You're the Board - what are the targets and expectations for the 26/27 season?

PeaksAndValleys

No time to dwell on the achievement of staying up, let's immediately look at next year!

Particularly with all the discussions this year about whether we / Jones were meeting expectations, underachieving or overachieving, it would be interesting to hear what everyone thinks we should be aiming for this year (and maybe to revisit this when we have a inevitable blip!). Can be on the pitch and off the pitch targets, anything you think the club should be focusing on and judged by for next season.

So, you're the Board - what are the targets and KPIs for the club this year?

PeaksAndValleys

My initial thoughts (I reserve the right to update these!):

• 15th place or higher, without a sustained period in the season when we are at threat of relegation.
• Based on this year that would require about 60 points, which is another milestone to aim at. That requires 1.3 ppg versus a ppg of about 1.17 this year, or an extra two or three wins.
• It's hard to set targets for more expansive / attacking play but I would like to see that. One target might be 50 goals scored for the season (currently we are on 43 after 45 games ie less than 1 a game). Every team 17th or higher has already scored at least 51.
• Attendances have crept over 20k this year, which is great. Not sure what a realistic target for growth in one year is there - 21k?

se9addick

I think it’s going to be tough next season. I don’t see anyone being as awful/hampered as Sheffield Wednesday. I think the teams coming down will likely be better than those that have come up. So I believe the overall standard of the division will be higher.

Obviously this massively depends on our  transfer window but right now I will take one spot above relegation again as a starting target. 

Oh Eddie Youds...

Top half finish 
Beat Millwall & Spurs
Quarter Finals of a Cup

Pretty easy really.

fenaddick

Oh Eddie Youds... said:

Top half finish 
Beat Millwall
Quarter Finals of a Cup

Pretty easy really.

Let's not be unrealistic here

NabySarr

My target would just be to finish higher in the table and with more points than we got this season. Happy to have a season of mid table mediocrity 

NabySarr

se9addick said:

I think it’s going to be tough next season. I don’t see anyone being as awful/hampered as Sheffield Wednesday. I think the teams coming down will likely be better than those that have come up. So I believe the overall standard of the division will be higher.

Obviously this massively depends on our  transfer window but right now I will take one spot above relegation again as a starting target. 

I think the level of the top sides is going to be higher, but the level of the bottom sides might be lower. Lincoln, Cardiff and whoever the play off winner is, is much weaker than Birmingham, Wrexham and us coming up for this season 

shirty5

Play off places down to 8th will see more clubs take gambles and increase budgets to get in one of those spots.

No one knows what the budget will be for next season but if it’s similar to this then a bottom six finish could be on the cards again

fenaddick

NabySarr said:

se9addick said:

I think it’s going to be tough next season. I don’t see anyone being as awful/hampered as Sheffield Wednesday. I think the teams coming down will likely be better than those that have come up. So I believe the overall standard of the division will be higher.

Obviously this massively depends on our  transfer window but right now I will take one spot above relegation again as a starting target. 

I think the level of the top sides is going to be higher, but the level of the bottom sides might be lower. Lincoln, Cardiff and whoever the play off winner is, is much weaker than Birmingham, Wrexham and us coming up for this season 

It is weaker but there won't be a Sheffield Wednesday and it's unlikely there will be another Leicester either

SheedyCAFC

Let’s not wear rose-tinted glasses because we won yesterday, at times the football we’ve played has been diabolical, so staying up again is absolutely more than enough of a target.

Love them or loathe them you look at Millwall and how long they’ve now been in the Championship to establish themselves to how they are now as a team who are gonna at least make the playoffs, it’s gonna take more than a summer transfer window to reach where they’re at.

Pedro45

Jim Rodwell answered very recently that next season we aim for the third quartile of the division. This year we were fourth quartile, so that would be an obvious improvement. Conversations on the necessary budget have still to be finalised.

Uboat

I like the idea behind the thread and the positivity, but barring a spending spree I think the aim is just to stay up. I think Cardiff and Lincoln will make a decent go of it and I can’t see another Leicester or Sheffield Wednesday, so it’s going to be a challenging season for clubs like us. 

Laddick01

Finishing Top Half and playing a better style of football would be a really good season IMO.

