Patience required 2014/2015

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

There's been a few grumblings about our performances in pre season and I think patience is needed now and right throughout next season. We are still riding the wave of the Clough revolution, we've made a few astute signings, the bookies have made us favourites and we're being sponsored left, right and centre so the club is being heavily marketed. I'd forgive anyone for getting a bit carried away but there is still going to be a lot of patience required.

Remember that since last season we've lost 2 (Coady & Brayford) and stand to lose 1 more (Maguire) of our best players that contributed heavily to the success in the second half of the season. There isn't a team in the world that doesn't struggle without key players and while I'm happy with the signings we've made there will inevitably be a settling in period where we might struggle as players adapt to each other etc. Not to mention, our squad is very young. Exciting, but young with high expectations set on them.

Be excited, be positive, but don't be surprised if come October/November there have been a few disjointed performances. It's still very much a long term project but we have the right people in charge of it.

 

[Rollerball]

Personally I don't care about pre season performances and in truth ill settle for wins and points over performances and beautiful football.
This league is more about grinding out results when the performances are at an ebb, last season if we had ground out a couple more 1-0, I think we would have gone up.
So this season ill take a few more 1-0 wins with a less than 100% performance over a 0-0 or a defeat with ppl singing our praises.
To my thinking getting out of league one by whatever means is the be all and end all, in the championship an beyond we can build a more balanced skill based squad, teaching the youngsters coming thru' that sometimes you have to get you self dirty to win will I think bring them on to be better players later than just playing attractive football.
Patience is needed but the ability to change to plan B, C or D is something we at BDTBL haven't had for a long time but which Clough seems to bring.
Bring on the new season and let's see what it brings.
UTB

 

[blader]

I think 3 years is pretty patient. I went into last season expecting very little, and that's what we got (turned out quite well, but we're still in league 1 after all)

I think as this is our 4th season in League 1, and the division appears to be at its weakest since we joined it, then we're probably justified in expecting promotion. Now we differ on our opinions of how we want to achieve it (not goin into that on this thread) but patience is slowly wearing thin. Most clubs of our size who drop to league 1 (forest, Leeds, wolves, Wednesday, charlton etc) get back up in 3 years, so I'd really like to think this is our last year at this level. So be patient, yes, but really failure to get promotion will increase restlessness amongst fans, especially when we see the likes of Yeovil, Rotherham, Bournemouth, Brentford etc succeeding jn getting out the division in similar or smaller budgets.

 

[ponteblade]

I should know better, but I think we will go up this season, but it will not be a stroll in the park, because everybody wants to beat us! But I feel that Clough is the right man for the job. I really after all the failures and disappointments we have had through the years, that the club is on the right footings. Like Porterfield after the John Harris years, the false dawn of Ken Furphy, I live in hope, but remember people thinking Martin Peters would work wonders! Double diamond did a better job after the match lol

 

[ponteblade]

I know Porterfield was a long time after Harris, but he was the only good one after him.

 

[wizadry]

I think 3 years is pretty patient. I went into last season expecting very little, and that's what we got (turned out quite well, but we're still in league 1 after all)

I think as this is our 4th season in League 1, and the division appears to be at its weakest since we joined it, then we're probably justified in expecting promotion. Now we differ on our opinions of how we want to achieve it (not goin into that on this thread) but patience is slowly wearing thin. Most clubs of our size who drop to league 1 (forest, Leeds, wolves, Wednesday, charlton etc) get back up in 3 years, so I'd really like to think this is our last year at this level. So be patient, yes, but really failure to get promotion will increase restlessness amongst fans, especially when we see the likes of Yeovil, Rotherham, Bournemouth, Brentford etc succeeding jn getting out the division in similar or smaller budgets.

Don't get used to the like from me blader,where miles apart remember

 

[blader]

Don't get used to the like from me blader,where miles apart remember

It's alright pal, I assumed you were piased or summat.

 

[wizadry]

It's alright pal, I assumed you were piased or summat.

What i knew everything or i was pissed

 

[JOEYDEE]

I know Porterfield was a long time after Harris, but he was the only good one after him.

Kendall ? Should have stopped at BL,breath of fresh air !

 

[Woodwardfan]

I think 3 years is pretty patient. I went into last season expecting very little, and that's what we got (turned out quite well, but we're still in league 1 after all)

I think as this is our 4th season in League 1, and the division appears to be at its weakest since we joined it, then we're probably justified in expecting promotion. Now we differ on our opinions of how we want to achieve it (not goin into that on this thread) but patience is slowly wearing thin. Most clubs of our size who drop to league 1 (forest, Leeds, wolves, Wednesday, charlton etc) get back up in 3 years, so I'd really like to think this is our last year at this level. So be patient, yes, but really failure to get promotion will increase restlessness amongst fans, especially when we see the likes of Yeovil, Rotherham, Bournemouth, Brentford etc succeeding jn getting out the division in similar or smaller budgets.

