You can’t support the reds without a good measure of optimism. We keep supporting and ever since Alan Clarke arrived we’ve been on a tremendous journey. I remember in the sixties when we nearly went out of business and never dreaming we would appear at Wembley. It’s become Oakwell South since and we’ve had an unbelievable season in the Premier League. I’m drawing on that optimism now when I think about next season. I’m looking to the academy to pay off and fill some of the gaps and I am expecting some of our “Stars” leaving. We need build again with three quality players to provide a spine to the side. We Need a twenty goal striker, a solid centre back with pace and a box to box midfielder. First step is to shed the players who are not good enough for this division and use the money better. I thank them for their efforts but I’d like them to practice them somewhere else. I’m not shedding any tears for any single player who is sold. They can all go for me. This brings me to Mladen! If the players aren’t good enough then neither is he. We should say thank you and goodbye and get someone in who knows the game and can support CH with experience of the game. I’m not expecting miracles and if we stay up and progress next year that’s the limit of my optimism, but the season after I expect promotion. COYRs
I’m downbeat and have been waiting for this season to end for months in all honesty. However, I will no doubt have the optimism/delusion return over the summer. Probably at some point in June, once we have a few signings (hopefully) announced.
I hope so mate and I hope the rest of the waveres, which I understand, do the same. Staying away from the ground and not renewing will just take us back to the bottom.
Mine isn't as reasoned an outlook as yours, @e-red, but I find myself taking a similar position to what @nontechnical wrote in another thread: "First game of next season is the starting point for Conor with his team", not because I think there's necessarily a whole lot of justification for me taking such a stance, but because what other option is there as a (long distance) supporter? A close season of disappointment and resignation? Dreading what many think will be a season-long battle against relegation? Considering everything that's going on to be a series of missteps in the demise of the club? Some or all those things may well be true, but I just don't want to spend my summer thinking that way. I'd rather be wilfully naive than depressed.
I'm taking some solace from knowing that Ipswich got themselves stuck in this division and then turned it around in dramatic fashion. Foolish as Ipswich didn't have someone strengthening their team with players who cannot even make the bench. But I am a fool so it's fine.
I tend not to look too far into the past, you have to earn your right to play in any given division/league the table never lies, I'm still proud of what we have achieved but it's totally irrelevant to where we are now. If it was a case of how it used to be, getting a decent manager in and letting him build and generally crack on with things, then I'd look at things perhaps differently and more positively. There's lots of issues to be dealt with from poor previous recruitment that needs cleaning up, building a decent squad, re-connecting the fan base, the matchday experience, having an identity... I could go on. I've lost trust in the owners and senior management and ultimately that's why I won't be buying a ST, I can forgive bad seasons, I've seen many since 81 but I've just lost all trust in anything that comes out of their mouths. I don't know why they constantly put a spin on things examples such as top 3/4 squad, we're waiting until the summer for the right man etc etc it's a stupid tactic, why not just be honest about things in the first instance? It generally boils down to money in not all, but most cases, but just be honest, we know we're skint but stop making excuses for things to cover. I sometimes feel (only my opinion) that were trying to be something we're not that we are embarrassed to say we can't afford xyz instead of the constant BS and that's half our problem, we've lost our identity as a club trying to be something else.
You’re right mate it’s not. However, if loads decide to turn their backs on the club it’s hardly going to help things.
If we could unearth another Sollbauer, Woodrow and Scowen in one season we'll be laughing. All came from the blue and were the most important players in their debut seasons for us
Ipswich turned it around with new owners who put in over £40m. Need to remember that our owner is convinced this is a top four squad and the club are underachieving because of the manager. Whilst ever those views pervade the club there is a big problem.
They did indeed and they weren't the only big club that's been stuck in the Third Division for a few years (Sunderland and Sheff Wed for example). The difference though is the much larger crowds that these big clubs get which must help keep the finances steady until the right blend of players comes together for a promotion charge. I know we've had 15-20,000 crowds at some point - either consistently over a season or for one-off big games - but the hardcore large numbers are just not there so the club will always be struggling to keep up with those considerably richer and better supported. Who knows though, at some point in the near future some genuinely rich people will come in and do for us what that Russian did for Bournemouth a few years ago. Then again, will they be allowed to?
supporting thems not helped things either, sadly my opinion is watching them mismanage the club ever since falling out of the championship and still paying the same lip service and then continuing with making bat **** mental decisions. I do understand the point you are making but ultimately you wouldn’t continue to keep supporting something that wasn’t working in any other walk of life and I don’t think that we need to guilt trip people. I’m not renewing I haven’t since the end of last season and I see nothing coherent from the club that makes me think I will again as someone said above be transparent tell us we are hard up - we are losing 7m a season currently that wasn’t the fans choice either.
6 wins at home this season, coupled with the drop in home form towards the back end of the Collins season. Why should football be any different to any other retail business? If your local shop stocks poor quality items do you still shop there out of loyalty while the owner doesn't appear to want to improve the retail offer?
Fair comments, I can’t argue. Guess times have changed over the years that I’ve been watching us. I’m old school in that I’ll always go through thick and thin. As my family and mates will confirm, I’ll still do my share of moaning but my backing won’t wain. Support the club not the owners, though I admit they couldn’t have made a bigger mess if they’d actually tried. Things will improve one day but it won’t be for a while I reckon.
It just is mate, I've and guess you haven't ever been a customer of any retail outlet that stirs the soul like visiting Oakwell. Normal rules just don't apply business wise or customer loyalty it's part of who we are.
I've always been an optimist and am a bit too long in the tooth to change now. Sadly, I'm unable to attend now. However, I would never believe I know better than someone else how best to spend their disposable income.
