Unfulfilled promises

[ElstreeBlue]

So at the Q&A session that was arranged near the end of last season to deal with fans' anxieties about the state of OUR club, we were told that in the summer Tilly would get an assistant manager who would be popular with the fans and that work would also start at Fossetts Farm - also in the summer. As I look at my watch and out the window and see we're now in October and summer has most certainly come and gone, that wasn't exactly what happened. Even despite another £5m cash injection from Sainsbury's in the meantime, we're still left wondering whether the ground will ever be built and what will happen to OUR club if Sainsbury's want to get their superstore built on Roots Hall rather than just keep acting as a bank to the various companies that own OUR club.

To anyone wanting to have another statement after a few weeks of silence (since those video blogs just before Tilly was "put on gardening leave"), I ask why? Actions speak louder than words.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

What's that well-known phrase again about "watching while Rome burns"?
Maybe it's the new SUFC Mission Statement?

 

[mfurok]

What's that well-known phrase again about "watching while Rome burns"?
Maybe it's the new SUFC Mission Statement?

Fiddling actually.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

To be fair, as assistants go, I quite like Widdrington, so no complaints from me :)

 

[superblue24]

I dont think anyone cares, Elstree. Too many people seem to be happy with just "existing" at the moment.....

Ron has been a genious in all this. Engineered a major issue for the club in not paying bills to take us through a period of complete torture and worry for the fans, and then settle the bills at the last minute making him look like some kind of cult hero.....Sad thing is, some of our fans have bought it.

There are so many question marks hanging over RM's tenure at the club, but I grew weary of posing these a long time ago.

Now I just hope and pray that we actually have a long term plan....If not, another buyer in the wings

 

[Richard_Cadette]

I dont think anyone cares, Elstree. Too many people seem to be happy with just "existing" at the moment.....

Ron has been a genious in all this. Engineered a major issue for the club in not paying bills to take us through a period of complete torture and worry for the fans, and then settle the bills at the last minute making him look like some kind of cult hero.....Sad thing is, some of our fans have bought it.

There are so many question marks hanging over RM's tenure at the club, but I grew weary of posing these a long time ago.

Now I just hope and pray that we actually have a long term plan....If not, another buyer in the wings

I'm not sure it's a case of not caring, it's a case of moving on, moving forward, and getting on with supporting the team, and what is happening on the pitch for a change.

Everyone is aware of what went before, but I see no point in dwelling on it to be honest - what is gone, is gone.

If we look at the cold hard facts at the moment, we have in place an exceptional manager, an up and coming and highly rated Assistant, and in my eyes, a squad of players capable of challenging for a play off berth this season - Given the doom cloud that we were shrowded in at the end of last season, can we as fans really ask for more than that?

Perhaps I'm being too simplistic, but certainly on the pitch, we're in better shape than we have been for a while, and it's nice to go and watch a team each week giving it their all, and at times, playing some very easy on the eye football.

Is the biggest bug bear amongs the fans the stadium/finances, or the fact Tilly is no longer in charge?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

If we look at the cold hard facts at the moment, we have in place an exceptional manager, an up and coming and highly rated Assistant, and in my eyes, a squad of players capable of challenging for a play off berth this season - Given the doom cloud that we were shrowded in at the end of last season, can we as fans really ask for more than that?

Sounds more like opinion than "cold hard facts" to me. Sorry, RC as I usually respect pretty much all you ever have to say but I felt that needed commenting on.

 

[superblue24]

Sounds more like opinion than "cold hard facts" to me. Sorry, RC as I usually respect pretty much all you ever have to say but I felt that needed commenting on.

Indeed. I have had a nagging doubt in my mind about Paul Sturrock since he told us all he intended to bring "League One" standard players to the club. Dont get me wrong, some of our team are more than capable at League Two level, but none are League One, and some would struggle if we dropped another league.

 

[EastStandBlue]

and some would struggle if we dropped another league.

Just to clarify, is that to say you believe some of our current players aren't even Conference standard? If so, who do you mean by that?

