Division Three, 2024/25

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Burton 1-1 Wiggin. Confirms Crawley & Bristol R's relegation.

Rovers were flying under that new manager till that big interview in the Guardian saying how great he was. Don’t think they’ve won since…

[TANGODANCER]

Since said Division 24-2025 season ends with all the drama of a seaside Punch and Judy show (though maybe not quite that high in skill level, more a Sunday pub league brawl on Hulton Lane playing fields) ,might as well air a few views in general on this particular thread.:

1, Who determines the levels of refereeing required to keep things equal and fair. Personally, I think it's a joke to even use those terms after seeing the debacle that exists weekly knowing that jobs, careers and financial stability of foot ball clubs depend on it, and will V.A.R ever really become the norm outside of money subsidised clubs ? The answer is a lemon.

2.The Swap-shop that is managerial appointment level of "Who can we blame this week" is also governed by finance, luck, and related judgement of the men in black ( well, used to be, but now, puce, tangerine or various shades of psychadelia are the norm) of Question 1, and using our latest couple of games penalty decisions as mandates, more of a joke than taking an opponents shirt as a souvenier before the game ends. When is a foul not a foul? Another lemon.

3. How many of the mighty Whites will we even recognise when season 2025-2026 dawns and managerial chess moves the first pawns ?(how many of them will want to be Whites?). The days of wine and roses have sailed down the Manny Road and a young man of thirty becomes a potential pensioner ten years too soon. Can we rise from the ashes and remember who we once were and now are? Three lemons get you a signed football with a picture of Guvernor Schumacher and six Carrs pasties. Have at you...

[TonyDomingos]

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but - for completeness - next season we are joined by Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford from L2 and Luton, Plymouth and Cardiff from the Champo.

L2 play off semis are Walsall v Chesterfield and Wimbledon v Notts C.

Bradford were automatically promoted through a 96th minute winner scored by Antoni Sarcevic (in front of 24k supporters).

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but - for completeness - next season we are joined by Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford from L2 and Luton, Plymouth and Cardiff from the Champo.

L2 play off semis are Walsall v Chesterfield and Wimbledon v Notts C.

Bradford were automatically promoted through a 96th minute winner scored by Antoni Sarcevic (in front of 24k supporters).

...and while we're rounding up, the four teams relegated from this division were Shrewsbury, Cambridge, Bristol Rovers and Cambridge - some long and unglamorous trips whose absence will not be mourned by most (northern) Wanderers.

That said, Plymouth's no fun to get to (and nothing new) so that's a blow. Cardiff we haven't played since 2018 and it's better than Bristol Rovers. Luton, well it's certainly an experience, better than Cambridge.

Donny, Vale and Bradford should be much more lively games (and bigger gates). Personally I'd love Wimbledon to go up - partly as I like the club, partly as it's only nine miles from my house (when we played them early in the Parky days at Kingstonian I went on my bike) - though whether tickets would be gettable is another thing....

[TonyDomingos]

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but - for completeness - next season we are joined by Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford from L2 and Luton, Plymouth and Cardiff from the Champo.

L2 play off semis are Walsall v Chesterfield and Wimbledon v Notts C.

Bradford were automatically promoted through a 96th minute winner scored by Antoni Sarcevic (in front of 24k supporters).

...and while we're rounding up, the four teams relegated from this division were Shrewsbury, Cambridge, Bristol Rovers and Cambridge - some long and unglamorous trips whose absence will not be mourned by most (northern) Wanderers.

That said, Plymouth's no fun to get to (and nothing new) so that's a blow. Cardiff we haven't played since 2018 and it's better than Bristol Rovers. Luton, well it's certainly an experience, better than Cambridge.

Donny, Vale and Bradford should be much more lively games (and bigger gates). Personally I'd love Wimbledon to go up - partly as I like the club, partly as it's only nine miles from my house (when we played them early in the Parky days at Kingstonian I went on my bike) - though whether tickets would be gettable is another thing....

In terms of attendance, I've been poor this season and last. But, I want to remedy that next season, especially as it's our title-winning year

[truewhite15]

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but - for completeness - next season we are joined by Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford from L2 and Luton, Plymouth and Cardiff from the Champo.

L2 play off semis are Walsall v Chesterfield and Wimbledon v Notts C.

