Life in League One... (1 Viewer)

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CJparker

CJparker

New Member
Lots of people have compared us to the likes of Leeds, Norwich, Forest, Man City etc who went down into League One and attracted big crowds of away fans whose teams saw them as being a cup final. Can I just offer a note of caution...

The roll call of ex-Premier league clubs who went into League One is long, but most of the ones who bounced back (the ones above, Charlton, Sheffield clubs, Leicester) all kept their attendances pretty high, in the 20k mark. Ours will probably drop next season, even from our pathetic base this year. It has been dispiriting enough playing at the Ricoh when it's less than half full - I can see lots of games, even on Saturdays, with less than 10k inside the ground, with just a couple of hundred away fans. Noise from the fans will echo around the ground like some sort of pre-season friendly.

Given our years of struggle in the Champ and lack of any real achievement, I very much doubt that fans of other clubs will see us as a 'big' team like Leeds - I suspect our profile will be more like someone such as Huddersfield or MK Dons; a big League One club playing in a smart ground, but not a glamour game.

As for promotion, look at those Premier League clubs who got relegated to League One; the "big" clubs mostly got back to the Championship at least, but as above all these had much higher attendances (and budgets) than we will have. We may be more akin to the likes of Oldham, Swindon, Wimbledon/MK Dons and Bradford in just finding our level rather than rebounding.

Sorry to sound depressing but a lot of people think we'll walk League One with bumper crowds but I aint so sure!
 
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Lord_Nampil

Well-Known Member
Don't think we will walk it, but think we will do alot better than we have in the last 10 seasons. We need a good season to get that feel good feeling back and the only way we can do that is by winning games. We do that and the fans will come back and most probably our average attendence will be higher than it has been for a while!! Others have come back, others haven't we just need to make sure we do, and we come back as quick as possible even if it's a few seasons!
 
Sky Blue Kid

Sky Blue Kid

Well-Known Member
Have we forgotten the "Cup games" and friendlies against lower league teams, the likes of Bury, "The spireites", Morecambe, etc. Not healthy reading is it?. What I'm trying to say is, it's not our "God given right" to gain automatic promotion back to the Championship.
We're going to have to fight all the way, and hopefully succeed!;)
 
kdrinkell

kdrinkell

Well-Known Member
Sky Blue Kid said:
Have we forgotten the "Cup games" and friendlies against lower league teams, the likes of Bury, "The spireites", Morecambe, etc. Not healthy reading is it?. What I'm trying to say is, it's not our "God given right" to gain automatic promotion back to the Championship.
We're going to have to fight all the way, and hopefully succeed!;)
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The johnson paint trophy is not the best is it :(
I think (if we are still in existence which I doubt very much) if the team went on an unbeaten run then it would start the bandwagon rolling but admittedly its not a gimme
 
Voice_of_Reason

Voice_of_Reason

Well-Known Member
For those of us to remember the 1960's (just after gaining promotion from Division 4), the situation is not too dissimilar. For years CCFC (The Bants) had struggled and there was an air of dispondancy - relegated from Div 2 (Now the Championship), relegated yet again to Div 4 (now Div 2)... Jesse Carver, George Raynor (managers from the continent), Billy Frith ex player became manager and promotion back to Div 3 (now Div 1) and CCFC started to win games and slowly but surely the crowds started to come back... enter Jimmy Hill and our gates soared - even in Div 3. I'm sure that if we win more games than we lose, our gates will increase and be better than last season.
I've suffered this before in my youth -- just believe......
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
Voice_of_Reason said:
For those of us to remember the 1960's (just after gaining promotion from Division 4), the situation is not too dissimilar. For years CCFC (The Bants) had struggled and there was an air of dispondancy - relegated from Div 2 (Now the Championship), relegated yet again to Div 4 (now Div 2)... Jesse Carver, George Raynor (managers from the continent), Billy Frith ex player became manager and promotion back to Div 3 (now Div 1) and CCFC started to win games and slowly but surely the crowds started to come back... enter Jimmy Hill and our gates soared - even in Div 3. I'm sure that if we win more games than we lose, our gates will increase and be better than last season.
I've suffered this before in my youth -- just believe......
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Difference is, we didn't have Sisu in charge, did own our own stadium, weren't losing hundreds of thousands of pounds every month and were bringing in loads of players.

