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Post by M on Jun 18, 2018 13:49:21 GMT
Obviously we never wanted to go down. It was never in the plan but positivity is absolutely rife at the moment. Season ticket sales look largely unaffected. We've signed two players we'd have been happy with if we were still in the premiership. A crowd favourite has resigned. We're getting rid of the bad apples and slashing some fat off the wage bill, and should see others going more easily because their wages would have dropped as a result of relegation. The overhaul we've needed is seemingly so much easier now.
The club is making strong statements and the manager choice seems largely universally liked.
What's happened to our club? Everything is looking positive. There's nowhere near as much division on the terraces like there has been over managers for most of my lifetime. Maybe getting relegated was exactly what we needed...?
I don't bet usually, I've already got more vices than I need so that's one I've gone without. I am going to lump some money on us taking the title though.
What is there to stop us?
UTMP!
M
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Post by Absolution on Jun 18, 2018 13:52:11 GMT
Overconfidence. I agree with everything else you say though.
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Post by Paul Spencer on Jun 18, 2018 13:55:32 GMT
Obviously we never wanted to go down. It was never in the plan but positivity is absolutely rife at the moment. Season ticket sales look largely unaffected. We've signed two players we'd have been happy with if we were still in the premiership. A crowd favourite has resigned. We're getting rid of the bad apples and slashing some fat off the wage bill, and should see others going more easily because their wages would have dropped as a result of relegation. The overhaul we've needed is seemingly so much easier now. The club is making strong statements and the manager choice seems largely universally liked. What's happened to our club? Everything is looking positive. There's nowhere near as much division on the terraces like there has been over managers for most of my lifetime. Maybe getting relegated was exactly what we needed...? I don't bet usually, I've already got more vices than I need so that's one I've gone without. I am going to lump some money on us taking the title though. What is there to stop us? UTMP! M Isn't there a very good chance that Allen would have signed a new contract, we would have bought and sold some players and got a new manager even if we hadn't been relegated though? |
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Post by professorplump on Jun 18, 2018 13:56:38 GMT
I agree with the OP but it shouldn't have taken relegation for all this to happen.
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Post by Los Alfareros on Jun 18, 2018 13:58:54 GMT
You forgot we have a corner filled in and stripes on the back of our shirts for next season. The title is a formality mate.  |
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Jun 18, 2018 13:59:21 GMT
A crowd favourite has resigned. Took me about five years to understand what I was looking at here! |
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Post by pottermouth on Jun 18, 2018 14:02:01 GMT
Obviously we never wanted to go down. It was never in the plan but positivity is absolutely rife at the moment. Season ticket sales look largely unaffected. We've signed two players we'd have been happy with if we were still in the premiership. A crowd favourite has resigned. We're getting rid of the bad apples and slashing some fat off the wage bill, and should see others going more easily because their wages would have dropped as a result of relegation. The overhaul we've needed is seemingly so much easier now. The club is making strong statements and the manager choice seems largely universally liked. What's happened to our club? Everything is looking positive. There's nowhere near as much division on the terraces like there has been over managers for most of my lifetime. Maybe getting relegated was exactly what we needed...? I don't bet usually, I've already got more vices than I need so that's one I've gone without. I am going to lump some money on us taking the title though. What is there to stop us? UTMP! M We’ve just been relegated and let’s be under no illusions how difficult this coming season will be. Yes there are some positive things happening but these are just the start of the things that need to happen. I agree with lots of what you say but we mustn’t become deluded thinking it’s going to be a breeze to the title. |
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Post by M on Jun 18, 2018 14:02:28 GMT
Obviously we never wanted to go down. It was never in the plan but positivity is absolutely rife at the moment. Season ticket sales look largely unaffected. We've signed two players we'd have been happy with if we were still in the premiership. A crowd favourite has resigned. We're getting rid of the bad apples and slashing some fat off the wage bill, and should see others going more easily because their wages would have dropped as a result of relegation. The overhaul we've needed is seemingly so much easier now. The club is making strong statements and the manager choice seems largely universally liked. What's happened to our club? Everything is looking positive. There's nowhere near as much division on the terraces like there has been over managers for most of my lifetime. Maybe getting relegated was exactly what we needed...? I don't bet usually, I've already got more vices than I need so that's one I've gone without. I am going to lump some money on us taking the title though. What is there to stop us? UTMP! M Isn't there a very good chance that Allen would have signed a new contract, we would have bought and sold some players and got a new manager even if we hadn't been relegated though? There is. That said, paying players that we no longer want 40% less makes them much more sellable that helps the clear out. If Saido's days are numbered, he will be easier to sell if he's on say 40k than 60k. The same could go for the likes of Imbulla, Bojan, Wimmer (who's now obviously gone) which makes an overhaul easier. |