Bradford were automatically promoted through a 96th minute winner scored by Antoni Sarcevic (in front of 24k supporters).

...and while we're rounding up, the four teams relegated from this division were Shrewsbury, Cambridge, Bristol Rovers and Cambridge - some long and unglamorous trips whose absence will not be mourned by most (northern) Wanderers.

That said, Plymouth's no fun to get to (and nothing new) so that's a blow. Cardiff we haven't played since 2018 and it's better than Bristol Rovers. Luton, well it's certainly an experience, better than Cambridge.

Donny, Vale and Bradford should be much more lively games (and bigger gates). Personally I'd love Wimbledon to go up - partly as I like the club, partly as it's only nine miles from my house (when we played them early in the Parky days at Kingstonian I went on my bike) - though whether tickets would be gettable is another thing....

How crap were Cambridge that they got relegated twice??

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

In terms of attendance, I've been poor this season and last. But, I want to remedy that next season, especially as it's our title-winning year

Me too - hope we cross paths on the ride to glory

[TonyDomingos]

In terms of attendance, I've been poor this season and last. But, I want to remedy that next season, especially as it's our title-winning year

Me too - hope we cross paths on the ride to glory

Indeed!

I've had a quick round of your "when did last play 'em?" game: Luton in the league was 1995.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I've had a quick round of your "when did last play 'em?" game: Luton in the league was 1995.

The John Dreyer Derby!

[irie Cee Bee]

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but - for completeness - next season we are joined by Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford from L2 and Luton, Plymouth and Cardiff from the Champo.

L2 play off semis are Walsall v Chesterfield and Wimbledon v Notts C.

Bradford were automatically promoted through a 96th minute winner scored by Antoni Sarcevic (in front of 24k supporters).

Some were of the view at the start of this season that L1 was harder this season than the one that we blew under Evatt. Turns out that those who said so were right because we never even made the playoffs this season. Based on what Tony posted, for those knowledgeable about the teams, will next season be easier than this one providing a great opportunity to go up automatically?

[TonyDomingos]

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but - for completeness - next season we are joined by Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford from L2 and Luton, Plymouth and Cardiff from the Champo.

L2 play off semis are Walsall v Chesterfield and Wimbledon v Notts C.

Bradford were automatically promoted through a 96th minute winner scored by Antoni Sarcevic (in front of 24k supporters).

Some were of the view at the start of this season that L1 was harder this season than the one that we blew under Evatt. Turns out that those who said so were right because we never even made the playoffs this season. Based on what Tony posted, for those knowledgeable about the teams, will next season be easier than this one providing a great opportunity to go up automatically?

This season was particularly hard because Birmingham had pretty much bought one of the promotion spots before a ball had been kicked. Plus Wrexham had some Disney money to blow and their January window spending must have helped in the final stages.

Next season, Luton will still be in receipt of their parachute payment. A larger payment didn't help them this year, but I guess they might get more bang for their buck in L1. Who knows how Cardiff and Plymouth will fare, but they don't *feel* significantly different to any other relegated Championship sides.

I've seen all three promoted L2 sides live this season: Bradford were definitely the best and could do well, not least because they get big gates (over 20k), which will help fund a strong squad.

So, I think getting promotion next season won't be quite as challenging as it was this year. But, as ever, it certainly won't be easy.

[As you can see, I've equated ££ with success. It's not a given, of course, but I reckon at our level it is significant.]

[Harry Genshaw]

All 3 relegated sides will fancy they can bounce back up, particularly Luton with a parachute payment burning a hole in their pockets.

Of the promoted lot, I'd think only Bradford would have the potential to challenge at the top end.

All 3 of the beaten play off foursome will fancy to go well again. Orient with a few loanees may not be as strong next term.

And as for those of us who think we underperformed- Wanderers, Reading, Blackpool, Rotherham, Huddersfield, Peterborough and Wigan? You could make a case for any of them to be promotion contenders next season.

I fear we're as far away from promotion next year as we were when we first came back up.

[Worthy4England]

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but - for completeness - next season we are joined by Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford from L2 and Luton, Plymouth and Cardiff from the Champo.

L2 play off semis are Walsall v Chesterfield and Wimbledon v Notts C.

