To sum up

[Pollingtonblade]

This week on the message boards and in general

- we haven't signed any new players
- we have got rid of some players
- the fans are totally polarised in their opinions
- we have been told, again, to give it 3 Windows (jam tomorrow )
- the side isn't good enough for a promotion push
- some players will be not having their contracts renewed in the summer
- there are rumours of unrest in the boardroom
- the club/fans/players seemingly are less reunited than I've ever known
-fans are making libellous allegations against the owners


I'm not sure where we all go from here but it seems like one hell of a mess and I've tried to be objective here.

 

[JJ Sefton]

This week on the message boards and in general

- we haven't signed any new players
- we have got rid of some players
- the fans are totally polarised in their opinions
- we have been told, again, to give it 3 Windows (jam tomorrow )
- the side isn't good enough for a promotion push
- some players will be not having their contracts renewed in the summer
- there are rumours of unrest in the boardroom
- the club/fans/players seemingly are less reunited than I've ever known
-fans are making libellous allegations against the owners


I'm not sure where we all go from here but it seems like one hell of a mess and I've tried to be objective here.

Who says we're going anywhere? Big Jim himself says that it will be this time next year before the squad is sorted out.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Where do we go from here? I am off to see us play Wigan at home then Donny away.

disappointing? yes
frustrated? yes

Still a Blade though - 60 yo in April - seen it, done it, and all that crap.

UTB

 

[1889]

The season is over as far as I can see, all we have to achieve is staying out of the relegation spots. The team has too many passengers and the manager seems devoid of any motivational leadership. We should use the remaining fixtures to introduce the likes of DCL into the first team and inject a bit of passion and hunger into the side. Play what youngsters we have left in preference to those who are earmarked for a summer exit. I'd love to see two or three lads get a chance and what better opportunity?
One things for sure, if they continue with the same dull spineless twats that are currently turning out, I doubt I'll be going to many more games and I imagine many others feel the same

 

[Blade56]

1+1=2

We were lied to again

 

[Bartleby]

This week on the message boards and in general

- we haven't signed any new players
- we have got rid of some players
- the fans are totally polarised in their opinions
- we have been told, again, to give it 3 Windows (jam tomorrow )
- the side isn't good enough for a promotion push
- some players will be not having their contracts renewed in the summer
- there are rumours of unrest in the boardroom
- the club/fans/players seemingly are less reunited than I've ever known
-fans are making libellous allegations against the owners


I'm not sure where we all go from here but it seems like one hell of a mess and I've tried to be objective here.

It does seem like it could be a right mess going on behind the scenes, we just don't know. It was obviously all going pear shaped before with Clough and nowt was said until now, these little digs about excess etc now coming out. Some good points made on LinkedIn in reply to Jim's post, about how all this talk of clear out and players going in the summer is hardly going to motivate the current squad so with that and lack of any strengthening it is starting to look bleak. Saturdays's game might prove interesting.

 

[Bartleby]

Where do we go from here? I am off to see us play Wigan at home then Donny away.

disappointing? yes
frustrated? yes

Still a Blade though - 60 yo in April - seen it, done it, and all that crap.

UTB

1956 is a very fine vintage mate

 

[Dkc]

This week on the message boards and in general

- the fans are totally polarised in their opinions
.

No they aren't, I'd say that 99 percent are pissed off we haven't signed anyone and will make do with what we have for the "promotion push"

 

[Pollingtonblade]

No they aren't, I'd say that 99 percent are pissed off we haven't signed anyone and will make do with what we have for the "promotion push"

I suspect William Henry Foulkes and blade too long arent ;-)

 

[derryblade]

This week on the message boards and in general

- we haven't signed any new players
- we have got rid of some players
- the fans are totally polarised in their opinions
- we have been told, again, to give it 3 Windows (jam tomorrow )
- the side isn't good enough for a promotion push
- some players will be not having their contracts renewed in the summer
- there are rumours of unrest in the boardroom
- the club/fans/players seemingly are less reunited than I've ever known
-fans are making libellous allegations against the owners


I'm not sure where we all go from here but it seems like one hell of a mess and I've tried to be objective here.

It's the 3 windows that confuses me, reading the S24SU player contracts, there are 18 players out of contract in June including NA loans if we don't offer any further contracts that's a hell of a clear out. Leaves around 14 players including McNulty, J Wallace, Freeman, Scougall and Diego who could move on. So I don't get why it should that long to shake this squad up.