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Post by lancer on Jun 18, 2018 14:20:52 GMT
Obviously we never wanted to go down. It was never in the plan but positivity is absolutely rife at the moment. Season ticket sales look largely unaffected. We've signed two players we'd have been happy with if we were still in the premiership. A crowd favourite has resigned. We're getting rid of the bad apples and slashing some fat off the wage bill, and should see others going more easily because their wages would have dropped as a result of relegation. The overhaul we've needed is seemingly so much easier now. The club is making strong statements and the manager choice seems largely universally liked. What's happened to our club? Everything is looking positive. There's nowhere near as much division on the terraces like there has been over managers for most of my lifetime. Maybe getting relegated was exactly what we needed...? I don't bet usually, I've already got more vices than I need so that's one I've gone without. I am going to lump some money on us taking the title though. What is there to stop us? UTMP! M We’ve just been relegated and let’s be under no illusions how difficult this coming season will be. Yes there are some positive things happening but these are just the start of the things that need to happen. I agree with lots of what you say but we mustn’t become deluded thinking it’s going to be a breeze to the title. May not be a breeze, but many of us have watched City down amongst the dead men, as well as flying high and loved every minute of it. The Prem is in fact, a bit of a circus where we are told who is great, greater, and even greater. The top six are all that matter, all other teams there as cannon fodder or to show us how the clubs that are owned as toys by super rich foreigners are. I won't particularly miss the Prem. Too much about it is now not hardly related to reality, when players who wouldn't have got into Waddo's Stoke City team are paid two hundred grand a weak for turning out, when matches are played at bloody ridiculous times to suit Sky. Remembers Sky? Remembers the FA saying that Sky would never dictate FA policies?.  |
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Post by robrigo on Jun 18, 2018 14:33:10 GMT
Its going to be a long slog and our squad still needs more depth to cope with Saturday, Tuesdays, injuries and suspensions. Teams will be gunning for us, we have to face the capped one twice, local derbies all over the shop and teams that will be fighting for survival.
We must bear this in mind, ten years in the top flight wont mean shit once the first ball is kicked in anger. Biggest spenders, highest wages - we still have to prove it. The players, manager and the fans.
In saying all that i want a team that can genuinely compete to return and i think we have/will. Thats all we can ask for really at the moment. A squad that gives us a real chance.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2018 14:37:36 GMT
Obviously we never wanted to go down. It was never in the plan but positivity is absolutely rife at the moment. Season ticket sales look largely unaffected. We've signed two players we'd have been happy with if we were still in the premiership. A crowd favourite has resigned. We're getting rid of the bad apples and slashing some fat off the wage bill, and should see others going more easily because their wages would have dropped as a result of relegation. The overhaul we've needed is seemingly so much easier now. The club is making strong statements and the manager choice seems largely universally liked. What's happened to our club? Everything is looking positive. There's nowhere near as much division on the terraces like there has been over managers for most of my lifetime. Maybe getting relegated was exactly what we needed...? I don't bet usually, I've already got more vices than I need so that's one I've gone without. I am going to lump some money on us taking the title though. What is there to stop us? UTMP! M Isn't there a very good chance that Allen would have signed a new contract, we would have bought and sold some players and got a new manager even if we hadn't been relegated though? I think if Calamity Lambert had kept us up by a point he'd still be in place and we'd be in another relegation battle this coming season |
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Post by M on Jun 18, 2018 14:40:36 GMT
I'm under no illusion it's not going to be anything but hard work but I feel a sense of optimism not just in me, but in many others that we've never really had since maybe the first season that we came up and even then it was largely a feeling of 'well lets give it our best shot and see what happens' (Edit. I should really add the second season of Lesley too)
There's rightly a fine lines between arrogance, optimism and hope, but there's a lot of people rightly looking forward to this season. There's a long way to go, there's definitely holes in the squad that need to be filled and other holes to appear no doubt but maybe this is the opportunity we've needed to rebuild quickly and to find our identity again which has long been gone.
