Is this season a failure?

[Smiffy]

Wembley. A day out it will be and a bloody great one at that.

But that is all it is, a day.

As someone who has hardly been this season, I was hoping for promotion to help me get the buzz back fresh for next season. We have blown that.

I want to look forward to going every week. But I am afraid another season in League 2 will dampen the little enthusiasm I have left. I am sure I am not alone in that sense.

Do I want to feel this way?...Christ no. This is my club that I have followed all over the country for 25+ years. Time and commitments have not allowed me to attend as many away games in the last few years, as I would of liked, up until this season. But, this season I am ashamed to say I have not attended as much, more out of choice than anything else.

I am not happy with anything at my club. From top to bottom. I want change, a fresh start and a new lease of life. We are going nowhere fast. I feel like my club is dying a slow death. You try and put on a brave face, but you know its all academic in the end. My energy has been sapped, my love is still there, but I cannot bring it to the surface at the moment.

Yes I know as a "Supporter" I should be there whatever and I have been up until this season. I know that. But I cannot get that buzz back. I have tried believe me and Wembley will help. But I know that this is just a fairytale sideshow to what has been another horror story of a season.

As a Southend fan, perhaps we have no right to expect football on a regular basis, at a higher level. But christ, that does not mean we should just sit back and accept it. Does it?

I want to see us run out against better sides, in better stadiums on a weekly basis. Something to keep the interest up. And I was hoping we would achieve that this year. Is that me being selfish?

The bread and butter is the league. We needed to get out of the basement this season. We haven't. That for me means this season is a complete failure. I am sure Ronald would agree. My fear now is how the hell are we going to survive through the summer?....Season card take ups will no doubt be at their lowest level for many years. Will the better players leave?...Will we have another manager?

Everything points to another summer of complete and utter turmoil. No money, court appearances, embargo's, high player turnover and a new manager coming in having to work a miracle under even more abysmal conditions. It is like ****ing groundhog day and I am sick of it. Things need to change and quickly. But who the bloody hell is going to wave the magic wand?...nobody. That is the most depressing thing about it. We are stuck in a massive rut of complete crapness, with no way out, or no hope for the forseeable. And that is why I feel completely and utterly helpless.

The town has United for a cup final, no surprises there. But it clearly does not give a flying **** about it on a weekly basis. That is the problem and that is why a complete change is needed. Failure to do so and we will rot in the basement for many years to come.

What is the answer?...god knows. But I know this club needs change. Starting at the top. The town and the majority of the regular supporters, have total zero confidence in the board. That is a fact. Until that changes, we will continue on this merry-go-round of failed potential. The time has come for the board to be honest with themselves and admit failure. They do not have the means and perhaps the passion to drive us forward anymore. New owners, fresh investment and a renewed energy is required. But again, where the frig is it coming from?

It's all bloody dead ends, that is my whole point. No way out. And that is the single most sad thing for me.

To any member of the board reading this. Do the right thing and seek a way out of this hell hole. Not only for the fans, but for yourselves.

 

[Shrimper]

We're 6 points off the play offs with 7 games to go, it's still possible!

Rotherham and Northampton both have games in hand. Even if they lose those to overturn 6 points would mean we'd have to win 6 out of last 7 games to have a chance at least I feel.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

At the moment things feel pretty bad - but to be honest I didn't expect promotion, I also didn't expect a Wembley Cup Final appearance though so for that reason I've voted no. Not a great season, but certainly not a failure.

I wonder how Bradford fans would vote - they are in pretty similar position to us, would have quite fancied themselves to go up, had some good form early season, but all they have at the end of the day is some Wembley memories and another season down in the basement with us.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Is it a failure ? - answer from my perspective is a resounding YES for both on and off the field activities.

 

[dannypav]

At the moment things feel pretty bad - but to be honest I didn't expect promotion, I also didn't expect a Wembley Cup Final appearance though so for that reason I've voted no. Not a great season, but certainly not a failure.

I wonder how Bradford fans would vote - they are in pretty similar position to us, would have quite fancied themselves to go up, had some good form early season, but all they have at the end of the day is some Wembley memories and another season down in the basement with us.

I agree , but would add that (a) they've made a fair amount of cash along the way with their cup games and (b) think they probably still have a fair chance of the play offs

 

[Angell Delight]

At the moment things feel pretty bad - but to be honest I didn't expect promotion, I also didn't expect a Wembley Cup Final appearance though so for that reason I've voted no. Not a great season, but certainly not a failure.

I wonder how Bradford fans would vote - they are in pretty similar position to us, would have quite fancied themselves to go up, had some good form early season, but all they have at the end of the day is some Wembley memories and another season down in the basement with us.

In fairness what Bradford achieved was remarkable and will probably never be achieved again. They reached the League Cup Final as a L2 club which far eclipses our achievement (not that I'm playing down our Wembley appearance as it's a fantastic accomplishment in its own right). I don't however believe you can compare Bradford's season to our own, their fans will quite rightly be far happier than ours.

 

[DTS]

For the day trippers its a massive sucess as they get a nice trip to Wembley.

For the fans that have to go week in week out then if we dont go up or even make the play offs is a faliure given that we made the play offs last season. Anything other than top seven would have been a faliure in my eyes as it means we have gone backwards and that we are stuck in the basement division again.