I've been patient since my first game in 1955 and I expect nothing in the way of success. By the way I honestly don't regard promotion from the third tier as success really, but it will get us to our true level, the second tier.

After that I'll look forward to a brief flirtation some time in the Premiership. If Clough can achieve that in my lifetime then he'll make me a very happy man. Maybe too much to hope for.

To me "success" is the fact that United are my main hobby but I'm not on anti-depressants!

By the way, just have a glance at the thread " Let's be realistic about the new season" started as recently as July 16th and see how the mood has changed on here in such a short time.

 

[sheffielder]

What happened to having expectations? I am pretty sure Nigel has big expectations of this team and he won't pussy foot about. Is everyone a public sector worker on here or something

 

[grafikhaus]

I think our fans are amongst the most patient in football. It's the nature of the game - 'Good things come to those who wait.' The last 3 seasons in Division 3 have coincided with having 3 utterly inept managers and no ambition from the board. That's why I left Wembley in 2012 totally not bothered about losing - you can't just stagger over the finishing line. If we'd have somehow beaten Huddersfield (utterly impossible as, without penalties, we'd still be playing now and wouldn't have scored) we'd have been back in Division 3 by now. A poor team, no sign of investment and Danny Fucking Wilson.

Now it's all changed. Investment, an excellent manager and a team who - should - 'boss' the Division.

Will we? Fuck knows, but it won't be a cakewalk. There'll be ups and downs and setbacks - obviously. And I can see the first coming on August 9.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Agreed.

Pretty much said this 3 months ago in thread Clough et al

UTB

 

[bricktop]

I think we will win this Division this season, and quite comfortably. These are the reasons why.

- We look to have the strongest, most balanced squad
- We have the manager who in my opinion is the best in the League 1
- We have the biggest ground in League 1
- We have the biggest support in League 1
- We have a lot more money at our disposal in League 1
- We ended last season as the form team in League 1
- The mood of the support is more positive at the minute than it has been for years
- The club is starting to show a lot of ambition for the first time in years
- There actually seems to be a cogent, and well thought out plan in place for the first time in years
- We are not reliant on loan players this season
- There aren't really anyone in our division i think will be better than us (Bristol City and Preston will be the challengers)

In addition to this, i went to Wembley last April feeling confident that we would visit a showpiece event without showing ourselves up,and came away with a very creditable and proud performance. I feel that same confidence leading in to this season.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Nothing to do with patience or anything close to it.....

I noticed that Crawley signed Bobson Bawling.....that's all, nothing else.

 

[Kev Gee]

I'm sure we will blitz this league and finish on over 100 points.

That's if we get a quality striker in.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Patience required? Fuck me. this is our 4th season in this tier. We've been patient enough. Anything less than promotion this season, especially considering the strength of the rest of the league, should be seen as a failure.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Am surprised , woodwardfan, that you've watched them since 1955 @nd don't require antidepressants.Well done.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Am surprised , woodwardfan, that you've watched them since 1955 @nd don't require antidepressants.Well done.

I didn't say I did the full 55 years without them though!!!

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

Don't get me wrong, I fully agree that the league is weak and for the taking but we have our internal challenges that won't make it exclusively ours for the taking. As for our squad being stronger then the rest, we'll see. Without Maguire (potentially), Brayford & Coady i'd argue that it's slightly unproven given the turnover of playing staff. Can experienced L1 players in Alcock, Butler & JCR do it at Bramall Lane? Can McNulty adapt to L1 and give us the goal return we crave? Will McGahey & Basham's experience in the Championship count for much?

I'll bet there will be a settling in period and August & September could be tricky months. One thing is for sure though, it will not be any worse then last August/September!

 

[Bladesway]

Patience required? Fuck me. this is our 4th season in this tier. We've been patient enough. Anything less than promotion this season, especially considering the strength of the rest of the league, should be seen as a failure.

As always with us that depends on the circumstances. No one is better at crapping it up in new ways than we are

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

This still applies. A trickier game then we anticipated and there were plenty of positives, namely Alcock, Reed, Scougall, Higdon & the cameo of JCR.

Long season and a tough test out of the way.

Djaff - Glass Half Full

 

[Teddy]

This still applies. A trickier game then we anticipated and there were plenty of positives, namely Alcock, Reed, Scougall, Higdon & the cameo of JCR.

Long season and a tough test out of the way.

Djaff - Glass Half Full

Completely agree, left the match not happy, but not as pissed as usual when we get beat. My only caveat is I would remove Scougall from that list, seemed quiet to me, wanted him off sooner.

But glass half full certainly, loads of potential in this team.

 

[zablade]

Need to be patient and then some, with all the new players we could have done with a few "gimmies" early in the season, however we have been handed a tough start and we need to perhaps not judge until November time.