alexandra, a draw with Fleetwood Town and an away win at Accrington Stanley. Momentum continued with a draw away at Wycombe Wanderers after taking a late lead then conceding a late penalty. Momentum went completely with games cancelled and a lacklustre performance away at Oxford United in a 3-0 defeat.

Yesterday, we travelled to Boreham Wood to face the Conference National League side in the F.A. Cup 3rd Round. A fantastic opportunity for both sides to reach the 4th round. An opportunity that Boreham Wood grasped, and the Dons didn’t seem that bothered about. Creating one shot on target in the entire game against a side three division below them. Which that said the two could end up playing in the same division next season if they go up and we go down. I hope that is not the case, but they were a solid cohesive team and will do well this season. The draw saw them facing Bournemouth away which may not raise them as much as a they would have wished. That is for them to worry about while we go on to start the pile of fixtures that we must wade through. The game yesterday saw a wonderful opportunity to reach the fourth round and make some money but instead they were so poor and well beaten that morale must be so low it will be a struggled to get motivated for the games ahead.

With the motivation on the floor, they now have to pick themselves up to face the scummy side from Buckinghamshire. A fixture I have no interest in at all. I don’t want it to exist as I don’t want them to exist either. With their bullshit that they have spouted over the years lying to us the fans before turning their back on us and blaming us for it. The whole set up of their existence is simply wrong and even the man behind it is says he isn’t proud of what he did but refuses to do anything to fix it except keep doing what he had already begun and **** the rest of us. Look after yourself first and not understand the sport and just bulldoze over those in your way whilst belittling those you just shat on. That is why I hate them and everything about them. I could easily elaborate on that more, but I will not now I will move on by highlighting the fixtures we have.

Sat 8th - Away v Boreham Wood

Tue 11th – Away – Scum

Sat 15th – Home v Morecombe

Tue 18th – Home v Portsmouth

Sat 22nd – Away v Burton Albion

Tue 25th – Home v Ipswich Town

Sat 29th – Home v Shrewsbury Town

Tue 1st – Home v Cheltenham Town

Sat 5th – Away v Charlton Athletic

Tue 8th – Home v Rotherham United

Sat 12th – Home v Sunderland

You have the squad lists below. So, you will see what little numbers we must get through the game after game after game. The other thing of note here is that there is an away game to Plymouth Argyle to organise as well. It does seem strange that games against the teams at the top of the table have been called off but none against teams near the bottom seem to go ahead and not get cancelled.

THE SQUAD

The full squad list is below but for me I do not think we have enough defenders based on the squad we had for the first half of the season. I was incorrect when I said we need to just get through to the January window where we can sign some players who can drag us up the league and get us through the remainder of the season. That theory was quickly removed when it was announced that the club needs to repay its £4.5m debts by April. Well, that’s my idea gone then. Which then means I have no idea how we are going to build a squad to get through the season. I can see the longer- term goals and plans.

We basically play with a 4-2-3-1 formation and based on that line up we have two players in each position. We wanted an additional striker in the squad but couldn’t afford it, so had to run through the season on what they had. To be honest we have managed to get through with most positions by hook or by crook. The exception to that (in my opinion) is the centre back position. We had started the season with club captain Will Nightingale alongside Ben Heneghan. With a young and growing in stature Paul Kalambayi as a back-up. There is a youngster in Dániel Csóka that can play there but was sold to the fans as a left back. Then just to cover in case we resigned Darius Charles as a coach and squad motivator. Will gets injured and we bring Paul in, and he managed three games back before getting injured meaning Dániel has had to step up and for me he’s been exposed. Wayward passes resulting in teams breaking and scoring on us. Diving in when standing up was the best option and some downright unlucky business has fellow fans worried about him. Which then moves focus on the back-up and back-up Charles as he is taking a playing wage (I guess) and I hear is not fit to play. Yesterday would have been an ideal time to play him. Rather than Heneghan on his own at the back with two wing backs pelting up the field and leaving him stranded. Some experience in there with the young defenders around him would be good. Not even on the bench and we bring Will Nightingale back from injury on the 60-minute mark, just to give the back four some form of structure.

WHO TO KEEP

There are players in the squad to for me don’t look good enough and I hate thinking that of our own players. I have a habit of sitting on the fence and there is still time to change my opinion. Who do I start with how about back to front. The back-up keeper hasn’t impressed in the few appearances that I’ve seen him in. He is fine as a quick fix until there is an emergency back-up. What worries me is an injury to Nik. At the back Dániel Csóka is still growing and developing his skills so I will give him more time, but he needs protection of not playing week in week out. Nesta is being linked with big money moves away and I am interested to see who and what they are. Charles on a playing budget wage doesn’t sound right to me but would change that view if its on the coaching budget. I will come back to the middle as Dapo for me has not shown enough to keep him at the club. We could easily replace his performances with a youngster that we currently have out on loan and free up some playing budget for another player. People complain about Aaron Pressley, but I can at least see what he brings to the team, although if he is sent back from his loan and another replacement found it would not be a great shock to me. In midfield and the one that hurts to say is Ethan Chislett as he joined with hope and does get regular time on the pitch, but I struggle to see what he brings other than huffing and puffing without much end product. Kaja is another that I struggle to see an end product for but if cheap enough at least he runs at the opposition and takes them on. I did say I would moan, and I have got a lot of Dons stuff off my chest.

WHAT WE NEED

We have brought in another forward which if he is to replace Dapo makes sense. For me what we desperately need is a centre back to take us through to the end of the season. If we can bring someone in as that is a centre back that could also double up in another position would be ideal but another CB would be good. Any other position could do with shoring up but I don't know who can double up elsewhere but defensively we will need to pull together something. You know how many league clean sheets we have had at home this season. Not one. I am not blaming the keeper for that but the defence as a whole needs to be better with some real tough games to come with the target of staying up.