This Club Is Going............. Where?

No apologies for repeating my comments from another thread:

" Plusses and minuses for me this season:

+
We are not missing Shackell (contrary to my expectations) - even after Saturday we've conceded fewer goals in the same number of games.
We are generally regarded as playing a better brand of passing football.
Butterfield is now realising his potential.

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We still (after 5 seasons back) do not have a credible Championship level striker (given the uncertainty about Haynes).
Butterfield is being fattened up for Christmas, after which he will be sold. Same old, same old.
Our pricing structure and lack of ambition (other than survival) has impacted badly on the average crowd, which is now not at a sustainable Championship level.
Unlike last season, it will almost certainly take more than 43 points to avoid the drop. We are hovering around a 1 point per game schedule (=46).

The loyalists will argue that we are strengthening our position by going early for the 'financial realism' approach. The fact is that with the present approach, when the dust settles, we will be one of the poorest-supported clubs in the Championship. That will not, as is claimed, leave us on a level playing field, given the lack of revenue via the gates. It will mean that we will continue to have to offload any up and coming players, or ones we manage to 'develop'. And we are clearly neither able or willing to spend on players.

As Grandfathertyke said to me, our natural centre of gravity has shifted. In the old days our natural habitat was Division 2/Championship level. It is now arguably League One level - although we are currently punching above our weight. This isn't (believe it or not) a moan - its just the reality of the situation. How we, as individual fans view that depends upon our own expectations in terms of achievement and/or entertainment. The crowds of 9,000 or so suggest some have already made up their mind. "

One reply said that we are now more entertaining. Well in fact, we've scored fewer goals than after the same number of games last season. I approve of the passing style, but in truth, what product is there at the end of it?

For my part, I'm getting out of the habit of going. Certainly won't be going down for Cat A £30 games. "Good riddance" say many on here. But if I, and people like me don't go down to the Well, then there's no hope of increasing revenue and making progress.

What's the answer? I haven't a clue. There are better minds than mine supposedly running the club!

 

if as you say our centre of gravity has moved to div1 level , then surely we are achieving by being in the championship. not one of the clubs in this division has'nt struggled at some point or another. its a fact of life at every club outside the top half of the premiere that the diehards have to keep their clubs ticking over till some sort of success arouses the casual or flybynight fans to feel they need to attend. unfortuately when this success comes along its usually the die hard fan that misses out a la liverpool at anfield.imo

 

Couple of bits of complete ******** for me. While I agree that 43 an unsually feeble amount of points to need to survive, there is no evidence that many more will be needed as the team in 22nd have 10 points from 13 games. The other bit is about our natural level shifting. If we haven't been in League One for the last six seasons (and only four in the last 31) how can it be our natural level.

Everyone is entitled their opinion but you just don't give up.

 

Serious question mate, what would you like to see happen for you to feel positive?

 

Serious question mate, why do you only post after a defeat?

 

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We still (after 5 seasons back) do not have a credible Championship level striker (given the uncertainty about Haynes). Well for starters, it's something all but about 4 clubs in our league are looking for. Such strikers don't come cheap unless they are brought in as a gamble and pay off. I'm not a fan of Haynes', I feel he's far to lazy which is such a shame as he has pace to burn and is a fair finisher. Vaz Te can only be gorwing with confidence after scoring in two sub appearences, and could rediscover the form which made him a name for Bolton and in the Portugese international setup. Davies, a freebie from the lower leagues after a 25 goal season, now that is the sort of gamble we should be taking, and I applaud the club for persuading Craig to the club, and I feel with games under his belt, he could become the 'credible championship striker' we require, but then we'll sell him on, which brings me to your next point..

Butterfield is being fattened up for Christmas, after which he will be sold. Same old, same old. I'm afraid you're right with this point, I feel Butterfield won't stay beyond christmas if a better offer comes in for him, but i'm afraid thats the sad reality we live in. Barnsley isn't a fashionable club to play for, we're constantly languising in the final quarter of the championship league table, and i'm afraid any decent player we get, goes elsewhere to try and enhance their career, which ultimatly never works, as they switch from being a big fish in a little pond, to the complete opposite.

Our pricing structure and lack of ambition (other than survival) has impacted badly on the average crowd, which is now not at a sustainable Championship level. I don't feel the club isn't ambitious, I think they're adopting more of a, lets see what happens, approach. Who's to say we won't flirt with the play-off places come the end of the season, afterall, we surely can't have a worse 2nd half to the season than usual. I feel that our next 4 games are crucial to ourseason, as they're all winnable games, Bristol City, Doncaster and Brighton are all struggling for form at the moment, and we should give Hull a good game tuesday night, as we always seem to play well tuesdays at home. These 4 games could give us the momentum to push up the table, and if a decent result follows at Bellend Road, then I feel the crowds could pick up, regardless of the price.

Unlike last season, it will almost certainly take more than 43 points to avoid the drop. We are hovering around a 1 point per game schedule (=46). We've just to make sure we win the odd game more than we're drawing, because if we continue as we are for the rest of the season, then we're on for 23 draws, which would surely be a record. Hence I feel we'll finish on much more than 46 points come may, hopefully we can break the 60 point barrier, now that would be a success.

Well in fact, we've scored fewer goals than after the same number of games last season. I approve of the passing style, but in truth, what product is there at the end of it? By only one goal? Hardly a difference, especially when 3 of our 4 recognised strikers have been injured for the majority of the season (Haynes, Davies, Vaz Té).

Certainly won't be going down for Cat A £30 games. I'm in the minority who believes the club are justified with their categorisation of games, as the attendances hardly rise when we offer cheaper tickets, however I'm not sure if rising the price to £30 has aided. Many people have been put off by it, had we adopted a similar structure as last year, I feel people wouldn't have noticed as much and therefore the crowds wouldn't have dropped by the margin they have.

What's the answer? I haven't a clue. There are better minds than mine supposedly running the club! I feel the only issue which needs addressing is getting people back to the well, I feel the on pitch battle will sort itself out, as arguably we have a better team now than we ever have had in this division and arguably, the best manager since returing to this level. We are a Championship Club, and rightfully so. We havent subscribed to the phenominom (sp) of finding a rich investor and riddling ourself with debt to get to the promised land, we've learnt from our mistakes and I feel In the long run we will benefit from running a tightly run ship. You just watch Doncaster sink like a stone again now.

 

It's the bold lettering that does it.

 

That, and the fact you talked absolute truth/sense.
Keep bowing son