What if we dont go up?

[leeblue]

Chatting to my dad today about the upcoming play offs and all we could talk about was wembley this and wembley that. I stopped the conversation and pointed out that we are not there yet and we may not even get to the final let alone win promotion. This is a real possibility people.
If we dont go up I for one will not be too despondant, reaching the play offs alone is a pretty good season to be honest(far more than many expected) and if we stayed down and added a couple of good players in the summer I see no reason why we couldnt challenge again next season, hopefully non promotion would not be too much of a financial blow and keeping bailey would not be a problem

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I'll be disappointed but it is a bit of a lottery. There are no outstanding teams in the last 4. It'll be who plays the best on the day and has a bit of luck, a mi**** going in, a goal keeping bloomer or a once in a life time strike. It's what makes the playoffs fun.

 

[The General]

I dont think anyone expected the play-offs after Xmas so its all a bonus to me at the moment mate, but we are on a fine run of form, and it would be gutting to miss out now. Most players have the experience and hopefully can use that to get us back to the CCC!

Kev

 

[Csboy]

If we don't go up Tilson should be sacked as this season would be a real failure.

Just kidding didn't expect anything at the start of the season.Going back up would be a remarkable achievement but if we don't go up no big deal we will still have Barnard available for the whole of next season, confident of us being up the top again.

 

[The Big Shrimp]

IF we don't go up, then providing we keep most of this side together & add a bit more quality & depth, I think we'll go up next season. We have the bare bones of a decent side, but need to get decent cover in all positions.

Also, the division would probably be without three of the big guns, as I think Leeds will go up if we don't. Nobody, apart from MK & Leicester are likely to throw some money at promotion & even that won't be at the level that Leeds or Forest did.

Lets worry about it after the next Bank Holiday!

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

If we don't go up it will still have been a fairly successful if you look were we were at xmas to have made it to the Play - Offs the team and management have done a great job.

Having got this far though it would be good for us to go up but if we don't i think we will be real contenders for the auto's.

 

[ozzy-shrimper]

id be happy any way it goes!

 

[Beefy]

I really hope we go up this season because I fear that League One will be very, very competitive next year with Colchester, Scunny, Leicester, MK Dons, Peterborough, Brighton, Tranmere, Oldham and Huddersfield all looking to be up there, as well as the three unsuccessful Playoff sides. I have faith in Tilly to be able to build a team to be competitive but I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that if we don't go up at Wembley we'll be up the top next season.

 

[haveaguiness]

I really hope we go up this season because I fear that League One will be very, very competitive next year with Colchester, Scunny, Leicester, MK Dons, Peterborough, Brighton, Tranmere, Oldham and Huddersfield all looking to be up there, as well as the three unsuccessful Playoff sides. I have faith in Tilly to be able to build a team to be competitive but I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that if we don't go up at Wembley we'll be up the top next season.

I personally see colchester stuggling along with scunny. They were both relegted in style and will probably lose very key players. Lisbie for colchester for example.
We have been a class above brighton, tranmere, oldham and huddersfield the 2nd half of this season so dont see why they would be "challenging" on the levels that swansea, forest leeds and donny have this year.
I think MK dons peterborough and Leicester have a huge financial backing in their favour and will probably be the ones that will be challenging, but only because they can afford it, like swansea and forest have done this year.
Personally we need to add strentgh in depth and use alot more players next year more regularly. We seem to stick with the same team far to often and then when players do get their chance they are rusty and not at their best.
I dont think going up this year would be a great positive for us, we would need to spend alot of money in the summer, and its all well and good saying well we only need a couple of players, we seriously dont! there are too many players that are fringe players in the ccc and we would need 4-6 new and stronger players!!!

 

[Irate Ian]

Chatting to my dad today about the upcoming play offs and all we could talk about was wembley this and wembley that. I stopped the conversation and pointed out that we are not there yet and we may not even get to the final let alone win promotion. This is a real possibility people.
If we dont go up I for one will not be too despondant, reaching the play offs alone is a pretty good season to be honest(far more than many expected) and if we stayed down and added a couple of good players in the summer I see no reason why we couldnt challenge again next season, hopefully non promotion would not be too much of a financial blow and keeping bailey would not be a problem

Don't fear winning and go out fighting, if we don't make it, is all we can ask for.

Hope T & B have the team practising penalties as chances are that it might go to the wire in one of these games.

 

[Firestorm]

I would be concerned about a number of players leaving.
Personally I feel that Flavs, Bailey ,Francis and Gower may well attract bids in the summer and , should we not be in the Championship, Flavs and Gower may well take a big pay day to take them into their 30's

I am unsure whether we would / could sign Mulgrew permenantly either.

