Blog post about CCFC from a Luton fan (1 Viewer)

[oakey]

But unless you can convince 20k plus to turn up every week, mediocrity is all you can expect.

EDIT; Maybe 15k for starters

It has been pointed out many times that clubs with much smaller fan bases than ours have had occasional "success". I expect the club to lead not the fans.
The club has a hundred times better support than it deserves.

 

[Samo]

It has been pointed out many times that clubs with much smaller fan bases than ours have had occasional "success". I expect the club to lead not the fans.
The club has a hundred times better support than it deserves.

Good luck with that.

 

[Grendel]

I have watched City since 1970. There is no doubt in my mind that the club are serious underachievers and the cup win in 87 blinded many of us to that fact. It was, in many ways, the high point from which it has been downhill ever since. Let's also say the unsayable ... The cup win was a FLUKE. Yes, we had a good team and we deserved it, but it was completely out of character with our real status and merit as a club at the time. It blinded us fans to the real mediocrity of the club. We referenced it as a sign of how good we were and could be but didn't demand of the club the ambition, passion and commitment we had. We, sort of, thought the people who run and manage and play for the club must see the club the way we do. Most of them have been taking the piss and laughing at us or not seeing the club as we do.
Time we were more demanding, perhaps?

If you have supported CCFC for a while you must have noticed how fans of other clubs laugh at any reference to 87 and regard us as losers. Time to wake up and stop accepting mediocrity.

Can't see many clubs laughing. The vast majority on this thread haven't won a major trophy since the 1970's

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Perhaps worth adding that Bradford have sold 18,000 season tickets for this season alone which is more than we are likely to achieve for a league game this season. It goes to show that if you give fans some reasons for optimism and get a bit of faith back then these things are possible and league status need not hold you back on that (to a limit of course). Just selling that many alone gives the club a lot more leeway financially since expenditure is dictated by income and not the depth of an owner's pocket like in the Championship.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

It's good but how many would be there if the price was the same as everyone else?

Looking back through the years, 91-96 this league 5,000-6,000 every year, 2 years in the Prem 99-2001, 05-08 this league 8,000.

Cheap season ticket deal comes in 2008 and since then been getting good attendances in L2 and L1.

It works in the short term but there's not a long term future IMO. Basically, it relies on a cup run every season, no cup run = season tickets go up, say they finish mid table, who's paying more when the product on the pitch doesn't reflect it?

 

[skybluelee]

One top 10 finish in the last 25 years. And no Grendel and co, only 10 of them were in the Premier League.

So it's one top 10 finish in the last 15 years of Championship and League One. And, still that 8th in the Championship was a bit of a let down - points wise we finished closer to 20th than 6th.

It's one top 10 finish in 26 years actually, which is a bit worse.

 

[Nick]

Surely you can keep changing the stat to make it good or bad.

Surely we have the longest time in the premier league in league one?

 

[Sick Boy]

If you consider our record before we rose up the divisions, it makes our record even more impressive.

Some people just seem to look for things to moan about and enjoy it.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

If you consider our record before we rose up the divisions, it makes our record even more impressive.

Some people just seem to look for things to moan about and enjoy it.

We are not talking about the Premier League anymore, yet you still keep going on about it. Is no push for promotion since we've fallen out of the Premier League and even Championship good? Or can't we moan about the last 15 years because we had a good 34 years prior? If Stoke fall out of the Prem this season would they be happy with finishing 17th-20th in the Championship for the next 10 years, getting relegated and still finishing 17th in League 1? And will they be saying it's OK because they played in the PL for a long time?

 

[Grendel]

We are not talking about the Premier League anymore, yet you still keep going on about it. Is no push for promotion since we've fallen out of the Premier League and even Championship good? Or can't we moan about the last 15 years because we had a good 34 years prior? If Stoke fall out of the Prem this season would they be happy with finishing 17th-20th in the Championship for the next 10 years, getting relegated and still finishing 17th in League 1? And will they be saying it's OK because they played in the PL for a long time?

Stoke were out of the premier league for around 25 years. West brom were a basket case following relegation from the old first division. They had 23 years of failure. The occasional appearance in the top flight ended in abject humiliation.

Stoke also to my knowledge haven't won a serious trophy in their history (league cup was always a joke competition then) and actually list the Watney Cup as an honour. They may have had one top 6 finish but until this current stability they have done nothing.

