5th Stage of Grief (Acceptance) + Reasons for Optimism

[AmericanTangerine]

The past few weeks have really done my head in. You really don't think that it could be you getting relegated until you see yourself multiples points adrift with only a handful of matches left to go.

I've gone back and forth with myself with regards to our chances, but tonight I've accepted that we will most likely be down. It's less about us and more about the teams around us; Rotherham and Cardiff have both caught form at the right time and I just can't see us stringing any wins together to catch them.

It is a really bitter pill to swallow especially considering how well we did last year and how this is a blown chance to solidify ourselves as a Championship outfit.

A lot of questions have to be answered by the board seeing as they made every on pitch decision wrong imaginable this season, but we really did rely on Critchley more than people thought, he had a system that got the most out of that group of players and losing him was always going to be a near impossible act to follow.

Ultimately, I do think we're still going in the right direction as a club.

A lot of people still questions Sadler and his motives, but I still believe in him and his vision of long term stability for the club, poaching Coventry's recruitment team in December is very telling that he isn't looking to just sell up.

It might not feel like it due to the calamity on the pitch this year, but we are still going in the right direction. Staying in this division with League 2 facilities was always going to be incredibly difficult in the long run so Sadler had to eventually set aside money for the completion of the stadium and new training ground, it just hurts that the completion of those projects might come at the cost of our Championship status...

Going back to League 1 will be sobering, but one thing you can't fault the board for at all is making sure our best players are tied up under long contracts, meaning that the core of players we have next season will be more than good enough to compete for Promotion.

Andy Lyons
Callum Connolly
Kenny Dougall
Sonny Carey
Shayne Lavery
Jordan Gabriel
Dominic Thompson
Dan Grimshaw
Chris Maxwell
Jerry Yates
Marvin Ekpiteta
James Husband
Rob Apter
CJ Hamilton
Jake Beesley

Is a very solid core for League 1 and I don't know who the boss will be, but I fancy the board to give the job to another young up and coming manager... Liam Manning would be perfect IMO.

Relegation from any league hurts to accept, but don't be afraid to always look on the bright side, we are still light years away from where we were 5 years ago under the Oystons and the long term future of the club is still being looked after.

Up the Mighty ** Pool.

 

[Graves]

Decent post AT.

For the first time, after tonight, I’m saying to myself that we will be relegated.

I also think Sadler is still as good we think he is for us in the long term. Things just haven’t worked out for us this season.

If we do keep those players mentioned then we have a chance of watching some decent football in L1 next season. As depressing as it sounds now, it’s just realistic.

 

[AmericanTangerine]

Decent post AT.

For the first time, after tonight, I’m saying to myself that we will be relegated.

I also think Sadler is still as good we think he is for us in the long term. Things just haven’t worked out for us this season.

If we do keep those players mentioned then we have a chance of watching some decent football in L1 next season. As depressing as it sounds now, it’s just realistic.

Yep, hurts but that's just football, I think everyone is (rightfully) upset due to so many of the board's decisions backfiring this season.

Appointing Appleton and then Mensford claiming that the budget had increased (which it might have) while not spending the Bowler money, etc.

Sadler had made every correct decision bar Grayson since he came in and this season he hasn't, no reason as fans for us to just give up on him now, because the long term prospects of the club are still good.

Would like to hear from him at the season's end and am intrigued to see what our Summer looks like.

 

[The Merry Stripes]

I enjoy reading your posts, but this one is a little to early to start posting optimism.

This season has been a complete an utter shit show.

Simon Sadler stated we had to be a championship club to be able to financially progress.

The completion of the stadium and new training ground will be very, very expensive and
with the massive drop in finances across the board by being relegated, I'm not sure either
will get off the ground. I think both ventures were based on us being in the Championship.

There needs to be massive changes and I hope that SS still has the heart , passion and
ambition to do it. Only time will tell and I'm also intrigued and can't wait to see what he
has to say.

UTMP

 

[JJpool]

The past few weeks have really done my head in. You really don't think that it could be you getting relegated until you see yourself multiples points adrift with only a handful of matches left to go.

I've gone back and forth with myself with regards to our chances, but tonight I've accepted that we will most likely be down. It's less about us and more about the teams around us; Rotherham and Cardiff have both caught form at the right time and I just can't see us stringing any wins together to catch them.

It is a really bitter pill to swallow especially considering how well we did last year and how this is a blown chance to solidify ourselves as a Championship outfit.

A lot of questions have to be answered by the board seeing as they made every on pitch decision wrong imaginable this season, but we really did rely on Critchley more than people thought, he had a system that got the most out of that group of players and losing him was always going to be a near impossible act to follow.

