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Post by mermaidsal on Jan 18, 2009 13:40:43 GMT
At the end of last season I remember thinking if we're not good enough to stay up first time, is it more realistic to look at becoming a yo-yo side like for example Bolton in their early years in the Prem? Since the season started, up till now I've dismissed that thought because I've honestly believed we deserve to stay up - but given the way the luck and fixtures are going, in such a tightly packed table, would it really be the worst thing to go down but with a much improved squad and knowing we can live with the Chelseas, Liverpools, ManUres and Arsenals, then really believe in ourselves to come back stronger second time? I'd rather stay up it goes without saying, but would it honestly be the worst thing to go from an average Champ side to a promoted one to a yo-yo Champ/Prem side and establish ourselves that longer way round? I can't see us dropping like a stone, we're just not that sort of club now. Just thinking aloud really...
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Post by Beardy200 on Jan 18, 2009 13:47:00 GMT
No it wouldn't be the worst thing to go down as i believe we'd keep Fuller, Beattie, Sidibe, Etherington and Shawcross at least and we'd be a very very strong championship side. Still reasonably hopeful we'll stay up this time though so it's not all bad whatever happens. That's why being a Stokie at the moment is so good and all of us should cheer up a bit  |
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Post by starkiller on Jan 18, 2009 13:52:14 GMT
No guarantee on promotion.
We must stay up.
And the compact table could help us do that.
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Post by sheikh al dubai bin stokie on Jan 18, 2009 13:53:35 GMT
my worry is what will happen if we get relegated... the lower leagues are littered with clubs who once had yo-yo ambitions...
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Post by salopstick on Jan 18, 2009 14:01:44 GMT
we deservedly promoted in quite a even (poor) championship and no-one would deny we were very lucky to do so
it be hard to repeat, possible but harder the 2nd time
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Post by bentrep01 on Jan 18, 2009 14:04:30 GMT
TP`s building the basis of a very good side and Mr Coates has given us the ability and stability to sustain it.I`m sure we can survive and grow without yo yoing.To butcher Winston Churchill,this is not the end,or the beginning of the end but it IS the START of the beginning.Keep the faith Mermaidsal we`ll be fine ;D
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Post by Paul Spencer on Jan 18, 2009 14:08:46 GMT
I think judging by the funds he has released during our first term in the Prem, Peter Coates is not looking for us to yo-yo.
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Post by Squeekster on Jan 18, 2009 14:12:02 GMT
we deservedly promoted in quite a even (poor) championship and no-one would deny we were very lucky to do so it be hard to repeat, possible but harder the 2nd time I don't think we were lucky to get promotion yes we deserved it but we were not lucky. We were their or their about all season but i think if we do go down (i think we have a good chance of staying up though) then we have a very strong chance of getting back up again at first attempt. The only player i can see going is Kitson as thats the reason he left Reading as he wanted to stay in the prem. |
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Post by arniepieinthesky on Jan 18, 2009 14:12:29 GMT
Its a lot harder to get out of the 2nd tier than it used to. TP looks to me as if he's building a side more than capable of staying up. I just hope heads don't drop after disappointments such as yesterday.
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Post by DelapsWankingArm on Jan 18, 2009 15:19:02 GMT
we deservedly promoted in quite a even (poor) championship and no-one would deny we were very lucky to do so it be hard to repeat, possible but harder the 2nd time Dont agree with that. I thought there was good teams in the championship when we was in there, and also i dont think we were lucky to go up, the team worked there bollocks off all season. With great wins throughout the season. |
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Post by th05 on Jan 18, 2009 15:21:33 GMT
We will stay up. Come on Stoke!!
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Post by goodjobson on Jan 18, 2009 15:27:03 GMT
I think that many of our side would move on. Other clubs that go down have to let players go and so would we. Kitson would be first out of the door, there is no way we could support his wages with Championship crowds, probably Ab Faye - and others. I hope morons wouldn't try and hound the manager out as he would be the best placed person to get us promoted again if his heart was still in it.
It is a nightmare scenario, but our away form is our biggest problem. I don't think we can survive in this league with no away wins, regardless of how well we are doing at home.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2009 15:57:53 GMT
Stay up, DEFINITELY!!! The thought of Barnsley on a Tuesday night in front of 15k brings me out in a cold sweat.
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Post by RICH68 on Jan 18, 2009 16:01:04 GMT
Stay up, DEFINITELY!!! The thought of Barnsley on a Tuesday night in front of 15k brings me out in a cold sweat. couldn`t have put it better myself |
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Post by upthepotters on Jan 18, 2009 16:03:56 GMT
i think that we will stay up we will go on a run i think.
