Next season - might as well get it started now.

[Athertonian]

So difficult to predict which manager could sort out the mess were in. Phill Brown? who knows, it could turn out to be the right appointment or another mistake.
By starting from scratch it will take a massive effort to assemble a squad capable of making a challenge for promotion. It can be done so why not here at Bolton. I don't believe Sports Shield have the money to throw at the next manager so his hands will be tied.

[TANGODANCER]

What's so worrying is that we aren't just starting again with a team or even the bones of a decent one, as well as no manager and no money to speak of. Going to be a difficult job for any manager to get us up and running again. Wheater has been a decent, if limited Wanderer, but he and Heskey are surely borderline goodbyes for next year. Agree with what we need in some instances and a ruffian at the back, Gerry Taggart or Andy Todd style to inspire a bit of fight and backbone would be handy in Div 1. Not claiming knowlege but I'd have Holding with said ruffian, with Derik as defensive midfield as a start. Concentrate on keeping the gate shut and not giving away soft goals (gee, isn't that what's cost us to be where we are now?) for starters and bring along the Samizade/Clough type lads up front alongside a striker of the Darren Bent type who knows where the goal are.

[Athertonian]

Some of these youngsters we have produced, if they're not good enough now they never will be. Being nurtured along side Premier league players or even the decent Champ players is a massive bonus for them, unfortunately ours don't have that luxury. .

[TKIZ!]

Things we'll need for next season:

1) Early appointment on a manager (If it's Browny then so be it but I'd also be happy with Keith Hill or Chris Wilder both of whom have done wonders with their respective clubs - Wilder's Northampton's were favs for the drop from League 2 and as early as October were nearly out of business like ourselves and they were promoted yesterday)
2) Scouting network that knows the lower leagues/good info on frees start by having a look at some of the lads who get released by the bigger clubs in the Premier League/Championship, Leicester have reaped the benefits from that type of player
3) The right players for the right positions as already been said, midfield general, slab of a Centre Back and a forward who knows where the back of the net is (Maybe look into seeing if we could loan The Juke for the season - he's been injured and he's not going to be making the Burnley team anytime soon)

[TKIZ!]

Adam Armstrong from Coventry City would also be a good start (on loan from Newcastle, 19 goals for the season in decent enough team, 3rd top scorer in the league)

[Harry Genshaw]

Whilst there's a case for letting any of the current bunch go and I'd not miss any of em, you'd hope a decent manager could get the best out of what he inherits. Madine, Mavies, Moxey, Pratley et al could all hold their own in a decent league one side if someone got them performing to the levels they're capable of.

[truewhite15]

Whilst there's a case for letting any of the current bunch go and I'd not miss any of em, you'd hope a decent manager could get the best out of what he inherits. Madine, Mavies, Moxey, Pratley et al could all hold their own in a decent league one side if someone got them performing to the levels they're capable of.

If those four could perform to the levels they're supposedly capable of, we wouldn't be going down. If we could play the same Mark Davies that tore Spuds to pieces on his debut, we'll piss League One.

Unfortunately, I think the last few seasons has proven that Davies's performance that day is the exception against the rule of laziness we've seen for four years.

As for the others, I don't they've ever performed to what they're supposed to be capable of...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Moxey has had good spells for us and should be perfectly competent in a well-coached defence. Madine scored 36 in 97 third-tier games since turning 20. Pratley has played 120 games in the third tier. They should be able to play at that level. Hopefully a new gaffer will be able to help them do so... If their wages aren't too high. We'll be desperately trying to ship folks like Spearing and Mavies but we've already got a massive rebuild so it would be good if a new manager could get the best out of some of the older heads.

[Worthy4England]

I know there's been a lot of criticism of our "attacking force", and the midfield but seriously people need to look at our defence - it's fcuking woeful - if we score three, they're likely to have got four.

Preston, Dingles and Leeds all have one more goal than us, but have conceded 37 less (Preston, 10th), 36 less (Blackburn, 16th), 27 less (Leeds. 15th) - so yeah we're right to point out our attacking is a bit shit, but defensively - fcuking awful.

2011/12 Prem relegation - 76 goals in 38 games
2012/13 - 61 in 46 games
13/14 - 60 in 46 games
14/15 - 67 in 46 games
15/16 - 76 in 41 games - we could beat 100 the way they're going.

[BWFC_Insane]

I know there's been a lot of criticism of our "attacking force", and the midfield but seriously people need to look at our defence - it's fcuking woeful - if we score three, they're likely to have got four.

Preston, Dingles and Leeds all have one more goal than us, but have conceded 37 less (Preston, 10th), 36 less (Blackburn, 16th), 27 less (Leeds. 15th) - so yeah we're right to point out our attacking is a bit shit, but defensively - fcuking awful.

2011/12 Prem relegation - 76 goals in 38 games
2012/13 - 61 in 46 games
13/14 - 60 in 46 games
14/15 - 67 in 46 games
15/16 - 76 in 41 games - we could beat 100 the way they're going.

Most of the problems are stemming from midfield. Ultimately I think our back four would have been passable with a proper midfield in front.

[Worthy4England]

I know there's been a lot of criticism of our "attacking force", and the midfield but seriously people need to look at our defence - it's fcuking woeful - if we score three, they're likely to have got four.