The F A cup win may seem a long time ago but check out the length of time many other clubs have had without an honour.

Given my time again from 1972 I wouldn't swap with these teams as their 80's 90's and start of 21 century were abject misery and failure. Add wolves to the pile as well.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

It's good but how many would be there if the price was the same as everyone else?

Looking back through the years, 91-96 this league 5,000-6,000 every year, 2 years in the Prem 99-2001, 05-08 this league 8,000.

Cheap season ticket deal comes in 2008 and since then been getting good attendances in L2 and L1.

It works in the short term but there's not a long term future IMO. Basically, it relies on a cup run every season, no cup run = season tickets go up, say they finish mid table, who's paying more when the product on the pitch doesn't reflect it?

I would say it comes to a choice between having say half the fans at double the price or double the fans at half the price. You get the same income either way but my guess is it's better for the team to have more support and a better community feel around the club such that things are more likely to go well. Plus more people spending on things at the ground, granted we don't see all of the proceeds from that...

 

[Nick]

This one again! Would we get double the season tickets if we halved the prices?

 

[Covstu]

I am very proud of what we did in the prem but that was 15 years ago, since then I have never really been convinced we have really had the appetite as a club to make any serious promotion push and our record shows this

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

This one again! Would we get double the season tickets if we halved the prices?

No. But you need to understand it hasn't just been done this year, the cheap season ticket scheme has been done since 2008, so the bandwagon has been increasing year on year, reaching a cup final helps too and beating Prem sides.

 

[skybluesam66]

Most of us "middle agers" started off ccfc supporting struggling in the old 1st division

So while top flight football was the norm - we were always supporting a struggling team and have been doing ever since
A winning team brings a real good feeling but FA cup and maybe 1978/1998 apart - we have never threatened to be anything but a struggling team at what ever level we find ourselves

A bit of success even at this level would get people talking about ccfc again and coming back

no idea what the gates could be if we had some success, but people would come back

 

[fernandopartridge]

Most of us "middle agers" started off ccfc supporting struggling in the old 1st division

So while top flight football was the norm - we were always supporting a struggling team and have been doing ever since
A winning team brings a real good feeling but FA cup and maybe 1978/1998 apart - we have never threatened to be anything but a struggling team at what ever level we find ourselves

A bit of success even at this level would get people talking about ccfc again and coming back

no idea what the gates could be if we had some success, but people would come back

Coming back? But we've always been a struggling team. It isn't logical.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

Over the last 48 years (since promotion in 1967) we must have the lowest wins to games ratio of any team in the league. In these terms, not talking of league position or the cup win, we are the least successful team around. Add to that that the entertainment value provided by the team has sometimes been zero (last season under Presley for example) There are thousands of people who with a little bit of success and good football would return.

 

[letsallsingtogether]

Stoke were out of the premier league for around 25 years. West brom were a basket case following relegation from the old first division. They had 23 years of failure. The occasional appearance in the top flight ended in abject humiliation.

Stoke also to my knowledge haven't won a serious trophy in their history (league cup was always a joke competition then) and actually list the Watney Cup as an honour. They may have had one top 6 finish but until this current stability they have done nothing.

The F A cup win may seem a long time ago but check out the length of time many other clubs have had without an honour.

Given my time again from 1972 I wouldn't swap with these teams as their 80's 90's and start of 21 century were abject misery and failure. Add wolves to the pile as well.

None of us would swap those times.
but if you are 25 or younger what is there to shout about.
we will all be going while we can but who is going to take our place when we have gone?

 

[Nick]

What if we got promoted 10 years ago, would we change the stat to "if you are 9 years old then what do you have to shout about" and keep manipulating it?

 

[Grendel]

None of us would swap those times.
but if you are 25 or younger what is there to shout about.
we will all be going while we can but who is going to take our place when we have gone?

I don't disagree and of course the difference now is the championship has teams with huge parachute payments which almost ensures that they will be in the mix.

Our real problem was we didn't go straight back. All of the teams that failed to do that ended up slumping further down the pyramid and many have struggled since.

We were set up to go straight back up and thanks to you know who didn't.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

What if we got promoted 10 years ago, would we change the stat to "if you are 9 years old then what do you have to shout about" and keep manipulating it?

