Is anyone else glad we're terrible? (4 Viewers)

[Evo1883]

You think? I'm not saying we have a right to be in the top flight, but I'd always have us down as similar to Southampton, Norwich, West Brom, Birmingham, Ipswich. All clubs that should expect to bounce into the top flight and hang around for a bit, but can equally end up a bit bad.

I mean we look at our period in the top flight strangely imo, we tend to forget that Alot more clubs have spent much longer up there than we have, 27 teams to be exact
Then you have to factor in trophies won, attendances etc... We are definitely a championship club imo

 

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[fernandopartridge]

Yep, not many teams have managed 34 consecutive seasons in the top flight, in the current PL there are only 5 or so that have been there that long:

Arsenal
United
Everton
Liverpool
Spurs



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[Evo1883]

Yep, not many teams have managed 34 consecutive seasons in the top flight, in the current PL there are only 5 or so that have been there that long:

Arsenal
United
Everton
Liverpool
Spurs



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I get that, but it was one stint in our history, 27 other teams have been there for more season than us overall

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I mean we look at our period in the top flight strangely imo, we tend to forget that Alot more clubs have spent much longer up there than we have, 27 teams to be exact
Then you have to factor in trophies won, attendances etc... We are definitely a championship club imo, its also the level we've spent the most time in our history

So in a 20 team top flight, where teams can expect to have a lull from time to time, as the team with the 28th most amount of seasons up there, we ought to be in that gaggle of teams aiming to bounce between the two divisions.

 

[Evo1883]

So in a 20 team top flight, where teams can expect to have a lull from time to time, as the team with the 28th most amount of seasons up there, we ought to be in that gaggle of teams aiming to bounce between the two divisions.

Yea probably, but based on history we are a top 10 championship club all things considered... We punched above our weight to stay up in the top flight for so long

Also there has to come a point where we admit certain teams are bigger than us now, Norwich, Southampton, Leicester, Birmingham etc etc

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Yea probably, but based on history we are a top 10 championship club all things considered... We punched above our weight to stay up in the top flight for so long

But we didn't punch above our weight to get there. Harry Storer era in particular we should have got there, plenty of funding to push us there too, but various circumstances conspiring to make it not happen. Then we hired top level managers from abroad post-war etc. etc.

Equally, we punched below our weight in not getting to the top flight earlier than we did, so it balances out somewhat and the average is about right - aspiring to the top flight, aiming to hit the top flight, aiming to stay there once getting there.

 

[Evo1883]

But we didn't punch above our weight to get there. Harry Storer era in particular we should have got there, plenty of funding to push us there too, but various circumstances conspiring to make it not happen. Then we hired top level managers from abroad post-war etc. etc.

Equally, we punched below our weight in not getting to the top flight earlier than we did, so it balances out somewhat and the average is about right - aspiring to the top flight, aiming to hit the top flight, aiming to stay there once getting there.

Would you say Coventry are still bigger than teams like Southampton etc.. I wouldn't not anymore

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Would you say Coventry are still bigger than teams like Southampton etc.. I wouldn't not anymore

I'd have never said they were bigger than Southampton. I'd have said they were a similar size however.

 

[Evo1883]

I'd have never said they were bigger than Southampton. I'd have said they were a similar size however.

Let's be real here, we can think what we like but we are a club who got a lower average attendance than Barnsley in the same division last season..
We are in no position to say we belong in the Premier league..

That being said I'd be content with championship football and the hope of Premier league

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Let's be real here, we can think what we like but we are a club who got a lower average attendance than Barnsley in the same division last season..

That's a one-off season. All clubs wax and wane.

We are in no position to say we belong in the Premier league..

I haven't said that.

 

[Liquid Gold]

I've always thought of Southampton as the club we most resemble, they're just going through an extended good period while our rubbish period never seems to end.

The problem we have now is the riches in the Premier League skewing the playing field somewhat. Back in the day an Oldham or Swindon could make it to the top for a couple of years only to return to their level. Now teams like Bournemouth or Huddersfield can use those couple of seasons to completely transform the club. It might mean our potential is to be like Brighton who had a decent top flight spell before going though extended years of troubles.