As for league 1 next year, I feel Col U may well drop through, Scunny , I have a sneaking feeling , will be similar to us this year, Leicester will underestimate this division (a bit like Forest) and take a couple of seasons to get out , plus they could well have the turmoil of Malandric pulling out .
Two of the three non playoff winners will be strong and will be in with a playoff shout at the end of it , with the other one falling from grace rather.
MK and Peterbro will get good starts but will fade away a bit, may well make the play offs.

TBH I feel Leeds will win the play offs this year

 

[shrimperton]

If we dont go up who cares, we got away days at MK Dons new stadium, peterboro, northampton + Leicester (these games have special meaning for me) plus we got the added bonus we can win the league at Cookoo Farm on the last day in front of the scummers relegating them in the process!!!
Show there stadium what its like to have sucess

 

[South Bank Hank]

We may not have expected to reach the play-offs this year, and it's some achievement no matter what happens, but let's not now accept anything other than promotion as the target.

Now we've got ourselves into this position, anything other than promotion will inevitably be a huge disappointment. We've already shown that our team can beat ALL of the others in the mix, and we are considerably stronger than we were earlier in the season. I believe we are more than capable of getting past Doncaster over two legs. If we can do that, then promotion will depend on our ability to play our normal game in front of a raucous 60,000+ against a well-backed Leeds at Wembley.

If we don't go up, life will go on of course, and I'd expect us to be 7th place and above right through next season. The big concerns though would be about whether or not we could keep the likes of Bailey, Gower and Francis, or sign Mulgrew.

Bottom line: life doesn't always pan out like you hope/expect it to. We've got the opportunity to go up now, and we need to take it.

 

[leeblue]

Anyone reckon the attendances would suffer?

 

[Uncle Leo]

If we don't go up I'll really start ruing my decision to have "Southend United - Play-Off Winners 2007/08" tattooed on my thigh.

 

[Jam_Man]

Anyone reckon the attendances would suffer?

Id say playing in the top 3rd of league one our attendances will still avearage 8,000+


As for the thread, I was expecting anywhere from 4th -10th and hoped we could sneak into the playoffs. The fact we have played our way in there with some style since Christmas means for me that whatever happens its been a good season.

There will no doubt be cries of protest if we dont get to Wembley, or beyond but now its a cup competition and we have little more than 25% chance of success.

If we go up great, if not then the silver lining is we are in a league we wont struggle with games against Col U and Orient to keep us entertained next season.

Ill be disappointed not to get to Wembley, but I shant be complaining if we miss out.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

IF we don't go up it won't be the end of the world. If we can keep hold of key players like Bailey & Gower and bring in a few new faces to strengthen we could really challenge for automatic next year.

I expect Scunny & Col Ewe to be midtable, with Peterboro & MK around the play-offs - one of these two might challenge for automatic but not both. Leicester may underestimate the division to start but i think will come stong to challenge for auto's along with us and the other teams that made the play-offs.

We would have a great chance next year.

But we must aim for promotion now, take the opportunities when they come! UTB!

 

[Nobby Snide]

Chatting to my dad today about the upcoming play offs and all we could talk about was wembley this and wembley that. I stopped the conversation and pointed out that we are not there yet and we may not even get to the final let alone win promotion. This is a real possibility people.
If we dont go up I for one will not be too despondant, reaching the play offs alone is a pretty good season to be honest(far more than many expected) and if we stayed down and added a couple of good players in the summer I see no reason why we couldnt challenge again next season, hopefully non promotion would not be too much of a financial blow and keeping bailey would not be a problem

I'm happy with the season, we've finished above expectations, and the play offs is a great bonus to the coffurs...a wembly final, no matter how it finishes, would again help the war chest for next season, but in LEAGUE 1...the CCC would be a league too far a season too early. We need to remove most of the squad players and replace with strong/proven CCC quality players(not has beens)

 

[Firestorm]

I would be concerned about a number of players leaving.
Personally I feel that Flavs, Bailey ,Francis and Gower may well attract bids in the summer and , should we not be in the Championship, Flavs and Gower may well take a big pay day to take them into their 30's

Sorry to Come over all Irate Ian and quote my own posts but I was interested to see that the Gower - one last pay day has been alluded to in another thread

 

[Medway Blue]

IF we don't go up, then providing we keep most of this side together & add a bit more quality & depth, I think we'll go up next season. We have the bare bones of a decent side, but need to get decent cover in all positions.

Also, the division would probably be without three of the big guns, as I think Leeds will go up if we don't. Nobody, apart from MK & Leicester are likely to throw some money at promotion & even that won't be at the level that Leeds or Forest did.

Lets worry about it after the next Bank Holiday!

Agreed. Would be disappointed, but I think just getting in the playoffs has been a brilliant achievement. it's difficult to bounce back from any relegation. IF we don't go up, then I'm pretty sure, with a bit more squad depth, that we will be challenging for Autos next season. Without wishing to tempt fate, if we went up next season I think we'd be better equipped to survive in the CCC than if we went up this season.