| At what point did many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? 22:55 - Dec 17 with 4048 views | unstableblue |
Its almost like Ashton is living in a parallel universe to, say 30-40% of the fanbase, isn't it?
And certainly that 30-40% are so disconnected from McKenna's drive and the aims and ambition of the players.
Perhaps it's more like 40%.
Look at this from Ashton: "“I am so enthused that we’re only at the end of the beginning. I can’t wait for the training ground to be done, I can’t wait for Tom and the team to design the Cobbold, other plans for around the stadium that we’re looking at, the recruitment team producing, the academy starting to deliver players through.
If we only deliver 70 per cent of the things that we’re talking about, just think where this football club’s going to be. This is the biggest and best football development opportunity that is happening right now in Europe, bar none."
This is a time to be so invested in the club - but the away ends are toxic, and the support for McKenna and the boys is on the floor in that 40%.
Look I get it, we invested heavily, we culled likeable players who had delivered almost beyond their capabilities. We brought in better players, who are still not embraced by fans or knitted together as a unit. The results leave us off second.
You can say the off-field project is somewhat disconnected from the on-field. It's not. McKenna is front and center to the rejuvenation of the club. He is a talented manager, with growth in his abilities.
Where did it go wrong, what was the point when the 40% disconnected?
Was it the Premier League woeful home campaign? those that didn't witness Spurs away, Villa away, Wolves away, Fulham away, Bournemoth away, Everton away... hey even Brentford away.. were left with some early promise against Villa and Fulham at PR, and then a dirge of home drubbings.
Was it because Philogene is an introvert? that O'Shea didn't dominate like Morsy did in League One? Greaves made errors? Hirst is out of form?
It certainly wasn't the wonderful fighting performance against Norwich which seems forgotten.
Clearly it's a lack of an ability to consistently dominate the Championship with a well funded team as a parachute club (yeah cause Parachute clubs are guaranteed success!!), or is it losing the ability to fall on the right side of margins as we did in the Premier League promotion.....
Or is it entitlement and just a fatigued lack of enthusiasm in the fan base?
What we do know is that what makes a successful club is a holy trinity between:
1) Ownership and off-field set-up
2) Manager, coaching staff and players
3) and Fans
Given Portman Road and away atmospheres this season, currently the fans are waiting for the players/manager to wow them again, become likeable, rather than committing themselves. And indeed 40% are actively deriding the project.
Saturday is a MUST win, but its also a MUST support.
COYFB. [Post edited 18 Dec 17:16]
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:08 - Dec 18 with 640 views | Cafe_Newman |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 08:58 - Dec 18 by ArnieM |
Like it or not it has to come initially from the players on the pitch . If there is intensity (where has that gone ?) and full on up it and at em on the pitch the crowd WILL 100% become more engaged . This is my point about the pedestrain appraoch by us this season , (by and larhe). It doesnt inspire that connection between the players and fans .
The last home game , we didnt really up the anti until the seconda half ( This is a classic patterne by us )... when they did, the crowd were at it . But first half , it was quite . Yes the SBR tried to get up enthusiasm but it reflects to intesnity and drive they are seeing on the pitch . Downvote me all you want, (usual individuals) but that is the simple fact of the matter. |
I agree that it should come from the players, but someone's got to start it.
However, the players are being paid to be there and we are paying to be entertained, the onus is on us really. |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:19 - Dec 18 with 606 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 08:48 - Dec 18 by unstableblue |
Have you been in an away end this season?
Have you read this board?
