The future is hidden from all men and great events hang on small chances: Exeter (H) Sat 1/5/21 @ 3pm

[BWFC_Insane]

Yeah, the club are definitely damned if they do, damned if they don't. As you say, without getting into the rights or wrongs of it, any large gathering is currently verboten so any attempt to cater to it – even to ameliorate the possible consequences - would be not just irresponsible but presumably illegal. All they can do is ask people not to turn up.

And as you say, there's a big task on the pitch first. I think and hope we will have enough to beat Exeter, especially given their midweek exertions in having to come from behind to beat buggardly old Grimsby, but it's far from foregone. Considering his Barrow team was promoted in absentia, Evatt will be breaking new managerial ground here, and I hope and trust he's up to it: the message all week long must be "Job's not done."

Allardyce and Rioch, among others, have said the task before big games is not so much "getting them up" as "calming them down": focus on your task, do the next right thing, block out the noise and score at least one more than the oppo.

All of this. People getting way ahead of themselves. I don't think a mass crowd at the stadium helps anyone. But lets just see what transpires and hope we get the right result. I fully understand why people are desperate to celebrate this but I'd hope they'll wait till after the game so as to not prove a distraction all round.

[BWFC_Insane]

Yes BWFCI I think it’s the rules that are crackers and think the club have been placed in an awkward position as a result.

As I say the problems would extend well beyond the COVID rules and law to practicalities of doing it. I doubt to be honest you can in a week come close to organising anything like this let alone in a COVID compliant way.

But beyond that you also have the Football League and iFollow contract - is anyone a club or otherwise allowed to stream their games for commercial gain? I doubt it. I suspect that the FL have rules prohibiting clubs from doing so.

I thought it might happen at weekend but very quickly after checking it out realised it was a non starter. Ken probably would have tried to do it regardless. But breaking the law etc isn't Sharon's thing.

I'm not really sure sitting in your car (remember EVEN if this was covered by cinema rules you aren't allowed out for any reason, have to be in your two household max bubble) and watching the game on a screen that doesn't work brilliantly would probably be quite frustrating and as I type this I wonder who seriously would want to do that?

[Mar]

Yeah, the club are definitely damned if they do, damned if they don't. As you say, without getting into the rights or wrongs of it, any large gathering is currently verboten so any attempt to cater to it – even to ameliorate the possible consequences - would be not just irresponsible but presumably illegal. All they can do is ask people not to turn up.

And as you say, there's a big task on the pitch first. I think and hope we will have enough to beat Exeter, especially given their midweek exertions in having to come from behind to beat buggardly old Grimsby, but it's far from foregone. Considering his Barrow team was promoted in absentia, Evatt will be breaking new managerial ground here, and I hope and trust he's up to it: the message all week long must be "Job's not done."

Allardyce and Rioch, among others, have said the task before big games is not so much "getting them up" as "calming them down": focus on your task, do the next right thing, block out the noise and score at least one more than the oppo.

All of this. People getting way ahead of themselves. I don't think a mass crowd at the stadium helps anyone. But lets just see what transpires and hope we get the right result. I fully understand why people are desperate to celebrate this but I'd hope they'll wait till after the game so as to not prove a distraction all round.

Maybe the fans would prove as added incentive. I would imagine that if the fans were loud enough in the car park they'd be heard in the ground.

That being said i'll be watching from afar on the day so I do wonder if we'll hear them via iFollow.

[TANGODANCER]

A view (which I'll be glad to see entirely wrong) :

After what we saw at Morecambe (via video) last week, and allowing that all fans are not programmed look-alike, think-alike,act alike,robots who can be controlled by one set of behaviour rules for all, I'm thinking there isn't a cat in hell's chance of keeping the faithful at bay away from home turf come Saturday. In an ideal world (huh) it would be a sensible action to obey the law, but we don't live in an ideal world full of sensible folk (read the Bolton News any day if you think so) and this isn't just any old match. Victory is a powerful emotion in any sport, and it's been a long time since we got this close to it.

My contribution now is a mild "Come on you Whites" but I've known a few mad moments and I'm a lifetime Bolton supporter, so I can understand both cases. Just hope it all goes well..

[Worthy4England]

Agree Mar, I don't think the intent would be to pre-emptively celebrate. I think job 1 would be "support team"...

[LeverEnd]

Loads will turn up, club just need a plan to deal with them sympathetically without getting into official trouble.

[Bruce Rioja]

I think it's fair to say that we all know the sort who'll be turning up in the main. And for that reason - I'm out

[officer_dibble]

I did wince at the Shaz in the car vid. Plenty there on sat were spot on I’m sure but there’s always a few who are going to take it to far.

