In the past

A few have questioned whether this club has ambition to strive to being the best it can. Particularly after all those years treading water in the bottom 5 or so of the Championship. It's early days I know, but considering the mess that some clubs find themselves in, in this league, I am confident when I say that I believe we can have a good season this year and finish well above 'treading water'.

Some have questioned whether Patrick Cryne's heart is really in it anymore, or at least whether he was looking for a way out. They've even questioned whether he was brave enough to put his hand in his pocket. People questioned the role that Ben Mansford played in his time here, and whether you believe it was for better or worse, his motives behind moving on. Few have actually questioned whether we have the right man in charge (one exception springs to mind but i'll not name names).

Whatever you've thought of this club over the last few years, the signings we've made in the last 5 transfer windows, have been largely positive and in a common theme; that theme has consistently been, is the move right for the club. Not necessarily quick fixes, not signings based solely on reputation or former glories. Players who are hungry and willing to improve in their time here.

The turnaround last season and the start to this one, combined with the great signings we've made over the last 2 years proves to me that this club has ambition. This club wants to be the best it can be. This club isn't here to make up the numbers in the Championship this time around. We're here to score goals and win football matches. We're here to entertain and inspire.

And the reason why we're in the position we are now... Relegation. What a blessing in disguise that was. It gave us the opportunity to offload the wasters, the deadwood. The career losers, who were using the club as a payday rather than an opportunity to demonstrate their gift. We started again. We formulated a new plan, on and off the field. I feel we had the wrong manager in charge at the time, and then replaced him with someone else who, in hindsight, was also not quite right. And all of a sudden, it clicked. Seemingly overnight, the stars aligned.

We have continued this run into the new season because, we were a Championship club last season. We were far and away the best team in the division come May. We can ignore the Wigan result as they were already promoted and seemingly on the beach, but to dismantle 2 of the top 4 teams in the league in the play-offs, and in the manner we did, proves that we were a class above. We've strengthened, put our faith in our seemingly faultless head coach, and convinced our talisman that this is the place to be.

The players are buying into the philosophy; I believe they are realising that they're a chosen few, who this club has identified as potential future greats, and are being given the chance to showcase their skills. We might be a conveyor belt for top young talent, but whilst the belt is moving, more and more class players are coming through, and this club is continuing to progress. We're making money hand over fist, we're winning more than we're losing, we're going out and spending money on quality players who have a future as opposed to a past, we're scoring for fun in a league where 2 years prior and for a considerable length of time before that, we were just happy to be at the table, dining with the big boys. The big boys are getting bigger, but so are we. As orange once said, the future's bright. As Toyota once said, the car in front is a Toyota, your cars probably faster.

This club is ambitious. Dare to dream!!!

 

Then I will entertain the possibility that ticket prices are having a greater effect than I first gave them credit for.

I will only consider it mind.