If you go by the people around me at PR they’ve been disconnected from this group of players from the start of the season. Look maybe it’s 30%, maybe it’s less than than 20%
But it’s significant. [Post edited 18 Dec 9:30]
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You got it right in your last line. No editing now! |  |
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:23 - Dec 18 with 603 views | bluefunk |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 08:22 - Dec 18 by chantryblueboy |
2 things
Spent the whole of last season being told that we couldn’t expect to compete because of how much better funded the rest of the league were than us. This season, all 3 promoted teams looking so far superior to us last season, while we are now so much better funded than the rest of the league and can see that it counts for nothing
The other thing is that while you can be as good as you like off the pitch, if you keep getting recruitment wrong you’re not going to get anywhere. Just because Ashton says it’s the most exciting project since the moon landing doesn’t make that a fact |
1 other thing
After 16 games we had 12 points last season with a -12 goal difference, while currently Burnley have only 10 points from 16 games and -15. Interesting definition of ‘far superior’. For clarity I’m pointing out the facts, rather than an opinion. |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:31 - Dec 18 with 589 views | unstableblue |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:19 - Dec 18 by The_Flashing_Smile |
You got it right in your last line. No editing now! |
Good spot. Editing done! | |
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:31 - Dec 18 with 591 views | Meadowlark |
It's not 40% though is it? Sure it might look like it on here when the moaners come on after a loss, but that's not representative.
And the away support was fantastic last weekend at Leicester. Yes we had to pull a goal back before it really kicked in, but those first two goals killed the mood somewhat. I deny any group of fans not to be stunned by them.
Home support is a two-way thing. We all want the team to do well, but sometimes a spark is needed from the pitch to ignite the terraces. |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:41 - Dec 18 with 556 views | chantryblueboy |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:23 - Dec 18 by bluefunk |
1 other thing
After 16 games we had 12 points last season with a -12 goal difference, while currently Burnley have only 10 points from 16 games and -15. Interesting definition of ‘far superior’. For clarity I’m pointing out the facts, rather than an opinion. |
Ah sorry mate great point |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:50 - Dec 18 with 556 views | djgooder |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 07:56 - Dec 18 by The_Flashing_Smile |
I'd say about 95%, and the other 5% are halfwits who are mostly invested in the next round. |
Halfwits or numbskulls? |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:55 - Dec 18 with 535 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:50 - Dec 18 by djgooder |
Halfwits or numbskulls? |
2.5% halfwits, 3% numbskulls and another 0.5% who are no good at maths. | |
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:57 - Dec 18 with 536 views | Churchman |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 08:22 - Dec 18 by chantryblueboy |
2 things
Spent the whole of last season being told that we couldn’t expect to compete because of how much better funded the rest of the league were than us. This season, all 3 promoted teams looking so far superior to us last season, while we are now so much better funded than the rest of the league and can see that it counts for nothing
The other thing is that while you can be as good as you like off the pitch, if you keep getting recruitment wrong you’re not going to get anywhere. Just because Ashton says it’s the most exciting project since the moon landing doesn’t make that a fact |
Firstly, we were never told last season we could never expect to compete. Just that it would be difficult, as had proven to be the case for the vast majority of clubs for very many years. The 3 promoted clubs this season are not looking ‘far superior to us last season’. Burnley are second bottom and there they’ll stay, unless Wolves get their act together. Leeds, despite having a good chunk of their PL team still there plus additions and proper Premier League facilities and large support are close to the drop zone. They aren’t much better than we were this time last year.
The exception is Sunderland. I watched their game on Sunday. They are cohesive, hard working and reminded me of a less talented version of us 2000/01. They are having a brilliant time of it and well done them. But their achievement is not the normal way of establishing yourself in the PL and remember it wasn’t that long ago they spent 10 years in it with all the facilities and football ground that go with that. They are not the measure. A club like Brighton is, or a Fulham, Brentford, Forest.
Secondly, we do not ‘keep getting recruitment wrong’. A generalism like that is plain wrong. Firstly, name a manager who ever got recruitment 100% right? Plenty of Cook’s recruits didn’t work out. Just because you are trading at a higher level with more expensive players doesn’t mean you’ll get it right every time. There are no guarantees with real human beings, however easy it is with FM25.
The only player we’ve lost money on in recent years that I can see is Morsy and given what he did for us, that was not a loss in the true sense of the word. We might lose money on one or two, but we will make money on one or two, just as we have so far in Delap and Omari. It’s how it is. Do I think some of our signings are puzzling? Too right I do. Some of the loans too - not least the disastrous risk on Phillips and Cajuste who delivered f all.
