Are our expectations too high!!

[Shrimperforlife]

Just realised it is exactly 30 years - to the day - for me!



As above. I don't think it is too much to expect us to be a solid third tier side. Making a real mark on the FA Cup is the one big thing I feel I've missed in my time as a fan. Hopefully another 50+ years ahead of me to correct that though!

let's put this in perspective, I had a heart attack two weeks ago, and whilst the expectations are high for some ,including me, the realisation is that the club is where it is for a reason, we are a reasonable lower league outfit, long may that continue unspoilt by TV money and glory fans. ...and yes another 50 + years of watching this will do me just fine .....

 

[AndyT]

1935/6 Spurs Drew 4-4

Blimey, that sounds like some game!

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Bournemouth & Swansea show what is possible for a small club. Why not dream big rather than not at all?

Their owners are 10 divisions above ours though.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Their owners are 10 divisions above ours though.

Maybe, but Ronaldo Martino may not be around forever.

 

[AndyT]

1935/6 Spurs Drew 4-4 ... Blimey, that sounds like some game!

Further research reveals a fella called Len Bolan scored a hat-trick for us, having been signed from Spurs!

48,000 crowd at WHL and 23,000 for the replay!:cool:

 

[Jam_Man]

Bournemouth & Swansea show what is possible for a small club. Why not dream big rather than not at all?

Dreams and expectations are miles apart though.

I dream of winning the Lottery Jackpot but my expectations will be to win £2.87 as normal.


I think with the size of our club and support we should realistically expect to compete in league one. Problem is we had terrible financial issues then 5 years in league two, so it takes a while to build up the quality again.

I certainly hope we can improve on our current position though.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Blimey, that sounds like some game!

Further research reveals a fella called Len Bolan scored a hat-trick for us, having been signed from Spurs!

48,000 crowd and 23,000 for the replay!:cool:

Yeah the Spurs games in 1936 are quite well documented. The 4-4 draw was away and an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Southend fans were at White Hart Lane. The replay was on a Wednesday afternoon and as you say a 23,000+ crowd with an estimated 3,000 people 'locked out'

 

[AndyT]

Thanks, UTS.

I hadn't come across the match before, so it makes interesting reading.

 

[tottenham541]

I all want and expect from Southend this season is to compete and stay up, we have the players to do this at this time already, we just need to be more threatening in the final third and get the rub of the green now and then and the points will come:smile:

 

[RobB11]

I dont expect a great deal. Just for the team to perform a hell of a lot better than they did on Saturday. Anyone else think it was one of the most boring home games in years? Sometimes we really do dish up some stinkers at home don't we.

 

[C V Shrimper]

I dont expect a great deal. Just for the team to perform a hell of a lot better than they did on Saturday. Anyone else think it was one of the most boring home games in years? Sometimes we really do dish up some stinkers at home don't we.

I thought it was 2 very poor sides! Just glad it wasn't this week Sky were there for all to see!

 

[leeblue]

I only expect one thing from SUFC. Every player should give 100%. Simple. I'm over 30 years in and gave up worrying about results many years ago....mainly thanks to Ronnie whelan Alain Martin and Alan little. After the shambles that those three managers fostered all I wanted was the players representing my hometown, my community gave there all. On a football front I don't think our first 11 is GOOD ENOUGH to push for top 8 in this division but every one of those players works very hard and puts in great effort every time I see them......

 

[onceknownasrab]

Missed the game against Shrewsbury and by all accounts it was one to miss. Four home games. Three defeats. Two goals for and five against.

I'm not sure what has gone wrong, or indeed if anything has, but the comments made against the players for the Shrewsbury game are identical to the ones against Walsall. So 50% of our home games so far have failed to see the players turn up. That is a worry for me.

Seven games in the league, eight if you count the cup, and we have managed one clean sheet. Goals are still at a premium and its hard to get too much optimism from the Peterborough game when the opposition was woeful regardless of what we did.

I was quite hopeful after the posh game that we had turned a corner. 4-4-2 for me is right, especially at home, even though I am unconvinced by playing Timlin on the left with him tucking in to the centre and exposing the flank.

