Brilliant support and,

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,16:36)]We will have no better chance at getting promotion than this season.

Absolute rubbish. A few decent additions to the squad to replace the likes of Corbett, Husbands, Bramble and we'll be looking very, very strong for next season.

What's for sure is that you won't get 33-1 for the League Two title next year.

 

[Shrimp in a Kilt]

Quote[/b] (The Fitter @ May 08 2005,16:47)]

Quote[/b] (Shrimp in a Kilt @ May 08 2005,15:45)]

Quote[/b] (Thenewblue @ May 08 2005,16:24)]Ah, I never saw you then!

Nah I was on the row to the right of you. Would say the one moping around at the end but that describes the vast majority!

Next time say hello, always nice to put faces to names. For obvious reasons, it's probably easier for folk to recognise me...

No way you had a scary camo jacket on.  

I assume that was you.

Too right I did, that weather was like being back in Scotland! I had two pairs of boxers as well, what happened to the English summer?

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,16:16)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,16:36)]We will have no better chance at getting promotion than this season.

Absolute rubbish.  A few decent additions to the squad to replace the likes of Corbett, Husbands, Bramble and we'll be looking very, very strong for next season.

What's for sure is that you won't get 33-1 for the League Two title next year.

Oh come on, three games to go till the end of the season and we had it in our hands, ours to lose and thats exactly what we did.

Next season, anything could happen, but we were 1st a few weeks ago and you can't do no better than that.

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,17:24)]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,16:16)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,16:36)]We will have no better chance at getting promotion than this season.

Absolute rubbish. A few decent additions to the squad to replace the likes of Corbett, Husbands, Bramble and we'll be looking very, very strong for next season.

What's for sure is that you won't get 33-1 for the League Two title next year.

Oh come on, three games to go till the end of the season and we had it in our hands, ours to lose and thats exactly what we did.

Next season, anything could happen, but we were 1st a few weeks ago and you can't do no better than that.

We could have a decent start, Eastwood for 46 games instead of 30 odd and a fit, on-form Mark Gower, not to mention a match fit Luke Guttridge or a fully receovered Lewis Hun/Jay Smith.

I'd say we could have a much better chance of promotion.

 

[rabbloke]

Our chances for next season are academic if we blow it again through lack of bottle. This Blues team has consistently failed to raise its game for the big occassion, such as two LDV finals and any of the last five league matches. We had a long unbeaten stretch which belied our ability but when push came to shove we did not have the mental strength that converts average into good. Unless Woolworths have got a three for two offer on bottles of nerve then I suggest you do not put the family silver on a promotion bet for us next season.

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (sufcintheprem @ May 08 2005,16:43)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,17:24)]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,16:16)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,16:36)]We will have no better chance at getting promotion than this season.

Absolute rubbish.  A few decent additions to the squad to replace the likes of Corbett, Husbands, Bramble and we'll be looking very, very strong for next season.

What's for sure is that you won't get 33-1 for the League Two title next year.

Oh come on, three games to go till the end of the season and we had it in our hands, ours to lose and thats exactly what we did.

Next season, anything could happen, but we were 1st a few weeks ago and you can't do no better than that.

We could have a decent start, Eastwood for 46 games instead of 30 odd and a fit, on-form Mark Gower, not to mention a match fit Luke Guttridge or a fully receovered Lewis Hun/Jay Smith.

I'd say we could have a much better chance of promotion.

Big word there is COULD, we could/might. But the fact remains with three games to go we had the chance to go up as champions and failing that automatically. We have failed to do it and luck doesn't come into it.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (rabbloke @ May 08 2005,18:50)]Our chances for next season are academic if we blow it again through lack of bottle. This Blues team has consistently failed to raise its game for the big occassion, such as two LDV finals and any of the last five league matches. We had a long unbeaten stretch which belied our ability but when push came to shove we did not have the mental strength that converts average into good.

Perfectly put, rabbloke. And I think that is the point that Wiggy was trying to make, albeit very badly.

WS

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,18:52)]Big word there is COULD, we could/might. But the fact remains with three games to go we had the chance to go up as champions and failing that automatically. We have failed to do it and luck doesn't come into it.

