Great Season

[Come from away]

I may not be the first to say this but with all the negative stuff that follows a loss (we all feel rotten) I felt it time to make the point. After six years in League One we have had a great season in the Championship that has seen us continue to play good and exciting football. Like many I worried our return to the Championship would see us fighting to stay out of the bottom six and a relegation fight, afterall, most of our players were League One stars not Championship stars. Well, we got off to a great start and suddenly expectations shifted dramatically, however, given the investment made in the team it was always clear the season goal was survival and not promotion. Regardless of what happens in the remaining games it has been a great season. With one or two exceptions we have been competitive in every game, could have won many we tied and tied those we lost. I feel we are truly back in the Championship and deserve to be here. Even with some moderate investment we can look forward to next season knowing we will have a shot at the playoffs and not panic about going down again. It's great to be back and feel like we are a real Championship side and not some little league hopefuls.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

I may not be the first to say this but with all the negative stuff that follows a loss (we all feel rotten) I felt it time to make the point. After six years in League One we have had a great season in the Championship that has seen us continue to play good and exciting football. Like many I worried our return to the Championship would see us fighting to stay out of the bottom six and a relegation fight, afterall, most of our players were League One stars not Championship stars. Well, we got off to a great start and suddenly expectations shifted dramatically, however, given the investment made in the team it was always clear the season goal was survival and not promotion. Regardless of what happens in the remaining games it has been a great season. With one or two exceptions we have been competitive in every game, could have won many we tied and tied those we lost. I feel we are truly back in the Championship and deserve to be here. Even with some moderate investment we can look forward to next season knowing we will have a shot at the playoffs and not panic about going down again. It's great to be back and feel like we are a real Championship side and not some little league hopefuls.

I hope you are right but without significant investment I think we will struggle next season. Our great start to the season was based on several players playing out of their skin and opponents not sure how to set up against us. Our form and results since November have been bottom 8 at best.

As mentioned elsewhere, many of our team are 30+ and will struggle to perform to the required standard over a long, hard season.

Sorting out the ownership and meaningful investment in the team are crucial in the summer.

 

[beatific blade]

I weirdly find myself agreeing with both of the above....

 

[Davalon]

It has. It's just the way that it's panned out that has left the frustration at the forefront.

I worry a little about next season with the questions hanging over ownership and how it affects our summer recruitment.

I've felt the play offs have been beyond us for a while but I still wouldn't write off winning the next two.

We owe Boro and hopefully we can end Millwall's run instead of being the team that ends everyone's losing runs.

 

[bladesadviser]

I agree and was disappointed to see a few of the players getting grief on the shoutbox just after the match. I know emotions run high but I am personally not about to give up on the players who gave us our best season for at least 7 years. Players such as Hammond and Sammon are still fresh in the memory as are defeats to Rochdale, Bury and Crewe. Instead we now have players who are punching above their weight and will sometimes come up short and yes for next season we may have to change some of them but they are still our players who wear the shirt with pride and for a long time we had many who didn't.

 

[BigBed]

I've said from the beginning top ten would be amazing and aslong as we finish above South Barnsley i will still be a happy man.
But I'd like the players to atleast fight to win games, because it looks too much like our fires gone, for my liking.

 

[Bladesman]

I hope you are right but without significant investment I think we will struggle next season. Our great start to the season was based on several players playing out of their skin and opponents not sure how to set up against us. Our form and results since November have been bottom 8 at best.

As mentioned elsewhere, many of our team are 30+ and will struggle to perform to the required standard over a long, hard season.

Sorting out the ownership and meaningful investment in the team are crucial in the summer.

Pretty much the exact same situation when we were last in this division.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

could have won many we tied and tied those we lost.

You aint from round here are ya?

 

[Come from away]

You aint from round here are ya?