[LeverEnd]

I think it's fair to say that we all know the sort who'll be turning up in the main. And for that reason - I'm out

What? I've booked us a taxi!!

[Harry Genshaw]

I think it's fair to say that we all know the sort who'll be turning up in the main. And for that reason - I'm out

What? I've booked us a taxi!!

Get on with your grouting you and stay well away!

[Worthy4England]

I did wince at the Shaz in the car vid. Plenty there on sat were spot on I’m sure but there’s always a few who are going to take it to far.

I think there's a Delia moment in there, waiting an appropriate time to make an appearance

[BWFC_Insane]

I did wince at the Shaz in the car vid. Plenty there on sat were spot on I’m sure but there’s always a few who are going to take it to far.

I think there's a Delia moment in there, waiting an appropriate time to make an appearance

I get exactly what you mean but then I sorta wonder would we say the same about an enthusiastic male owner and if not.....

[Worthy4England]

I did wince at the Shaz in the car vid. Plenty there on sat were spot on I’m sure but there’s always a few who are going to take it to far.

I think there's a Delia moment in there, waiting an appropriate time to make an appearance

I get exactly what you mean but then I sorta wonder would we say the same about an enthusiastic male owner and if not.....

"And if not......" what?

I'm absolutely sure, sideshow Bassini had a Delia moment in him.

[BWFC_Insane]

I did wince at the Shaz in the car vid. Plenty there on sat were spot on I’m sure but there’s always a few who are going to take it to far.

I think there's a Delia moment in there, waiting an appropriate time to make an appearance

I get exactly what you mean but then I sorta wonder would we say the same about an enthusiastic male owner and if not.....

"And if not......" what?

I'm absolutely sure, sideshow Bassini had a Delia moment in him.

Christ don’t tell Delia that.

[TANGODANCER]

Just one small wish that will most likely be lost in the euphoria of the moment: Please, please let's not take anything for granted in the Exeter game. Unlikely as it seems, two wins for them and a lot of ask could see them still giving it a good go. Our times of near misses, hitting posts, poor refs, ill luck and "dark arts" and all the rest won't alter a thing unless we win this game and can end the season knowing the job's done. Come on lads,nail it and do it in style. Let's really be "best team in the league".

COME ON YOU WHITES...!

ps: Are we allowed to mention fat-ladies even in a time-honoured Wagnerian operatic sense?

[Worthy4England]

I doubt anyone but the foolhardy would be euphoric at this stage, TD. I doubt Evatt and the team aren't aware that the job's not done til it's done. It's been twists and turns since January. Fine margins. Saturday will be no different, in the context of the season. Doubt anyone will want to be relying on needing three points in last game, or hoping that others slip up. There's a team to beat out there, if we play to our potential we'll give ourselves a great chance.

[BWFC_Insane]

I doubt anyone but the foolhardy would be euphoric at this stage, TD. I doubt Evatt and the team aren't aware that the job's not done til it's done. It's been twists and turns since January. Fine margins. Saturday will be no different, in the context of the season. Doubt anyone will want to be relying on needing three points in last game, or hoping that others slip up. There's a team to beat out there, if we play to our potential we'll give ourselves a great chance.

I sort of think we'd be better off in some ways if this was the final game of the season and there wasn't anything after it. All or nowt like Peterborough or Notts Forest were. Yes of course statistically its worse but I often feel in these situations there can be that thing at the back of the mind that stops you from really going all out in the knowledge there's always next week. And of course next week arrives when you are more panic stricken.

But this is a position beyond our wildest dreams only a few months back. Just have to take it and finish the job. There is no other way to look at it.

I dare say many teams have failed to go up from better positions than ours and many will in the future. Its far from done and there is that nagging suspicion I think many have that its destined to go to the last game. But lets just do our jobs properly. Can't do anything else.

[BWFC_Insane]

Declan John fit for Saturday according to IE. Also in his interview says we want to keep DJ who is out of contract and it’s just down to the division we end up in and DJ himself. Sounds like if we go up we have a real chance.

[Bertie Wooster]

We will do this 3-1.

The whites are going up.

[The_Gun]

Putting the promotion/playoff pressures and permutations aside (which I know the players can't really do, but whatever), from a pure footballing perspective I'm confident about Saturday.

Fatigue could well be a factor, because Evatt has not been rotating much of late, but being able to bring Sarce in to sit behind Doyle, and having Lee drop back to bring more control to the middle of the park is such a massive boon for us.

Sarce is a calm head, a leader and a goal threat that we missed massively over the eight games he was out (I hold my hands up for having said we wouldn't miss him too much). Equally as significant is being able to play Lee in his best position, and removing the less composed Thomason, who I like, but does have the tendency to squander possession in dangerous areas.

Our best XI is the best in the division, so if we play up to our potential we will win. COYWM!