Have we ever been outside the Top Four divisions? Can anyone see it coming with this Board in charge?
No one has a right to be in the top 4 divisions, what’s to stop us going out? Not this board that’s for sure.
Wrexham are now a bigger club than us. Wrexham spent years in the national league. That’s where we’re heading.
Comparison Reading squad value is 9.1 million Barnsley squad value is 13.28 million and Reading still have a cracking chance of the playoffs!
But be sure not to criticise the 'beyond reproach' Sir Bobby and the academy.. They're doing a splendid job
If we dropped to the National League there wouldn't even be that many new grounds for the BBS oldies to tick off Most of them have been in the EFL previously.
Throughout our history we've only spent 10 years in the division below us. First time was 65/66 i think. Second and longest period was 72/73 up to the Clarke era. Not been in it for 46 years so far... Since Clarkie saved us we've had summat like 9 seasons in our current division . Not too shabby for a small town methinks!
In my early days, the 60s, I vaguely remember us bouncing around the bottom of the 4th division when the bottom club had to apply for re-election. The vote, by other league cubs, not sure if it was just the 4th division clubs or all clubs, choice was between the top non-league club and the bottom of the 4th division. Luckily the Chairman of the Football League was Joe Richards who was also our chairman who, hopefully called in a few favours. And we think it's bad now.
I imagine BFC’s form in 2025 isn’t much better than that of a bottom four outfit. So there must be some concern about that, heading into next season. I think talk of dropping into non-league is a little overdramatic though.
We never finished bottom of the old 4th Division. The lowest position (I think from memory) was 16th. So we would never have been in "the vote" for re-election
Yes that was the system back then but we never actually finished bottom of the Fourth Division so were not in that position of having to be re-elected. Those were very dark days though until the Buckle/Dennis intervention and, in comparison to then, it’s all rosy now. Naturally, though, fans not of that generation will still say “worst ever team/worst defenders ever”. Etc etc…. As the Fairport Convention anthemic song “Meet on the Ledge” goes. “….it all comes round again “.
If the season had started in early January our form since then would surely have had us bottom of the table. Given we’re also certain to sell a couple of our best players in the summer I’d say we should be concerned about a relegation battle next season. Better recruitment will be key but the expected massive hit on ST numbers won’t help that.
Our lowest League position in the 4th tier was 16th 66-67 season the year I started going to Oakwell , we were promoted the following season to Division 3 before being relegated back down 71-72