The fact is we didn't. Had we done so it wouldn't be an issue as we would have had that little bit of success that encourages people to think that it might happen again. Win some games, score some goals, give people hope. They will come back. It's even happening a little bit at the moment. Southend at the end of last season 6000 to 7000. Tonight, with a bit of luck, 10000 to 11000 maybe more.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

This one again! Would we get double the season tickets if we halved the prices?

I was thinking more in Bradford's case were they to raise their prices.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Just look at the last time each club had a good season. A good season being: winning a trophy, finishing in the play offs or automatic promotion places, qualifying for Europe. I think this says it all:

Arsenal 2014
Brentford 2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 2014
Burnley 2014
Burton Albion 2014
Cambridge United 2014
Chelsea 2014
Chesterfield 2014
Derby County 2014
Everton 2014
Fleetwood Town 2014
Leicester City 2014
Leyton Orient 2014
Liverpool 2014
Luton Town 2014
Manchester City 2014
Peterborough United 2014
Preston North End 2014
Queens Park Rangers 2014
Rochdale 2014
Rotherham United 2014
Scunthorpe United 2014
Southend United 2014
Tottenham Hotspur 2014
Wigan Athletic 2014
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2014
Bournemouth 2013
Bradford City 2013
Cardiff City 2013
Cheltenham Town 2013
Crewe Alexandra 2013
Crystal Palace 2013
Doncaster Rovers 2013
Gillingham 2013
Hull City 2013
Manchester United 2013
Mansfield Town 2013
Newport County 2013
Northampton Town 2013
Port Vale 2013
Sheffield United 2013
Swansea City 2013
Swindon Town 2013
Watford 2013
Yeovil Town 2013
Birmingham City 2012
Blackpool 2012
Charlton Athletic 2012
Crawley Town 2012
Huddersfield Town 2012
Milton Keynes Dons 2012
Newcastle United 2012
Reading 2012
Sheffield Wednesday 2012
Shrewsbury Town 2012
Southampton 2012
Stevenage 2012
West Ham United 2012
York City 2012
Accrington Stanley 2011
AFC Wimbledon 2011
Bury 2011
Norwich City 2011
Nottingham Forest 2011
Wycombe Wanderers 2011
Aston Villa 2010
Leeds United 2010
Millwall 2010
Morecambe 2010
Notts County 2010
Oxford United 2010
West Bromwich Albion 2010
Fulham 2009
Exeter City 2009
Bristol City 2008
Carlisle United 2008
Portsmouth 2008
Stoke City 2008
Dagenham & Redbridge 2007
Hartlepool United 2007
Oldham Athletic 2007
Sunderland 2007
Walsall 2007
Barnsley 2006
Colchester United 2006
Middlesbrough 2006
Bolton Wanderers 2005
Ipswich Town 2005
Tranmere Rovers 2005
Plymouth Argyle 2004
Blackburn Rovers 2003
Coventry City 1987

Awaiting Grendel and co 'we were in the Premier League, we only deserve to finish 18th in League 1 now'.

Take out the 13 'good' years and we are still the least 'successful' league club in the last 15 years.

I wonder what excuses will be rolled out now by the usual suspects. No 'we were in the Premier League, would you swap for Crewe's League 2 promotion?' now. The facts can't lie, all the other 91 clubs have won a trophy, played in Europe or finished in the play offs in the last 15 years since relegation from the Premier League. You would have to go back nearly 30 years for Coventry City to achieve the same.

 

[skybluesam66]

I thought ipswich were in play offs last year

bristol c won league 1

so that makes it even worse

 

[Sick Boy]

Just look at the last time each club had a good season. A good season being: winning a trophy, finishing in the play offs or automatic promotion places, qualifying for Europe. I think this says it all:

