Relegation : Then and now

[hudds]

No comment.

Where's the thread?

[Dreamkiller]

No comment.

Where's the thread?

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I'm crazy like that.

[Banbury Baggie]

Welcome back DK, I hope life in general has been treating you well.

As for the relegation, there was always an inevitability about the season given we started with virtually the same starting 11 that just about got us over the line in the first place.

SB's first few games gave us some hope that we could compete, but this soon changed as we seemed to be either the makers of our own downfall, or just plain unlucky, but the writing was on the wall.

Following Sam's appointment, the thing that undid for us was his initial spell, our somewhat erratic defending and inability to put the ball in the net.

I would love to know how he changed it, but sadly the timing of this gave us too much of a mountain to climb.

At least we will find out if our lot can do it on a cold, windy Tuesday night in Stoke!

Onwards and upwards, as they say.

[Ted Maul]

It feels like the most pointless season ever.

Since Covid forced the break, our performances that saw us creep over the line were abject and there were no fans in to see us promoted so even that was a bit of a wet fart.

I don't think there's a single Albion fan who can say this group had enough to stop up. We're about five players short of a decent PL side and certainly not a patch on the one that was relegated previously.

It's odd to see all the crowing from Villa and Wolves fans, although it must be frustrating trying to take the piss over something we accepted in October. Odd bunch.

I completely detach from the footy when you can't go, no fans, no point. Hopefully next season we're allowed back and Lai can take some steps towards selling the club. Were useless under the current ownership, regardless of division.

Good to see you back DK.

[Derek Hardballs]

Only Norwich have been relegated more since the start of the Prem and I’d imagine similarly promoted. So it’s just what we have done for the last 20yrs. That said there is a lot of complacency around on here with regards to going back up. If we don’t go up at the first or second time of asking we are screwed with our owner.

[Ossian]

Some surreal posts on this thread, with less credibility than a Line of Duty ambush scene.

or Macbeth had to deal with Dunsinane Wood moving against him...

Dunsinane Hill, actually. That's Hill, with an 'H'. Ask DK.

Mea culpa.  I always had in mind a walking wood.  An ambush by any other name...

There was a wood mentioned in the famous quote, but it was Birnam Wood on the banks of the Tay (just across the river from Dunkeld, connected by one of Telford's stone bridges using local labour who then had to pay to use it!). There is a surviving remnant - a single oak...

Birnam Oak

Lovely place, Dunkeld; home to Dougie Maclean.

[Squid]

Only Norwich have been relegated more since the start of the Prem and I’d imagine similarly promoted. So it’s just what we have done for the last 20yrs. That said there is a lot of complacency around on here with regards to going back up. If we don’t go up at the first or second time of asking we are screwed with our owner.

By complacency, you mean pointless dreaming of a long term plan, whereby we will miraculously hewn a team to compete in the PL over a period of several years in the Championship using only our youth and gems from abroad. 

This will occur despite the fact we'll have less money year on year and that good players in the Championship tend to get snapped up by clubs already in the PL rather quickly, because we have a glorious vision and that apparently matters more than what happens on the pitch.

I've recently read an Albion fan in a comment section elsewhere say we need to be like Crewe...

[Derek Hardballs]

Only Norwich have been relegated more since the start of the Prem and I’d imagine similarly promoted. So it’s just what we have done for the last 20yrs. That said there is a lot of complacency around on here with regards to going back up. If we don’t go up at the first or second time of asking we are screwed with our owner.

By complacency, you mean pointless dreaming of a long term plan, whereby we will miraculously hewn a team to compete in the PL over a period of several years in the Championship using only our youth and gems from abroad. 

This will occur despite the fact we'll have less money year on year and that good players in the Championship tend to get snapped up by clubs already in the PL rather quickly, because we have a glorious vision and that apparently matters more than what happens on the pitch.

I've recently read an Albion fan in a comment section elsewhere say we need to be like Crewe...

What I don’t understand is these are grown men and women who think this is a viable option. Surely they have seen how football really works?

[Ossian]

The problem we have is that any long-term plan which looks like it's turning out to be viable will inevitably result in cheque books being waved in the direction of those making it work - coaches, DoF, players...

Money - colossal money now - dictates who will be the predators and who will be the prey. The roots of football were dug up nearly 30 years ago.

[Derek Hardballs]

The problem we have is that any long-term plan which looks like it's turning out to be viable will inevitably result in cheque books being waved in the direction of those making it work - coaches, DoF, players...

Money - colossal money now - dictates who will be the predators and who will be the prey. The roots of football were dug up nearly 30 years ago.

There is no long term plan anyway. The owner wants to sell so short term planning is all we have.