Long hard season

[Ex-Member1]

Thanks Luggy for all you've done, you are right up there with the best I've seen in my 54 years of supporting this great team of ours. COYBB

 

[canveyshrimper]

Got to be Dick Bate and Bobby Moore, can't work out the 3rd one though?

Easy Alvan Williams.

 

[Mick]

We've come a long way these last two years.

We certainly have; if things go really well over the next 3 weeks we could be back where we were 25 months ago ! :winking:

 

[South Bank Hank]

We certainly have; if things go really well over the next 3 weeks we could be back where we were 25 months ago ! :winking:

With dressing room unrest, a demotivated squad, the chairman refusing to pay them, 90% of the squad about to leave, the fan base at its lowest ebb in years and the club on a downward spiral, let's hope not Mick!

 

[enfieldblue]

thanks for a brilliant season - nows the nerves kick back in for saturday

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

'the forgotten man'

please share the stats that you elude to in your post 06/05/2012 01:39pm

 

[fbm]

With dressing room unrest, a demotivated squad, the chairman unable to pay them, 90% of the squad about to leave, the fan base at it's lowest ebb in years and the club on a downward spiral, let's hope not Mick!

Edited for accuracy.

It's a minor point maybe, but the word "refusal" indicates the ability to do something but making a deliberate choice not to.

RM didn't make that choice; there was simply nothing to pay them with. If he'd elected to pay the players rather than the tax man, we may well have stayed up but then had to go into administration with a 10 point deduction and got relegated regardless. It's always more important to survive because without the club, there are no players anyway. Players come and go whether they are paid or not and as we have seen, we weren't the only club in a financial mess.

In any event, it's not worked out so badly, has it?

 

[Beefy]

I didn't know about that. During the season when we were in and out of transfer embargos then yeah he was unable to pay them. After the season he was seemingly picking and choosing who to pay in order to force Barrett, Mildenhall, McCormack, Francis, etc to give their 14 day notice in and get them off of the books.

 

[Jam_Man]

I didn't know about that. During the season when we were in and out of transfer embargos then yeah he was unable to pay them. After the season he was seemingly picking and choosing who to pay in order to force Barrett, Mildenhall, McCormack, Francis, etc to give their 14 day notice in and get them off of the books.

I think there was a combination of both.

We couldnt pay wages in general due to the lack of money but then we were in embargo but had some money to pay players I think RM took the decision to stop paying certain players.

Either way, ifwe go up we will have a team that is far more motivated and problem free than the one that got relegated.

Lets hope it stays that way.

Even if we dont get promoted we have an established side now, the style of football has improved(hopefully permanently) and we can hopefully build on the work done this year.

 

[Davros]

all hail the wee birdie

 

[Angell Delight]

Luggy has done an absolutely fantastic job and if the worst happens and we don't go up then IMHO the sides coming down are considerably inferior to those going up so we should have a great chance next season.....that is if we can keep the squad together which would be my one biggest fear if we don't make it League One.

I agree with those above also in that since Freddy has returned the style of play has been much better too - I have no idea if it would be viable but I'd love him to still be here next season.

UTB and roll on Saturday!

P.S. Luggy please do your best to convince RM to give us half the North Bank all next season (games the opposition don't have a large following anyway) - I'm sure you'll agree it has as expected made a huge difference to the atmsophere and home performances. This has been acknowledged by numerous players via Twitter and the Echo so it's win-win! :thumbsup:

 

[South Bank Hank]

Edited for accuracy.

It's a minor point maybe, but the word "refusal" indicates the ability to do something but making a deliberate choice not to.

RM didn't make that choice; there was simply nothing to pay them with. If he'd elected to pay the players rather than the tax man, we may well have stayed up but then had to go into administration with a 10 point deduction and got relegated regardless. It's always more important to survive because without the club, there are no players anyway. Players come and go whether they are paid or not and as we have seen, we weren't the only club in a financial mess.

In any event, it's not worked out so badly, has it?

That's the point - or at least part of it. "Refusal/unable" debate aside, a triumphant return to League 1 (if we can achieve it) still puts us in a far stronger position than we were in 25 months ago. I hope so anyway.

 

[devonexile]

Many thanks Paul for putting some pride and passion back into the club. Now lets see us finish the job in the on the 27th.

 

[canveyshrimper]

That's the point - or at least part of it. "Refusal/unable" debate aside, a triumphant return to League 1 (if we can achieve it) still puts us in a far stronger position than we were in 25 months ago. I hope so anyway.

But only to where we came from when we were first relegated in 1966. Sadly it's our destiny to yo-yo between the bottom two divisions interspersed with the odd visit to the rarified atmosphere of the second tier.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

A wee birdie told me that the gaffer wanted to thank all on this messageboard for there honest opinions,and frank discussions. Tho he didnt agree with several topics he appreciated there right of voicing there opinion,and would hope the fans have seen the progression the club has made not taking the play offs in to consideration yet. We have the nucleus of a good team and with some added over the close season i think we can improve even more.First we have the play offs to navigate ,come on Southend.

It's "their" not "there" - Must try harder. see me after class

 

[Gremlin]

IMHO the sides coming down are considerably inferior to those going up

Isn't this always the case?

 

[canveyshrimper]

Is this always the case?

This season Swindon have won the title. Bristol Rovers, Plymouth & Dagenham all struggled.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Thank you for an exciting season where I have often been on the edge of my seat...........and sometimes underneath it! Hang on, we're not finished yet!
I look back with sadness and some regret that I was not able, due mainly to financial constraints or work commitments, to participate in the great moments of our previous decades. I was only able to experience from afar
Our promotion at Peterborough in 1990
Benji puting the ball in the Bury net in 1991
The LDVF against Blackpool 2004
The LDVF against Wrexham 2005
The Play-off Final against Lincoln 2005
The draw at Swansea that gave us promotion in 2006
The win at home to Bristol City 2006, that made us Champions
The win against Man U in 2006
The draw against Chelsea in 2009..........and so many other important and memorable matches

On May the 27th I'M NOT WORKING and I'm ready and waiting to come back to England. So, PLEASE PLEASE get to Wembley and allow me to have my first BIG day out to see the Blues, since that memorable and freezing night in 1979 when I was on the South Bank watching Liverpool.

 

[* ORM *]

Bugger - I made all of the above and more eg Stockport away but Wembley logistics is a real problem. Can we fail admirably in the playoffs in exchange for a romp next season ?

And nothing but respect for the wee birdie. May not have agreed with all the lineups and tactics but what he has achieved under the conditions is excellent. School report definitely reads 'Outperformed' whatever happens

 

[Mick]

Bugger - I made all of the above and more eg Stockport away but Wembley logistics is a real problem. Can we fail admirably in the playoffs in exchange for a romp next season ?

And nothing but respect for the wee birdie. May not have agreed with all the lineups and tactics but what he has achieved under the conditions is excellent. School report definitely reads 'Outperformed' whatever happens

What conditions ? Last season was difficult, he had to hit the ground running and build a team from scratch. This season he'd had a whole season and pre-season to prepare and, by all accounts, one of the biggest budgets and squads in the division.

The quality of play has alternated between good, especially away from home, and dross. We missed out on two achievable huge matches so we very much hope for third time lucky. For me, if we make Wembley that's about par for what we should have achieved. If we win there, he's "outperformed", if we lose against Crewe he's underperformed.