When you see the players doing what they do up close, I believe they are light years better than we’ve seen here probably in relative terms since Burley’s time. That they are not a team has little to do with their individual ability. I think the ‘team’ aspect will come, just as it did with KMs first good team. It took six months to a year. Lyall’s lovely promotion team was composed mainly of players who been around in Duncan’s dismal days. It took time. And it’s taking time now.
So many hate the players and the manager (in the manager out thread 2 Dec, the sample was two to one in retaining him but twenty put their names down as wanting him out). Maybe they should try a little harder and remember what sport is all about. When I see them not trying, I’ll call them out. But I’ve not seen that. Lack of cohesion, errors aplenty but not that.
As for not liking players, what’s Hirst done besides be off form and not have a settled front line with him? He gives his all and is likeable. Nunez, Kipre, Davis - all of them are likeable. They’re just not the best team at the moment. They may never be but it won’t be for the want of trying.
Lastly and the most important point of all is the dismissal ‘you can be as good as you like off the pitch’. The infrastructure of the club is actually far more important than the 11 trotting out to play this week.
Without the ‘off the pitch’ stuff you have nothing. Some might yearn for the days of Clegg and the turnstiles paint. I do not because as Evans allowed this club to rot from the inside out it was inevitable we would fall into League 2 or lower. Maybe even out of business. At one desperate point I hoped the club would go to the wall to enable it to reform with proper foundations.
Gamechanger changed all that and it’s those very foundations Ashton and co are trying to build. Sustained success comes from that.
Have we on the pitch under achieved this season so far? Yes. Have performances been good enough? Some have, too many haven’t. Do I think the team balance is right? Not really. We can be unplayable or toothless. Will we succeed this season? In all honesty I doubt it. But I believe we will next - if people remain patient and perhaps try encouraging the players rather than destroying them.
I get that for many people, blame and destroying stuff is great. It fills empty holes in empty lives but to those that enjoy abusing Muric, Hirst, McKenna, Clarke, whoever, you’ll never achieve anything with it.
Overall the football club is going in the right direction. That’s obvious walking into PR. Let the owners and management do their thing and let’s see where it takes us. I suspect in the longer term that’ll be a far better place than we’ve seen in relative terms since Cobbold’s time. |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:18 - Dec 18 with 495 views | ITFC_Forever |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 08:48 - Dec 18 by unstableblue |
Have you been in an away end this season?
Have you read this board?
If you go by the people around me at PR they’ve been disconnected from this group of players from the start of the season. Look maybe it’s 30%, maybe it’s less than than 20%
But it’s significant. [Post edited 18 Dec 9:30]
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Yes, plenty thank you.
And yes, I’m regularly on this board. Not sure a cesspit of misinformation is an accurate barometer of the whole fanbase. |  |
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:41 - Dec 18 with 476 views | Funge |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 09:57 - Dec 18 by Churchman |
Firstly, we were never told last season we could never expect to compete. Just that it would be difficult, as had proven to be the case for the vast majority of clubs for very many years. The 3 promoted clubs this season are not looking ‘far superior to us last season’. Burnley are second bottom and there they’ll stay, unless Wolves get their act together. Leeds, despite having a good chunk of their PL team still there plus additions and proper Premier League facilities and large support are close to the drop zone. They aren’t much better than we were this time last year.
The exception is Sunderland. I watched their game on Sunday. They are cohesive, hard working and reminded me of a less talented version of us 2000/01. They are having a brilliant time of it and well done them. But their achievement is not the normal way of establishing yourself in the PL and remember it wasn’t that long ago they spent 10 years in it with all the facilities and football ground that go with that. They are not the measure. A club like Brighton is, or a Fulham, Brentford, Forest.
Secondly, we do not ‘keep getting recruitment wrong’. A generalism like that is plain wrong. Firstly, name a manager who ever got recruitment 100% right? Plenty of Cook’s recruits didn’t work out. Just because you are trading at a higher level with more expensive players doesn’t mean you’ll get it right every time. There are no guarantees with real human beings, however easy it is with FM25.