 

[superblue24]

Just to clarify, is that to say you believe some of our current players aren't even Conference standard? If so, who do you mean by that?

I'm not going to start mentioning names of players who I think would struggle as it will turn the thread into a debate about [insert player name here]. "Some" meaning a small handful. Point is, only the same amount would cut it in League One.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I dont think anyone cares, Elstree. Too many people seem to be happy with just "existing" at the moment.....

Ron has been a genious in all this. Engineered a major issue for the club in not paying bills to take us through a period of complete torture and worry for the fans, and then settle the bills at the last minute making him look like some kind of cult hero.....Sad thing is, some of our fans have bought it.

There are so many question marks hanging over RM's tenure at the club, but I grew weary of posing these a long time ago.

Now I just hope and pray that we actually have a long term plan....If not, another buyer in the wings

To give credit to Ron, he's been so successful in this plan that he's led the way and the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Cardiff, Dundee, Portsmouth etc are all following in his footsteps. You have to respect innovation like that.

Just to clarify, is that to say you believe some of our current players aren't even Conference standard? If so, who do you mean by that?

Paterson and Spencer?

Morris, Evans, Gilbert, Barker, Coughlan, Phillips, Easton, Grant, Zaaboub, Sturrock and Corr have, I believe, all played regular first team league one football. Prosser and Clohessy have also made some appearances at that level, but I'm not sure whether they were ever really first team players.

Soares was a first team regular last year in league two.

That leaves just Hall and Mohsni.

 

[Mick]

I dont think anyone cares, Elstree. Too many people seem to be happy with just "existing" at the moment.....

Ron has been a genious in all this. Engineered a major issue for the club in not paying bills to take us through a period of complete torture and worry for the fans, and then settle the bills at the last minute making him look like some kind of cult hero.....Sad thing is, some of our fans have bought it.

oops, I misread that first.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I'm not going to start mentioning names of players who I think would struggle as it will turn the thread into a debate about [insert player name here]. "Some" meaning a small handful. Point is, only the same amount would cut it in League One.

I just thought it was an odd comment, considering the general consensus is that the players assembled are more than capable of doing a job at this level, so to say that we have players on our books who'd struggle in the conference caught my eye.

That leaves just Hall and Mohsni.

One of our most consistent performers of late against the one heralded as a potential Premiership player.

 

[SUFCFANS]

I'd feel really uncomfortable if Sainsburys start cuilding on the Roots Hall car park if things aren't already underway at FF. Yes the council has stated that permission was only grated if Southend have a new home to go to - but is that as water-tight as it sounds? If Sainsburys start ahead of building at FF then I will be nervous!

 

[Richard_Cadette]

Sounds more like opinion than "cold hard facts" to me. Sorry, RC as I usually respect pretty much all you ever have to say but I felt that needed commenting on.

To be fair, I said the cold hard fact was we have an exceptional manager - That's not opinion, but it's bourne out of fact, backed up by his reputation, which is backed up by his record, which is exceptionally good.

In relation to the squad, I believe I said 'in my eyes'.... as in 'in my opinion'.

 

[superblue24]

To give credit to Ron, he's been so successful in this plan that he's led the way and the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Cardiff, Dundee, Portsmouth etc are all following in his footsteps. You have to respect innovation like that.

Indeed, Mismanagement. Most clubs around us seem to be doing ok with half our attendances, and probably higher wages. Agreed that my views might be a bit far fetched on the "hero status" story, but it wouldnt surprise me if he dragged that Sainsburys deal out on purpose to add drama and inflate opinions....

Paterson and Spencer?

Morris, Evans, Gilbert, Barker, Coughlan, Phillips, Easton, Grant, Zaaboub, Sturrock and Corr have, I believe, all played regular first team league one football. Prosser and Clohessy have also made some appearances at that level, but I'm not sure whether they were ever really first team players.

Soares was a first team regular last year in league two.

That leaves just Hall and Mohsni.

Again, I'm not going to name names. I feel I'm entitled to my opinion, and in my opinion only 20-25% of our squad would be any kop against the likes of some of the names in League One.....You say they're good enough, I say they're not....Who decides who's right and wrong on this matter?

