Time to write this season off

[Safeway]

Let's face it, even if we do somehow manage to blag our way through the play-offs and get promotion we're more than likely going to get battered in Division 1 and come straight back down again.

Personally I've accepted that we've not got what it takes and have given up on getting stressed because we're not ten points clear. Yes this is an extremely poor Division 2, but we're not really any better than anyone else and it's time we realised that.

I'm not interested in apportioning blame, it's been a combination of things: not replacing Paul Brooker, Coppell leaving, McGhee taking time to make his mark, the injuries to Blackwell, Rodger etc and so on.

All we do now is enjoy the rest of the season. There's some cracking away days coming up, QPR, Luton and Wycombe to name just three, and we should just relax now and look forward to some good days out.

There's a whole shed load of players out of contract at the end of the season, as there was after Adams first took over. Have faith in McGhee and I'm sure that next season, along with the prospect of Falmer on the way, we'll be serious challengers once again.

This season's boring. Great stuff, when did we last have one of those? Fans of most other clubs would run through a brick wall to have the last three or four seasons that we've had. And it says something when you can write the season off when you're still in fifth position. Perhaps we've been spoilt a touch?

Look at this season as a 'transitional period'. Once we get it out the way McGhee can get shot of the dead wood and bring his own men in, Falmer will be started and then we can really look forward.

 

[Biscuit]

Let's face it, even if we do somehow manage to blag our way through the play-offs and get promotion we're more than likely going to get battered in Division 1 and come straight back down again.

Whatever you say steve...

Personally I think were just in bad form and things can and will pick up. Its totally stupid to write the season of already! I'll try not to roll over and die yet...

 

[Gerbil]

Agree with all that mate.
Except the Coppell bit!!!!!!!

 

[El Presidente]

I don't thing we should write it off. I remember 1987/8 when we won the last 7 games to sneal promotion with Garry Nelson and Crumps on fire, and 1990/91 when we were nearly promoted to the Premiership despite having a negative goal difference.

As Safeway says, lets enjoy it and stop beating ourselves to death over this season. There is plenty to play for in terms of the play-offs, and lots of good trips, especially Stockport on my birthday weekend

 

[Sheebo]

We are one hell of c club - we'll get through anything - just u wait

 

[Wilko]

I think our success this season will hinge on the falmer decision, the whole club will receive a huge lift in confidence and desire if the decision comes up trumps.

 

[Yorkie]

I don't thing we should write it off. I remember 1987/8 when we won the last 7 games to sneal promotion with Garry Nelson and Crumps on fire, and 1990/91 when we were nearly promoted to the Premiership despite having a negative goal difference.

As Safeway says, lets enjoy it and stop beating ourselves to death over this season. There is plenty to play for in terms of the play-offs, and lots of good trips, especially Stockport on my birthday weekend

Still plenty to play for yet and let's enjoy it.

 

[Easy 10]

I wouldn't go quite as far as writing the season off. This division is an absolute pile of piss, and any team which can put a decent run of half a dozen results together will be well in with a shout of the playoffs, and we are one of those teams capable of doing just that. We're having a pretty poor spell, but we're still 5th.
We've got the top scorer in the division, and we should be more than capable of making the Playoffs...from there, it is a lottery.

I agree this team would get battered out of sight if we went up though. Until we get that stadium, D1 is not much more than a bonus really. Once we have the stadium, we can push on and establish ourselves as a modest D1 club (such as Walsall or Gillingham). I WILL be gutted if we don't at least make the playoffs this season though - we should be capable of that at least.

 

[Ernest]

And how many empty seats at Withdean for the rest of the season if this is the case ?
Hope Norman has deep pockets in this case

 

[albiongirl]

It is not writing the season off but being realistic even if we make the play offs and gain promotion are squad is not strong enough to survive in Div 1. The key I agree is Falmer and the decision can not come sooner.

 

[oapdodge]

Got to agree with a lot/most of what you said Safeway,very well put.
But I still think we have a great chance of making the play offs and I really fancy a trip to the final in Cardiff,would be a great day out.Still that to play for.
Then if we win and go up again lets just take our chance.


Agree with other posts about enjoying the rest of the season and no longer worth just moaning about players etc.We are not good enough or have the players at the moment to mount a championship challenge.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

This is a nothing season, the players know it, the manager knows it and alas the fans now know it. We are a nothing club until we get Falmer.