The only player we’ve lost money on in recent years that I can see is Morsy and given what he did for us, that was not a loss in the true sense of the word. We might lose money on one or two, but we will make money on one or two, just as we have so far in Delap and Omari. It’s how it is. Do I think some of our signings are puzzling? Too right I do. Some of the loans too - not least the disastrous risk on Phillips and Cajuste who delivered f all.
When you see the players doing what they do up close, I believe they are light years better than we’ve seen here probably in relative terms since Burley’s time. That they are not a team has little to do with their individual ability. I think the ‘team’ aspect will come, just as it did with KMs first good team. It took six months to a year. Lyall’s lovely promotion team was composed mainly of players who been around in Duncan’s dismal days. It took time. And it’s taking time now.
So many hate the players and the manager (in the manager out thread 2 Dec, the sample was two to one in retaining him but twenty put their names down as wanting him out). Maybe they should try a little harder and remember what sport is all about. When I see them not trying, I’ll call them out. But I’ve not seen that. Lack of cohesion, errors aplenty but not that.
As for not liking players, what’s Hirst done besides be off form and not have a settled front line with him? He gives his all and is likeable. Nunez, Kipre, Davis - all of them are likeable. They’re just not the best team at the moment. They may never be but it won’t be for the want of trying.
Lastly and the most important point of all is the dismissal ‘you can be as good as you like off the pitch’. The infrastructure of the club is actually far more important than the 11 trotting out to play this week.
Without the ‘off the pitch’ stuff you have nothing. Some might yearn for the days of Clegg and the turnstiles paint. I do not because as Evans allowed this club to rot from the inside out it was inevitable we would fall into League 2 or lower. Maybe even out of business. At one desperate point I hoped the club would go to the wall to enable it to reform with proper foundations.
Gamechanger changed all that and it’s those very foundations Ashton and co are trying to build. Sustained success comes from that.
Have we on the pitch under achieved this season so far? Yes. Have performances been good enough? Some have, too many haven’t. Do I think the team balance is right? Not really. We can be unplayable or toothless. Will we succeed this season? In all honesty I doubt it. But I believe we will next - if people remain patient and perhaps try encouraging the players rather than destroying them.
I get that for many people, blame and destroying stuff is great. It fills empty holes in empty lives but to those that enjoy abusing Muric, Hirst, McKenna, Clarke, whoever, you’ll never achieve anything with it.
Overall the football club is going in the right direction. That’s obvious walking into PR. Let the owners and management do their thing and let’s see where it takes us. I suspect in the longer term that’ll be a far better place than we’ve seen in relative terms since Cobbold’s time. |
Honestly, this is a pretty good counter to most of my pessimism - if I may summarise, you're asking that we all be patient at a time when, for the first period in 3 or 4 years, we're in the doldrums, relatively speaking.
Rationally, yours is a reasonable stance to take.
The obvious counter, sadly, is that football is both irrational and impatient nowadays - we have 18 months to get back to the Prem before we lose a huge financial advantage. That's the gloomy reality of the situation - if we assume that Sunderland stay up this year, then one of the relegated teams will be an established Prem team with very deep pockets. Simply, I take the view that the Champ next season will be a fair amount tougher than this.
Someone made the point on here recently that were McK to leave, the obvious choice to replace him would be McK - and it's quite difficult to get past that.
I really dislike Ashton's public persona - *really* dislike it - but, of course, he is a far, far better custodian of the club than the previous incumbent. That said, I do feel that a proportion of our fanbase assume that the Americans will be satisfied with his and McKs performances these past 18 months, almost as if the Cobbolds were still in charge - honestly, I very much do not think they are.
One of the Americans - I forget who, he came over for the Needham Market friendly at the start of the season we got promoted from L1; bloke had a handlebar moustache as I recall - gave a fairly telling interview along the lines of how he gets fed positive affirmation from all of the various CEOs beneath him all the time, including Ashton - but that the real challenge came when his companies were under-performing, alluding to the many excuses that said CEOs would then make.....
I am certain that Ashton is coming under fairly intense scrutiny from the Americans at present, which I think is no bad thing.
Anyway, I digress - you are more optimistic than I, which, frankly, is a good thing. I really hope McK can find some magic, akin to 2 seasons ago,
Uppa Towun, and so forth.
