... the start the team made in the first half of the season was fantastic and raised all our expectations. Instead of surviving relegation we started to believe in being in the play-offs. The way we tailed off in the second half (plenty of reasons already mentioned why that happened) was a massive disappointment.
That's right, for most of the seson we were talkin about promotion/play-offs. It was only in the last couple of months where we began to look over our shoulders nervously as another promising start petered out.
Perhaps the players went into "safe mode" after the good start we had, but SP should take some of the blame too. He is still reasonably popular and, with some funds, next season will be his first real chance to make an impact, with no points deductions and having more or less his own team. I hope he gets the full term but, after the way Sisu sacked Thorn, who knows?
The continued presence in Northamton by the owners is literally killing the club with a thousand cuts. Yes the decline started a long time ago, but SISU have been in charge and running the club for 7 years. Where we are now has to be due to their management, despite who they blame. No one has written of any optimism for the future and how can you when SISU's track record is there for everyone to see.
Correct - as others have pointed out, the decline began many years ago but I do not believe that Sisu have not had sufficient chances to turn it around.
The decline started long before SISU. Even before the club left Highfield Rd it was battling to stay in the Championship. Remember the last game at HR? It was a relegation battle ffs.
On the pitch I think the season promised much and delivered little.
I thought we would be relegated this season so in that respect it has been a success. Form since February will be the best indicator of things next season. The squad will be dismantled and rebuilt with cheap and (perhaps) less able players.
Having SP as manager at the start of next season seems unlikely however, the poor performances in the second half of the season might mean he stays. With budgets going down and owners not willing to support things as they should I think next season will be hard.
SISU seem to have budgeted for one more relegation. IMO they're on target to deliver that next season.
The good news is that, if we can get back to the Ricoh and bring back most of our fans, we would be up there with Sheff U as the big boys of the division. The only other decent size clubs will be Bristol City, Preston and MK Dons.
The bad news is that the big boys who have fallen into L1 in the last few years never took more than 3 seasons to get up again - Leicester, Charlton, Man City, Sheffield Wednesday, QPR, Norwich, Southampton, Forest. Next will be our third season and we risk becoming "part of the furniture" in the division, rattling around whilst struggling to make any kind of impact, just as we did in the Championship.
My end of season thoughts;
I am a huge Cov fan and this hasn't disminihed and never will. Yes we are at sixfields and I for one won't go. My opinion is it is morally wrong and the only reason we are there is because 2 greedy stupid horrible business can't agree a deal. So based on that it's seems stupid to go but the passion remains the same for me although to get why it has gone for others (even though they still post in a forum for football)
When we lose it hurts as much as ver and when we win I have a great day. That hasn't changed. I'm so happy we stayed up even though we scraped it and if been docked usual 15 points we would be gone but you play the cards you are dealt and objective achieved.
Unfortunately I'm going to sound obvious here but sisu and the team need to invest in players and wages and get Cov back to the Ricoh and then there is half a chance of promotion or top 6 I should say. This is a poor league with poor teams. Walsall are a very poor team and even we best them twice and still just off playoffs.
The owners need to invest for once and take advantage, look who is coming down. Yeovil, Donny and Barnsley I mean there is a chance. No wolves coming down. But sadly like most there will be no investment and selling Wilson et al for quick money. Like how we got into league 1 and relegation beckons next year.
As above, I agree here. BUT, this year we got 4 fewer points than last year. With budget cuts again, where are we going to see an improvement? Someone else pointed out that it is a mark of how far we have fallen that some fans praise Mark Marshall as a key signing.
Another season of mediocrity, especially if we have another managerial change, and we'll be stuck further in the quick sand into which we have so steadily sunk over the last 12 years or so.