I can't bloody wait to get started.
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Post by generationex on Jun 18, 2018 14:46:45 GMT
The good news is the board seem to be prepared to pick up the bill for the last few seasons woeful recruitment, thankfully. I’m not fearing a double relegation now. I think.
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Post by victoriaboothenboy on Jun 18, 2018 14:52:38 GMT
As someone just said we will be there to be shot at....The team everyone wants to beat. The difference for me is I feel we can approach every game (home and away) with the belief that we CAN beat any team in this league. I never felt that in the prem. The top 6 always looked very long odds against.
With a new manager, getting rid of most of Hughes's dross, some good new signings I think we can have a real shot at a quick return. No complacency and 90 minutes effort in all games will be required.
Not sure I'm ready to put my hard earned cash on the title though
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Post by Linx on Jun 18, 2018 14:56:58 GMT
At the end of the 2016-17 season I felt fed up with football and was grateful for the summer break. I could barely get going for the start of the next. Perhaps the endless midtable aspirations and acknowledgement that we would never really be able to compete on the same level playing field as the top six and other richer/ more glamorous clubs had dulled my enthusiasm. How the season panned out just made things worse: death by 38 games.
But I feel like a fan reborn. Relegation has been almost cathartic in its effects and I can't wait for the season to start.
The irony is that we are aiming to get back to where it started to feel so crap. But perhaps we won't be so turgid and bloated if we get back 'to where we belong'.
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Post by M on Jun 18, 2018 15:02:09 GMT
At the end of the 2016-17 season I felt fed up with football and was grateful for the summer break. I could barely get going for the start of the next. Perhaps the endless midtable aspirations and acknowledgement that we would never really be able to compete on the same level playing field as the top six and other richer/ more glamorous clubs had dulled my enthusiasm. How the season panned out just made things worse: death by 38 games. But I feel like a fan reborn. Relegation has been almost cathartic in its effects and I can't wait for the season to start. The irony is that we are aiming to get back to where it started to feel so crap. But perhaps we won't be so turgid and bloated if we get back 'to where we belong'. Same. My emotions were always tied to our results. A bad result would keep family members away from me and then I just became that detached it almost stopped bothering me at all. It felt like that the majority of last season too. Now is a different matter. |
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Post by Paul Spencer on Jun 18, 2018 15:15:19 GMT
Obviously we never wanted to go down. It was never in the plan but positivity is absolutely rife at the moment. Season ticket sales look largely unaffected. We've signed two players we'd have been happy with if we were still in the premiership. A crowd favourite has resigned. We're getting rid of the bad apples and slashing some fat off the wage bill, and should see others going more easily because their wages would have dropped as a result of relegation. The overhaul we've needed is seemingly so much easier now. The club is making strong statements and the manager choice seems largely universally liked. What's happened to our club? Everything is looking positive. There's nowhere near as much division on the terraces like there has been over managers for most of my lifetime. Maybe getting relegated was exactly what we needed...? I don't bet usually, I've already got more vices than I need so that's one I've gone without. I am going to lump some money on us taking the title though. What is there to stop us? UTMP! M We’ve just been relegated and let’s be under no illusions how difficult this coming season will be. Yes there are some positive things happening but these are just the start of the things that need to happen. I agree with lots of what you say but we mustn’t become deluded thinking it’s going to be a breeze to the title. I'd still suggest that relegation wasn't "exactly what we needed". |
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Post by Paul Spencer on Jun 18, 2018 15:17:06 GMT
Isn't there a very good chance that Allen would have signed a new contract, we would have bought and sold some players and got a new manager even if we hadn't been relegated though? I think if Calamity Lambert had kept us up by a point he'd still be in place and we'd be in another relegation battle this coming season I'm far from certain that he would have remained. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2018 15:18:40 GMT
We’ve just been relegated and let’s be under no illusions how difficult this coming season will be. Yes there are some positive things happening but these are just the start of the things that need to happen. I agree with lots of what you say but we mustn’t become deluded thinking it’s going to be a breeze to the title. I'd still suggest that relegation wasn't "exactly what we needed". Agreed mate but that's what we got with dithering, complacency and lethargy |