Think one of the biggest targets for next season has to be to develop a squad that looks like it can grow, with a promotion push in mind the season after. 

With the right recruitment that is doable (see Derby this year for example)

thenewbie

se9addick said:

I think it’s going to be tough next season. I don’t see anyone being as awful/hampered as Sheffield Wednesday. I think the teams coming down will likely be better than those that have come up. So I believe the overall standard of the division will be higher.

Obviously this massively depends on our  transfer window but right now I will take one spot above relegation again as a starting target. 

I don't think this will factor into it inasmuch as realistically we won't be competing at the top end of the table where you expect them to feature (unless one of them does a Leicester.)


Weaker teams coming up compared to the likes of Birmingham and Wrexham IS more significant as its likely that sides like Portsmouth, Blackburn maybe Preston too may struggle again too so if we do get things right we honestly should be taking surviving with relative comfort as the aim as that gives about five or six sides we can legitimately hope to be better than over a season.

NabySarr

Laddick01 said:

Finishing Top Half and playing a better style of football would be a really good season IMO.

Think one of the biggest targets for next season has to be to develop a squad that looks like it can grow, with a promotion push in mind the season after. 

With the right recruitment that is doable (see Derby this year for example)

I don’t think we should be expecting progress that quickly. I know Jones moved that quickly up the league with Luton but I think we need to be more patient. If we finish 14th next season then that’s a success 

Derby have a lot of investment and higher income than we do. We won’t be able to spend like that unfortunately 

Brownie12

Personally I’d be quite happy treading water in the championship for another couple of seasons. After what we have endured for the last few seasons, that is progress imo.

Crispywood

- 13th-18th place finish 
- Breathing space from the bottom 3 
- More goals + more possession in games 

PeaksAndValleys

Seems like my targets were more ambitious than a lot on here!

I would take surviving again for another year with a view to moving towards an established side, but I think we should be aiming for some improvement. Last year for me was survival by any means is a win - I wouldn't say that this year. A couple of extra wins, particularly with no sustained horrendous run, would be enough to see us relatively comfortable and I think that is achievable 

PeaksAndValleys

Crispywood said:

- 13th-18th place finish 
- Breathing space from the bottom 3 
- More goals + more possession in games 

Similar to my thoughts, but I don't know if I care about possession. Personally happy to let other teams have it as long as we stay strong defensively and then are effective when we do have the ball 

DOUCHER

Targets:

mid table finish
beat millwall x 2 
increase revenue / commercial income / sponsorship - whatever it is that allows us to spend more on players 
play better football
get elite academy status 
have a decent cup run or 2 


Realistically, finish higher than we have this year and play some better football will do. 

ForeverAddickted

Crispywood said:

- 13th-18th place finish 
- Breathing space from the bottom 3 
- More goals + more possession in games 

Yeah 12th - 15th / 18th is probably where I'd like to see us aim for next season

Breathing space is a difficult one as the EFL is always so much more challenging, worst case we'll maybe look like Stoke or Sheff Utd who at times will look like they're being dragged back into the relegation fight, but for it to not be a realistic concern.

Be good to see more chances / goals created, dont necessarily care about possession.

valleynick66

The boards target?

How much more can we increase the average spend per customer (fan). 

🙁

gmantaxi

Beat bloody Millwall 

Braziliance

- Improve the squad 
- avoid relegation 
- improve the quality of football

Those should be the 3 aims. Next season will be far tougher, Cardiff and Lincoln will be better than Sheffield Wednesday and at least on par with Oxford & Leicester, the play off winner will be a similar calibre to us if it's someone like Bolton or if Luton/Plymouth sneak it.

I am expecting Wolves, Burnley and either West Ham or Spurs to be far better relegated sides and better than every current other top6 side, Burnley in particular as they always are. 

Make no bones about it, we have our work cut out, and could be victims of second season syndrome, back to back survival would be extremely impressive.

The board have their work cut out, and it starts with improving the playing squad and bringing in more technical coaches to that backroom team 👍🏻

bobmunro

Oh Eddie Youds... said:

Top half finish 
Beat Millwall & Spurs
Quarter Finals of a Cup

Pretty easy really.

