| That was a good weekend wasn't it? 07:54 - May 5 with 1810 views | Steve_M |
I thoroughly enjoyed Saturday, a real buzz around the town all day building up to the kick-off. That the match was largely a non-event from about 20 to 80 minutes probably helped the day, but a few more goals would have been nicer. Quite telling that we're professional enough not to go chasing more goals for the sake of it on a hot day these days. There was enough drama in the last 20 minutes at Southampton for the whole week!
I think my overriding emotion was relief that we got the job done, lots of the season has been very enjoyable but - unlike two years ago - the ride was not the point of the season, that had to be promotion. There's obviously a lot to dislike about the Premier League but without being in it, the achievements of the last few years could easily fade as our better players get picked off and there's less cash to replace them.
That said, it's good to see that the town wasn't taking this promotion for granted and was out to celebrate it properly. I've now seen five promotions in my lifetime but the fact that three of them have been within the last four years is still pretty special. To think we lost 18 months of watching football to covid, and then three promotions and a relegation in five seasons since!
A good day for the players as well, some players go through a whole career without managing one promotion so for those who have now got two or three here it's clearly special too. There's been a bit too much talk this season about not having the same bond with this team as that two years ago but I hope those people revise their view a bit now.
We've not quite been where we wanted to be for the whole season, some of that was our transfer failings last Summer and some down to the more competitive, attractional division the Championship has been this year. I think we've finished the season well though, done what we needed to do in most games (Portsmouth obviously a glaring exception) and shown real resilience to take points having been behind.
Who knows what next season brings at this point and, frankly, now isn't the time for us fans to worry too much about it. There's a lot of work to do to improve the squad over the Summer but there's also urgent action required to improve the governance of the club which has been shown to be woefully inadequate over recent weeks.
It's going to be an interesting Summer and hopefully we will be better prepared for next season. For now though, the Championship play-offs look like they could be quite fun to watch without our involvement. [Post edited 5 May 11:01]
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 08:42 - May 5 with 1624 views | homer_123 |
As I posted after the match Saturday. It's over to Ashton & Co now, McKenna and the lads have done their job.
I think this season, we have also approached our football differently (barring the last two games). We have been slightly more attritional and dogmatic in our approach and I think that has been deliberate and with one eye on next season.
Also, not many teams (rightly) want to actually play us and be open, which has led to a lot more teams sitting with a low or high block against us.
In many ways, it's a great 'learning' year again for the team (including KM).
I've said, all along, under Gamechanger that we just need to enjoy the ride whatever it brings. I'll approach next year with no difference, if we stay up that will be great - I do think we'll make a better fist of it. But if we don't - we don't.
For now, enjoy another promotion and look forward to watching Prem football next year.
Let's see what Ashton can deliver 'player' wise this summer (earlier the better but will be tough with the WC). |  |
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| Why what happened? on 08:54 - May 5 with 1537 views | Dyland |
gmpf
COYFB! |  |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 08:56 - May 5 with 1539 views | OldFart71 |
Yes it was great. Perhaps this killed the "Sleepy Suffolk" tag. I would love to see a rejuvenated Town centre. Since Debenhams closed the town has been dead and the Debenhams site is a real eyesore.
I am amazed that nothing has been done to it since it's closure. |  | | |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 09:56 - May 5 with 1329 views | homer_123 |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 08:56 - May 5 by OldFart71 |
Yes it was great. Perhaps this killed the "Sleepy Suffolk" tag. I would love to see a rejuvenated Town centre. Since Debenhams closed the town has been dead and the Debenhams site is a real eyesore.
I am amazed that nothing has been done to it since it's closure. |
"I am amazed that nothing has been done to it since it's closure."
I'm not - people simply don't shop and use the high street in the same way they did. The days or large department stores are certainly gone. | |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:36 - May 5 with 1154 views | hype313 |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 09:56 - May 5 by homer_123 |
"I am amazed that nothing has been done to it since it's closure."
I'm not - people simply don't shop and use the high street in the same way they did. The days or large department stores are certainly gone. |
I think most Debenhams stores around the country are in a similar situation, I'm sure Chelmsford was still mothballed.
No one will rent it out on its own, best thing is to carve it up into a few shops, entertainment and food outlet.
Easier said than done. |  |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:39 - May 5 with 1140 views | gringoblue |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:36 - May 5 by hype313 |
I think most Debenhams stores around the country are in a similar situation, I'm sure Chelmsford was still mothballed.
No one will rent it out on its own, best thing is to carve it up into a few shops, entertainment and food outlet.