Actually I am, grew up about 5 miles from the Lane, and have watched all the games this year. Stick by what I said,

 

[gavtheblade]

It's a shame tufty didn't drop Coutts at Burton!!
Joking aside,we've still played well and attacked teams.
It's refreshing that in the summer we will be hopefully adding players for a promotion pushing season rather than consolidating.

 

[robbiez666]

If we have a decent last few gave then it has been a good season. Better than I expected.

The worry is, as mentioned above, the form since November. It's poor. Without our great start we'd be in a similar position to Wednesday, or worse.

That's the worry for next season. Without significant investment, unless we have another flying start (and there's no reason for us to do so) then we will find ourselves looking anxiously downwards.

 

[Come from away]

While I would want us to win the last few games I worry that if we made the play-offs we might succeed at a time when we do not appear to have the financial backing in place to succeed in the Premiership. I have no interest in us setting the record for the lowest points total for a relegated team in the Premiership.

 

[Revolution]

While I would want us to win the last few games I worry that if we made the play-offs we might succeed at a time when we do not appear to have the financial backing in place to succeed in the Premiership. I have no interest in us setting the record for the lowest points total for a relegated team in the Premiership.

You are aware how much money promoted teams get up front, aren't you?

 

[Come from away]

You are aware how much money promoted teams get up front, aren't you?

Yes, but the price jumps up for Premiership quality players and wold not cover the four or five players we would need for survival. Further,I do not see an ownership with large funds to add to make up the difference.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Actually I am, grew up about 5 miles from the Lane, and have watched all the games this year. Stick by what I said,

Not questioning your loyaties/perception at all mate and I agree entirely with your post which sums up perfectly where we're at. It was just a clumsy attempt at a bit of humour with the use of 'tie' rather than 'draw' I'm guessing you watch a fair bit of American sport?

 

[Liverpool blade]

It's been a fab season despite our patchy form since xmas.
I really expected us to be mid table and not the top 10!!.
The boardroom issue needs sorting out one way or another very quickly so wilder can make plans accordingly
I've got a bad feeling though that they'll still be squabbling in sept and we'll be no further forward and wilder will have to continue pulling rabbits out of the hat?. I M H O.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

We were one investment in a decent striker short this season. We have been the better side in most games this season, created bucket loads of chances so there is nothing wrong with the midfield and approach play, it's finishing that's the problem. Leon should have had 30+ this season, I have never seen so many sitters missed by one player and this is the main reason we are staying where we are.

 

[Revolution]

Yes, but the price jumps up for Premiership quality players and wold not cover the four or five players we would need for survival. Further,I do not see an ownership with large funds to add to make up the difference.

Well, I think there'd be enough cash to ensure we got more than 11 points.

And quite frankly I don't understand not wanting to be promoted. Even if we came straight down we'd be in a vastly better position financially due to parachute payments. Plus in 40 years of watching this team I've seen the grand total of four top flight seasons, which is pathetic, and I'd like to see some more thanks very much.

 

[Come from away]

Well, I think there'd be enough cash to ensure we got more than 11 points.

And quite frankly I don't understand not wanting to be promoted. Even if we came straight down we'd be in a vastly better position financially due to parachute payments. Plus in 40 years of watching this team I've seen the grand total of four top flight seasons, which is pathetic, and I'd like to see some more thanks very much.

I would love to see us in the Premiership but worry with the ownership being unresolved.

 

[Revolution]

I would love to see us in the Premiership but worry with the ownership being unresolved.

Makes no difference. The ownership situation was a complete mess in the 3 years Bassett had us up there. At this point I just assume that ownership will be an obstacle at some point.

 

[Come from away]

Not questioning your loyaties/perception at all mate and I agree entirely with your post which sums up perfectly where we're at. It was just a clumsy attempt at a bit of humour with the use of 'tie' rather than 'draw' I'm guessing you watch a fair bit of American sport?

No problem, I 'guess' I have picked up a few local habits.

 

[Harry's Game]

It has been a good season despite the fading away but has as been said a few players are the wrong side of 30 and aren’t going to go on for ever.