Are my expectations too high. Almost always! But I think I am being fair when I say defeat is one thing but not even looking like a cohesive side is unacceptable. Once at home is an off day. Twice in four matches is a concern. Maybe the side struggle with the tactics/game plan. Maybe there are other factors at play. I have no idea of the reason but clearly something needs to be addressed and sharpish.

We are a small-ish club and we certainly are not world beaters but rarely have I thought we would play without heart. Last season the heart was epitomised on numerous occasions. Fighting on after conceding. Playing to the final whistle. The heart in the team often made up for any lack of ability. Lets hope its a blip.

 

[meerkat54]

Yes I do think our expectations are quite high, when most of our current squad are mainly div 2 players with a few better players. I think survival in div 1 will be an excellent result next May !!:unsure:

As a supporter off this club for 30+ years, do we expect too much!

We are a lower league club with fairly good crowds, we have our moments of glory, for example last year, early 90's and 10 years ago apart from that we are just a normal lower league club.

We have all seen some good and bad players over this period likewise with managers!

Our current crop off owners, chairman, manager and players are they any different?!!

One of the problems I see with this current crop is Brown talks a good game and hypes up our players to be world beaters but in reality there are league one/two players!

I'm glad that we still have a club to support with all the off field problems we've encountered over the past few seasons!!!

Lets all hope we can manage to stay in league one this season, as many off us thought it wasn't going to the easy!!!


Any thoughts!

 

[USAShrimper]

I think most long term fans are realistic. However, now we have to consolidate. We cannot afford to go back down again. Too big of a gap, we need to stay up to build for the future and have a chance to move the club forward. very confident we'll stay up this season, that will be success for now.

 

[shrimperjon]

Don't think PB coming out and publically and slating the players especially Coker will help much either. He has to be careful, lose the dressing room and it will be tough to get it back.

 

[AndyT]

I think we'll be OK, but just would like to see us taking the game to the opposition at home.

I'd rather lose 3-2, than the powder puff 1-0 effort on Saturday.

Their keeper didn't have a save to make in the first 60 minutes.

 

[BrettieAngell]

I dont expect a great deal. Just for the team to perform a hell of a lot better than they did on Saturday. Anyone else think it was one of the most boring home games in years? Sometimes we really do dish up some stinkers at home don't we.

Pretty much the same as virtually every home game I went to last season.

 

[Feathers]

Don't think you can really describe Southend as a small town. Urban area has about 500,000 people living there. We have huge potential but have never shown any sign of reaching it.

High expectations are more a reflection of our 'instant gratification' society than anything else. Most clubs are the same. I listened to BBC Essex on the way home on Saturday, just to depress myself further and if our fans are delusional at times, you should hear some of the gems from Col Ewe fans.

This is a club who have been punching above their weight for 20 years. They have no right to even have a Football League club on their gates, yet they haven't been lower than the third tier since 1998. Their chairman has worked wonders, subsidising their ***** gates for years and building a category 2 academy set-up, yet their fans want him out. Incredible stuff.

I would say it is not just about population but also history. According to the 2011 census we have a bigger population than both Ipswich and Norwich. Back in the 1950's they were in the 3rd division south with us but since then have had far more success. Unlike us a significant proportion of their population, and people from the surrounding area identify with and support their local team. In many cases generations of families will have supported their team.

The profile of Southend's population is probably a lot different with a far higher percentage having moved here from other parts of the country. There is therefore not the family connection plus a number of competing premier clubs just a short train journey away. Many local people will "follow" Southend but "support" another.

In many ways I fall into the above. I am not from this area and moved here when I was 16. It is only through initially going to the occasional game and progressing in time to a season ticket that over the last 30 years or so that I have gone from follower to supporter.

Only sustained success is likely to increase our fanbase.....but without the revenue from an increased fanbase it is difficult to achieve success.


http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/mro/n...-east-of-england/censuseastenglandnr0712.html

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

At the start of the season, I had a bit of a hearty chuckle at those of you who were expecting a playoff charge this season. Nowhere near enough quality in the side for that. Plus you're misusing your best outfield player.

In the long term, I don't think establishing yourselves in the second tier is an impossible dream, especially when FF finally arrives. Very important you stay up this year (I think you will - Crewe are absolutely nailed-on to get relegated, and Blackpool and the Ewes will probably join them).