Spot on, Luke. This is exactly the same team that went unbeaten for so long just a few weeks ago. Nothing has changed apart from the fact that when they were required to give that little bit extra, it appeared that they couldn't do so. 4th is a far better position than the mid-table obscurity we've ahd to endure over the past few seasons. But it could have been so much better ...

WS

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (Xàbia Shrimper @ May 08 2005,17:01)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,18:52)]Big word there is COULD, we could/might. But the fact remains with three games to go we had the chance to go up as champions and failing that automatically. We have failed to do it and luck doesn't come into it.

Spot on, Luke. This is exactly the same team that went unbeaten for so long just a few weeks ago. Nothing has changed apart from the fact that when they were required to give that little bit extra, it appeared that they couldn't do so. 4th is a far better position than the mid-table obscurity we've ahd to endure over the past few seasons. But it could have been so much better ...

WS

Indeed, we have all sat through the cold november nights losing to Kidderminster with a few thousand fans at the Hall and yep 4th is a achievement, but the players couldn't give it that extra little bit and that says alot, just how hungry were they ?

I don't hold out much hope for the play offs and if we don't go up i hope Tilly asks questions because to me its unacceptable given the position we were in.

 

[Perth Bambi]

Why is everyone talking like we blew it, Liverpool are on awful form in the league when its really mattering about qualifying for europe but yet beat Chelsea to get to the final.
Instead of saying we have blown our season lets wait till after we have actually finished.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

I'm saying we blew automatic promotion when we had more of a chance to claim one of those three places than ever. However my disappointment does not extend to the play-offs and the lads will get my full support on Sunday. It's the end of the regular season and we blew it. Now we have a SECOND chance to claim promotion ... and that can't be bad ... at least we're not in Darlington's position ...

WS

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (Xàbia Shrimper @ May 08 2005,17:59)]

Quote[/b] (rabbloke @ May 08 2005,18:50)]Our chances for next season are academic if we blow it again through lack of bottle. This Blues team has consistently failed to raise its game for the big occassion, such as two LDV finals and any of the last five league matches. We had a long unbeaten stretch which belied our ability but when push came to shove we did not have the mental strength that converts average into good.

Perfectly put, rabbloke. And I think that is the point that Wiggy was trying to make, albeit very badly.

WS

So what are the ramifications of your claim? If we are bottlers, by default, we will never win anything unless we come up against worse bottlers with less talent.

You're suggesting that with this team (or do you mean the management team) we will never win anything and be in the same league forever. Who exactly are the bottlers in the team?

As was pointed out to me, we have plenty of players who have been significant parts of successful teams but I haven't seen a marked contrast in performances from anyone in our team from when we were playing well to when we've had our poor run. Only Eastwood and Gray, perhaps have been guilty of this but Gray seems to be a form player, not a bottler and Eastwood has still managed to score goals in spite of his waning form.

At Cardiff, both times, we were playing teams in the division above. Blackpool were clearly better than us and that was a very different group of players to that which faced Wrexham. Second time round, we took Wrexham to extra time. Who's to say the games after Cardiff were not a result of tiredness, having gone all the way in Cardiff? Who's to say we weren't just depressed after Cardiff? Who's to say it wasn't just a dip in form that every top team has faced this year. We didn't play poorly against Orient, Macc or Grimsby yet came out scratching our heads at how we only got 4 points from them, largely by virtue of a late winner at Macc.

I don't think you can write this team off at all. We definitely have winners in our team and they'll be desperate to repay the fans for great support across a long season.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (sufcintheprem @ May 08 2005,20:26)]I don't think you can write this team off at all.  We definitely have winners in our team and they'll be desperate to repay the fans for great support across a long season.

I had written us off in the regular season because it has ended and we finished fourth, when a top-three place was well on just a few weeks ago.

Now we start from zero. All four teams in the play-offs are both capable of beating one another and capable of completely f**king it up. There is not one team from us, Macclesfield, Lincoln or Northampton who can put their hands up and say "we're assured of a play-off final place". So, I've not written us from the play-offs. I just hope that we get the disappointment of the failure in the regular season swept away and we start anew. It's on ...

WS

 

[Colchester Shrimper]

I, for one, am proud of the achievements this year. Lets face it, I would rather be in our shoes than say, Cambridge or Orient. The latters season ended sometime in February??