Ultimately, I do think we're still going in the right direction as a club.

A lot of people still questions Sadler and his motives, but I still believe in him and his vision of long term stability for the club, poaching Coventry's recruitment team in December is very telling that he isn't looking to just sell up.

It might not feel like it due to the calamity on the pitch this year, but we are still going in the right direction. Staying in this division with League 2 facilities was always going to be incredibly difficult in the long run so Sadler had to eventually set aside money for the completion of the stadium and new training ground, it just hurts that the completion of those projects might come at the cost of our Championship status...

Going back to League 1 will be sobering, but one thing you can't fault the board for at all is making sure our best players are tied up under long contracts, meaning that the core of players we have next season will be more than good enough to compete for Promotion.

Andy Lyons
Callum Connolly
Kenny Dougall
Sonny Carey
Shayne Lavery
Jordan Gabriel
Dominic Thompson
Dan Grimshaw
Chris Maxwell
Jerry Yates
Marvin Ekpiteta
James Husband
Rob Apter
CJ Hamilton
Jake Beesley

Is a very solid core for League 1 and I don't know who the boss will be, but I fancy the board to give the job to another young up and coming manager... Liam Manning would be perfect IMO.

Relegation from any league hurts to accept, but don't be afraid to always look on the bright side, we are still light years away from where we were 5 years ago under the Oystons and the long term future of the club is still being looked after.

Up the Mighty ** Pool.

If we go down we go down, you'd think being in the championship would have built up some fans, so we are a bit better of than when we went up.

So going down, a cheaper price for fans, more wins and hopefully up near the top end can actually help build fans if done right.

If we were to get promoted with fans actually in attendance it could be positive for the club, we missed that last time. You build fans on good times.

But of course there's no guarantees of coming back up so we'd rather stay up.

But if done right and the board actually make some good decisions, get us playing some proper passing football and build a proper philosophy at the club, then if we achieve promotion with it, we're already good at it and we then add more quality to it that fits the known style. Rather than trying to play with players that didn't suit it well, then going another way with Mick when that doesn't suit us.

You look at a team like Swansea for eg, they're that good on the ball at times, they won't go down, even when doing poorly like now. They'll be times where they just beat teams.

You look at the difference in philosophy tonight. One team tried to pass it, we hoofed it and when we did try we aren't set up and coached to pass it around.

 

[Thatseasider]

The past few weeks have really done my head in. You really don't think that it could be you getting relegated until you see yourself multiples points adrift with only a handful of matches left to go.

I've gone back and forth with myself with regards to our chances, but tonight I've accepted that we will most likely be down. It's less about us and more about the teams around us; Rotherham and Cardiff have both caught form at the right time and I just can't see us stringing any wins together to catch them.

It is a really bitter pill to swallow especially considering how well we did last year and how this is a blown chance to solidify ourselves as a Championship outfit.

A lot of questions have to be answered by the board seeing as they made every on pitch decision wrong imaginable this season, but we really did rely on Critchley more than people thought, he had a system that got the most out of that group of players and losing him was always going to be a near impossible act to follow.

Ultimately, I do think we're still going in the right direction as a club.

A lot of people still questions Sadler and his motives, but I still believe in him and his vision of long term stability for the club, poaching Coventry's recruitment team in December is very telling that he isn't looking to just sell up.

It might not feel like it due to the calamity on the pitch this year, but we are still going in the right direction. Staying in this division with League 2 facilities was always going to be incredibly difficult in the long run so Sadler had to eventually set aside money for the completion of the stadium and new training ground, it just hurts that the completion of those projects might come at the cost of our Championship status...

Going back to League 1 will be sobering, but one thing you can't fault the board for at all is making sure our best players are tied up under long contracts, meaning that the core of players we have next season will be more than good enough to compete for Promotion.

Andy Lyons
Callum Connolly
Kenny Dougall
Sonny Carey
Shayne Lavery
Jordan Gabriel
Dominic Thompson
Dan Grimshaw
Chris Maxwell
Jerry Yates
Marvin Ekpiteta
James Husband
Rob Apter
CJ Hamilton
Jake Beesley

Is a very solid core for League 1 and I don't know who the boss will be, but I fancy the board to give the job to another young up and coming manager... Liam Manning would be perfect IMO.

Relegation from any league hurts to accept, but don't be afraid to always look on the bright side, we are still light years away from where we were 5 years ago under the Oystons and the long term future of the club is still being looked after.

Up the Mighty ** Pool.

If I’m honest I don’t agree that most of those lot should stay.