EDIT - as I typed some of this with my feet, it appears. [Post edited 18 Dec 10:45]
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:50 - Dec 18 with 458 views | DazBoGangles |
It's a combination of expectation, impatience and a noisy minority. Five years ago we'd have given everything to be where we are now in the table, let alone what's happening off the pitch. Fail to finish in top 6 and given what he's had to work with, McKenna should go - but let's face it... that's not going to happen.
It's not getting too high or too low.
Stuart Watson wrote a great piece this week. In L1 promotion season, it wasn't until March when automatic promotion felt realistic. In CH promotion season, we almost gave it up over the Xmas period.
Ultimately, we've underperformed and we're in the play-offs. I am certain we will finish in the top 3 with Cov and Boro - it's just are we good enough for top 2? If not, I bet we have a Wembley day out waiting. Southampton aren't the team everyone suggests they are - they too have scars and their defence is woeful.
Leeds should be our blueprint. It took them this long to start looking like a contender in their first season down - if we don't quite get over the line this year, I'd argue we're a great shout for the title next season (and no, I don't believe the league will be far stronger as Wolves and Burnley are nothing special). | | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:52 - Dec 18 with 450 views | tractorboy1978 |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:41 - Dec 18 by Funge |
Honestly, this is a pretty good counter to most of my pessimism - if I may summarise, you're asking that we all be patient at a time when, for the first period in 3 or 4 years, we're in the doldrums, relatively speaking.
Rationally, yours is a reasonable stance to take.
The obvious counter, sadly, is that football is both irrational and impatient nowadays - we have 18 months to get back to the Prem before we lose a huge financial advantage. That's the gloomy reality of the situation - if we assume that Sunderland stay up this year, then one of the relegated teams will be an established Prem team with very deep pockets. Simply, I take the view that the Champ next season will be a fair amount tougher than this.
Someone made the point on here recently that were McK to leave, the obvious choice to replace him would be McK - and it's quite difficult to get past that.
I really dislike Ashton's public persona - *really* dislike it - but, of course, he is a far, far better custodian of the club than the previous incumbent. That said, I do feel that a proportion of our fanbase assume that the Americans will be satisfied with his and McKs performances these past 18 months, almost as if the Cobbolds were still in charge - honestly, I very much do not think they are.
One of the Americans - I forget who, he came over for the Needham Market friendly at the start of the season we got promoted from L1; bloke had a handlebar moustache as I recall - gave a fairly telling interview along the lines of how he gets fed positive affirmation from all of the various CEOs beneath him all the time, including Ashton - but that the real challenge came when his companies were under-performing, alluding to the many excuses that said CEOs would then make.....
I am certain that Ashton is coming under fairly intense scrutiny from the Americans at present, which I think is no bad thing.
Anyway, I digress - you are more optimistic than I, which, frankly, is a good thing. I really hope McK can find some magic, akin to 2 seasons ago,
Uppa Towun, and so forth.
EDIT - as I typed some of this with my feet, it appears. [Post edited 18 Dec 10:45]
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ORG have just sold part of their stake at a £350m valuation so I would imagine they are delighted. And Bright Path were happy to pay a £350m valuation so I would imagine they are very happy with the trajectory of the club too. I think the owners have more patience and a longer term view of success than a lot of fans to be honest. [Post edited 18 Dec 10:54]
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:56 - Dec 18 with 437 views | NthQldITFC |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:41 - Dec 18 by Funge |
Honestly, this is a pretty good counter to most of my pessimism - if I may summarise, you're asking that we all be patient at a time when, for the first period in 3 or 4 years, we're in the doldrums, relatively speaking.
Rationally, yours is a reasonable stance to take.
The obvious counter, sadly, is that football is both irrational and impatient nowadays - we have 18 months to get back to the Prem before we lose a huge financial advantage. That's the gloomy reality of the situation - if we assume that Sunderland stay up this year, then one of the relegated teams will be an established Prem team with very deep pockets. Simply, I take the view that the Champ next season will be a fair amount tougher than this.