Bradford were automatically promoted through a 96th minute winner scored by Antoni Sarcevic (in front of 24k supporters).

Some were of the view at the start of this season that L1 was harder this season than the one that we blew under Evatt. Turns out that those who said so were right because we never even made the playoffs this season. Based on what Tony posted, for those knowledgeable about the teams, will next season be easier than this one providing a great opportunity to go up automatically?

As one such (and acutually it sorta was and wasn't harder to make top 6 points wise). I'd be stunned if we got remotely close to the autos next season. We should make play offs.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Of the sides coming down, LUTON will have a higher playing budget but I'm not 100% sure it will be a Birmingham "buying the league" situation. They may have a large squad anyway and while those players theoretically should be better than most in this league, they sure haven't shown it, under two successive managers. That change is also important: Bloomfield is not a unifying figure, they may have a bit of an identity crisis, and Kenilworth Road is definitely more lower-league than St Andrew's. That said, if (if) they hire well and start well they should have enough to be top six. But they're a club that's lurched from the top flight to non-league and back again so who knows?

Chaotic CARDIFF have been drifting toward this for a while - they only survived two years ago (another three-gaffer campaign) because of Reading's ponts deduction. No idea what they'll do but if it's a promotion tilt it'll be from a rabbly wreckage.

PLYMOUTH arguably overachieved to win promotion and have really struggled since Schumacher left. Muslic has tightened them up but he's also tightened his lips on whether he's staying. If he does they may rebuild cannily, but if he doesn't they haven't got a great track record of picking the right guy.

Although the finances are such that any of those three could right themselves and walk the league, I'm actually looking downwards. As Harry says, we're not the only underperformers looking to improve. HUDDERSFIELD and ROTHERHAM are threats even without bogeymen managing them. READING look to be finally shut of a shit-head owner and have done very well even without that psychic release. POSH may come again after a fallow season.

Of the tier-3 playoff teams I hope CHARLTON go up as they'd be most likely to be very good next season. Appointed in February 2024, Nathan Jones took two windows to sort them out (Schuey may need similar) and I don't think this is their only chance to go up. WYCOMBE have understandably wobbled since January and wouldn't have the same 'unknown quantity' feel that helped them. ORIENT's form has gone in the other direction but again the dark-horse thing suited them. STOCKPORT have quietly been very impressive all season and probably will be again if they stay down.

Mention of Stockport brings me to note that I'm also slightly wary of the teams coming up - and not just because in this year's third tier two of them finished 2nd and 3rd. Momentum is huge in football (as is inertia) and the promoted sides are all interesting. DONCASTER are managed by Grant McCann, who's won this division before. PORT VALE were laughed at last February for giving Darren Moore a five-and-a-half-year contract but the chuckles have subsided now: he's another who's taken a team up from this division, and while Wednesday are a bigger fish than Vale, it's not a pleasant place to go. Speaking of which, BRADFORD had a frighteningly good home record - W17 D4 L2, bringing 55pts, only 13 fewer than we managed home *and* away - and with big home crowds they'll be attractive to potential signings.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Will be glad to see the arse-end of this noisy bunch and their media fawners...
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[TonyDomingos]

Will be glad to see the arse-end of this noisy bunch and their media fawners...
.
Screenshot 2025-05-05 at 10.19.11.png

Oh definitely! I also had to endure a couple of seasons of it in the National League (I'm a Bromley STH), so I've well and truly had my fill of the Disney nonsense.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Oh definitely! I also had to endure a couple of seasons of it in the National League (I'm a Bromley STH), so I've well and truly had my fill of the Disney nonsense.

Two fills!

[BWFC_Insane]

Will be glad to see the arse-end of this noisy bunch and their media fawners...
.
Screenshot 2025-05-05 at 10.19.11.png

I wish it was us. Can’t really criticise what they have done for the town or the club. Wish they’d chosen us tbh.

[Harry Genshaw]

I feel similar about Stockport. Small club with no history to speak of who lucked out with a great manager. The sooner he's snapped up by a Championship side and they're back where they belong in the 4th division, the better. If Challinor doesn't get them up this time, I'm sure he will next, and on a budget similar (or less?) than what Evatt had.

[TonyDomingos]

Stockport dumped out of the play offs by Orient on pens. Thank the Lord.