Relegation

[NathStPaul]

I thought a couple of seasons ago that relegation could be a benefit in the long-term for the club. Less so now due to the embargo so it might take us longer to get out of League One but it could still work out in our favour. It may mean the likes of Southwood, Azeez, Abbey, Dorsett, Bristow, Tetek etc can flourish with so many players leaving. They've all got the potential to be playing in the Championship for sure.

If those six were all regular starters in League One next season I expect we'd get relegated again.

They wouldn't be, but Southwood, Azeez and Tetek for sure are all capable of playing at League One level. Southwood, for his criticism's and faults, has been rated highly outside our walls by opposition fans, Azeez has proven his worth early in the season at this level and is showing promise up until his injury and Tetek has been breaking through in the last 12-18 months as well. If they can get into our squad in the Championship, they'd be more than capable in League One.

Dorsett and Abbey may need another loan spell (or a loan spell in Abbey's case) but I think within the next 12 months they'd be capable in our squad. Bristow has been thrown into the deep end a bit this season in his sporadic appearances but a bit more exposure a level down might be just what he needs. I'm not saying they would all be regulars, but they could break into the team or in some cases be regular starters, such as the aforementioned first 3 players, in a League One side.

I think you overstate how good League One is. The majority of clubs in the bottom half of League One are not significantly better than sides in the top half of League Two.

LOL.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I thought a couple of seasons ago that relegation could be a benefit in the long-term for the club. Less so now due to the embargo so it might take us longer to get out of League One but it could still work out in our favour. It may mean the likes of Southwood, Azeez, Abbey, Dorsett, Bristow, Tetek etc can flourish with so many players leaving. They've all got the potential to be playing in the Championship for sure.

If those six were all regular starters in League One next season I expect we'd get relegated again.

They wouldn't be, but Southwood, Azeez and Tetek for sure are all capable of playing at League One level. Southwood, for his criticism's and faults, has been rated highly outside our walls by opposition fans, Azeez has proven his worth early in the season at this level and is showing promise up until his injury and Tetek has been breaking through in the last 12-18 months as well. If they can get into our squad in the Championship, they'd be more than capable in League One.

Dorsett and Abbey may need another loan spell (or a loan spell in Abbey's case) but I think within the next 12 months they'd be capable in our squad. Bristow has been thrown into the deep end a bit this season in his sporadic appearances but a bit more exposure a level down might be just what he needs. I'm not saying they would all be regulars, but they could break into the team or in some cases be regular starters, such as the aforementioned first 3 players, in a League One side.

I think you overstate how good League One is. The majority of clubs in the bottom half of League One are not significantly better than sides in the top half of League Two.

How does the quality compare to the National League North?

[John Smith]

How does the quality compare to the National League North?

We had the clown in net vs. Kidderminster

[YorkshireRoyal99]

If those six were all regular starters in League One next season I expect we'd get relegated again.

They wouldn't be, but Southwood, Azeez and Tetek for sure are all capable of playing at League One level. Southwood, for his criticism's and faults, has been rated highly outside our walls by opposition fans, Azeez has proven his worth early in the season at this level and is showing promise up until his injury and Tetek has been breaking through in the last 12-18 months as well. If they can get into our squad in the Championship, they'd be more than capable in League One.

Dorsett and Abbey may need another loan spell (or a loan spell in Abbey's case) but I think within the next 12 months they'd be capable in our squad. Bristow has been thrown into the deep end a bit this season in his sporadic appearances but a bit more exposure a level down might be just what he needs. I'm not saying they would all be regulars, but they could break into the team or in some cases be regular starters, such as the aforementioned first 3 players, in a League One side.

I think you overstate how good League One is. The majority of clubs in the bottom half of League One are not significantly better than sides in the top half of League Two.

LOL.

The likes of Oldham, Rochdale, Leyton Orient, Crawley, Scunthorpe, Colchester, Hartlepool, Stevenage etc have been in League One before and haven't been back since their relegation from that league within that respective season. Currently, only Northampton, who were relegated from League One last season, are guaranteed a place back in League One next season. The other 3 sides do currently sit in the Play Off places, but only 1 of them can go up. As I say, the bottom half of League One isn't significantly better than the top half of League Two in the grand scheme of things.

[Snowflake Royal]

At no point, in the history of any football club has relegation been a "good thing". Any rebuild on reset would be much better placed at the highest level possible.

If we do go down, so be it, but it could be a slow painful climb back. We've spent 20 years outside the bottom 2 divisions, it may take us 20 years to get out of them again.

There are loads of examples of clubs quickly coming back stronger from relegation having been consistently mid or lower in the table prior to it.

I have absolutely no doubt that if we'd gone down under Adkins / Clark we'd have got different ownership, cut our cloth and be better run and probably long since back in this division.