Someone made the point on here recently that were McK to leave, the obvious choice to replace him would be McK - and it's quite difficult to get past that.
I really dislike Ashton's public persona - *really* dislike it - but, of course, he is a far, far better custodian of the club than the previous incumbent. That said, I do feel that a proportion of our fanbase assume that the Americans will be satisfied with his and McKs performances these past 18 months, almost as if the Cobbolds were still in charge - honestly, I very much do not think they are.
One of the Americans - I forget who, he came over for the Needham Market friendly at the start of the season we got promoted from L1; bloke had a handlebar moustache as I recall - gave a fairly telling interview along the lines of how he gets fed positive affirmation from all of the various CEOs beneath him all the time, including Ashton - but that the real challenge came when his companies were under-performing, alluding to the many excuses that said CEOs would then make.....
I am certain that Ashton is coming under fairly intense scrutiny from the Americans at present, which I think is no bad thing.
Anyway, I digress - you are more optimistic than I, which, frankly, is a good thing. I really hope McK can find some magic, akin to 2 seasons ago,
Uppa Towun, and so forth.
EDIT - as I typed some of this with my feet, it appears. [Post edited 18 Dec 10:45]
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One thing which is too often forgotten about I think is that we went up from League One to the Premier League through momentum.
Our squad wasn't nearly as strong or deep as Leicester's or Southampton's and yet we outcompeted both of them through most of the season because of our fight and togetherness.
It was inevitable we'd lose that momentum during last season and going into this, so we're not building as a normal parachute club, but as a sort of half parachute club really. |  |
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 11:34 - Dec 18 with 400 views | Wright1 |
Honestly, if anything is making following Town or going to games unenjoyable at the moment, it is certain sections of our fanbase.
First is the toxic, privileged, negative lot who past vitriol on forums and social or worse are groaning at every little mistake and getting on the players backs - which is so counter productive for performances and is just generally unpleasant to be around.
The second is for lack of a better phrase, old duffers who are also negative and privileged in their own way and moan about anything changing and attack anything that comes out of Mark Ashton's mouth - the ticket resale thing is a prime example of something that was perfectly reasonable but was somehow spun to some massive slight. Yes we get it, some of you have been coming longer than I have been alive or sat in the same seat since time began but that doesn't give you any special status over anyone else. Football moves forward and the club have to do the same or be left behind - you have no right to stand in the way of progress or the next generation of fans.
Sorry - that was more of a rant than I intended. I just wish people could appreciate that whilst things aren't perfect, we are lucky to have progressive owners who want to invest and compete, a great young manager and our wonderful, historic football club. | | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 11:52 - Dec 18 with 373 views | jasondozzell |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 08:03 - Dec 18 by LRB84UK |
Been at almost all away games this season, Saturday was awful. The grown men, some with their grandchildren, calling the players every name under the sun for 90 mins. They weren't quiet in their abuse either it was a horrible atmosphere around us. Maybe, because I'm a woman I see it differently, you wouldn't want someone talking about you friend, child, relative like that so what makes it ok to shout abuse for 90 mins. I get we all pay our money and travel a long, long way to the games, but we choose to do that. No one forces us to go to away games so why be so bitter and toxic, just stay at home. We've had 3 (yes I am including last season) amazing seasons but the way people are carrying on you would think we're rock bottom, no wins to our name and losing 7.0 every game!
Our off the ball work has improved immensely this season, watching Jaden, George, Kipre off the ball is a joy. This team will continue to improve and the results will come.
Been coming to the football for almost 40 years and this is the best I've seen the club, particularly off the pitch. The atmosphere around the club, the re development, the way we are heading, is amazing. We need to be patient and enjoy it, not hurtle abuse every time a pass goes astray |
Brilliant post. |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 11:59 - Dec 18 with 363 views | MattinLondon |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 01:28 - Dec 18 by RadioOrwell |
It's not a must win.
A cup final is a must win.
We have never lost a cup final.