Yes, we may have an inexperienced Manager and yes our squad may be short of a few key players, but hell, we've all been witness to an exciting run in, a lot of us would not have expected. I have gone to games expecting to win, when in the past I've gone in hope. At the end of the day only 3 teams can go up automatically, and I'm proud that my team was in with a shout on the last day of the season. If we had been in the top 3 since August, I would feel terrible, but the reality is quite different. Who knows what will happen over the next two/four games, but the more we sty UNITED the better we will do! Everyone please take note. Hell I'm out of red wine.....

 

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (Xàbia Shrimper @ May 08 2005,18:23)]I'm saying we blew automatic promotion when we had more of a chance to claim one of those three places than ever. However my disappointment does not extend to the play-offs and the lads will get my full support on Sunday. It's the end of the regular season and we blew it. Now we have a SECOND chance to claim promotion ... and that can't be bad ... at least we're not in Darlington's position ...

WS

I really am struggling to see how you can say we blew promotion when you haven't seen many games, if any, this season. A very, very bold statement which does slightly annoy me as it is based on little/no first hand evidence.

Yes, promotion was in our own hands. But you can't fault the commitment of the players over the last five games (Oxford first half excepted) and indeed some of these performances have been better than some of those during the 17 game unbeaten run.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,21:15)]I really am struggling to see how you can say we blew promotion when you haven't seen many games, if any, this season.  A very, very bold statement which does slightly annoy me as it is based on little/no first hand evidence.

Ah ... okay ... so my opinions are null and void then. Well, at least I know where I stand now ...

WS

 

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,17:24)]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,16:16)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ May 08 2005,16:36)]We will have no better chance at getting promotion than this season.

Absolute rubbish.  A few decent additions to the squad to replace the likes of Corbett, Husbands, Bramble and we'll be looking very, very strong for next season.

What's for sure is that you won't get 33-1 for the League Two title next year.

Oh come on, three games to go till the end of the season and we had it in our hands, ours to lose and thats exactly what we did.

Next season, anything could happen, but we were 1st a few weeks ago and you can't do no better than that.

We're not talking about the last 3 games! I was responding to your point that we will never have a better chance of going up, ie our future chances of promotion.

To take your statement literally, we will never ever in the next 100 years be in a position as good as a win being needed in our last game to promote us. As I said, absolute rubbish! If you believe your statement we might as well all pack up and go home now.

In any case, even if we don't make it through the play-offs, we will be amongst the bookies favourites, if not the favourites for the title next year. Think about it:

* Eastwood will have some league experience under his belt.
* We'll have Eastwood for the whole season.
* Tilly, Brush and the players will have learnt from this year.
* We will have new signings replacing the deadwood in the squad (Corbett, Husbands etc) who will compete for first team places and rectify our weaknesses.

 

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (Xàbia Shrimper @ May 08 2005,20:18)]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,21:15)]I really am struggling to see how you can say we blew promotion when you haven't seen many games, if any, this season.  A very, very bold statement which does slightly annoy me as it is based on little/no first hand evidence.

Ah ... okay ... so my opinions are null and void then. Well, at least I know where I stand now ...

WS

Of course your opinions aren't null and void. But, you did categorically and very definitely say that we blew promotion. I was merely saying that I'm struggling to see how you can be, or appear to be, so emphatic from such a distance.

 

[Pato the Blue]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,20:25)]In any case, even if we don't make it through the play-offs, we will be amongst the bookies favourites, if not the favourites for the title next year.  Think about it:

* Eastwood will have some league experience under his belt.
* We'll have Eastwood for the whole season.
* Tilly, Brush and the players will have learnt from this year.
* We will have new signings replacing the deadwood in the squad (Corbett, Husbands etc) who will compete for first team places and rectify our weaknesses.

Its a very good point.

I feel that we need to sign a new striker to play with Eastwood, a winger and a right back and the minimum.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ May 08 2005,21:28)]Of course your opinions aren't null and void.  But, you did categorically and very definitely say that we blew promotion.  I was merely saying that I'm struggling to see how you can be, or appear to be, so emphatic from such a distance.

I know.

However I base my opinions on the very real statistics I have on my screen at the moment. Just a few weeks ago we were top and we have only ourselves to blame for not remaining in that pole position. On that basis, I maintain we blew it ...

WS