Otherwise I guess it is quite similar.
 
kg82

kg82

Well-Known Member
Sky Blue Kid said:
Have we forgotten the "Cup games" and friendlies against lower league teams, the likes of Bury, "The spireites", Morecambe, etc. Not healthy reading is it?. What I'm trying to say is, it's not our "God given right" to gain automatic promotion back to the Championship.
We're going to have to fight all the way, and hopefully succeed!;)
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It is not our God given right, no. But cup games have no baring on leagues and especially cup games in the past. We've lost to lower league teams, but we've also beaten premiership teams, it doesn't matter. You've hit the nail on the head with your last statement, our players are going to need to fight for everything, they're going to have to "want it" more. I just hope we can do that too - I actually don't think that'll be enough for automatic by the way, but if we can fight for the play-offs I'll be happy.
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
I checked that some time last season. Think it was the first season we were in the Championship.

Will let you know.
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
Nope that is wrong. First season we won 20 and lost 20.

2003-2004. We won 17 and lost 15.

2005-2006. We won 16, lost 15.
 
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hamil99

Facebook User
If sisu are still our owners in league 1 do u think, regardless of form, the sisu haters won't return?

Because, I think it could be crucial, as it seems to be a large proportion of our fan base now.
 
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SkyblueCookie

Member
If sisu are still in charged come season start we are fu*ked
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
Winning and Sisu in the same sentence?

Now that is funny. :claping hands::claping hands::claping hands:
 
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hamil99

Facebook User
Otis said:
Winning and Sisu in the same sentence?

Now that is funny. :claping hands::claping hands::claping hands:
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I know seems very unlikely. Im hoping, being business people and all, sisu realise the only way to make money at a football club is to make it successful, if ur stingy and try to make cuts everywhere, its not like a company which may hav a bad month, it destroys the entire clubs season, resulting in relegation and less money. Hopefully they realise like the owner of Newcastle, to be successful, invest. How much that club must be worth compared to two years ago!
 
Astute

Astute

Well-Known Member
I am looking forward to a season or more in Div 3. It is more of a fan thing than top football games.

Has anyone seen the following for Hartlepool today? They are all dressed as SMURFS :claping hands: Looks great as they were getting off a train together. Couldn't see anyone dressed normally. Most of us are worried about what is going to happen next season. There are teams in Div 3 and 4 that are used to being a small team and used to being down there. We are bigger than this. Does not mean we will go up first time though. Saying that our following can be worth a goal in some games. If our normal away support is anything to go by we will have the loudest fans in about every game away.
 
ccfcchris

ccfcchris

Well-Known Member
The main objective of the club must be to halt the decline, level off and set about building a more successful club. I know fans don't want to hear it but there is nothing to suggest we have found our level yet.
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
Totally agree.

We could have a bit of a way to fall still yet.

Things remain as they are, Sisu in charge and therefore hardly any new players in, then next season only points one way and it's not in the direction we would like to be going in believe me. :facepalm:
 
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LeamingtonBootBoy

New Member
Otis said:
Totally agree.

We could have a bit of a way to fall still yet.

Things remain as they are, Sisu in charge and therefore hardly any new players in, then next season only points one way and it's not in the direction we would like to be going in believe me. :facepalm:
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Otis, if no-one wants to buy then we have no option but to stick with SISU....God help us....:(
 
dojer

dojer

New Member
We need to be prepared for poor results against lower reputation clubs. We can't walk into this league with an air of superiority or it will be an extremely disappointing season, particularly at home games against the likes of Stevenage etc.
 
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hamil99

Facebook User
SkyblueCookie said:
I will be going regardless but I don't think I will be enjoying myself very with these numpties in charge
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Fairplay. I don't live in cov so don't really get a chance often. Maybe u could help me with something ive been wondering, If sisu left, how many more do u think would attend, if we were still in league one?
 
torchomatic

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
You need to drop your obsession with me, LBB. I find being mentioned in nearly everyone one of your posts a little bit creepy.

LeamingtonBootBoy said:
Full house the first game after they have left...minus the likes of Torchy (and various members of his family!)...:facepalm:
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LeamingtonBootBoy

New Member
Only having some banter with you, Torchy.

I'm sure a mature adult like you can take it...eh?!:facepalm:

A bit of an exaggeration stating '..every post..'....got any of your fellow fans banned lately by teacher??? ;)
 
B

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
torchomatic said:
You need to drop your obsession with me, LBB. I find being mentioned in nearly everyone one of your posts a little bit creepy.
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Don't worry Torch-I get the feeling LBB is jealous because he doesn't have a gorgeous Latino stud like I do down here.
 
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