 

[Wards]

I'm still struggling to comprehend why it takes 3 fucking transfer windows to assemble a squad capable of getting out of what is, to be frank, a tin pot league with the combined collective spending power of me on the 29th of each month. Yes the squad is too big we all know that but just 2 else 3 good signings would've got us out this year. Instead we're left to scratch about with signing some no marks on loan and another fuckin year watching the likes of Shrewsbury, Colchester and Bury turn us over.

 

[Booker4]

This week on the message boards and in general

- we haven't signed any new players
- we have got rid of some players
- the fans are totally polarised in their opinions
- we have been told, again, to give it 3 Windows (jam tomorrow )
- the side isn't good enough for a promotion push
- some players will be not having their contracts renewed in the summer
- there are rumours of unrest in the boardroom
- the club/fans/players seemingly are less reunited than I've ever known
-fans are making libellous allegations against the owners


I'm not sure where we all go from here but it seems like one hell of a mess and I've tried to be objective here.

Its easy to think (because its the hear and now) that this is as worse as its been for ever etc. However in my time as a Blade (1990) we've known as bad as this if not worse, although not in terms of league position. Under Brealey in Bassett's last season in charge springs to mind. We were in a total mess off and off the field. A three sided ground, a playing squad bereft of quality, with all of the decent players bar one or two exceptions, past their best and a manager about to be sacked who deserved much better. Fan unrest was at an all time high and crowds were about 10,000 most weeks, give or take.

Also when Heath was in charge was bad too. Both times, without realising at the time, we were about to turn the corner. Lets hope that its the same this time too! I'll give one positive. The support base has never been better, certainly for the circumstances that we are currently in. Many right now probably feel that they'll not be renewing next season but if we have a decent summer and sign the players we badly need then there's no reason why next season can't be the one we've been waiting for, for 5 years or so.

 

[Bartleby]

It's the 3 windows that confuses me, reading the S24SU player contracts, there are 18 players out of contract in June including NA loans if we don't offer any further contracts that's a hell of a clear out. Leaves around 14 players including McNulty, J Wallace, Freeman, Scougall and Diego who could move on. So I don't get why it should that long to shake this squad up.

Given the trouble we are having getting players to come in who are felt to be worth the asking price, or getting our 6 figure bids accepted (and we have been told again that resources are not the issue) what the hell will happen after this clear out? Will they all suddenly become available, will the prices suddenly drop?

 

[derryblade]

Given the trouble we are having getting players to come in who are felt to be worth the asking price, or getting our 6 figure bids accepted (and we have been told again that resources are not the issue) what the hell will happen after this clear out? Will they all suddenly become available, will the prices suddenly drop?

Along with the opportunity to clear these players out, there also has to be a change of direction in recruitment. All NA signings have come from the Championship all older professionals, in reality short term fixes. We need players who can improve and have a resale value, if that means trawling this division and below for talent then so be it, rather that than waste more money on players on the way down IMO.

 

[marsh blade]

It's the 3 windows that confuses me, reading the S24SU player contracts, there are 18 players out of contract in June including NA loans if we don't offer any further contracts that's a hell of a clear out. Leaves around 14 players including McNulty, J Wallace, Freeman, Scougall and Diego who could move on. So I don't get why it should that long to shake this squad up.

Because Jim knows

Given the trouble we are having getting players to come in who are felt to be worth the asking price, or getting our 6 figure bids accepted (and we have been told again that resources are not the issue) what the hell will happen after this clear out? Will they all suddenly become available, will the prices suddenly drop?

We may end up like Blackpool 6 players one week before the season starts. And they have a better defence record than us btw.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Given the trouble we are having getting players to come in who are felt to be worth the asking price, or getting our 6 figure bids accepted (and we have been told again that resources are not the issue) what the hell will happen after this clear out? Will they all suddenly become available, will the prices suddenly drop?

January is always more expensive than the summer. Contracts tend to expire in the summer, so more players are available. A player wanting away is more likely to plan that around a summer move.

I genuinely think that the board have decided that promotion this season is unlikely (too many of the squad not good enough) and were reluctant to pay out in this window, unless they could get a bargain buy. The real test of intent will be the summer. Will they really release all those out of contract and buy in 7 or 8? Charlton did it a few years ago and went up so it can be done.

 

[judge]

Cant wait till 2018 when we charge up the table

 

[Roygbiv]

I'm too young to really remember the three sided ground era but the anger and distrust of the current board is up there with when Charles Green and Mike McDonald was here. Somewhat interestingly McCabe was on the board under both of these too.

