Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony believes a ‘softly-softly’ approach could be the key for Peterborough United this season after a poor start to their League One campaign, as reported by Peterborough Telegraph.
The 49-year-old believes the club have a top six team but are catching up after whats been a poort start to the campaign in Cambridgeshire.
A Torrid Start
Peterborough United’s League One campaign has stumbled out of the gate, with the team languishing in 23rd place, holding just 7 points from 9 matches. A dire August saw five losses and a draw, including defeats to Luton Town, Wigan Athletic, Barnsley, and Exeter City, and conceded 12 goals. With 15 goals shipped overall and a -8 goal difference, defensive woes are evident. September offered hope, with a 2-1 home win over Wycombe Wanderers and a 1-0 away victory at Plymouth Argyle, both driven by young striker Jimmy-Jay Morgan. Despite one home win from four and four away losses, manager Darren Ferguson aims to build on this momentum to climb the table.
A Change In Business Model?
Peterborough United’s business model has long been defined by scouting and selling young talent from lower leagues, and has seen subtle tweaks rather than a major shake-up in recent years. Under chairman Darragh MacAnthony, the club’s strategy, which previously banked £21 million by 2016, such as £7-10 million for Ivan Toney in 2020, still hinges on unearthing undervalued players. After their 2022 Championship relegation, manager Darren Ferguson turned to international markets, snapping up Swedish prospects like Gustav Lindgren and Oscar Wallin in 2024 for cost-effective quality. A 2025 squad refresh has mixed youth with seasoned signings, sparked by a reported £1 million-plus bid for Lindgren.
Chairmans Comments
On their start to the season MacAntony said:
“We’re essentially playing a 36-game season with ground to make up,”
“No one is getting excited about 2 wins, but we are getting better and I’m optimistic about where we can go. The signs are good, but we need to go about things quietly
“For now, it’s about going from second to third gear and then up fourth and fifth gears for the most important bit at the end. It’s all about winning at the moment, and I’ll take that every day of the week. If wins happen, the good football will follow. The 20 shots a game and the flair can come later.
“There are 4-5 teams towards the bottom of the table in a false position, and I include us in that. We will all believe we can flip the table in time.
Writers View
Peterborough United’s refined business model of now blending international youth with experience is promising. However, the poor League One start with a poor defensive showing must unravel quickly to avoid mid-table mediocrity.