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Post by johnbutlershair on Jun 18, 2018 15:21:20 GMT
We’ve just been relegated and let’s be under no illusions how difficult this coming season will be. Yes there are some positive things happening but these are just the start of the things that need to happen. I agree with lots of what you say but we mustn’t become deluded thinking it’s going to be a breeze to the title. I'd still suggest that relegation wasn't "exactly what we needed". Relegation was far from what we needed. Now we're having to spend to rebuild the squad which Derby, Villa and a few other clubs have shown is a massive risk. If we don't pull this off within two years we'll be in trouble. We're paying for our mistakes and could pay for a lot longer if this doesn't come off |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2018 15:34:47 GMT
Some on here may well have the shock of their lives when the season kicks in
We are going to be doing battle against many teams that use tactics that we struggled against last season
All the words from the club seem to be saying we will play this way too......so, we’ll be no better unless we get some proven goal scorers in and they all gel instantly
Easier said than done
Upcoming season will be far more difficult than our last imo
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Post by johnbutlershair on Jun 18, 2018 15:43:57 GMT
Some on here may well have the shock of their lives when the season kicks in We are going to be doing battle against many teams that use tactics that we struggled against last season All the words from the club seem to be saying we will play this way too......so, we’ll be no better unless we get some proven goal scorers in and they all gel instantly Easier said than done Upcoming season will be far more difficult than our last imo Afobe looks a good signing but I agree. This attitude we'll walk the league is Premier League arrogance. West Ham only went up through the play offs, villa and derby haven't done it as have a whole host of clubs who went down. It's no easy ride |
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Post by spitthedog on Jun 18, 2018 16:28:22 GMT
I cant wait for us to get promoted so that we can all get back to being miserable again
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Post by Billy the kid on Jun 18, 2018 17:17:54 GMT
After years one one win in 5 games being enough, it's refreshing to be looking forward to a few more wins. I'm buzzing for the new season.
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Post by SneydGreenStokie on Jun 19, 2018 13:15:54 GMT
Its going to be a long slog and our squad still needs more depth to cope with Saturday, Tuesdays, injuries and suspensions. Teams will be gunning for us, we have to face the capped one twice, local derbies all over the shop and teams that will be fighting for survival. We must bear this in mind, ten years in the top flight wont mean shit once the first ball is kicked in anger. Biggest spenders, highest wages - we still have to prove it. The players, manager and the fans. In saying all that i want a team that can genuinely compete to return and i think we have/will. Thats all we can ask for really at the moment. A squad that gives us a real chance. I would agree with most of that however, other teams face the same challenges but without anything like the resources that we will have. I know which team I would like to be backing SGS |
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Post by stokeykez on Jun 19, 2018 13:37:36 GMT
I agree with the OP but it shouldn't have taken relegation for all this to happen. Revamp , overhaul, whatever we choose to call it would never have happened without the wake up call of relegation. The club have been very reluctant to push on and improve the squad with the players that have been required and address the shortcomings because they were so consumed with the magical 9th place that we achieved. The 9th place finish was the glass ceiling that we hit and even with the 13th place finish the wheels were well and truly forbtge cart but the board were mesmerized by the table The irony that we sign a striker once relegated I still find hard to swallow when we were crying out for fresh blood 3 seasons ago. It will be interesting to see how the evolution takes shape once rowett has got his presents that he asked for, every window should be an opportunity to keep players on their toes, we cannot ever be as complacent and as arrogant as we were. |
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Post by burberrybassist on Jun 19, 2018 14:16:43 GMT
I definitely feel my batteries have been recharged so to speak. I will be honest but over the last two years I've been a terrible supporter, the thought of driving down the A500 to watch us get humiliated week in and week out was just depressing me as a football fan. I'd started walking across the road and watching Nantwich Town instead.
Now suddenly I'm excited again. I'm excited about playing a new set of teams, I'm excited about the players we are signing and the coaching staff we are getting in place, I'm excited about being the Billy big bollocks of the league (at least for this year!).
