Terra ferma

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I don't know whether I'm alone here but on reflection this morning I do think that there is a need, not for optimism or pesimism, but for a good dose of realism.
First of all, congratulations to the Luggy and the squad, for the preparation of our play-off campaign. In a matter of weeks we have transformed the side from one that would have fear of the play-offs to one that should give fear to other sides involved. Next week our objective is to enter what should hopefully be the last three games of the season with a victory, nothing should distract us from what WE are capable of doing and that is arriving and succeeding in a ******* Final. I would hate to believe that there would be any sense of disappointment next Saturday amongst the fans and more especially the team, we need to maintain our concentration and determination for May 27th.
Should, in the unlikely event, a couple of sides decide, with good grace, to stick a spoke in our solid preparation work.........that is their affair but meanwhilst we need to remain focused and concentrated on our aim.

 

[onceknownasrab]

Totally understand where you are coming from but the feelings we get, the highs, the lows, the ups and the downs are part and parcel of football. We can build up next saturday and subsequently walk away euphoric or distraught but either way those feelings are better than games where we walk away bored or apathetic. lets believe we will be promoted after a fine victory against macclesfield. lets get excited. If we dont get the autos we will deal with that afterwards.:happy:

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling

 

[bazzashrimper]

Most of the season we've been talking about 82 points to guarantee promotion - so if we don't with 83 points its a real case of a great effort and a touch of bad luck

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

My really big fear is that, if we should get so close and just fail on automatic promotion this shouldn't come as a downer for the team and that their sights should not be set in the land of dreams or hopes but on the solid foundation of a play-off campaign which, it is more than likely, we shall be involved. I am sure that Luggy will inculcating that mantra into his players over the coming week. I think the thing that kicked this off was the Oxford post-match interviews, where Hall and Mohsni were asked how they felt about the possibiliuty of automatic promotion still being on. Hall sounded as though he was still a believer whilst Bilel, wisely in my view, sounded far more sceptical.
As far as us fans are concerned, we can dream all we want and I certainly will do next Saturday. However, that is in the good knowledge that if I am disappointed it won't effect my enthusiasm and the hope that we will achieve promotion via the play-offs.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Well said Lee, that poem by Rudyard Kipling should be etched on the home dressing room wall at Roots Hall. :clap:

 

[leeblue]

i completely understand the sentiment of the original post and very much agreed....but for 90 mins on saturday i will be a mess of a man screaming my encouragement for the lads and insanely checking scores elsewhere aaaaarrrrgghhhhhhhhhhh

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Well said Lee, that poem by Rudyard Kipling should be etched on the home dressing room wall at Roots Hall. :clap:

Thanks mate :smile: so much of this poem means so much to me, and is so relevent for next week but specifically

If you can make one heap of all your winnings 80 points from 45 games is a tidy pile
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, making it 83 may not be enough
And lose, and start again at your beginnings and if so we go again for the play offs, having not lost any heart for battle

 

[Jam_Man]

We now have a reasonable chance of getting back into the top 3, however there is still a good chance one of them will win and deny us. I never thought we would be in contention this Saturday so to be in with a chance still is amazing.

Whats important is we have turned our form around and have gone to two top teams and drawn and won away, so if we do miss out we have nothing to fear in the play offs should we end up there.

I know people say form goes out of the window for the play offs and in a knockout scenario anything can happen, however Id rather go into them with a decent run behind us and full of confidence.

 

[Stuart W]

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling

If me auntie had wheels she would be a bus

 

[OldBlueLady]

Into form at the right time - just don't let me down and lose at home next weekend please! Supporting Southend is always a roller coaster, we never do things the easy way but I would so prefer to get to L1 via an automatic promotion as I really am going to be pushed for space to fit in play offs.....why did I ever plan to have my kids in May?!

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Into form at the right time - just don't let me down and lose at home next weekend please! Supporting Southend is always a roller coaster, we never do things the easy way but I would so prefer to get to L1 via an automatic promotion as I really am going to be pushed for space to fit in play offs.....why did I ever plan to have my kids in May?!

You're pregnant with twins? Congratulations:clap:

 

[Barling Magna]

Some form stats. In their last three Away matches Crawley have won 1 and drawn 2 scoring three goals and conceding two; Torquay have won 1, drawn 1 and lost 1 also scoring three goals but conceding four. In their last three home matches Southend have won all three and scored nine goals and conceded none, not one, that's no goal scored against them. At all. So Crawley and Torquay should both draw and Southend should win.

If only it was that easy.......

(So good, I've posted it twice.)

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

Stuart W

dont understand your obtuse reference to Kiplings brilliant prose.

perhaps you can explain!

But then probably not, because almost certainly the bus left long ago with your aunt on it!!!


Leaving you standing there all alone.

 

[OldBlueLady]

You're pregnant with twins? Congratulations:clap:

Lol, don't think so! Both have birthdays and it's my daughter's 18th on 17th May!