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Accrington need to improve or expect the same.
By Nathan Jackson
July 18 2007
Accrington Stanley were saved from relegation by an impressive late run last season, but they will need some serious improvement in order to avoid being relegated in their 2nd year in the League. Unlike the two teams I've predicted for relegation they have replaced the players that have left with fairly decent replacements and that will prove the difference between Accrington and those two teams.
accringtonstanleyprediction

I’m sorry but if there’s one thing is this world that I hate, it’s the "Who Are They?" joke said in a slight scouse accent after someone mentions the name of Accrington Stanley, it wasn’t funny 40 odd years ago (or whenever the advert was produced) and it isn’t funny now. Infact, I feel like slapping anyone who even says this joke.

Last season Accrington were celebrating their first year back in the Football League since the 60s, and all you heard during the first few months was references to what happened the last time they were in the League. A great such example was "And that was the first goal Accrington have scored in the League since 1962 (or whatever it was)"......no shit sherlock.

Anyway, during the opening months they’ve struggled to adapt to League life, winning just one in the League in their first month, losing two and drawing the other two. They were then the first visitors to the Imps in September and it was one of the most dominating City performances of the season, with a 3-1 scoreline not even half telling the story. The Imps could have easily won by double figures as Accrington became the latest side to be swept aside by the then unbeaten City.

There was the odd good result here and there but winning just once between the beginning of October and New Years seriously put them in the relegation zone and you wouldn’t have bet against them not being the first side to be relegated straight back to the Conference. However, 5 wins from their last 9 games saved them from the drop.

Accrington have gotten rid of some good players over the summer but unlike Hereford and Mansfield, they’ve replaced it with some fairly decent signings. Andrew’s Mangan and Todd have both left for League 2 rivals, but Graham Branch, Roscoe D’Sane, Kenny Arthur, Paul Carden and John Miles have all joined. All of those players have huge experience in successfully surviving relegation, and combined with the players that are there from last season survival should prove the ultimate difference between being relegated and surviving.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Accrington are a good side, based over the two games we played against each team in the division, they were EASILY the worst side we played. Not only did they lack ideas on a regular basis but they also seemed obsessed with battering the opposition. They were incredibly fortunate in the first game to only have two players sent off, it wouldn’t have come as a surprise if the game had to be abandoned due to not enough Stanley players being left on the pitch.

If the players with relegation avoiding experience can call upon that experience in a positive manner then it should prove enough for Accrington to avoid relegation.....just. I predict a 22nd place finish for them.

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