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Flip
Academy Starlet
Posts: 132
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Post by Flip on Jan 18, 2009 16:11:21 GMT
Likes been mentioned to get promoted from the championship is a much harder task than when the likes of bolton where going up and down for several years. And i think i we do go down we will have to get back up straight away almost like Reading and Birmingham look like then could this year otherwise you start to get into the situation that Charlton and Southampton have found themselves in. Each year it will get harder and harder to get back up. like we've seen ourselves when we went down to nationwide division 2 and struggled to climb out for a few years. The main thing will be to try ad keep the main structure of the team and use the parachute payments to pay higher wages for those players we have got in this year. That said theres still a long way to go this year and if anything the way we have played against Man U, Liverpool, and Chelsea has only strengthened my thoughts that we are just as good as the teams around and above us and believe we have everything needed to stay in this league as long as we keep momentum and dont let bad luck get to us.
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Post by stokelad84 on Jan 18, 2009 16:13:21 GMT
Go all out to stay up! Being a yo-yo club has no real benefits
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Post by Squeekster on Jan 18, 2009 16:29:03 GMT
I think that many of our side would move on. Other clubs that go down have to let players go and so would we. Kitson would be first out of the door, there is no way we could support his wages with Championship crowds, probably Ab Faye - and others. I hope morons wouldn't try and hound the manager out as he would be the best placed person to get us promoted again if his heart was still in it. It is a nightmare scenario, but our away form is our biggest problem. I don't think we can survive in this league with no away wins, regardless of how well we are doing at home. What you have to remember is that all the new players have signed contracts that must take into account of us going down also we will have the parachute payments coupled with sir Peters money i think we would be OK. |
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Post by goodjobson on Jan 18, 2009 19:17:47 GMT
I think that many of our side would move on. Other clubs that go down have to let players go and so would we. Kitson would be first out of the door, there is no way we could support his wages with Championship crowds, probably Ab Faye - and others. I hope morons wouldn't try and hound the manager out as he would be the best placed person to get us promoted again if his heart was still in it. It is a nightmare scenario, but our away form is our biggest problem. I don't think we can survive in this league with no away wins, regardless of how well we are doing at home. What you have to remember is that all the new players have signed contracts that must take into account of us going down also we will have the parachute payments coupled with sir Peters money i think we would be OK. There's no loyalty in football mate. If we go down the likes of Wigan and Portsmouth will see our players as fair game. Shawcross is an exceptional talent, it would be very difficult to hold on to these players. |
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Post by ted1965 on Jan 18, 2009 19:54:45 GMT
I am still pretty hopeful of staying up we have a slightly less difficult run in than some and although no game will be easy there’s certainly a good chance of avoiding relegation.
Though we have to win soon, we have slipped into that unlucky loser tag of sides in the past and that has to change. It’s vital we gain a win soon as we haven’t won now since the Albion game. I am not sure what yesterday’s game will do to the players, it must have been gut wrenching as it was for us to have defended so well for so long only to be broken down so late. I hope the players will take heart from it and not get down about how close they came to achieving a remarkable victory.
As for becoming a yoyo club, if we go down then of course that’s what we’ll all be hoping for but we can’t take anything for granted. There are many clubs who have come down believing they will go straight back up and have yet to see promotion again. It would really depend on how many of the squad we could keep together, there is now guarantee of keeping the better players and any who have preformed well this season will be seen as targets and having had a taste for the Premiership I would be surprised if thry turned down the opportunity. It will also depend on whether the owner is prepared to keep funding improvements on what we have now. Though as I said, being a yoyo club is not easy and for every side who achieve this there’s 5 who fall away so lets hope we can survive and continue our evolutionary process.
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Post by MetalPotter on Jan 18, 2009 20:06:28 GMT
Go all out to stay up! Being a yo-yo club has no real benefits Exitement i said when we went up i do not want us to become bora (well before this seson) who really have no ambitions i wud rarther play championship football than that of course i no we arn't going to become prem champs overnight but with bora they av been mid tanle for donkeys of years |
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Post by sweetandinnocent on Jan 18, 2009 20:27:56 GMT
We've got some (many) very winnable home fixtures coming up and i shall not give up hope of staying up until we draw or lose a few of these games, we are going to be a stronger outfit in the second half of the season, liams back and we have made some very quality signings... with more to come.
we do need a couple of away wins, but we have a few of those that we should be capable of coming away with the points.. All is not lost - far from it! All we need to get these away wins is the confidence that a couple of good home wins will bring.
i shall give up when the players give up and they certainly havnt given up yet.
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