To take a position between the two, I feel the side, with a just a few additions/changes, is good enough to hold down a SL spot but, like any side playing all year in the championship, would struggle to overcome the promotion obstacle. The difference is the inbuilt advantage which is gained from a season played at the higher level.
On the coaching and tactical front, I'm hopeful that lessons have been learnt. I'm pretty sure that Jimmy is wise enough to take stock of what might be improved and to act upon it, there is certainly enough experience at the top to give advice so let's hope Jimmy has his 'ears on'.. He certainly isn't very likely to be replaced so I'm hoping that's the case.
Given the talk around the club when Harrison left, it doesn't seem to me that Lowes is willing to do actually listen, it's probably the reason he doesn't seem to improve as a coach as rather than take on board all sides of the argument, he seems to just steamroller across and say "My way or the highway". Now, someone like Alex Ferguson could do that because he's got a the best part of half a century of management experience and a mountain of silverware to back up his contention that his way is best. Lowes on the other hand, doesn't have that and his following his first final, he showed a distinct lack of composure which leads me to believe that he's not got the right mentality to deal with the pressures of the boss' chair
Nothing has changed on the Lowes front - no promotion whilst he is in charge. One of Marc Green's few mistakes but sadly the biggest by a country mile.
Jimmy deserves another year for me. The performance of the team saw a marked improvement after Cummings left, and despite the inevitable relegation that followed, his work has been pretty good given the standard of players he's had to work with compared to what we had. He got us to the MPG, after all. Christ, the Leythers couldn't make it that far with a sugar daddy buffoon of an owner, an impressive squad that was better than ours last year with attacking intent and dogged defence, and an army of passionate, albeit deluded, fans.
I've seen the guy live... He was always one of the quickest on the field, pretty solid defensively as well. Learning how to read the game of league will be the challenge.
The good thing is that he's got the '27 game pre season' to come to terms with the ins and outs of positional play.
He seems like an excellent (potential) acquisition to me. Fast and tricky, with a real eye for the gap. If (and its an 'if') he can adapt, then he's got to be worth a 1 year deal at the very least.
Jimmy deserves another year for me. The performance of the team saw a marked improvement after Cummings left, and despite the inevitable relegation that followed, his work has been pretty good given the standard of players he's had to work with compared to what we had. He got us to the MPG, after all. Christ, the Leythers couldn't make it that far with a sugar daddy buffoon of an owner, an impressive squad that was better than ours last year with attacking intent and dogged defence, and an army of passionate, albeit deluded, fans.
However, if you want real 'deluded', you need to see what our owner is predicting for this season!! (some of our ';deluded' followers are predicting Wembley wins - usually by 2021 - but definitely not THIS season!)
However, if you want real 'deluded', you need to see what our owner is predicting for this season!! (some of our ';deluded' followers are predicting Wembley wins - usually by 2021 - but definitely not THIS season!)
Yeah I think Mr Beaumont cemented the title of "buffoon" with his preseason predictions. I really wish him well but I expect him to be licking his wounds again at the end of the middle eights, though I suspect a 5th or 6th place finish might be more likely this time around.
Yeah I think Mr Beaumont cemented the title of "buffoon" with his preseason predictions. I really wish him well but I expect him to be licking his wounds again at the end of the middle eights, though I suspect a 5th or 6th place finish might be more likely this time around.
Without predicting exactly what would happen in the 'Qualifiers', he has said we won't be in the 'MPG'. Of course, that could mean he's expecting 6th, 7th or 8th again! (I truly hope not!) However, we are all looking forward to going through the entire Championship season unbeaten, despite the distraction of a Wembley win, en route! The latter prediction is ridiculous, and I'm afraid the former won't happen. There are too many 'banana skins' along the way, even without his crazy predictions firing up our opponents!
Without predicting exactly what would happen in the 'Qualifiers', he has said we won't be in the 'MPG'. Of course, that could mean he's expecting 6th, 7th or 8th again! (I truly hope not!) However, we are all looking forward to going through the entire Championship season unbeaten, despite the distraction of a Wembley win, en route! The latter prediction is ridiculous, and I'm afraid the former won't happen. There are too many 'banana skins' along the way, even without his crazy predictions firing up our opponents!
I trust you don't actually believe that Mr Beaumont's musings about being in a warm country during the MPG actually allude to Leigh finishing 6th, 7th, or 8th! I can never tell when Leigh fans are joking or not!
I trust you don't actually believe that Mr Beaumont's musings about being in a warm country during the MPG actually allude to Leigh finishing 6th, 7th, or 8th! I can never tell when Leigh fans are joking or not!
It was an attempt at irony Doc. He is, I believe, expecting us to finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Personally, I'm never that confident. I'm in the "I'll believe it when I see it" school!
It was an attempt at irony Doc. He is, I believe, expecting us to finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Personally, I'm never that confident. I'm in the "I'll believe it when I see it" school!