The reasoning is, if we go down to Lge 1 very likely at this point, we’ll naturally be maybe the 5th or 6th biggest club in there. If we really want to become a stable Championship club in this decade we as a club need to build a squad this not only capable of being promoted but staying in the Championship the year after. With the caveat that it doesn’t all hinge on one man moulding it.

For instance we have Nelson who’s just joined he probably won’t go even if we re relegated. He’d boss Lge one and by the looks of it would more than hold his own in the Championship. Connolly the same, etc etc. People like Carey, Hamilton, Dougall, Thompson, Beesley et Al have shown they’re a mile away from Championship standard - you’d also need to sell Jerry, Grimmy and probably Marvin to fund the majority of this new squad.

This squad’s reached its limit. Time to start over. New planned out manager, new squad capable of giving the Championship a crack in a couple of years. We need to plan now.

I’ve seen nothing from MM and TC so whilst it was probably the only managerial move at the time, there’s nothing going forward and we need to win games to get out of this.

Unfortunately I think that’s us down, I’d been hopeful up until the last few weeks, yes it’s only 4 points and I hope this post ends up being hot air but there’s not enough goals in this side.

The issue with injuries this year needs looking at but more importantly who on earth thought loading the squad with loans was a good idea. I called this being a stupid strategy at the start of this season. It’s not only been crap this year you have to replace all those players next year and it can’t be loans again. Short term crap vision.

 

[AmericanTangerine]

If we go down we go down, you'd think being in the championship would have built up some fans, so we are a bit better of than when we went up.

So going down, a cheaper price for fans, more wins and hopefully up near the top end can actually help build fans if done right.

If we were to get promoted with fans actually in attendance it could be positive for the club, we missed that last time. You build fans on good times.

But of course there's no guarantees of coming back up so we'd rather stay up.

But if done right and the board actually make some good decisions, get us playing some proper passing football and build a proper philosophy at the club, then if we achieve promotion with it, we're already good at it and we then add more quality to it that fits the known style. Rather than trying to play with players that didn't suit it well, then going another way with Mick when that doesn't suit us.

You look at a team like Swansea for eg, they're that good on the ball at times, they won't go down, even when doing poorly like now. They'll be times where they just beat teams.

You look at the difference in philosophy tonight. One team tried to pass it, we hoofed it and when we did try we aren't set up and coached to pass it around.

Agreed, obviously I would prefer to stay up and it would be better for our long term financial plans, but I think Sadler had the plans for the stadium and training ground regardless of what division we were in.

 

[AmericanTangerine]

If I’m honest I don’t agree that most of those lot should stay.

The reasoning is, if we go down to Lge 1 very likely at this point, we’ll naturally be maybe the 5th or 6th biggest club in there. If we really want to become a stable Championship club in this decade we as a club need to build a squad this not only capable of being promoted but staying in the Championship the year after. With the caveat that it doesn’t all hinge on one man moulding it.

For instance we have Nelson who’s just joined he probably won’t go even if we re relegated. He’d boss Lge one and by the looks of it would more than hold his own in the Championship. Connolly the same, etc etc. People like Carey, Hamilton, Dougall, Thompson, Beesley et Al have shown they’re a mile away from Championship standard - you’d also need to sell Jerry, Grimmy and probably Marvin to fund the majority of this new squad.

This squad’s reached its limit. Time to start over. New planned out manager, new squad capable of giving the Championship a crack in a couple of years. We need to plan now.

I’ve seen nothing from MM and TC so whilst it was probably the only managerial move at the time, there’s nothing going forward and we need to win games to get out of this.

Unfortunately I think that’s us down, I’d been hopeful up until the last few weeks, yes it’s only 4 points and I hope this post ends up being hot air but there’s not enough goals in this side.

The issue with injuries this year needs looking at but more importantly who on earth thought loading the squad with loans was a good idea. I called this being a stupid strategy at the start of this season. It’s not only been crap this year you have to replace all those players next year and it can’t be loans again. Short term crap vision.

Agreed that there needs to be a massive clear out in the Summer with the likes of Stewart, Garbutt, Bridcutt, etc all making way with probably others as well, but I think that there is still a strong core of players who will be here who are top end League 1 players to help push us forward.

It's preferable to build a squad full of players who will not just be able to gain promotion next season, but also stay up, but reality is we're gonna have to keep some who might not be Championship quality now with the hope that they will improve under the new boss and become Championship quality later.

 

[Thatseasider]

Agreed that there needs to be a massive clear out in the Summer with the likes of Stewart, Garbutt, Bridcutt, etc all making way with probably others as well, but I think that there is still a strong core of players who will be here who are top end League 1 players to help push us forward.