In the summer we need..

New GK

New LWB

New CB

New Midfielder

New Striker x2

And that’s assuming Coutts is back we don’t lose key men like Fleck and JOC. If anyone of them also need replacing we are in major rebuild territory.

Where’s the money coming from is the big question? If we are going to be fishing in the League one pond that is worrying as we have seen from the January recruitment players who look good at that level don’t necessarily have it in them to make the step up.

The owners need to get themselves sorted ASAP we can’t afford a six month legal case and be treading water in the summer.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[Rusty]

It has been a good season despite the fading away but has as been said a few players are the wrong side of 30 and aren’t going to go on for ever.

In the summer we need..

New GK

New LWB

New CB

New Midfielder

New Striker x2

And that’s assuming Coutts is back we don’t lose key men like Fleck and JOC. If anyone of them also need replacing we are in major rebuild territory.

Where’s the money coming from is the big question? If we are going to be fishing in the League one pond that is worrying as we have seen from the January recruitment players who look good at that level don’t necessarily have it in them to make the step up.

The owners need to get themselves sorted ASAP we can’t afford a six month legal case and be treading water in the summer.

Exactly the shopping list I was thinking earlier...

 

[blade67]

I may not be the first to say this but with all the negative stuff that follows a loss (we all feel rotten) I felt it time to make the point. After six years in League One we have had a great season in the Championship that has seen us continue to play good and exciting football. Like many I worried our return to the Championship would see us fighting to stay out of the bottom six and a relegation fight, afterall, most of our players were League One stars not Championship stars. Well, we got off to a great start and suddenly expectations shifted dramatically, however, given the investment made in the team it was always clear the season goal was survival and not promotion. Regardless of what happens in the remaining games it has been a great season. With one or two exceptions we have been competitive in every game, could have won many we tied and tied those we lost. I feel we are truly back in the Championship and deserve to be here. Even with some moderate investment we can look forward to next season knowing we will have a shot at the playoffs and not panic about going down again. It's great to be back and feel like we are a real Championship side and not some little league hopefuls.

Thanks for this post. Lots of sense. It' been great and I think we're just going to fall short. Hopefully they will keep us fighting a bit longer and maybe we will still be surprised. Thanks to the management and players.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

It would have been a great season if we'd have finished top 2, or been a shoe in for top 6 and gone up via the play-offs (we might still go up through the play-offs???). However, if as looks likely we finish 9 or 10th, then yeah that's been an ok season (not great though), we've generally played some good stuff and had a number of highs in the first 3 months of the season.

Even if we don't have shed loads to spend in the summer, a few canny signings from CW and perhaps a bit more cannier tactics from him too, I still fancy us to improve next season.

 

[Keen Blade]

Only if we can shoot straight , hard & low.
Do our players practice shooting ?
George Best & David Beckham had talent but became stars through sheer hard work , practicing incessantly their crosses & shots , long after their teammates had pissed off at the end of training.

 

[Top Cat]

Only if we can shoot straight , hard & low.
Do our players practice shooting ?
George Best & David Beckham had talent but became stars through sheer hard work , practicing incessantly their crosses & shots , long after their teammates had pissed off at the end of training.

I find it rather unlikely that you witnessed Man U training sessions in the 60's and 90's

And...realized?

You were educated in the USA?

 

[Ajmblade]

I find it rather unlikely that you witnessed Man U training sessions in the 60's and 90's

And...realized?

You were educated in the USA?

Common misconception actually but the use of ‘z’ in words like realised and civilised is actually an English tradition that was dropped and became an ‘s’ in general use, so isn’t an Americanism, they merely kept our tradition as they had gained independence before we stopped using it. Useless fact of the week sorted for you mate.

 

[Come from away]

Come Tuesday either we will all be looking back on what might have been or be caught up in the hysteria of the great maybe. So be it.