Opening 3 games

[ncRover]

Accrington (H)
Newport (A)
Morecambe (H)

That’s probably the easiest opening 3 we could have hoped for!

9 points from those and we have some terrific momentum to start the season.

[Filo]

Away on Boxing Day yet again!

[Dutch Uncle]

We didn't do particularly well at Newport (0-4) or at home to Morecambe (0-5) last season, and we rarely do well against Accrington - remember the opening game of promotion winning season 2016-17?

Be good to put some of those right, but no-one should be underestimated. Fortunately we know GM will not.

[johnny rovers]

Away on Boxing Day yet again!

scandalous. Our festive fixtures for the decade have been shocking

[Arsenal Of The North]

Last 2 games could be very hard so let’s hope we get off to a good start this year

[RoversInSpain]

Clinch promotion in last home game of the season v Bradford, then clinch title in last game away at Notts…

[KC_DRFC]

Will the Dons fixture be moved on the 10th? Or will they both games be played on that day?

[LincsRover]

Last 2 games could be very hard so let’s hope we get off to a good start this year

We’ll be promoted well before then! 

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Question is, will that opening fixture be tampered with for TV, rather than it being a 3pm Saturday kick off? Friday night or lunchtime kick off might be possibilities.

Other than it still being holiday season, is there any reason this shouldn't be a bumper home attendance?

The three points are just as important as the Barrow game last season, so shouldn't the Donny public want more of that? Or will it be a case of oh, it's only Accrington, who are they?

[Campsall rover]

1st game at home. How can they turn the football pitch into a rugby pitch in less than 1 hour. Something has to give doesn’t it?

Why are we away yet again on Boxing Day and 29th Dec
Home again on New Year’s Day.
That’s 3 yrs running. Something very wrong here imo.

As for the fixtures, Walsall A, Colchester A & Fleetwood H well some really attractive holiday fixtures there NOT 

What happened to all the local Derby’s we used to get at Xmas and Easter.
They disappeared a long time ago & I don’t understand why.
Is it the police are on holiday and they can’t cope? 

Anyway a couple of tasty games Bradford H & Notts C A to finish the season. Could both be massive games but we might be Champions before we play either of them. Well we can hope can’t we. 

[Campsall rover]

Last 2 games could be very hard so let’s hope we get off to a good start this year

We’ll be promoted well before then! 

Pessimist. We will be Champions well before then.     

[donnyguy]

Two Saturday 12:30 kick offs each weekend in league 2 due to sky coverage.

[Surrey Rover]

Question is, will that opening fixture be tampered with for TV, rather than it being a 3pm Saturday kick off? Friday night or lunchtime kick off might be possibilities.

That decision has already been made.

https://www.skysports.com/league-2-fixtures

[Chris Black come back]

There are two Saturday 1230h kick offs each week in League Two. These won’t get confirmed for the first half of the season until “early July”. All that has been confirmed is a Friday evening game, not the two weekly Saturday 1230h games.

Disruption that nobody asked for, and does nothing at all for the genuine supporter. Very poor deal I am afraid.

[Sven Vath]

Away on Boxing Day yet again!

Just wonder how many that is in the last 15 years !!

[NigelJ]

Away on Boxing Day yet again!

Just wonder how many that is in the last 15 years !!

Without checking, I think we have been at home on Boxing Day just twice in 35 years.

[Campsall rover]

Away on Boxing Day yet again!

Just wonder how many that is in the last 15 years !!

Without checking, I think we have been at home on Boxing Day just twice in 35 years.

No that’s not correct. But it is about 30 something % & should be 50% over a 30/20/10 year span.

[Filo]

The last time we played at home on Boxing day was 2017

We played Sunderland at home on the 27th 2021

[Chris Black come back]

That Sunderland game was an absolute shocker. Debatable to say we “played” although officially we were on the pitch. One of a number of real low points. Think that was when McSheffrey got confirmed maybe? Coverage around that time was Lee Carsley going to mentor him.

