"Why can't we do a Fulham?"

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Oh Stanley, Stanley.
Stanley, Stanley, Stanley, Stanley Collymore??? :p

I try to forget that, because 11 of us went by train to Sheffield and en route we drew playing cards for our first scorer. I pulled number 10 ( Stanley) and thought i was quids in when he scored in the 1st half. Celebration of being 'quids in' turned to despair when it was ruled offside!. Now i recall being at Huddersfield in the previous round in the pouring rain, when 'Stan the man' scored twice to win us the game. Memories, memories, so many good ones over the decades (sigh). Other half calls me a 'stupid old fool'!. Women will never understand!.

 

[Mick]

Yes they did, only for one year though (92/93 when we were obviously 2nd tier)...

No, two years. Relegated in 91. Spent 91/2 in 3rd Division (as it was then), the following year it was renamed League One and they left it via the play-offs.

Both of those seasons, we were above them in 1st Division/Championship.

We played them the following season in the Championship drawing 2-2 away and losing 3-0 at home. The crowd for the home defeat was, amazingly, less than the crowd for Saturday's nothing match against Stockport.

Other teams we were higher than in those two seasons include: Birmingham, Bolton, Burnley, Fulham, Hull, Stoke and Wigan. Sigh.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

No, two years. Relegated in 91. Spent 91/2 in 3rd Division (as it was then), the following year it was renamed League One and they left it via the play-offs.

Both of those seasons, we were above them in 1st Division/Championship.

We played them the following season in the Championship drawing 2-2 away and losing 3-0 at home. The crowd for the home defeat was, amazingly, less than the crowd for Saturday's nothing match against Stockport.

Other teams we were higher than in those two seasons include: Birmingham, Bolton, Burnley, Fulham, Hull, Stoke and Wigan. Sigh.

Just checked out the Div 1 (Championship) crowds for 1993/4 season & there were only 5 crowds higher than Saturdays crowd v Stockport. They were v Nottingham Forest, Charlton, Birmingham, Crystal Palace & Derby and if you took out the away fans from the crowds v Palace, Derby & Forest then the home support would have been less than Saturdays game.

The Charlton & Birmingham games remain 2 of my all time favourite homes games not only the way we played but the passion of the crowd especially against Barry Fry's Birmingham was one of the best ever I have seen at Roots Hall.

 

[Beefy]

It's a completely different set-up now though. We were mid-table at that level for a few years despite shocking gates, even by our standards. But now there are so many big names at that level with 15-25,000 crowds every week and parachute payments providing extra millions of pounds of revenue that it's so difficult to see how we could compete again.

 

[bigmolt]

It's a completely different set-up now though. We were mid-table at that level for a few years despite shocking gates, even by our standards. But now there are so many big names at that level with 15-25,000 crowds every week and parachute payments providing extra millions of pounds of revenue that it's so difficult to see how we could compete again.

ERR, is'nt that the reason we are getting The New Stadium ? Too compeat. In the new stadium i can see us getting about 12000 regular home support, add to that about 3-4 thousand av away support. Increased merchantdising catering ect. We could compeat, imo just as well as say Swansea and Blackpool. But first of course we have to get back to the championship. How we are going to do that with no players , no cash and still no ONIONS is another question that has to be answered !

 

[Beefy]

ERR, is'nt that the reason we are getting The New Stadium ?

ERR yes it is.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Weren't West Brom 3rd division in the late 80s/early 90s?

We weren't in the 3rd Division in the early 90's though.

 

[Mick]

ERR, is'nt that the reason we are getting The New Stadium ? Too compeat. In the new stadium i can see us getting about 12000 regular home support, add to that about 3-4 thousand av away support. Increased merchantdising catering ect. We could compeat, imo just as well as say Swansea and Blackpool. But first of course we have to get back to the championship. How we are going to do that with no players , no cash and still no ONIONS is another question that has to be answered !

Average 3 to 4 thousand away support ? I guess you don't follow Championship football that closely these days. Average away support is less than half that.

As for getting back there, I can't believe the number of people who think success is inevitable because we become rent paying tenants in a shiny new ground in a shiny new complex some of the benefits of which might or might not filter through to the club.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

We weren't in the 3rd Division in the early 90's though.

Yeah, I know that know and as proven we missed their 3rd tier appearances, I just initially couldn't remember if it was from about 1987 to 1991 (when we were mainly 3rd tier) that West Brom were down there.

 

[BrettieAngell]

So I was right we have only played West Brom in the second tier!

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

So I was right we have only played West Brom in the second tier!

Allright smartarse, take a bow...:p

 

[Mick]

So I was right we have only played West Brom in the second tier!

Yep, with a record of won 3, drawn 2, lost 5.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Yep, with a record of won 3, drawn 2, lost 5.

With the most depressing defeat being a 0-3 (Taylor's first game after Fry's departure for Birmingscum).

 

[GrumpyBlue]

An exile put this to me over the week-end and I think it's a good question. My meek reply was this ...

I wish I could answer that with some sense of authority, but I'm sure I'd go rambling on about our dear little club simply not being equipped to handle the 'bigtime' and how there is almost some sort of historical determinism about our status. But Fulham themselves were basement stock in the '90s until Fayed rode across Kensington towards Putney Bridge, appointed Micky Adams as Manager and then dispensed with him for the bubble-haired one...

I'd like to throw this question open to the Zone please.

Rob - Sir Micky was manager before Alf came along with Keegan & Wilkins and got Fulham promoted from the 4th Division on a shoestring.

As others have said Fulham were in the top division before (when I started following them in 66/67) - so we cannot really compare ourselves - but I would like some of their neat and precise football.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Rob - Sir Micky was manager before Alf came along with Keegan & Wilkins and got Fulham promoted from the 4th Division on a shoestring.

Thanks for clarifying that, Rich. The boy done great - of that there can be no doubt.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Rob - Sir Micky was manager before Alf came along with Keegan & Wilkins and got Fulham promoted from the 4th Division on a shoestring.

As others have said Fulham were in the top division before (when I started following them in 66/67) - so we cannot really compare ourselves - but I would like some of their neat and precise football.

Here's the formula.
Play two lines of 4 across the back.Get an outstanding centre half-Hageland and a centre forward who should be playing for England -Zamora.Add to that players who can pass the ball to feet and an outstanding manager -Uncle Roy. Simples really.
Continental style possesion football( modelled on the Italian game)where each player in the team knows what his job is and can perform it, week in and week out.:)

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Thanks for clarifying that, Rich. The boy done great - of that there can be no doubt.

And argueably would have done even better if he'd been given the sort of financial backing that Keegan/Wilkins were.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

Here's the formula.
Play two lines of 4 across the back.Get an outstanding centre half-Hageland and a centre forward who should be playing for England -Zamora.Add to that players who can pass the ball to feet and an outstanding manager -Uncle Roy. Simples really.
Continental style possesion football( modelled on the Italian game)where each player in the team knows what his job is and can perform it, week in and week out.:)

Yes easy isn`t it !

 

[GrumpyBlue]

And argueably would have done even better if he'd been given the sort of financial backing that Keegan/Wilkins were.

Yes I believe so as well