If we lose we can still go up. |
If the club and players still harbour thoughts of automatic promotion then Saturday is must-win. Losing on Saturday will cast us further from the top two. |  | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:08 - Dec 18 with 342 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 11:59 - Dec 18 by MattinLondon |
If the club and players still harbour thoughts of automatic promotion then Saturday is must-win. Losing on Saturday will cast us further from the top two. |
Nope. There are a certain amount of games that are "must win" if we want to get automatic promotion, but there is nothing to suggest which ones they are. | |
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:15 - Dec 18 with 334 views | MattinLondon |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:08 - Dec 18 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Nope. There are a certain amount of games that are "must win" if we want to get automatic promotion, but there is nothing to suggest which ones they are. |
Nope. When you’re playing against teams in the bottom right then they should be winnable. By losing such matches, the team simply puts more pressure in themselves to get a result against better teams.
If we don’t want the gap to widen between us and the tops two then Saturday is a must-win. | | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:45 - Dec 18 with 315 views | jasondozzell |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:15 - Dec 18 by MattinLondon |
Nope. When you’re playing against teams in the bottom right then they should be winnable. By losing such matches, the team simply puts more pressure in themselves to get a result against better teams.
If we don’t want the gap to widen between us and the tops two then Saturday is a must-win. |
We could lose to Wednesday and get promoted.
We could beat Wednesday and not be promoted.
It's the Championship. | | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:48 - Dec 18 with 307 views | Churchman |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 10:41 - Dec 18 by Funge |
Honestly, this is a pretty good counter to most of my pessimism - if I may summarise, you're asking that we all be patient at a time when, for the first period in 3 or 4 years, we're in the doldrums, relatively speaking.
Rationally, yours is a reasonable stance to take.
The obvious counter, sadly, is that football is both irrational and impatient nowadays - we have 18 months to get back to the Prem before we lose a huge financial advantage. That's the gloomy reality of the situation - if we assume that Sunderland stay up this year, then one of the relegated teams will be an established Prem team with very deep pockets. Simply, I take the view that the Champ next season will be a fair amount tougher than this.
Someone made the point on here recently that were McK to leave, the obvious choice to replace him would be McK - and it's quite difficult to get past that.
I really dislike Ashton's public persona - *really* dislike it - but, of course, he is a far, far better custodian of the club than the previous incumbent. That said, I do feel that a proportion of our fanbase assume that the Americans will be satisfied with his and McKs performances these past 18 months, almost as if the Cobbolds were still in charge - honestly, I very much do not think they are.
One of the Americans - I forget who, he came over for the Needham Market friendly at the start of the season we got promoted from L1; bloke had a handlebar moustache as I recall - gave a fairly telling interview along the lines of how he gets fed positive affirmation from all of the various CEOs beneath him all the time, including Ashton - but that the real challenge came when his companies were under-performing, alluding to the many excuses that said CEOs would then make.....
I am certain that Ashton is coming under fairly intense scrutiny from the Americans at present, which I think is no bad thing.
Anyway, I digress - you are more optimistic than I, which, frankly, is a good thing. I really hope McK can find some magic, akin to 2 seasons ago,
Uppa Towun, and so forth.
EDIT - as I typed some of this with my feet, it appears. [Post edited 18 Dec 10:45]
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The thing is, I don’t think we are in the doldrums. Far from it. The club itself is progressing in away it’s never done, probably since it turned professional in the 1930s. The team is underperforming. We all know that and it’s very disappointing. But we are not going to get relegated, we have good players and the team will perform more consistently going forward - in my opinion. If we fail this year, I don’t think we will next.
The only thing that will stop that is the toxic atmosphere and abuse that so many, including on here, enjoy. It’s the cowards way because they’d never abuse one to one to a players face. Not unless they fancied a trip to A&E anyway.
The other issue is replacing McKenna. The miserymob will get their dearest wish and he’ll be gone before or at season’s end. He knows he doesn’t have large percentage of the crowd’s support and he’s been here a while now. He will get plenty of offers from bigger, better clubs.
Yes, football is irrational. If it wasn’t, there would be no point to it and its very irrationality is why patience is so important along with understanding why and what to do next.