It's preferable to build a squad full of players who will not just be able to gain promotion next season, but also stay up, but reality is we're gonna have to keep some who might not be Championship quality now with the hope that they will improve under the new boss and become Championship quality later.

I think my overarching point was that we tried this a couple of years ago and the result was Carey, Hamilton Dougall and fair few others just arn’t good enough to sustain Championship football.

Having seen that and given we want to be an established Championship club there’s no point keeping them on. Move them on for their sake as well as ours. We can’t just replace marginal league one players with other marginal league one players. Otherwise we’ll be bobbing around top end of Lge one for the next ten years.

You look at Luton and they did this well over the last 3 years with the key being adding people like Woodrow and Morris. I think we tired to do this at the start of the season with the likes of Drinkwater but ultimately we failed.

When your owner’s an investment manager you end up being run like an investment engine.

 

[JJpool]

Agreed, obviously I would prefer to stay up and it would be better for our long term financial plans, but I think Sadler had the plans for the stadium and training ground regardless of what division we were in.

Hopefully, the land is cleared for the pitches near the stadium but haven't seen anything happen yet.

The TG itself we haven't heard about since the announcement I don't think.

The east plans were expected to be submitted early 2023, well that's now or around now.... so we could do woth seeing the vision there.

We'll probably get someone come along and say it shouldn't happen now, but it's a long term thing, the club is limited without it and league 1 or not, you can't not build it incase it's not used at that level.

If we went went back up people would be bemoaning the lack of planning and foresight when it's needed.

It simply has to happen as the east currently isn't for much longer I don't think. It allows us to be a proper club, throw deals at more fans, if we choose etc.

 

[glasshalffull]

I enjoy reading your posts, but this one is a little to early to start posting optimism.

This season has been a complete an utter shit show.

Simon Sadler stated we had to be a championship club to be able to financially progress.

The completion of the stadium and new training ground will be very, very expensive and
with the massive drop in finances across the board by being relegated, I'm not sure either
will get off the ground. I think both ventures were based on us being in the Championship.

There needs to be massive changes and I hope that SS still has the heart , passion and
ambition to do it. Only time will tell and I'm also intrigued and can't wait to see what he
has to say.

UTMP

Yes this is the worry about the training ground and East Stand. Will just have to wait and see how relegation would impact on this I suppose.
Still hoping for a great escape, but the light at the end of the tunnel is going out.

 

[Scratcher67]

When your owner’s an investment manager you end up being run like an investment engine.

What SS is 'investing' in is the community, the club. Us. Literally shoveling hard cash in.

Makes use of the word 'investment' interesting eh?

 

[Matesrates]

Regrettably, I’ve come to the same conclusion, the thing that worries me though is who we might lose, Jerry for sure because he won’t want to play league one again and clubs will offer decent money for him. That’s ok if we can recruit decent replacements, but we’ve not really shown we can yet. Getting out of that division is going to be tough.

 

[Thatseasider]

What SS is 'investing' in is the community, the club. Us. Literally shoveling hard cash in.

Makes use of the word 'investment' interesting eh?

It’s not a criticism of the man. I think he’s one of the best things that’s happened to us as a club despite a bad year.

My point was, regarding recruitment, we’ve ran like an investment fund, buy extremely young and raw let them mature and then realise the investment.

After three years of it which in footballing terms is a long period it’s not working for a club our size to operate for a long period at the championship level.

If we’d be run by a lawyer we end up in court all the time, run by Dale Vince we’d all turn green etc you get my point.

We need to get out of this season as quick as possible because I think it’s starting to do damage to the club now.

 

[Scratcher67]

It’s not a criticism of the man. I think he’s one of the best things that’s happened to us as a club despite a bad year.

My point was, regarding recruitment, we’ve ran like an investment fund, buy extremely young and raw let them mature and then realise the investment.

After three years of it which in footballing terms is a long period it’s not working for a club our size to operate for a long period at the championship level.

If we’d be run by a lawyer we end up in court all the time, run by Dale Vince we’d all turn green etc you get my point.

We need to get out of this season as quick as possible because I think it’s starting to do damage to the club now.

Agreed on all.

I just hope SS has the gumption and the wallet to 'start again' in League 1.

With all the stuff going on off the pitch (training ground etc), and a complete rebuild of the side with a new manager .... it's a big ask. Even without the fans on your back.

 

[Thatseasider]

With all the stuff going on off the pitch, and a complete rebuild of the side with a new manager .... it's a big ask. Even without the fans on your back.

Yeh that’s a worry now, the place is turning, and rightly so because people won’t settle for abject performance.

The end of this season even if it’s relegation can’t come quickly enough. We need to get out of this season now for the good of the club.