 

[bhaexpress]

Safeway has a point, seems to me that McGhee is pissing about with different players (I mean, he thinks David Lee is a footballer) and I reckon the rest of this season will be spent meddling about. I can't see us getting any points out of the next two games thus we'll slide to a mid table position.

Since we're supposed to have some money for new players then why aren't we getting a couple ? There have to be players out there that would improve the side.

 

[Biscuit]

Safeway wrote to much for this thread to sink like the titanic...

*bounce*

 

[bhaexpress]

Most of the seats are already paid for. We've got 5,000 season ticket holders.

Oh please Desert, don't rely on Earnest to get his facts right !

 

[London Irish]

I'm having to pinch myself that this thread is for real. Guys, we are fifth in the table.

I know it is silly for fans to overhype a team's performance and have false hopes. But there seems to be a bizzare flipside to this prevalent in this thread. There is an element of world-weariness here that is stopping you seeing the wood for the trees.

*Goes back to check the league table just to check I am not dreaming, yes, that looks like fifth to me*

Even if we were in midtable and a few points off the play-offs we should be looking forward to our team making a good fight of the rest of the season and nicking a spot. But we are in the play-off places!

The funny thing is I agree with a lot of Safeway's posting, some very sensible comments, but I just don't know how he moved from those to his "season-as-write-off" conclusion.

We are in a sticky patch with injuries and suspensions, and McGhee has not quite got the right balance yet in some of his team selections. But if we are fifth while all that is going on, how well will we do when Jones, Rodger, Piercy and Blackwell are all in the line-up? I for one will find it absolutely fascinating how McGhee will sort out our midfield probs in the weeks to come, your team overcoming setbacks is precisely why you go and watch football!

Why is this not exciting? We still have an good chance of going straight back up to Division 1! What do people want? Britney and Madonna mudwrestling in the long jump pit at half-time?

Right before I post this, I'm going to look on teletext again and check the league table just to check I'm not going mad.

*wanders downstairs for a minute*

Yep, still fifth. I don't want to come across as some tinted-glasses merchant, players and management deserve brickbats if they are not performing well, and they deserve some of that at the moment. But we are rolling up our sleeves and fighting, whatever our shortcomings, and are fifth. We should be 100% behind the team in our belief that they can achieve, cheering them on to another brilliant promotion, and discussing ways how McGhee and the players can best do that, selections, formations, etc.

Fifth, fifth, fifth, fifth, fifth!!!!!!!!!!

Look into my eyes, look into my eyes, don't look around my eyes, look into my eyes ... Fifth, fifth, fifth, fifth, fifth, fifth, fifth!!!!!!!!
... you're back in the room.

How the hell is any one going to be able to "relax"? If you are "relaxed" at Albion's games from now on, pass that bloody spliff round because it must be some fecking powerful shit.

 

[rool]

Most of the seats are already paid for. We've got 5,000 season ticket holders.

Most of the empty seats come from the visiting club failing to sell their 700ish allocation (unlike most Div 1 clubs) and Albion fans subsequently:

1) Not realising there are tickets available
2) Finding out too late to make arrangements
or
3) Not wanting to pay so much for a terrible view and the prospect of getting soaked

None of these problems will apply when we move to Falmer.

That is all very true but it doesn't help us NOW. The 5000 or so paid up tickets were mostly paid for last March. The money was needed to get the club through the summer. Zamora being sold has then helped to pay since then (If we have even seen the money. If not, why?). The sunday times said he had to be sold to help pay for running costs and salaries.

I don't buy the excuse that it is because visiting clubs don't sell their allocation. That has been the situation for most games since we have been at Withdean. But now we are unable to sell them.

It was well known that we were just about breaking even when we sold out due to the excessive costs so how are we managing financially now and what kind of state will we be in if it stays the same until falmer comes along. If FBS has had to put some money in to cover December salaries we have the answer, we are not managing.

Am I the only one to be remotely concerned by this?. What is to stop it all getting to a dangerous situation again? and doesn't anybody else think that if there is a financial problem we should be told. After all this was going to be an honest and transparent board.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

That 'still fifth' is a freak statistical blip. It'll be gone by the end of the month. There's half a dozen teams poised to leapfrog over us, and half of them will.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Our play this season warrants 15th in the league imho

 

[Beach Hut]

You bunch of miserable twats - season over my arse.

It ain't over till the fat lady sings, plenty of time left for something to happen.