Easier said than done. |
yep, exactly the same in Nottingham. Massive building on the main square empty. |  | | |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:44 - May 5 with 1105 views | Fixed_It |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:39 - May 5 by gringoblue |
yep, exactly the same in Nottingham. Massive building on the main square empty. |
The one in Northampton, along with M&S next door, has now been demolished. |  |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:46 - May 5 with 1090 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:36 - May 5 by hype313 |
I think most Debenhams stores around the country are in a similar situation, I'm sure Chelmsford was still mothballed.
No one will rent it out on its own, best thing is to carve it up into a few shops, entertainment and food outlet.
Easier said than done. |
Chelmsford's Debenhams is now The Range. |  |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:54 - May 5 with 1051 views | hype313 |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:46 - May 5 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Chelmsford's Debenhams is now The Range. |
Ah cheers, it's been a while since I was last there. | |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:00 - May 5 with 1021 views | _CliveBaker_ |
Good post Steve.
I think a softer benefit of how its happened this time is perhaps the greater licence to be cut throat this summer. While people say there's no room for sentiment, that was always going to be a tough one to tread for McKenna last time, and in reality there was always going to be a huge sentimental aspect. We had a group of players who had dragged us up from L1, straight through the Championship against the odds, largely with the same squad. They really had earned their right to contribute there alongside some of the additions, but in many cases (and politely) weren't premier league players. They hadn't been previously, haven't been since, and won't be again. Chaplin, Morsy, Burgess, Luongo, Al-Hamadi, Edmundson, Harness, and others. Some played more than others in the Premier League, but the speed of that ascent was a challenge in so many ways. Perhaps sentimental, financial, practical. Probably a combination of all of the above.
That core group has largely come to its natural end over the past 18 months or so, and the 'lack of connection' point is perhaps just relative to a group & achievement that probably wont be matched again. In some respects it might make life a bit easier now though, as we look to get the squad set up for Premier league life. |  | | |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:03 - May 5 with 1006 views | giant_stow |
Congrats you feckers! |  |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:05 - May 5 with 993 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:36 - May 5 by hype313 |
I think most Debenhams stores around the country are in a similar situation, I'm sure Chelmsford was still mothballed.
No one will rent it out on its own, best thing is to carve it up into a few shops, entertainment and food outlet.
Easier said than done. |
Wasn't it earmarked to be a food hall?
Its a shame we have a lack of housing but so many empty retail units, perhaps its more expensive to convert them than to build new ones. But that seems like an obvious solution to a) provide more accommodation, and b) bring more footfall to the shops that do remain. | | | |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:20 - May 5 with 912 views | solemio |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 10:36 - May 5 by hype313 |
I think most Debenhams stores around the country are in a similar situation, I'm sure Chelmsford was still mothballed.
No one will rent it out on its own, best thing is to carve it up into a few shops, entertainment and food outlet.
Easier said than done. |
Welwyn Garden City and Taunton certainly are. | | | |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:29 - May 5 with 884 views | ghostofescobar |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 08:42 - May 5 by homer_123 |
As I posted after the match Saturday. It's over to Ashton & Co now, McKenna and the lads have done their job.
I think this season, we have also approached our football differently (barring the last two games). We have been slightly more attritional and dogmatic in our approach and I think that has been deliberate and with one eye on next season.
Also, not many teams (rightly) want to actually play us and be open, which has led to a lot more teams sitting with a low or high block against us.
In many ways, it's a great 'learning' year again for the team (including KM).
I've said, all along, under Gamechanger that we just need to enjoy the ride whatever it brings. I'll approach next year with no difference, if we stay up that will be great - I do think we'll make a better fist of it. But if we don't - we don't.
For now, enjoy another promotion and look forward to watching Prem football next year.
Let's see what Ashton can deliver 'player' wise this summer (earlier the better but will be tough with the WC). |
Agree with that. Earlier in the season someone made an anti KM post saying he only played football one way, which is obviously complete nonsense, and I countered that our style had changed from the 2 promotion seasons. I also think that he has got us playing a more pragmatic style of football. He knows that the swashbuckling style that we carried in to the Prem last time just won’t work. One thing I’ve noticed this season is that we are prepared manage games out, rather than chasing more goals and leaving ourselves open. Hasn’t always worked, as it has invited teams onto us at times, but by and large, the defensive stats bear out that this has worked. It is 100% the approach we’ll need next season. |  |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:53 - May 5 with 825 views | homer_123 |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:03 - May 5 by giant_stow |
Congrats you feckers! |
Gritted teeth! | |
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| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 12:38 - May 5 with 689 views | Vic |
| That was a good weekend wasn't it? on 11:03 - May 5 by giant_stow |
Congrats you feckers! |
Cheers Ullua. You're turn next season. Maybe. Hopefully not  |  |
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