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I watched the game and really enjoyed it. If we’re drawing comparisons to Dale, it was actually England that reminded me most of our play last season - lots of recycling possession, shifting the ball wide around the edge of the opposition box, then switching flanks in search of an opening, only to be met by a well-drilled defence. But, just like us at times last season, their persistence eventually paid off. I’m hoping with the new signings, it’ll pay off more often this season.
Cheers. I was familiar with the plans to refurb or even move away from Spotland, but I must have missed the announcement regarding the discontinuation of hospitality.
As I say, I feel it's a bit of an own goal, but the club will know best if it will ultimately be worth doing from a financial standpoint.
Your last line is precisely why I do it too. The fact that they’d really nailed the offering last season was a huge bonus. Two family members attended for the first time and were impressed with a desire to return for the same experience this season. I know there was an abundance of similar feedback from others who’d taken a package.
Personally, I think it’s a poor decision to cease it this season (that’s yet to be communicated) and I can’t imagine there are many clubs our size that don’t offer pre-match hospitality.
As to the new solution, that room is going to feel extremely cosy with anything approaching 200 people in too, which will not make for a great experience.
I’d be keen to hear the reasoning when the club decides to formally announce the decision.
I seem to remember something along the lines of a prize fund being £1,000,000. Now whether that was split equally between the 16 competing National League clubs (so £62,500 each), or if it was split based on progression in the competition etc, I’m not sure.
It’s been an absolute chore watching Lancs last season and this. Capitulation after capitulation with an insipid bowling attack. We are in real danger of finishing rock-bottom of division two at this rate.
It’s not all on Beneknstein, but you have to think a fresh approach from the coaching side of things has to be at least the first place to start.
I think the point being made is that it took Barnet four years to finally win the title after Brennan got the job. That’s not a sign of a stroll, it’s a sign of persistence, planning and investment paying off over time.
I interviewed Dean Brennan for my book, and he was open about the financial support at Barnet. Their budget - despite a small fan base - has been competitive because the chairman has been putting in his “family inheritance” season after season. That’s on the record, in the book. So yes, I’d say Barnet, for the past two seasons, have punched above us financially in terms of playing budget. Whether that continues to be the case with continued Ogden investment here remains unknown but, with decent backing, it still took Brennan four years to achieve his aim. I think that’s the point being made.
People might praise Brennan’s management style over McNulty’s, but people lead in different ways, and effectiveness doesn’t always look the same. Maybe McNulty does need a more visible ruthless streak - BBM probably did too - but there’s definitely more to McNulty than the calm, placid public-facing exterior. On a stadium tour, for example, he told two young fans that he’d had to have some harsh words with a player who wasn’t starting. He said it straight: in football, sometimes you have to be the “bad guy.” That side of him clearly exists. I don’t think there’s any doubt around the halls of the COA that he’s the man in charge.
That said, McNulty does need to consider how he comes across in interviews. The language matters, even if too much is made of it sometimes. Supporters want to feel ambition reflected back at them, and tone can influence that. Referencing clout is fine if it’s consistent. We have a lot more clout than a good number of teams we’ve come a cropper against at this level, so the door needs to swing both ways.
For me now, that’s the test for next season. We don’t have masses of players out of contract, so we need to build on that this summer, with appropriate financial backing, filling key positions with experience as well as ability. I think we all know the areas - a spine effectively - a no.1, a midfield destroyer and at least one centre forward of the type Jay Bird proved to be. Then, McNulty needs to find a consistent way to see off both the big hitters and the low-block brigade. Only teams that manage to do this can hope to get out of this league.
I think it’s only fair for supporters to dictate that anything less than what was achieved this season the next would be deemed regression and not acceptable.
However, on that note, it’s worth remembering the Ogdens have set long-term objectives for the head coach. We only really know what the year three goal is. The rest? We’re guessing. It might help if more of those benchmarks were made public, so supporters can gauge whether the club’s vision aligns with their own season-by-season hopes.
I was reading through this thread with a view of adding my own thoughts, but you’ve basically said everything I wanted to say there. Pretty much point for point where I currently stand.
Thanks very much, I’m really glad you enjoyed the last book and I appreciate the kind words. I’m not planning to write another one for a while though. The time it takes, alongside other work and home life, is just a bit too full-on at the moment. I’m planning to watch Dale solely for enjoyment for a while, if that’s ever really possible.
I did cover the Ogden takeover at the end of the last book. It turned out to be a happy ending, which didn’t seem likely at all while I was writing it with the season still unfolding.
I had been commissioned to write a feature if we’d won the FA Trophy, but obviously that didn’t happen. I’ve been asked to do something similar if we win the play-offs, so we’ll see how that goes 😃
I believe the issue at the heart of our current perception as a “boring” side has already been touched upon. Much of this stems from the way opposition teams set up against us, often sitting deep in a low block and looking to snatch a goal on the counter.
It's a tactic we’ve struggled against on several occasions, both this season and last. Credit where it’s due, though; for many of these teams, it's a pragmatic approach to facing a side perceived as stronger. In a results-driven business, entertainment value takes a back seat for their fans when points are on the line.
Naturally, this style of game can appear dull from our own supporters’ perspective, especially when we labour to break such teams down. The key to overcoming this is speed —quick movement in the final third that pulls the opposition out of shape and creates space. That’s where we’ve often come up short this season. At times, we’ve looked too slow, too ponderous in advanced areas.
With the right additions to the squad, we can hopefully address this shortfall and begin to find ways to break down these defensive setups —much like York have managed to do when faced with similar approaches.
In truth, very few sides in the National League are going to come and play expansive football against us, outside of the league’s strongest teams. And, to be fair, we haven’t always performed well in those bigger games either — York and Barnet come to mind.
That said, we do have the foundations in place to succeed at this level and I believe we have more than demonstrated that this season. If promotion via the play-offs doesn’t happen, I genuinely believe — with a few key signings and a bit more tactical flexibility from McNulty in crucial moments — there’s no reason why we can’t push for one of the top three spots next season.
I think it’s also important to consider the loanees that will return to their parent clubs, and how we could instead sign more permanent, experienced players to build a squad for next season, rather than just a core first XI that sees us scrabbling for a make-do replacement when injuries/suspensions occur.
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