I’m not overboard on Ashton's public persona either. But compared to the clowns Evans put in and including Evans, I can live with the Brentishness. As for the handlebar moustache and cowboy boots bloke I think he was the finance dude before Tom Ball and said in front of Ashton about CEOs ‘don’t p£ss on my boots and tell me it’s raining’.
I doubt the Americans are happy with current team performance and they’re not famed for their patience so I agree - Ashton and in turn McKenna will be under a heck of a lot of scrutiny - and rightly so. Nothing wrong with that. But the positive spin on that is it’s all about what you do next. | | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:53 - Dec 18 with 297 views | mellowblue |
clubs are like wives/husbands. We like to moan about them but it doesn't mean we don't love them or are disconnected from them. | | | |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 13:02 - Dec 18 with 289 views | Funge |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:48 - Dec 18 by Churchman |
The thing is, I don’t think we are in the doldrums. Far from it. The club itself is progressing in away it’s never done, probably since it turned professional in the 1930s. The team is underperforming. We all know that and it’s very disappointing. But we are not going to get relegated, we have good players and the team will perform more consistently going forward - in my opinion. If we fail this year, I don’t think we will next.
The only thing that will stop that is the toxic atmosphere and abuse that so many, including on here, enjoy. It’s the cowards way because they’d never abuse one to one to a players face. Not unless they fancied a trip to A&E anyway.
The other issue is replacing McKenna. The miserymob will get their dearest wish and he’ll be gone before or at season’s end. He knows he doesn’t have large percentage of the crowd’s support and he’s been here a while now. He will get plenty of offers from bigger, better clubs.
Yes, football is irrational. If it wasn’t, there would be no point to it and its very irrationality is why patience is so important along with understanding why and what to do next.
I’m not overboard on Ashton's public persona either. But compared to the clowns Evans put in and including Evans, I can live with the Brentishness. As for the handlebar moustache and cowboy boots bloke I think he was the finance dude before Tom Ball and said in front of Ashton about CEOs ‘don’t p£ss on my boots and tell me it’s raining’.
I doubt the Americans are happy with current team performance and they’re not famed for their patience so I agree - Ashton and in turn McKenna will be under a heck of a lot of scrutiny - and rightly so. Nothing wrong with that. But the positive spin on that is it’s all about what you do next. |
I must confess, I do take issue with your (repeated) assertion that ITFC supporters are 'toxic' - on the contrary, the support the team have had this part 15 months when, let's face it, we've taken some *absolute* shoeings, has been pretty solid.
The worst thing I can say is that the majority of the crowd on matchday is often disinterested, verging on bored - but toxic seems to be, respectfully, hyperbolic.
McK will certainly get offers from elsewhere when he leaves - but bigger than us? I dunno - that ship sailed off to Brighton last summer, with McK being plenty well enough rewarded at the same time.
Comments regarding 'doldrums' are relative to our performances over the past 4 seasons.
To reiterate, you have more optimism, and patience, than I - which is, all told, a good thing. [Post edited 18 Dec 13:03]
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 13:09 - Dec 18 with 274 views | Illinoisblue |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 07:44 - Dec 18 by unstableblue |
Completely made up, based on home and away fans around me, and this forum.
You think it’s less than 30-40% of town fans are disconnected at the moment? Doesn’t feel like it. |
Disconnected is such a vague metric to measure. It’s probably not much deeper than fans being shaken up after an underwhelming prem season and a somewhat underwhelming first half of this season. But the overall curve of the club is clearly trending upwards. The stadium is looking amazing, we’re awash with money, shirts are selling like never before, we should make the playoffs and have a trip to Wembley…. League 1 under Lambert this is not. |  |
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| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 13:19 - Dec 18 with 254 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| At one point did so many Town fans get divested in the rejuvenation of the club? on 12:15 - Dec 18 by MattinLondon |
Nope. When you’re playing against teams in the bottom right then they should be winnable. By losing such matches, the team simply puts more pressure in themselves to get a result against better teams.
If we don’t want the gap to widen between us and the tops two then Saturday is a must-win. |
I understand we ought to. We ought to have beaten Maidstone at home but we didn't. It's not a good look but funny things happen in football. None of which makes Saturday a must-win. | |
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