The cost of success

[Shrimp Curry]

I have supported Southend for over 15 years and up until 2005 I had never known us to have any success, it just seemed to be relegation fights or lower midtable obscurity every season. However I always used to enjoy the games and just accepted the fact that we were a below average side. Unfortunately due to two years of successive promotions, together with ldv finals and cup giantkillings my expectations have changed and I now seem to get really fed up with how we are playing and the way things are going whereas in years gone by I would have been relatively pleased to be where we are this season and would be enjoying it just as much as any other. Anyone else feel the same?

 

[RobM]

What we are experiencing now is "normal service resumed".

I've been supporting since 1966 (cough).

 

[CC51DAS]

I have supported Southend for over 15 years and up until 2005 I had never known us to have any success, it just seemed to be relegation fights or lower midtable obscurity every season. However I always used to enjoy the games and just accepted the fact that we were a below average side. Unfortunately due to two years of successive promotions, together with ld:)v finals and cup giantkillings my expectations have changed and I now seem to get really fed up with how we are playing and the way things are going whereas in years gone by I would have been relatively pleased to be where we are this season and would be enjoying it just as much as any other. Anyone else feel the same?

Nail on head - time for a large injection of realism , methinx.

Fortunately, however, , we will always be

'....the greatest team the world has ever seen....'

:clap: :) :) :) :clap: :) :) :) :clap: :stunned:

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I would start by disputing your criteria for success. For me, getting to the final of the, now, JPT in 2004 was a success. Since then every season has had something memorable and 2008/9 will certainly be remembered for our performance at Chelsea.
I posted something to the effect of the genii of expectation being let out of the bottle some time ago. However I had in mind of it effecting suporters of five years standing and not veterans like yourself. I have been following the Blues for over 50 years and believe me, these are golden times.........perhaps I would welcome some respite from all this excitement(not serious) ...........a mid table finish a no Cup success......the stress on the old heart is taking its toll! Enjoy the success while it's there...........when you are really depressed you won't have the energy or enthusiasm to come and post your concerns on here.

 

[CC51DAS]

I would start by disputing your criteria for success. For me, getting to the final of the, now, JPT in 2004 was a success. Since then every season has had something memorable and 2008/9 will certainly be remembered for our performance at Chelsea.
I posted something to the effect of the genii of expectation being let out of the bottle some time ago. However I had in mind of it effecting suporters of five years standing and not veterans like yourself. I have been following the Blues for over 50 years and believe me, these are golden times.........perhaps I would welcome some respite from all this excitement(not serious) ...........a mid table finish a no Cup success......the stress on the old heart is taking its toll! Enjoy the success while it's there...........when you are really depressed you won't have the energy or enthusiasm to come and post your concerns on here.

Yogi, you are beginning to worry me - if you need to talk p m me

on second thoughts ........:unsure:

 

[grassroots]

I have supported Southend for over 15 years and up until 2005 I had never known us to have any success, it just seemed to be relegation fights or lower midtable obscurity every season. However I always used to enjoy the games and just accepted the fact that we were a below average side. Unfortunately due to two years of successive promotions, together with ldv finals and cup giantkillings my expectations have changed and I now seem to get really fed up with how we are playing and the way things are going whereas in years gone by I would have been relatively pleased to be where we are this season and would be enjoying it just as much as any other. Anyone else feel the same?

...and there sure have been some lean times!! I was one of the 1,080 that turned up one chilly evening in the 80's when the club really was down.......and almost out. If we think our current 2 'star' strikers are injury prone, what about the signing of 'once legend' Tony Currie who injured himself in the warm up of his first game and we never saw him again!!
Funny tho, that this being my 50th season, 43 of which have been in the Third or Fourth tier, I too am less patient and EXPECT us to be challenging for promotion!! The Blues have 'raised the bar' and now need to live up to it!

 

[RobM]

I feel an 'old gits' club forming! Pass the milky drink...

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

I have supported Southend for over 15 years and up until 2005 I had never known us to have any success, it just seemed to be relegation fights or lower midtable obscurity every season. However I always used to enjoy the games and just accepted the fact that we were a below average side. Unfortunately due to two years of successive promotions, together with ldv finals and cup giantkillings my expectations have changed and I now seem to get really fed up with how we are playing and the way things are going whereas in years gone by I would have been relatively pleased to be where we are this season and would be enjoying it just as much as any other. Anyone else feel the same?