Home games have become a drag as there has been almost zero entertainment factor. Wembley will be a good day out but I think we will come unstuck on the pitch as there is zero fight on show at the moment.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

In fairness what Bradford achieved was remarkable and will probably never be achieved again. They reached the League Cup Final as a L2 club which far eclipses our achievement (not that I'm playing down our Wembley appearance as it's a fantastic accomplishment in its own right). I don't however believe you can compare Bradford's season to our own, their fans will quite rightly be far happier than ours.

So happy that Bradford had a crowd of 8,000 last night their lowest league crowd for years and they have 10,500 season ticket holders!
I have said it before but if Bradford did not have cheap season tickets then they would get crowds of around 5,000 to 6,000 in this division.
What with all the extra money Bradford have gained this year it will be interesting to see if they can get out of this division after 7 seasons.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

In fairness what Bradford achieved was remarkable and will probably never be achieved again. They reached the League Cup Final as a L2 club which far eclipses our achievement (not that I'm playing down our Wembley appearance as it's a fantastic accomplishment in its own right). I don't however believe you can compare Bradford's season to our own, their fans will quite rightly be far happier than ours.

Take your point about their achievement being greater than ours - but on the flip side if I was a Bradford fan I'd be thinking if we can beat Arsenil and 2 other Premiershyte clubs, why are we outside the play offs and losing to Barnet, Wimbledon & Rochdale? - I agree their cup achievement is greater than ours, but perhaps their league underachievement is also greater than ours.

 

[marlow17101032]

Of course its been a failure! from late pre season it has.Early pre season it started well we got a few signings it looked promising .then it all stopped ,we still had no midfield in place for the start of the season .the coaching staff could not decide on players coming in they get spicer in who is clearly not good enough for this level .I don't if that was down to financial problems or what but we clearly did ot build upon the season before.sometimes I think if martin really wants promotion of course its going to cost him more in the long run.

 

[marlow17101032]

I agree , but would add that (a) they've made a fair amount of cash along the way with their cup games and (b) think they probably still have a fair chance of the play offs

there in more debt than we are! that's why they are still where we are .

 

[Firestorm]

If we manage to break even this season then it will be an unmitigated success.

It could be one of the most succesfull , financially, for 30 odd years.

 

[dloman]

In footballing terms, if we finish lower than last season then it would have to be a yes. Obviously this is looking very likely and coupled with the fact we will have a lower points total as well, i feel this would show us as going backwards and not building on a play off position last season.

 

[GIBBO]

This forum is a failure!!

 

[Danshrimper]

Yes if we don't reach the play offs (95% sure we won't) but if by a small miracle we do reach the play offs the season would be a massive success, wait till the end of the season to decide if it was a failure.

 

[NZamba Legend]

Failure would be getting relegated and while Sturrock is still in charge that just aint gonna happen. Over a season he will always produce a team that is competitive- bottom line. Sack Sturrock and take a chance on an inexperienced manager then maybe we actually would go down. Then we'd really know about what it feels like to fail. Sometimes I agree it's better to get rid of the manager and take a chance (replacing Newman with Wignall for example, nothing to lose there) but while we're in such a precarious position, surviving from one month to the next, then I'd bargain with mid table mediocrity everytime (and the odd Wembley final of course).

 

[EastStandBlue]

Failure would be getting relegated and while Sturrock is still in charge that just aint gonna happen. Over a season he will always produce a team that is competitive- bottom line. Sack Sturrock and take a chance on an inexperienced manager then maybe we actually would go down. Then we'd really know about what it feels like to fail. Sometimes I agree it's better to get rid of the manager and take a chance (replacing Newman with Wignall for example, nothing to lose there) but while we're in such a precarious position, surviving from one month to the next, then I'd bargain with mid table mediocrity everytime (and the odd Wembley final of course).

That's pretty much how I see it.

Given our precarious financial situation that shows no sign of abating, dismissing Sturrock and replacing him with the calibre of manager who'd want the job represents a huge gamble. Sturrock's shown an ability to construct a competitive side in spite of all the background turmoil (which, according to some, has been pretty substantial) and that's a trait we can ill afford to be without.

If Sturrock makes the decision himself, which I suspect he might do, then he'll leave with my best wishes and thanks for what must be considered a good job under extremely difficult and testing circumstances. Coughlan would be my pick given that he's well versed in the **** he'd have to deal with, but I still feel we'd miss Sturrock's experience and know-how.

 

[Jam_Man]

Anything other than a playoff place is a failure.

Said it when we had the polls about getting to Wembley, the final is a nice memory to have and I will always look back on it, but the league is what its all about. I would sacrifice the Wembley trip for a top 3 finish without blinking an eye.

There is no point going to football unless you want to progress and climb the tables (even if at some point it becomes unrealistic). We should aspire to be a decent league one team and our aim was promotion, and its highly unlikely thats going to happen.

 

[Firestorm]

Anything other than a playoff place is a failure.

Said it when we had the polls about getting to Wembley, the final is a nice memory to have and I will always look back on it, but the league is what its all about. I would sacrifice the Wembley trip for a top 3 finish without blinking an eye.

There is no point going to football unless you want to progress and climb the tables (even if at some point it becomes unrealistic). We should aspire to be a decent league one team and our aim was promotion, and its highly unlikely thats going to happen.

We should aspire to be a football club first, and that means tempering anything unrealistic with fiscal prudency.

Remember is was aspirations to stay in the Championship on two seperate occassions which have consideably contributed to our debt

 

[Tampa Blue]

Coughlan would be my pick given that he's well versed in the **** he'd have to deal with, but I still feel we'd miss Sturrock's experience and know-how.

I agree with this totally, but doesn't Coughlan's family still live up north?