Preston, Dingles and Leeds all have one more goal than us, but have conceded 37 less (Preston, 10th), 36 less (Blackburn, 16th), 27 less (Leeds. 15th) - so yeah we're right to point out our attacking is a bit shit, but defensively - fcuking awful.

2011/12 Prem relegation - 76 goals in 38 games
2012/13 - 61 in 46 games
13/14 - 60 in 46 games
14/15 - 67 in 46 games
15/16 - 76 in 41 games - we could beat 100 the way they're going.

Most of the problems are stemming from midfield. Ultimately I think our back four would have been passable with a proper midfield in front.

Not that you and I ever disagree or owt...but. I think it's correct that you have to defend as a unit including your midfielders...we agree 100% on our back four having been passable. Many, many sides have passed through it with consummate ease on many, many occasions.

[BWFC_Insane]

I know there's been a lot of criticism of our "attacking force", and the midfield but seriously people need to look at our defence - it's fcuking woeful - if we score three, they're likely to have got four.

Preston, Dingles and Leeds all have one more goal than us, but have conceded 37 less (Preston, 10th), 36 less (Blackburn, 16th), 27 less (Leeds. 15th) - so yeah we're right to point out our attacking is a bit shit, but defensively - fcuking awful.

2011/12 Prem relegation - 76 goals in 38 games
2012/13 - 61 in 46 games
13/14 - 60 in 46 games
14/15 - 67 in 46 games
15/16 - 76 in 41 games - we could beat 100 the way they're going.

Most of the problems are stemming from midfield. Ultimately I think our back four would have been passable with a proper midfield in front.

Not that you and I ever disagree or owt...but. I think it's correct that you have to defend as a unit including your midfielders...we agree 100% on our back four having been passable. Many, many sides have passed through it with consummate ease on many, many occasions.

The number of goals we concede where the midfield literally just disappears is mind numbing.

I agree we haven't had an organised, disciplined back four. But I think we might have had the personnel to do so if we had some decent protection in front. Which we never did.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

To be fair, the defence, midfield and attack has been utterly woeful, with none of them helping the other function. If the attack did better there would be less pressure on the midfield and defence. If the midfield supported the attack better then the attack might be effective. If the defence did their job then the midfield might have more time and energy to help the attack.

To summarise. They've all been woeful, shit, appalling, <insert own adjective here>.

[Bijou Bob]

Pru's transfer window thread will make or break next season. No pressure Pru.........

[SmokinFrazier]

The problems with the squad can be fixed with good coaching, something we haven't had for a while. Everyone on here will slag them off no end but we've seen the likes of Mark Davies, Pratley, Spearing, Danns etc. have played well enough at points, they've just not been anywhere consistent enough. They're not write offs with no ability though, their performances are what you see in football when things are tough on and off the field but bring in a good manager, someone who can create a unit with a recognisable style of play, get a few wins under their belts and they'll start playing a lot better. I really don't like this attitude from fans who just dismiss players and accuse them of being soft or whatever when things are tough. It's such a basic way to look at it and, in the majority of cases, it's not correct. Even at Aston Villa, they're an absolute mess but it's just boring to hear say the players are 'cowards' and 'gutless' etc.. Confidence plays a huge part in sport and it's that which is the issue, it's not a case of players not caring, but obviously that isn't what angry fans want to discuss, they want to create an us vs. them mentality towards the players. We have a complete lack of confidence and it's not something that's easy to turn around, it needs a catalyst which hopefully a new manager will bring.

All we need to do is make the right managerial choice and actually create a positive attitude at the club again. That will start in the transfer window and it's important that the fans and players know that we aren't happy being in League One and want to get out of it straight away. Appoint a strong choice, back them in the window and that'll go some way to restoring the confidence that has been battered out of this club for a number of years, and when we do that, there's no reason we can't achieve automatic promotion. Wigan went down to League One with a worse squad than what we've got and they'll bounce back up, as did Wolves in a similar position, but carrying this pessimistic attitude into next season won't help us at all.

Unfortunately for us I think, change needs to come from the top and it's Holdsworth and the consortium who need to make the right changes, something I'm not confident they will do. I was far more disgusted with the attitude they displayed in giving up on survival than any on field performance this season, so I don't have much faith in them. Hopefully I'm wrong because this summer is big and needs good leadership, not jobs for the boys.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Mark Davies has 1 or 2 good games a season, assuming he's not injured.
Pratley has had 10 decent games for us in how many seasons?
Spearing has had half a dozen or so good games since signing permanently.
Danns had 1 decent game in 3/4 before his legs went.

If you're expecting more than a small improvement then I'm afraid you're set for more disappointment.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If the midfield can literally disappear, that's quite a useful trick

Oh and Frazier: Wigan and Wolfs still had/have Premier parachute money, whereas we ain't got a pisspot

[Bruce Rioja]

So, do we get to play in the 1st round again next season then? I've actually missed that!

[Worthy4England]

Wigan's "worse squad than ours" accumulated 39 points last season. They didn't leak owt like the goals we're leaking.

[Aanvalluh]

So, do we get to play in the 1st round again next season then? I've actually missed that!

Yes, pick your first round opponents!
Pity it won't be Horwich RMI
Do Daisy Hill, Atherton enter the FA Cup?
Otherwise...Chorley!