 

[Mick]

Fiddling actually.

The source of this phrase is the story that Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned, during the great fire in AD 64.

There is a major flaw with this story. There was no such instrument as the fiddle in first century Rome. There's no definitive date for the invention of the fiddle, but it certainly wasn't until at least the 16th century.

So if you say something often enough people believe it. If we're not careful we'll all be lauding Martin and Sturrock as the heroes who rescued us from the depths to which that wretched Tilson and his bunch of greedy players took us.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

To be fair, I said the cold hard fact was we have an exceptional manager - That's not opinion, but it's bourne out of fact, backed up by his reputation, which is backed up by his record, which is exceptionally good.

That was then, this is now though. Yes, I'll admit he did remarkably well with Plymouth first time around and got Swindon out of a terribly weak L2 in 2006/07 but there's just something about him to me that doesn't get the "great proven manager" tag. Judging by some of the feedback on the 606 board this week I think there maybe are more fans with that opinion on there than on here recently.

So if you say something often enough people believe it. If we're not careful we'll all be lauding Martin and Sturrock as the heroes who rescued us from the depths to which that wretched Tilson and his bunch of greedy players took us.

This is unfortunately how a lot of people seem to be on here now though and I alluded ot this elsewhere the other day (before getting shouted down, again!!!)

You say they're good enough, I say they're not....Who decides who's right and wrong on this matter?

I vote for giving the job to Steve Tilson...;)

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Indeed, Mismanagement. Most clubs around us seem to be doing ok with half our attendances, and probably higher wages. Agreed that my views might be a bit far fetched on the "hero status" story, but it wouldnt surprise me if he dragged that Sainsburys deal out on purpose to add drama and inflate opinions....

I agree it's mismanagement. But it is also incredibly common amongst teams who have been relegated from the championship to league one. We came down with Leeds and Luton, who both endured similar problems. Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday also suffered similarly.

Again, I'm not going to name names. I feel I'm entitled to my opinion, and in my opinion only 20-25% of our squad would be any kop against the likes of some of the names in League One.....You say they're good enough, I say they're not....Who decides who's right and wrong on this matter?

I'm not saying that the players would necessary be great in League One, but I think the facts (ie the players' histories) backs up Sturrock's claim that the players are League One standard, far more than they do your claim that none of them are League One standard and some would struggle in the Conference.

 

[ElstreeBlue]

I'm not sure it's a case of not caring, it's a case of moving on, moving forward, and getting on with supporting the team, and what is happening on the pitch for a change.

Everyone is aware of what went before, but I see no point in dwelling on it to be honest - what is gone, is gone.

If we look at the cold hard facts at the moment, we have in place an exceptional manager, an up and coming and highly rated Assistant, and in my eyes, a squad of players capable of challenging for a play off berth this season - Given the doom cloud that we were shrowded in at the end of last season, can we as fans really ask for more than that?

Perhaps I'm being too simplistic, but certainly on the pitch, we're in better shape than we have been for a while, and it's nice to go and watch a team each week giving it their all, and at times, playing some very easy on the eye football.

Is the biggest bug bear amongs the fans the stadium/finances, or the fact Tilly is no longer in charge?

Actually, I do wish Tilly was in charge. But that's beside the point. As much as I disagree with the decision to get rid of him (if indeed he has yet been properly got rid of) for a whole set of reasons, no one man is bigger than the club.

For me, it's the way that the fans and loyal servants (including Tilly & Brush) have been treated and continue to be treated. While the club is being run in this way, I'm not at all happy to support what's been going on and just sweep it under the carpet and turn a blind eye. Performances on the pitch are not relevant to my feeling on that. I'd continue to support as I'd done for many years if we have a bad run on the pitch if it still feels like it's my club and it is being run in a way I'm proud to support; however, when the club is being run as it is, even if we would be top of the league, I can't just ignore what's been going on and say it doesn't matter. OUR club represents what we want from it.

Do you not care whether the club's future is gambled with or properly provided for, or about the way it treats people, as long as there are good performances on the pitch?