This thread caused me to have a look back at my thoughts posted in May 2002. Which were......
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I'm tired of thinking about Saturday's disappointment, it's time to move on.
Having looked at the teams we will be playing next season, and the points I think we will take from each fixture I'm going to make a very early prediction that we will finish with 78 points.
Of course it's largely an academic exercise at this stage because none of us know who will be in our squad and who our manager will be. However, just assuming (hoping !!) that we start next season with the manager/squad that we finished this season with, and just for something to move thoughts forward rather than backwards, here is my early prediction of the final league table for Div 2 next season.
1. Wigan
2. Cardiff
3. Tranmere
4. Plymouth
5. Bristol City
6. Bees
7. Wycombe
8. Notts Co.
9. Luton
10. Huddersfield
11. Crewe
12. Port Vale
13. Oldham
14. Peterborough
15. Barnsley
16. QPR
17. Northampton
18. Swindon
19. Cheltenham
20. Stockport
21. Mansfield
22. Colchester
23. Blackpool
24. Chesterfield
I reserve the right to change the prediction based on who we have in next season's squad (what a cop-out)but even assuming worst case of losing Coppell and all of the out-of-contract players, I still think we will finish in the top half (just!!) of the table as I don't see too much to worry us from a lot of the clubs in this division next season.
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Looks like I got it badly wrong on Blackpool and Huddersfield and, to a lesser degree with Oldham, Crewe, Qpr and Notts County. Otherwise, not too far out. I will stick with Bees finishing just in the top half although I would love us to be nearer to 6th than 12th.
