Thoughts from a dog walk...
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 4:52 pm
I spent a long dog walk today, contemplating our situation as it has been troubling me a great deal in recent weeks (as no doubt it has you all too!). I got to thinking on a few issues - mainly:-
- Would PL leave us if we did get relegated?
- What would League 1 really be like for us? How would it feel at home and away?
- Would I still feel as desolate as I do right now if it happened?
Here are my thoughts - maybe with blue tinted glasses but this is my way of dealing with it...
PL could certainly leave. Money talks and you have to think that someone may want him if they found themselves in a similar situation to our own. However - he came to us knowing the situation and he certainly talks of the long term - whatever the case at the end of the season. I don't think a prem team will want him and most mid table Championship teams (with ambition) would want a more high profile "name". PL wasn't on any of our radar's when we got rid of MM so why would others be making a bee line for him - especially if he had just failed in keeping us up? He is only 49 so it is not like he is looking for a last swan song to his career. If anything, a long term project which may include going back before you can go forwards may be attractive and then give him a shot at one big job before he calls it a day when he is in his mid 50's. That would be on my mind if I were in a similar situation. So it kind of made me feel that, realistically, there is risk he could go but it is by no means a cert to happen and he could build a lasting legacy here if he is given the tools to do so (another big 'if")!
League 1 looks ominous and foreboding for us - but will it really be? Losing our young payers and the free fall continuing is my biggest nightmare, but if we can at least keep the core of the Team and build a little, we could be at the right end of the league and challenging for promotion. I think that away games would not be too dissimilar to today. Yes, the grounds may be less glamorous but we will still take a good away following, I am sure. We have done the smaller grounds when visiting "yo-yo" teams in the Championship (i.e. Scunthorpe etc) so it is not like we haven't experienced the grounds. Indeed, we are taking a good following to Accrington on Saturday for a cup match we dread and where a loss would add more ridicule upon us. I bet those going are quite looking forward to it really though so - if we are winning (or competing) and bringing a good following, I don't think away days will be all doom and gloom. Home however is a different matter. Mike suggested the upper tiers being closed and less than 10K in a post yesterday and I have to agree with him but again, if the team starts to win, it may bring some more solidarity and some extra fans as a promotion push develops. It is the home games I fear the most as the atmosphere has been poor for a long time and it could get worse. Saying that, crowding us into smaller spaces may mean a better atmosphere in those inhabited parts of the ground? Heres hoping!
Finally, I got onto thinking about my season ticket... would I renew? I spend lots of my work life travelling and spend much time with so called "fans"of "bigger clubs" - Madrid, Barca, Juve and the usual British clubs to name but a few and if I am honest, regardless of results, I find myself feeling very happy and upbeat to be genuinely supporting my local team instead of watching my stated team on TV, having never been to see them or living within 100 miles of their ground! I would rather watch Town play at Gillingham at 3pm on a Saturday with 1000 Tractor Boys and Girls than go and watch Huddersfield play Fulham at 4:30 on a Sunday or even Man City play Liverpool at 20:00 on a Thursday night! Maybe I am mad but I just can't get excited about those clubs and their so called 'supporters". So... after much contemplation, will I renew my season ticket? Of course I will! Will I suffer? Of course I will. Will I moan a bit? Of course I will. - but if we start to get wins and challenge and I enjoy the day out, will I still love it and allow it to set the scene and the tone for my whole week? Of course I will!
Sorry for the ramble but I hope it helps others who no doubt are trying to come to terms with the situation as well. Enjoy
- Would PL leave us if we did get relegated?
- What would League 1 really be like for us? How would it feel at home and away?
- Would I still feel as desolate as I do right now if it happened?
Here are my thoughts - maybe with blue tinted glasses but this is my way of dealing with it...
PL could certainly leave. Money talks and you have to think that someone may want him if they found themselves in a similar situation to our own. However - he came to us knowing the situation and he certainly talks of the long term - whatever the case at the end of the season. I don't think a prem team will want him and most mid table Championship teams (with ambition) would want a more high profile "name". PL wasn't on any of our radar's when we got rid of MM so why would others be making a bee line for him - especially if he had just failed in keeping us up? He is only 49 so it is not like he is looking for a last swan song to his career. If anything, a long term project which may include going back before you can go forwards may be attractive and then give him a shot at one big job before he calls it a day when he is in his mid 50's. That would be on my mind if I were in a similar situation. So it kind of made me feel that, realistically, there is risk he could go but it is by no means a cert to happen and he could build a lasting legacy here if he is given the tools to do so (another big 'if")!
League 1 looks ominous and foreboding for us - but will it really be? Losing our young payers and the free fall continuing is my biggest nightmare, but if we can at least keep the core of the Team and build a little, we could be at the right end of the league and challenging for promotion. I think that away games would not be too dissimilar to today. Yes, the grounds may be less glamorous but we will still take a good away following, I am sure. We have done the smaller grounds when visiting "yo-yo" teams in the Championship (i.e. Scunthorpe etc) so it is not like we haven't experienced the grounds. Indeed, we are taking a good following to Accrington on Saturday for a cup match we dread and where a loss would add more ridicule upon us. I bet those going are quite looking forward to it really though so - if we are winning (or competing) and bringing a good following, I don't think away days will be all doom and gloom. Home however is a different matter. Mike suggested the upper tiers being closed and less than 10K in a post yesterday and I have to agree with him but again, if the team starts to win, it may bring some more solidarity and some extra fans as a promotion push develops. It is the home games I fear the most as the atmosphere has been poor for a long time and it could get worse. Saying that, crowding us into smaller spaces may mean a better atmosphere in those inhabited parts of the ground? Heres hoping!
Finally, I got onto thinking about my season ticket... would I renew? I spend lots of my work life travelling and spend much time with so called "fans"of "bigger clubs" - Madrid, Barca, Juve and the usual British clubs to name but a few and if I am honest, regardless of results, I find myself feeling very happy and upbeat to be genuinely supporting my local team instead of watching my stated team on TV, having never been to see them or living within 100 miles of their ground! I would rather watch Town play at Gillingham at 3pm on a Saturday with 1000 Tractor Boys and Girls than go and watch Huddersfield play Fulham at 4:30 on a Sunday or even Man City play Liverpool at 20:00 on a Thursday night! Maybe I am mad but I just can't get excited about those clubs and their so called 'supporters". So... after much contemplation, will I renew my season ticket? Of course I will! Will I suffer? Of course I will. Will I moan a bit? Of course I will. - but if we start to get wins and challenge and I enjoy the day out, will I still love it and allow it to set the scene and the tone for my whole week? Of course I will!
Sorry for the ramble but I hope it helps others who no doubt are trying to come to terms with the situation as well. Enjoy