[Sebastian the Red]

At no point, in the history of any football club has relegation been a "good thing". Any rebuild on reset would be much better placed at the highest level possible.

If we do go down, so be it, but it could be a slow painful climb back. We've spent 20 years outside the bottom 2 divisions, it may take us 20 years to get out of them again.

There are loads of examples of clubs quickly coming back stronger from relegation having been consistently mid or lower in the table prior to it.

I have absolutely no doubt that if we'd gone down under Adkins / Clark we'd have got different ownership, cut our cloth and be better run and probably long since back in this division.

Yeah I agree Ian. I definitely want the club to get relegated. Ideally they'd be relegated so far that the club would fold and we could demolish the stadium and build something worthwhile in its place, like a theatre, or even a new court centre because the current one near Forbury Gardens is a bit tired.

[Hound]

I thought a couple of seasons ago that relegation could be a benefit in the long-term for the club. Less so now due to the embargo so it might take us longer to get out of League One but it could still work out in our favour. It may mean the likes of Southwood, Azeez, Abbey, Dorsett, Bristow, Tetek etc can flourish with so many players leaving. They've all got the potential to be playing in the Championship for sure.

Reckon we could have been a right mess if we’d gone down a few years ago with the ridiculous wage bill etc we had

At least we’ve slowly been able to get rid of those stupid contracts whilst staying in the div

Tbh go down this seaSon, or next, and we should be in a pretty streamlined position to start again. Prob would take us a few years to get a promo capable squad together again but don’t see it as being a complete disaster if we did

Saying that, agree it’d be easier to rebuild and stay in the champ if at all possible though

[YorkshireRoyal99]

At no point, in the history of any football club has relegation been a "good thing". Any rebuild on reset would be much better placed at the highest level possible.

If we do go down, so be it, but it could be a slow painful climb back. We've spent 20 years outside the bottom 2 divisions, it may take us 20 years to get out of them again.

There are loads of examples of clubs quickly coming back stronger from relegation having been consistently mid or lower in the table prior to it.

I have absolutely no doubt that if we'd gone down under Adkins / Clark we'd have got different ownership, cut our cloth and be better run and probably long since back in this division.

The "better run" part is difficult to argue against, simply because of how irresponsibly we've been run under the Dai's, but there is nothing to say we'd have been back in the Championship since as it comes down to who buys the club and what investment they want to put in.

If we had the League One Mike Ashley-like ownership, we could have been mid-table League One by now.

I agree with the original point though, it could take us years to get back. That's why I originally said if we went down 2/3 years ago, yes our wage bill was huge but a lot of players may have moved on due to the relegation whilst still keeping a core squad that was too good for that division.

[Snowflake Royal]

At no point, in the history of any football club has relegation been a "good thing". Any rebuild on reset would be much better placed at the highest level possible.

If we do go down, so be it, but it could be a slow painful climb back. We've spent 20 years outside the bottom 2 divisions, it may take us 20 years to get out of them again.

There are loads of examples of clubs quickly coming back stronger from relegation having been consistently mid or lower in the table prior to it.

I have absolutely no doubt that if we'd gone down under Adkins / Clark we'd have got different ownership, cut our cloth and be better run and probably long since back in this division.

The "better run" part is difficult to argue against, simply because of how irresponsibly we've been run under the Dai's, but there is nothing to say we'd have been back in the Championship since as it comes down to who buys the club and what investment they want to put in.

If we had the League One Mike Ashley-like ownership, we could have been mid-table League One by now.

I agree with the original point though, it could take us years to get back. That's why I originally said if we went down 2/3 years ago, yes our wage bill was huge but a lot of players may have moved on due to the relegation whilst still keeping a core squad that was too good for that division.

I'm with Hound on 2/3 years ago. Has to be sometime between Zingarevich and Dai because otherwise we've been a total state.

Agree on principle but not your time period.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Possibly, it's tough to say because it never happened.

It could have potentially have been the inverse of what it would be like next season if we are to go down. Instead of having a low wage bill and no players, we'd have had an influx of players and a large wage bill.

I was working under the assumption that players such as Moore, Joao, Puscas, Ejaria and co wouldn't want to ply their trade in League One. Sell on for a couple of million or so each, bring in some funds and clear the wage bill up. Of course, that would have been in an ideal world where the Dai's were still willing to fund the project as significantly as they have done since, but whilst at least bringing in some cash and reducing the wage bill in the process.

[John Smith]

Possibly, it's tough to say because it never happened.

It could have potentially have been the inverse of what it would be like next season if we are to go down. Instead of having a low wage bill and no players, we'd have had an influx of players and a large wage bill.

