Can Peterborough United reach promotion? In response to a poll on theposh.com, only 45% of supporters said yes. Perhaps this is a result of an uninspiring attempt at promotion last season, which left many supporters feeling dismayed and disappointed. However, this pessimism for the coming season may just cloud the reality of Posh’s chances.
The main threat to Peterborough’s promotion hopes has to be the trio of relegated Championship clubs. Blackpool, Millwall and Wigan form a triumvirate that will undoubtedly challenge to get back to where they belong. It really wasn’t that along ago when Blackpool and Wigan were both Premier League clubs, which perhaps suggests a decline of their respective clubs, but it does hint at an underlying quality. If these clubs want to stop the rot, they’ll fight tooth and nail to get back into the mix for promotion, thus limiting Posh’s chances.
But what is vital to remember is that the top six of League One stand a chance of promotion. Even if the three clubs do dominate the league, hope still remains for Peterborough fans. What better way to be deservedly promoted than to win the play-offs? It’s the hardest way, however, and this season may be a long, hard slog. A slog that could possibly end in success or failure.
What counts is Peterborough’s squad quality. With the recent additions of Joe Gormley and Jack Collison Posh are building a stronger squad. It’s a squad far from just walking League One, but a squad that can compete with most of the teams the club has to face this season. The new personnel will also allow manager Dave Robertson to field a team of players that are more suitable for his football ideology. This is very important if Posh want to get promoted. How can any manager achieve what they want to achieve if not given the players to fit their tactics? Arguably a manager should adapt his tactics, which Robertson should be open to. After all, this is his first senior management job. But, he’s made a good start becoming only the second ever Peterborough manager to win his first three games in charge — an excellent statistic which seems to beckon towards a golden era, but maybe it’s a little too hopeful at this stage.
Robertson is in a good position to aim his team towards promotion, after spending the end of last season and pre-season with his team. Not only that, but he would have worked with and around many of the players, having been the Head of Youth Development since 2006. This means that he already has a good relationship with his squad and knows the strengths and weaknesses of many of the players. He has been involved in the club for a long time, and this kind of commitment and dedication will ensure a manager who tries his very hardest to get all he can out of the squad, ultimately pushing for promotion.
Peterborough’s first game of the season against Rochdale will prove to be a good test. Rochdale finished on 63 points last season, only usurping Posh on goal difference. Therefore, this opening game will reveal which team has made the most progress over the summer.
No amount of speculation could estimate Posh’s chances of promotion. The pitch is the only place to view their chances. So far, it’s been a good pre-season, which bodes well for the start of League One. Can Peterborough United reach promotion? A long season will eventually answer this perhaps hopeful notion.
