Did we ever really want to stay up?

[Shrimper2thecore]

Would always wanted to stay up!!

 

[Holy Joe]

What is Foran allegedly earning?

 

[Reading Shrimper]

lets be honest we are a small town in a very big league

Sorry, don't agree with that.
We are a big town (bigger than Middlesbrough and Bolton, to name a couple) and have HUGE untapped potential. I think Uncle Ron can see that and has big plans for our future - promotion to the Championship was a little unexpected but I'm certain he would want us to stay (without jeapordising the club's financial security).

We'll be back!

 

[andrew_sthnd]

i think relegation was definately written into the budget but there was always the desire to push on! Under no circumstances would any one concerned with the club want them to be relegated! i think IF we do get relegated we will have planned sensibly enough so that this isnt a huge upset!

 

[stickyboy]

Francis and Harrold came for five figure sums and both were considered to be long-term investments. I happen to think that Francis could be a fantastic player for us next season and most people considered him to be a bargain when we got him so cheap.

Ricketts was a free transfer and Leeds & Boro were paying most of his wages.

Paynter... ok, well I'll give you that one. But we, the fans, didn't really do our bit there did we? He's only a kid and we crucified him. Again, he could be a massive player for us in League One.

Surely by saying they a few of them (Paynter & Francis) will be good for the 1st Division next season means they were bad signings for this season as were not upto scratch for this level. Harrold was struggling to get in Yeovils team

The Ricketts signing was also bad whether he was free or not - We thought we had a striker who then never played leaving us buggered for the rest of season (hence Paynter & Harrold signing which we would never had done otherwise) which for me for the biggest factor in us being relegated.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

the whole point is that Tilly only had the budget to sign promising players who MIGHT be able to make the step up to the Chamionship. If they were clear championship class we could not have been able to afford them. Jeez.

 

[Jam_Man]

The Ricketts signing was also bad whether he was free or not - We thought we had a striker who then never played leaving us buggered for the rest of season (hence Paynter & Harrold signing which we would never had done otherwise) which for me for the biggest factor in us being relegated.

At least we tried it. Ricketts was always a gamble, no sensible person thought we had a premiership quality striker. He was in a slump an the hope was we could get the best out of him, sadly due to his attitude we couldnt.

Doesnt make it a bad signing though.

 

[dave07]

all this talk about did we really want stay up? whats goin to happen next year then we going to come back up surely ? if we do go down

 

[stickyboy]

Doesnt make it a bad signing though.

With hindsight of course it has surely turned out to be a bad signing? If we didnt sign him we would have likely got someone better than what we got left with when he went. Surely there was no way we would have signed Paynter & Harrold as 1st choice

 

[Angell Delight]

I don't believe for a second that we WANTED to get relegated, however I do blame the management for failing to get the loan signings we needed to bolster the squad as we've been down to the "bare bones" in their words for months now. It's very hard to accept the same excuse over and over again when you see pretty much every other Championship club (and particularly those struggling at the bottom with us) managing to get people in when needed. No matter what anyone says this has certainly contributed to our relegation, as has the inability to (a) get a midfielder in sooner so Clarke and Hunt wouldn't have been forced to play there for 3 months and (b) the dreadful strikers Freddy has had to play with pretty much all season (unlike last year), personally I don't think 16 in all competitions is bad at all given the strike partners he's been paired with.

 

[Angell Delight]

We'll be back!

I do believe that, and sooner rather than later. The one good thing to come out of this is that Tilly and Brush should have a good idea of what's needed to survive and establish at this level now and that should be of benefit when we do come back - cos legend as he undoubtedly is to us (and he is in my mind) Tilly has certainly made mistakes this season, he'd be the first to admit that despite his fantastic early success he's still learning and that's perfectly understandable for someone with only 3 and a bit years of experience as a manager.

 

[Beefy]

Freddy has had to play with pretty much all season (unlike last year), personally I don't think 16 in all competitions is bad at all given the strike partners he's been paired with.

Considering he gets naff-all in terms of service and that by far the best player he's had alongside him this season is one that we took from Oxford's reserve-team midfield, he's done wonders. Again.

 

[Jam_Man]

With hindsight of course it has surely turned out to be a bad signing? If we didnt sign him we would have likely got someone better than what we got left with when he went. Surely there was no way we would have signed Paynter & Harrold as 1st choice

Hindsights great isnt it. You cant judge a signing with hindsight though as the signing itself is done without the benefit of it.

At the time Ricketts was a gamble and it could have gone either way, either he could have grasped the chance we gave him and we would have had a premiership player for nothing, or he would be a waste of time.

I would lay no criticism at Tilsons door for trying him.

We would have signed Harrold anyway, we were trying to for months.

You say we could have got someone better, yet we didnt manage to attract anyone in January so the chances are we wouldnt have....

 

[Hooly]

What I find difficult to reason with is that I (like many others) heard both Tilly & Ron state, at the players do last year & numerous times after that, categorically that our squad last season was too small & we would improve that situation & bring the squad up to 22 1st team players.

We entered the most crucial time of this season i.e. the last 10 games with only 20 players on the squad list, looking at the official site and ignoring Peanut who was on loan at the time. But this 20 includes an injured loanee (is he still with us? as this happened whilst I was on holiday) and 2 basically youth teamers in Moussa & Welch. So in reality we have 17 players compared with the 22 were were told we both needed & would get in.

We were told the funds would be forthcoming for this squad enlargement both before & during the season (war chest after the plans etc etc) yet we've ended up with, probably less 1st teamers than we had when we all knew we were short-handed last season. Don't understand! :confused:

 

[ARSE!!]

as long as flats are built on roots hall thats all you need to understand





onwards and upwards and back down again

 

[Jam_Man]

as long as flats are built on roots hall thats all you need to understand





onwards and upwards and back down again

Are you implying that all Ron Martin is interested in is the ground. I really hope not....

 

[NZamba Legend]

I think the ground is only a side issue for Ron. He is as fiercely passionate about Southend as any loon who shouts obscenities from the back of the East stand. I have it on good authority that he even has the old "United" club logo tattooed on his back, sleeps in an 85 Firholm shirt and didn't miss a game home or away between 1983 and 1987. I also know for a fact that he was devastated when Alvin Martin's 'big' signing David Whyte didn't reproduce his Charlton form for the blues. He even has two gerbils called Sammy and Elvis for christsakes! So, to say that Ron is only interested in the ground in pure twaddle I'm afraid...

 

[colonelnutter]

I heard that Ron Martin is in secret parnership with Osama Bin Laden, the Pope and Elvis (who is actually alive runs a burger stall on Canvey) to spend money on players who will get us relegated. This will cause a crisis in Southend Council, who secretly are planning to use the new stadium as a place to plan the landing of their alien overlords who will then take over all areas other than Canvey, which will be run under a military junta headed by Elvis and Jade Goody. They will then reveal that Fredy is in fact the love child of Tony Blair and Chantelle off of Big Brother but was also sprayed with a secret formula which will transform him into a giant Reptile called Sandra.

Sandra will take over the club from Ron as planned and rename it Manchester United, causing so much confusion that first football and then all social, economic and political activity will cease, enabling Ron to build flats on Roots Hall.

And Steve Tilson will then reveal himself as a Jedi master and save the planet.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

And Steve Tilson will then reveal himself as a Jedi master and save the planet.

Hurrah and huzzah!

:D

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

And Steve Tilson will then reveal himself as a Jedi master and save the planet.

Only if that happen on earth, if Tilson get his way, he would use the force to push the ball away from the goalkeeper into the back of the net & force the striker from other team miss a sitter by taking a air shot at the ball.