The way things are going I suspect we’ll be writing as much about issues with travel and climate.
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It’s Sunday morning and there is one week to go to our first match back in the league in sixteen years and I find myself… reading the non-league paper as nothing has changed. Being down there for fifteen years has been humbling and eye opening and it’s clearly going to be a hard habit to break in terms of where I put my attention.
I’ll be keeping a keen eye on Chesterfield, Boreham Wood, Halifax, Oldham, Barnet, AFC Fylde, Wealdstone, Alty, Gateshead, Southend, York, Kiddy and of course the lovely obsessives at Dorking.
Now have to get used to things like Doncaster and Crewe away knowing that our ticketing situation is such that I may not even get to see some of them.
Would be nice (he says optimistically) to dump Wigan out of the Carabou and Newcastle out of the EFL Trophy.
Must be fans of some of the above on this forum and lots more besides. Now we’ve created a safe space away from the EPL for discussion it would nice to see them slowly come out of the woodwork.
I’ll be watching Bromley. As I said before, my best pal Dave Roberts (RIP) wrote the wonderful books about them. He even dragged me to a game 50 years ago.
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Best of luck against our Academy team Mike! The brave new world for Wrexham under the new owners begins next week; good luck, and above everything else:- enjoy it 
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Kind of you to say so Andy.
The real stuff starts next Saturday onwards so good luck to all really. Pre season optimism mutates into often harsh realities or the sort of season we had last time out. Nobody really knows.
I’ve found that my belief the season doesn’t really start until November holds me in good stead for early season wobbles.
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Don’t know much about Doncaster or Crewe Mike, but happy to discuss Norwich with you anytime…
Good to know 
Very diplomatic reply Mike!
Here’s the Grauniad take on new season
I somehow missed that so thank you. Largely a good call on how it’s going to play out but I really don’t see us being up there until maybe the second half of the season. We have to adjust to going up a level; adjust to losing and maybe not finding scoring as easy and lots more.
A very good call on Accrington. They will be fine and may well be in the mix for more than the play offs. Sutton as relegation fodder? Not seeing it but we’ll see.
Always interesting to try and figure out what the writer knows and what they’ve been told. Season before last Max Cleworth was outstanding for us in our failed promotion and was the target for several EPL clubs (and Norwich :)). Last season after some errors the story started that he’d been targeted by several teams and he wad taken out of the limelight for the season. Actually barely featured in match day squads. Potentially an EPL quality defender.
Anyone who had actually watched us would realise Foster is a great personality nowadays but, like last season, he’s an error in him every game and at 40 going on 41 that isn’t going to get better.
If I had to pick out a player for us it would be young Barney (Ryan Barnett) on the right wing. Signed from Solihull Moors when we had wing backs dropping like flies and was a revelation. Genuinely fast; can beat a man and his crossing is a joy. One man in the box? Barney will find him. Can’t defend as well at wing back yet but I suspect he’ll go all the way to the top.
FWIW - although I live in Crystal Palace and am a season ticket holder, I was born and spent my first few years in Crewe so have always kept a close eye on Crewe Alex. I can legitimately hop between both threads 
Words I never thought I’d say…
“I’m really looking forward to Crewe away.” I really am.
Would be interested in your thoughts on Artell as a manager.
Very fond memories of Crewe - my grandpa was a draughtsman (remember them?) for Rolls Royce and my aunt and uncle were upholsterers for RR. It’s had a rough few years but potentially HS2 may improve things ( a different conversation for another thread).
I think David Artell was a fine player and is a fundamentally good manager as he showed with the 19/20 and 20/21 seasons. Clearly it all went wrong in 21/22 but I’m not sure that there are many managers who could have coped with the loss of so many key players. It also demonstrates the harsh realities of a cash-strapped League 2 team - as Artell has said, he wasn’t just the manager but also had to do coaching, recruitment, scouting, loans, transfers etc. He just ran out of steam
Quite possibly the best looking kit in any league
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Texted that to my wife as she’s a lover of all things William Morris. She loves it and the story behind it. Goes to show how utterly unimaginative most kit designs are.
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See VAR is just as contentious in women’s game. Clear and obvious my Rs.
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Great performance by all the England team but Sarina Wiegman takes most credit for her change of strategy and tactics. Gareth Southgate please take note.
Another poor day for VAR though; still don’t understand the offside decision.
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FYI: There is a separate Women’s World Cup thread.
There appear to be two for some reason.