 

[Evo1883]

One year of Premier league football would sort the club out, we wouldn't even have to buy lol, just take the 100 mill get sorted and await certain relegation... Be debt free

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Now teams like Bournemouth or Huddersfield can use those couple of seasons to completely transform the club.

Or they end up with wage inflation, and do a Bolton or Bradford on going down.

tbf Blackpool and Bradford are examples of clubs that have made it up for a season or two only to then sink back.

 

[Liquid Gold]

Or they end up with wage inflation, and do a Bolton or Bradford on going down.

tbf Blackpool and Bradford are examples of clubs that have made it up for a season only to then sink.

Bradford went down with us though just before the major riches kicked in and Blackpool allegedly had their money stolen by the owners.

Looking at the clubs that have made if to the top flight since our relegation I think solidifies the claim that stadium ownership is what we need. Reading, Hull etc have spent time in there after never doing it before because they've been able to generate revenue to compete in the Championship and take the place we'd expect to be in competing in the Championship and spending occasional time in the Premier League. The stadium has put us back a generation and by the time we're sorted our level will have dropped. Same as us being a big team in League 1 when we first came down but nobody really paying special attention to us these days.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Bradford went down with us though just before the major riches kicked in and Blackpool allegedly had their money stolen by the owners.

Looking at the clubs that have made if to the top flight since our relegation I think solidifies the claim that stadium ownership is what we need. Reading, Hull etc have spent time in there after never doing it before because they've been able to generate revenue to compete in the Championship and take the place we'd expect to be in competing in the Championship and spending occasional time in the Premier League. The stadium has put us back a generation and by the time we're sorted our level will have dropped. Same as us being a big team in League 1 when we first came down but nobody really paying special attention to us these days.

You could however argue that Reading are slowly sinking, as Oldham did.

Hull too are going backwards but have always been an abberation really. They and Plymouth would always be the clubs in a large-ish city with a half-decent catchment area, who've singularly underperformed.

(As an aside if I were an Arab billionaire, I'd find buying Plymouth and taking them into the top flight far more exciting than buying an already established club)

Incidentally Hull's ground is owned by the City Council, and shared with a rugby club... although the football club's owner does own the stadium management company. Low rent, short lease, expected to pay a percentage of the profit to the council, but it's never made a profit since he took it on. He has, however, made enemies of the other local sports clubs of the area... along with enemies of a number of Hull City fans.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

I think we'd be a top half Championship club, occasionally having the odd season in the Prem.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

One year of Premier league football would sort the club out, we wouldn't even have to buy lol, just take the 100 mill get sorted and await certain relegation... Be debt free

I've thought if we ever did manage to do that should we just use the money to fund a new stadium that we 100% own rather than splurge on players trying to stay up? Long term it would be the sensible thing to do.

 

[Speedies_Chips]

You could however argue that Reading are slowly sinking, as Oldham did.

Hull too are going backwards but have always been an abberation really. They and Plymouth would always be the clubs in a large-ish city with a half-decent catchment area, who've singularly underperformed.

(As an aside if I were an Arab billionaire, I'd find buying Plymouth and taking them into the top flight far more exciting than buying an already established club)

Incidentally Hull's ground is owned by the City Council, and shared with a rugby club... although the football club's owner does own the stadium management company. Low rent, short lease, expected to pay a percentage of the profit to the council, but it's never made a profit since he took it on. He has, however, made enemies of the other local sports clubs of the area... along with enemies of a number of Hull City fans.

I can see Stoke joining that list. I think they may be on a gradual decline.

 

[Johhny Blue]

Don’t get this mentality - it’s shit having to play bury, Accrington etc, thinking Shipley’s a good player or Godden is a good signing.

The reality is 10 years ago - they’d be no where near our club.

I’d rather be watching better players play for my club against the better teams. Hoping for the odd FA Cup run or a chance to play in Europe

What makes you think we’ll play Bury?