[DD]

It is an absolute disgrace
Boxing Day provides the biggest attendances of the season by quite a margin - at a guess up 10-20%……..and once again we are away!
I know we will not be able to get this changed but surely the Club should approach the EFL and request an explanation?
As mentioned in a previous post - in theory it should be 50% of time…..but I would suggest - without looking - it is more like 30% over the last 30 years!!
Come on stato’s get working - and Gavin - get writing!

[Donnywolf]

Good to see the Os rather than the PS are prevailing on this Thread.

Let's revisit it every 10 games lol

[Janso]

Load of shit that we're away for both games between Christmas and New Year. Should be like Easter, you have one of each.

[Campsall rover]

The last time we played at home on Boxing day was 2017

We played Sunderland at home on the 27th 2021

Did not realise it was that long ago. That’s 7 seasons with this one up and coming on the trot.
As DD said that’s a disgrace and we are owed an explanation for that.

[ncRover]

Next league games

Morecambe - favourites to go down

Newport - 3rd favourites to go down

2 more high scoring games please

[mugnapper]

We've already accumulated more points than in the 1st 7 games last season. I forgot how shite we were.

[mushRTID]

I didn’t think we were that bad overall at the start of last season. Quite unlucky at times.

Mind you, I was comparing it to to car crash of the season before.

[Campsall rover]

Next league games

Morecambe - favourites to go down

Newport - 3rd favourites to go down

2 more high scoring games please

I will take 2 x 1-0 wins but I am sticking my neck out this season.

So Newport 3-1 win, Morecambe 4-0 win Port Vale 1-1
& Gillingham 2-1 win & Harrogate 3-0 win.
That will do for starters.

Yesterday I said 3-0 win so 4-1 will do on that one.

Yes i know I and a few others are getting well ahead of ourselves.
Having said that never been so confident about any season as I am this one.

[adamtherover]

In previous seasons we have had one main scorer, then other lads have chipped in here and there.  Can anyone even suggest that joe is gonna be top scorer with a degree of certainty.. mols, gibbo and  Billy are gonna fill their Boots. When's the last time we had 4 players in double figures? Grant has assembled a machine of determination and Confidence, all working towards the greater good. If you are not a starter, boy do you bust a gut to be an effective finisher, as all the subs did.  We were mourning the loss of haks,  what does Grant do, find someone that some of us already think is an upgrade.  Hold on tight, this is gonna be one hell of a ride...

Just to echo one of the last Comments of the Stanley manager, "then they brought on Billy sharp" .. that says it all..

[Dutch Uncle]

In previous seasons we have had one main scorer, then other lads have chipped in here and there.  Can anyone even suggest that joe is gonna be top scorer with a degree of certainty.. mols, gibbo and  Billy are gonna fill their Boots. When's the last time we had 4 players in double figures? Grant has assembled a machine of determination and Confidence, all working towards the greater good. If you are not a starter, boy do you bust a gut to be an effective finisher, as all the subs did.  We were mourning the loss of haks,  what does Grant do, find someone that some of us already think is an upgrade.  Hold on tight, this is gonna be one hell of a ride...

Just to echo one of the last Comments of the Stanley manager, "then they brought on Billy sharp" .. that says it all..

I had been thinking exactly that as well - Ironside, Moly, Sharp and Gibson will all be looking and hoping for double figures or more.

The answer to the question is 2016-17 under Fergie when in all competitions we actually had 5. Scorers all competitions (league only in brackets):

Marquis 26(26); Rowe 13(13), Williams 12(11), Copps 10(10) and Mandeville 10(7)

Prior to that it was 2003-04 in our first season back in the league :

Blundell 20(18), LFW 12(11), Brown 10(10), McIndoe 10 (10)

Before that we have to go back to 1983-84, and before that to the 1950s

[IDM]

Yes, 5 in that season when we averaged close to 2 goals per game in the league I remember.?

Still can’t believe we couldn’t pick up that last win for the title.  Can’t see GM letting this lot switch off under the same circumstances..

A long way to go yet..