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Townsend: We're Coming Back Hungry to Right the Relegation Wrong
Tuesday, 1st Jul 2025 10:45

Full-back Conor Townsend believes a lot of positives can be taken from last season, despite the Blues’ relegation from the Premier League.

Townsend signed from West Bromwich Albion for £750,000 last summer knowing that he was primarily being brought in as back-up to Leif Davis.

The 32-year-old went on to make three starts and three sub appearances in the Premier League as well as three starts in cup competitions, but despite his infrequent involvement impressed fans and the Town management.

“On a personal level, I would obviously have liked to have played a little bit more, but I was signed to come in and help the squad, whether that be on a matchday or round the training ground,” he told TWTD.

“I thought Leif [Davis] was brilliant, in the first half of the season. I didn’t get a look in and that’s a credit to him and how he was performing. I was trying to help him in any way I could.

“Obviously as a team we were disappointed we got relegated, the goal was always to try and stay up, but we’ve not managed to do that.

“But we’re coming back this summer with a lot of hunger to try and put that wrong right and get back to the Premier League.”

Despite relegation, the mood in the camp always appeared positive with no signs of the behind-the-scenes discord often found in squads in difficult seasons.

“The culture within the club that the manager and the staff have built with the players was evident from the moment I joined, to be honest,” Townsend reflected.

“Even when things weren’t going our way on the pitch, we always stuck together, we always realised that everyone was working hard for each other and we were all trying our best to be the best we can.

“If standards were dropping in training, we’d drag each other through it and that’s why the club has had so much success over the past three or four years.

“The Premier League’s an incredibly hard league and we gave it our all. We came up short but if we can keep that same camaraderie as a team and that togetherness, dragging each other through when things get tough, then I’m sure we’ll be challenging up the right end of the table.”

Townsend, who along with his teammates will be back at Playford Road for the start of pre-season training on Thursday, was one of the few members of the squad to have played in the Premier League prior to last season having been with West Brom during their 2020/21 campaign in the top flight.

Asked whether he felt the division has become even tougher in the time since then, he added: “There’s a big thing at the minute about the promoted teams coming straight back down, it’s happened two seasons in a row. That financial gap between the leagues it is evident and it’s hard, it’s difficult coming up.

“I think last season there were a lot of times we were unlucky, there were plenty of games especially in the first half of the season where we deserved more from it and we didn’t quite manage to get it.

“There were a lot of positives still to take from what happened and we’ve got to try and use that this season.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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Bazza8564 added 11:08 - Jul 1
"especially in the first half of the season" I think thats a very fair point.
For me our season never really recovered from Fulham away. One minute Clarke hits the post to make it 3-1, the next we concede a very naive penalty whilst at the same time Sam Szmodics gets his ankle knock that pretty much finished his season.
We gave it a good shot, but it did deteriorate after that.
Looking forward to getting a few new face through the door now we are in a new PSR season, and finally shedding all the disappointment we all suffered....
20

Karlosfandangal added 11:36 - Jul 1
Hoping the players Town get in the door will be able to keep Town in the Prem if which I think we will return next season.

Then only a few more players instead of a team rebuild on the return
2

Town1Inter0 added 12:09 - Jul 1
I bet he was really frustrated sitting on the bench, watching teams punish us when Leif Davis flew up the wing, leaving a big gap behind him that no one covered or just drifted away from his man.
11

Leutard added 12:21 - Jul 1
We've been hearing a lot from Townsend, he's a little young for like for like, but is he being used in a similar kind of squad role to Aluko - experience and perhaps seen to have coaching/leadership potential?
0

bluebullet29l added 12:31 - Jul 1
Ok mate..I'll hold you to that..
-5

bluebullet29l added 12:34 - Jul 1
It wasn't a relegation wrong pal...we were the 2nd poorest side in the league. Simple.
2

TimmyH added 12:51 - Jul 1
All words and means nothing but I like Townsend, a minute amount spent on a decent defender at Championship level although he might only have 1 or 2 seasons left, money well spent unlike Clarke and Philogene and to a degree Greaves whom the pressure will be on this season.
1

Linkboy13 added 12:53 - Jul 1
Must admit didn't realise he was 32 years old can probably do another two or three seasons in the championship but like many others in the squad no Premier league potential. I think you will find there will be many new faces when we eventually return to the Premier league much to the disappointment of fans who have their favourites.
-4

boysof1981 added 14:19 - Jul 1
We didn’t just come up a little short as he put it, we were miles away from ever staying up.
9

DrJez added 16:48 - Jul 1
You've got 38 games to pick up points. If, after 38 games, you don't have enough points to stay up, then that's not 'a wrong'. It means you weren't good enough. No-one can say "we was robbed".
3

chepstowblue added 17:51 - Jul 1
If we do right it next season, we'll certainly wrong it again the following season !!
-3

armchaircritic59 added 18:07 - Jul 1
I don't think anyone is saying " we was robbed ", we certainly weren't. As a poster above said, the " sliding doors " moment was the Jack Clarke post hit at Fulham that lead directly to a Fulham penalty. League form just capitulated from that point on. Much must have learned from a chasening experience. I guess we'll all find out in a few weeks time!

Hoping for recruitments very soon, even the rumour mill ( which I don't take a lot of notice of ) has virtually dried up. At least that means our " wish list " hasn't been leaked like last pre season, I hope! Gamechanger have their data programme up and running now, I'm expecting results Tout de suite, as the French say!
2

BangaloreBlues added 09:50 - Jul 2
Townsend's words make me tingly.
He should change his name to Townsup.
0


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