This season is our TENTH outside the top flight. That is a very, very long time for any club with serious ambitions to be an established club at the highest level. As things currently stand, it's going to take a massive effort and some luck to get up this season, and next season's chances don't look great with the current squad. The pot of gold for Prem clubs is going to increase dramatically, and the gap between the Prem and Championship will widen even further. Bigger parachute payments will aid relegated clubs, if their owners don't panic and behave badly a la Blackburn, Wolves and Bolton. West Ham have shown how to act after relegation, and they are looking okay in the Prem now. We really can't afford another season outside the Prem because without the massive cash injection it guarantees we simply can't compete for quality players, and more worryingly we can't keep our talent. As I've stated in a previous thread, without a billionaire saviour on the horizon, the only way we can possibly fund a squad that can challenge for promotion is if we get 35000 for every home game, but that won't happen with the current "entertainment" on offer. Are we destined to be a decent, mid-table Championship club that one day flukes a promotion, followed by immediate relegation and then another decade in the wilderness? I really pray not.
Morning BS. The Hammers are a well run club who've benefitted from the parachute payment system, as well as having good managers. Until recently, we were not a well run club. It has taken an age to steady the financial ship to a point where we can start to move forward. We'll find out in the summer how much financial muscle GFH have really got. If we're still ar%ing about in the freebies & journeymen category of player, then clearly they haven't got as much financial muscle as we might have thought at the start. But we really must have a bit of patience. As to how much longer we'll be out of the top flight, I still hope/believe we can do it this season. But I also think that we have the makings of a side ready & prepared to push on next season. Yes, there will be those who don't think much of Brown & some of our other 30+ players. But for every Byram, White, Poleon etc, you still need a few with a bit of experience. What we really need is to work on playing footy by keeping the ball on the floor & playing the sort of stuff that helped us beat Spurs & almost got us at least a point on Saturday. Its not just about billionaire owners, its what the Manager & team do on the pitch that counts. If we play some decent stuff, the crowds will come back. But they're not going to come & watch hoofball every week.
Spot on Billy. You only have to look at the Premiership this season to see how important investment is. Newcastle and Villa two weeks ago were virtually on the same points and both in freefall. Two owners with two different ideas re survival, Newcastle buy several players, back to back wins and are safe already. Villa spent nothing and they are set to join us next season. Qpr bought all round them as well and are picking up points in nearly every match now. Wouldnt want to see us run up debt, but it is clear GFHBates penny pinching approach will not move us forward. A word of warning to them also, our gates are decreasing at an alarming rate, and it will take some improvement to win those fans back. Saturday's performance wouldn't do much to improve attendances, workmanlike being the kindest description I can think of
As many others here have pointed out, a few years ago we could have gone up had our Chairman backed a good young manager and given him the resources to turn a good team into a great one. Since them we’ve arguably gone backwards, but at least have got rid of Bates and can start to build afresh. Of course we have no divine right to play in the top tier – nor do the likes of Forest, Wednesday, Derby, Leicester or Birmingham - who are arguably big enough to be PL teams. What amazes me if that whilst the Championship is very competitive, it doesn’t require huge amounts of cash to be spent to achieve promotion. A solid defence, plenty of stamina in midfield, pacing wingers and a striker who can score 30 goals a season and you’ll have a great chance of getting promoted. We always seem to be some of the way there but a couple of really quality players away from a realistic chance of going up.
I actually enjoy these leagues as we saw at the weekend Premiership Referees don't allow for any argie bargie I like players getting stuck in rather than fannying around.
We have been out for too long mate, the gap won't ever be bridged unless we get a billionaire chairman. I look at my mates kids, all of which used to a wear Leeds shirt now they don't even know what the score is until the following morning or when their mates take the piss out of them.
History dictates that Leeds are a 2nd tier team - just like us At the moment, teams punching highest above their weight are Swansea and Hull who are historically 3rd and 4th tier teams respectively
If they are £100M in debt how are they making money No wonder you lot are only good at mining and farming!!
Don't need to dream mate - been there, done that, and it was not (in the long run) a very pleasant experience
Typical thick West England comment really. Another fan that didn't think football existed until their team made it to the Prem. Plastics here, plastics there...........
Plastics fcuking everywhere!! It's a great point though, the longer we are out of the Prem the more young supporters we lose to the "glory" clubs. A couple of years ago I went to Wembley to watch the Rhinos. On the train back talk turned to football, and a young lass in a Rhinos shirt with her Leeds United supporting family admitted that she supported Chelsea. I was stunned!! Fcuking Rhinos till I die but Chelsea before United? What a joke, and worse of all her mom, dad and brother actually accepted it. But that's what fcuking about in the lower divisions will do to you. Truth is that eventually Swansea, Wigan and QPR will tumble out of the Prem, and they will suffer as they come to terms with the fact that nobody wants to play for them unless they are paid monopoly money. The hefty wage bills they bring down with them will strangle them a la Pompey, they'll offload their three decent players and stumble along with an average squad on stupid wages, and occupy a bottom half slot just like Wolves, praying they don't drop another level. Harsh lessons coming the way of a few clubs, but the Prem elite don't really care.
One team seemingly helt bent on never getting back is Forest. What are their owners doing? And to think at one point Leeds fans were hoping they would buy us!!!!