If you saw our six year run in the second tier then I think it's a bit harsh to say you've never witnessed success. We were below average for most of our time in that division, but we'd have been getting way ahead of ourselves to expect anything else.

I do find it alarming how, on the back of a few years of good fortunes, mediocrity now seems to be completely unacceptable even in the short term. This isn't Football Manager, where the "correct" decisions will surely see you overcome your drone opponents and challenge for promotion. There are 24 clubs in our league with players, management and fans fighting every bit as hard as we are to improve their position. A sense of entitlement that it should be you at the top every single time regardless is seldom a becoming thing.

It's absolutely fine with me for us to spend a few years at this level and press to go up when we're in a position to make a decent fist of it in the Championship. I'm confident that this club's best days lie ahead and I don't see that the instability of going up before we're ready and then straight back down again would necessarily do us any great favours, though obviously I'll never cheer against the team if we do find ourselves in contention.

 

[CC51DAS]

I feel an 'old gits' club forming! Pass the milky drink...

just what i was thinking - pity we learned how to use computas

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Totally agree with all these comments. I would like to add that a lot of my moaning on here has been the alarming and almost lightning speed of the slide into a poor side and a very poor squad.

Its all happened so quickly and currently show's very little sign of stopping with the lack of funds and news coming out of the club (until the last 24 hours).

Hopefully its all just a temporary blip, and next season needs to be a serious push for improvement with building a side to get to and stay in the championship in about 2 or 3 years time.

 

[A Century United]

What we are experiencing now is "normal service resumed".

I've been supporting since 1966 (cough).

Snap - our first relegation ever, we should have taken the hint!

:dim:

 

[Shrimp Curry]

If you saw our six year run in the second tier then I think it's a bit harsh to say you've never witnessed success. We were below average for most of our time in that division, but we'd have been getting way ahead of ourselves to expect anything else.

I do find it alarming how, on the back of a few years of good fortunes, mediocrity now seems to be completely unacceptable even in the short term. This isn't Football Manager, where the "correct" decisions will surely see you overcome your drone opponents and challenge for promotion. There are 24 clubs in our league with players, management and fans fighting every bit as hard as we are to improve their position. A sense of entitlement that it should be you at the top every single time regardless is seldom a becoming thing.

It's absolutely fine with me for us to spend a few years at this level and press to go up when we're in a position to make a decent fist of it in the Championship. I'm confident that this club's best days lie ahead and I don't see that the instability of going up before we're ready and then straight back down again would necessarily do us any great favours, though obviously I'll never cheer against the team if we do find ourselves in contention.

There was some success, beating Newcastle to go top on new years day, the Collymore cup run and even the anglo italian cup had its moments but nothing over a sustained period like we have had in recent times. I also agree that to stay in this division for two or three years whilst we regroup would be fine. I just think that at the moment I am not enjoying supporting the club as much as I was five years ago when we were at the wrong end of league two! Im sure it is because of the highs of recent seasons and I will snap out of it soon!

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I feel an 'old gits' club forming! Pass the milky drink...

yes absolutely. I agree with Yogi these are halcyon days if you're a supporter who stated in the 60s.
Fever Pitch should be compulsory reading, if fact on the national curriculum. After all one of its main themes is supporting any club is about dealing with failure no matter how good or bad they are. None of them will ever meet your expectations.

 

[markw]

ive only been alive 17 years and i remeber coming home on a freezing cold tuesday night having drawn 0-0 with someone useless and i loved it, i still get the same feeling of pride even after our current dip in form. however always the optimist, i can still see us stealing the last playoff place

 

[RobM]

In life I have discovered this, and you, gentle reader, will at some point;

You can change your job
You can change your car
You can change your partner but..
you can never, never change your football club.



"ive only been alive 17 years and i remeber coming home on a freezing cold tuesday night having drawn 0-0 with someone useless and i loved it"

and that sums up what it is all about!

 

[Reg Martin]

In life I have discovered this, and you, gentle reader, will at some point;

You can change your job
You can change your car
You can change your partner but..
you can never, never change your football club.

what about your underpants?

 

[RobM]

Nah - I got them from Roots Hall market.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

What we are experiencing now is "normal service resumed".

I've been supporting since 1966 (cough).

Youngster, my 1st Col U game 1958



my next 2004 :D

 

[RobM]

"Youngster"...moi? Why thank you kind sir!

 

[Colchester and proud!]

"Youngster"...moi? Why thank you kind sir!

No problem young man :)