Having suffered the ignomy of relegation to Division 4 (Now Div 2) and then gaining promotion as runner's up to Port Vale to Div 3 (now Div 1)-- the City were going really nowhere... until the Messiah that is Jimmy Hill came in. We then started to believe that City could at last be going somewhere. The fight, the passion, the belief we had in the Sky Blues was fantastic !
I'm begining to get that buzz again and thinking that rather than be the end, this could be the begining -- the passion and belief is there.
Forget SISU for a moment -- we are fighting and if we stay up (and I believe we will) we will be far ahead of our rivals in terms of financial stability when all the other clubs have to fall in line with the new financial restrictions. This is one thing we might thank Sisu for in the cold light of day, particulary if they sell to new owners ie Hoffman etc.
For me, I remember the late 1950's and the 1960's as if they were yesterday and believe me, there is now a buzz once again in the Sky Blue camp.
So, let's not look on this as the end, but the begining of a better future.
(Sit's back and awaits all the negative comments!)
I used to think the same til Juke got sold. Now I can't make my mind up. One day I am glad our finances are getting under control. Then I wonder what the closed season has in store for us. Will we lose nearly all of our better players again and have to start again with unbloodied youth players? Another long season ahead? Will we be able to keep our younger and now experienced players as just about all of the big earners will be gone? Keep them and I will be happy. Lose them and..........
I was thinking about this the other day. We've got quite a good nucleus of players now, but would need some level of investment to avoid another season like this one IMO.
Our probable squad next season:
GK: Murphy, Dunn, Burge - That'll do
RB: Christie, Clarke - Both should improve again next season, good enough
CB: Keogh, Wood, Cameron, McPake - I think we'll miss Cranie here, and I expect McPake to go. Could do with someone in here.
LB: Hussey - Desperately need cover here
DM: Thomas - Again, losing Clingan and Norwood will hurt us, need someone good in here
CM: Deegan, Bell, Baker, Bigi - Lacking a little quality here for my liking, perhaps a loanee (Norwood on season long?)
AM: Sheffers, Ruffles - Not Sheffers' biggest fan, and don't know about Ruffles, but looks weak
ST: McDonald, ROD, Jeffers - VERY weak, at the very least we'd need Platt to sign an extension, and probably get another target man in for the times he can't play. Unless the kids come through we'd need someone better than ROD too.
So overall I make it 6 or 7 players short of a competitive team (LB, CB, DM, CM, AM, ST, ST) and I don't think SISU will fund that level of investment. Yet again we'll lose the most experienced, best quality players we have (Cranie, Clingan) and be left short in numbers.
All in all I'd actually be happier seeing that squad in L1, as that's the level I feel it's at without new players.
The big difference between the 60s and now is Derrick Robins - he was a chairman of honesty and integrity. We'll never see evidence of those two qualities under the current ownership.
got to say i agree with most shmmee but cant see us getting norwood or another striker so we may struggle again :wave::wave::thinking about::thinking about:
I'm not as old as VOR but I started going in the 1963 and the belief within the City was tremendous ~ new ideas, new colours ~ but as someone else has said, a chairman who backed his man 100%.