Arsenal 2014
Brentford 2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 2014
Burnley 2014
Burton Albion 2014
Cambridge United 2014
Chelsea 2014
Chesterfield 2014
Derby County 2014
Everton 2014
Fleetwood Town 2014
Leicester City 2014
Leyton Orient 2014
Liverpool 2014
Luton Town 2014
Manchester City 2014
Peterborough United 2014
Preston North End 2014
Queens Park Rangers 2014
Rochdale 2014
Rotherham United 2014
Scunthorpe United 2014
Southend United 2014
Tottenham Hotspur 2014
Wigan Athletic 2014
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2014
Bournemouth 2013
Bradford City 2013
Cardiff City 2013
Cheltenham Town 2013
Crewe Alexandra 2013
Crystal Palace 2013
Doncaster Rovers 2013
Gillingham 2013
Hull City 2013
Manchester United 2013
Mansfield Town 2013
Newport County 2013
Northampton Town 2013
Port Vale 2013
Sheffield United 2013
Swansea City 2013
Swindon Town 2013
Watford 2013
Yeovil Town 2013
Birmingham City 2012
Blackpool 2012
Charlton Athletic 2012
Crawley Town 2012
Huddersfield Town 2012
Milton Keynes Dons 2012
Newcastle United 2012
Reading 2012
Sheffield Wednesday 2012
Shrewsbury Town 2012
Southampton 2012
Stevenage 2012
West Ham United 2012
York City 2012
Accrington Stanley 2011
AFC Wimbledon 2011
Bury 2011
Norwich City 2011
Nottingham Forest 2011
Wycombe Wanderers 2011
Aston Villa 2010
Leeds United 2010
Millwall 2010
Morecambe 2010
Notts County 2010
Oxford United 2010
West Bromwich Albion 2010
Fulham 2009
Exeter City 2009
Bristol City 2008
Carlisle United 2008
Portsmouth 2008
Stoke City 2008
Dagenham & Redbridge 2007
Hartlepool United 2007
Oldham Athletic 2007
Sunderland 2007
Walsall 2007
Barnsley 2006
Colchester United 2006
Middlesbrough 2006
Bolton Wanderers 2005
Ipswich Town 2005
Tranmere Rovers 2005
Plymouth Argyle 2004
Blackburn Rovers 2003
Coventry City 1987

Awaiting Grendel and co 'we were in the Premier League, we only deserve to finish 18th in League 1 now'.

Take out the 13 'good' years and we are still the least 'successful' league club in the last 15 years.

I wonder what excuses will be rolled out now by the usual suspects. No 'we were in the Premier League, would you swap for Crewe's League 2 promotion?' now. The facts can't lie, all the other 91 clubs have won a trophy, played in Europe or finished in the play offs in the last 15 years since relegation from the Premier League. You would have to go back nearly 30 years for Coventry City to achieve the same.

I'd still rather have been in the PL than being knocked out of the league 2 playoffs after 2 games.

Everyone agrees that since relegation from PL we habe massively underperformed.

What is the point in trying to bring this up? Are you trying to advocate spending money we haven't got and risking it all?

 

[ajsccfc]

Waiting three weeks to start self-harming, who would make such a post?

Oh, right.

 

[Grendel]

It's time like this I wish I was lucky enough to support Luton.

Take that back - I want to be a Morcombe fan.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

I couldn't give a shit about the underlying arguments regarding this....but never the less, it is quite simply a stunning fact......statistically freakish even.....bizarre.


The odds on "achieving" such a feat must be huge.


EDIT: Anyone on here remember a rather scathing & bitchy article written in the national press while we were still in the top flight......IIRC it was entitled "What is the point of Coventry city".......I think it was published after our last day escape at WHL in 1997


....at the time it made my blood boil, but close on 20 years later, I wish I could find it & read it again.

 

[covcity4life]

lol so many people still dont get it

i am lucky i support cov and not rochdale or fleetwood

BUT they have probably experienced more WINNING/SILVERWARE then i have as a fan

THE END

 

[skybluesam66]

assuming all things being equal (and i know they are not)
but assuming that 1 in every 4 years a team finishes in the top6

44 years of not doing that (based on a 24 team division) odds are 314270/1

 

[covcity4life]

assuming all things being equal (and i know they are not)
but assuming that 1 in every 4 years a team finishes in the top6

44 years of not doing that (based on a 24 team division) odds are 314270/1

some will still argue the facts mate lol

 

[kg82]

I thought ipswich were in play offs last year

bristol c won league 1

so that makes it even worse

Weren't Stoke in Europe last year or the year before as well?

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

It got posted on another forum and I just re posted here. Guess it's a year or 2 behind

 

[Grendel]

lol so many people still dont get it

i am lucky i support cov and not rochdale or fleetwood

BUT they have probably experienced more WINNING/SILVERWARE then i have as a fan

THE END

Do a league table of number of relegations in the last 60 years and that will show you why this is.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Rochdale have had 2 relegations in the last 55 years. So what does it show Grendel?