Quote: cougartime "Agree with some of this, but just to say that last year we finished the season with 33 points and would have been relegated if 5 clubs had gone down. This year we already have 42 points and have a much improved points difference. That sounds to me like improvement - still on low budget. Staying up this year and not going bust again would be major achievement.'"
On paper IMO we have a top 5 squad and we are underachieving. Look at Doncaster, can we say they have a much stronger squad that we do? Or have they been consistent? We have strengthened since last season and I expected us to be doing far better that we have. I think if you asked Marchy and he answered honesty his expectations have not come to fruition. At times we've looked good, but there have been far too many times when we have been very ordinary. I'm not sure I would say staying up is a major achievement as only Swinton, Batley and Haven finished above us last year (from the teams that are now below us) and with the permutations only Swinton are guaranteed to be below us come the end of the season. Is that progression? I take your point on analysis which on face value may show improvement but stats can tell you all sorts of things, for and against. We've also (at the time of writing) picked up 3 bonus points less than last season and have a much better for and against stat. I would also suggest the playing budget is higher than last year which when you overlay that I'm personally not convinced we've progressed as much as I'd like. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect us to be challenging at the top, but a play off spot was achievable.
As for going bust, I don't know the financials, nor do I want to know. I trust the club runs on a even keel and we don't put ourselves in any of the issues experienced in the past.