Crowned Champions before Easter, lose in the League Cup semi-final but win the FA Cup.

You think I'm being unrealistic? You started it 

Seriously, 18th or higher, recruit some midfield creativity, and score more goals!

se9addick

thenewbie said:

se9addick said:

I think it’s going to be tough next season. I don’t see anyone being as awful/hampered as Sheffield Wednesday. I think the teams coming down will likely be better than those that have come up. So I believe the overall standard of the division will be higher.

Obviously this massively depends on our  transfer window but right now I will take one spot above relegation again as a starting target. 

I don't think this will factor into it inasmuch as realistically we won't be competing at the top end of the table where you expect them to feature (unless one of them does a Leicester.)


Weaker teams coming up compared to the likes of Birmingham and Wrexham IS more significant as its likely that sides like Portsmouth, Blackburn maybe Preston too may struggle again too so if we do get things right we honestly should be taking surviving with relative comfort as the aim as that gives about five or six sides we can legitimately hope to be better than over a season.

I’m not sure it massively matters that we came up with Birmingham and Wrexham. We didn’t finish above them (not even close). The teams that we did finish above are likely to be replaced by better teams, thus finishing outside the relegation zone will be harder. 

DOUCHER

se9addick said:

thenewbie said:

se9addick said:

I think it’s going to be tough next season. I don’t see anyone being as awful/hampered as Sheffield Wednesday. I think the teams coming down will likely be better than those that have come up. So I believe the overall standard of the division will be higher.

Obviously this massively depends on our  transfer window but right now I will take one spot above relegation again as a starting target. 

I don't think this will factor into it inasmuch as realistically we won't be competing at the top end of the table where you expect them to feature (unless one of them does a Leicester.)


Weaker teams coming up compared to the likes of Birmingham and Wrexham IS more significant as its likely that sides like Portsmouth, Blackburn maybe Preston too may struggle again too so if we do get things right we honestly should be taking surviving with relative comfort as the aim as that gives about five or six sides we can legitimately hope to be better than over a season.

I’m not sure it massively matters that we came up with Birmingham and Wrexham. We didn’t finish above them (not even close). The teams that we did finish above are likely to be replaced by better teams, thus finishing outside the relegation zone will be harder. 

er - that's the point - the teams coming up aren't gonna be as good as birmingham and wrexham  

jimmymelrose

If the question allows me to imagine that I have a vote as a board member then, unpopular as this might be here, I would be arguing to change manager, or at least restructure the management team. We need to be able to have more attacking threat. Kelman for example could be a 20 goal a season Championship striker. Many people on here say that our players are League One level but I think we’ve got 7 or 8 who could be performing much better with different training. NJ stifles creativity and he needs someone to help him change this or he needs to go.

Ultimately my target would be to score 55-60 goals and to let in 55 again. This would naturally lift us to mid table and would feel enjoyable again. We need to get the ball forward on the ground, have faster more accurate passing and create more chances. I don’t believe NJ will do this with the same staff he has now.

stonemuse

12-15th
60 points

Personally, I think we’ll make 10-12th, 65 point … and 3 points at the Den 🥳

ns9

I think an ambitious but sensible ambition could be 60 points next season, which would possibly see us finish in and around 12th-16th.

That said, if someone offered me any form of Championship football for the next 5-10 years then I would snap their hand off. We cannot return to the hellhole of League 1 again and staying up should be our first priority for the foreseeable until we earn the right to set our expectations higher (which may take another 2-3 years of building). I think expectations were realistic this season - just stay up - and I think most of the criticism came from a place of genuine horror at a return to L1 rather than any sense of entitlement that we should be higher in the league. 

Outside of that, a slight upgrade in playing style with a touch more creativity would be great but only if it meaningfully contributes to more points/wins - I don’t want us to deviate too much from NJ’s style just for the sake of watching something better but that we’re not particularly good at. NJ plays a certain way and he has been hugely effective with it. 

NJ has done a phenomenal job - keeping us up in L1 when he came in (absolutely no mean feat at the time), getting us up and keeping us up. Fully behind him for the next step of the ‘journey’ as he puts it, and it will be exciting if he can entice some real quality into the club in the next phase.

_uptheaddicks

A new sound system please.