Last season we had a team full of endeavour and also the addition of some excellent loan signings that have either gone back to or progressed higher up the divisions (Mawson, Saunders, Yennaris, Fred) This year we still had the effort and endeavour, quite possibly a better core squad of players, but not the same quality (or luck) in the loan market. Let us face facts. We would not have been in a position to survive a League 1 campaign either last or this season. We also are not in a financially stable enough poition to gamble on buying safety through the addition of more expensive "quality players" So, all we can really hope for is that we continue to add one or two player improvements over the next 2-3 yrs to get us in a position to challenge without relying on a pletherer of loanees. As much as we all want to attain promotion, let's not forget the yo-yo club we have been for the past 10 years or so. It's definitely been a good while since we achieved promotion and actively secured a higher league placing for a number of seasons. This also was with the backing of money from Hayes. Yes, the football this second half of the season has been pretty dull. We haven't achieved the heady heights of last season and I don't expect us to for at least another two years. Lets be measured in our judgement and again assess where we think we are after we have made our signings this summer. It's not easy to be objective when you watched that performance on Saturday, but I for one believe that we are going about things the right way. I hope all those mumbling about not renewing season tickets give Ainsworth more time. It is not so long ago that we were teetering on the brink of the conference and things were out of our hands.
Agreed Slasher. It's hard to reconcile the feelings of every Wycombe fan, only a few years ago, of wishing we could get rid of the shark Hayes and happy to be a viable non league club rather than be run into the ground by Hayes, the euphoria at hanging on by a thread to league football and becoming a fan owned club, somehow reaching the play offs last season, and up there for most of this season, with the current doom and gloom and discontent amongst so many fans. There is no way we want to have administration hanging over our heads again. That means that we have to live within our means whilst reducing our debt. Not until we are in a sustainable financially stable position can we even contemplate buying goal scorers who will get us into League 1. If and when we get into League 1, we need to be able to afford the players to keep us there until we are ready (if ever that will be) to move on up. Nothing worse than having a season where we are doomed to relegation (Aston Villa style). People need to understand the constraints within which Gareth has to operate and appreciate that not many managers could (or would) manage any better, if as well, in the same circumstances. We should be grateful that we have a team that are running this club with the future in mind. The people that are moaning now and calling for Gareth's head are the same people that would be moaning much more if we went into administration through spending beyond our means. There is just no pleasing everyone Look at the dismal performance of Leicester over the years and what they have now achieved. The true fans suffered those years and were finally rewarded. Many of you fans may be fortunate enough to be around when Wycombe make a major break through. Even though I may not be, I am still proud to be a Wycombe fan come what may and will support them all the way as they fight to get out of the financial mess Hayes left us in. Any success on the way is a bonus (eg just being able to see our two 3rd round ties against Villa more than makes up for the recent failures) Ignoring the last game (please) our results against the top 7 teams read W 3 D 3 L7. Of those 7 losses 6 were by the odd goal On top of that, in the FA Cup, we beat League 1 Millwall (potentially Championship via play offs) and took Premiership team Villa to a replay. Although relegated, Villa only lost 1-0 (home and away) against Man Utd, drew 1-1 with Man C and in between our two cup games drew 1-1 with Premiership Champions Leicester at Villa Park, having lost by the odd goal in 5 at Leicester. We have done OK on a shoestring; a damn sight better than many teams who aren't. Meanwhile we have been gradually reducing our debt. I don't envy Gareth and the challenges ahead that he faces but wish him and the whole team all the best
Reading the above reminds me so much of things I read on Argyle's fan forums. "What we want is promotion........when do we want it NOW" It's about all I've heard for a couple of years now. How realistic is it without a Russian Oilygit? Not very. Of course everyone wants success. We wouldn't be supporters if we didn't would we but that success shouldn't come at a cost none of us want to pay. If we went into Admin again then I think that would be it for us and there would be no coming back. I suspect it would be the same for you. We have an owner who has put nothing into the club at all. He expects us the fan base to pay for everything and for the club to live within whatever we hand over of our hard earned. I complain about him all the time because I think he should do something himself but he isn't going to and has told us often enough he won't. The bottom line is live within your means. The only means there is comes through the turnstyles. If locals want more success than they have right now then the answer is to get more through the gate. Instead of bellyaching persuade others to come along in the hope they continue after the first visit. But, that isn't easy when the competition is the premiership on sky. Considering your gates you do quite well in the league. Always knocking on the door even if it seldom opens. But, with your finances you are not going to buy the players you need are you. There are 2 alternatives to this. The first is do a leicester and be lucky enough to find the right players who blend beyond your dreams into a team that is going to win whatever. The second is to borrow young players off the bigger boys and hope they develope quickly. You have no choice but to have more loanees than you'd like. We've been there because of debt repayment despite our crowds. Loanees making up the numbers is not the way to go if you are going to seriously challenge. You can't rely on keeping them for a start. They are cheap though so the Manager is always going to go down that route. If you seriously look at league 2 there are only a few, very few, clubs that could sustain a promotion for long without bouncing back. If you look at the clubs that went past league 2 in recent times who have come a croper or nearly since. Fleetwood almost relegated again. Rich owner paying in money who is probably finding it hard to maintain. Crawley struggling again. Stevenage the same. All of them had owners paying for the success. I think the best way is to do it slowly and within budget. It's hard to watch but at least you still have something to watch and not your club going to the wall. We all know it makes sense really.
Those clubs you mention, Fleetwood, Crawley and stevenage have all come up from the conference with money (rich owners). I believe that they then have a few years to comply with football league financial rules. Now they are doing that they are dropping down again. I read that on here somewhere but if I am wrong then please let me know.
On about clubs that have gone up you forgot Dagenham, greeny now back in the conference. What will Northampton do if the manager goes to Charlton interesting to watch. The manager I give a lot of credit to is Phil Brown at Southend never expected them to have as good a season that they have had.
I totally agree with you slasher, I also think we have a better core player base and the difference was the quality of loan signings. Macarthy was ace at the back and Paris would have made a huge difference. The others weren't up to it, and I don't blame GA as you can't always get a gem. If Gozu had hit the net more early on it could have been totally different. I think a young strong striker to play with Hayes or Thompson might work. It has to be better then playing them both together. This season may have been a slight anti climax but after the last two seasons I am happy with that. (Better for the old heart). Forward thinking, replace Gozu with another striker (fingers crossed this time) replace Ketz with a creative midfielder, get that loan keeper from Villa signed up. Bring back Paris on a permanent deal. I'm happy with another mid table finish next season and further decrease the debt, but one attacking gem picked up by GA could mean another playoff push.
Cheers Greeny. Thought you might like to see this post in reply "Plymouth do have some really great fans (as well as the moaning crew). Coming up to a year ago we were celebrating getting to Wembley and many of their fans stayed behind very late drinking in the bar congratulating us. Their fans have been through the mill and it's good to see many of them pick up the lessons from it"
Thanks Ron. This is always a hard subject to swallow for every club without a rich backer. I do as much moaning as everyone else about what the owner doesn't spend even though we have been on the brink. But, when push comes to shove there is only ever one serious question. Would you swap your club for a couple of years of indulgence which might not even happen anyway regardless of what you spend. I suspect there are very few who would. It's just not good viewing doing it right all the time though. I may moan about teams and results at times but I never make it personal. You didn't play and nor did I so there is nothing either could do about what's on offer on the pitch. I never understand those that do.
