for what it's worth if we do not make the play offs i will view Ritchie as being a failure.Why?,because he has already shown us a team of players who have the ability to have gained automatic promotion. Had we been a team of strugglers and no-hopers during the course of the season my attitude would have been different. However, this is not the case and as such we have a team who have proven ability to take this league. If we fail it is because we have lacked an ability and skill in the area of leadership. Please don't give me the usual crap of "I should feel lucky to have a club to support",or "Look where we are in the league,havent we done well". The fact of the matter is that this team should have walked this league but, for whatever reason and only Ritchie knows ,they have put themselves up against it. If they do fail,is it because they have not been motivated by the manager or is it that they are just a set of lazy gets?. Or is there another reason. I personally would view the first two reasons as being the dominent factors. Have you nice people ever stood back and wondered why there is no atmosphere or why the gates are down. Over the past few weeks I've stopped going to matches inspite of having a season ticket because I have become so pissed off with the quality of play and the lack of atmosphere at oakwell. Having been a regular supporter since the 1957/8 season I have decided that if we do not go up I will blame it on the part of lack of effort and inept management and will not re-new my s.t. No doubt there will be an element of abuse but,there you go ,those are my attitudes and intentions.
The fact of the matter is that this team should have walked this league on what do you base this-we have gained promotion 7 times in the club's history-face the- facts-a season spent in the top half of the division is a success</p> anything else is a bonus-and I can't fault Ritchie this season</p>
RE: The fact of the matter is that this team should have walked this league You see, it's people like you that make it easy for Ritchie and Shepherd. I can just hear shepherd talking to the rest of the board and dear old Andy: "Oh don't worry, the majority of the idiots who keep spending their money on season tickets and turning up every home game and lots of away games aswell, are so pleased to still have a team to support, that they'll be happy if we manage to stay anywhere above the relegation zone. It doesn't matter that we are putting on rubbish displays, we've been lucky so far and if our luck changes, we can always blame that for not going up".
RE: The fact of the matter is that this team should have walked this league If you can hear that mr. then I suggest you go and see your Dr. and tell him your hearing voices