djcotez
Youth Team
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2007
- Messages
- 146
Maybe Harding is optomistic
I'd say... seeing as he has signed for Southampton.
I agree on HRK and Worley... young, quality and easily destined for championship level at least.
Maybe Harding is optomistic
As I said, it could be a hell of a lot worse.
A good point FBM with regards to being in the same situation as 4 years ago, and that the expectations of the fans have changed.
However, 4 years ago we had just started to recover from a huge slump that had started with Ronnie Whelan and continued through Alvin Martin, Alan Little, Dave Webb, Rob Newman and Steve Wignall.
The club had struggled and for its history, knocking around in midtable of division 4 was underachieving, however considering the state the club was in, and the size of the attendances (4000 on a good day), it was about all we could expect.
Then came the success, a championship winning side, promotion, Man Utd, Cardiff, play off's etc. This along with the stadium progessing, and good work off the pitch has helped the club to grow (more season tickets than the biggest crowds of 4 years ago).
The club is now a division 3 club that should be challenging for play-offs at least.
If you look at our attendances for the past 2 seasons, ignoring Notts Forest, Leicester and Leeds, we had the 3rd and then 4th best average attendances in League one for those seasons. With around 8000 each season.
To compare where we were 4 years ago is like comparing apples with pears. Not only has the expectation of the fans grown (OK maybe a little too much), the club has the infrastucture, fan base and revenue of a top 10 division 3 club at present.
The last 2 seasons we have finished in about the right spot for Southend United, and assuming something happens in the next 12 days, with a couple of loan players during the season I expect we will finish on par again this year.
However, with the current squad as it is, I would expect nothing more than a season of struggle, with possibly a bottom 6 finish, and that in the current climate is a big underachievement.
This is what people are moaning about at present, and I for one am worried. If at least one player is not brought in this week, then the alarm bells should really be starting to ring for everybody, and it could be the slippery slope that Newcastle have found.
How must our midfielders and forwards be feeling at the moment? Probably thinking that there is no point in bothering as whatever they do we are going to ship goals and lose. This is going to cause arguments, and fractions in the dressing room, and its very hard to recover once this sort of thing starts.
Lets all get praying that Tilly can pull a rabbit out of the hat (or 2) in the next week.
Bennett is going to Brentford. It was agreed a few weeks ago.
I don't know enough about Saah to say whether he'd be a good signing but at this stage any competent defender will do. We won this league with Che Wilson in the back line.
I don't think anything has been agreed between Bennett and Brentford, but he is training with them.
All I can find on the situation is Bennett has told Brentford he will be making his mind up come end of July. So, in theory, he could be the defender we are waiting to hear from.
If we managed to snatch Bennett i would be ecstatic.
Bennett is getting severance pay from the PFA until the end of the month. That money is far more than he'll get at Brentford. He'll sign for them at the end of this week.
Bennett is getting severance pay from the PFA until the end of the month. That money is far more than he'll get at Brentford. He'll sign for them at the end of this week.
Where did you hear that from Beefy?
Does make you wonder if this is the case, I wonder how many other players are out there in the exact same situation.
It could be worse. Barrett could be fit for the opener
If we managed to snatch Bennett i would be ecstatic.
I couldn't give two hoots about other clubs that may be struggling. I don't support other clubs. We have less than two weeks to get three defenders on the books and get them somewhere close to matchfit. I don't care where the blame lies. I remain optimistic but this is scandalous.