The Budweiser FA Cup

[Matt]

Yeah the gulf in quality is huge. Norwich and saints got back to back promotions because they assembled talented young squads that developed as they progressed. The standard of football in league one and two is pretty dire tbh

[Nerf]

There's really not though. Once you're out of League 2, anything is possible.

[Matt]

Do you watch the football league or are you basing this solely from cup performances? There's definitely a large difference in quality.

Edit: that wasn't supposed to sound dickish, it was a genuine question

[Colly]

Possible, but highly improbable. I'm sorry, but you're very wrong.

[Lineker]

There is no difference in real quality between League Two and the Conference. However from League Two upwards the gulf is massive.

[Matt]

I'd probably argue that there's a difference in quality between league 2 and the conference once you take out the top few conference sides

[METALMAN]

Why does everyone think Dave Whelan is such a dick. What has he done?

[Colly]

I'd agree. Top half of League 2 to the bottom half of the conference is a big gulf in quality.

[Lineker]

I do wish that they made the promotion/relegation three up three down though.

[Colly]

Why does everyone think Dave Whelan is such a dick. What has he done?

Most recently the 'Mcmanamans tackle was fine' bollocks, but otherwise a stream of little bits of snidyness and rubbish like giving us shit away allocations to guarantee a half empty ground. Also, naming the ground after himself, and generally being Mike Ashleys mortal enemy, which by default makes him evil.

[METALMAN]

That's not quite enough to make him a twat.

Plus McManaman's tackle was fine.

[Colly]

You twat.

[Adam]

There's really not though. Once you're out of League 2, anything is possible.

I honestly have to question whether you ever watch any of these divisions to say so? For a start the gulf in class between the Championship and League One is huuuuuge. The Championship is practically a second tier of the top flight now, nearly all clubs are ex-Prem and hav some great quality. I watched my side drop out of that league into League One this season and the difference in the quality of football is enormous. I won't be greatly surprised if all three sides who have come up go straight back down, ourselves included. Same goes for League One to League Two - teams do not come up to League One and immedieately go to the top end of the division without considerable financial backing. That's why Swindon made the play-offs this season, it's why Bournemouth have risen to prominence not long after coming back out of L2. I agree with Matt also on the difference between L2 and the Conference - York nearly went straight back down this year, other recent sides promoted are also struggling big time to compete such as AFC Wimbledon and Aldershot, who in fact went down this year.

The only teams who have a rapid rise or quick descent are doing so due to money. The teams you gave as examples - Southampton went into L1 almost going bust and only came back when they got new, financially superior owners. If it wasn't for Marcus Leibherr and his successor Nicola Cortese, Southampton would never have gone up in successive years. They poached other clubs best players in both leagues - Rickie Lambert and Lee Barnard were the top two strikers in L1 and they pinched them from Bristol Rovers and Southend respectively. They did the same to us to get Billy Sharp, and when they went up last summer outbid everyone for Burnley's Jay Rodriguez. Wolves have gone down again due to a gross mismanagement by the owners. Four managers in a year is pathetic. Same goes for Blackburn and their ludicrous owners.

EDIT: They're trying to push for 3 up/3 down between those two divisions Linekins.

[Nerf]

There is no difference in real quality between League Two and the Conference. However from League Two upwards the gulf is massive.

That's what I meant by "once you're out of League 2..." I guess the more straightforward thing for me to say was there isn't that much difference between the Championship and League 1.

Over complicating things >_>

[METALMAN]

There's really not though. Once you're out of League 2, anything is possible.

I honestly have to question whether you ever watch any of these divisions to say so? For a start the gulf in class between the Championship and League One is huuuuuge. The Championship is practically a second tier of the top flight now, nearly all clubs are ex-Prem and hav some great quality. I watched my side drop out of that league into League One this season and the difference in the quality of football is enormous. I won't be greatly surprised if all three sides who have come up go straight back down, ourselves included. Same goes for League One to League Two - teams do not come up to League One and immedieately go to the top end of the division without considerable financial backing. That's why Swindon made the play-offs this season, it's why Bournemouth have risen to prominence not long after coming back out of L2. I agree with Matt also on the difference between L2 and the Conference - York nearly went straight back down this year, other recent sides promoted are also struggling big time to compete such as AFC Wimbledon and Aldershot, who in fact went down this year.

The only teams who have a rapid rise or quick descent are doing so due to money. The teams you gave as examples - Southampton went into L1 almost going bust and only came back when they got new, financially superior owners. If it wasn't for Marcus Leibherr and his successor Nicola Cortese, Southampton would never have gone up in successive years. They poached other clubs best players in both leagues - Rickie Lambert and Lee Barnard were the top two strikers in L1 and they pinched them from Bristol Rovers and Southend respectively. They did the same to us to get Billy Sharp, and when they went up last summer outbid everyone for Burnley's Jay Rodriguez. Wolves have gone down again due to a gross mismanagement by the owners. Four managers in a year is pathetic. Same goes for Blackburn and their ludicrous owners.

EDIT: They're trying to push for 3 up/3 down between those two divisions Linekins.

What about Norrich?

[Adam]

If you'd just said that you'd have been even more wrong. The biggest gulf is between those two divisions.

[Nerf]

Then I am wrong. I'll accept it.

[Colly]

That's still wrong. I might be confusing you with someone else, but are you North East based? Go and watch a Hartlepool game (admittedly going to be a skewed comparison given their shit season) and a Boro game and tell me the standard is similar.

[Lineker]

That's still wrong. I might be confusing you with someone else, but are you North East based? Go and watch a Hartlepool game (admittedly going to be a skewed comparison given their shit season) and a Boro game and tell me the standard is similar.

Nice try Jeff