itsinyerblood
Well-Known Member
I saw what happened when we spent loads building the South stand though.
Fact.
Over my 40 years of watching the Blades we have averaged being a mid to upper table Championship side.
People assume we are now going to be a permanent fixture in the PL .
Possibly with CW/AK this could be true buts lets have a season or two there first.
How many of these 'new' fans are only here to see PL football, do you think they will keep turning up if we drop back down ?
I would rather have a 'Sheffield mentality' of cautious sensibility, rather than a spend spend spend mentality that has not worked for Bury, Fulham,Sunderland, Stoke, Chesterfield,SWFC, Birmingham, Etc Etc.
The list of fiscal failures in football is far higher than the top 10 in thePL.
Fact.
Interesting post Tom. As you correctly state, becoming a PL fixture is a fantasy unless the club takes a long hard look at why we're here. We need to look at this on a season by season basis, the one thing you cannot escape is that the resources that come from being a PL club will contribute to the likelihood of an extended stay in the PL. Key to all of this is the quality of our management, allied to a Board who share the same aspirations as our management. As has been reported earlier this season, ensuring that improvements to the training ground are taken seriously are as vital as the players we recruit. It's exactly this mindset that needs to be cultivated throughout the club, in other words mid to long term planning needs to be at the top of any priorities the club has if it wishes to compete at the highest level.
Regarding 'new' supporters, of course what has been highlighted over the last few days is that we need a streamlined, far less complicated, approach enabling supporters, be they mildly curious or hardcore, to buy a ticket without feeling as if they're being put through unnecessary hoops. A welcoming approach to anyone who wishes to part with their hard earned is surely the ideal, and whilst I understand the necessity to provide a seat(s) for long-term supporters, surely allocating between 1500-2000 tickets for those who fancy visiting the Lane, isn't beyond the realms of practical, applied thinking? Of course, make sure that all supporters are part of a data base, the benefits of this should be obvious with all the commercial possibilities attached. But common sense appears to have been nudged to one side, so perhaps someone should say 'stop!' while the club reconsiders it's approach to what is, after all, the core of why the club exists, in essence it's here to please the fan-base?
Personally, the 'caution' you advise is something I share, but like many things the scale of how much caution we apply is key. For example, I'm delighted with the amount that's been spent by our manager, other people may feel this to be excessive, so ensuring we get that balance right, and sometimes understanding why this spend might need to be increased, is something that needs to be at the heart of the planning I referred to. Long term projects, such as ground improvements, will be addressed relative to the success of the football team. The team is the heartbeat of this club, so heed the manager's advice and plan around this.
Apologies if I've waffled.......good post fella.