I was working under the assumption that players such as Moore, Joao, Puscas, Ejaria and co wouldn't want to ply their trade in League One. Sell on for a couple of million or so each, bring in some funds and clear the wage bill up. Of course, that would have been in an ideal world where the Dai's were still willing to fund the project as significantly as they have done since, but whilst at least bringing in some cash and reducing the wage bill in the process.

I think we'd be more of an Ipswich. Think it could be a while before we see them in the second tier again

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I think Ipwich's issue stemmed from an owner unwilling to invest and thought it was easier to retain players each season that were getting worse, not performing, ageing etc. I think that's why they suffered from a slow decline before a catastrophic drop off as, when they did finally invest, they brought players in from League One that were not good enough for the Championship.

That's why they've not done that well since, because their squad is just a top half League One squad and that was the case during their final season in the Championship as well.

I think the circumstances between us and Ipswich are quite drastically different, but the outcome, us spending a few seasons in League One, may be similar.

[The Royal Forester]

League 1 clubs are not allowed to run up as much debts as Championship clubs are. Our debts already exceed the L1 limits means the six suspended points make us start on minus 6 points, and possibly an extended embargo and reduced wage "allowance". Still think we can bounce straight back? Better to stay in the Championship and rebuild where we are.

[Green]

As stated many times by myself, we'll finish fourth from bottom....then move on

Ever feel like you're talking to yourself, Gunny?

[Stranded]

League 1 clubs are not allowed to run up as much debts as Championship clubs are. Our debts already exceed the L1 limits means the six suspended points make us start on minus 6 points, and possibly an extended embargo and reduced wage "allowance". Still think we can bounce straight back? Better to stay in the Championship and rebuild where we are.

We wouldn't necessarily be in FFP trouble as a result of relegation as most players would leave and any under contract will probably be sold.

There is also a provision in the agreed decision whereby we would need to renegotiate the budget with the EFL to ensure we are in line. We will still be an attractive option for a lot of players due to the training facilities we have but the time we would waste in the summer in a) negotiating with the EFL and b) finding a new manager would make life very tough.

If we stay up, we already know our budget. We'll have a view on which players will want to stay and what we can pay them and also have an idea on targets. We may even already have our manager in place - whether that is a good thing or not is open to question.

[Snowflake Royal]

League 1 clubs are not allowed to run up as much debts as Championship clubs are. Our debts already exceed the L1 limits means the six suspended points make us start on minus 6 points, and possibly an extended embargo and reduced wage "allowance". Still think we can bounce straight back? Better to stay in the Championship and rebuild where we are.

There's nothing that says we'd automatically lose 6 points if relegated.

[tmesis]

League 1 clubs are not allowed to run up as much debts as Championship clubs are. Our debts already exceed the L1 limits means the six suspended points make us start on minus 6 points, and possibly an extended embargo and reduced wage "allowance". Still think we can bounce straight back? Better to stay in the Championship and rebuild where we are.

I don't think those who think going down might be better somehow are expecting an immediate return. It's more that staying up, with a squad made up of maybe seven first teamers and a collection of loans, youth players, and free transfer might be less terrible in League One.

The prospect of a season in the championship where breaing 30 points would be an achievement, doesn't really appeal.

[Snowflake Royal]

League 1 clubs are not allowed to run up as much debts as Championship clubs are. Our debts already exceed the L1 limits means the six suspended points make us start on minus 6 points, and possibly an extended embargo and reduced wage "allowance". Still think we can bounce straight back? Better to stay in the Championship and rebuild where we are.

I don't think those who think going down might be better somehow are expecting an immediate return. It's more that staying up, with a squad made up of maybe seven first teamers and a collection of loans, youth players, and free transfer might be less terrible in League One.

The prospect of a season in the championship where breaing 30 points would be an achievement, doesn't really appeal.

Yes. Ultimately football fans want to see their team win regularly at the highest level possible.

Almost no one has enjoyed supporting us for the best part of a decade as we win oxf*rd all and disappoint.

Winning enough to be mid-table in L1 >>>>>>>>> being shit in the Championship.

I've been there and seen both.

[Hound]

League 1 clubs are not allowed to run up as much debts as Championship clubs are. Our debts already exceed the L1 limits means the six suspended points make us start on minus 6 points, and possibly an extended embargo and reduced wage "allowance". Still think we can bounce straight back? Better to stay in the Championship and rebuild where we are.

There's nothing that says we'd automatically lose 6 points if relegated.

Being as we agreed all this with the EFL unless we’ve not done as we’re told - which we have no reason to believe considering the signings we’ve made/ players we’ve got rid of - then there won’t be an extra punishment due to us whatever div we’re in

Presume the wage bill limits etc would be tighter on div1 though. Which could be problematic- but maybe not if we ended up selling Joao etc and bringing in funds

[Gunny Fishcake]

As stated many times by myself, we'll finish fourth from bottom....then move on

Ever feel like you're talking to yourself, Gunny?

Most of the day