I wish we hadn't have been relegated, but at the same time perversely glad we did.
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Post by mickmillslovechild on Jun 19, 2018 14:28:56 GMT
We’ve just been relegated and let’s be under no illusions how difficult this coming season will be. Yes there are some positive things happening but these are just the start of the things that need to happen. I agree with lots of what you say but we mustn’t become deluded thinking it’s going to be a breeze to the title. I'd still suggest that relegation wasn't "exactly what we needed". It most definitely shouldn't have been needed Paul. Most other clubs are able to spot where there are failings and weaknesses in the staff (behind the scenes as well as on the pitch) and act accordingly mid-season/before the start of the season in order to avoid the kind of struggles we've faced over the last 18 months.
Having said that, i actually think that in reality (for us) it absolutely was needed as i don't think the Coates family or the board would have actually woken up and taken any kind of action without it. If we'd stayed up they'd simply have sat back, swept all our worries under the carpet ("I don't see what the fuss is about"), enjoyed the prestige and financial success of the Prem payout and dithered along as per usual. It was needed for no other reason than to remove the blinkers of seemingly pretty much every fucker behind the scenes at the club, so they could finally spot what most of the fans had been noticing for months and months.
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Post by M on Jun 19, 2018 15:06:14 GMT
I'd still suggest that relegation wasn't "exactly what we needed". It most definitely shouldn't have been needed Paul. Most other clubs are able to spot where there are failings and weaknesses in the staff (behind the scenes as well as on the pitch) and act accordingly mid-season/before the start of the season in order to avoid the kind of struggles we've faced over the last 18 months.
Having said that, i actually think that in reality (for us) it absolutely was needed as i don't think the Coates family or the board would have actually woken up and taken any kind of action without it. If we'd stayed up they'd simply have sat back, swept all our worries under the carpet ("I don't see what the fuss is about"), enjoyed the prestige and financial success of the Prem payout and dithered along as per usual. It was needed for no other reason than to remove the blinkers of seemingly pretty much every fucker behind the scenes at the club, so they could finally spot what most of the fans had been noticing for months and months.
As I started reading that, all I could think of was "I don't see what the fuss is about", so glad you put that in there. It does smack of either them being completely blind or ignorant to what has been going on for the last 18 months or so and I don't think for a second think that Hughes would have gone when he did if it wasn't for the anger of Coventry as they probably genuinely thought he'd get us out of it. The fact we'd lose such a key player in Arnie (granted we didn't have much choice and we got a good deal out of it financially at least compared to what we paid) and replace him with a free signing in Choupo-Moting who largely disappointed (even though Scholes was really proud to admit we'd been wanting him for years) and only really talking to Liverpool about Ings or Sturridge in January (granted there could have been more but that's who the club admitted to be tracking) for me was almost symbolic of our arrogance that relegation wasn't a possibility. |
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Post by Paul Spencer on Jun 19, 2018 16:06:41 GMT
I'd still suggest that relegation wasn't "exactly what we needed". It most definitely shouldn't have been needed Paul. Most other clubs are able to spot where there are failings and weaknesses in the staff (behind the scenes as well as on the pitch) and act accordingly mid-season/before the start of the season in order to avoid the kind of struggles we've faced over the last 18 months.
Having said that, i actually think that in reality (for us) it absolutely was needed as i don't think the Coates family or the board would have actually woken up and taken any kind of action without it. If we'd stayed up they'd simply have sat back, swept all our worries under the carpet ("I don't see what the fuss is about"), enjoyed the prestige and financial success of the Prem payout and dithered along as per usual. It was needed for no other reason than to remove the blinkers of seemingly pretty much every fucker behind the scenes at the club, so they could finally spot what most of the fans had been noticing for months and months.
Hmmm ... still not sure Millsy. At the end of the day they've changed the manager and bought a couple of players (with more expected), I guess it depends how you define 'waking up'? Was appointing Lambert, "waking up"? They're doing what you would EXPECT them to do, given the situation. If Hughes had just done enough to have kept his job and we had survived by a point, then I still think they would have (to use your words) "woken up" and changed the manager and bought and sold some players. Nothing to do with being relegated. Relegation wasn't just what we needed, that's just putting a positive spin on our current predicament. |
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