IMO the biggest factor was the introduction of the all-seater arrangement in 1981. The large standing areas on the Spion Kop were replaced by a much smaller bunch of plastic seats completely exposed to the elements, and not surprisingly it wasn't popular.
The change also pretty much coincided...
Simms is a menace when the ball is in front of him down the sides of the pitch. He got no service of that kind at all, just balls pinged at him in tight areas and with little support. An impossible job last night against a team that dominated us all over pitch.
You implied that the manager wanted to play him on the right, but that the chairman vetoed it. Sorry if that's not the case.
For what it's worth, I do think EMC is capable of playing well on the right if we need him to do that.
It's been mad to think we haven't got a chance all season tbh. In my eyes the squad has never looked far away from being able to challenge (under either manager) and the wailing and gnashing of teeth after every defeat has been absurd. Circumstances never seem to be taken into account, so after...
I'm sure the new coaches are doing a great job, but the clear thing with Torp is that he's now had time to get his fitness up to the levels needed, after moving from a less demanding league and then missing pre-season back in the summer.