The one big difference between now and that era seems to be the apathy. I recall lost and lots of anger in those days and leaflets being handed out at every home game by BIFA. All that's happening at the moment is a few angry posts on social media to Jim Phipps. There is no real organization that is channeling the fans disgust at the current board and nobody really has an idea how to change things which means I don't see any protest aimed against the board. I just foresee season tickets sales being the worst since the early Warnock days and the fan base we built up in the past 10 years dwindling away.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

1956 is a very fine vintage mate

Sounds like we share a birth year.

cheap season ticket come next season - every cloud as they say! - senior bloody Blade!!!!! used to scoff at fogies that old

UTB

 

[Groucho Blade]

1956 vintages, eh?
There's a lot of it about! (June in my case!)

 

[dingledog]

1956 is a very fine vintage mate

Whilst not disagreeing, I think you will find 1958 was far superior, more full bodied ( I'm on yet another diet though), complex and one to be treasured.

 

[S5Blade]

Did I miss the announcement about us moving to Don Valley?

 

[pommpey]

The support base has never been better, certainly for the circumstances that we are currently in. Many right now probably feel that they'll not be renewing next season but if we have a decent summer and sign the players we badly need then there's no reason why next season can't be the one we've been waiting for, for 5 years or so.

My advice to anyone considering buying a ST is this:

You are entering a contractual deal and investing with a bigger financial partner, based upon projected and expected returns in the football league table positioning. The assets to provide this are the key closer of the deal. You know that if you don't have the assets in place, the terms of the deal are likely not to be fulfilled and you should consider wisely before entering the contract. If they strip out the assets after you have signed the deal or promise to invest and then don't (as they have done, serially) then who is the cabbage?

Saying 'fuck it' and pressing 'SUBMIT' to renew your ST without being aware of the capabilities of these clowns is like responsing to Dr Nwongo Kanyatta of the Central Bank of Nigeria who tells you he had twenty billion bucks to launder through your current account in Lowedges.

That is where the rip off occurrs

Such is the trust we have in McCabe.

pommpey

 

[Booker4]

Did I miss the announcement about us moving to Don Valley?

That's tomorrow's bombshell mate?! One at a time! ;-)

 

[I should coco]

Saying 'fuck it' and pressing 'SUBMIT' to renew your ST without being aware of the capabilities of these clowns is like responsing to Dr Nwongo Kanyatta of the Central Bank of Nigeria who tells you he had twenty billion bucks to launder through your current account in Lowedges.

Such is the trust we have in McCabe.

Some of us are Blades for life, not in some meaningless trite caption but in our DNA.

We turn up, we take the shit.

It's what we do.

If you don't like it, don't come. I won't miss you.

ISC

 

[pommpey]

Some of us are Blades for life, not in some meaningless trite caption but in our DNA.

We turn up, we take the shit.

It's what we do.

If you don't like it, don't come. I won't miss you.

ISC

Ooooh. Billy Big Blade alert.

You turn up, you watch Peterborough knock three avoidable goals past our hapless defence and keeper. Is that the 'shit' you are on about?

'Blades for Life'. Fucking hilarious trite caption, if ever I saw it.

By the way, you won't miss me, because I don't go. Geography lesson: Portsmouth is 225 miles away. The lure of watching us fail against lesser clubs is just not there, you see. But, y'know ... don't let me stop McCabe from selling our best players and allowing you to Blade for Life your arse away down Shoreham Street, pissed off because Fulchester Athletic are laughing their cocks off at whumping a big-city team at home. It's in the DNA, ISC you see ...

pommpey

 

[I should coco]

Ooooh. Billy Big Blade alert.

You turn up, you watch Peterborough knock three avoidable goals past our hapless defence and keeper. Is that the 'shit' you are on about?

'Blades for Life'. Fucking hilarious trite caption, if ever I saw it.

I'm not Billy Big Blade, more like Billy Long Suffering Blade.

I went to my first match as a 7 year old and I'm 52 now and still go. That's what I mean by 'for life'.

So you don't like it and you don't come, no problem it's a free country. Some of us will keep coming though so don't waste your breath trying to get us to boycott ST's.

Thanks for the geography lesson and great that you can still come on here and be so positive.

ISC

 

[blade too long]

I suspect William Henry Foulkes and blade too long arent ;-)

frustrated big time we havent signed anyone, yet
only hope the loan window gets us someone
having said that , theres no guarentees new players would work or not

so we get behind what we have and try and do our job
supporting the club

leave pointless recriminations to those who thrive on them
gets us absolutely no where whingeing

 

[blade too long]

'Blades for Life'. Fucking hilarious trite caption, if ever I saw it.


pommpey

blade for life
shows a bit more commitment than
blade only when things are going ok

so we lose games
may come as a shock , but so does every other team
and embarrassingly to poor teams at times too

thats why 2008 fa cup winners of your name are in div 4

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

I'd like to add.

Get rid of the Saudi and the Turk.